The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-25 00:00:00

~~~

LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1863,

The well-merited tribute bestowed upon the
veteran King of the BELGIANS by the Count DE
MONTALEMBERT in his recent discourse at Mechlin,
will meet with universal and cordial sympathy in
this country. The effict upon the vast multitude
of the Counts assembled was electric. The Hour
and the Man lent additional force to the eulogium.
The Count of MONTALEMBERT, whose eloquent
lips have been sealed for twelve long years, was na-
turally listened to with a very peculiar interest.
There was a mournful pathos in the regretful tone
in which he, a liberal and patriotic Frenchman,
spoke of his native land as of one who, "condes-
cended to be the least free of the Nations of the
Western World." Denied in his own country the
power of giving utterance to his powerful and impas.
sioned elcquencc--because that eloquence is always
inspired by the freest spirit of Liberty—because
it is always devoted to the upholding of popular '
rights and popular independence—the most elo-

quent because he is also the most liberal of modern
Frenchmen—is dumb in his own land. On the
more favoured soil of Belgium he, after a twelve
years' silence, spoke on Thursday last, and the most
effective portion of his speech, one that thrilled
the hearts of those who listened to him, was his
very earnest and heartfelt tribute to the Constitu-
tional Sovereign of the country in which he
spoke. As an evidence of the emotions excited
in the audience by the C.:,unt's harangue, the vene-
rable President, DE GERLACHE, now more than
seventy years of age, hastily rose from his seat at
the conclusion of the address to embrace the orator
before the latter could descend from the Tribune !
That illustrious Orator, who, foreigner and
stranger though he was, had so fully and so
truthfully expressed the general sentiments of the
Belgians for their KING! The incident, no doubt,
acquired additional interest from the recent
illness of the KING, an illness which at one
time threatened to be serious. ll4ppily the
danger has passed by, and LEOPOLD is
spared in his old age to reap the reward so well
earned by his conscientious career—the best reward
a ruler can obtain—the love and gratitude of his
people. MONTALEMBERT spoke of him, the King,
as a really " honest man" (thus awarding him, in
the spirit of BURNS, the highest possible amount of
approbation), and as one who had dared to keep
faith with his people and to be true to his oath !

It was about the same period of time that two so-
called Constitutional sovereigns were placed at the
head of two neighbouring nations. The year 1830
saw LOUIS PHILIPPE of Orleans chosen the Constitu-
tional King (not of France) but of the French—the
Citizen King. The same year saw LEOPOLD of
Coburg in like manner elected King (not of Bel-
gium) but of the Belgians. Both chosen by their
respective people, the depositories of a sacred trust
—sworn to uphold the Constitution. History
can relate the rest. How did they fulfil their trust ?
What is the result of those two sovereignties ? False
to his promises and his principles (or his avowed
principles), the Citizen King found even Isis astute-
ness, even
,hts Machiavellian craft was insufficient
to preserve his throne, insufficient to uphold his
dynasty when unsupported by truth and faith. In
11:8 second and utterly hopeless exile he no doubt
learned, too late, the bitter lesson. Ho could say
with a peculiar truth, like the ingenuous hero of
the story, " Honesty is the Best Policy, for I've
tried both!"
Louis PHILIPPE, the faithless Sove-
reign, is dead
in exile, and his family (beloved and
revered for their
individual virtues) are set aside
from their pro .
ra.nulsed inheritance. Far otherwise is
it in Belgio
pledges,
the constitutional Sovereign,
tine to his
he
igt mindful of his oath, still reigns,
honoured by
his
a:luring nations, and respected and
beloved by
l
truth of which the?eaple. Ia testimony of the
and enlightened eantiful words of the liberal
ALERBERT
_ and the emotion
of the venerable DE GE,
.Like
RE may testify.

This is the month for holiday_
sure excusions of every kind; f4r(7 the least to the
41ng and plea-
while greatest all who can throw off fora:3l
their accus-
tomed harness betake themselves,
on some
pretest
or another, to moor or continent, seaside or etext
b.
land. Our Gracious SOVEREIGN sets her
subjects
the example, example, and finds a melancholy pleasure in
e re,
visiting those scenes so especially associated with
the memory of her lamented CONSORT. It is true
that more cheerful thoughts will greet her in the
young daughier and the royal
company of her fair
infant, who is honoured by bearing her grand_
motY:er's name; and she has also been invited by
the Crown Prince acd PriNcess of PRUSSIA to ex-
tend her journey in their dirt cticn. There are
clouds in that quarter, however, which will prevent
Queen VICTORIA from deriving unmixed satsfac-
tion from a visit to Prussian territories, although
she must be glad that her son-in-law has profited
too well by the example of her constitutional rule
in England to share the mistakes of his father.
