The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-08 00:00:00

STRAND TREA.TRE.

Sole Lessee, Mr. F. W. Alicroft.—Directress, Miss Rebecca Isaacs,
THIS EVENING, Mama 8,
Wlll be performed THE HEART OF AN IRISHMAN. Princi-
pal characters by Messrs. G. Hodson, Herbert, and Miss Noel.
Followed by the ANONYMOUS LETTER.
After which, THE WATERMAN. The principal character by
Miss O. Hodson.
To conclude with THE COIRKONIAN BROTHERS. Paddy and
Tim Mulligan (the Brothers), Mr. G. Hodson.
Stalls, 55.; Boxes, 35.; Pit, Is. 6d; Gallery, 6(1. ; Private Boxes,
F. l Is. 6d., to be had of Mr. Allcroft, 15, New Bond-street.

ASTLErS EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke.
•
• THIS EVENING, Mallen 8,
And daring the week, will be presented the new, grand, and
romantic spectacle entitled THE WOODIIAN'S HORSE; or, The
False Knight—the Woodman's Horse by the pet steed, Beauty,
expressly trained by Mr. William Cooke.
After which, Scenes of the ARENA.
To conclude with the Domestic Drama of THE WHITE FARM.
Box-office open from Eleven tilt Font*. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
West.

lUGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tele DAY —Morning 58 Inin.after 7 I Evening 37 min.aft. 8
To•Moaaow—'Morning 22 mix:Latter 9 I Evening 6 min.aft. 10

THE WEA.TELEIt.—§um Orrzcz, Melton 8.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
53 —highest since noon yesterday.
47—lowest this morning and during the night.
5G —this day at noon.

BA.IIO3IETER, 30'40.
WIND, S.W.—Strong breeze, and cloudy.

. 11 3.Yy
;

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1854,

Admiral Sir CHARLES NAPIER was last evening
feasted by the members of the Reform Club, on
the occasion of what must henceforth, we believe,
long continue to be regarded as a very memorable
entertainment. It originated, as the public are
well aware, in the selection of that distinguished
ffea-captain as the Commander-in-Chief of the ma-
ritime armament about to enter the Baltic imme-
diately spring' renders its still frozen waters
navigable, and there by appearing off Cronstadt
to threaten, and in all probability to accomplish,
the capture of St. Petersburgh. Whatever be the
destiny of that noble fleet, entrusted by the
QUEEN, and awarded by the Ministers of the
Crown, to his guidance, it was obviously but rea-
sonable that the admirers of that gallant officer
should be desirous to indicate, in some public
manner, before his departure, their admiration
for his past history—their sympathy in his heroic
fortunes—their entire confidence in his genius,
his energy, and his determination. Therefore,
yesterday's banquet was given to him at the
Reform Club—a banquet attended by the Right
Ron. the First Lord of the Admiralty.given in
an apartment significantly and appropriately
adorned with the blended banners of England,
France, and Turkey—presided over by a chair-
man no less eminent in official rank and in
personal reputation than the Noble Viscount, her
14Liazsre's Principal Secretary of State for the
Home Department. Considering the grandeur
of the occasion, when Europe is on the verge of
a general war—remembering the imminence of
the crisis, bearing in mind that the guest was
Sir CHARLES NAPIER, and that the chairman was
Lord PALMERSTON-.-4t would not be extravagant
to assert that the festivity of last evening was al-
together invested with the dignity of an historical
incident. It was surely an historical incident—.
VIA first 'public dinner where a Minister of the
British Crown was enabled to propose as a toast
the united navies of. France and England. It
Icris surely an historical incident--that first public
dinler,where a British statesman could introduce
Without indelicacy, could introduce most appo-
81411_, 7'. and eulogistically, immediately after the
,cu3t9*-y,, toasts expressive of the loyalty of
-assembled, the names of his Majesty the
SULTAN' CALIPH and of the Imperial Chieftain
'seri3et.ed b-. '
x r French neighbours.as their SOVE-
nEIGN.It was quite evident from every word
that fell last ayenitia,
from the lips of Viscount
PALAtERSrox, 'in his .
capacity as. chairman,
that he NV3tS
.the full conscious of the
singularity and toef the importance of the
opportunity.
It was evident' from the mingled
grace and fervour with Which
• his hearers the names
he introduced 0 the
notice of
of NAPOLEON and
of ABD-UL-MEDJID, of the SULTAN and of the
.EUPEROR, of those two eminent Princes, who at
Various times but under kindred influences for
example, the one by the liberation of
A.BD-EL-
KADEZ, and the other by the bestowal of an
°State upon LAMA RTINE--evinceci their chivalrous
sense of some of the nobler dictates of magna
inity. As Lord PALMERSTON himself facetiously
intimated, after the turtle of such toasts came__
What was a social banquet in itself—the chief
toast of the evening, that of the guest of the occa-
sion, the Gallant Admiral who had already won
many a perennial wreath of glory both on the
coasts of the land of CAMOENS and on the borders
of Palestine. The allusions made by the noble
chairman to the former achievements of Sir
CHARLES NAPIER--to his deeds of prowess, firstly
in Portugal and afterwards in Syria, were wel-
comed with the utmost, enthusiasm, as might of
worthy
have been anticipated. It is particularly
worthy of observation, however, that scarcely less
entliusiah
tfaS dasplayed later on in the

