The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 12, 1864.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Temes.—Rather less than once in five years the
British Government has to go through the process
of appointing a King. Of course, it has occasionally
to assist at tile selection of a Monarch who may or
may cot be the founder of a line as long as Hugh
Capet's or an empire as wide as that of Augustus.
It has also to fill a great number of small governor-
ships, for which there are generally plenty of ap-
plicants. But there remains two dignities, one
kingly, the other imperial, yet subordinate. The
difficulty in their case is not to select, but even to
dud a candidate. It is true there are men of rank
and wealth,and a certain degree of ability who will
go anywhere and take any i ffice that promises dis-
' tinction and power, and that may afford them the
opportunity of attaining by one great effort a posi-
tion beyond the reach of their character or their
lives. No doubt there sere others who would have
liked to find themselves Governor-General of India,
but Sir John Lawrence happened to be the only
man practically on the list. His work is one of itne
perial dimensions. The kingly state we coupled
with it is the Viceroyalty of Ireland. The holder
of that office has to perform the part of a king in a
city which communicates with the Home office by
11 hours' posts and instantaneous telegraphs. Yet
for the time he has to be every inch a king, and so
much is this insisted on that an inch or two more
or less really enters into the selection. Ho must
, make regal appearances, and be the chief character
in pageants at royalty. He must give banquets to
guests of whom he knows nothing, and for whom
it is difficult, under the circumstances, to get up a
real and intelligent interest, He must preside at
openings and lay foundation stones; he must in-
vest with the lustre of royalty exhibitions and
bazaars; he must exercise a discriminating patron-
age in fat pigs and articles in bog oak ' • he must
wear as many coats, distribute among his friends as
many poplin dresses, take as many pills, and sacri-
fice as many teeth as the State tailor, the State
draper, the State physician, the State dentist may
consider their due. He must exhibit himself to ad-
miring strangers in the Viceregal pew, surrounded
by carved cherubim and gentlemen in gorgeous
uniform. He must make an occasional progress for
the purpose of seeing with his own eyes what he
finds it was wholly unnecessary to see, and what
everybody tells him he knows less for the seeing and
had better have taken upon their description. After
a time he is glad to resign the cares of State, and
nobody asks him to stay. " Welcome the coming,
speed the parting guest," is the rale of the country.
If he has spent all his allowance, and no more, he
is fortunate; for he might certainly have done
worse, not only there, but anywhere else. But
thenceforth he forgets Ireland, and Ireland him.
The dynasty of the Viceroys is as a roll of the
Pharaohs. They who knew the Peerage by heart
know also the succ- ssive occupants of the Lodge in
Pticcaix Park. But even in Ireland, it you asked
either the people who went in procession in O'Con-
nell's honour the other day, or the savages who
burnt his effigy at Belfast, the names of the Vice
roys be had denounced and abused, not one in a
thousand would be able to reply. No wonder that
the office is more and more difficult to fill. If the
inevitable progress of change now and then upsets
a real throne, how much more its semblance! It is
not only the office and all its circumstances, but the
men who should fill it, and the age too, that are
changing. The taste of the day rejects idle dis-
tinctions, and pomps that are only vanities. Lord
Carlisle has been long enough at Dublin Castle. He
is in bad health, and considers himself entitled to
resign. Who can be got to take his place ? The
Duke of Devonshire and Lord Lansdowne have
been mentioned, but they ate ooth occupied with
real kingdoms far more important and responsible
in the management of their own estates. Real work,
too, requires the relief of real comfort and rest; and
these are not to be found in a daily course of vice-
royalty. Lord Beesboroug,h is said to be disin-
clined, and that most perfect of all the great
officers of State, Lord St. Germans, has been once
more thought of. Wnat is to be done when nobody
will take the place if he has anything better to do,
and is quite free to choose ? Happily, there is now
and then a good man not placed so entirely to
his liking as to shirk an untried burden. Lord
Wodehouse is an Under-Secretary, and has been
one far too long. He has been Minister in Russia,
and his mission to Denmark, if it was not work, was
not play. From a task that "no fellow" could do
to one that any fellow can, if he has common sense
and good manners, may seem a great change; but
from things impossible to be done, and things im-
possible not to be done, there is no such great in-
terval. Both are mere spectacles. The merit in
both cases consists in the tone and gesture, the so.
lemnity of the phrase, and the gravity of the de-
meanour ; not in the result, which in both cases is
impalpable. But when the mimic throne is difficult
to fill, or rather, when the right people will not fill
