The Sun. — 1822-01-12 (London, England)

QUI. DICERS FALSU.II 4LTDE.IT  LONDON, SATURDAY; ,LINUARY Ic2, 1822.  The Lord High Commissioner's Proclamation to the people of Zante, announcing a partial revocation of the order for disarming all the inhabitants, is hardly calculated, we should think, to secure any of the advantages expected either from the original measure, or from its present modification. Sir T. NIAITLAND congratulates himself upon the quiet and subordination on the part of the people, which followed the execution of the first decree, and which he ascribes to the judgment, zeal and decision of Sir Frtcnuatch= ADAM, to the good conduct of the British troops, and in part, also, " to a desire felt, as his E crellency is disposed to believe, by the misled and misguided people themselves to retrace the unfortunate course" which first subjected them to the imposition of martial law. " his Exceliency7 however, does not think that arms can be in DO way intrusted to any part of the population." By this far from gracious acknowledgment he prefaces the proposed indulgence, that the Nobles shall immediately receive their arms again," under the observation of certain forms of a military regulation," to remain in force during the continuance of martial law ; and that a thousand stand shall be restored under the same regulaticn. to certain inhabitants (of whom a " precautionary choice" is to be made) " whose past good conduct and firm attachment to the Government have demonstrated that they can be safely entrusted with them." And the restoration will be gra: dually extended to the people in general, according to their behaviour.  Now to those inhabitants who, as the Proclamation admits, forfeited their arms without having misconducted themselves, such a stern and uncourteous mariner off permitting their resumption is very far from conciliatory. A deprivation of this kind, even it obviously necessary for the public good, is likely to produce some feelings of impatience in the mildest and most dutiful citizen ; and it surely is not the part of a wise and politic governor to allow loyalty to cool, and a momentary displeasure to become confirmed ill-will, for want of a little reconciling condescension, or even the superficial courtesy of a respectful phrase. Of those persons Who, at the time of the first Proclamation, were likely to be dangerous if they, retained their arms, it is not probable that many, after the short interval of nine days, (when the second order was published), or at any early period, would have become fit to be entrusted with them again, whatever allowance we may be disposed to make for the hasty and mercurial disposition of these islanders. While the neighbouring continent is still possessed by that ferment and agitation which have so exalted the susceptible minds of the Zantiotes, and while a great part of this population is irritated by the general disartnin?:, additionally provoked, it may be supposed, by the cautious restoration of arms to a selected number, and certainly not soothed by the expressions of the High Commissioner, who accuses them of having " renounced every principle of prudence, every sentiment of propriety, every sense of gratitude, and even the semblance of obedience to their own Government;" it is not very likely, under these circumstances, that the suspected or openly obnoxious class of inhabitants will readily return to the sentiments which the Government wishes to inculcate; or, if they should assume the appearance of having done so, that they will take back their arms with any sincerely dutiful intention towards their Rulers,  Whatever object may have been attained by the High Commissioner's order of the 6th of November, we think the popularity of his Admi• nistration will not he increased, nor any ,good disposition promoted, either in the inhabitants who regain their arms, or in those who remain deprived of them, by his Proclamation of the 16th. We are aware that in the present state of the lonian Islands it is peculiarly hazardous to pronounce opinions formed at a distance from the scene of events; but we are much deceived if the measures in question do not exhibit that mixture of precipitate harshness and unptofitabl concession, which history • has shewn us in so many memorable instances to be the deadliest error of an unsteady Government.  Much attention was excited yesterday by the suicide of Sultan MAnmoun, who, after cutting off the head of one