The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-15 00:00:00

THE ',:SUN,' LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JAN CIARY 15, 1862.

of LONDON, "to wait for the quickly coming
assembly of the representatives of the nation ; and
nothing could be more becoming than that they
should testify by some great public act their sense,
as the representatives of the nation, of what it has
pleased God to bring upon us. But still, perhaps,"
said his lordship, " it is something more congenial
to the feelings of Englishmen that the first move-
ment in this matter should come from ourselves—
that it should not have that formal appearance
which a vote in the Houses of Parliament would
necessarily present—that it should not be merely
that the representatives of the people should pro-
pose that a monument should be erected to an illus-
trious Prince, but that the youngest and the poorest
in the land, as well as those who are our chiefs in
wealth and in rank, should have the opportunity of
joii.ing spontaneously to testify what it is they feel
in this calamity." Acting upon this very natural
impulse under the circumstances the citizens of
the metropolis have now (delaying the expression
of their loyal sympathy no longer) formally resolved
that a monument, such as the one suggested, shall
be raised, and the cost of it provided for by public
subscription. A numerous committee has been at
once formed, in order to carry out the necessary
arrangements. Four thousand pounds sterling was
collected yesterday afternoon before the meeting in
the Egyptian Hall, at the Mansion House, had dis-
persed, And as a guarantee that the Testimonial
about to be erected, by national subscription, in the
City of London, in honour of his late Royal High-
ness, shall be such as could best be wished in its
character—the plan of it, before being carried out,
is to be submitted to our widowed QUEEN for her
MAJESTY'S approval. It was yesterday beautifully
and most touchingly remarked by the Bishop of
LONDON that this projected monument will tell
to our children, in times to come, and to their
children's children" the story of a young man who
came to this country from a foreign land, unknown
—and Englishmen are peculiarly unwilling to learn
lessons from foreigners—who soon won his way to
the best affections of the country into which he
came—who, knowing that nothing was so dear to
Englishmen as the due discharge of duty in domestic
life, first won our hearts in this simple way, and
then was able to go forth also into a wider sphere
and perform great public duties, the advantage of
which we shall reap for many generations." In
that one brief, and simple, and eloquent sentence
the whole grace and nobility of that too short life
is admirably summarised. In uttering those few
words the Bishop of LONDON was pronouncing
upon the departed PRINCE a lofty and truly
enviable panegyric.
As to the abundant reason there is for
the manifestation of a particular respect
and affection towards th 6 memory of the late
PRINCE CONSORT by the City of London, it is suf•
ficient to remember what was said yesterday upon
that subject by the Lord STRATFORD DE RED
CLIFFE. "It is becoming," said his lordship,
" that this metropolis, which represents more com-
pletely than any other part of the country the
whole various range of the arts and industry of
the country, which are seated on the foundations of
our national prosperity, should be early in the
field doing honour to that PRINCE whose
memory is so much endeared to us by the double
tie of his perfect domestic conduct, and the con-
stant sympathy he showed with all the interests,
institutions, and prosperity of the country, and
especially with the welfare and advancement of the
working classes. These," added Lord STRATFORD,
"were the titles which particularly recommended
him to our esteem and reverence, but they came
home to our feelings—Rot dryly addressed to our
principles and convictions, but accompanied with
all that could engage our sentiments, exhibited by
him in the most intimate connexion with the
SOVEREIGN of the land—with a lady who, indepen-
dent of her high station, has fixed her seat in
the hearts of the people as a pattern of un-
exampled virtue and maternal affection—in
whose conduct some, perhaps, from political motives
might have rejoiced to find a flaw, but none could
be discovered, while under her beneficent sceptre we
enjoy all that dignity, honour, and prosperity which
so happily mark the present era." Let us hope that
for once the monument that is now about to be raised
in the City of London will be one that Englishmen
may not have reason to blush for when looked at by
intelligent foreigners. It is due to the memory of
His Royal Highness, as one of the most illustrious
Patrons of Modern Art, that the monument now
meditated shall be, as far as possible, worthy of the
age of whose gratitude it will be the attestation,
and of the Princely, and Knightly, and Noble, and
Stainless name that is to be inscribed upon it.

Lord RUSSELL has closed the correspondence on
the Trent affair in a style quite worthy of that
with which he commenced it. His countrymen
will, to a man, be proud of their Foreign Secretary.
It is impossible to conceive a happier combination
of dignified urbanity and desire to put the best
construction on an opponent's language, with im-
movable firmness on what was needful for his
country's honour, than has been shown by Lord
RUSSELL in this correspondence.
The account of his interview with Mr. ADAMS
over the unlucky despatch of Mr. SEWARD to the
latter, dated the 30th of November, is interesting.
Mr. ADAMS appears to us to have been unbecom-
ingly desirous to ascertain what the British Govern-
ment would do if the prisoner were not given up.
Lord RUSSELL declined to satisfy him. But the
questions represented Mr. ADAMS as viewing the
subject in the light of a bargaining affair rather
than one of right and justice. His questions pointed
to the American conclusion that if the penalty of
wrong-doing were not too great the wrong might

be adhered to. Lord RUSSELL, on the contrary,

would do nothing to interfere with their freedom of
action—nothing which should seem like a threat.

It is impossible not to notice with pleasure his happy
retort on the American Ambassador. Mr. ADAMS
said that the French Government had always been
very consistent in their maintenanre of the rights
of neutrals. "He added that he could not pay our
Government the same compliment. I said I would
dispense with compliments if this matter could be
amicably arranged."
The most important now of the despatches is the
last in reply to Mr. SEWARD'S, forwarded to Lord
RUSSELL by Lord LYONS on the:27th,of December.
It is dated the 11th of January. Lord RUSSELL
had the task before him of accepting a despatch
filled with sadly faulty reasonings, finished off by
by a very acceptable conclusion. He regards,
therefore, as ho had informed Mr. ADAMS he
should, the disavowal of the act of Capt. WILKES
by the Government as an apology, and accepts the
unconditional liberation of the prisoners as a
substantial compliance with the British demands.

"11cr MAJESTY'S Government having carefully
taken into their consideration the liberation of the
prisoners, the delivery of them into our hands, and
the explanations to which I have just referred,
have arrived at the conclusion that they constitute
the reparation which her MAJESTY and the Britifei
nation had a right to expect."
All the rest Lord RUSSELL leaves Pit. future
discussion. His Lordship seems unwilling to mar
the good feeling with which he desires to write, by