The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-28 00:00:00

would be impossible beforehand to estimate—thet
although these circumstances supply the mostcoger
reasons for avoiding hostilities, they equally farms
to the opponents of the Ministerial policy groan(
for questioning the wisdom of a course which the
allege has brought the nation to the brink of sue
great calamities, Lord Palmerston, and, for the
matter, any Minister who hoped to hold office for
single day, would not venture to declare that
thing save the invasion of the British dominion
could force this country to go to war. It was COn
ceded, and indeed was expressly admitted by th
Prime Minister, that under certain contingencie
it would become necessary to reopen the vexe.
question of English neutrality, and consequently 1
there be a point beyond which German aggressio
should not be allowed to proceed, it is open to die
cu,:biou whether it would not have been more politi
to interpose before that point was reached. 13'
kayo more than once had occasion to notice th
startling resemblances between the events of th
past few months and those which immediately pre
ceded the Crimean war. Thot war was, as our read?'
will recollect, utterly disbelieved in by the majorit,
, of the public until our ambassador had taken iv
departure from St. Petersburg. What interest has
we, or what obligation is imposed upon us of pip,
to war in defence of Turkey, were questi, ns t
which few indeed could be found to give other tha
a negative reply. Russia crossed the Pruth, just a
Austria and Prussia crossed the Eider ; and the for
mer act, like the latter, failed to excite active it
tervention on the part of Great Britain. But
nevertheless, we went to war in 1854, and now, tei
years later, we are likely to follow a similar course
The Cabinet of Lord Aberdeen was blamed for hay
ing, by its vacillation and supineness, permitted th
country to drift into war, and now it is urged that
the Cabinet of Lord Palmerston is on the saw
grounds open to censure for allowing matters ti
reach a pass when, whether we like it or not, wi
may be compelled to take up arms. However
favourable may be the construction which the mor
hopeful will gladly put upon the Ministerial policy
no doubt can exist in the calm observer's mind tha
the time has come when we must combat realities
with other weapons than honeyed phrases and ver
bose protestations. Diplomacy has confessedly
failed, and a plain matter of fact question will nos
present itself for solution. If it was worth on'
while to take an active part in a pending dispute
thereby risking our national prestige, jeo
pardising our influence with Continenta
States, and incurring no small degree of odium, i;
it also worth our while in the same cause to emi
ploy those means of persuasion which are not
unfitly designated the " last reasoning of kings.'
If we have hitherto endeavoured to save Denmark
from annihilation by preaching moderation to the
aggressors, it is less from sympathy with the Scandi-
navian monarchy than from motives of self-interest,
We cannot afford to see the key of the Baltic in the
possession or a great European Power; and there.
fore it is that England, of all neutral States, has
taken so warm an interest in the Dano-German
dispute. But wherefore, it will be asked, manifest
this interest ; wherefore tender course: ; wherefore
preach resignation to one belligerent, and modera-
tion to another, if behind all this there is not a
fixed intention to fulfil some more arduous duty
enan that which devolves upon a self-appointed
adviser ? Philanthropy, and love of harmony an(
peace, are sentiments, no doubt, very praiseworthy
in themselves; but it is seldom, if ever, that a field
is presented for their exhibition in the arena of in-
ternational disputes. We regretted and continue
to regret the intestine strife which desolates the
United States of America ; but neither our love of
peace nor our horror of bloodshed ever prompted LIE
to try and effect a reconciliation between the com-
batants. Motives of self-interest led us to adopt a
different course iii respect to the Dano- German war,
and as our mediatorial offices have been unattended
with success, it is important now to determine how
an issue has been brought about by Which the
national interests are prejudiced.