The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-09 00:00:00

LORD DMVDONALD.

The following letter has been addressed to the editor of
the Standard :

Sir, ifa.ving reflected on the probable duration and un-
satisfactory result of a correspondence with the editor of a
journal who pretends to a knowledge of circumstances
with which it is impossible be could be acquainted, and
unscrupulously asserts as truths what at, best are his own
groundless surmises, I think that I cannot better repel the
imputation of a " visionary-turn of mind and a sad lack o
judgment" than by passing over all minor aspersions and
asking my accuser to explain how he came to know that
"at the time of the Burdett riots I had almost persuaded
the popularity-hunting baronet to pursue a course that
would infallibly have led to a great and aimless loss of lifer
Now if he can show this—which I declare to be an atro-
cious falsehood, and a vile calumny on the memory of that
truly loyal, honourable, and sincere well-wisher to the
best interests of the Crown and country—let him have
credit with the public for all the falsehoods which (in re-
venge for my late exposure of party calumny) he has so
basely cast on me, even to my having been "led by folly
and excitement (or worse motives) into a grave collision
with the laws of my country."
No ! was not led into any such "collision •;" but was
most falsely accused of it, and unjustly condemned upon
fallacious infei eices drawn from fortuitous circumstances,
collected and artfully cimbined by similarly unprincipled
political understrappers, whose patrons were deeply ag-
grieved by my Parliamentary opposition to an :unmerited
vote of thanks, and by my exposure of official plunder in-
jurious to the energies of the naval service and to the in-
terests of our country.
I look back, Sir, with pleasure on the course I pursued,
and console myself with the truthful remark made to me
by th. late talented Lord Erskine, that "there is no act of
a man's life, however meritorious, that cannot by ingenuity
be turned to his disadvantage.'
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
DIINDONALD.

P.S. I have been urged by a relative and affectionate
friend to add the following memoranda in refutation of
the inference that "folly, excitement, and a sad lack of
judgment" led me to commit treason and fraud.
Did the successful attack and capture of the Xebecs
frigate El Gamo, of 32 heavy guns and 319 men, by the
Speedy brig, of 14 four-pcunders and 54 men, evince want
of judgment?
Did the attack by the Pallas, of 32 guns, whereby the
Minervr frigate, of 44 guns, was driven on shore, though
supported by the Lynx, Sylph, and Palinura brigs, of 18
guns each, justify that imputation ?
Did the conduct of the affair of Basque Roads (which
no other officer volunteered to undertake), or did the per-
sonal guidance of the explosion vessel which burst the
boom and cleared the passage for the fire ships, show want
of thought ?
Did the successful defence cf the Castle of Roses, after
it had been battered in breach and abandoned by its gar-
rison, and the subsequent repelling of a powerful storming
party, evince bereavement of understanding?
Did the uniform success of numerous minor attacks on
forts, telegraphs, barracks, and ports, during successive
years, denote uuretlecting rashness?
Did the personal boarding and capture of the Spanish
frigate Esmeralda, though moored under the fortress of
Callao (which capture decided the question of naval ow.
ricaity in the Pacific), evince lack of reflection on the pro-
bability of success?
Did the deliberately planned and successfully executed
attack on the fort of Valdivia (garrisoned by 2,000
troops and as many militia) by 400 men, embarked in
an unarmed schooner, exhibit want of the reasoning
faculty?
Did the operations on the coast of Brazil, which expelled
the Portuguese fleet from its shores by one ship, and the
annexation thereby of all the northern provinces to the
empire, warrant the imputation of an unsound mind?
Or has the hitherto unobtrusive submission to the un-
deserved mulct of 16 years' half-pay, and that of 1,0001.,
rather than ask for their return, and so subject myself to
the risk of slanderous " money-seeking" imputations, by
the unscrupulous underlings of party, given colour to the
accusation of "a sad lack of judgment?" •
London, Oct. 7.