The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-28 00:00:00

unequal struggle have carried on their transactions

and regulated their policy by means of manage-

ment and a course of action which we instinctively

shrink from, as diametrically oppcsed to the dic-
tates of reason, the language of truth, and the

claims of honour. It has been, however, more re-

ceitly that the feeling of spite, or revenge, has so

plainly manifested itself as to preclude the idea
altogether that the war has been carried on in the
ordinary style that prevails among civilised nations,
and was regulated and controlled according to the
principles inculcated among a high and honourable
nation. Lord ELLENBOROUGEI very briefly but
very forcibly explained his meaning, set forth his
strongest points of argument in a clear and concise
form, and finally wound up by telling the Ministers
their duty in language that neither they nor the
House will be likely to forget soon. The Con-
ference, which does nothing when it meets, and
then is postponed for an indefinite time to allow its

members to recruit after the great exertions of
looking at each other, was the basis of the noble
lord's speech. He said that the engagements entered
into by the belligerents and stipulated for at the Con-
ference had not been kept, and therefore we could not
put faith in any future promises that might be made
in the deliberations which ensued, and were so far
ratified by the contending Powers. If one thing
more than another is a sham and a delusion it is to
put forward this plea of a Conference to hoodwink
the people of this country, and to bridle the expres-
sion of their just wrath and virtuous indignation at
the treatment which the Dines have received. It is
notorious that the Prussians have not condescended
to play at keeping the engagements entered upon,
and Lord ELLENBOROUGII deserves great credit for
putting a tongue, as it were, to the irritated feelings,
and outraged sympathies of his countrymen, and also
it may be added of all men who have a spark of
honourable sentiments or kind wishes animating
them. The Prussians have checked the commerce,
they have interfered with the means of communica-
tion, and they have broken off the wires of the
telegraph. They have made a pretence of paying
for what goods they have received, or provisions
provided for them, bat it has been a mere farce of
remuneration after all. When any acknowledg-
ment has been given it has not been in the form of
money, but merely a receipt for goods delivered, or
something of that nature, which documents are of
no " marketable value" at all. Sach devices are
almost too pitiable to think of, and it is adding insult
to injury for them to perpetrate these disgraceful
expedients upon a suffering and struggling popula-
tion. The times are not so very far distant when a
whisper of such double dealing would have raised
the dormant feelings of the community and pat a
stop it once and for ever to the farce of a Conference,
whose decrees were waste paper, and whose stipu-
lations as stable as water. Nowadays, however,
political economists, peace-mongers, and time-
serving place-holders have so changed the aspect
of our social being, and tampered with the inte-
grity of our public affairs, that all things are
changed for the worse, and a hint is scarcely
dropped where a generation ago there would have
been murmurs loud and deep. It is certainly true
that Denmark has been bitterly wronged, but the
charge against the Prussians rests on other
grounds, and is founded on many grave offences of
a general and not an exclusive nature. It may be
the first count of the indictment that they have so
acted as belligerents as to draw down the indigna-
tion of Earope ; but beyond this, it must be added,
that they have grievously insulted other nations,
besides cruelly injuring the one marked out es a
special victim and signalised as a spoil, where the
greed for gain and the mania for the acquisition of
territory, which infiames the desires and excites
the ambition of the Germans of the present day,
may be satiated to the uttermost. Lord ELLEN-
BOROUGH very truly declared that, " in not adher-
ing to the stipalatioes agreed to they committed
an offence not only against Denmark, but against
every one of the contracting Powers." The
sooner the case is looked upon in this
light the better. Ther© can never be any
advantage gained by shirking the responsibility
that devolves upon us, and persisting to put aside
the real bearings of the question. We had better
contemplate the aspect of affairs from the point in
which the other nations of Europe and the world
at large regard it. They see that we have been
duped, cajoled, and completely set at nought. The
next thing to do is to consider whether it is worth
while to put up with these affronts, and to render
ourselves so ignominiously conspicuous by appear-
ing so poltroon in our policy and false to our en-
gagements as we are, tow doing. Another good
point in this exceUeut discourse before us was that
which descri:oed the opinion that prevailed in
Germany at present. They have got the idea that
whatever they do, or whatever we may say, there
will be no ultimate measures resorted to, " that it
is not our intention in any case to lift up our arm
for the purpose of arresting tho progress of their
wrong doing." Can a more dangerous sentiment
prevail amid a nation that very plainly can exer-
cise no restraining power on itself by the dictates
of humanity and honour. Lord ELLENBOROUGII,
in conclusion, made some allusions to the
imperfect manner in which the present Cabi-
net conducted affairs, and lamented that they
seemed always willing to let German influences
prevail to the exclusion of their claims, and the de-
triment of other States. Earl RUSSELL indignantly
disdained the idea that he suffered any impression
to influence his course, or to guide his conduct, and
directly assumed the responsibility of all foreign
transactions to himself. This is no very light thing
to do, and if he is to stand or fall by his foreign
policy, he and his colleagues are in a very shaky
position, The attempt to rule by 61moral" force
has proved most unfortunate. It would be far more
dignified to let all foreign affairs alone than to be
thus perpetually mixing up ourselves in these em-
broglios, and then declaring when things come to a
crisis that we cannot or must not go to war. Eng-
land attained her present proud pre-eminence under
the guidance of wiser and more inspired men than
any that now sway her destiny, and neither the
Monarchs who led forth her armies to conquer
nor the Statesmen who directed her councils to
impress and influence the world, adopted the mean-
spirited policy that we have no claim for fighting
in any other cause but our own. Selfish views will
ruin any State, and it is lamentable to find them
thus so prevalent in places where they Should be
banished and driven forth with scorn. Lord
BROUGHAM has clearly defined the state of things
by Baying that never was there sa strong a feeling,
SJ 1.1111L11:110U3, among all classes as that which now
prevails in favour of Denmark and against Prussia.
This is the text of tne argument, and it remains for
the Cabinet to study its hearings and reflect en its
aonsequences, for upon their issue there depends all
that they hold dear as regards place and power,
and all that they should raokon as of far greater
moment in the way of character, and of rendering
up a faithful account of their steward9hip to that
public they are bound to serve.

For a very long period the defects and short-
comings of our Admiralty administration have
been matters of public comment. Whether as
regards efficiency or economy, complaints are con-
tinual)y made, unfortunately in cacst cases with