The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-03 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1855.

The petition of the members of the Nationa
and Constitutional Association to the House of
Commons, now in course of signature, is a re-
markable document. As a literary composition
notwithstanding its striking merits, it may be open.
to criticism. The abettors of the men, and of th(
system it so ominously arraigns, may take excep-
tion to its length and redundancies, and sneer al
the occasional quaintness of its style, but it is,
nevertheless, a document of unusual weight and
of even historic importance. Such a petitioL
could only have been written, at all event,
adopted, at a critical period, and under the pres-
sure of intolerable grievances. Its very defect,
as a composition invest it, in fact, with a deeper
interest, and drive further home its barbed truths.
Broaching no subversive theories, but thorough
constitutional in tone, the petition carries with i.
the conviction not only that its allegations in the
main are correct, but also that its originators an
plain, middle-class men, earnestly dischargin:
what they conceive to be an imperative duty ii,
the consciousness of general sympathy with their
views and objects. How correct their impres-
sions are as to both particulars the petition itself
will sufficiently demonstrate.

Adverting at the outset to the bitter feelinw-
with which they have regarded the late disaster',
the petitioners state that these feelings have heel
intensified by the conviction that the disaster
in question have not been unavoidable, but hay
arisen from the guilt and folly of their rulers—froe
the prostitution of various offices of the State—
the misapplication and waste of the resources t
the country—the appointments of senility and in-
capacity—the vicious preference showiiby certain
families to their kindred and supporters—the cot-
ruption, extravagance, and mismanagement of
Governmental departments, and the absence of
forethought, economy, and order, in the conduct
of the public service. A vivid, and, in the main,
a correct picture is next drawn of what has bee,
witnessed in connection with the war. Irresolu-
tion, timidity, and treachery at the head of affairs,
where decision, courage, and sincerity were iinpe-
ratively required. A noble and costly fleet frus-
trated thereby in its chief objects, and a gallant
army wasted by delay and pestilence, hurried off
without provision and preparation, at the worst
possible time, to probably the least eligible spot,
on a most desperate mission. " Neither order nor
regulation in transports, in supplies, in victuals,
in clothing, in shelter for our troops, but, ur.-
heard-of neglect and Waste, the consequences cf.
which have been that our soldiers hare filled the
field with their carcases; roads they made not, shel
ter they found not, victuals, clothing, and
medicine they had not ; graves alone they
had when hands could be spared to dig them I
So, now, when the fierceness of the struggle has
come, our numbers are scanty and our men en-
feebled, while the strength of the foe is increased
daily." Public honours, it is next asserted, they
have seen made void and inglorious by being un-
worthily bestowed, while the doctrine of Minis-
terial responsibility has been derided, and power
continues to be exercised without responsibility to
Parliament or the Crown. The heart of the
people, it is said, is turned away by reason of
these things, and the enemies of Great Britain
triumph—her alliance is spurned, and her name
dograded 1

The petitioners, therefore, declare they have no
tou
lide nee in the existing Government, which, in
their •
°Pinion, learns nothing, but rather becomes
vo
rse, so that the petitioners grow seriously
%tamed
for the safety and honour of the country,
as well as
its Pro
being laid
on Prosperity Adverting to the Ulan e
ixteivesBYtern by
represent the Government who
hasreits tools and instruments,
enou.
it is pointedly
true " that we believe ma.rked that this is so far
evil rulers
perpetuated by an evil system can alone be
it ;" for which reason, it is add'edaZl grow out of
honourable House
to amend we Pray your
the
change the rulers." The petitioners LBY:xtteM and
declare
their re3pect for cons'ituted authority, but sub=
mit there are tines when the vc ice of the governed
must be heard crying, `Govern us more wisely r
and that it is possible "submission may become a
- c.
-.-, ,- 'lime, and order the worst disorder."
..,- . . . '..• i,.....
,__,
4 -,„ '7e petitioners then go on to. state that they
--. I,4litra
~. --,Ft seek to invade the prerogative of the
,norer.oina
- - - the • •
- ; . •` • : privileges of the aristocracy, since
• ,•-• . . ,t.r. the
but a corrupt and factious
°ligrchY alon '
. ._ .„... -
sa a corporation of the worst rulers
England ever
w-7that) among other things,

