The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

THE EARL OF BARROWBY AND THE

WAR.

At the annual dinner of the Sandon and Marston Agri-
cultural Association, held at Sandon on Wednesday last,
the Earl of Harrowhy, a member of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, made a short speech, of some interest at the
present moment, in reference to the war, the position of
the German States in relation to it, and the disastrous
policy of patching up a hasty peace at this stage of the
campaign and immediately after a great success. The
health of his lordship having been proposed by the Rev.
E. HARLAND in the course of the evening,
The Earl of HARROWBY, in responding to the toast,
said he had had so often occasion to return thanks to
them for the kind manner in which they had received
the toast that had just been given, that he felt some
difficulty in varying the expression of his gratitude. He
must say, however, that he was extremely sensible of
the very cordial reception they had given the toast ; and
the terms in which it had been proposed were peculiarly
gratifying to him, as coming from the month of a reve-
rend gentleman with whom he bad had so long an ac-
quaintance, and with whom he had had so many oppor-
tunities of conferring upon subjects connected with the
interests of that neighbourhood, and whose judgment
and character he so highly esteemed: Mr. Harland had
taking the opportunity of alluding to the public position
which he had the honour of holding at the present time,
and for which he was not altogether prepared. At the
same time, as reference had been made to it, he did not
like to pass the subject by entirely. When it was pro-
posed to him in the early part of the year to join her
Majesty's Government, it was at the moment when the
country was suffering under great disappointment and
discouragement from a feeling that great sacrifices had
been made with a very inadequate result, and at the time
when the country was suffering under a sense that she
had sent forth some of her best blood to defend a righteous
cause, and that proper precautions bad not been taken
that those who were thus willing to shed their blood were
cared for in the manner they ought to be. (Hear, hear.)
How far that feeling was justified by facts that was
not the opportunity for considering ; but this he might
say, that it was quite a natural feeling, and one in which
he with many others participated. There was, however,
much to be said—and be felt so at the time—in behalf of

those who had all at once to extemporise a great war
with means and appliances totally inadequate to so great
an undertaking. (Hear.) They had heard much lately
about putting the right man in the right place, and it
was important that this should be done ; but it was what
no one was able to do at once, either in time of peace or
war. It was impossible to know what a man was good
for until he was tried ; and it might happen that, when
tried, those whom they expected equal to a duty to be
discharged were entirely deficient in the qualities essen-
tial to the office. They, in their ordinary avocations,
plunged their hands into a sack of corn and drew out a
sample ; but they could not know before testing it what
it was worth. They took the best security they could
find, and endeavoured, as every one should do, to put
the right man into the right place ; but if it was found
that they had the wrong man, and they continued the
wrong man in the wrong place, then there was certainly
room for great fault to be found. (Hear.) He would
now return to the war in which this country was en-
gaged. When the country was labouring under great
disappointment and discouragement, as he hai said, he
himself joined in the feeling that all had not been done
which ought to have been done under the circumstances.
Whether his more intimate acquaintance with such mat-

ten; modified that feeling was another question ; but
since then he had been better able to judge of such mat-
ters by being brought more into contact with the machi-
nery. At the same time he felt no sound objection to his
laying aside his own private feelings and lending what
bumble assistance might be in his power to carry on this

just, necessary, and righteous war. (Cheers.) He fdt at
the time that it was a just, necessary, and righteous
war ; and if any doubt could have been entertained upon
the subject prior to the war, the circumstances of the
war must have dispelled them, and proved the jus-
tice of it. (Hear, hear.) When they came to look
upon that great fortress which they had at last taken,
what did they find ? They found there thousands upon
thousands of guns and other materials of war. These
could not have been heaped up there for the purpose of
defence, as no one would have thought of attacking the
place, except in sell-defence.. _Nothing but stern necessity
could have induced any one to attack it ; and, therefore,
did it not stand to reason that those materials of war
wereaccumulated at Sebastopol for the purpose of offence
—(bear)—for the purpose of threatening the liberty and
independence of the neighbouring States ? (Hear.) And
when they came to the Baltic, they found Russia with
another fortress on the borders of Sweden—a second
Sebastopol ' • and by means of these fortresses domina-
tion was to be secured both in the Black Sea. And what
position did Russia owupy even now I Cowed as she
herself was, she yet cowed Germany. Although the
whole of Europe might be said to be in favour of the
cause undertaken by the Western Powers, Germany was
cowed by Russia from assuming her proper position.
The necessity would have arisen at some time of an
exertion on the part of Europe to establish its indepen-
dence, unless she submitted to be entirely at the mercy
of the Russian bear, and there could be little doubt that
a favourable opportunity had been taken, when England
was in frank, firm, and cordial alliance with our noble
and gallant neighbour, France. (Cheers.) He hoped that
the war, as now proceeding, presented some features
which might well satisfy, in some degree at least, public
expectation ; and that they would feel it was nit their
duty, as soon as they bad achieved a great success, to
patch up a hasty peace. It was, he admitted, desirable
honourably to get rid of the war, but not until the cause
which led to it had been removed. It would be poor
economy of life and treasure if, as soon as they gained

