The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-02 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TlMES.—England has every reason to be gratified
with the reception heartily given to her Royal
family, whatever country they happen to visit. Al-
though having no claim to that absolute power on
which Royal magnificence principally prides itself,
they carry with them a weight of character and an
influence of position sufficient to satisfy the patriotic
aspirations of the most vainglorious Briton. A
signal instance of this was lately afforded by the
reception of the Prince and Princess of Wales in
Sweden. Nothing has been neglected that kindness
and hospitality could devise in order to mark the
goodwill of the Monarch and his people towards
these illustrious guests. Their short stay at Stock-
holm was one course of the most brilliant and
splendid entertainments. So it was in Denmark,
though in more sober fashion, for Denmark sits
in mourning. So we venture to say it would be
in any Court in Europe to which the Prince and
Princess of Wales might choose to pay a visit. No
matter what the season of the year, no matter what
the engagements and preoccupation of the moment,
every other thought or employment would be set
aside except the wish to extend to the Royal family
of England the most munificent hospitality. Nor
is this a matter between crowned heads alone. No
doubt there is a natural wish to honour high birth
and Royal descent in the persons of the noblest
family in Europe. But the people of England also
have their share in the compliment, and are quite
disposed to acknowledge and discharge their share
of the obligation. It cannot be said that these
obligations of hospitality are discharged by Eng-
land with the splendour and munificence befitting
her wealth, the attention she receives from foreign
countries, and her eminent position among the
great Powers of the world. The melancholy bee
reavement under which the Queen has been suffer-
ing for the last three years may well excuse
her Majesty in the eyes of foreign count ries,as of her
own subjects, from taking any actiive part in scenes
of ceremony or festivity. On these domestic feel.
ings her Majesty's faithful and dutiful subjects have
no wish to intrude their opinion, or to abridge the
period which a great sorrow may claim as its own.
But the presence of the Sovereign, although the
highest ornament and the most attractive part of
the nation's hospitality, is not absolutely indispen•
sable to its exercise. If the Royal family of Eng•
land are to accept, as it is natural they should, the
hospitality of the Royal families of Europe in suc-
cession, it is surely right that whoever represents
this country should return a full equivalent. Great
as is the amount of comfort, and even of luxury, en-
joyed by the residents of London, there is probably
no capital on the Continent so forbidding in its
aspect and poor in its means of receiving foreigners.
It is the weak side ofour national condition. We have
never yet been able successfully to apply to our
hotels those powers of organization and arrange•
ment which have enabled us to do so much in other
departments of industry. On the Continent, where
the palace is often more splendid than convenient,
end the hotel at once magnificent and comfortable,
there is no very deep descent from the abode of a
great King to the resting-place of a humble tra-
veller. In London private life is very well cared
for, and leaves little to be desired, but our hotels
are still a mere refuge for the homeless, and an al•
ternative which necessity compels us to accept.
Such is our estimate of our own hotels, as shown
by the immense cost at which the most fleeting
visitors of the London season are ready to obtain a
house which they might call their own. They would
rather pay any sum within their power than be for a
short month the inmates of an hotel, Yet this is the
inevitable doom of our most exalted foreign visitors.
Prince Christian of Denmark and his family were
invited to England and had to take up their quarters
at the Westminster Palace Hotel ; and when Prince
Humbert of Italy came to England, a little while
ago, it was as the guest of the Italian Minister, in-
stead of being lodged in one of our Royal Palaces.
Somehow or other in this country it is always the
long vacation, or the short vacation, or the Court is
out of town, or there is some other excellent reason
for not showing that hearty old English hospitality
to our visitors which used to be the pride of the
nation. No one can truly say that we provide for
the wants of the Crown with a niggard or parsimo-
nious hand. The Civil List of the King of Sweden,
who has just been giving so noble a reception to
the Prince of Wales and his consort, amounts to
about fifty thousand pounds a year. Surely, out
of the abundance of our wealth and our prosperity
we ought to be able to afford as much as
these hospitable Swedes. When this very King of
Sweden visited England, three years ago, and when
his brother, the enlightened Prince Oscar, came to
us two Sears ago, they met with a reception very
different from that which they gave to the Prince
of Wales. They are now returning good for evil,
and we confess to a certain feeling of humiliation
when we reflect upon the attentions which we re-
ceive, and how little we have done to deserve them.
Foreign Courts have little vacation, and are seldom
so far from their capital as to be unable to return to
it whenever the duties of their station invite them.
They may not be on such good terms with their sub-
jects and their Parliaments, when they have any,
as the Sovereigns of England, but they certainly
deserve the goodwill of their own class by their
openhearted kindness and boundless hospitality.
Hospitality, we are told, is the virtue of a rude
age and as undeveloped state of society, but
so long as mankind shall gather themselves
together into communities and select by descent or
by election certain parsons and families to represent
them in the face of the world, they will look with
interest upon the manner in which these represen-
tative duties are discharged. The noble palaces, the
splendid parks, the vast collections of all that is
beautiful in art or costly in material which our
Sovereigns possess, were not designed simply or
the use of the Royal family or this nation alone.
They were meant to enable the chiefs of the State
to exercise a worthy and becoming hospitality to
those persons who come here with a claim to be
considered the guests of England. In the present
inability of the Head of the State to discharge
in person this portion of the duties of Royalty,
we seem to need some person corresponding to the
office called Proxenos among the ancient Greeks,
whose duty it was to entertain those who
might be considered the guests of the State.
The Prytaneum of Atheas was ever open to illus-
trious strangers. Our Prytaneum seems to be one
of those hotels of which we show our own estimate
by using them as little as we can, The Lord.
Lieutenant of Ireland, and even the Secretary to
the Lord-Lieutenant, are expected, as part of the
duties of their station, to maintain a suitable hos-
pitality, and the same thing is required of the
admirals of our fleets and even the captains of our
ships of war, however little able they may be to
discharge the duty, It really ought not to be said
that England is the only country in Europe in
which it is not the practice to repay the hospitality
which we receive. It is seldom that the individual
.Englishman is slow to acknowledge in his house
in England the kindness he has met with in foreign
lands. Ought England in her collective capacity
to be liable to a reproach which her individual citi-
zens would eagerly repudiate? At any rate, it is
fitting that some definite understanding should be
come to on this subject. It has always hitherto
been regarded, whether rightly or wrongly, as the
duty and privilege of the Soi'ereign to represent
the nation in the entertainment of guests of a rank
corresponding to her own. If this duty is still
admitted, we cannot but think that some plan
should be hit upon for performing it without unduly
trespassing on the retirement or hurting the feelings
of any one,

