The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1863.

A scurrilous poster used to be industriously
placarded about the streets of London, some five or
six years ago, asking, in very large type—the
writer of it, perhaps, thought most pertinently,
though hundreds of thousands of other people
could not but think, on the other hand, most im-
pertinently—ls LORD CARDIGAN A HERO? Well,
after so long an interval has elapsed an authorita-
tive, it should even be said cfficial, answer has been
vouchsafed at last to that flagrant, nay, insolent
inquiry. The answer has been vouchsafed at last,
and it comes to us from the lips of the Lord
Chief Justice. " Is Lord CARDIGAN a Hero ?"'
sneeringly have asked his traducers, sneeringly
above all, has asked his arch-traducer, the Hon.
Colonel CALTHORPE. YES ! HE IS A HERO !
That is the reply given yesterday in the Court
of Queen's Bench, in the midst of the earnest
applause of the people who heard the judgment—
that is the reply given at length to Colonel CAL-
THORPE, and to those congenially hearkening to
his baseless aspersions—that is the reply given
yesterday in the Court of Queen's Bench by the
Lord Chief Justice of England ! And nobly
did Sir ALEXANDER COCKBURN preface his
unaffected tribute of admiration to the Leader of the
famous Light Cavalry Charge at Balaklava, by say-
ing, with a fine and scornful irony, " Those who
criticise the conduct of men placed in such trying
circumstances would do well to ask themselves how
they would have acted in a similar state of things.
(Subdued expression of applause.) And when we
think what was the state of things in the scene of
action on that memorable day—when we make
allowance for the confusion which must have
existed—when we reflect that the line which the
earl led so gallantly up to that battery was all
but struck down and annihilated by that awful
fire, and that a mere handful of men remained,
who were at that dreadful moment in immi-
nent peril of utter destruction—and when we
consider that their only chance of saving them-
selves, and of avoiding a mere idle sacrifice of brave
and valuable lives was to get away (as every man
there seems to have done as quickly as possible) from
a spot where it was idle and hopeless to remain,—
when all these circumstances are taken into consi-
deration, and we reflect further on the confusion
"which must have existed in the' midst of such
appalling danger, and appears to have existed
even among those who have now come forward
to support the censures upon the conduct el
Lord CARDIGAN, 'We cannot but think that
though no doubt his
conduct as a general
is open to criticism, it ought to be a
liberal criticism, not one whicht generous and
seeks to fix a stigma
on his courage, or his honour as
(Re-
newed expressions of applause). ;).11 officer.
reneat I cannot
help rejoicing—as the reputation and honour of every
one who took part in that great scene ought to be
dear to us all—(repeated applause)—I rejoice that
this opportunity has been afforded of setting the
noble earl right in the estimation, not only of his own
profession, but of his countrymen in general." And
How—is it nor sneeringly asked by Colonel CAL.
THORPE and congenial spirits, say men like Mr.
ALEXANDER KINGLAKE, the member for Bridge-
water, men who are so fond of flinging idly
about them these detestable imputations upon the
physical courage of individuals whose personal
valour one would think has been placed by events
far beyond the reach of even one momentary
doubt, individuals like the Earl of CARDIGAN and
the Emperor NAPOLEON lll,—How, it may now be
sneeringly asked by Colonel CALTHORPE and his
friends, How has the noble Earl's character been
realty "put right," as the Lcrd Chief-Justice
ea-
Presses it, in the estimation of his brothel col
iliera ILIA of hie follow countrymen generally ?

Let. the simple words of our chief morning contem-
parary--or nothing better could possibly be written
upon the subject than those words we are now about
to quote—Let the simple, manly words of our chief
morning contemporary, answer this just possible last
sneer of the traducers of Lord CARDIGAN. "It is
now placed beyond dispute," says our contemporary,
"by the testimony of many eye-witnesses and
the. admission of his most persistent detractor
[i. e., Colonel CALTHORPE] that he DID charge at
the head of his troops up to the _Russian battery,
through the battery, and beyond the battery!
When credible persons declared on oath that they
saw him in the rear of the guns, defending himself
against the Cossacks, and that they themselves went
' to his rescue, the doubt, if any existed, was at an
end." The fact thus proved is perfectly conclusive.
" Against such evidence," it is well argued, "the
statement of one man that he saw Lord CARDI- I
GAN'S horse swerve and appArently turn
round, or of another that he observed him
afterwards riding the wrong way, is simply
worthless." And further on it admirably and
most logically pat that—" In deciding this question
with so much confidence, Colonel CALTHORPE
seems to have forgotten, that what A has seen can-
not be disproved, or even shaken, by the fact
that B, C, and I) did not see it. He is now obliged
to admit, through his counsel, that his nega-
tive data have misled him, that his informants
have been in error, and that Lord CARDIGAN DID
remain till the batteries were passed, in the post of
danger which he had represented him to have
quitted through cowardice !" Honour to the
brave—shame to their traducers. It is perhaps only
in perfect keeping with the whole transaction from
beginning to end, that the man who flings out the
imputation of cowardice against the leader of one
of the most splendidly audacious acts of heroism
upon record, should now, when his asser-
tions are proved to have been erroneous,-
decline to make any apology. An apology,
however, from Colonel CALTHORPE, can be very
readily dispensed with by the Earl of CARDIGAN,
now that his character for bravery has been vindi-
cated so conspicuously in the face of day before the
whole mass of his fellow-countrymen.

