The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-24 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, JULY 24, 1865.

_.... ____

II the electors of South Lancashire have had
some reason to complain that the shortness of the
time which elapsed between Mr. GLADSTONE'S being
put in nomination and the actual day of election
deprived them of the opportunities of hearing him
which they might reasonably have expected, the
right hon. gentleman seems anxious to do his best
to make them honourable amends. At the declara-
tion of the poll on Saturday Mr. GLADSTONE,
although suffering from his recent exertions, made
a speech of some length, and subsequently, at the
Legh Arms, again addressed his constituents. In
these speeches the Chancellor of the Exchequer
naturally dealt chiefly in generalities, being less
restrained to the particular expression of his political
views than a mere candidate for the suffrages of a
constituency. In fact, it was hardly to be expected
that Mr. GLADSTONE would think it necessary to
deliver his opinions on the particular measures of
the occasion, past or future ; that he would indicate
the course which he considered the Government
should follow in certain contingencies, or that he
should betray any of the secrets of the Ministerial
prison-house to uninitiated ears. Even the great
question of Reform, which has supplied one of the
primary elements of his popularity in South Lan-
cashire, was scarcely referred to, except in general
terms. The whole tone and tenour of the addresses,
however, were consistent with Mr G LADSTONE' s newly
acquired reputation as a Reformer, although he gave
no actual pledges, which his official position might
render it difficult to fulfil, and descended to no par-
ticulars of the reforms which he thought necessary.
In his address at the hustings Mr. GLADSTONE was
careful to avoid any points of political difference or
contention, since, in that lull after the storm of the
election, there is generally an avoidance of discord
and interchange of compliments and congratula-
tions. Mr. GLADSTONE expressed himself very cor-
dially towards those gentlemen who had exerted
themselves on his behalf, and to those electors who
had given him their votes, frankly admitting that
many of his political adversaries had come to his
assistance on this momentous occasion. The Con-
servatives of South Lancashire have done them-
selves honour by their conduct on this occasion, and
they have certainly shown political wisdom in re-
turning one who, however advanced in his doc-

trines as a Reformer, is yet a genuine Conservative,
since he seeks to uphold, not to destroy, to amend
rather, than oferthrow. He would endeavour to
repair the inevitable decay of ages, without altering
the structure or removing any considerable portion
of it. He is not the true Conservative who shrinks
from those necessary touches which preserve the
fabric from ruin. The archological or antiquarian
who cherishes some ancient tower or wall does not
hesitate to add or alter when the hand of Time is
making visible inroads. He knows that rigidly to
insist on the structure remaining untouched, is, in
fact, to ensure its demolition, and thus he who re-
fuses to add to our political constitution those
touches rendered necessary by the progress of intel-
lect, the course of events, the changes of time
and circumstance, is in reality the destroyer
of what he seeks to preserve. No human insti-
tution, however admirable, can be absolutely
perfect, neither can it adapt itself without altera-
tion to altered conditions. It has been cited as an
instance of the Divine origin of Christianity that it
alone of all creeds or systems has been able to adapt
itself to every possible variety of race, of civilisation, of
eimate, of character, leaNing always room formental
and moral as well as material progress, and however
high a man may set his standard, advancing still
beyond it. No scheme or system of man's creation
can share this characteristic, and history shows no
one form of Government after another playing its
part break ing up and disappearing. The real secret of
the fall of dynasties, and failure of constitutions, has
always been that their leaders would not recognise
the features of the times. They thought they could
bend men to their model, instead of altering the
model when it no longer represented the wants and
the wishei of men. Our English people have been
wiser. They have shown the true Conservative spirit
by avoiding a Procrustean system in politics ; and,
recognising how much there is in their ancient con-
stitution that is admirable and enduring, they have
refused to sacrifice the substantial klessings which

it has conferred upon them by insisting upon im-
material details.

