The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-15 00:00:00

venient for a retrospective glance to be taken of
past events, nor for a comparison to be instituted
between the conduct of Ministers on the same
question towards different parties. Mr. ROEBUCK
asked whether any remonstrance was about to be
made to the Federal Government on the subject of
the employment by them of agents in Ireland for
the purpose of enlisting as soldiers the subjects of
her Majesty." There was the more reason for mak-
ing inquiry, because it has been asserted that it
is the intention of any Government to remonstrate
with the Government of the Confederate States on
account of their sending agents over here for illegal
purposeF. It is well known to every one who has
taken any pains to study the American question,
that the idea of the Government calling their policy
towards the belligerent States by the title of "strict
neutrality " is perfectly absurd, and, indeed, a
mockery to those to whom it is addressed. Mr.
ROEBUCK reminded the house that when the

Solicitor-General made his remarks relative
to the intention of Government to remon-
strate with the Confederate States, he was
speaking of a matter which was sub judice. The
inconsistency of such a course is very manifest, and
on what grounds our Ministers can assume the
right to remonstrate about acts which are
not yet proved by their own courts of law
to be " illegal" we are at a loss to know.
All the decisions that have yet been come to on this
case ate against the Government, and therefore it is
most extraordinary to foand any complaint on the
transactions. How striking is the contrast exhi-
bited between this haste to jump at conclusions

in the one instance and the marked reticence that is
exhibited in the other. Before proof is attained of
' illegality, remonstrances are to be addressed to the
Confederates; but when a glaring infringement of
the law is made by the Federals it is declared that
nothing can be done, because there are no proofs.
Now this sort of reasoning is not at all in accord-
ance with the spirit of English justice and fair-
play, and the Cabinet that adopts such a policy
cannot expect to retain the respect of the
people. For Ministers to choose out their
own friends and favourites among foreign
Powers, and then to meta out justice and
so conduct their policy that one side has all the
advantages of an alliance with a great country, and
the other all the negative disadvantages of war,
and then to call this by the name of neutrality, is a
line of action that cannot long be tolerated. It may
be asked why' is it impossible to find out whether
there are agents of the Federal Government in
Ireland who go there for the purpose of enlisting
the subjects of this realm to serve in their armies.
Surely a Minister must possess great assurance,
effrontery, or indifference to substantiate such a
statement. Eithef,it is true or not ;if the former,
it is a great disgrace to the officials in authority
that they cannot use the means and appliances at
their disposal for the purpose of ascertaining the
exact nature of the rumours afloat, and authenti-
cate or oontradict them as occasion requires. It is
also very reprehensible on the part of Government
not to insist on due researches being made, and
proper investigations instituted in order that
this infraction of the law may not take place.
Lord PALMERSTON made out a very bad case, but
it may be inferred by his manner that he did not
care much about it, and was quite resolved on what
line of action to adopt, however inconsistent that
might be. Mr. ROEBUCK'S denunciation of Earl
RUSSELL'S conduct was quite refreshing after the
tame and spiritless way in which some take up the
case. There was great truth in his strictures, and
it is to be hoped that it will arouse attention and
draw notice to the very unequal raenner in which
the arduous and important duties of the Foreign
Secretary are being performed at this critical junc-
ture. Mr. ROEBUCK, with his usual vehement
language, inveighed against the whole course of
cur foreign policy, and wound up by expressing his
conviction that, after reading the various despatches,
the predominant feeling left in the mind was that
of "dire humiliation." Of course, this excited the
indignation of Lord PALMERSTON, and he strove
with all his might to prove that no blame should be
imputed to Lord RUSSELL, because he said that
all the Cabinet were equally responsible for his
actions, as he was himself. Perhaps the noble
lord thought he was very chivalrous in thus ex-
culpating his colleague; but the fact is that there
are higher matters at stake than personal feeling
or political bias. The honour of the country is
seriously compromised by the recent mansgement
of all our foreign communications. It is impera-
tive that during the sitting of Parliament some
lucid explanations should be given, and the only
result of any questions that are asked is that Lord
PALMERSTON, or some other member of his Govern-
ment,
is mortally offended, and calla the delinquent ,
to account for presuming to make attacks on an
absent man. This may be a very clever dodge, but

it will not last for very long, because it is evident
that if the Foreign Secretary's place is in the Upper
House, remarks touching his policy must perforce
be made in his absence by the members of the
lower branch of the Legislature. Many would not
believe some years back that` our foreign policy
could come to such a pass as the present Adminis-
tration have brought it to; and certainly the worst
forebodings could not have exaggerated the result.

A SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO MEXICO on a
magnificent scale is (after the fashion set in Egypt
seventy years ago) preparing under order of the Imperial
Government of France, The Minister of Public Instruc-
tion has nominated a commission to prepare and instruct

this phalanas of inquirers; including Marshal Valliant,
Baron Groe, Michel Chevalier, Vice-Admiral Jurien de La
Gravure, MM. Boussingault, Combos, Decaisne, Faye, De
Longperier, Maury, Milne-Edwards, de Quatrefages,
Charles Sainte-Claire Deville, Da Tessan. Baron Larrey,
Angrand, Col. Ribourt, Viollet-Le-Dac, Ceesar Daly,
Marhi-Dauy, Vivien de Saint-Martin, Brasseur de .13our-
bourg, Aubin, and Bellaguet; with M. Antolo Daruy as
secretary.

IMPRACTICABLE UR. LowE.—Thero is not a
member of the Ministry with so little tact as Mr.
Lowe. Whether it be as Lord It. Cecil hinted, that he is
a secret adherent of Mr. Baines, who steadily uses his great
information on the subject to resist the progress of educa-
tion, or whether he simply dislikes the share which the
clergy have in instruction, or whether, as Mr. Adderley
put it, he is a genius confined in a box too small for him,
the result is the same—he is always running his head
against some class, or interest, or system, which must be
conciliated before the education of the poor can advance.
Two years ago he laid hold of a principle, the payment for
results, which besides being sound was strong enough to
pull him through the angry opposition of the teachers and
country gentlemen, and he nearly spoilt that in his eager-
ness to make it carry also a number of ideas which, sound
or unsound, worried people without securing much good.
This session he has dashed full tilt at squires and clergy
together, in order to save some £30,000 a year which the
country does not grudge, which the villages crave very
much, and which, if wasted `at all, is only wasted in extra
grease to the wheels of the train.—Spectator.
THE CONVICT HALL.—At 10 o'clock on Saturday
night the Governor of Warwick Gaol received from
the Home Secretary a reprieve for the condemned man,
George Hall. The fact was at once communicated to Hall,
who was lying in bed, though not asleep. The unhappy
man was so overcome by the sudden revulsion of feeling
that he could scarcely gasp his acknowledgments. The
following netice was on Sunday posted on the gaol doors:
" County Prison, Sunday, March 13, 1864,—George Hall.
—The sentence of death is respited by her Majesty's com-
mands.—J. M. Anderson." Several persons who had
already arrived from Birmingham to see the execution, at
once tramped back again.—Birmingham Pose..
THE DANISH LOSSES.—Reports have been re-
ceived by the Minister of War from the Danish
head quarters, giving a 'incise nominal list of the Danish
losses in killed, wounded, and missing from the commence-
ment of the war until the engagement before Duppel on the
22d ult. The list shows a total of 43 ofacere, two regimen-
tal surgeons, and 13924 ;Lien,