The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-28 00:00:00

MR. LAYARD.

4isn wellves ti asgatai
Thu attention of the country has of laie been
to Mr. Layard as having taken an inde-
aopnrso mi
whichnent
have,part ianr
its
eh en
aiLuots-
tl
crous -
Inds. Few men have risen so 0 _
rapidly in public
Cii
estimation as this gentleman. Entering Parliament
little more than two years since,
nbtuifitewitrathvoeulit
with a well-earned
earuyanpdoliatiedr.;
rgmepsuhtaedtiolniteraasryamsacnie,
tecedents or connections to help him forward, Mr;
Layard speedily came out from the crowd of new
members and took up a position as a rising man.
Lord Derby,- Lord Aberdeen, and Lord Palmerston
have successively proffered for his acceptance Bev,.
ral of the minor offices of their Government, and it
is but justice to Mr. Layard to mention that seve-
ral such offers have been declined by him on the
ground that he was not the "right man" for them.
On the formation of the Palmerston Adminis.
tration, Mr. Layard's services might, in the opinion
of many of his countrymen, have been advanta-
geously employed as Under-Secretary of the War-
office. But this was not offered to him, and the
feeling at the time was, and is still prevalent, that
Mr. Layard was too openly committed to admini-
strative reform, and too zealous and sincere in his
intentions to carry out a real reformation of the
system, to render his position in an influential
situation of the War Department agreeable to the
greater
more
than to those of the late Administration.
Unattached, therefore, to any considerable poli-
tical party in the house, and unflinching in his de-
nunciations of
the incapacity and corruption which
have sacrificed
human
life by the thousand and
money by the milliont Mr. Layard soon became a
with " his hand against every
man, and every inan,6,llA
nd against him." This nois enviable position. Few have sufficient fixity of
purpose and moral courage
bto dare or to endure it.
almost inevitably, Mr. Layaunself, though perhaps
" mistakes. It was, no doubrtd has made several
patience of Mr. Layard, as well very trying to the
as to that of the na-
tion, to be assured tlipt the most ,6unac
delay, the gros-4- management, countable"
nts official jobbir
and official jaw ,
the system. "ver part'
could be expactedlinde circumstan
all the officials were -‘.-nononrable. men
men, energetic men. And, finally, that nolidy
was to blame. In his anxiety, however, to find
out who the parties to blame were, Mr. Layard fell
into divers errors. Now are cannot' be surprised,
that parties to whom the blame has been errone-
ously imputed, or who have been unfavourably
brought before the public in • connection with
the late most disgraceful ancltit4appy Crimean
campaign should feel greatly aggrieved: Let
Mr. Layard put himself in the place of a matt
who not only knows that he has done his best,
but that he has done his work well, and that but
for the incapacity of heads of departments, whose
depressing imbecility hangs as a dead weight on
his energies, he should have obtained for himself
his country's approbation, and who is held up to
public reprobation and disgrace. A public man
should be extremely careful how he makes state-
ments compromising the reputation of any servant
of the public, however humble, or, let us add,
however exalted, his rank or position. Mr. Layard
permitted himself to be drawn into personal at-
tacks without sufficient evidence. We have no
doubt he regrets this as much as any of his friends
can do. He might also, we think, have come
rather more forward in the ready acknowledgment
of error.
But, though on several occasions wrong in mat-
ters of detail, Mr. Layard has been right in prin-
ciple. It was a monstrous thing that England
should pour out her money and her blood like
water, and that -our soldiers should perish
through official obstinacy and stupidity, and
the British name and fame discredited through-
out Europe. The evil done may extend
its pernicious effects through generations. The
country, therefore, has been, and is with Mr.
Layard in his attempts to search out the persons
at whose door the war mismanagement lies, and
if anything could dispose the public to take his
part more than ever, it is the treatment which Mr.
Layard has met with in political circles. In the
house a dead set -has been made at, -him. There
has been an evident and systematic attempt made
to put:him down by fair means or foul. From the
Premier on the Treasury bench to the juvenile ex,
pectant-placeman of the back row, a determination
has been clearly evinced to " crush that Layard."
Out of the house, among those who make politics
their profession, the feeling has been, if possible,
stronger.