an ad vantage, they made a peace, forgetful of the great

object of the war—the future peace and liberty of
Europe---(cheers)—and which alone justified them in un-
dertaking the war. The great topic of the day had un-
consciou,ly drawn him away from the business of the
meeting, avid he would now return front the sword to the
ploughshare. When the list of the prizes bad been read
he should be happy t hear any remarks from the judges
who had conferred a favour upon them by attending that
day. Ho belie.ed that they would be able to say that
an improvement had bee❑ going on, more or less, in all
directions. Associations of that kind were exceedingly
beneficial in exciting emulation one with another, and
proof of this they had in that di trlot. Meetings of that
description were also accompanied with a social benefit,
as men in various stations in life assembled together in
harmony, and, regarding each other as brethren, ex-
changed opinions upon matters of public or I )cal interest.
The English character was said to be rather stiff, and
they required occasionally to put their legs under the
same table, and circulate the generous bottle, of course
in moderation, in order to do away with tome of our
reserve. (A laugh.) The French told us that our dis-
tinguishing character was solidity. If they praised our
troops they said, "They behaved with their usual soli-
dity." (A laugh.) However, if it was not of so bril-
liant a nature as the qualities which characterised our
neighbours, solidity was a characteristic of no mean ad-
vantage tither in public or private life. The noble Earl
in conclusion proposed " Prosperity to the Sandon and
Marston Agricultural Society," and resumed his seat
amid loud cheers.

Several local and complimentary toasts followed in the
course of the evening.

CONTINENTAL TI3EATRICALS.

The Opera Comique is the only Paris theatre which
invited the public to any new piece last week ; but to
make up for this inactivity it has produced two novel-
ties, the first, a lively operetta, written by Rosier and
composed by Adam, is entitled Le Liousard de Derchini,
and the otly-r a little extravaganza on the loves of Den.
cation et Pyrrha (the title of the piece), founded on, or
taken from a burlesque sketch by Lesage, called Arle-
quin, Deucalion.
A modification has taken place in the staff of the
Theatre Italien, the commander-in-chief having re-
moved his principal aide-de-camp, M. Salvi, and re-
placed him by M. del Petal, a gentleman that has
served in Spain with favourable report, having been
director of a theatre in Madrid, and an esteemed writer
for the press in that city. The illness of Mdlle. V. Boe-
cabadati has delayed the production of La Sonnanibula,
announced on Thursday for her debut and that of
M. Mongild in the two leading parts. Mario is expected
early in the ensuing month, when Mdlle. de Roiisi will
make her first appearance in I Pnritani.

The rehearsal; .of the opera of M. Biletta, written by
M. St. Georges, are proceeding with activity at the
Acad4mie Imperiale. Mdlle. Moreau Sainti makes her
first appearance in the principal character.
Mdlle. Duprez is singing at present in Brussels with
much success, her principal characters being Catherine
in the Etoile du Nord, and Alice in Robert le Diable.
Mine. Ristori is still in the south of France. At Mar-
seilles a fierce literary war rages on the pre-eminence
of talent respectively claimed by the admirers of Mdlle.
Rachel and this lady, each for their favourite ; but,
from the extreme warmth of the controversy, no con-
clusion or argument on the subject seems possible. At
Toulouse they assign the palm of artistic talent to Mdlle.
Rachel—of genius to Mme. Ristori. Her success every•
where is very great.
No musical novelty is recorded from Milan, but a new
opera by Maestro Rossi, La Sirena, was shortly to be
given at the Cannobiaus, of which great things were ex-
pected.

_
_ M. Ronconi, long the favourite baritone in Paris and
Lthoenadtorens,
inislatatl present singing in Cadiz. His perform-
ance.ansv ing‘rßeaigt oletto" and in " Il Barbiere" is spoken of
iterms of the highest commendation. A young prima
donna, Mlle. Spezia, is also favourably mentioned.
Verdi'sd "Traviata" is going the round of all the
e .
yA,taArldle essvaetriydwriahe(rpeieitdsmsounecoe:swihsedreeseitriv,b,eads
last produced. the opera was received with extraoriinary
e:ltilhou.sGlacs)rinsoivean for an Italian audience. The artistes,
2rietathins.rolla
joofutrhneaselsianrdeisgeoritnnid MM. Liverani, are made the subjects
parts
:at
I:tilt'
,eshEeiwbs orekeprolee;r,oafi,
wtloilneefdlarbavi'syeia,,iostb: encomiums of which the Italian
—as commenced at Treviso with
olloni, a composer of whom
mine° ofß the Alps. The principal
Aarbieri-Nini, the baritone
spoken of as an excellent
tfae:
Ourit . ope'ra.
Corsi, and a new tenor, M. gresti. The execution and
aPPlau led Al Agresti is
the music were both highly
singer, and his voice is de-
at Trieste,
sswcr;Etendrensaassnoiaf, i:tiousnr
just
asatundndoleiwixnttpehinclet. r, of
Great
flex i b i
ii
ty,
andv. M. Negrini
Ated
comedies.
adtoicwo,oandderrlaastiEerncaonmipaanndy
is irla..
at the Teatro Grande. Mole. Cattinarie
trans.Farielosclariadintrno
lations from the French, and some of Goldoin''asymg
A Mme. Paoli is mentioned as the star of the Ction/
Mille. Albertini and MM. Baucarde, Cruve.liPe;nd
Riwz, are engaged for the carnival at the Communal() at
Bologea,