Star.
London, England, 1830-07-13 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE JOUR VALE.

Times.—The French Press, of colours of opinion, seems to
have viewed the surrender of Algiers in its true light. The pride of
a military people is flattered by the renewed visit of victory to their
standards,—the national honour is vindicated by the punishment of a
barbarian despot who had insulted it,—humanity is avenged by the
destruction of a nest of piratical vultures,-oand the fidelity of the
army to the Bourbons is strengthened by being again entwined with
the laiwels gained under their auspices. The glorious news was an-
nounced at Paris with becoming " pomp and circumstance." The
cannon of the Invalides told the universal inhabitants of Paris
of their happiness ; the Minister of Finance repeated his
telegraphic fey de joie to the jobbers at the exchange; and
the Court called upon the pious to vent their satisfaction in a re
Donn at the cathedral. All the journals, both liberal and royalist,
join in the chorus of praise ; and never, if we might trust decla-
rations, was French gratitude more unanimous in tewanling French
prowess. The ministers are of course overjoyed, because they con-
sider the triumph gained over the Dey of Algiers as a triumph
gained over the liberals in the chamber; and the liberals toss up
their caps in the air with delight and defiance, to announce that the
victorious army is their ally, and that they will never permit
the confiscation of its glory for the benefit of an apostolical cabinet.
It appears that the French squadron in the bay assisted the army, and
that the Dey yielded, both because his fortifications could not with.
stand a regular siege, and because mutiny and desertion had thinned
his ranks. The Immediate gain to the army In prize-money must
be considerable. The shipping of the state, the military stores in the
arsenals, and the artillery on the fortifications, without including the
treasures of the Dey, and the other effects that must fall into the
hands of the victors, must remind its veterans of the former days of
glory and plunder under Napoleon. All the talent and zeal of the
liberal journals are directed to show that there is no connexion be-
tween the events in Algiers -rid the proceedings of the electoral col.
leges,—that the triumph of the army is not the triumph of &party,
—and that the Ministers must be defeated in the Chamber, though
victorious over the Dey. The latter fact is put beyond a doubt by
the result of the elections whose proceedings are already known.
out of 321 returns (including all those of the two series except
three.) the opposition have obtained 187, and the, Ministry 127.
The elections postponed to the 12th and the 19th are expected to
comfirm, if not to increase, this proportional success.
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HERALD.—Next to extending the representation to places and to
persons who do not at present possess it, there is no species of re-
harm in parliament so urgently called for as the diminution of the
present enormous expense of elections. It is said, and we believe
truly, that no man can embark at this moment in a contest for the
county of York, without being to spend at least 120,0001;
and, consequently, were there prepared
acandidates for the four seats,
here would be an expenditure of nearly a million of money in the
election ! It is true that this may be considered-an extreme case;
and well it may be; but we are sure that we are within the mark
when we say that there is not a county in England which could be
contested at a less expense than 20,0001. or 30,0001.—a sum
sufficient of itself to deter any prudent man from encountering
it, and sufficient, moreover, to destroy his independence, should
he embark in it and succeed. It is the more remark.
able that this evil should never have been remedied,
when it is considered that it is one which mainly affects Members of
Parliament themselves. We can understand honourable gentlemen
' being sometimes not very tender of the pockets of their constituents,
but why they should be so regardless of their own we cannot tom-
prehen& In one sense, the constituent is as much interested in the
matter as the representative. If enormous wealth, for instance,
were the only criterion of qualification for a Member for York.
shire, it might be very well that its representation should de-
volve only upon persons who can afford to spend 120,0001. to
obtain it. But it is quite clear that neither good sense nor
pattiotism—nor, above all, the business-like qualities which
are essential for such a person, accompany wealth alone; and that
in the county of York, in particular, so renowned for the
' shrewdness of its inhabitants, persona the fittest to represent
it are to be found among those to whom such an expenditure
would be madness-and ruin. For this evil, in counties at least,
