The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-15 00:00:00

~~ "_J2

basis of our negotiations, until he iti-tired
empty buckets down and drawing itothingm."
But we should like Lord Palrekrston. A)/ ni
argument nearer home ; to himselfrin::Aort,
own domestics. Then lct him judge .110i4fatAt
consider a similar excuse justifiable. POr install(
lordship's "man" should absent himself fd w

mission of his own in the servants' hall, and leave the
dressing of his lordship's hair to the French cook or the
groom of the kitchen (we beg Sir George Grey's par-
don), it is quite possible that her Majesty's Secretary
of State might not for the time be a loser by the change ;
but what would he feel—what would he say ? Sup-
posing that his "Hyperion curls" were as admirably ad-
justed as they have been heretofore, would he think
himself very unreasonable fc.r refusing his assent to such
an arrangement ? Would he wait for some instance of
maladroitness to occur before he complained Would
he be content with an answer couched in his own words
to Sir John Pakington, "That he (the cook) and the
scullion Wera responsible for what was done, anti if there
( (raid be- brought-fervtard any
.ehnrge_ of neglect they
wae rea jastify their counie, and bear Vie blame
for what bad .been done 7" woffid he' eMlSidt r that a
justiliabla answer ? The neglect i 3 committe,l already ;
the greatest neglect tlAt a public ( r private E va t can
commit, of being absent from his proper duties, t.) take
up those which du not properly, belong to his functions.
And in that neglect Lord Paltneriton himself is a pa),
ticeps
Why, what a shallow excuse is it to say that n• harry
has yet been done, and no ne!;lect can yet be proved,
when every sensible man will feel that it is not merely
the injury incurred, but the chance and hazard of 'evil
that may be incurred, by absence from his post, which
constitute the real offence of a Minibter. And we say
at once, that the excuse urged by Lord Palmerston
would be equally valid for any absence from duty, felt
any collusive arrangements of clerks in an establisinnerv";
or of servants in a household, if culpability-is to consist
only in the harm which actually has, or rather can be
proved to have, taken place. When the injant has taken
place it is too late to compla;n; and that would be a
very sorry policy indeed (though not altogether unlike
Lord Palmerston's late doings) which should only try to
remedy evils when' they have already occurred, - and
not provide against their occurrence. This is exactly the
same•argument, in kind and spirit, so familiar in the
mouths of that Cabinet in which Lord Palmerston held
lately a subordinate station ; they, -too, complained
bitterly of all remeirtrance ; they would have silenced
[all reproaches by the same maxim ; they, too, in the
j spirit of this veteran Po/onius, woull have barred the
door when the steed was stolen.

In the meantime Lord Palmerston and Sir George
Grey have quite enough to occupy their thoughts and
their time with the duties of their respective offices,
without taking upon them the duties and responsibilities
of another. The nation has not demanded this at their
hands, nor will it accept their responsibility. It will be
time enough for that when the administrative talent of
the country is at so low an ebb that, failing the presence
of Lord John, no other Colonial Secretary is to be had.
The country employs its servants, of whom Lord Pal-
merston is one, in the same way ns Lord Palmerston or
any other gentleman employs his, and rewards them by
honours and emoluments for special purposes ; it requires
of them, in return, the performances of special duties—
it expects that neither it nor its dependencies should re-
ceive injury, or be exposed to the hazard even of receiv-
ing injury, so far as the vigilance of its servants, and
their attention to their respective duties can prevent
such hazards. But that duty neither Lord- Palmerston,
nor his colleague Sir George Grey, nor yet Lord John
Russell, are strictly, fulfilling ; they are faithless to the
trusts severally committed to them ; Lord Palmerston
and Sir George Grey, because the time devoted by them
to the Colonial Office ought to be solely devoted to their
own special duties ; Lord John Russell, because-he is
neglecting the obligations imposed upon him when he
accepted office. We care not whether the colonies have
complained or not—whether any overt act of neglect
can be proved against Lord John's lieutenants or not—
his way of managing, or rather mismanaging the public
service, is the greatest neglect and the greatest evil that
can befall the nation—an example of confusion and dis-
order in the highest and most dangerousplace. What
more would Palmerston have ? Can nothing short' of
open rebellion constitute neglect or wrong