I‘l,-,anwhile the young bride and bridegroom, on
whom ail eyes are fixed, and who have filled the
foremost place in public attention during the last
busy half-year, are enjoying unwonted retirement
in the fresh breezes of the north. The sports of
the Highlands appear to delight the youthful pair,
whose sunny season of life gives zest to all enjoy•

ments. What the Danish Princess has seen of the
loyalty of her northern subjects is not likely to
weaken the impression made on her by the enthu-
siastic reception given her by the denizens of the
busy metropolis. The cordial greetings of Highland
and Lowland, of Abergeldie and Edinburgh, will go
far to sustain the truth of the Laureate's assertion—
" Saxon and Norman and Dane are we—
Teuton or Celt, or whatever we be,
We are each all Dane in our welcome of thee I"
But whether in the far recesses of their own domi-
nions or among the varied scenes of continental life,
the members of our Royal Family carry with them
the hearty goodwill and sympathy of their people,
in their pleasures, as in their joys. They may look
with no envious eyes on the pomp of Continental
State or on the authority of Continental despotism,
feeling that they have left behind them a mightier
people held in lighter chains, yet more securely
bound. The dark memories of Holyrood cad only
awaken a feeling of thankfulness for the altered
days which rulers and people now enjoy, and the
troubled state of the Vaterland at this present
juncture is not likely to excite unfavourable
comparisons with our sturdy
English loyalty
and content. Nor, when our SOVEREIGN'S
thoughts turn homewards, can she
f
thankful for the happiness and prosperityail to b
of here
people. True, that the dark eland ofsorroßwntatnhde
distress is still overshadowing Lancashire.
irneswt ohficthheevceonunLtry is rejoicingannashire
can
in a
in
a .national sing
bleseg
npartici-
pate.incr easiTnteinprbop
nsnencttis of
fulptrh harvest
ome
ise.T arhehe everyarves day
tope
rations have already commenced, and one of the
most abundant wheat-harvests on record is confi-
dently anticipated, if the present weather continues.
In Scotland, after the sunshiny days, they have
had frosty nights, which have tended to preserve and
develop the gifts of Mother Earth. The absence of
the potato disease, in addition to the plentiful supply
of grain, increases the hopeful prospects of the poor.
And in spite of the American war and Lancashire
distress the million need not shrink from the coming
winter with the feeling of mournful anticipation
that too often attends the "fall of the year." The
hop plantations have also improved within the last
few days, owing to the opportune and beneficial
The plants are said to have grown sur-
prisingly in that brief interval, and the busy
gardens of Kalt and Sussex will, we may hope,
share in the general jubilee. The showers which
have done so much good in one quarter do not appear
to have inflicted injury in another, for, far from
retarding the ingathering of the harvest, they have
stimulated the farmers to increased exertions in
order to secure their precious crops from further
changes as soon as possible. To make hay while
the sun shines, is a wise old saw, which may be
followed with advantage in life as well as in agri-
culture, and the farmers are probably applying its
advice to a little later season. The success of the
harvest is a matter which concerns us all very
nearly, and for which no other good fortune can
compensate. Trade and commerce are important,
no doubt, to vast sections of the community; but
their fluctuations or reverses, however depressing,
can be, in a measure, atoned for in other quarters.
But when the "staff of life" falls short, the extremity
of the distress cannot be mitigated, because it falls
heaviest on the weakest shoulders. Let us then
look in all thankfulness on

rain.

" The golden acres bending
In the light of harvest rays ;"

rejoicing that, in addition to our national im-
munity from the horrors of foreign war and internal
dissensions, we are likewise spared the calamity of

scarce, and therefore dear bread.

When the curtain falls upon a public career, and
another is added to the list of those who are re-
posing in the shade of the venerable abbey, it is in-
teresting to take a glance at their career, and in
some measure to sum up an epitome of their lives.