HERALD.—It is easy to find fault with the mes-
sage which the King of the Greeks has recently
addressed to the National Assembly calling upon it
to complete the constitution within ten days ; and if
the critic knows nothing of the circumstances which
drew forth the message, his indignation, assuming
that he is justified in offering an opinion upon a
matter which he does not understand, is legitimate
enough. But everybody who knows what has
been the conduct of the Assembly, and the urgent
need of some conclusion to its deliberations, will
be inclined to excuse, if not to applaud, King
George, or rather the experienced statesman who
is his Mentor. For two years Greece has been
without a constitution, and almost without law.
The National Assembly which was elected after
the expulsion of King Otho has passed a number
of decrees, the main purpose of which has been to
strike the enemies of the dominant party, or assure
and prolong the Assembly's own power. Great
excuse may be found for its proceedings anterior to
the arrival of the King. In that interregnum the
men called at different times to the Government
could hardly venture upon any real attempt to re-
establish order, or to project a constitution for ree
generated Greece. The new King, whoever he might
be, must be consulted as to the character of the come
pact by which he was to be bound, and not know.
ing how to frame a definite law for the Assembly,
expecting every week to be in a position to do so,
was in no mood for discussing ulterior laws. But
when the King arrived the Assembly had then no.
thing to do but to frame this constitution ; indeed
;t bad no right to do anything else. Its plain duty
was to make the constitution as soon as possible,
and thus give the country an opportunity of elect.
log a Legislative Chamber according to the terms
of that constitution. But the members of the Na-
tional Assembly have made it their object rather to
prolong their power. They have squabbled over
every article of the conetitution in an uuseemly man-
ner. Tney have debated every clause at inordinate
length, and, unable to convince each other by argue
meats, have had recourse to blows. Twelve months
have been wasted in this way by men who have
shown themselves thoroughly wanting is real pa-