.a.zoolo 0,4:1

evening, when Lord DUDLEY STUART men.-
tioned the names of OMER PACHA and of

Captain SLADE, coupling with each an earnest
and eloquent tribute of admiration. Let it
be especially remembered, however, that the in-
terest awakened by the remarks of the noble Lord
the Member for Marylebone, was considerably
enhanced by the recollection, that lie himself had
so recently traversed those lands and those waters
which are being illustrated in the annals of Europe
by the valour and the warlike capacity of the
Turkish Admiral and the Turkish military Com-
mander-in-Chief. Close we now our reference to
this interesting banquet of las't evening, ivith an
echo of that gallant hope, gallantly expressed by
Sir CHARLES NAPIER, that before long he may
once more meet his entertainers—this time not
to congratulate him on his nomination to the
command of the Baltic Fleet, but to celebrate
some decisive battle won not far from the walls of
the capital of St. Petersburgh.

General Sir CHARLES NAPlER—reviled during
his glorious life-time by the basest of his foes;
and pursued even within the sacred precincts of
the tomb by their unrelenting and inhuman ani-
mosity—is, it would appear, at least to have the
posthumous tribute of a spontaneous and national
Testimonial. It is scarcely necessary for us to
say that the project of this noble, and affecting,
and beautiful evidence of homage for the hero's
memory commands at once—on the instant—Tour
support and sympathy to the very uttermost.
We believe it will in like manner command the
sympathy and support, the earnest sym-
pathy and active support, of every true
and generous heart among the masses of
our population. Remember ! this tribute
is not only a tribute to the memory of the heroic
Conqueror and the wise Administrator—the Con-
queror and Administrator of the vast province of
Scinde —but it is, besides that, a visible protest,
on the part of the people of England, against the
infamy of those who are scattering derision upon
his tomb, the derision of their, ungrateful and
systematic misrepresentations. This Testimonial
to the victor of Meannee and Hyderabad, is, in other
words, not only a tribute of popular admiration,
for the genius and the valour of Sir CHARLES
NAPIER, but a national protest against those who
are implicated in any way with his calumniators
during life and after death, and especially against
the more implacable of his personal antagonists
who are members of the ungrateful East Indian
Government. It is at once, therefore, we repeat,
a protest and a tribute, this " NAPIER Testi-
monial" a protest against treachery and
ingratitude, and a tribute of respect and
admiration. Englishmen !—all of you who are
lovers of justice, and admirers of heroism, or
who have a rational affection for the good old
English regard for fairplay, all of you who have a
wholesome detestation of anonymous calumniators
—those assassins of reputation I—contribute some
coin, if it be only a penny, to be melted down as
it were into a portion of that bronze, which will
attest to after times in some public place in our
capital, ,that the many noble qualities of Sir
CHARLES NAPIER, the Hero of Scinde and Cepha-
lonia, were not altogether unappreciated by those
masses of his Mellow-countrymen who were his
contemporaries.

