The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-05 00:00:00

of the Panic, regarded from this point of view,
lies in the fact that it recalls to mind the truth that
it is not simply the male population of Rome itself
that is affected by the settlement one way or the
other of the Roman Difficulty, but that it is a
question intimately affecting from 200,000,000 to
300,000,000 of their co-religionists all over
the world. Again, the Panic has an es-
pecial significance in this way—seeing that
it indicates as plainly as may be that there, at the
very core or centre of all the great European com-
plications, lies the still unsolved and still
paramount problem of the political condition
of the Roman peninsula. Finally, there is
the ominous indication, through this profound
and instant's panic on the Bourse, that the state of
things throughout Europe is just now most
precarious ! It is a revelation to ns as
startling, of its kind, in this way, as
if it had awakened Europeans to the recognition of
the fact that they are living, as it were, above a
slumbering volcano of war. Martial Law in
Gallicia, Open War in Denmark, a still strug-
gling Insurrection in Poland, Italian and
German armies standing, armed to the teeth,
at different parts of the Italian peninsula, with a
French army of occupation, also, still there at the
centre of it, as if en permanence—it seems to indi-
cate, this panic, that, at any moment, all these highly
inflammable materials may burst upon the instant
nto a general confkgration.

There is nothing more incumbent on those who
have the charge of public affairs than to comport
themselves with courtesy. In fact, it is not going
too far to say, that no man who cannot or will
command his temper and restrain his remarks within
the limits of the rules of ordinary good breeding,
is justified in putting himself prominently forward
or taking a conspicuously part in public matters.
The other evening, during the debate on the affairs
of the Navy, Lord C. PAGET used some most objec-
tionable expressions. He went so far as to say,
that he would rather take the word of Sir BALDWIN
WALKER than the oath of the hon. gentleman
opposite. The expression of the House was so
strongly expressed , that the noble lord was precluded
from finishing his remarks. At the suggestion of
Sir I. PAKINGTON, he retracted the offensive
language, but still the evil effect remained. Now,
it is quite oat of character that one in the high
position of the noble lord, should thus compromise
the dignity of his office by conducting himself in
tits House in a manner which would disgrace one
of the humblest members of it, and could only be
excused by great ignorance of the forms of society,
or very great personal provocation. Lord C. PAGET
could claim neither of these excuses, and therefore
it is so very strange that he should forget himself
in such a strange fashion. His attempt at exculpa-
tion, or rather indifferent remonstrance, that Sir
B. WALKER was serving his country at the other
end of the world, was no reason whatever
that he should not be called to account
for the mistakes and errors he might have
committed when in this part of it. According to
this argument, men who have made a false step in
any direction have only to go away to a distance
to secure impunity from attack and obtain-a respite
from annoyance. The chief thing, however, to be
noticed in this discussion is the very unstatesman-
like demeanour of the noble lord in replying to the
remarks made by hon. members. Nothing should
be more strongly impressed upon those in any way
connected with a Government than to control their
tempers, rule their passions, and at all times to keep
within the bounds of those regulations which are so
important in private life, and in public matters are
of special service and immense influence. It will
be a bad day for the Parliament of this country
when it ceases to take note of all improper ex-
pressions, and to meet them with due reprobation.
The good sense and good feeling of that assembly
can generally be trusted to in moments of emer-
gency, and the general tone that this reticence
imparts to the debates constitutes in a great measure
the superiority of our representative assembly to
that of every other in the world. It is a great thing
to be able to preserve the right of free speech with
the restrictions imposed by the careful regulation
of words and phrases, so as to offend no rules of
propriety, and to violate no customs which the
refinement and education of modern days have
imposed on the community.