The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-17 00:00:00

THE RUMOURS OF PEACE.

(From the Morning Po3t of this lay.)
It appears from an important despatch which we
publish elsewhere, that Count Esterhazy, the Aus-
trian Ambassador at St. Petersburg, was to leave
Vienna yesterday for his post, the bearer of the
"ultimatum, which Austria has resolved to press
upon the acceptance of the Czar.
The tenour of the contents is no secret. We have
repeatedly alluded in this journal to the terms
that must be required from Russia to effect a peace
that shall be cafe and honourable.

The annihilation of the maritime supremacy of
Russia in the Black Sea, by the exclusion from its
waters of all ships of war—by the dismantling of
her fortresses on its coasts—and by the residence
of Consuls, who may certify that no purposes but
those of legitimate commerce are ever attempted
to be compassed—would. free Turkey from all
danger by sea from her grcat neighbour ; whilst
the utter renunciation of all rights of interference
with the Sultan's dominion over his subjects, and
of protectorate over the Danubian principalities,
together with the cession of a p)rtion of Bessarabia,
comprising the mouths of the Danube, would se-
cure the Porte in undisputed possession of its
European territorial rights. These conditions,
when confirmed by material guarantee as well as
by treaty, would solve the Eastern question.
All the world knows that, in these matters, there
are many crevices by which a subtle diplomacy'
may escape, and 'it may be expected that Russia
can now, as before, tamper with our demands, and
elude their objects. That cannot be. It has been
provided against. Never was there a document
so distinct and unmistakeable as the paper which
Count Esterhazy is bearing to St. Petersburg, and
to it there are but two answers possible, namely, a
positive refusal, or a positive acceptance. No
evasive answer —no conditional acceptance no.
counter-propositions—will be received.

It is stated to be the intention of Austria, in the
event of a refusal of her ititimatum, by the Czar, to
withdraw her Ambassador from St. Petersburg.
It will probably take Count Esterhazy about five
or six days to reach St. Petersburg, and if we may
judge by precedent, some fourteen days will be
allowed to the Emperor of Russia to consider his
resolution, and to give his answer.
This is no idle comedy, nor w hat of late has been
its synonyme, a vain negotiation. Austria urges
upon Russia the only terms upon which she can
obtain peace. If she ca❑ humble her pride, she
may say " Yes." Then immediately follows an
armistice and a settlement. If, however, she can-
' not entirely and at once accept the bitter conse-
quences of her own ambition and foolishness, then
must she face the extraordinary force which will
be brought to bear against her in the next cam-
paign, and which, under Heaven, will certainly
reduce her to a state of which the terrible necessi-
ties will make her yield to our terms.
The Cabinet of St. Petersburg may not, however,
see matters in this light.

( From the Morning Herald of this day.)
It might be a curious question to investigate at
the present moment whether the people of England
be file most gullable or the most insincere of human
beings ; certain it is that they are apparently the
most inconsistent and least practically wise in Eu-
rope.

Go where you will throughout the land and you
will hear the same assertions. Iu the railway, in
the steam boat, at the meetings of members and
their constituents, it is always the saute song—
" A vigorous carrying on of the war, and a perms,
nent and honourable peace ;" yet no means are
taken by any of the talkers to insure that wo shall
use the one effectually as a moans of obtaining the
other.

The nation seems to think that their duty is done
when their representatives have voted away a sum
of 109 millions for war purposes, hut never seem
to consider that they have any interest iu its dis-
posal, or any right to superintend its application.
Lord Palmerston is the Premier of their choice
because he asserts that he is War Minister par ex-
cellence ; and the fact that every proceeding of his
Government gives the lie to his statement seems to
this self-governed nation a matter of the most pro-
found indifference. Never was there such extra-
ordinary and unreasoning folly exhibited by a
people usually considered sane and practical, even
though not gifted with brilliant genius.
Lord Palmerston is all for " carrying on the war
with vigour ;" yet his Cabinet, chosen by himself,
is composed almost exclusively of men who for
" peace at any price," and who can outvote him in
Council any day they please. Lately ho had an
opportunity of infusing some energetic blood into
it, yet he made offers of place to none but those
notoriously opposed to his owu professed opinions,
and when he could not get a member of the peace
man ofwhom it would
held, or had
be ridiculous to suppose that ho over
irivarbtly)isitioofjothine
ohlidm.sslriheigpsokaed out from the used-up
celebrated for one
whatever—a gentleman only
that
was,when Ireland was
enunciation, which
capacity to form, a decided opinion upon any point
trated at the rate of two athrees ipneart diem,ns, ll)ieer,pas
the representative of Government, took the troublee
polluted by the bloodoofr
of i
of every Irishman to carry
the prescriptive
the infuriate murderers. " that it was
right
arms." is all for " carrying on
informing the
adviser in time of peril.
Again, Lord Palmerston
the war with vigour," yet ho has chosen for his
agents men whose sole qualification in common is,
that it is quite impossible they should know any-
thing whatever about the necessities or require-
ments of a war.
The names of Pammure, Peel, Monsell, and
Wood are surely quite enough to provoke a smile
on the lips of Heraclitus, were it not for the ter-
rible consequences attendant upon their gross
inefficiency.

Lord Palmerston " is all for carrying on the war
with vigour," yet ho has practically destroyed our
militia, and by neglect of our recruiting has re-
duced the regular army 50,000 men under the
number voted by Parliament.
These last aro matters of the most enormous im-
portance, not only to the carrying on of the war,
but to the continuance of the Anglo-French alli-
ance, on which must depend our power
it at all. to continue

The war was never very popular among the trading 1
classes in France, and now that financial difficul-
ties are threatening, of course the dislike to it
must increase. What, therefore, must he the effect
ou their minds of the defalcations of England as to
her share in the exertions necessary for the support
of the contest I' We will tell our readers what are
the sentiments of three-fourths of the tradesmen