the remedy is, we should he inclined to say, obvious enough—via.
that the poll:instead of being taken at one place, and kept open for
fifteen days, should be taken on one and the same day in as many
places as would spare to parties the necessity and expense of travel-
ling any distance from home to do so. In Yorkshire an improve-
ment might also be very obviously introduced
_by classing each of its
ridings as a distinct county, and adding two Members to its repre-
sentation, by assigning that number to each. One thing is quite
certain, that, till the expense of returning Members to Parliament
is diminished, the country must lose the services of many whose
talents would be the must valuable; while those who obtain their
seats at such an enormous charge will, in some instances at least,
endeavour to repay themselves at the expense of their own honour
and integrity, and not unfrequendy at the cost of those very funds
which they are deputed to guard.
DUBLIN EVENING NI 11117-111Pre SerarraWef er Seats I—Were
there anything wanting to confirm the distrust which the people
feel in regard of the Parliament, the conduct of the Members of the
House of Commons at the present crisis would supply the deficiency.
The instant that the sound of a dissolution is heard, off they scour
fur their respective holds, with the alacrity of blue bottle flies at the
scent of a new carrion; and leave public bustaess either to be trans.
acted before empty benches—or to wait until another session. This
is a proper mode of attending to the interests of the nation : this
is a very decent exhibition of the disinterestedness of your inde.
pendent country gentlemen, who seek to represent their contd.
tuents, without any respect to their own convenient or advan.
tage ! Sir Reheat Peel asserts, without complaining of the fact
(--nay he justifies it !—) that lie cannot keep the house togetherfor a few days to consider of tome of the most important questions
which can be laid before the legislature. Honorable Gentlemen,
he says, are naturally disposed to go home mid canvass for their
re-election :—it is wrong to detain them • fur if they be occupied
with the business of the nation, other candidates will take advantage
of their absence, and they will be ousted from their seats. Had
we a voice In the house we would have asked Sir Robert—
for what purpose were Honorable Members elected ? To
their constituents or themselves ? To provide for the national
welfare or their own ? To attend to the convenience of the
Government, or to suit their own convenience ? IVitat mat.
ten it to the nation at large whether this or that honourable
gentleman be late in his canvass? His county or city will
doubtless retain a member to serve in Parliament - passably himself
if he deserve it—probably a better man ; anti there will be no in-
convenience in this to the Govaniment, to the conetitueney—to the
nation—to any, except the rejected member; and surely if his pa.
triotion were as pure as he professes at the hustings he would gather
rejoice than repine that his country's interests were served even at
his own expense. But this is far front being the case with the dis-
interested gentry who fly from public business to attend to their own
petty.personal convenience. All the momentous questions at present
before Parliament—the whole of the estimates—the Sugar and Beer
Bills carried halfway—the Press tax—the nioditication of the Forgery
Laws—the regulation of the Courts of Justice - and the allompor-
tent consideration of a Regency—these and various others of no less
magnitude must all give way before the more interesting questions—
' " Shall lor shall knot be returned by my constituents—if I stay to
transact public;bututiess, shall nut Mr. What-yuu.call.him get the
start of me on the canvass ? If I go won't the rest who remain
take care of the nation ?"—Bu: the ante questions occur to all the
i, irest ;" they are all straining for the start; and the word is
"i
1 " I.) take the hindmost." Ott, it is a dignified and proper sight
to see the benches of St. Stephen's empty, and the stages full o
legislators, all on the route to serve their country at the hualins,
whilst they ought to be serving her in the senate-house. " The
s) stem works well," said the late Mr. Canning. " Marry how ?
fropically." It works well for the private and personal interests.
the honourable members—as for the nation, it may take care o
L.elt."

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.

PARIS, JULY 10.
IRO)( THE MESSAGED DES CitAMBRES Or SATURDAY.
TELEGRAPHIC DESPA

THE MARITIME PREFECT OF TOULON TO HIS EXCELLENCY
THE MINISTER OF MARINE AND TIIE COLONIES.
•' Toulon, July 9, 1830.
" Algiers surrendered at discretion on the bth, at noon, and
at two o'clock the ,flag of the King was floating on the palace
the l)ey.

I
" All our countrymen who had been shipwrecked and made pri-
goners have been saved."