The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-17 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1855.

What are our people about that they suffer
their enemies to make a mock of them, and to
doubt their very existence ? We can fancy the
veteran METTERNICH exclaiming, with a sneer,
" Either they are talking, or pursuing, or in a
journey, or, peradventure, they sleepeth, and
must be awakened." Never had they so favour-
able an opportunity for asserting their principles
and manifesting their power, and never in our
recollection were they so apathetic. Since this
War began they seem to have lost .that zeal for
liberty which formerly distinguished them. They
have ceased to think and act for themselves,
and have, with a blind credulity, to which we
know no parallel, resigned themselves to the
direction of the Government of the day.
We are satisfied that this apathy is but appa-
rent ; but to those who labour iu their interest it
is discouraging. The popular cause is never safe
apart from open, frequent, and decisive expres-
sions of public opinion. The people are false to
themselves when they are silent on such great
questions as are laid before them. It is for them
to have a policy of their own, and to insist on its
adoption. What have they not lost iu times past
by their neglect ! They have been powerless,
because they believed themselves powerless, and
have been made by turns the toys and tools of
despotic power, because they would never rise to
a sense of their own importance and a percep-
tion of their true interests.
At the present day we expected, and we had a
right to expect, something better. In this country
their will is irresistible—there is no force that can
stand against it—and for this very reason states-
men are weak and Governments are vacillating
when the popular voice is silent, or when it is
expressed with uncertainty. Ministers, of their
own motion, will do no more than they can help.
They fear change—they hate disturbance of any
kind. They must be impelled forward by pres-
sure from without, or they will stand still. It is
vain to hope for large views or generous senti-
ments from them. They are ready to
catch them up when they pervade large
masses of the peopl6, and when it is tolerably
certain that they must ultimately triumph in some
way or other, but they will never of themselves
originate a line of policy widely departing from
the beaten track, and calculated to effect a revo-
lution in the world, though the revolution may
be essential to safety, and certain to produce the
most beneficial results.

Therefore, we say, the question we bring for-
ward is eminently a people's question. If they
refuse to entertain it, drop it must. Professed
politicians—men who push their, way
by small
arts of jobbery and intrigue—who in a humble
station have caught some smiles of Ministerial
favour, and picked up some crumbs of Ministerial
patronage, and in a higher rank have dipped their
hands deeply in the public purse and basked in
the sunshine of Courts—these men will no more
take up the question of their own will than the
persecutors of GALILEO would admire his theory
of the earth's revolution. Principles of policy are
important to them only as they indicate a win-
ning or a losing game. Let any principle be once
taken up by the people iu a manner which shows
they are determined to carry it through, and they
will not want the support of both the creatures
and the leaders of party. _

The simple question for the people is whether
they wish the War to be directed to the liberation
of Europe, or to the rivetting of its fetters. if
the tyranny of Austria is left untouched the War
against Russia will avail nothing. Our victories
will be bootless triumphs. The despotic principle
will escape from the contest unscathed, if it does
i,,,L in the end rally, and by some daring con-
,pitaey plot the destruction of European freedom.

we implore our people to regard the facts.
Austria is next door neighbour to Russia. Austria
feel that her very existence as an empire depends
her rule.
i The population
upon the despotism of
of Austria Proper is set down n the official re-
ports at two millions three hundred thousand.
The population of her Italian provinces is upward,
of five Millions, of Hungary upwards of tell
millions, of Austrian Poland live millions more,
while Slovenian and German provinces make up
the remainder of the thirty-five millions she
boasts. Thus Hungary, Italy, and Poland eon-
.,,titute more than half of her entire population..
How is she to rule these races, who hate her with
the just hatred inspired by her crimes ?
might, at 'one time, by popular institutions and
just laws have conciliated their affection ; but
the diky for that is Sho chose to have slaves,
Her reign is now reign of of fiubje 046•