triotism, and as thoroughly deficient in the abilitieso
required for legislators. They had agreed to 80%
articles, but the time consumed in coming to 0,6,
agreement was indicative that many months 1330'a
would elapse before they finished their task. A
all the time the country was without any teal r,f)
vernment, without any settled law. The King could,o
not act because until the constitution was seitiea
could not tell what were his powers or duties. Every'
thing was in confusion; the country was sufferigt
terribly. All the ordinary necessary business of d
Parliament was at a standstill, and the King on,
people had to see this ruin every day increasing
whilst the factions in the National Assembly jahglehi
wrangled, and fought. But. King George had a riß
to complain as an individual as well as a King
rested in the welfare of his people. Ho accepted t
throne which Greece offered him, and went there 4
take up his abode amongst his new subjects, vill,l
the understanding that a con:'titution should
once settle his position, define hia Pow(Ts? and
him in possession of them. He has had to stay the;
a year in a most awkward, and emberea:msing P°,o)
Lion, expected by his people to show them ho:'v u1:01
better he was than Otho ; looked to as a volt
Redeemer, and yet how utterly unable to set a 1)690i
to the restoration of order and the development 0'
the national resources; his popularity, his power,„
being useful to his people, his prospect of establin
ing himself firmly upon the throne, were dwilaVichis,
away, and we think that he owed it to himself, l'ol
owed it to Greece; to take the steps which he !i
done. As for the alleged unconstitutionality of lip
proceeding, we confess we cannot discover it. y
the first place, there is no constitution coefini:lg t
King's action within any limits; and in the secC"
his message is really nothing but a notice to lg
Assembly that if it did not at once perform its Pao
of the contract the King would hold himself releam
from his obligations under it. He said nothing 1331
nor less than this—" I have waited for you to fold
the conditions on the faith of which I accepted PI
throne. I cannot wait any longer ; fulfil thew If
ten days or I shall call off from the bargain." Aflo
' e
pointing to the length of time already consumed„l
discussing the constitution, and to the pronabilPoli
of a further prolonged delay, he says, with gre,A•
truth—" The prolongation of this position, wbl:
neutralises all governmental solicitude, and par''
lyses all administrative action, not only unquestio!;,
ably deprives the nation of precious advantages,
will certainly cause evils which it will be diffictio
subs: quently to repair. The impatience with evniile..
the people suffers this irregular condition of aff.6)
is known to me." He therefore declares that be
ready to accept the portion of the constitution already
voted, and submits a draught for the remaiadee;
and requires the Assembly to vote upon it within /0
days, declaring that if it does not he reserves
himself full liberty as to his future course, which 1101
be such as shall be dictated to him by his deceiT
hopes; meaning, we may presume, that he Wo-
abdicate the throne, heartily glad, no doubt, to gi
rid of such an uncomfortable honour. The thr,e4
had the desired effect, and the King's conduct 04
the further justification of success. The Asselno
voted the constitution within ten days, and if due
discontented party cannot succeed by another roll
lution in upsetting everything, the new Legisintelf
Chamber will soon be assembled and the eonst1:01
tion at work. Of the character of the constittitiii
we are not yet in a position to judge, but therie.4
no reason to assume that if the Assembly had n''.l
allowed to continue squabbling it would have 10:4
at all better than it is ; and its defects, whate,ll
they may be, must not be attributed to the 10.J0
interposition. There really seems now to be a 1.1,1 id
hope for Greece. The King seems to have a w'i'le
own, and the factions, finding that out, bar
bowed to it. What Greece wants is a strong Govetd
ment—one that will resolutely set to work to rcs
order and remove the abuses which have ocelot
lated during the two years of soacalled liberty, d
real anarchy, of such a Government. The histee
of the country for the last thirty years shows thlgy
can be no chance unless the Sovereign, taking, toP
initiative into his own hands, will disregard .01
factions, whose sole object is place and power, 'id'
rally round him the people, tired of their pri7.ol
sional politicians and eager for peace, orderOP
material progress. A King who will uncle/40:10
this say the redemption of Greece, and wh° i$
show the plotters of disorder and the trader:oi
politics that he will not be their tool, may snevrill
in the apparently hopeless task of giving prosPeod
and order to Greece, and teaching her the del too
the advantage of honesty. May King Georg°
First of Greece prove such a real King.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

--------t---.

LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY.
Aillo I There was a moderate attendance of town and 4 W
v,,„
millers and dealers at market to-day, and the busine
was of a more active character. Wheat, spring (land'
sold at ld to 2d advance on the low sales et TueAtif
Oats were more saleable at full prices, and oatmeal JO It'
quoted at about Gd per load higher. Beans is dearer'
flour rather better prices were mace and more 090
Indian corn finds more buyers, and advanced Ail/
qr.

LEEDS—TUESDAY.
The arrivals of English grain at our market this 01
were tre,derate and the demand for wheat to-dttiocb
not brisk, millers having to purchaso at previous re.
Barley about the same as last week. Beans and ostis
a little cheaper.
Averages—Oct. 31—Wheat 40s 814 d Per
—Oats . . 21s lid
—Beans 40s 11d
—Peas ..363 814
—Barley 32s 31d
—Rye 33s Od
..M• ....I
MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY. Ii
Wheat came moderately to hand, but the deraler9:4
been fair, at about recent currencies. Barley in t,°„tois
request, at former quotations. Oats same as 10.'",ivr.
—The following were the currencies :—New white toe
42s Od to 46s Od ; new red, 38s Od to 43s per 3u ;56t';
beam', 37s to 43s for old; new sorts, 35s to 37s Per 3r. {°
barley, 32s to 34s for malting, and 28s to 30s pero-id, v
grinding; new oats, 21s. to 24s Od per 24 stone;
to 28s.

SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. 030,11
The market was moderately attended, but both „-0
and factors still bought slowly, and trade was dull foto
rates. Flour maintained previous prices. Barley illtes.
of tho buyer. Beans a steady sale. Oats at late re 16$
Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...lss 0(10
Whito ~..17s Ocl

..los Od to, iv,