The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-20 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 1863.
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There is a curious avoida--
of the nee in 012 new number
Quarterly of any
itleal theme whatever.
The silence of the chief 4:1:ov
rg
the Conservative
cause, at this junctur©, we take of
ke
to
beB
that
as ominous of
the fury of the coming storm
pectancy" in which the observant
" Poet ci duf
" The
Tex-
e
seaso;is" recognised the secret portent
preaching hurricane. To corn
par?: of the ap.
with great, the conspicuously careless and yet things
irri.
tatingly arrogant bearing of one or another
the motley members of the present Administrationam°ng
in regard to matters of the most vital import, ;
seemed to us quite as distinctly to foreshadow theires
own proximate subversion, as that haughty disregard
of all pretence even of conciliation on the part of the
last 0 UIZOT 2,11.; ,try in France. which immediately
preceded the crash of the Revolution in February.
Than Earl RUSSELL'S flagrantly inexact assertion
that all England is Federal, when quite notoriously
the sympathies of the vast majority in this coun-
try go heart and soul with the Confederates, what
Possibly could be more irritating ? Unless perchance
we were to say the capping, by the noble Earl
tinn3elf, of that climax of political effrontery, which
Su
mc.sPERE has dubbed so very happily in four
Plain
when, words, " the insolence of officeu—namelY7
Lora RUSSELL immediately
after-
wards, in
the
speech
of
his
at course of that same portentous
Iliairgowrie, coolly recommended
those who toit;ht
after Reform ts, Ryet have a hankering wist:ully
a thesipteeeh, Foreign
not
done mischief
8,
~.
....oreign
sest and Be Thankful! And then
two-edged sword of
some of the staaucheitn.lbischief enougn in severing
binding the great
Liberal Party (even in, their
hope) to the Government
orr Lvery hoping against
the Irish Secretary, with a ,rd PALIIERsToN—
tI; into thepoli-
his antecedents, must needs bound worthy of
tical arena—his tongue armed with Slang, his hand
with a thick stick, bearing (cm -
peculiar resemblance to a shilela,,h, A.
''llally' of course) a
outrage upon the freedom of election has not
within our remembrance been
where within the three kingdoms, than the one ad-
ventured upon only the other day down at Tam-
worth by the Right lion, Sir ROBERT PEEL—that

is, by one of her MAJESTY'S Privy Councillors.
There, at least in the instance of Sir ROBERT PEEL,
it is, beyond the smallest doubt of it, " the inso-
lence of office." This Privy Councilior—this, in
one sense, subordinate, in another, insubordinate,
member of the Administration—this inheritor, of
a great historical name, a name honoured by all the
English race as that of "the greatest member
of Parliament who ever lived"—(vide, frav which
noble phrase, Mr. DISRAELI'S biography of Lord
GEORGE BENTINCE)—this Sir ROBERT PEEL, the
third of the name and of the ba-,unetcy, must
needs drag that name, in the ve,:y dust, through
all the rowdyism of a vulgar electioneering
skrimmage ! So recklessly-- in theturmoil
he, the Right Hon. PEEL, actually
Sir ROBERT
goes the length of kno_elc:.n ga man
himself,d i nc down
n with
his fist—getting soundly caned
turn,s
ishowever,
footing.s so soonL a t
ears
otnh,ethienrdei,vaidtulaalmhwadorth:
re-
gained h
upon the day of this unseemly exhibition on the
part of the Irish Secretary, he, the Right Hon.
Sir ROBERT PEEL, on being told of an elector
having voted for the opposing candidate,
elegantly bids the mob to " bonnet him !
—whereupon the mob bonnets the elector,
accordingly. The incident—disgraceful enough of
its kind not speedily to be lest altogether to our
recollection—is vividly recalled to mind at this
moment by the profound silence preserved upon
all home politics by the Quarterly Review—that
profound, and significant, and even ominous silence
to which we have already referred. Miching
malecho, as HAMLET says—it means mischief. Of
that we may be certain. Time was when the Great
Liberal Party laughed to scorn the so-called
Conservative reaction. Call the reason for the
change what we may, the change itself is unde-
niable. The reaction commands our recognition,
whithersoever we turn. Seat after seat is lost to
the Government, and is gained by the Opposition—
each of those seats making a difference of two
upon any great party division. The majority by
which Ministers come in, small enough in itself, has
long since melted away altogether, and has at
length dwindled down into a minority. All the
Opposition has wanted of late, has been a motion
upon which to divide the House. And we question
very much indeed whether that petulant destroyer
of Administrations, that malapropos upsetter of
political coaches, now the noble Earl at the head of
the Foreign Department, has not contrived once
more, with his customary adroitness of perversity,
to prepare for the Opposition their long looked for
opportunity.

