The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-10 00:00:00

Last evening the House of Commons was called
upon to fulfil a graceful yet melaecholy act of
public duty. The claims of a statesman end diplo-
matist of no common order were laid before them
by the Prime Minister; and in recognition of the
many and varied services which Lord ELGIN has
rendered to his country, they were called upon to
give a loyal and hearty assent to the Royal Mes-
sage, recommending that 4 pension of £l,OOO a-year
should be bestowed upon his widow. A further
token of the high estimatio❑ in which the late
lamented nobleman was held in our Eastern pos-
sessions was given in the unanimous resolve of the
Indian Council to settle an equal amount upon that
lady from the revenues of India. The claim of Lord
ELGIN to grateful remembrance by all Anglo.ln-
diens is not only based upon his wise and temperate
judgment during the few months which be
was permitted to direct the public affairs of that
dependency, but upon the promptness, the judg-
ment with which he hastened to render assistance
at Calcutta in the terrible year 1857, It will be
remembered that Lord ELGIN was on his route to
China, in charge of a high diplomatic mission,
with every prospect of achieviug honourable dis.
Unction by carrying it to a successful issue, He
was accompanied by troops, and therefore, on hearing
of the outbreak in India, he at once returned to
Calcutta sacrificing all personal considerations in
his desire to lend Lord CANNING the benefit of his
aid and the State the service of his troops. It was
one of those occasions which test the character of a
Statesman, since it required prompt and cool judg-
ment, great decision of purpose, and rapid action.
It was assuming a responsibility from which men of
feebler mind would have shrunk, and it was break.
ing through those fetters of routine which so often
hamper the actions of really able men. The value
of the assistance which he thus gave to the Indian
Government in the hour of peril and distress is
readily aclenowledged by its members when the
danger has passed away, and their authority re-
established. As Sir C. WooD observed—" Lord
ELGIN rendered distinguished services to India at
the time of her greatest need, and had thereby
established an undeniable claim to the resources at
the disposal of the Council." Bat it is not i❑ India
alone, although that country is now so closely asso-
ciated with his name, that Englishmen hate to bear
witness to Lord ELGIN'S services. The outline of
his career was briefly but graphically sketched by
Lord PALAIERSTON, who remarked that—" It has
seldom fallen to the lot of any public man to per-
form services more varied with regard to the scene
of their action, more important with regard to their
results, or attended with greater personal exertion
and exposure than were performed by the late Lord
ELGIN." The noble Premier might have added,
that it has fallen to the lot of few men to be so sig-
nally and so consistently successful. Like the hero of
old, whose magic touch turned everything to the
most precious of metals, Lord ELGIN converted the

drawing on towards its conclusion, with not only
nothing done, but nothing even explained. It is a

capital contrivance this systemlof procrastinations,
A capital contrivauce—for retaining office ! But—

for governing a great country ? Better than any
attempt to answer that very natural inquiry--
better, far better for Ministers still to cry Vice la
Bagatelle !

Mr• LAWSON is, doubtless, animated by very
good intentions, and is impressed with:the necessity
of doing something to aid the cause he has at heart,
and promote the order and sobriety of the people,
but' at the same time it must be borne in mind that
there is such a thing as doing too much for the
furtherance of a desirable end. There is no greater
mistake than to interfere to a great extent with the
privileges, and encroach on the liberties, of the sub-
ject. Such a course of prom.ediog awakes suspicion,
engenders ill-feeling, and creates a general state of
dissatisfaction, which is highly prejudicial. The
proposal made by Mr. LAWSON could never come
into effect, but at the same time it was well to pro•
test against the notion of its introduction. There
is no saying to what extreme lengths men will not
go in pursuit of their hobbies, and to what extra-
vagant plans they may not devote their time and
thoughts. The idea of any petty tyranny or local
arbitration would naturally incense the community,
and in the end provoke the increase of the evils
sought to be remedied. We cannot make people
all that they should be, and, bon gre mai gre,
contrive that they shall conform strictly to our
tenets and follow the bent of our inclination, no
matter how contrary its direction points from the
aim of their own desires. Mr. LAWSON'S remedy
against drunkenness is to empower the ratepayers
of a parish to assume the authority to put down
publichouses eventually, by refusing to grant or
reuew licenses for their continuance. This is really
a very extraordinary suggestion, and it seems, at
first sight, hardly credible that a man at all ac
quainted with the world could propose each a mea•

