The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

points. The first startling assertion is that
"the Russians did not intend holding the
South Side longer than was necessary to give
them time to remove their hospitals, their
guns, and whatever else they considered indispen-
sable." If this were so they must have devoted a
very useless amount of labour to work very badly
performed. After all the myriads of lives that
had been wantonly sacrificed, and when at length
the golden opportunity for which,
according to
this half-breed doctor, they had so long panted,
and the advantages whereof were so apparent to
all parties, that "it was a matter of congratula-
tion even among the common soldiers," they
left behind them many hundreds of their wounded
men, uncared for, and disregarded, to the tender
mercies of their conquerors ! So much for the
hospitals, while the 4,000 pieces of cannon, and
the enormous stores captured, proved beyond the
possibility of doubt, that they had not thought
more of their ordnance and other things that
might have been considered indispensables, than
of their sick and wounded.

The second branch of the subject relates to the
complete command in which the Northern Forts
held the South side of the city, which they couli,
taste Davega, crush at any moment. If this be so,
their forbearance is indeed miraculous, and with
the "300,000 well-disciplined, well-equipped,
well-provisioned, and every way effective troops"
which they have on the road between Odessa and
the Camp, it is only astonishing that they should
so long have refrained from driving the invaders
into the sea, and purifying the soil of Holy
Russia from the pollution of a hostile army.
We shall not condescend to refute the
atrocious and infamous calumny against our gal-
lant soldiers, who, according to the veracious
DAYEGA, were " worsted in every battle, and
only saved from destruction by their French
allies." Alma, Balziklava, Inkerman, confute the
wilful liar in every point, and leave him an ob-
ject of universal. contempt.

But, we may ask, What does Attorney-General
CUSHING intend to do with him ? If it be a
crime to by to enlist American citizens, it is also
a grave offence to engage in these Filibus-
tering expeditions. We commend, thou,
Dr. DAVEGA to the especial notice of
the American prosecutor, t who can have no
difficulty in the case, inasmuch as the ground is
cleared for him by the confession of the delin-
quent that he had been eleven months receiving
Russian pay, and fighting against an Ally of the
United States. In such case a conviction would
be certain, and it is incumbent on the Attorney-
General for the time being to vindicate the ma-
jesty of the law, and to bring the so-called Dr.
DAVEGA to justice.

Among the obligations of a corporate body
entrusted with the management of local works,
and drawing their revenues from local taxation,
is a careful and economical expenditure. This is
so obvious that no arguments appear necessary to
enforce its truth. Au economical expenditure,
however, does not necessarily involve the with-
holding of so much money. It is possible to be
penny wise and pound foolish, and while taking
measures apparently of an economical na-
ture, to rksk rendering your disbursements
comparatively useless. And this would
appear to be the case with the Burn-
ley Commissioners, who, it will be seen, by a
paragraph in 'another column, have decided by a
large majority at a recent meeting, "That no
addition shall be made to the salary of any officer
or servant of the Commissioners unless the office
so proposed to be -increased shall first become
vacant by resignation or otherwise !"

Now any one in the least acquainted with
human nature must perceive at once the miserable
folly of this procedure, which by no possibility
can be of any advantage whatever to the rate-
payers. If the Commissioners possess common
sense they should be aware that by withdrawing
hope from intelligent exertion you brutalise it,
or cause it to seek another field for its manifesta-
tion, and that without intelligent officers no cor-
porate body entrusted with important duties can
properly discharge them. Yet by passing this
motion the Commissioners have, in effect, said to
their ill-paid servants—Be as attentive to your
duties as you may—be perpetually on the
watch if you please to embrace opportu-
nities for usefulness—save the public by your
suggestions what you may you must not
look for an increase of salary. We, in our pri-
vate capacity, are encouraged to exert ourselves
to the utmost in our several avocations by the
prospect of a corresponding reward ; but we expect
you to display a sublimer virtue, and expend your
energies in our service, without any prospect at
all beyond the continuance of your present pit-
tance." Anything more monstrous than this can-
not well be conceited. It may, however, be re-
plied, that the regulation does not exclude the
prospect of an increase of salary. In terms we
admit it does not ; but those who know the petty
arts to which local cliques have recourse know
well what will be the result. Under it the best
servant of the Commissioners, seeking an increase
of salary, will, however long and valuable
may have been his services, incur the utmost risk
of losin4 his situation, and there will be great
danger of the ratepayers of Burnley being ill-
I served. There are, however, other considerations
which' render the regulation peculiarly unwise
and impolitic. All public bodies occupy a posi-
tion and POssess an influence which entail on them
as a aI:HAW obligation the task of setting a good
example. ; The Commissioners, of all others,
should have taken care to have displayed an
towards their servants, were it
equitable teeing
only because of the evil results that must follow
a contrary 'course ; and this obligation should, of
all times, have -been respected at the present,
a
when the relations between capital and labour
are in so critical a
state. Who knows whatn
decent
per-
nicious 1•4 floonce their example may have on
pri-
vate employers)
only too anxious for
y
mode of escape from their difficulties ? It is not
to be wondered at that ono of the Commissioners
should have parted company with the rest, in-
dignant at their procedure ;
for, unless they
speedily retrace their steps,
there is not a man: of
sense and good feeling who would do otherwise.

• -- •40 ca.asziguty, IS :avec.—