The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-26 00:00:00

LONDON, TII.URSDAY, NOV. 26, 1863.

It is quite impossible to believe that the vitally
important proposition of a Congress by the French
EMPEROR will he allowed quietly to slip by
ilt., oblivion, now that the English Government
have politely, but definitively and firmly, decided
li
Pon declining it. Out of this refusal must
Inevitably arise a variety of complications. Upon
trhe%rmembers of our present Administration,
tied collectively as a Cabinet, will rest
the res
Poizviebielity of every one of those complies-
tiots,
v r they may be. The responsibility
will net he •L‘,T
EmpEp..o.ll. 4 A.POLEON'S. In the proposition of the
good faith woitianding whatever can be recognised but
a manly frankness. As aparrenu
among the Sovereigns
self, is his own) il (the word, as applied to him-
: would have been there at the
council board but
" one among the European
Monarchs—open, at
tab::7 turn of the discussion
there, to be outno
It is idle, babbling, as
some do, perpetually,
designs of the French EMPEROR,
the sinister
EMPEROR, about
the danger of trusting him
e(lisbo
mereaut the perils
that might arise out of the
cussion of his pro-
positions. England, at least,
amo,gi all the Powers
of Europe, ought to be the very
1
continually those petty insinuations, ot r
ro to regulate
throw out
her policy upon these vague doubta
as to
LEON'S honesty. We have yet to learn
inWhatNAPO-
the
EMPER,OIt has played us false, since he firm
ro
50 to
power over Franco whether as Emperor or
as Pre-
sident. During the whole of his possession of power
in France during the fifteen years last past, fasting
from the 10th of December, IS4S, down to this 26th 1
of November, 1863, he has been uninterruptedly,
unhesitatingly faithful to the English Alliance. Ile
has been at war with Russia, with Austria, with
China, with Japan, with Mexico—
never with
England. On the contrary, the majority—in effect,
with one solitary exception, ail of those recent wars
but just now enumerated, the war with Russia,
the war with China, the war with Japan,
even be it said the war with Mexico, were entered
upon by the Emperor of the FRENCH in concert
with England. From the last of these wars, the
war with Mexico, England backed out at the
eleventh hour, it is true, for reasons of her own—
'a when the warlike expedition for the conquest
of Mexico was first set on foot, it is undeniable
that Englund was pledged, quite as distinctly
aa France, to takeviih part in that expedition with
France Eit,
Spain conjointly. But, far be-
yond anything tor that kind as a rememorance, it is
a truth that hue lunover the world as g since come to be known all
and
datter of history, that the
soldiers of VICTOR/A
the soldiers of NAPOLEON
have fought and bled
side by d
Ibe, at opposite extremities of side against
globe—upon the
against a common
soil of Russia and upon the soil of
China. If the
designs of this astute Sovereign aro sowonderfully
sinister in our regard, the treachery of them towards
ourselves has yet to be indicated evku ii„
the smallest ,

particular.
After fifteen years this falsity towards -R
°gland
has yet to be revealed. To argue, therefore, after
these last fifteen years' experience of NAPOLEON'S
policy towards England as the ruler of France
during the last eleven out of these fifteen years,

as the autocratic ruler of France—to argue
after so many momentous years' experience that
there would be any hazard to our inte-
rests in yielding to the EMPEROR'S recent propo-
sition of a Congress, that there would be dangers
for us in the mere fact of eur assenting to take part
in such a Congress, implies, we will not say, an
extraordinary want of confidence in our Ally, but,
we will rather say, an extraordinary want of con-
fidence in ourselves. It is not merely an intima-
tion, to all intents and purposes, that there
is a secret design to outwit us lurking in the
EMPEROR'S proposition, but that, in the
event of our foolishly yielding a mistaken
consent to that proposition, the probabilities are
that we might be outwitted. Faithful to their mar-
vellous policy—that policy which is based upon
the principle not of leaving well alone, but of
leaving both well and ill alone, and of just
doing nothing—the Cabinet of England, after
much pondering over the difficulty, have decided
upon declining to accede to the French EMPEROR'S
proposition. Reverting to our previous remark,
that refusal on the part of England to yield her
consent to the suggested Congress must inevitably
lead to complications. For the which complica-
tions, ours must be 'the responsibility, or rather,
the weight of that responsibility must devolve upon
the chiefs of our present Government.