sure. It is impossible to draw a line that can ensure
the prohibition of malpractices, while human
nature retains its leading features, if an evil is put
out of the way, men will go forth in search of wrong
deal too
in some other fashion. Besides, it is going a great
harm far to say that the publichouse does so much
i and when the hon. member, in the support
of his argument,
declared that eminent judges had
given it as their opinion that " the large majority
of crimes originated at the publiehouse, and that if
there were no drink there would be no criminals to
try," he may be quoting what is said in extreme
cases. There are always
oome members of a com-
munity who are prone to evil, and who persist in
wrong-doing.
Such people will not be restrained
arbitraryake them regulations, and the
simple and forcibleenactmentendeavour of
to
m
harm-
less citizens. The publichouse is an effect, not a
cause. It is natural that the inhabitants of Et particu.
lar district should occasionally meet and talk over
the events of the day and the chief objects of inte-

most unpromising and even hopeless of causes iato

a success. He was one of the rare exceptions who
can boast of having made no failure, of having to
record no catastrophe, during a most eventful career.
His happy combination of cool and clear judgment,
with prompt and vigorous action, was doubtless the
principal cause of this unvaried success; but it
needed the union of many gifts and qualities to
enable him to accomplish the objects of his diplo,
matic missions to such people as the inhabitants of
China and Japan. His first official position was as
Governor of Jamaica, which post he held for four
years, and in that comparatively brief period he had
given so forcible an impression of his capacity by
'Las adm'nistration of affairs in that island that he
was transferred to a more important office—the
Governor-Generalship of Canada. His labours
during the eight years in Which he remained there
produced most satisfactory results, and for the first
time his diplomatic abilities came into play, since,
by his mission to Washington, he concluded the
treaty of reciprocity between the Government of the
United States and the British North American
. _

rest that concern their immediate locality. If they
did xot assemble at ore place, they would at an.

other, and therefore, unless Mr. LAWSON can pro.

hibit the sale of liquors altogether, he will not have

obtained his objcet or be nearer his end. Some

very seusib!e speeches were made on this subject

Captain JER cis stated that he had spent fire months

in the Maine liquor•law Sate of America, and had

" been witness to the total absurdity of such a sys-
tem,'' The fact was, that the law was evaded in

Maine, and pessons contrived to get the forbidden
articles by stealth and take them in secret. such

a mode of proceeding would not suit the straight-
forwardness of Englishmen, but neither would
the restrictive nature of the propozal put
forward in Mr. LAWSON'S bill. elptain
jERTIs very properly denounced it as
"contrary to the whole of our constitutional
system, and one which would not work to any
advantage in practice.' The gallant member gave
a ludicrous account of the straits to which they
,r,Tere reduced in /iaine. 'he pictu e of a guest ,

colonies. In 1857, es we have said, Lvrd ELGIN
Was selected As AllabdBo4dOr to China, on office of