There are few classes more to be pitied than
pauper children. The very name signifies the de-
privation of all that makes childhood the most
enjoyable period of life. It is, of course, impossible
to dissever many of the most painful attributes ot
the case from the existence of these unfortunate
little ones ; but, at all events, some means should
be adopted to render their state as little irksome
and inconvenient as possible. The last accounts
that have appeared concerning these little outcasts
are not at all of a satisfactory nature. Ophthalmic
disease has appeared among them to a great extent,
and sad and serious as this evil is originally, it is
of course increased tenfold by the circumstances
which attend it in the schools and places
where these poor children are congregated.
The parish of St. Pancras have been great
sufferers during late years, owing to the
practice that has prevailed of putting the children
out to various places, instead of keeping them at
home and training them in schools appertaining
to the locality ; they seem to have run their heads
into storms, and to have imbibed the various ills
that were afloat in the many places of refuge to
which they were consigned. The report of Mr.
THOMAS IVIARTON JONES is well worthy of con-
sideration. This gentleman is the ophthalmic sur-
geon to the University Hospital, and is therefore
well qualified to give his testimony regarding the
peculiar nature of the malady referred to, and
also of the treatment that ought to ensue after
the evil has once become apparent. The rapidity
with which the disease spreads is alarming to
contemplate, and it requires the greatest care to
prevent the contagion from increasing to a fright-
ful extent. It is therefore most distressing to
find that there is not sufficient means adopted to
arrest the progress of the complaint. In this re•
port it is specially mentioned that the towels they
use are in common amongst them, which is a most
deleterious practice. Of course the uninitiated are
not to blame for failing to detect the earlier stages
of the disease, but more diligence should be used
in calling in efficient medical aid promptly.
Hardly anything can be more disastrous to these
poor children, who are all destined, if spared, to
earn their livelihood by toil, than to be
afflicted with this sad complaint. Its cure
and its prevention alike demand assiduous
care and prompt attention, and it is almost
impossible to expect that these can be
obtained in the crowded c mfines and amid the
conflicting claims of such crowded establishments.
This is one of the many cases in which prevention
is better than cure, and precaution to begin with
outweighs the skill of science and the most devoted
efforts subsequently. Some mention of this sort
was made at the Board of Directors. It appears the
Anerley schools do not employ a doctor as a resi-
dent, but have occasional assistance and advice. Of
course, though this plan might answer in ordinary
cases, it stands to reason that it will not avail in
desperate and dangerous contingencies. 'Without
imputing blame to any special individual, or decry-
ing any particular plan, it seems obvious that there
is ample room for improvement in the mechanism
and management of these establishments for pauper
children. Notwithstanding the vast and various
alterations and changes that have taken place for
the better in these institutions of late
years there
remains more to be
done, and that with no niggard
nor
sparing hand. in the first place there should
be so
some simple reguiat:
0 not take ions stringently carried out.
If there was a rule
use of towels, sce Prohibiting the indiscriminate
like this could
could then spread of an infectious dis-
ordercould its ravages
Iptltaocastsoop.raplitdlwy,onuoldr
appear as if there
be s
were.
eeonsciousness of this
tedte
in the minds of some, for
to inquire were not permitt
h entlemen appointed
tories. Had they done so the° inspect the lava-
gestei important and necessayryall alterations,
have sag.
that
would have materially affected the state ot the case
as regards the future management of the
place. Apart from the wellbeing that
there is another
prevai!s,
point to be non
sidered, if these children afflicted with bliud-
nes, will be burdens for life on the pariah. Eve,
in a mercenary point of view, it is therefore incum.
bent upon those who have the charge of them to
protect their health as much as possible, and pre-
serve them as independent members of society. It
is idle to be deterred from making due inquiries
into the affair from the fear of giving offence and
raising awkward discussions. There is so much
offence given unavoidably, and so much anger pro.
yoked intentionally, that it seems a slight thing to
increase their average by taking pains to arrive at
the knowledge and investigating the details with
accuracy, that concern the well-being and welfare
of hundreds of our little paupers. Their lot in life

is sad enough, their heritage seems to include almost
all the ills that can afflict humanity. It is not, then,
too much to expect that the enlightened and Chris-
tian philanthlopists, who go about endeavouring to
benefit all classes, and whose Efforts have effected
so much in various phases of society, should turn
their attention to the pauper children. There can
hardly be a more helpless and unprotected branch
of sufferers to watch over, and the consequences of
their efforts will be not only present gain, but
benefits to themselves and society at large. Too
much may be made of these affairs, is the opinion
of some ; but such views are short-sighted, and
these notions are most erroneous, for nothing can
in the long run so militate against the well-doing
of a State as the lamentable occurrence of the seeds
of disease taking root and spreading their baneful
influence and casting their withering blight among
the rising generation.

