The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

THERMOMETER.

This day at Two o'clock

Barometer-30.03.
Wind—E, ; moderate, and cloudy.

at • 41
it it) Stint

LONDON, TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 1864.

M. THIERS has spoken out like a man. The his-
torian—the most elcquent and admirable of the
historians of the BONAPARTES—is no mere pane-
gyrist. He can extol a great man or a great
action when occasion offers with a fervour of eulo-
gium amounting to enthusiasm ; but even in his
impassioned tributes to the great NAPOLEON, M.
THIERs did not forget his own liberal convictions.
Still less now, when instead of holding the pen
of the biographer he stands in his place as a
popular representative, is M. THIERS led away by
the glamour of a great name and a great position.
He spoke yesterday in the Corps Legislatif on the
debate on the Address like a worthy Tribune of
the People. In a tone of respectful but earnest
remonstrance he urged that the time had come for
the enjoyment of a fuller degree of constitutional
liberty in France. More especially he insisted
upon the necessity of restoring liberty to the na-
tional representation, and, above all, he demanded
the renewal of ministerial responsibility—that
mainstay of constitutional rights, without which,
indeed, free parliamentary action is impossible. M.
THIERs maintained--iand, in so doing, he was
only expressing OAR feelings long entertained
by all who admire ,or appreciate the wisdom and
discretion so freq uently evinced by NAPOLEON
lll—that the 7S3IPEROR might himself be_
come the initiatra of freedom. If he have the

courage, the wilm courage, to venture upon such a
course, he will by that unprecedented coup de main
fortify his own position and increase his own popu-
larity, to the delight of his friends and the confu-
sion of his foes. In such a case he may say, as the
great NAPOLEON said of his memorable code, "I will
go down to posterity with the Constitution in my
trend." The modern ULYSSES, in his sagacity,
endeavoured to defend Paris by a cordon of fortifi.
cations. When the moment of danger came the
inutility of these precautions became glaringly
apparent. With a truer wisdom NAPOLEON may
fortify his throne, not by distinguishing it with
the evanescent splendours of external magnificence,
hit by adding depth and breadth to its foundations.
Sprung from the People, owing all to the People,
as both the First and Third NAPOLEON have ever
been wise enough proudly to acknowledge, the
BONAPARTES ought 50 to act that the
popular element should not and would not be
uncongenial to the Imperial Constitution. In

the old fable, ANT.EIIS, while fighting
for his life, acquired new strength and vigour every

time ho touched his mother-earth. In his own
vicissitudes NAPOLEON 111. has experienced a
similar result. At each successive appeal to the
people he found his power augmented and his
strength of position increased. So now would he
find it, if he took the bold resolve, not of appealing to
the people, but of recognising the rights of that
people who have been so ready to recognise him.

If he would frankly, loyally, of his own free will,
without coercion or constraint, give a wider basis to
the popular representation, and a freer utterance
to the Parliamentary debates, he would acquire a
far greater accession of power and of world-wide
applause than attended upon him on his return from
the victorious fields of Magenta and Solferino.

The Volunteers are now an established institu-
tion, and recognised by all, and warmly welcomed
whenever mention is made of them in a public
assembly or at a social meeting. This is as it
should be; but still it is of paramount importance
that due attention should be paid to the require-
ments of the force, so that efficiency should be
kept up. This cannot be done without strenuous
exertion and constant watchfulness. On these
grounds, then, it is most gratifying to note the
brilliant gathering that took place on Saturday
evening at Westminster Hall. Rank, fashion, and
beauty united to grace the assemblage, and add
honour to the occasion. The distribution of prizes
in a public form is always a desirable thing—it
stimulates the exertions and gives a fitting crown
to past toils. In all countries and in all ages such
awards of merit, and trophies of renown, have
exercised a peculiar spell and exerted an irresistible
fascination. The poet has immortalised the de-
lights of such honours, and celebrated the attrac-
tions of public recognition of gallant exploits and
glorious services in these well known lines :

