The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-18 00:00:00

movement. The Treaty of the 2d December was
the result. But that bound it to nothing. As
we explained when the text of that Treaty was

published, the Western Powers were bound to
assist Austria if attacked by Russia ; but there
was no reciprocal engagement. All that was
promised was that she would confer as to an
alliance, if Russia rejected the proffered terms,
and declined to negotiate a peace on the basis of
the Four Points.

We have since seen the solemn farce enacted at
the Austrian capital, and the complete break down
of the Conference. By simulated concessions on
the first two points, in which Austria felt chiefly
interested, Austria secured her co-operation on
the remaining items. Now it seems that her
chief anxiety is " to save the honour" of the new
CZAR that is to say, to leave him at full liberty
to carry out the nefarious designs so long con-
cocted against the stability and integrity of the
Ottoman Empire; and it has been tolerably clearly
intimated to the Western Plenipotentiaries that
her assistance cannot be expected for any such
purpose. The result has been the official state-
ment in the House of Commons, that Lord JOHN
RUSSELL intends to leave Vienna during the pre-
sent week, and is expected in England by the
27th or 28th instant, and it requires no great
degree of prescience to declare that M. DROUYN
DE L'HUYS will not long remain behind
his colleague. It is well that the mock-
ery should be brought to a conclusion
on any terms, even though it should be the open
hostility in place of the pretended friendship of
Austria. Had there been any doubt as to her
previous intentions it might have been set at rest
by the scarcely doubtful conduct of KingLEoroLn,
who must have been perfectly au fait with respect
to the manoeuvres of the Cabinet of Vienna, and
who has unhesitatingly joined in the confederacy
of " Germanism" against the Western Powers.
But we have other intelligence of no ordinary
importance. It appears that at the very time
when the French and English diplomatists are
retiring in disgust from the Austrian capital, the
only real "peace-makers" are resuming their ope-
rations. On the 9th instant the Allies opened
fire from all their batteries on Sebastopol, and the
bombardment continued with much success. Con-
siderable damage had already been inflicted on the
devoted town, and it was stated on good authority
that a breach had already been effected. Should
matters proceed favourably there it is by no
means impossible that we may witness another
wheel by the versatile FRANCIS JOSEPH, and that
he may once again, when his assistance is not
required, be willing to prove himself the faithful
friend of the Western Powers, prepared "to go
the entire animal" against the losing side. Even
English diplomatists, albeit proverbially short-
sighted, are not quite so purblind as to be again
deceived. The scales must at length have fallen
from their sight, and we, may expect to witness
the consequences of their improved vision in the
more vigorous and energetic waging of the War,
and the absolute eschewal of the deceptive coun-
sels of Austria, which will henceforward be placed
in the same category with Prussia, having by its
own misconduct forfeited the position which i
once occupied.

Vacillation and instability of purpose appear
to be the chief characteristics of the new Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. He has already shif ed
his ground on almost every point on which he had
assumed a position, and should he continue to
display similar shifting propensities, his first an-
nouncement on any topic will only be useful as
showing that a totally different arrangement will
ultimately be adopted. Aheady we have seen
the result of this " Jtm-Chow" disposition in the
treatment of the loan. There was a pompous
semi-official declaration that the Government
plans had been so fully matured that no deviation
would be sanctioned. The capitalists were sum-
moned merely to hear the views and intentions of
the Financial Minister, not to discuss the condi-
tions of the Loan, which were as fixed as "the laws
of the Medes and Persians." One of the earliest
and most important questions mooted related to
the competition with respect to the biddings. It
might easily have been discerned that the success
of the operation depended on the amount of that
competition. To the first inquiry Sir G. C.
LEWIS very properly stated that although the
Government would, of course give a prefer-
ence to those biddings which were for the
entire amount, it was not proposed to exclude
those which were only for a portion. This
was a sound and judicious decision, by which he
should firmly have abided, but he yielded to the
first murmur—we can scarcely term it remon-
strance. It was said that the competition of the
smaller bidders would be inconvenient to the
leviathans, who might feel disposed to tender for
the whole. The consistent Minister of Finance,
after a brief consultation with his "fides Achates"
—Mr. JAMES WILSON and the Premier—announced
that "Government thought it better to accept only
such tenders as should be for the entire amount." The
consequence is that the matter is left solely in
the hands of Mr. ROTSHCHILD and Co. No other
lists are in course of formation, and Sir G. C.
LEWIS must either submit to such conditions as
those capitalists may think fit to offer, at a ruinous
loss to the country, or bear the disgrace of an
unqualified failure.

Nor is this the only matter in which he has
given evidence of his want of firmness. In the
Newspaper Stamp Bill which, in place of
being for the liberation of the Press, may
now be more fitly described as one for
the imposition of pains and penalties on
journalists, he first declared that there was no in-
tention to alter the laws relating to copyright, as
the existing enactments were quite sufficient to
afford all requisite protection for original matter.
Now, however, he has completely altered his
views, and has brought forward resolutions which,
if sanctioned, must lead to perpetual litigation.
Unfortunate newspaper proprietors are to be de-
prived of the trial by jury, and consigned to the
tender mercies of a Stipendiary Magistrate,
or of two Justices, who have jurisdiction where
ha resides, and who may convict him in any
penalty not less than 51., and not exceeding 301.,
and issue distress or warrant for
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goods and chattels. It is needless
on thee
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or
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or
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tend to consolidate the
toe havef
the
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the successor, C ha
for
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Under the beea:al:l:l.i
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t'ukiAtut established journalists
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