Have any of our readers ever strolled into the
House of Commons in the early part of the Ses-
sion during the hours devoted to private busi-
ness ? We do not mean that they have visited
the " Gallery" for the purpose of hearing matters
of general importance discussed. We do not re-
quire their presence beyond the lobby, through
which the several members are hurrying for the
purpose of making or keeping " a House." 'Nor
will we detain them for any considerable period
from the dinners which are already in course of
preparation at the neighbouring hotels and
taverns. From the moment that they enter
into the vicinity of the Temple of Legislation,
between the hours of half-past 3 and 5 o'clock,
they will perceive manifestations of extraordinary
excitement and bustle that, if strangers, might
induce them to suppoie that the fate of the
Ministry, or at least of some question of vital
importance to the community, was about to
be decided. Nay, more, they might easily
fancy themselves persons of considerable con-
sequence, on whose conduct the affairs of the
nation and the best interests of society were
dependent. For, no matter from what quarter
they approached, whether coming from the
aristocratic districts westward of the Park, via
George-street, from the busy thoroughfares
around Charing-cross, by way of Parliament-
street, from the transpontine regions over the
crazy, tumbling bridge of Westminster, or even
from the quarters abutting on the penitential
Millbank and the classic Horseferry-road, they
will find themselves. strictly scrutinised by seedy-
looking strangers, who dog their footsteps, and,
when assured that they are actually wending their
way towards the House, rush forward to announce
the arrival of unknown • strangers, who must, of
course, be in some degree concerned in the busi-
ness exclusively occupying the thoughts of the
outlying scouts. The results of the intelligence
speedily become perceptible. Scarcely have they
taken up their positions before they are accosted
by a polite and communicative stranger, clad in
professional attire, who, with considerable tact,
contrives to enter into conversatiOn, and discover
whether they are in any way,interested in the
Grand Economical --Producing Association—
(we leave the subjectunknown, lest ourobservations
might be construed)—and whether they come to
support or oppose its bill, which stands for a
second reading that evening, and on which a divi-
sion is expected in a very few minutes. If
the party be numerous, they are attacked on the
right and left wings, by agents pro and con.,
while another respectable-looking individual has
probably assailed the centre. It will be found
a task of no ordinary difficulty for the visitors to
convince their recent acquaintances that they
could have been attracted by any object uncon-
nected with the all-engrossing subject on which
they themselves were engaged. But if successful
in doing so, they are importuned by men of
whose existence they were utterly ignorant a quar-
ter of an hour previously to use their influence
with any member bywhom they may be recog-
nised, for or against the measure, which is either
the most beneficial to the nation_ brought forward
at any time, or ,the greatest.job ever attempted to
be perpetrated—according to the side on which
the " touter" may chance to be engaged. Men
will naturally feel :astonished at being asked to
take any part respecting a matter of the actual
merits whereof they are totally unacquainted.
They will naturally inquire what can be the
nature of the system that adMits of such pro-
ceedings, and their astonishment will •be in-
creased when they find lionOurable, aye, and Right
Honourable Gentlemen, actively canvassed by
partie* just as ignorant as themselves, and those
distinguished representatives pledging their votes
without further information or inquiry
This, gentle reader, is the mode in which the
private Parliamentary business of the country is
conducted. This is the system of which Lord
STAXLEy so justly complains, and which renders
the fate of any measure, no matter how deeply in-
teresting to the parties, and founded on, or opposed
to natural justice or public good, dependent on
a species of lottery, or, what is worse, of thimble-
rigging or sleight of hand. It must be obvious
that the House should assume the functions of a
Grand Jury on such occasions, and that their
duty is to see if there are sufficient grounds for
further inquiry to justify them in subjecting its
opponents to the expense and inconvenience of
carrying their opposition before the Select Com-
mittee, to which if, read a second time, it must
be referred. It must be obvious that
some information would be necessary to en-
able the judges to decide impartially and
correctly.
But none such is obtainable, save
from interea
parties, whose opinions cannot
receive implicit credence. As Lord STANLEY re-
marks, th,e proceeding is rather judicial than legis-
lative, but it is, nevertheless conducted with the
most total absence of judicial forms, and the
Noble Loy rd by ,no means exaggerates when he
states; a s Qf his own knowledge instances of mem-