it, and when the real work of the Irish-office is all
done by the ()Niet' Secretary, sensible men ask more
end more, " Why keep up the show ?" The Scotch,
whose country and capital are practically quite as
distant, have never asked for a Viceroy, and do not
find their interests suffering from the want of one,
Tne Irish, it is true, want a certain amount of
pageantry, but when we begin to ask what the em.
pire gets in exchange for an institution not only
rather expensive, but quite out of character with
the rest of our customs, we must conclude it to be a
bad bargain. The Irish population do not stick to
Ireland the more for it. Tne Irish factions don't
make up their quarrels the more for it. They don't
worship demagogues, or burn them the less for it.
The Irish members don't support the present Go-
vernment or any other the better for it ; they don't
keep their promises the better for it. The Irish pro-
prietors do not and cannot live in Ireland the more
fir it. Indeed,ir, is impossible tonameany substantial
return for a pageantry which has neither reason nor
looks in its favour. It is not only a sham, but to some
extent an imposition. A presentation at Dublin Castle
is not a presentation at St. Jittnes's, and whatever
is done on the Irish stage begins and ends there.
If men of great wealth and consideration in this
country could be induced to reside a few years at
Dublin, and give Ireland the benefit of their money,
their interest, and whatever goes cei h a high per-
sonal position, that woull be so far a benefit to the
island. But there is a growing difficulty in finding
the men, and Ireland has to thank herself for a large
share in the difficulty. She does nothing to justify
the wisdom of the institution, and a good deal to
make it ridiculous. Tne Irish are poor, not very
helpful, and mucii divided in their religious allegie
ence, a circumstance that unfortunately weakens
also the civil tie. Tney want somebody to do them
good, They must have au idol, but it must be one
that hears their prayers, however unreasonable, or
may be imagined to do so. Ile Viceregal fettsh,
much as we may respect it in this country, is a very
dumb idol there, paint it, and gild it, and feed it,
and clothe it as we may. So the natives do not
really respect it. So is it worth keeping up ? and
if it be, for whose sake is it kept up ? A few
Dublin tradesmen may answer as they please; but
we doubt if they will get one Irishman in twenty
to join them.
HERALD.—It. is not on account of their intrinsic
importance that the affairs of small duchies, situated
in the north of Europe, have fur a long period at •
tracted public attention. Deplorable as is the policy
of despoiling Denmark, we might, after having
witnessed previously so many iestances in which
the might of the strong has overpowered the right
of the weak, have been disposed to drop the subject
for ever, were no fresh complications likely to arise
from an accession of territory to a powerful military
state. What has happened, we know, might have
been prevented by a prompter and more generous
interchange of sentiment amongst the neutral
Powers; by ct display of greater firmness, accom-
panied by an absence of braggadocio, upon the
part of our Foreign Micistez ; by a less obvious
manifestation of pique and of contempt for the
English Government upon the side of France; by
an adoption of wiser diplomatic language towards
Russia, by both the Western monarchies, and by
a nobler chivalry upon the part of the Swedish
Cabinet. What is to come may be less at the
disposal of these countries. The interest bound
up in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein,
which have hitherto monopolised our notice, may
for awhile be dormant ; Lauenburg is likely to
arrest the immediate consideration of Europe. Not
that the cause of the provinces which formed the
original pretext for war is now played out, but that
it will probably receive some temporary adjustment
which for a time may stop the mouth of hostile
c-iticism. A Duke of Augustenburg or even of
Oldenburg., may goe era the duchies of Schleswig
and Holstein, as the virtual satrap of Prussia,
without provoking the open animosity of the minor
states which profess to listen to the authority of
that mesterious body the Germanic Confederation.
If any German Power has anything in reality to lose
by the setting-up of a new ducal house in strict
vassalage to Prussia, it is Austria. Looking at the
matter dispassionately, it would be almost better
for Austria that her rival should et once annex the
duchies boldly to her growing empire, rather than
rule them by means of a substitute. As the Court
of Vienna now stands, it might reasonably demand
SOMO compensation, should Prussia act tie in the way •
supposed; but if the latter Power bo content to
bide her time Austria will behold the substance
though nut the shadow, grasped by the Cabinet of
Berlin, and will be all the poorer, from a claim to
compensation being got rid of by a dexterous delay, ;
Se much has the Austrian Empire gained by the
transfer of these duchies from Denmark to the army
of Prussia; for this in point of fact will be their
ruling body for several years. Prussia, en the other
hand, is influenced by motives of a different cha-
racter. She has already aroused the watchful