The man that mentioned him, at once dismissed
All mercy from his lips, and sneered and hissed.
Nevertheless, the country is still with Mr. Layard.
They believe him to be honest, capable, and cour-
ageous. And without wishing to defend his mis-
takes, or even to extenuate them, they give him
their unhesitating support.
Mr. Layard has this week obtained a decided
triumph over his political hornets.. We refer our
readers to his letter to the Times in reference to
the affair of Captain Christie, and Sir James
Graham's attempt to throw the odium of that un-
fortunate gentleman's death on Mr. Layard.
Taking Mr. Layard's letter and Sir James Graham's
subsequent admissions in the House of Commons,
it appears evident that Sir James has confounded
dates and facts and drawn inferences hostile to
Mr. Layard from his own incorrect statements
to an extent far worse than anything that Mr.
Layard has yet done. Sir James did in reality
accuse Mr. Layard of causing Captain Christie to
die " broken-hearted" by his false representations.
Whereas it now appears that Sir James had dis-
missed Captain Christie before Mr. Layard spoke
about him, and any one who will read the circum-
stances under which this gentleman was brought
to a court-martial will have no difficulty in per-
ceiving iv,l.4he treatment which he experienced from
the Govee, ment sufficient to cause the most
bitter mor fication—and distress of mind to
that " old AL. gallaAtt, officer," as Mr. Layard, in
his letter, styles him.
Sir James has been, he says, 37 years in the
House of Commons, Mr. Layard but two or three.
If this veteran politician can fall into such an ex-
traordinary and unjustifiable mistake, the nation
will not perceive the justice of Mr. Layard " being
driven out of the political world" for a less offence.
-Derbyshire Courier.

THE REPRESENTATION OF BATH. —The Liberals of
his city, having broken off their negotiation with Sir

Culling Eardley, held a meeting on Friday night at the
rooms of the Liberal Association, which were crowded
with voters. Mr. T. Gill, the ex-mayor, presided. Mr.
W. Tits, deputy-chairman of the Administrative Reform
Association, was introduced by a deputation of gentle-
men and was cordially received. The proceedings were
then opened by the chairman, who expressed his hope
that, in the event of Mr. Tite's sentiments meeting the
approbation of the Liberal party, they would unite to
place him at the head of the poll. Mr. Tits, in an ad-
dress of considerable length, stated his opinions. He
had nothing to conceal. He had always been a Re-
former, and he would vote for the ballot with all his
heart. He did not want to go to Parliament pledged ;
he wished them to have confidence in him that he
would faithfully do his duty. He was a Churchman,
but was on most intimate terms of friendship with
7:ujiesutedvCatolliad:lo:himself to be put itnhenimrai-a
Dissenters. He believed, if they had had the right
had
needmen oinf
ntehwe rteigxhattiponla.cesiintniheerense wsnoutnled
ohfamveonbeetym
been wasted. He was no enemy to the conducting of
the war boldly, honestly, and vigorously. They were
bound conduct it creditably to themselves and
hnootneLtmlymtoondthietsirelfallineL ld h
resgreolvaetdehttear:nht
clecigenracentantdo
would
didv e
his support., He should be
.equally opposed to the Re.
a.gainst.chhurch rates. Mr.
glum, Don
reu
gentleman,
ielhatent
Theitveitnaighroesteireadd,dreiit
Y.r°°n
learneds' over
•
etohet.tth
nation .I;°:nd a resolguwtaaivioasnutnoraecetnhimalvt:duesffwleYlett having been for-
w,irdgcl to him, he, on Saturday.morning, in an address
leielectora, signified his consent. The Conservative
te
parte
stihdee
dA. s s eTmhbel
candidate, Mr. hately,W Q.C., held a meeting
in the course of his address, said it was
in the conduct of the war they had quite clear that
mess in the right places ;great
Colonelday of his
B 1 supportersathway
not had the right
alterations
in the mode in which the Several were wanted
up. He was bound as a true Protestant
offices were filled
was not expedient to renew the to say that it
address was received with th Maynooth grant. This
and a resolution pledging e applause of the auditors,
speaker carried amid loud cheering. the meeting to support the
expected to takeplace cheering. The nomination is
UNFENCED on Thursday or Friday next.
MACHINERYevening
.—Between five and six o'clock
place at Messrs. lastseissha very afflicting accident took
bleach works, Rhodes. Middleton. It
Coit's printingr that
Joseph Way wag •fr', Atinm one Of the ulna at the
bleach works, when t
,W woollen apron (such as are wore
by crofters and blea vers) became entangled with en up-
right shaft, and " wed him round many times ; his
head and body also -came in contact with •an iron pipe,
near to the shaft, and killed him on the spot. The shaft
is in one corner of the room, and about eighteen inches
distant from the vro.ll. The-unfortunate individual was
a single man, 49 years of age, and has been employed
at the bleach works about 35 years.—Manchester
Examiner. ~
MADAME TUSSAIID, el _cIEIBITION.—Among the mill.
1 tary heroes lately exhibited in this museum we observed
a most excellent likeness of his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge. His royal highness is represented in the
uniform of a major-general, his breast decorated with
several rogitary orders ; among them is the last distino
tios, the Crimea? Alecil. It is• certainly one of the
o.o.Pat 4 ' • 141‘.4 41 gliCial4olo4-
-.- . -,,c ~. ..

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