The festal blazes, the triumphal show,
The ravished standard, and the captive foe,
The senate's thanks, the gazette's pompous tale,
With force resistless o'er the brave prevail—
For such the rapid Greeks o'er Asia whirled,
For such the steady Romans shook the world.
Earl GROSVENOR has distinguished himself at aii

times for the zeal and energy with which he has
conducted the affairs of his corps, and it must be
especially gratifying to him to exhibit the profi
ciency of those under his command, while the suc-
cessful candidates cannot but rejoice at the happy
issue of their arduous toils, and the honour paid
to them by the presence of a distinguished circle
to witness their receipt of prizes at the
hands of Lady CONSTANCE GROSVENOR.
The prizes were of great value, and the donors of
them are most deserving of the recognition made
by Earl GROSVENOit in his brief but appropriate
address, for the sums thus expended are not use-
lessly lavished, but are invested in a good cause, and

tend to elevate the standard of efficiency to whilla
all more or less aspire, and to gain which end no
efforts should he spared. His lordship's speech was
not a mere complimentary form of address, bat it
was an expositio❑ of the state of the regiment. The
number of marks has increased, and satisfactory
proof is given as to the improvement in the shoot-
ing. Among others who gained honourable men-
tion the 13th Company of the QUEEN'S Westmin-
sters were most conspicuous, they having, to use
the words of their commander, " work and held ten
times against all corners the Inland Revenue Chal-
lenge Cup of the Civil Service Rifle Volunteers."
It is important that these achievements should be
cited, as they afford landmarks of progress, and en-
courage the doubting, confirm the wavering, and
present a wholesome reproof to the careless or over-
sufficient. After Earl GROSVENOR had concluded

his very telling speech, and Lady CONSTANCE had
distributed the prizes, Colonel M‘3,lunDo came for-
ward and delivered a most instructive and interest-
ing address. His remarks were most appropriate,
and effectively set forth the nature of Volunteer
service generally, and the advantages that might
thereby be gained to the community. He said
very truly that it was idle to expect a Volunteer
force to compete in excellence with regular troops
in enduring the hardships of a campaign. There is

no cause to be diblieartened at this announcement,
because it was not for c trnpaign work that
Volunteers were designed, and they have
other, and equally important and nonourable
duties to perform. Colonel M‘Mußpo spoke with
the authority of his position as Inspector-General
of 'Volunteers, when he declared it as his opinioii
that the " efficiency of the rifle volunteer force has
in fact vastly increased." This is cheering intelli-
gence, and it is to be trusted that it will have its
due effect in affording that agreeable stimulus
which is necessary for the successful termination of
all results, and which all volunteer efforts pre-
eminently demand. The communication that in-
creased strictness was now the rule with all the
officers in command of corps, also testified most sa-
tisfactorily as to the present working and future
prospects of the Volunteer establishment. If, un-
happily, the blast of war should sound in our ear,
and call forth the shns of England to do their duty
in the eventful struggle, there is no cause to dread
that this generation will be unmindful of prat times
of enterprise, and prove unworthy of the sires before
them. It is now some years since, in the midst of
discouragement, this enterprise was begun, and
more peaceful times have seen it securely fixed and
highly honoured as a national institution, And
honour is due to those who originated the scheme
of the Volunteers, and just praise should be awarded
to all whose efforts have enabled it to attain its
present degree of brilliant success, May the earnest
efforts of the members of the forces, and the stead-
fast support of the nation, be never found wanting
to carry it on to a triumphant goal, and render it a
rook of defence to the country in the hoar of peril,
and an unfailing shield of defence against all
enemies, near or far; and if war should intervene to
dispel the smiles of peace—when our armaments
are preparing and our fleets weigh anchor—
" A virtuous populace may rise the while,
And stand a wall of fire around their much loved isle!"

The correspondence respecting the European-
Chinese Navy has just been published, and will be
read with some interest and curiosity. Whatever
may be the result of the affair there will be few Eng-
lishmen who will not acknowledge that Captain
OSBORIC acted with commendable spirit and reso-
lution in refusing to undertake the command of the
force on the terms proposed by the Chinese, and in
refraining from surrendering possession of the ves-
sels until he had consulted the English Ambassador
as to the propriety of doing so. According to the
information contained in this correspondence,
Prince KIING, the Regent, on the 24th October,
1862, addressed a letter of instructions to Mr, LAY,
the Inspector-General on this subject, in which the
Prince states that the acting Inspector had assured
him that in order to render the Imperial navy
efficient" it was necesssary that foreign vessels and
foreign guns should be procured." After giving
further directions and investing Mr. LAY with the
sole responsibility of the disbursement of the funds
appointed for the purpose—the Regent remarks
that China being in urgent need of the vessels and
guns, which should both be of first-rate quality,
therefore no time should be lost in completing
them to Shanghai. Upon these ships proceeding