The Sun. — 1848-10-02 (London, England)

CIIRONICLE.—We have hitherto abstained from noticing the recent Chartist trials. The character of the disclosures which the evidence of each succeeding day elicited precluded any other comment than an expression of disgust; and so long as a judicial investigation was actually pending we were reluctant to offer remarks that might tend, even in appearance, to prejudge the case of the culprits. Now, however, that the judge and jury have done their several parts, public criticism resumes its functions, and we may speak unreservedly. It must be almost superfluous to say that we entirely approve, both of the verdict— which is the only one that a sane and honest jury could give—and of the sentence passed on the convicts. The lesson undoubtedly is a severe one, but never was a severe lesson more called for. At last the State has dealt strongly and vigorously with set of men who, under the pretence of " politics," have been daily and nightly plotting against the existence of society itself. At last it is positively decided that men who scheme to assassinate the police and to set fire to London—who for that purpose spend their. spare time in casting bullets, sharpening pikes, and manufacturing tow•balls, sodawater-bottle grenades, and other such diabolical implements—it is decided that such men shall pay a heavy and life-long penalty for their execrable devices. We congratulate society on having made this move towards safety and common sense. We are quite prepared, indeed, even now, to hear a considerable amount of philanthropic and constitutional cant —especially from members of that very class which would have suffered first, and suffered most, had these men's projects been, at any moment, twenty-four hours in advance of official vigilance. But we suppose we may, on the whole, regard it as finally ruled, that transportation for life is not too much punishment for persons duly convicted of having planned wholesale pillage, arson, and murder. In every respect, this lesson is likely to prove a salutary one. The very character of the witnesses whose aid the Government found it necessary to accept will serve to warn all conspirators prepense of the peril they incur by dabbling in treason. It is well that the Cuffey class of patriots should be thus made to feel that when pikes, bullets, and maps of London, with " barricades marked in pencil," are in the case, there will always be a Powell or two on the " secret" or " ulterior" com:nittee; and that the noisiest zealot of them all is as likely as not to be the very man who has sold them. So it has been, and so it will be, 'to the end of time. The /*cedes latronum is the merest rope of sand. Treachery is an invariable pendant to conspiracy. Men who are guiltily compassing treason against society may take for granted that treason against them is not far off. Traitor and spy go together, like substance and shadow. We presume this very wholesome warning will not be lost on those whom it most concerns. [Laving alluded to this point, we think it only right to say explicitly, that we fully approve of the-conduct of the authorities in availing themselves of the information offered by Powell and the others. The necessity is, unquestionably, a disagreeable one. But the secrets of a body of conspirators against the public peace can only he learned, in time, from "one of themselves;' and Governments owe it to society to adopt, in every instance, the best means of crushing plots against social order. We cannot leave this subject without suggesting one reflection of more general application, for the consideration of agitators of a far different grade, both intellectually and morally, from the wretched men now in the hands of the law. Is it quite certain, let us ask, that society would have suffered so grievously as it has done during the last six months from Chartist sedition and conspiracy, if the classes immediately above Chartists had been uniformly in the practice of conducting their political movements, or agitations, with sobriety of temper and moderation of sentiment and language ? Is there absclutely no connexion, of the cause and-effect kind, between the oratory of those middle-class political reformers who love to indulge in sweeping denunciations of " aristocracy," and who systematically put the worst construction on the acts or omissions of established Governments, at home and abroad—is there no connexion between this, and the licentious demagoguism which we have now seen to ripen into a wicked plot against society? Our own impression is, that had our "respectable" political agitators set a better example, of late years, in the way of moderation and 6elf-restraint, in the public controversies that more  immediately_interest thew, we—abould have heard much leiss of these Chartists.