The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-12 00:00:00

TILE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING. NOVEMBER 12, 1855.

TANTA/MS—starving in the vicinity and prospect
of abundance. The hospital arrangements and
commissariat are also decidedly ameliorated, al-
though we believe there is still room for improve-
ment. But in some very important matters, we
still go on at the old jog-trot pace—we seem still
desirous of sparing the enemy in the most ♦ital
points, as if Russia could be conciliated, or
induced to listen to any arguments, to give weight
to any considerations, save those of imperative ne-
cessity. It is true that -7/0 have captured Sebas-
topol and destroyed the Black Sea Fleet of
Russia—that we have captured Kiubourn, wit-
nessed the destruction of a fort at 0 tchakoff, and
destroyed a considerable quantity of stores at
Sweaborg. But are these things all, or even a
moiety of what we could have accomplished if
really in earnest ? Certainly not ! We should
scarcely have been contented with half measures
at the Baltic Fortresses, and permitted Cronstadt
and Helsingfors, Revel and Riga to remain un-
touched. The Hango Massacre should have been
fully avenged on the very spot where it was
perpetrated ; the scene of the atrocious out-
rage should have witnessed the condign
punishment of the offenders ; and even St.
Petersburg, as well as sundry other dis-
tricts, should have learned, to their cost, how
powerless was the AUTOCRAT to avert the penal
consequences of his own gross misconduct. These
would have beensalutary, although painful lessons,
and would no doubt have greatly conduced to—
what is the object of every true English heart—a
speedy, honourable, and enduring peace, which
can only be founded on the unequivocal humili-
ation of the enemy, and the decided diminution of
the strength that has been so grossly abused.
In the East the determination to spare
Russia, and to afford the means of prolonging
the contest, has been as clearly testified.
The destruction of Sebastopol was an imperative
necessity, which no degree of influence could set
aside. But what has been done since that time ?
We have taken Kinbourn—made a demonstration
against Nicolaieff, at least to the extent of taking
soundings in the Boug, and showing that the Rus-
sian Portsmouth was completely at our mercy !
But there we stop. In place of taking due ad-
vantage of the golden opportunity, and following
up our first success to its legitimate consequences,
we remain contented for the time being, with hav-
ing indicated the weak point, and thus drawn atten-
tion to the steps necessary to render the menaced
arsenal a second Sebastopol, capable of offering a
vigorous and obstinate defence to any future at-
tacks. The Russians have afforded unequivocal
proofs that they are not slow to profit by such
hints, and we may feel well assured that should ne-
gotiations unfortunately be resumed during the
winter they will not fail to take ample credit for
the assumed invincibility of the towns to which
we have exhibited such extraordinary forbearance
—a mercy so cruel to our own troops and to our
over-burdened taxpayers.
The mismanagement at the Horse Guards also
remains without any attempt at improvement.
We have seen one of its evil fruits—as
rotten at the core as an apple of the Dead
Sea. One of our bravest Commanders, who de-
servedly enjoyed the entire confidence of the
army and people, has been, by an instance of un-
due favouritism, compelled by a regard to his own
character, to retire in disgust from the Crimea—
to sheathe the sword that has been so frequentlyand
so beneficially used in the service of his country.
These are not the times when a " carpet knight"
of limited experience should be pitchforked over
the head of such a man as Sir COLIN CAMPBELL
because he was a Guardsman, and his father had
been " a Gold Stick in Waiting !" GOD save
the mark ! The insult is one not merely given
to Sir COLIN CAMPBELL, but to every distinguished
officer whose claims were, at least, as high as
those of Sir WILLIAM CODRINGTON. We cannot,
therefore, feel astonished at the very natural ex-
pression of indignation that has been exhibited,
or that many officers of rank and position should
have deemed it right to express their opinions
strongly on such a gross abuse of patronage.
Field-Marshal ViSeOUilt HARDINGE is, of course,
the party nominally responsible. But we trust
that the person really accountable may be shown
up in the stringent investigations that cannot be
avoided, and that the cleansing of the Augean
stables that have so long defied all purification,
and the placing of the military system of Great
Britain on a sound and wholesome footing, may
be one of its fruits. Such an outrage as the
promotion of Sir WILLIAM CODRINGTON over
the head of Sir COLIN CAMPBELL requires
very decided conduct on the part of the people.
We have confidence in Lord PALMERSTON, but it
is essential that his hands should be materially
strengthened to enable him to grapple with the
monster grievance of the day—to control the in-
fluence so dangerous to the constitutional liberties
and the interests of Great Britain.

