The Sun.
London, England, 1829-12-21 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1829

pf the country in its commercial and agricultural
relations), there we find that the interest of capital
is much higher. The assertion is often made that
the country is overrun with capital, which cannot
find the means of employing itself; but this pre-
tended fact is full of deluSion. This abundance of
capital, wherever it appears to exist, consists not in
the overflowing. of the channels of trade and com-
merce (the only abundance that marks a state of na-
tional prosperity), but in the fact of these channels
being emptied of their contents, and those contents
being carried where, instead of operating beneficially,
they produce a mischievous flood. The true stan-
dard by which we ought to measure the value of
money, is not a transient high price of Stocks,
produced by the expectation of some scheme of
finance concocted by the Minister, but the real
financial and commercial situations of the
country ; and who will say, that with an annual
taxation of .50,000,0001., and with the distresses
both in trade and agriculture, which for so long a
time have been the topics of complaint with every
One, the situation of the country is such ailtojustify
a measure which, on the very face of it, contrary to
the fact, presumes redundant resoarces, and a pros-
perous condition in all the departments of our na-
tional economy ? The project in hand is a forced
measure, to lighten the burdens of taxation, at the
expence of a certain class of the public creditors ;
when the lightening of that burden at their expence
we., by the terms of the original contract, under-
stood to be purely the result of a bona fide im-
proved and overflowing revenue.
" You will remind yourselves that within a very
short period of the last reduction of interest on
certain of the public funds, the price of the Three
per Cents, fell from 9.5 to 7.5, a change which suffi-
ciently revealed the folly of those who then con-
sented to th.l Minister's terms; and here let me
earnestly caution you to beware of the visionary
calculations of sanguine politicians, and to govern
yourselves rather by a lesson which is drawn from
the experience of the past.
" I repeat it, combine. Demand money for your
stock, arid the Minister's negative to that demand
will show you the insidious nature of an option,
when the party who proposes it has not the means
of fulfilling one of its alternatives.

" APROPRIETOR OF FOUR PER CENTS."

PROPOSED LAW AGAINST THE LIBERTY
OF THE PRESS IN THE NETHERLANDS.

ROYAL 11IESSAGE AND PROJECT OF LAW RELATIVE TO
OFFENCES OF TOE PRESS, TRANSMITTED TO TIIE
SECOND CHAMBER OF THE STATES-GENERAL, AT

THE SITTING OF FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 1829.

The subjoined project, which we submit to yon,
is the lamentable yet necessary result of the circum-
stances in which several of the provinces of the
kingdom are placed :
Whilst we enjoy peace abroad and tranquillity at
home—whilst so many branches of commerce and
industry flourish—and whilst mild laws exist, as
well as civil and religious liberty, we see that a
small number of our subjects, carried away by ex-
aggeration, and excited by ihe fanaticism of a few
malevolent individuals, forget all these benefits, and
rise up in a manner as scandalous as it is alarming
against the Government, the laws, and our paternal
institutions.

On the occasion of presenting a law which has
solely for object to insure the enjoyment of good by
suppressing evil, it has appeared necessary to us to
state our views. relative to the progress of the Go-
vernment of the kingdom.
If we cast our eyes upon the religious interests
of the inhabitants, we find that as the re-
ligion which we profess, after the example of our
fathers, has " liberty" for its motto, so also entire
freedom of opinion, equal protection of all sects, and
the free exercise of religion, which are guaranteed
by the fundamental law, were constantly the object
of our peculiar care.
Wish respect to the Catholic religion, there did
not present itself, at the period of our accession to
the Throne, any system more appropriate than that
which, in the glorious reign of that Maria 'l heresy
who is so justly reverenced, existed in the provinces
of the kingdom where the Catholic religion is pro-
fessed by the majority of the inhabitants. The
measures taken by us during the first years of our
reign were then in consonance with the example of
that Government. Since the conclusion of the
Concordat, and its entire execution in those same
provinces, the Catholic Church has enjoyed more
liberty than at any former period.
If we add to this, that, in consequence of a de-
cree made by us, the direction of all matters con-
nected with the Catholic faith is about to be con-
(hied entirely to a separate ad.ninistration, we may
hope that, in this respect, the wishes of the greater
part of our subjects, as well as our own, may be ac-
complished. _ _

