Star.
London, England, 1830-12-22 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE JOURNAL&

Trans.—Sir R. Peel seems anxious that his Majesty's present NI i.
Mater, shall not visit the " institutions" of the empire with too rough a
hand. We cannot Satter the Right. Hon. baronet with the hope that
his advice will in every instance be adopted, because it is certain that
there is not a close borough proprietor in the kingdom who does not re-
gard himself and his menial burgesses as so many venerabkinstitutions.
Nay we doubt whether there be a sinecurist or a pensioner who would not
cry out on the first approach of a reform is 'Touch me not on pain of offend.
Mg Sir R. Peel. Don't you know that lam an Institution ?' " But
the fact is, that the one grand institution in whieb Sir Robert had held
a pretty deep and durable interest viz. the late Cabinet—is gone past
re , and that it appears ungracious, as well as gratuitous, in the
Right Hon. Baronet to busy himself about those for the treatment of
which there is no chance of his becoming responsible. His exhortation
against retrenchment could of course have no selfish motive, seeing that
the Right Hon. Baronet declares that he would look upon a return to
office in his own person as a calamity of the most grievous kind.

Cnaottecut.—There are men utterly reckless as to what the) assert;
for reckless they must be, who, in the face of the most unimpeachable
evidence, still maintain that the country is indifferent to reform. Sir
George Warrender said. " When the Edinburgh petition should be
presented to the house, he would undertake to Wm, that the majority
of the respectable and educated classes of that city were not friendly
to a reform in parliament; and he believed that such was generally the
came throughout the country." A week never passes in which we do not
receive ne filled with accounts of meetings at which resolutions in
favour of reform are Toted either unanimously or almost unanimously.
Some again contend that the Ministers are insincere, that they are living
on the credit of a Reform which they know they dare not grant. We
have Drier beard that the men now in power were so anxious for place
se this supposes than to be. To accept of office on the condition of
Reform, would be a wretched policy indeed, if they knew
thapfcristle end of a couple of short months the promise would be falsi-
fied. We have never, however, alined to disguise the difileultks of
their position. That the possessors of power sjtould voluntarily con-
sent to surrender it, is not to be suppose for a moment. The success
of Ministers must, therefore, on such a manifestation of public
opinion throughout the country, as shall regenerate Parliament. Re.
form alone can save the State ; this Ministers know. Should Reform
not be granted, we pretend not to say what the consequences might be.,

Port.—The conduct of the present Administration affords condo-
sive evidence of the regard entertained by its Members for the constitu-
tional division of power among the different branches of the British
Government. The Alinisters of the Crown have, during the sit-
big of the two Houses of Parliament, thought proper to dis-
pense with their assistance In a matter of finance, and by their
own simple authority to alter the duty fixed by an Act of the
whole Legislature upon the importation of barilla, depriving, by
this means, and in deference to the principles of free trade, •
class of British manufacturers of the protection they enjoyed by law.—
At the first aspect of this transaction it might be thought that the Ad-I
ministration had wisely resolved, in order to render their projected
changes in the constitution of the House of Commons as little
dangerous as possible, to deprive that assembly of the powers
it has hitherto enjoyed. But this can scarcely be so, for we
perceive that an addition fully equivalent to this deduction has
been silently made to the ordinary functions of the legislature In
another department of the State. When the Royal Assent shall
have been given to a bill which has already passed both houses of parlia.
went, the whole Magistracy of Ireland, and some part we believe of the
English Magistracy also, will for the next six months hold their autho-
rity. not as heretofore from tne appointment of the Crown, but In
virtue of a legislative enactment. From these transactions taken
together, the proper inference we suppose is, that the reformed Par-
liament of Earl Grey and his colleagues is not to possess the power of
regulating the taxation and commerce of the country, but that this
power being transferred to the Crown, Parliament is in exchange to
exercise that of appointing Magistrates and Judges—perhaps also Ge-
nerals, Admirals, and Ambassadors.

THE KING'S COURT.

BRIGHTON, Dz 21.

Sir Herbert and Lady Taylor are arrived at the Pavilion.
This day Count Munster, Viscount Falkland, and Sir
Robert Ottway, had audiences of the King.
The King and Princess Augusta rode out in a chariot
this afternoon ; the Queen, Duke of Sussex, and the Mar-
chioness of Wellesley, in a carriage. Prince George, Lord
Clinton, Colonel F. Fitclarence, and Mr. Wood on horseback.
Previous to the King going out, the Landgravine and'
Princess Augusta rode out in a low carriage.
In the evening the Duke of Sussex went to the Theatre.
The following calls were made at the Pavilion this day :
The Earl and Countess of Sheffield, Lady aid Misses Magri"
Sir Gregory and Lady Way, the Rev. G. and Mrs. !Minim, Rat
Admiral and Mrs. Manby, Viscount and Lady Southwell, Mr. and
Lady Augusta Wentworth, MT Robert sad Lady Augusta Wilmot. I
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, Lady and Miss Burdett, Sir R. and Lady
Hunter, Captain and Lady E. J. Wathen, Vks.Admiral Balks, Mrs,
and the Misses Fyler, General, Mrs. and Miss Williams, Lewd Sass
den, Mr. Mrs. and Miss Gibbins, the Earl and Countess of atidiestw,
Lieut. Colonel Wallace, the Ball and Countess of Belfast, Lady
Lumley, Mrs. Manners Sutton, the Countess of Desert, Mr. Sergeant
D'Oyly and Mr.. D•Oyly._Part of the Bristol family are arrived at
Kemptown. The Elul of Besborough and Mr. and Lady Barbara
Ponsonby, are in the departure list of the Albion.