If the cry of " an ill-used man " has been
potent enough, according to Mr. &coml., to
drive him from the field, and to enable Sir
CHARLES NAPIER to walk the course for South-
wark, the same cry ought most certainly to give
an uncontested seat somewhere to Major-General
TILOMPSON. No public man of equal ability and
integrity has been half so ill-treated, and by those,
too, who owed him a debt of gratitude, An ad-
mirable pamphlet from his pen, " Fallacies against
the Ballot, with the Answers," has just at this
moment reminded us of the claims of the .veteran
Free-trader and Reformer. It is a disgrace to
our electoral constituency, and a proof of the ne-
cessity of the protection afforded by the Ballot,
that a politician to whom his country is so deeply
indebted, and who was, when in the House, one of
its acknowledged ornaments and of its most dili-
gent members, should not be now a Member of
Parliament. To think of the number of noodles
and dummies returned by Lord this and Lord
that, while such men remain excluded, is enough
to make us blush for our constitution. With all
-due deference to Prince ALBERT and his Trinity
House plea for despotism, our constitution is much
more on its trial when contending at elections
with tip political roguery and tyranny of our
plutocracy and aristocracy, than when engaged in
a foreign war. Indeed, in reference to the latter,
the chief practical obstruction at present is the
want of a House of Commons elected by the
people and the Ballot. The present one is the
creation of aristocratic bribery and intimidation ;
and Free Trade energy, and its sympathies with
have played the game of despotism and cotton,
Russia, and ruinously enfeebled the policy of the
War. A House elected by the people last year
would have compelled Ministers to do their duty,
and other persons to let Ministers alone.
The General, naturally enough, adverts at the
close of the pamphlet to his own rejection in a
borough
majority of fully twenty to ene
f o wherees
voted at the hustings, as a proof of the
adp
of the present system to give full
a tedn
rm a
s
We regret to believe that, in
o
most malignant of all, was the immediate cause of
aeffddecittiot: tthoethsecruestvu'al screw, another influence, the
the disgrace incurred by the borough
of Bradford.
immediate ancestors and to himself, as a firm
Notwithstanding what Methodism owed to his

friend of religious liberty, and what Catholics
owed to him as a most efficient advocate of Catho-
lic emancipation, yet the selfish mean Toryism
of Conference Methodism, and implacability of an
offended Cardinal, are understood to have caused
the loss of the election. The odiousness of eccle-
siastical pride and ambition were never more re-
voltingly exhibited. In common with some of
the best English Catholics, he had denounced the
" Papal aggression"—all his vast services, services
which had indeed made " the aggression" possible,
were wholly forgotten ; the spite of priestcraft
knew nothing of gratitude for the past ; he was
put under the ban ; and an ambuscade of Catho-
lic electors were kept till near the dose of the
poll. These tools of the priest and the priest's
master, were to plump for his exclusion, reckless
of the disgrace, if they could by so doing turn
out the friend of Religious Freedom, although ad-
mitting thereby one who was thoroughly opposed
to: Catholic liberties if, on the contrary, the
" old Colonel" would in any event be returned,
they were to vote for him, and save their credit
as Liberals ! Of course, the Ballot would come
in aid of malice and hypocrisy like this. It would,
however, in Bradford, even with the present con-
stituency, have defeated the nefarious conspiracy
by liberating the votes at the mercy of the great
iron-founder, and of other wealthy Tories.
Were the suffrage universal, or approach-
ing to it, with the Ballot, honest politicians of
genius, like the General, could be returned for
fifty places with ease.

As to the pamphlet before us, judiciously pub-
lished by the Ballot Society for the almost nominal
price of threepence, it must have great weight
with thinking men, while those whose political
reading must be entertaining as well as instruc-
tive, will not want the desired condiment hero.
The numerous persons who are well acquainted
with the writer's power of striking the fire of wit
from apparently unpromising topics, will not
need any literary recommendation from us. The
General has often reminded us in this respect of
one of our most remarkable old writers on quite a
different class of topics—FULLER, the Church
historian who, while never weary himself of those
parts of his subject which in themselves aro as dry
and barren as a Russian steppe, spontaneously
and naturally enlivens them—even dry catalogues
of names—with his jovial humour. You dare not
pass over a page from which in other writers the
running title would deter you, for fear of
losing a hearty laugh. It is much the same with
the General's " Catechisms" and " Fallacies ;"
while he is hunting through every nook and
corner in the sophistry or unconscious blunders of
clever opponents, you may not venture to take a
short cut any where for fear of losing some of the
best of the sport.
The General bimself is no bush fighter. He
always meets his man openly, fairly setting down
his uncurtailed argument, and placing his own
answer in a parallel column. Every reader is
made a second to both parties, and sees with his
own eyes all fair, nor is it difficult for him to see
afterwards whose shot has told. The Fallacies are
taken from the Edinburgh Review, from the
speeches at the last Bath election, from the debate
on the Ballot in the House of Commons, and from
the late SYDNEY SMITH'S well-known Whig article
on the Ballot, with a notice of a few unfathered
fallacies. Each receives its distinct reply, yet
varied as are the forms of the errors exposed, and
epigrammatic and pointed as each reply is, yon
'Awn find that you lose much by reading, the
first time at least, as if perusing a book of pro-
verbs. There is a concatenation of reply, and a
preceding stroke of humour or wit has so pre-
pared for the greater effect of those which follow
that the reader who would thoroughly enjoy this
exposure of solemn-faced political special pleading
must read. consecutively. Much of the " an-
, swerer's" vigour is wisely put forth in answer to
the great Whig wit; a wit who never employed
I his rare talent so unfortunately, and whose argu-
ments have been the stock in trade of ante-Ballot
Whiggism ever since. The epigrammatist is, and
we think judges less liable to suspicion of parti-
ality than ourselves would agree with us, fully a
match for the wit. To • every man of literary
opinions on the Ballot, the
taste, whatever his
duel will be one of no little interest.
General THOMPSON does not forget his old feli-
citous adaptations of some homely illustration as
an answer to a host of fallacies. Noah's ark, the
rat trap, the flower pots, skc., will long be re-
membered by corn-law repeaters. Almost the
same part is played by "sealing letters" in this
tract. It meets you when you are least thinking
of it, as the amusing yet convincing exposure of
some stately and pretentious fallacy. The prac-
tice of clubs and courts'-martial is also worked
against the aristocracy in the most novel and
telling modes. We need not tell those who are
familiar with Colonel TEOMPSON'S former writings
that they will not find here the " old thing over
again for the hundredth time," and nothing but
" stereotyped arguments." Nothing here is ste-
reotyped but the work of the printer, a very
judicious proceeding, we should think, on his
part. Where so much is quite of novel interest,
yet can never require alteration, it is worth while
to save the cost of repeated compositions.