We cannot, however, conceal from you, that in
the midst of the enjoyment of these privileges, a re-
ligious zeal, too ardent, if it be excited by a❑ un-
worthy object, supported by pernicious influence,
and not sufficiently restrained by a religion which
nevertheless inculcates in so forcible a manner the
-subordination necessary for the maintenance of good
order and tranquillity—this zeal, we say, may have
lamentable consequences, and may sow the seeds of
disunion and resistance ; and even attempts to
legitimatize the influence of the Catholic system
upon the progress of the Government may, under
one or the other form, be made sooner or later.
But we declare that we are firmly resolved
to use every means in our power to maintain
the temporal power, for ever inviolate,- and we
shall take scrupulous care that every communion
confines itself strictly within the bounds of obedience
to the laws of the state, so that by this means the
liberty of conscience be guaranteed to every one,
and that the operations of the Government be free
from the intervention of any spiritual power.
If we look at the public instruction, the funda-
mental law upon which has been the object of our
constant care, we hope we may confidently expect
that by the Legislative measure which we have our-
selves brought about, that it has merited the appro-
bation of the enlightened and unprejudiced portion
of our people.
We are anxious to learn from your deliberations,
if the project presented relative to public instruction
has effected the object of our efforts, that of conci-
liating, all the reasonable wishes of our subjects.
Besides this the nation has a right to expect from
us that the firmness with which we repel rash pre-
tensions will equal the desire which we have to satisfy
all equitable demands. That violation, which is the
foundation of stability and order, is also the prin-
ciple of our Government ; and the assurance that
we are not disposed to overstep the line which
separates just firmness from unreasonable condescen-
sion will, we hope, serve as a❑ encouragement to
every well-intentioned man, and render futile the
projects which might be founded upon violence and
sedition. .

The equitable principle relative to the imptr-
sibility of removingJndges is already consecrated by
law, and does not appear to require our further in-
tervention, previous to the new judicial organization
which is about to take place. If we examine what.
is called Ministerial responsibility, we believe that
forilierpteservation of our political institution, for
the maintenance of the power which has been con-
fided to us; for the permanent protection of the, in-
terests of our Well-beloved subjejts, we ought not to
listen to any other responsibility or- our aMinisters

than that which, besides their duty to us, has been
pOinted out for them by the fundamental law, and
the other existing ones. In the constitutional exist-
ence of the Council of State, and according to the
principle that this and not the single head of a Mi-
nisterial department should be understood, we sec
not only the exclusion of the idea of Mimi terial re-
sponsibility, but we also see for• the Flemish people
a greater guarantee that their interests are properly
examined before any measure is adopted.
The country of the Netherlands in this doe.; not
resemble other countries where a power has existed
of introducing ministerial responsibility without in-
convenience, caused by circumstances foreign- to this
kingdom, and which, from that reason alone, have
made it necessary that a peculiar d;rection should be
given to the constitutional administration. •
The conflicts ‘k hick have been carried on have ex-
cited our attention, and in proportion to our desire
to insure the free progress of the administrative
poweri is our wish that the recourse of our subjects
to the tribunals shall not be encumbered with use-
less difficulties. It is our intention to return to this
point when the law relative to.the judicial organiza•
tion shall have been put 'into activity, and then we
flatter ourselves that we shall be able to conciliate,
in a satisfactory manner, these two wants, • which
are both equally incontestible.

If we take into consideration the finimcial con-
dition of our kingdom, we shall see with lively sa-
tisfaction the expenses diminishing more and more,
particularly those which are independent of the in-
troduction of constitutional institutions, of the ac-
complishment of legitimate engagements, or of ge-
neral calamities, as well as of the troubles which
have broken out in our distant possessions. We shall
also discover the prospect of greater economies, and
the wish for the suppression of the tax relative to
grinding corn, accomplished.
The possibility of abuses in the operations of the
Syndicship will be prevented by legislative enact-
ment. In a Word, we are fully convinced that,
whatever may be the result of our efforts for
the welfare of the nation, to relieve it from its bur-
thens, to preserve a regular administration, and for
the maintenance of the credit of the State, these
efforts will not be forgotten either by our contem-
poraries or by posterity. .

Ought noi, this consideration to induce us, more
and more, to place the utmost confidence in the
God of our fathers, in the love and gratitude of our
well-beloved subjects, and in your constitutional
co-operation in efficaciously repressing evil, and for
the constant protection of all that is good ?
Trusting in this, we pray God to have you in his
holy keeping.