,terifices au army and stultifies itself by blaming
t system which it retains and does not strive to
,mend. An oligarchy that from base personal
.ears leaves the country defenceless, discourages
-olunteers, contents itself with a mockery of a
militia, and squanders money upon foreign
levies while men of every degree " languish at
tome for military employment." An oligarchy
hat trifles with improvements in arms, scornfully
repulses 'Soldiers of repute offering their services,
-Lnd persists, in spite of warning, in promoting
he creatures of routine and family influence. The
)etitioners next touch on foreign alliances, and ex
press general content with the alliance of France,
wt dislike for that of Austria and for dynastic
Liliances generally. The injury done the country
'oy the caprice of our Foreign Ministers is subse-
luently glanced at, and it is asserted " that such
hiugs could not have been effected in former
times, when the Privy Council gave responsible
tdvice upon international matters, and nothing
:ould be done without their sanction by the boldest
Ministers of Sate." The irresponsibility of our
cabinets, and the neglect of consideration by
Premiers as to the aptitude of those chosen Se-
u.etaries of State for their office, and their "disre-
4ard of every other thing save the convenience of
t corporation of lordly rulers," is next noticed,
tnd the petitioners proceed to state their require-
:rents. They pray the honourable House io take
,nto consideration how this pernicious system may
abplished, and that the right men may be esta-
;)lished in the right places, " by opening the pub-
ic service to merit and capacity, by securing the
faithful represesentation of the people, and by
restoritig-those lapsed functions of the constitu-
tional law of the country by which a healthy
laical may be regained without great and sudden
to the community." The petitioners further
)ray that ova-legislation, and, above all things,
-ecret diplomacy, may be put a stop to ; and,
boldly standing on their rights," conclude
oy asserting " that which is known to all,
and fills the mind with wonder and appre-
hension to see so powerful a country in so
contemptible a predicament, that Whereas indi-
liduals carry out vast enterprises successfully, the
state can accomplish nothing either honestly or
honourably or to a good purpose, and has become
very world's jest in its every undertaking." If
;Lis, it is added, be the fault of the system, or of
both men Ad system, as the petitioners believe it
.s—in short, in any case—they insist that the
,resent state of things be brought to a termina-
ion by whatever means Parliament may deem
)est, even by taking steps that may lead to a dis-
solution. The reader has now some notion, how-
ever imperfect, of the tone and character of the
oetition. What does he think of it ? We are
.uistaken if he does not coincide with us in our
notion of its importance. When facts so mon-
strous and unimpeachable are told so calmly yet
earnestly, it bodes ill for the continuance of that
oligarchical sway which it arraigns. The people
Are putting their shoulders to the wheel of the
State chariot, and woe to thcse who impede them.
Should any fatal disaster befal our army, what
latonishment awaits the blind prophets of the
iimes!

No recent intelligence from Sebastopol. The
electric telegraph still remains a dead letter in the
hands of the Government. While so many thou-
'uds of the best and bravest of our brethren re-
main between two fires—while scarcely a family
throughout the length and breadth of the land is
free from anxiety on account of some friend or
relative in the Crimean army, our Ministers still
‘-xliihit the same apathy and indifference so de•
plorahly conspicuous from the very commencement
—still permit the supreme command to remain in
the hands of the noble Lord whose incapacity and
Mismanagement have occasioned such direful cala-
nities ! Why, we ask, has Lord RAGLAN not
been recalled—why is he still permitted to im-
peril the lives of our troops ? Too many valuable
iives have already been sacrificed at the altar of
" red-tapism." Routine has not had merely its
'iecatombs, but thousands, aye tens of thousandF,
of victims. The sanguinary offerings should be
,revented, and the lives of the scanty remnant,
t possib'e, preserved.
The evidence against Lord RAGLAN is daily be-
oorning more decisive. It is now positively over-
whelming. We do not desire that he should be
Condemned unheard—that he should not have
tmple opportunity of putting forward a defence.
But the prima facie case being made out, his in-
competence—aye, and far worse than incompetence
—established, he should be deprived of the power
of doing further mischief, of rendering the evils
.le has initiated absolutely irreparable.
The campaign opened by a very remarkable
lisplayof carelessness, respecting not only the com-
forts, but the health of the troops. The tents
were sent back immediately after the battle of the
Alma, and the men were compelled for many
weeks to endure the proverbial inclemency of
a Crimean autumn, without any description
of shelter or covering from the night damps.
Subsequent proceedings were of a similar cha-
racter. While they were overtoiled to so great
a degree.that a far larger number of our soldiers
perished or were placed hors de combat by the
fatigues and hardships they endured than from
the weapons of their adversaries, not the slightest
atention was paid to their exigencies or necessi-
ties. No effort was made to make a road from
the camp to Balaklava, so that" the supplies so
urgently required might be brought up to our
soldiers, who were tantalised by being compelled
to suffer great privations while there was abund-
ance of every description of stores in their im-
mediate vicinity.

Sir JOHN BURGOYNE, who wassecond in command,
and who, therefore, may be supposed to have
enjoyed as much as any man the confidence of
the Commander-in-Chief, has candidly admitted
that the necessary precautions were omitted in the
first instance because it was hoped that Sebastopol
would speedily be captured. Alas ! the time fur
doing so was suffered to elapse. Had the first
victory of the Alma been vigorously followed up,
had the troops hurried on while flushed with
victory, and the enemy was disheartened and de-
moralised, the stronghold might have fallen by a
coup de main. The very name of Alma would
have been worth 50,000 bayonets ! But
the energetic counsel of the French General was
disregarded. Lord RAGLAN was determined to
selon les regles, to procrastinate and delay,
when rapidity of action was of paramount im-
portance. After dilly-dallying to the lith of
October, and giving the Russians ample time be-
fore anything was done to recover from their
panic, they shbwed that they were capable 4.,f
making a protracted and desperate defence.
_Early November it was known to Lord
RAGLAN
condition or
his
the desperate
that he could do nothing decisive during
the winter,
He might than have discontinue:]the attack, or
at all events seen to the state and
stnaen, to keep them prepared for
place. But • uggle whenever it should take
, instead
of
the trenches, hat so doing, he kept them in
in constant dan
gerassed by i
neeasant labour, and
of this ? Manifestly t
Mlutt was the object
°
from the censures to val. shelter the Ministers
Ich they would
other-