The office of a Cabinet Minister at a complimen-
tary banquet is an easy and pleasant one. He has
not to fear the awkward inquiries that greet him
when he sits in state behind the red boxes; he
need not anticipate the sharp retort, or the keen
analysis that proves fatal to his plausible statements
or his impressive perorations. He is generally the
hero of the occasion, and has only to receive and
acknowledge compliments and courtesies; while
his office as an orator consists not in annihilating an
opponent, or carrying a forlorn hope, but in recount •
ing the achievements of his Government, and dilat-
ing on their vast superiority to their adversaries.
The good they have done swells into dignified pro-
portions, while the evil which belongs to them, if
not " interred with their bones," is at least left in
convenient temporary oblivion. The public dinner
given by the Mayor of Ripon last week to the mem-
bers of his Town Council assumed something of a
political character, from the presence of Earl DE
GREY and RIPON among the invited guests. The
noble earl, in acknowledging the toast of her
MAJESTY'S Ministers, was naturally led into some
observations on the foreign policy of the Cabinet of
which he is a member. The post of Secretary for
War is in reality almost a sinecure, since Earl
RUSSELL holds the seals of the Foreign-office. That
valiant statesman takes especial pains to
inform
every Power with whom he has dealings that on no
consideration will he commence hostilities ; and,
indeed, in some instances his conciliatory spirit has
carried him so far as to awake doubts in the cynical
as to whether he would fight if attacked. The office
of War Minister, however, as Earl DE GREY re-
minded his hearers, is one which he has held but
for a very brief period. The lamented and pre-
mature death of his distinguished chief called
him to the additional dignities and responsibilities
of the position which he now occupies,
and the
tribute which he paid to the memory of Sir GEORGE
CORNEWALL LEWIS was worthy of both. The rare
and remarkable faculty, which made the departed
statesman seek the recreation of his leisure hours in
severe and abstruse study, was particularly referred
to by Earl DE GREY as one who had unusual oppor-
tunities for observing Sir G. LEWIS'S assiduous ap-
plication to his Ministerial duties. Independently
of the old rule," De monies nil nisi bonump"
the late
War Secretary left behind him a name which all
parties have united to honour, and a reputation for
industry, moderation, and scientific acquirement
which even his adversaries agree to respect. Passing
from such topics to
the more stirring and engross-
ing questions of the day, Earl DE GREY declared
that he accepted the warm reception given him byhis friends and neighbours as an expression of ap-
proval of the Ministerial policy. Whether euch
were the fact may very fairly be doubted, the ruling
political powers not being sufficiently
popular to
eclipse the recognition readily accorded to a re-
spected and influential neighbour. The noble lord
took some credit to the Government for having
been able to maintain peace amid the storms and
disorders around them. That the task had been
one of no ordinary difficulty is an
unquestionable
fact; the point at issue is whether the Ministerial
policy has been the best adapted to the time. "It
we have accomplished the task," said Earl DE
GREY, " it has been by adhering to distinct and in-
telligible principles—principles which have com-
mended themselves to the approval of the country,
because they were founded in justice and fair deal-
ing." When we recall the inconsistent and vacil-
lating policy of our Government during the progress
of the American war, the merit of acting upon dis•
tinct and intelligible principles
last we should accord to them. Is it a distinct
and is one of the very
intelligible principle which permits the em-
barkation of arms and ammunition unchecked for
the Northern States, and forbids the departure of
vessels supplied with neither one nor the other for
the South ? Is it a consistent and comprehensible
policy which defends the departure of the Alabama,
and puts the broad arrow on the El Toussein ? Is
it a policy founded in justice and fair dealing which
patiently takes insulting orders and directions from
the Federals, while holding no communication with
the Southern authorities ;
which recognises the
South as a belligerent, and yet will not receive its
representative; which suffers English vessels trad-
ing to neutral ports to be seized and confiscated
with but feeble remonstrance, while the Washing.
ton Cabinet is allowed to have its spies in our pri-
vate dockyards, and to supply the English Govern-
ment with information as to the proceedings of
independent English firms ? The partiality which
the Federals accuse us of showing for the South
has in truth been exhibited towards themselves,
but as spoiled children are always hardest to please,
so the North professes to believe itself the illused
party. American 'cuteness must long ago have
discovered that a blustering tone of defiance and
professed injury would extract concessions to any
extent from the British Government. The abuse
levelled at this country by both sides is accepted by
the Government and their partisans as testimony
to their impartiality. They forget that a strict
neutrality would at least have commanded respect,
even if it excited anger, but a weak and vacil-
lating policy is certain to irritate, while
it never impresses. The favour shown to
the North has been too palpable to leave
room for doubt, while the last act of the
Government in seizing the rams at Birkenhead has
yet to be proved legal. It is even rumoured that it
is the intention of the Cabinet to introduce a bill for
the extension of the Foreign Enlistment Act next
session, but it may be very much doubted whether
such a bill would ever get further than the intro-
duction. Earl DE GREY censured the intemperate
and extravagant language of Mr. SUMNER, justly
observing that it would have been absurd to ac-
knowledge as belligerents "those who were every
day proving in the clearest manner that they were
belligerents, and belligerents of the most formidable
character." The American statesman may certainly
learn a lesson from the English Minister, so much
his junior in official experience, for however we
may differ from
Earl
able and temperate exposition of the views of his
party, such as
theyarepEGßEY'S
G'S foreign policy, his
, prove his powers as a
speaker and hip sense of the responsibilties of a
statesman.

He speaks English
KING GEORGE OF GREECE is dark, and promises
to be a robust man, being already tall.
neatly, is affable, and without preteneio,