The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-23 00:00:00

means than the man who had just been cashiered
for inefficiency in another department. It is by
no means improbable that Lord PALMERSTON
may, after hearing the explanations of the se-
ceders, come out with a complete programme, and
produce competent successors for the evanescent
Ministers. The name of Mr. CARDWELL has
been mentioned for the Financial Department.
But, considering the antecedents of the Right
Hon. Gentleman, that he was the close personal
friend as well as the literary executor of the
founder of the party of which he is himself so
prominent a member, and that although his pre-
tensions were to a certain extent slighted by his
colleagues, we cannot conceive that he would now
abandon them, although they did not insist on his
obtaining a seat in the ABERDEEN Cabinet. Now,
however great his talents, and we are by no means
disposed to underrate them, would it be beneficial
for Lord PALMERSTON to retain them ? Having,
fortunately, escaped from the Peelite connection,
he should not retaia any of the leaven in his Go-
vernment. We trust that he may avoid that
danger during the present crisis.
There are plenty of good men, albeit not
branded with the Peelite or the aristocratic mark.
Mr. BAINES is one. And Lord ELGIN has worked
his way on fairly and honourably ; and, as we
have frequently stated, we do net, object to a man
because he is a Lord, if he possess the qualifica-
tions requisite ; but we do protest against the
Peerage being considered as all that is necessary.
We shall, however, await the lifting of the curtain
before we finally decide on the merits of the new
combinations.

We would earnestly invite public attention to
the letter of a respected correspondent, who writes
under the title of " A Liberal ‘Derbyite,' " and
which will be found in another part of this day's
impression. It is, indeed, worthy of calm and
deliberate perusal, and we only trust that ,those
in authority will, even at the eleventh hour, be
induced to profit by its admirable suggestions.
We have already, on many occasions, given
free expression to the opinion that pro-
motions in the army should depend on
merit rather than on money, rank, or interest ;
and heartily do we rejoice to find that our views
are now generally; recognised, and that we have
enlisted so powerful an auxiliary on our side,
whose arguments mast convince every disinte-
rested and unprejudiced person.

One of the first steps of the new Government,
or any succeeding one that may be formed, must
be to reform the military administration— to
cleanse the Augean stables of the Horse Guards,.
We believe that it is to the erroneous system in
operation in that department that the unfortunate
mischances and calamities which have caused such
dismay to the nation may chiefly be attributed.
We would not taboo rank or fortune, or consider
either as an obstaele to a maws, rising to eminence
in any branch of the service. On the contrary,
they would be looked on as recommendations ;
and, simply, because the person possessing
one, or both, must possess great ardour
and enthusiasm to encounter the toils and
difficulties that ought to be incidental to
the position. But they ought not to be the only
things sought after. Unassisted ability, when
clearly displayed, should be permitted to rise.
We should oftener hear of the Sergeant SUL-
Livirts, and men of that calibre, who had
proved their efficiency in the field, than of
the Lord Toms, or Honourable JACKS, or
the sons of the Millocrats or Moneyocracy. The
system hitherto in. operation has been shaken to
the very core. Let wise and comprehensive
measures of reform, such as those referred to
by " A Liberal Derbyite,' " be adopted while
there is yet time. If much longer neglected
much more may be required. The promotion of
a fair proportion of deserving non-commissioned
officers would a short time since have sufficed
Now, as we recently stated, the " whole system of
purchase totters to its fall." We would not exclude
tha aristocracy ; on the contrary, we would
hold out every fair inducement for their
co-operation—but they, in common with all
others, must submit to the most stringent
tests, and honestly earn by good conduct
the distinction to which they aspire. Mili-

tary reform is that which is most urgently
required at the present moment, and the nation
will not be satisfied with any save a large and
comprehensive measure.

Poland is at last before the House of Lords ;
what is better, its claims to be considered the
corner-stone of a permanent peace were not only
first asserted, but afterwards attacked and de-
fended. The country had already begun to speak
in uniform language ; no persons outside Parlia-
ment who have felt interest enough to meet for
discussing the War, its results and objeets, having
had two opinions do the question of liberating
Poland. No doubt genuine philanthropy—sym-
pathy with the oppressed against the oppressor—
has been a powerful motive with public meetings.
And why should it not be ? Are these best senti-
ments of a people to have no share in detervining
their political judgments? The noble instinct
which perceives in the present War the hour of
atonement for long years of passive injury to
Poland is a safe and trustworthy guide, if, in-
deed, our moral instincts are to be trusted at all.
Englishmen all feel that their aristocracy sold
them, as well as Poland, at the Congress of Vienna,
when it allowed Russia to take Poland into the
embrace of its deadly paws, preparatory to tearing
and swallowing it in 1830 ; and never since has
the name of the country been mentioned without
a pang by untitled Englishmen. But now, when
Russia has outraged all Europe, through reliance
on her mastery of Poland, we turn and look upon
each other, exclaiming, "We are verily guilty
concerning our brother." We passively let our
brother nation go into the most cruel bondage—
we now pay for it in millions of money and thou-
sands of precious lives. Our better feelings, how-
ever, are not all. We affirm, without fear of
contradiction, that every Englishman not bitten
with the COBDEN, or ABERDBBN, or COBURG peace
mania, sees the folly of hoping for a peace worth
having if Russia be left mistress of Warsaw, and
of the powerful fortresses by which she has made
the line of the Vistula the terror of Europe—of
Prussia and Austria especially. Such a peace
would be an armed one, costing as much as a
war—a peas during which Russia would avail
herself of all the mechanical skill of civi-

Used Europe, and all the avarice of its money
dealers, to open war ten years hence with ten-
fold means of destruction. The emancipation
of Poland, in the well-founded judgment of
Englishmen, would save us an incalculable expen-
diture of money and life a few
The Earl of 11A.Rnowcy years hence.
therefore, entitled
to the thanks of his country for speaking out
Iplainly the: views of the, Commons of England in
the House of Lords. Lord ELLENnonouon had
led the way by indicating, in a powerful speech,
how advantageously the feelings of nationality
in Asia might be turned against Russia. He

pointed out that we ought to consider India as
interested in a war which,. as the COBUROS and