It is gratifying to notice that nothing occurred
to mar the effect of yesterday's undertaking.
There was something very melancholy in the whole
affair, yet it was not without cheering prospects.
Foremost among the brighter auguries was the fact
that her MAJESTY had come to town expressly to
view the monument, and might on that occasion
be said to have returned to public life, after her
long and sad seclusion. From surveying that touch-
ing record of her lamented Consort, the QUEEN
drove to Marlborough House to visit the Prince
and Princess of WALES. These two visits are not
without their significance. It was as if the com-
pletion of the memorial to Prince ALBERT'S memory
was the signal for the termination of her long ab-
sence from anything approaching to an intercourse
with the busy world of work and pleasure. It will
have been with great gratification that all will
have heard of the QUEEN thus reappearing among
us. The sudden and startling change from an active
career of usefulness, and a happy home of domes-
ticity, to the sad stillness of the Valley of the
Shadow of Death, is sufficient to overcome anyone
for a considerable period. When also the loss sus-
tained is such as the bereae;ement here alluded to,
the want is felt at every new undertaking of an
adviser or assistant. Still; the more deeply trouble
is dwelt upon, the worse it is to endure, and the
longer seclusion is indulged in, the more difficult it
is to come out of it. The best promise of the
marriage of the Prince of WALES was that
which foretold the new interest it would give to
his Royal Mother, and it must be the greatest plea-
sure he can feel in the attractions of his bright
career that his entrance on life is bringing back
again to the cares and happiness of existence one
who has been so sadly missed from among us. So
far as regards the memory of the late PRINCE also,
this undertaking has been all that could be wished.
It was a fitting spot to choose for the erection of a
memento to future generations of the fame of one
who did so much. in his comparatively short career
to improve the tastes, to elevate the understanding,
and to enlarge the experience of all classes of the
community. The scene of yesterday was solemn in
its retrospection, telling of him who had been cut
down in the prime of life and the pride of power,
and laid low in the grave, while his incomplete
work remained unfinished as far as regarded mortal
views. Bat who shall say how far our work 18
finished or unfinished as concerns its influence.
The PRINCE CONSORT has rested from his labours
too soon, we sadly think, when we muse over
the palaces where a widowed Queen and orphan
Princes and Princesses mourn his loss, but
it would be difficult upon reflection to say what he
has left undone that is of moment. So much had
been planned and executed during his lifetime that
tha remaining portion of his career would have
been more probably the filling up of the outlines
he had so boldly sketched with a master hand. In
this state we cannot always see the end of our
toil. One sows that another may reap, and the
harvest scene of rejoicing must often be reserved fot
the world where no blight can. enter. As for the
young Prince, who stood by the chief actor in the
scene, he must surely have been impressed with
the thoughts of-the Fast, and of the future. With
the completion of this great work before him the
" dead past has buried its dead" as it were. It now
remains for him to " act in the living present," so
that when the future shall place his name in the
annals of history he may be counted worthy of
those who went before him. His father has left
him a bright example, so far as regards the duties
he had to perform. The Prince of WALES has all
these to undertake in addition to a more prominent
place even now in the public affairs of the king-
dom. It is to be trusted that the chief
individual concerned in this pageant will be
satisfied with the result of the ceremony,
and that the QUEEN will now return among
her subjects gratified in their tribute to his
honour, whose memory will henceforth be the chief
thought of her life, not, however, to the exclusion of
other ideas. No one can regard her grief as exces-
sive, but it has bright alleviations, and the prayers of
her people will be fulfilled if she can now return
" cheerily to her work again," and find in the de-
votion of her family. and in the attachment of her
subjects, the only earthly consolation that can be
herse till, as the poet has beautifully expressed it,
D'a love sets her at his side again."
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