As Mr. GLADSTONE justly observed on Saturday
there is much upon which Englishmen of all parties
are agreed. There is, as he phrased it, " a large
inheritance of political belief" common to us all as
Britons, and men of opposite parties unite in with-
holding those great principles of liberty, " liberty of
person, of property, of belief, of speech, of assem-
blage, of petition, which are better understood
mong us than in any country in Europe." But, as
the Chancellor of the Exchequer very justly added,
" In all human institutions there is a principle of
taint and corruption, a principle of lapse and decay
continually at work, and not only the popular
doctrine of politics, but the truest and
soundest philosophy of human nature teaches
that it is the duty of public men to make it their
care and study to apply to those dangerous prin-
ciples a corrective in the shape of vigilant attempts
to amend and anxious desire to advance."

That Mr. GLADSTONE knew the importance of
caution and the danger of reckless or sweeping in-
novations was amply proved in his words to the
working men who presented him with an address.
The words of that address afforded the best answer
to the charge of Democracy and Chartism sometimes
recklessly advanced against the great body of work-
ing men. The framers of it gave their new member
credit for a sincere desire to elevate and
improve the working classes, "as well as
acting justly and consistently to those in a higher
station of life." They went on to compare the
social fabric to a well-built structure, wherein each
part depended on the other, and in which the real
architect, while seeking to improve, would be
always slow to destroy. As Mr. GLADSTONE happily
said on the hustings, it is the fashion for the Liberals
of the day to maintain that they are the better
Conservatives, and for the Conservatives to declare
that they are the truer Liberals. Such unity in
division at least proves that all public men set
much the same objects before them whatever route
they may select, and though absolute unanimity is
alike impossible and undesirable, it is at least well
for us that we have reached a stage where the wel-
fare and happiness of all classes of the community
are the recognised objects for which our public men
should strive.

The election for South Lancashire has passed off
with singular moderation and good feeling, and Mr.
GLADSTONE at least has no reason to complain of
the reception accorded to the two days' candidate.
Politicians of all parties united in paying tribute to
his ability and his public spirit, while the people
generally gave him a genuine English welcome,
which must have gone far to console him for the
rejection of Oxford. The right hon. gentleman
himself showed great tact and good feeling under
somewhat trying circumstances, and partisans of all
grades and colours will rejoice at his speedy and
triumphant return to the House, of which he is so
brilliant a member.

Prussian affairs again claim attention, and from
all the accounts received the authorities appear to
be acting in the most unwise and arbitrary manner.
It, indeed, seems as if the crisis so long expected in
the affairs of this country was fast approaching, for
the signs are ominous and the indications peculiar.
The subject of dispute is concerning a banquet
to the Liberal Deputies, which has given great
umbrage to the powers that be, and the most active
measures have been taken to prevent its celebration.
The chief of the police at Cologne sent notice to the
committee that as the proposed assembly had all the
appearance of a " political association" it was
summoned to dissolve itself. It was most un-
necessary to proceed to such extremities when
nothing really indicated danger but it
appears as if the authorities at Prussia were re-
solved to provoke opposition in order to have an
excuse for proving their strength and putting down
those who offend them. Judging by their conduct
on several occasions this would appear to be their
object and if the efforts of overbearing officials
could produce an enteute, certainly every chance was
afforded by the proceedings at Cologne. The mem-
bers of the committee, as might have been expected
by the harsh and unfair intimation they received,
"protested" against this decision, while they refused
to suspend the preparations for the fete. The jour-
nals that published the protest have been seized. It
has come to something when a people that re-
joiced at its progress in popular rights and
its constitutional privileges are to submit
to these encroachments on their rights, and these
insults to their understandings. A " gagged press"
is always the last resort of tyranny, and speaks
11 volumes as to the character of the government that
sanctions such a wrong.