jealousy of some of the minor German Pro ce a by
her arbitrary and self-relying course of action, • For
the moment she may not venture to proceed tut ther.
Provided that she can establish her depot;upon
the throne of Schleswig- Holstein ; that tibia can
obtain the real, ahough not the nominal posse
6'
mien of Kiel as a port, and other strong Places
as fortresses; that she can by a show of moderation
that
procure the retirement of the Federal troops ;
she can avert any intimate connection in process
of formation between the Court of Paris and the
malcontents of Germany, she will gain a substan-
tial victory. The ease of Lauenburg is widely dife
ferent from that of the other duchies. 'Dent little
territory may be appropriated by Prussia without
exciting a similar outcry. There would in such a 1
appropriation be involved no violation of the princl
pies of Legieimacy me.intained by the 1;4101°
bo?y
f German Sovereigns and by Russia; nag
went of the rights claimed by the Royal line of
Augustenburg or Glucksbnrg, and their ri vats'
;he
ducal house of Holstein-Got Corp. Lauenb urg
0, tree
before this been made a subject of barter.
governed by its own dukes, incorporate d
Hanover in 1689, it was detached from that ILug`
dow in 1815, in exchange for a portion of 1'1(.1131e:I
infring c
rania. To take to herself this little duchy lc 09
be consistent with the general policy' of Pe 'Joie'
without provoking the interposition of dark
ace
enemies. German Legitimists could not say rutle
upon the subject ; probably the Confede ration
would murmur, but one of their members, Ha clover/
having previously let Lauenburg go to Dom meta,;with the assent of the rest of Europe, -""u'' eeeWed
'd
should think, confine their dislike of the pre
ink to simple words. Still it was not for not hiPg9
we may be sure, that the cession of the duohigui
was
made to Austria and Prussia—that they
placed at the disposal of the great German PoW,ers,
and not of the Confederation. NVhether A.ustria
will assent to a Prussian appropriation of iift resat
burg we cannot say, but our hopes can hardly e qua.
oar apprehensions. A contemporary, the 3fo ego
Post, has done his duty in pointing out to his o'ec;
trymen what the effect of this acqiiisition WTI A ;
itself A
upon the rest of Germany. The luchy
title
country of lakes and plains, and n: aurally so fe
that it has yielded to the Sovereigns of Deuritaa
revenue beyond what might be e =petted frobits nt 1.
size. Although it contains only WOO inhaote
its geographical position would ren 'der it an iroPerits;
ant addition to the power of PrussK a. It would ";
as a wedge in the midst of the two Mecklenburf:
by
Hanover, Hemburgh. Lubeck, wild Hoistein,
which it is bounded. From this little prof
Prussia could pursue her favourite p °hey of Weir;
ference with the minor States of Get many, b
could
an eye to their subsequent absoeP tio n~she the
intimidate the free citizens of Hembeirgh, ot
same time that she exercised a p
their
out to Hanoverians the spectacle of part of ef
old country, similarly to Silesia and a moiety
of ut)
Saxony, having become an integral portion
Prussian dominions. We arc far from deeming
multiplication of German principalities essential
the pe ce of Europe, or compatible With the mtces.
tenance of good police in Germany itself.
few years ago, a poacher, we are aware, could corn
wit tie depredations wita impunity upon the cos
bur g;
fines of Mecklenburg-Scnweri,e, heckler
Strelitz, and Prussia, as when chased by the Puli c.O
of oco he could take refuge in eit.lavr of other t‘'iy,
States. We are not advocates for these P
sanctuaries, these constant provoca t ives to doruegld
warfare and foreign ambition. But though we Bold
this opinion, we cannot overlook th% fact that
t pt
is upon the part of Prussia a perpetual Wevsellie 0.
against the independence of other Cermen -tat
e h
, it, herg
We are the more concerned that Au stria, thOr,
the short-sightedness of her statesmet fer'e—t aid
legitimate position in the empire. B t veithoud by
from Vienna the Confederation will do uoge: will
extending execution to Lanenburg. zueby from
rince,:c
simply bring their follower to the Where-
which they could wish to exclude him; 1°
vll3g
`, • ber
ever a German Federal army can be fo uric'
the Prussian eagle will shortly aftereratda
his flight. t