THE POLTTICAL INFLUENCES SURROUND-
ING THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER 11.
(Frog, the Daily News of this day:)
The telegraphic messages from Vienna, . which on
Tuesday encouraged several large capitalists to purchase
extensively in the funds, and sent up the prices of pub-
lic securities to a. height that yesterday found them un-
able to retain, were dictated—on the most charitable
interpretation—more by the wishes than the knowledge
of the persons who transmitted them. Beth purchasers
and their correspondents believe in the speedy advent of
peace because they desire it. They hope for it, iu de-
fiance of every threatening sign to the contrary in the
political horizon.
The Emperor Alexander is surrounded by the same
statesmen and the same political influences as his father.
The promotion of General Rudiger is ominous ; for that
able and experienced soldier, though. a German by
birth, has become thoroughly Russianiecd, and has
adoptid all theNentintents and maxims of ebe,,Sclavonie
party. Within t e prih-te circle'of trie.young Emperor,
there are only terb-peresnes from whir = rnftuonce over
his mind good results may, with any degree of con-
fidenc‘e be augured. The one is the Empress, the other
Baron Lieven, who has -been.charged with the missien
of fnrinally announciog the-Emperor's accession to the
Court of Vienna. Both are deservedly listened to by
Alexander ; but what are they when opposed by a nu-
morons faction, strongly entrenched in t:ie moet impor-
tant offices of the Strite
The footing en which the new Emperor is likely to
stand with the Courts of Berlin and Vienna. must also
taken into account. The vain and facile King of
if allowed ) will only to tlbieelmievoeretfihrantilyheicettxiteretti),;elsluosvbeiarnviine-
' rerruesgstsia
mind of Alexander somewhat of the same influence that
Nicholas exercised over his own. The young Emperor
beats sec!, a strong resemblance to his uncle in mind and
disposition, that it will be easy for the intrignants of the
St. Petersburg Court tolead him to assume a compliant
and deferential tone in his intercourse with the King of
Prussia, by which he will be enabled to guide that mo-
narch, under the pretence of being guided by him. A
similar game will be played with the-Emperor of Austria.
The domineering manner adopted by Nicholas roused
him to assert his independence ; the eamarilla which
rules the new Czar will take care not to fall into the
same mistake. All the fawning duplicitywhich Hes-
sian statesmen and diplomatists know so well how,to
bring into play will be exerted to alienate the two German
Powers from the Western Allies, and re-cement the union
of the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian Governments. Al-
most the last words Uttered -by Nicholas were a charge to
the bystanders to convey to the King of Prusaia his dying
injunction to abide by the instructions of his father's
will. The passage in the document alluded to is as fol-
lows :—" Beware, my dear Frederick, of the mania for
innovation which has become so prevalent ; beware -of
many impracticable theories that have bee propagated ;
but beware, at the same time, of an error that may he
equally fatal, an exclusive predilection for antiquaitid
institutions. It is only by avoiding these two rocks that
you can introduce really useful improvements. Main-
tein, as far as depends upon you, a good understanding
with the other European Powers. Above all, may
Prussia, Russia, and Austria never be divided ; their
union is the security for the peace of Europe.,, This
advice must be read by the light of the character of the
Prince to whom it was addressed. The antithetical
balance between undue predilection for innovations,
and undue attachment to, the obsolete, means more
than the usual seesaw slang-0 those who seek to mask
an inveterately obstructive' policy' by semi-liberal
phrases. It was intended to warn the medievalist that
there is danger in any movement, whether it be back-
wards er forwards. Only in death-like immobility is
their hope for despotism.. The testamentary injunction
of Frederic William 111. Qf Prussia is a very incarnation
. of the spirit of resistance to all change, however bene-
F ficial. And the prayer breathed for the perpetuity of
5 the alliance of Prussia, Russia, and Austria, ie. an. ex-
these States firm
. renderpres sio nthoof
power thatlC.
oi King's tonfothing else could
Nicholas, every art a Russian diplomacy will be gth'seetTrveiecdtie°snptchtas
and enduring. In obedience to the dying words of
exer-
cised to reconcile the three great champions of Absolut-
ism; and not, so far as present appearances go, without
some ohance of success. The language of Austria has
again become auspiciously tinged with procrastination.
There is imminent danger that. the murex euue atVissula
may prove as dangerously and disgracefully protracted
and aimless as the earlier conferences on the grist
Eastern difficulty. But the English Premier and his
noble plenipotentiary at Vienna, may rest assured that
the country will not again tolerate their allowing theta-
selves to be entangled in the meddles of such stale diplo-
matic falsehood.

ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND BELGIAN PORTS.--The follow.
ing figures have just been made up, showing the ages.
gate passenger traffic to and from England at the French
and Belgian ports in 1854 :

Ports.
Boulogne
Calais
Dieppe...,,
Havre
Dunkirk
Ostend
Antwerp

Passengers.
98,954
64,688
....
16,176
2,585
20,627
10,330

Total 232,031
NEW BAVARIAN LOAN.—The letters from Frankfort
Yesterday announce a now Bavarian 4i per cent loan of
6,soo,ooo.fiorins (about 550;0001. sterling). Every sub-
scriber of 50,000 florins, or more, is t receive one-half
sp
iedre
rceean
et r ctao
juin ntioi s con-
ead ?he dun
ef.l3t b heroicattalio
battalion
ei"..uar7et.
A YOUNG 11E no
of a drummer boy
days since c,,ntainebdoaoivi
Ltiotnit,
ging
nattier Guards at the several tattles of Alma, Balaklava,
and Inkerman. But for the care taken of thetn by this
mail many ol the wounded would never have survived to
d his intention of logfb ripel4Ire-
ee,
jenei
Alberthe
nd
hasewn
tsohifnSbcit;:r
ag
niEcnaanlrt;
ntiEde
ee.
auchamp has also given
11. to the fund flow set aside for hiS het efit. The boy
alivew:4: L cciAS
and
T well
vuTic
a:Lth:lazs
R ca
t ounpttsaifrothu yrtahseerV, r i
corn-esN,vv
mending the division of Coat VOlnuteers in Scotland
(successor to Captain Craigie), has contamtiesed big tour
of visit to the several fishing villages, for tt:e purpose of
.paying to the Coast Volunteers their annual bounty of
I/. ls. The Government have invited 1333 n 1."13:1 the
Coast Volunteers to lend their services in bhnging home
prizes from the Baltic. A considerable number of the
north country fishermen have already volunteered for
this Service.—Eclinbiargh Adcertiar.