The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-28 00:00:00

*trontlXbittion

SUN OFFICE Three o'Clach.

It is really astonishing what an amount of ignorance,
as respects bribery and corruption at elections, prevails
among those whom the world slanderously presumes to
be specially conversant with such matters. Few are the
Candidates who have the slightest knowledge of corrupt,
electioncoring practices ; still fewer the Constituencies
who are ry,t as pure as unsunned snow. When it. is ob-
jected either to the electors or the elected that they are
by no means paragons of innocence, the objection comes
upon them like a thunder-clap ! They are bewildered—
electrified—stunned. They never heard of such a
calumnious reproach in the whole course of their
lives, and are shocked at the moral depravity that
could have originated it ! Assess a Parliamentary
candidate or representative at his own valuation,
and never was there a more spotless, incorruptible
being. He is a diamond without a flaw—a pearl above
all price. Even though he may represent an Ipswich or a
Beverley, he thanks GOD he is not a WARBURTON,
whose naive confessions of bribery strike a chill
through all his veins ! From the speech which Ise de-
livered last Thursday at Nottingham, we gather that
Mr. WALTER is a representative of this pure and spot-
less character. He knows nothing not he 1— of
illegal electioneering practices ; no lamb new-dropped on
Sherwood Forest was ever more innocent than himself ;
and if he object to have the question of his innocence
discussed on trial, it is only because he objects to those
who are to try him. Messrs. ROEBUCK and HAwAs have
such an odd, perverse way of looking at matters ; they
are, besides, so notoriously his personal enemies, that
they might actually confound innocence with. guilt,
and deliver a verdict against him, when the verdict
should be strongly in his favour. In these days of
wholesale electioneering corruption,it is refreshing to know
that we possess such a sturdy patriot as Mr. WALTER,
who, with his hand on his heart, and his eyes piously
uplifted to that Providence who knows and will reward
his virtue, can thus address the Nottingham electors :
" With respect to Mr. ROEBUCK'S charge of a sale of
this town,- I can only say, that much money as I have
-spent in honourable contest here, none has gone cut of
my pocket, nor shall go, for such a purchase !" Exem-
plary man ! How black does a WARBURTON show
beside a WALTER I ~ But not only is the latter gen-
tleman a model of political purity, but the whole
Conservative-party at Nottingham is equally immaculate.
"We know nothing," says one of Mr. WAL-rEn's
staunchest supporters, " of the flagitious practices aneged
against this town-1-we know nothing of them—we re-
pudiate them." We can imagine the face with -vvliich
this virtuous Tory declaration was made, and r‘-^e no
longer at a loss to understand what HORACE means,
when he talks of a certain individual's countenance being
cased in " triple brass ! "

Whatever language may be held in the House of Com-
inons.relative to bribery, it is evident to us that, there
?pas not exist the slightest wish, on the part of the 2najo-
rity of its Members, to put an end to an abuse
which reflects discredit upon the character of this
country. On the contrary, we are persuaded. that
there is not a privilege of Parliament which Hon. 3fem-
beis prize more highly than that of screening those who
are guilty of such mal-practices. As we said a few days
ago; bribery is the means by which honest men, of small
fortunes, are kept out of the House of Commons. This
endears the practice to the aristocracy, and heace we
And_ Whigs as eager to support it as Tories.
TO put an end to bribery, we must educate the people,
and extend the suffrage ; to punish it we must establish
A tribunal to inquire into it, quite distinct front either
house of Parliament. Lord BROUGHAM'S Bill would
not diminish the evil one jot. A jury of five Lords and
seven Commoners would return a verdict as little de-
.serving of respect as an Election Committee.

We find the following statement in the Irish COITCS-
Fincinwe of the Morning Herald :
,"ihe town, of Ballyshannon presented the appearance of a
:fair during the past week, from the number of families passingt,,
Donegal and Derry for emigration. They chiefly came from
the county Fermanagh, where, it is said, whole townlands are
deserted by the industrious and peaceable teciants, who have
resided there from their infancy. They had a respectable ap-
pearance, and seemed to be well supplied with every necessary
requisite."
The people of Fermanagh arc among the most peace-
able and industrious in Ireland. 'Their pursuits are
agricultural, and they are much attached to their coun-
.try. Yet they desert in scores to people the wilds of
itCanada, or locate in the great valley of the Mississippi,
Xven life in the wilderness has fewer terrors for them
ft; an a longer residence in their own beautiful country.
Thv fact speaks volumes for Irish misgovernment.
Great' must be the wretchedness, and hopeless the lot
of an trish cottar, who deserts his cabin to cross the
Atlantic in search of the means of subsistence.

The Right of Search question is again discussed in
the French Journals received this morning. The Con-
stitutionnel says that France was slow to discover the
(-forgers and abuses to which the Right of Search would
lead, but now that she has taken alarm she will for over
persist in opposing the recognition of such a right. The
Conititutionnel praises the English nation and Govern-
ment, but contends that they are insincere in their er-
deavouri to have it believed they are wholly influenced
upon this question by a religious detestation of slavery.
We are charged with the ambition of seeing our flag.
Moat over every part of the ocean, and the wish to ex-
tend our trade in whatever we do to abolish slavery. If
the indirect advantages of suppressing this horrible
traffic are so obvious, it is rather surprising that
France should not be eager to participate in
them. But there ig no longer any use in the
discussion of the question. It is enough to know that
'Fran .e will not ratify the treaty. There is, therefore,
an end-to the business.
The Fronch Government is determined to push ( n
the various projects for making railways, and to shrine;:
from no expense in the early completion of these p;igant
"Andertalcings. France cannot incur debt more usefu!ly
than in works so beneficial to all eltiscs of her people.
We find the following article in the Gazette the Dauphine:
"Jean Boudrier, of Pont do Beauvoiser, was tried on an ac-
cusation Otparricide, accompanied with horrible circumstances.
by the Court of Assize of the Isere, the sittings of which cloud
on Sunday last.

" According to the public prosecutor, Jean Boudrier had set
fire to a barn, in which his father, a paralytic old man, eighty
I.ears of age, slept. On the fol!owing morning a few calcined
lAurnan bones could scarcely be distinguished amongst the ruins.
44 The circumstances of this drama, which terminated with
so terrible a scene, are spread over a period of 15 years, for it
is so long since Boudrier, flying from his father's house, had
taken leave with these atrocious words, I should like to see
my father roasted like a toad w a frying-pan.'
6‘ The Jury found Boudrier guilty of the crime of which he was
accused, but with MITIGATING CIRCUMSTAIICIS (CTRCUM-
STA NON ATTENUANTIS.) In consequence, the parricide,
Jean Boudrier, has been sentenced to hard labour for life. We
say, without hesitation, that such a verdict is a public scandal,
a 1 proves in the Jury who delivered it a shameful weakness
'tilt incapacity, unworthy of the high office confided to it by
ociety.