The King of PRUSSIA has for a long space of time
been active in his efforts to put down freedom of
action, iiidefendent exhibitions, and all liberal ten-
dencies. Aided and abetted by his active allies,
Herr BISMARK and his coadjutors, he has been
sapping the foundations of the Constitution, and
altering everything to suit his views. If it had not
been for the interlude of the banish war, we should
before this time have heard of some strange doings
in Berlin ; but the work of internal controversy was
of necessity stayed while the external altercations
took place. Now-that the glorious war has been
crowned by an honourable peace, the KING and his
Ministers have returned to their former labours, and
with unabated zeal have resolved to carry out their
primary purpose. Perhaps they have hailed this
proposition to entertain the Liberal Deputies as a fair
opportunity for making their determination known,
and thus throwing down the guantlet to their
enemies, but they may perchance find that they
have reckoned without their host, and that they
have provoked a power too mighty for them to
resist, and too indignant to compromise with them
when once its anger has been raised and its prowess
felt. It would seem as if this affair at Cologne
was prophetic of some future and more important
event, it may be as the cloud which at first is no
bigger than a man's hand, but soon overshadows
the place. From first to last the proceedings in this
affair have been significant, the Provincial Court of
Justice in the city cancelled the decision of the
police authorities which dissolved the committee
that had been appointed to arrange the banquet on
the plea of its being organised for political purposes.
The Crown counsel upon this protested against
the decision, and the matter will be carried to a
higher tribunal. Thus dissension is rife in many
quartersattempts
et
fh rtohue gah the
u theri t
i e ill-judgedsnd i
tand
is difficult ill-advised
t
o p re-
diet where the end will be. Whichever way the
Court looks upon the affair, irritation will be sure
to ensue in some direction or other. Either
the authorities will be enraged and proceed to
further
persecutions, or else they will be incited
to
g 0 nn n d
prosper in their vehement endeavours
to stifle our expression of popular sentiments, and
put down representative institutions with a high
hand and a determined spirit.

The proceedings that took place at Cologne on
22d inst. are just what might have been expected.
The police gave orders to close the approaches to
the " Gurgenich Halt," where the entertainment
should have taken place, after all the preparations
had been completed. The guests, in consequence,
repaired to the Metz Hotel, and 60 or 70 deputies

signed an address to the members of the
Banquet Committee, in which they expressed
their opinion as to the matter prettly plainly. They
declared that they joyfully accepted the invitation
they had received, and considered it an expression
of the " confidence of the people in their chosen
representatives." They also considered that the
Fatherland could only prosper if the principles of
Constitutional right that the majority of the Cham-
ber of Deputies advocated were carried out, and
therefore they deeply regretted the prohibition of
the banquet. They did not content themselves,
however, with this intimation, but went to say that
they considered the occupation and closing of the
places appointed by the police after it had been
legally hired was an act contrary to the constitution.
Doubtless, throughout the length and breadth
of the land all true-hearted Prussians have by this
time ratified their decision, and recognised a most
unwarrantable piece of interference with the rights
and privileges of constitutional subjects. The con-
cluding paragraph of this address is very significant,
and the Ministers will do well to consider it well
before they proceed in their mischievous career, for
it speaks the conviction of those who are well quali-
fied to represent the feelings of the community,
and whose prognostications may probably turn out
only too true to be agreeable. After declaring that
the future of Prussia is independent of such re-
gulations they affirm that " So long as the people
assert their constitutional rights, none should
allow their hopes to sink, for the people will finally
decide their own fate."

it seemed as if it was resolved to push military
interference to the extreme limits, for after the
company had repaired to the Zoological Gardens
and assembled in the refreshment rooms, the Mayor
insisted upon their separating, and a squadron of
cavalry took possession of the entrance to the
garden ; another banquet at Veichy was also
stopped by the Mayor of that place, and the
steamer which conveyed the company is occupied
by the troops. At Bremen a similar entertain-
ment is proposed, and doubtless this will renew the
confusion. It is certain that these proceedings
will open the eyes of the people as to the nature
and character of the Government policy ; they must
see and recognise the extent of the evils with which
they are threatened. It is not likely that the
designs of the Berlin Cabinet will be allowed to reach
fruition, for the Prussian people, if they are not
stupid, have tasted long enough the privileges of
constitutional freedom to make them appreciate
their inestimable advantages. They are not likely
to yield their rights tamely and without a struggle;
and in that struggle who can say what will arise
and what pretentious designs may be overthrown,
for those who are slow to be roused are more de-
termined when they offer resistance.