The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-14 00:00:00

much assurance, to inquire a little into the hype-
thetical questions which it raise's. What, then?.
would the Conservatives have done if they held,
office for the last two or three years, which would
have placed the country in a better position than
that which it holds now? The answer is very
simple. They would have known their own minds.
They would have determined how far it was the
duty and interest of England to defend Denmark;i
and they would have intimated their decision n,
clear a;:d unmistakeable terms to Denmark herself
and to Germany. If both the Powers had known
before passions grew warm that the objects were
for which England had rehzlved.
ous contest wouldto fight, it is a:
vioasly improbable that any serious
have arisen. The mistaken persistency with wheh
in the earlier part of the controversy, Denmark
contested some points of mere detail, upon ttaio":,
i
needless acrimony was engendered,was predate ed el
a contietion which Lord Russell had left in th'
mind of the Danish Minister that England was
pledged, come what might, to uphold the integrity'
of the Danish monarchy, The absoluteindiffe-
rence to English threats with which Germany.has
trodden under foot the plainest,' Sreaty obligations
and the most elementary national rights was sinical
the result of a profound conviction that Eng.a.l3,
would net fight for anything. That belief''
upon the issue of the Polish negocial ionass
was disseminated widely through Europe, and
has been fully justified by the result. But it%
existence, with all its fatal consequences, 'use
wholly due to the misconduct of the Preseu-.
Ministers. If Ministers is power had been les'
addicted to bluster and mare sensitive to do;
honour, both parties in the present dispute would
lu
have known from the first exactly what they might
depend on, and how far they might go. Denmark
would have known to what extent she might count
upon English aid, and upon what points she ltaue'
trust to her own strength. Germany would haver
known that there was a limit beyond which she'
might not step without encountering the whole
England's power. Forewarned beforehand,neithex
would have drifted into this fatal struggle, fv°l°
which embittered feeling and compromised honclor
now forbids either to retreat. The Conservative°
have strong ground, therefore, for censuring the
Ministry, and looking simply to the past. The"
is no need to inquire whether the policy the Gown'
ment are now following—if they are following and
at all—is a right or a wrong one. It is not a quee
tion of present policy. The question is how the
men who now hold office are fit to be trusted VOW
any policy at all, They are simply incompetent.
Their conduct upon the Danish and Polish question.
has shown them to be unfit depositaries of power'
They have dragged England's honour through ta
ra
dirt. They have threatened where they dared Dr
strike, and their timidity has betrayed to ruill
nations of men far nobler than themselves, They
have brought matters to that pass that England°
arm is no Langer feared, and England's words fail to
inspire confidence. If no alteration of policy what-
ever were to ensue from a change of Government'
still a change is indispensable, because, if the future'
conduct of men may be judged by what they have
done in the past, new dishonour awaits England a°
the result of any negociation these Ministers may
undertake. It is probable, however, that new men
would bring to some extent new measures, thought
of course, it is difficult to speculate upon the
nature or extent of any probable change of policy
unless the precise point could be fixed at which the
new corners would have to take up the threads
of negociation. In any case, however, even
.a"a assuming that a new Government found itself
much bound by its predecessors' acts as to be dis-
abled for the moment from going back upon rights
and claims that have drifted into history, still s
change of Government would bring considerable
assistance to the Danes. Their position would be
better fitted, their hands would be more free, even
for the task of negociation. In dealing with Go-
vernments of a despotic type personal feeling go"
for a great deal. Now, Lord Russell has con-
trived to make himself personally detestable to the
two potentates whose voice will principally decil3de
the future progress of this war. To Austria 1?
party is traditionally unacceptable, and a personal
point has been given to the general feeling by the
extravagant and inconsiderate partizanship of the
Government during the disturbances of which Italy
has recently been the theatre. With France his
position ought to have been better. He has no tra-
ditional predilections to contend against, an hick
great question of national policy has arisen on iv
he could well take a side openly antagonistic to the
Emperor Napoleon. But what he wanted in appore
tunity he has made up by ingenuity. He has con-
trived to offer to the Emperor a deep personal of
fence upon a matter of simple form. There is no
doubt, that ever since the appearance of the caustic
and rude dispatch in which Lord Russell rejected
the proposal for a Congress, the Emperor has been
unwilling to take any public step in conjunction
with a statesman from whom be had received so
gratuitous an affront. A new Foreign Secretary
would come into office exempt from these disadvan-
tages, and free from the personal ignominy which
our ancient Pistol has justly earned. It will be
something to have a Foreign Minister whose dip-
lomatic obligations have not been protested as dis-
honoured in every Chancellerie in Europe. He will
strike with more effect if vigorous measures are
needed ; and if the path of negociation be still open
he will have a better hope of pursuing it to the at-
tainment of an honourab'e settlement.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

-------- 1------

11.
We had a smaCOLCHESTER—JUNEII show of wheat on offer at this market
to-day, and the trade was firm at last week's prices. Beans
same as last week. No peas.
Wheat; white ..42s 46s Beans, Mazagan..2Bs
red 38s 42s middle & small.32s 36s
Barley
Oats
20s ,25s grey 34s 36s

NORTHAMPTON—Jura 11.
Only a moderate quantity of wheat on offer to-day from
the growers. Holders tried to establish an advance, which
checked sales. For the best white sorts late rates were ob-
tained, but other descriptions were the turn cheaper, Bar-
ley very scarce, and not much life in the trade. Oats made
fully previous rates. Beans in steady consumptive demand:
—White wheat, new, 38s to 40s; new red, 358 to 385 P
old. 38s to 40s per qr. Barley, new malting, 24s to 36e'
grinding, 26s to 33s per qr. Oats, 19s to 30s per 24 stone*
Beans, 34s to Peas, 32s to 36s per qr.

GLOUCESTER,' —JuNT 11.
There was a good supply of English wheat to-day from
the farmers, which sold at a decline of 6d to is per qr
the prices of last week. Foreign wheat in limited deraanal
and no change in value. Barley, beans, and oats were un-
altered.

CHELMSFORD—JUNE 10.
At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair s.hosv.l
wheat, and last week's rates were lower, with an
business doing. In Spring corn a steady trade, and
former prices,
Wheat, old white 30s 45s
new 43s 4Th
old red 34s 37s
new 36s 40s
Barley ..25s 338
Chevalier 268 36s
Grinding 20s 28s
Malt....
Chevalier ... 648 688
Oats 2os 2651 macula

Peas, Partridge 365 388
White 30s 49
Boiling 3Bs 425
Dun 31s 35°
Ditto new ......8 ---s
Beans, Tick, old 34s 363
new -0 —a
Harrow Ticks 34s 36a
—s —5
new
Mazagan 285 3os

KIRKCALDY GRAIN—Jura 11.
We had small supplies of all kinds of grain at raarkct
to-day, which sold freely at the prices of last week.
Wheat. Barley. Oats.
First....34s Od I 24s Od l6s 6d
Second ..36510d 23s Od 17s 6d
Third....3Bs Od —a Od . . 19s 6d

_ -
Persons in debt may obtain instant protection against
imprisonment or seizure of their goods, and an entire release
from all debts and liabilities without publicity, by application
to Messrs. Marshall, solicitors of the Court of Bankruptcy,
Charges under L 5 payable by easy instalments. Offices—
(established 1830), 12, Hatton-garden. City branch-6,
Moor
gate-street, Bank.—AnyT. .