There is no fear that the public will not be au eau-
: rant of the opinions of those members of Parliament
who perchance had not the opportunity, or did not
• feel the inclination, to address the'House on any par-
ticular topic or especial
question.. At Abingdon, the
other day, the Agricultural Society afforded an op-
portunity for the expression of opinions on various
subjects,
and the occasion was made the most of.
Colonel LINDSAY, in responding to the toast of the
"Army and Navy," made some spirited remarks
on the topic, which is in itself a difficult one, we
fear, having been worn so threadbare on several
occasions. There was some truth in his remarks
on the efficiency of the volunteers, and the advan•
tage it was to the country not to leave all its de-
fenders devoted to the exclusive use of arms. This
is rather an original idea, and also a very correct
one, because it naturally follows that there is an
immense advantege in so many citizens being spared
to the occasional exercise of other professions than
those of arms. The militia, also, is an important
branch of the public service, and it is only right
and fitting that some tribute should be paid to its
merits, as on the present occasion. Mr. 'WALTER'S
observations on public affairs were, of course, worth
listening to, and he appeared to afford universal
satisfaction to his hearers. In the first place, he
made some humorous remarks on the different feel-
ings with which now and old members were apt to
regard the approaching session. Those who have
had experience will want to look upon the resump-
tion of Parliamentary labours as the schoolboy con-
sidered the return to his studies; also we
must consider that there is some foundation
for the sketch which is plaintively given of
the incessant and unintermittent labours with
which the members of the lower branch
of the Legislature are inflicted during some
portions of the year, and which seem to resemble in
some shape or other those traditionary impositions
which were to last till the crack of doom. Speak-
ing of the custcmary division of labour by which
rest is insured to mind and body, the speaker ob-
served that it was not so with members of Parlia-
ment. " Their day and night were jumbled toge-
ther, and they were pretty much in the condition of
the inhabitants of the North Pole, who had one
long day and one long night—every long day was
Session, and every long night was a Session."
certainly this is a most lugubrious picture, and
realises the sketch pictured some time back concern-
ing the protracted duties of the Session—" .Cedebat
iierunique seclebat, in felise Theseus." Mr. WAL-
TERS'S views on the prospects of the manufacturing
districts were most hopeful, and offered a satisfac-
tory promise of future success, while at the same

time they held out a salutary warning to those
who persist in playing the part of pessimists and
prognosticating all possible evils, present and pro-

spective, instead of looking difficulties boldly in the
face and endeavouring to overcome the evil by
foresight and energy. It is far better and wiser to
hold out hopes of a better state of things, and im-
proving the events of the future from the experience
of the past, and to suggest, with the member for
Berkshire, that, when the period arrived to the
great contest in America, we should most probably
" be independent of that country for the supply of
both food and cotton." Of course, foreign affairs
figured in a speech of this kind, and we notice
soma very pertinent observations in regard to same
important instances of statesmanship and diplomacy
that have recently occurred. It is quite patent to all
critical observers that there is ample foundation for

this remark respecting an Imperial project
but lately set on foot—" They might depend
upon it that, when the EMPEROR summoned
a Congress, there was mischief brewing." This is
perfectly correct, as is the subjoined remark that
our Government was wise in weighing matters a
little before joining in anything of the sort. Doubt-

ess our Administration are exhibiting duo caution
and reserve in this matter, but it may appear to
some that another question arises out of this consi-
deration. Why do not our Ministers originate a
foreign policy for themselves instead of watching
events continually, and now supporting this poten-
tate, and then drawing back from conjunction with
that Power, because their plans and projects do not
coincide or conform altogether with their notions.
Nowadays we never hear on the Continent of any
nation caring to join England in any great project
r
\ intervention. It is always debated what the
French
EMPEROR will do, and this seeming reti-
cencewa our part in reality causes a great deal of
confusion, and an app
parent inaction creates far
tv:rreetiarsctlailnties and com plications for us than if we
and strikin La bold and independent line of policy
B,nui: course for ourselves. With
kre-
spect to
marked, serious
rent would have heve
if more decision had
re-
events might occur, how di
: where, Mr. WALTER truly re-
ffe-
tracterised the conduct of
t,hile present aspect of things
that his counsels of the Cabinet.
our statesmen, and ruled
frlr'ohnertensg.nla° Powerndifit is one© fairly
made known that
likely to desire to con-
any
cause,
inroad, but
a check will be placed on such and s
on", and will
atinmnindlittyheanedff:catcpilriaotdiuocnedspboyiltho Far
New Zealand came under the notice of the gest Power.
and was treated in a becoming,. spirit. 8 aker'
lie
cen-
sured the mistaken notions of diplomacy
that
had regulated our proceedings with respect to that
savage class of people, and advocated decided
measures for their reduction. At the same time
there is great cause for regret in the probable de-
struction of a five race, and there is too much reason
to suppose that Mr. WALTER will be correct in his
prediction that they will share the fate of the Red
Indians, and with other savage tribes who come in
contact with civilised ones. The latter part of
the address was occupied by the considera-
tion of the question of the principles of
agricultural societies. This may be a diffi-
cult thing to determine in all its bearings, but
nevertheless the speaker's strictures are open to
criticism. The prizes were offered to the most do.