The Sun. — 1850-05-24 (London, England)

PALMERSTON. One word or so in reference to the peroration of the masterly speech delivered last evening in the House of Commons by the Foreign Secretary. That remarkable oration was thus earnestly brought to its close, the illustrious orator exclaiming :—" Sir, I should be sorry that anything I should say should throw any difficulty in the way of such an arrangement [meaning an amicable settlement of the present misunderstanding between France and England], and I am sure if_these things are discussed in this House before it can be known how that discussion may terminate, I hope no Honourable Member, whatever his opinions may be, will express them in a manner that would have a prejudicial effect upon the course which her MAJESTY'S Government is taking. It is the anxious desire of her MAJESTY'S Government to cultivate the most friendly relations with the Government of France. It is no matter to us of what men the Government is composed. It was no business of ours to inquire. We respect the Government that is, and it is with that Government we carry on our negotiations and communications. And I cannot but hope and trust that whatever the Government of France may ultimately feel in regard to the issue of this affair, it will at least do us the justice of thinking that whatever ground of complaint they may fancy they have, they have none upon the want of good intentions upon our part, or upon the deficiency of those friendly and good feelings which it is the duty of her MAJESTY'S Government—as it will be the duty of every Government that may succeed them—to feel towards the Government and the nation of France." This, be it remembered, is the man who is accused of being the firebrand among European diplomatists I One good has happily resulted from the recent aspersions on Lord PALMERSTON, they having elicited his permanent vindication before England and before the world from all such frivolous and paltry accusations.  The discussion of the Naval Estimates last night gave occasion for a new and moat virulent attack upon Sir JAMES BROOKE for his energetic exertions for the repression of the buccaneering system and the extirpation of piracy in the Indian Archipelago—exertions which should have entitled the Honourable and Gallant Gentleman to the marked and grateful thanks of the community in general. We should scarcely have supposed that any man or body of men engaged in commercial pursuits, and professing to be the friends of peace and tranquillity, would endeavour to justify an organized band of rubbers and murderers, whose nefarious conduct must have proved deeply injurious to the extension of our trade, and to the civilization of the innocent inhabitants of the numerous islands scattered through that ocean. But, so it is, gratuitous and unsupported assertions are put forward in opposition to legal proofs—the opinions of men far removed from the scene of strife against those of persons residing in the very vicinity, who have had innumerable opportunities of knowing that the accounts of the daily atrocities perpetrated by the pirates were but too well founded ; and even against the deliberate judgment of a competent tribunal, presided over by an English gentleman of high attainments and unimpeachable character. It is not simply the weight of evidence that is in favour of Sir