COUNTRY MARKETS.

-

MANCHESTER—TaussDAY. fair
A moderate attendance at our market to-day',B7l d a
business passing in wheat, which must be quoted at
u thif:
full currency of this day se'nnight. Flour was not tui
In aed
inquired for, but unaltered in value. Oats and a
were steady, at late rates. Beans were fian, whilst Indian
corn was fully 6d per qr dearer.

BURTON- ON- Tit
A fair show of wheat at oul
fully late rates.
Old white wheat..42s to 46s
New do. ..45s to 51s
Malting barley....32s to 353
Grinding d0.....27s to 30s

ENT—TH‘LTItSDAT.
r market, and we quote aboat

Old red wheat, ,376 to 4ed
New do. ..40s to 45§
Oats .21s to 2.9
13eans 348 to 44

BIRMINGTIAM—THuaspar.

There was a very short supply of English w heat at war
ket to-day, and last week's prices declined 6d to is per flro
with a limited trade. In foreign also a reduction took place*
Barley firm. Oats an upward tendency. B ,ans is 1:;',?;
—English wheat was sold at 94s to 50a for white, and
to 46s per 36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 3°,6„
Spa
388 per qr.; grinding, 25s to 28s Oats, old, 24s to ar
per 30 stone ; Irish, 20s to 245. Beans, 42s to 44a per
Peas, 37s to 40s per 36 stone.

111 °NM° UT H—T UESDAY.
The local markets have been fairly attended by bat
buyers and sellers during the last .sia or seven &Ph
business has been done at about farmer rates. Vie 4.
rage quotations are as follows 3s 4d to 961
:
‘‘ neat, white 5s 3d to 5s lid Barley ......
Ditto red..... Os Od to Os Od 1 Oats ..... 2s 3d to 2s
I

EDINBURGH GRAIN—W EDNESDAY•
`cheat,
whichweek's sold slowly at 6d to Is decline on last Prw
Wheat on the top Is (id down
Barley on the top .38 Od uo ae.vvezrZee 1:18s °3"I down.
Oats on the top 2s 6d up ' . 'average Os id 111)*
Beans on the top Os Cd down ..
**aver ag° 16 ld
up.
Average Prices. 215 43
Wheat
Total Supply Barley 3OB 3d 1 8ean5..........
924 qrs
upipdlyl 0anadt5a1..e.5.......... 42s id
Wheat ... 1565 . Sold
8ar1ey....... 15. qrs ....... sld 123 gra
. 2 qrs ........ ° ~
d ‘6O 'ill
Oats
.......
Beans 4B qrs .....
White,
Town• made flour sells as follows.. '—
superfine. 36s ; superfine, 34s ; fine, .325. 3Ss; extra

G L ASG 0 W—WEDNEsDA.Y. The show
of pain was pretty fair and prices for both
Our. market was moderately attrnded to-daY• , ~,,,b,at
fb,ur nutio. at
receded about 3d per barrel and boll. Barley it, dew d ja..
late rates. Oats and oatmeal quiet. Beaus, Feast all
than curn were unchanged.