The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-17 00:00:00

and boasting, and it would be extremely difficult

for the so-called Liberals to declare at the present
moment in what consists their superiority to their
adversaries in the contest for public favour and
political distinction. The Conservatives have at
least one good card to play on their side, and one
argument to use which has always found favour in
the sight of Englishmen ; they have nothing to hide,
and their party is not divided into sections, and
parcelled into different lots, all separated when im-
portant general interests are discussed, and only
finding one rallying point in the universal scramble
Ifor place and power. It is more dignified to be out

of office than in, considering how affairs are con-

ducted just now, and there can be little or no honest
pride in their doings among the members of the

Ministerial side when they cast a retrospective

glance at their history for the last five or six years.

The affair at Devonshire was a very brilliant one,

and it seemed that general satisfaction prevailed
among the numerous assemblage. The Earl
of DEVON, in his address, made some al-
lusion to the House he represented. At
one time this was rather an invidious task to

perform, but the growing intelligence of the coun-

try has discerned that there is sometimes an advan-
tage in the particular characteristics of the heredi-
tary assembly which the popular branch of the Le-
gislature does not always possess. On one or two

occasions in past years the Peers have come forward
in a creditable manner, and more conspicuously so
last Session on the debate on Denmark, they set
an example which was well worthy of being fol-
lowed.

Lord DEVON remarked that from many
circumstances the House of Lords was a Chamber
that occupied a different position from that of any
other Chamber in the world, and that it repre-
sented different classes of the community. This is
very true, and some of those who scoff and sneer at
the hereditary assembly as being composed of non-
entities and class-mongers will do well to consider
the eloquent and earnest exposition of Lord DEVON
concerning its component parts. As, he said, it
received into its body from time to time those who
distinguished themselves, and served their country
by eminence in the law, or in the arduous profes-
sions of soldiers and sailors, and in commercial en-
terprises ; " and thus while it represented the wis-
dom, experience, energy, and courage that belonged
to the present, it also contained all that influence
and prestige which belonged to the past." The
immortal expression of Nelson, " A peerage or
Westminster Abbey," is a sufficient answer to the
criticism of Messrs. COBDEN and BRIGHT, that it is
not all hereditary power that is met with there, but
that men who have carved out their own fortunes
take their places occasionally among those whose
ancestors have figured in the history of the land.
Lord DEVON spoke wisely to those members of his
party present on the occasion concerning the wisest
course to adopt in the contest of opinions concern-
ing the changes necessary for our social condi-
tion. He said that it would not do to present
an unthinking opposition to all change, but
to consider carefully what was necessary.
This is a very salutary warning, and doubtless one
that will sound very discordant in the ears of some
enthusiastic leveller of distinctions and rectifier of
abuses. His Lordship made an amusing allusion to
the position which his friend in the other House had
held for so long. He described it as acting " ably,
if not vtry pleasantly, as her MAJESTY'S Opposi-
tion, and he trusted that before long they would be
called upon to fulfil the more agreeable duties
which attached to the supporters of her MAJESTY'S
Government." It is to be questioned if, after all,
the country might not devise more material benefits
and more solid advantages if such were really the
case. The largest party in the State, the strongest
and most united, could do more, if allowed fair
play, than any mixture of discordant spirits and
heterogeneous elements which go to make up the
strong Governments of these days. Mr. DISRAELI
once said that England does not love Coalitions,
and certainly, since then, there has been no reason
why she should change her mind or alter the cur-
rent of her sentiments. The successive Coalitions
that have occupied the Treasury benches have nearly
extinguished the chance of Reform for this genera-
tion, have stopped many salutary improvements
that promised to succeed, have plunged the country
into a disgraceful war, and now maintained a dis-
creditable peace. Under their auspices we have lost
our influence in the councils of European Powers,
and forfeited our ancient boast of being the cham-
pions of the oppressed. While all this dark cata-
logue is unfolded before us it ill becomes the pre-
judicial partisan and the sectarian politician to de-
clare that the Conservatives have failed in their
efforts at Government. They could not have
done worse, and it is merely supposition to
say that they could not have done better
had they had the same chances afforded
to them as Lord PALMERSTON and his friends
have enjoyed for a considerable time past. Sir L.
PALK animadverted upon the conduct of Ministers,
and gave it as his opinion that they would not be
very ready to attempt any great changes, the motto
of their course being " Rest and be thankful."
Also, he affirmed what it is certainly difficult to
contravene—that they found it very convenient to
hold the " places, preferments, and patronage of
Government for a long time, without the responsi-
bility attached to it." Mr. KEKEWICH'S amusing
speech showed up the devices and dodges which
some infatuated politicians had recourse to in their
1 efforts to make things seem what they were not,
and their endeavours to fit incongruous circum-
stances into apparent order. Lord CHURSTON, in
conclusion, made some pertinent observations on
public affairs, and complained that the Government
had endeavoured to give them the credit of possess-
ing a policy which was distasteful to the country,
and thus sought to further their own interests.
This meeting may be termed a " party" one in many
respects, but a spirit of good humour prevailed, and
nothing of an extreme style of bitter feeling per-
vaded the tone of its remarks. On the whole, it
may be taken as a fair average of the opinions of its
party, and really, nowadays, it is something gained
for a politician to have any fixed principles at all.

Very few of the sciences have made more pro-
gress in the last few years than meteorology—in
fact, it may almost be said to have taken its rise
during that time. Among all the wonderful
varieties of knowledge which the skill and study
of man has enabled him to acquire, none is more
marvellous than that foresight which gives him the
power of foretelling those convulsions of the elements
which, to a common observer, appear so erratic and
so wayward. It is one thing, however, to foretell
a storm, and another to control it ; and we have
justaive fishermananhcad painful evidence of man's helplessness to
subdue or influence the fury of the elements. Our
cdknowledge is indeed frequently the
means of saving life by forewarning the sailor and
teaching them ohfowtheto
signsshapeo fthdeiarncgoeursr,
ea,nadndth, us
possible, to avoid •
; but further skill and science
will not go, and thus the
which might seem very department of know-
ledgemost flattering to our self-
conceit serves also to warn us against presumption.
The gale of Friday and Saturday last was excep-
tional in its violence, and has le t f its
trace behind it
in many unexpected quarters. Even •
the sheltered