Etis Royal Highness Prince Albert having been ap.
plied to, on behalf of the Plymouth School of Art, for
donation, has replied, through the Hon. C. B. Phipps,a
that when 1251. have been collected his Royal Highness
will add the other 251. to make up the sum required.
The health of the Countess Fortescue, who is at pre-
sent at Castle Hill, Devon, continues to improve.
The Earl and Countess Grey are at present entertain.
ing a select circle of visitors at the family seat, Howick-
hall near Alnwick. The noble earl and countess purpose
remaining at llowick-hall until the week before the re-
assembling of Parliament.
The Duke of Leeds has arrived at the Clarendon from
Hornby Castle, near Catterick, Yorkshire.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Ely arrived in Paris,
on Thursday last, from Bavaria.
The Marquis of Downehire has taken the mansion,
No. 24, Belgrave-square, formerly the residence of the
late Earl Ducie.
Viscount Palmerston left town on Saturday, for Broad-
lands, Hants. The Viscountess Melbourne and Vis.
countess Jocelyn and family are at present staying on
visit to the noble viscount and viscountess.
Lorn Dunkellin proceeds from the Crimea to India,
as secretary to the new Governor-General. Captain
Daniel, of the Bengal Cavalry; Captain H. Teerich
Fitzhugh, of the Royal Artillery; Captain A. Hunt,
3d Dragoon Guards ; Captain Macdonald, 93d High-
landers ; and Captain Bouverie, 35th Bengal Native
Infantry, will be aides-de-camp to his lordship.
Sir Roger Palmer and family have left their seat,
Cefu Park, North Wales, where they have been residing
since the close of the London season, for Kenmure Park,
county Dublin.
Sir John and Lady Crewe and Miss Lovell have left
the Clarendon for Calke Abbey, near Derby.
The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., has taken
Lady Stuart De Rothesey's mansion, on Carlton House
Terrace, for a term of years.
SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday.—The Peninsular and Orien-
tal Company's screw steam-ship Nubia, Capt. Powell, left
this day for the East Indies. She will be stationed on
the route from Calcutta to Suez. She was heavily laden
with coals and stores, and previous to her departure her
speed was tested at the measured mile in Stokes Bay.
She averaged upwards of 11 knots per hour. The screw
steam-ship Alma, Captain Grainger, of the same com-
pany, will leave on the 26th lea., and proceed to the
same destination.
MAGNITUDN OF RUSSlA.—Russia is the greatest un-
broken empire for extent that ever existed, occupying
vast regions of Europe and Asia, and nearly one-sixth of
the habitable globe. It is 41 times the size of France,
and 138 times that of England. Yet it was too small
for the ambition of Alexander, who is reported to have
said, " I insist upon having the Ealtic to skate upon,
the Caspian for a bathing-place, the Black Sea as a
wash-hand basin, and the North Pacific Ocean as a fish-
pond." He encroached on Tartary for a pasture, on
Persia and Georgia for a vineyard, on Turkey for a
garden, on Poland for a farm, on Finland and Lapland
as hunting ground, and took North America as a place
of banishment for offenders.

The entrance to the Sea of Azoff will be closed to
merchant vessels on that day.
The authorities of Paris continue to prosecute
the butchers guilty of infractions of the ordinance
of the Prefect of Police relative to the assize •f
meat.