The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-22 00:00:00

HEGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE•

Tato r.),Ay —Mornin7 42 mafte 5 Evenin 7min. at. 6
To- 4mkoow - Yorn;n; 31 ntn.afterc 6 Evening 57min. aft. 6

WEATHER.—fIax Owes, May. 22.
TNEIMOMETEII, Z 9 Tin SRADR.
56—highest since noon yesteraay.
44 --lowest this morning and during the night.
58 —this day, at noon.

BABOAIRTEII, 29'94.
WIND, N.W.—Light, with dull weather.

, .
.1"11)( - -zysl4,ll„
, • ,

LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1855.

If "the means of forming a combination be no
exhausted," the patience of the British people mos
unquestionably is. They will regard with feel
ings of unmitigated disgust and indignation the
disreputable dodge— the gross and palpable
cross" practised last night. It was, we must
say, as scandalous a piece of " thimblerigging" as
any ever exhibited in Parliament. And those by
whom the trick was concocted, and the accomplices,
who by their interference contributed to its suc-
cess, have irreparably damaged their reputations
as public men. It is now manifest that the entire
" scene" was got up for the occasion, and that
the object was to postpone any discussion until
after the Whitsuntide recess—to give additional
time, within which a dishonourable and illusory
peace may be patched up, on terms alike inju-
rious to British honour and British interests.
The Right Han. Member for Manchester might
not have been a confederate. It is possible that
he was simply " a tool," made use of by the
Ministerial Whigs and Peelites ; but looking on
his conduct in the most favourable point of view,
he has acted in such a manner as to prevent the
slightest confidence from being placed in his pro-
fessions at any future time ; the result, whether
arising from connivance or instability, being
equally disastrous to the country.
On such a question, and under such peculiar
circumstances, it is right that the real facts should
be clearly and distinctly stated, so that the nature
of the scheme may be understood. The Protocols
of the Conferences at Vienna—after being delayed
in consequence of the very convenient " ill-
ness of a Clerk in the Foreign-Office, in whose
department it was to translate them" were
lately presented to both Houses of Parliament.
Then the exact nature of the meagre and unsatis-
factory propositions put forward on behalf of the
Western Powers, their contumelious rejection by the
Russian Plenipotentiaries, and the insolent coun-
ter-propositions which they offered, became known
to the Legislature and the country. It was seen
that there had fortunately been a decided failure,
and that France and England were only saved
from a serious calamity, which might have been
occasioned by the truckling of their Ministers—
through the reckless audacity of the adversary.
The time, then, had at length arrived, NV hen the
opinions of both Houses respecting all the pro-
ceedings should have been elicited. Ministers
should have endeavoured to discover the nature
of these opinions, in order to ascertain how far
they
were in conformity with their own views,
and as a
nothing guide for their future conduct. They did
of the kind, however, but suffered them to
remain on the table, provoking observation. Un-
fortunately the
challenge. In rightplane of
man" did not accept the
o one of those -w/ttrucklingo con-
demned the
desired a specific assurance tt assuranceh "Germanism,"
nothing but a
really honourable settlement *0
nld be concluded,
leading members of the , Peace-at-any. Price
Lords,pgarty
aonc occupied erd.
MILKERthe
0. Earl utßhEe,
C'c'ilmni°llGB'overn-
pthriece
ave
notices of motions to the effect, not that
ment had conceded too much, but that they had
not gone far enough—not that they had been too
conciliatory to Russia, but that they had too
botily insisted on some trifling assurance that she
Imuld-lieneeforward abandon her designs on Tar-
Nothing' but an unequivocal and a striking
demonstration of public feeling could counteract
the thoz.
84r'' 'arising from the ventilation of such
opinis; in et' branch of the Legislature.
"the ludi •
• gnant denunciation of the
conduct QPlRtisitki.:ate, and- of Austria, - could