Secondly, they have had all along, and 1 being shut up in a cupboard to regale hima
still have apparently quite as strongly, in I self on the sly with prohibited luxuries, is not
aid of them no less, the seeming apathy or be- I exactly attractive to the tastes and habits of the
wildeement or however else it may be the most ac- 1 inhabitants of this country. All laws that tend to
curately expressed of their palitical Opponents ! Of promote the growth of deceit and foster the devices
that expanded and strengthened Opposition, loyally and contrivances of cunning ere very much to be
and constitutionally called, whether it happens to reprehended. This plan is open also to the objec-
be strong or weak, formidable or insignificant, her tion of giving rise to jealous feelings between
MAJESTY'S Opposition. Powerful by reason of the classes, which of all others is an e 4 to be dreaded.
immense personal popularity of the Prime minister, The poor man shut out from his miniature world
powerful by the mere prestige of comprising among will naturally compare his isolated state with that
its members statesmen of such European reputations of the wealthier classes who were free to partake
and of such unquestionably large capacity, as Earl of everything that fancy might suggest, or money
RUSSELL and Mr- GLADSTONE—powerful by reason could procure. The real and right thing to trust
of the very hesitation and apparent bewilderment to for the formation of temperance and the decrease
of their otherwise intrinsically formidable of excess, is the improvement of the great body of
antagonists, the serried ranks of an Opposition the peeple. This can only be done by time and
lee-ger in numbers, and more vigourous in organizes patience, and no vehement changes and violent
tion than any Opposition that has for years con- measures will ever accomplish the much desired
I
fronted the holders of office in the British House end. Captain JERVIS said that " drunkenness was
of Commons—the Cabinet has contrived, during the dying out of the country not owing to penal enact-
last five years, with delightful ease, to hold its own ment, but owing to the spread of education, the
against all corners 1 The Prime Minister laughing labours of the clergy and ministers of all denomi-
off all serious opposition with a good-humoured nations, and the example of the other classes,"
carelessness sufficient in its way, one might have Mr. ROEBUCK denounced the bill in his forcible
thought, to have maddened the more hot-blooded of style. He said he had never seen a more mischievous
the Conservatives confronting him, to what Mr. measure introduced in the whole course of his
HENLEY would have called "an ugly rush" from the experience in Parliament. The hon. and learned
left-hand side to the right 'hand side of the Speaker. gentleman carried out his remarks in his usual
Such was not to be, however. Even with Lard facetious manner, and put a case to Mr. LAWSON
ROBERT CECIL, there, often speaking daggers, for his consideration. If the ratepayers of West-
and Mr. C. BENTINCK looking there minster decided to put an end to all places where
occasionally, from the Opposition Benches, intoxicating liquors were sold, he asked if that
prohibition would extend to the refreshment-room
Ministers have, during five do-nothing years,
Mr. . M
beau fated to dawdle on in office with an air, of the House of Commons BRIGHT was also
for the most part, positively of undisguised indif- strongly against the proposal. He said that
sobriety was greatly increased of late years, and
ference. Lord PALMERSTON has had only to crack
the middle classes were now very different to what
his amiable:little jokes ad libitum. Earl RUSSELL has
had only to go on writing despatches ad nauseam. they were some time past. The hon. member very
Mr. GLADSTONE has had only, now and then, upon truly remarked that the permanent remedy against
any seeming emergency, as, for example, but the other excess was the improvement and instruction of the
day in that matter relating to the franchise, to argue, people, and " this, it was evident, must in any case
with his splendid gifts of rhetoric, ad captandum. be their sheet-anchor." This is, indeed, the only
Mr. LAYARD has had only to snarl away tiny tendency reliable means of attaining the desired end, and it
w
to over-inquisitiveness, putting awkward queries would be well if the es thasiasts and Utopians of
aside haughtily ad referendum. And the five years the present day would have more patience and
of no reform at home, and of ultimate meddling and exercise more hope. Mr. BRIGHT explained the
muddling abroad, have been eked out admirably well, very great confusion which would be occasioned
Talk of the Pear being ripe for the Conservatives ! by the introduction of this bill—how it would
affect the trade and interfere with the property of
It seems to hove turned sleepy ! Talk of its being
simply ripe ! It threatens to be rotten I Delay upon the country in a now and mischievous manner. The
delay is all that Ministers need trouble themselves immense majority which decided the fate of the
about. Their one successful system is that of a per- measure is an unmistakeable proof of the feeling
pet ual put off. Wait and you will see. Don't ask with which it was regarded; and it is to be trusted
premature questions. Negotiations have commenced. that this signal failure will be a warning to others
A Conference is about to assemble. The Conference who entertain such extreme views and move the
has assembled—is sitting. Several of the pleni- adoption of each one-sided measures. Without the
potentiaries have written home for further in- maintenance of discipline and order, the public
erections. Arrangements are on foot with a view Peace could not be preserved, but at the same time
to a pacific settlement. First of all, there is no it would never do for us to tolerate in the smallest
armistice, but there is a hope of one. Then that degree any infringement of those rights or inter-
long-delayed hope is at last realised. There is an ferecce with that liberty which have made this
country so justly celebrated throughout the world.
armistice for a month. The month is just draw.
lug to a close, and at the last gasp of Arbitrary regulations and tyrannous devices are
it, there is a supplementary armistice arranged for quite out of date at present, and it is quite as idle
to attempt to put them into practice as it would be
another opportune fortnight. And so—by a suc-
cession of wonderfully clever', but painfully trans- to endeavour to promote the observance of early
parent:shifts or dodges, the evil day of open discus- hours by the revival of the curfew bell.
sion is the House of Commons is put off, week
by week, month by month, until the session is