The celebrated man, who on Saturday last was con-
signed to his honoured resting-place, certainly well
won that glorious guerdon, for his career was a most
arduous one. Lord CLYDE found no royal road to
fame, but fought for the place that he gained; and
thus, in looking back on his past life,
we may re-
cognise in him one of those earnest workers on life's
highway, who achieve mach themselves and lead
others on to greatness also. His career is most in-
teresting to trace, for he began humbly, and
worked his way up solely by his own exertions.
He rendered services to his country for more than
half a century, through the wide-spread confines of
that empire on which the sun never acts. It carries
the mind back to a remote period, as it were, to
think that he served under Sir JOHN MOORE at
Comma. At the storming of St. Sebastian he
particularly distieguished himself, and obtained
great praise. From the scenes of strife in Spain he
was sent to America, and in the New World re-
newed the struggles of the Old. After being pre-
sent at the capture of Washington he was sent to
the West Indies. It is curious to think how this
gallant soldier's life was spared until the Continent
of the Western Hemisphere was again rife with
discord, and its inhabitants distracted with turmoil.
Lord CLYDE then remained for some time near the
Equator. In 1842 he went to China, and remained
in the Celestial Empire during the first war.
Thence he proceeded to India. For a considerable
period he remained in the east, and took part in
many great battles.

The Crimean War was the next stage
on which this long-tried soldier appeared.
place h
e
At the Alma, he was distinguished for the
took among those chosen ones of England who
went up its heights to glory. He was to have com-
manded a second attack on the Redan, and it is
only a pity that he did not superintend the first.
He was ready to undertake the duty; but he made
the following wise remark upon the work in ques-
tion :—" In such cases you must not only order the
column to advance to the assault, but you must lead
them in person, and they will surely follow !" The
greatest mismanagement was exhibited by the home
authorities in not giving Lord CLYDE the chief
command on the death of Lord RAGLAN. But, some-
times, those wise and learned individuals seem to
lose their judgment, and purposely substitute in •
different and inexperienced men for those who
have been trained by the lessons cf experience, and
proved their mettle on many a hard-fought plain.
The next phase in the career of the hero was the
most glorious of them all. At one day's notice he
started for India at the time of the mutiny. He
night Well have taken for his motto that of the NA-
PIER% "Ready,
aye ready I" The result of his
o a
man fp
ettleht in that most arduous undertaking
is recorded
on the
page where history tells of his
country' '
to rwesa
a triumph When
that the missie many, doubtless, thought
of the intrepid
rest,
warrior
"his wasw a com-
pleted,rfarwarfare fate had great thina
aStoreworksgs in
for him. The
public mission
be
man to Oveotrhteaviimevctr
phaoenlsnat.
best and highest of his
others deemed that his•
succeeded, as
is a proud satisfaction to any
of rescuing hack from destruction an •
inee
session of his country ; and to have
Lord CLYDE did, was an achievement only to be
won by the foremost in the ranks of military re.
nown. It is said that during his last illness he was
haunted by the memory of the horrors of the siege
of Luckuow, and that he exchtim.,(l‘ '` See that the

women and children are safe." This was, indeed,
the ruling spirit strong in death. It is a sad and
solemn sight to behold the interment of one who
has played so busy a part on the great stage of
life ; but when death has summoned to the night,
where no man can work, as the valiant warrior is
lowered to his rest, the assistants, recalling his
heroism in a hundred battles, must feel that—
" The dawn of his awakening
Will hear no foeman's drum I"

A great country like England, hallowed with
past associations, rich in present possessions, and
bright with future promise, can own no more
glorious memorial than the receptacle of her
most honoured dead. It is a great thing for a
nation to show respect and reverence for those
whose lives have been passed in patriotic services,
and whose deaths awaken the regret of all who
have appreciated their career. "To live in hearts
we leave behind is not to die," is a true axiom,
and surely the man who was laid to rest in West-
minster Abbey on Saturday can lay claim to that
proud distinction. By his long life of toil, by his
self-made position, by his devotion to duty and his
energetic efforts to serve his country—whether in
India, in America, in the Crimea, or wherever danger
sounded the signal and difficulty marshalled the way
—hs has gained a prize only accorded to merit, and
has won a wreath of undying fame. The Govern-
ment have acted wisely and well in resolving that
Abbey. Lord CLYDEItbor terigihntprelad in
cefo rsoWestminster
was shouldth e
distin-
guished a hero, and the fitting close to a career
that had been often toilsome and sometimes de-
pressed, but that, followed in faith and inspired by
courage, gained at last the victory.