The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-30 00:00:00

= .
er -;;;Ei•rfi
-4191 ft 44Air
4.4) ti.,4l"•!tarV/UO/40.1. 444114

LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1854.

It is of vital importance that a vigilant super-
vision should be exercised over Prussian proceed-
ings at the present moment. The vacillating
and equivocal conduct of that Power since the
commencement of the War has gone far to alienate
the kindly feeling with which it Lad previously
been regarded by the English nation. We were
accustomed to consider it entitled to our confi-
dence, respect, and friendship ; infortunately,
these impressions are altogether removed, and
grave suspicions, humiliating estimates, and con-
temptuous indifference substituted therefor. This
is not the fault of the people. We believe that they
ars still sound at heart, faithful, brave, and con-
sistent, and that, were they allowed to dO so, they
would gladly cast in their let with the Western
Powers, and brave every danger in the, cause of
truth, justice, and progress. Unfortunately, how-
ever, their rulers are very differen fly disposed. Their
weak-minded Sovereign looks only to the creature
comforts in which he so liberally indulges, and to
the gratification of personal feelings, amiable in a
private individual, but highly derogatory to the
interests of the great people whose destinies are
committed to his charge. He forgets the great
principle that nations have no brothers-in-la iv,
and that the steps which he may be induced to
take or to neglect--his acts of omission or
commission, for the purpose of sparing the
personal pride of his friend and brother—may
prove very detrimental to the welfare and happi-
ness of millions of his subjects, who really possess
the earliest claims upon his sympathies, and whose
atfety, honour, and prosperiti should be exclu-
sively thought of in any matte a. where they could
by any possibility be effected,. The KING might
make an excellent country garttleman of the good
old times of unlimited and unreasoning convi-
viality. Devoted to post-prandial enjoyments..-,a
man with whom, as poor MAXWELL was accus-
tomed to remark, "you migl rt drink in the dark,"
without any danger of his sowncing the bottle, he
would at any time postpone bu siness, however ur-
gent, for the discussion of " a muldest quencher," or
possibly so many "modest queue hers" that his facul-
..

ties would be altogether obscux ed. It is at such
moments that insidious counsets are breathed into
his ear, that his maudlin feelin gs are worked on
in favour of his friend and brotl nor or by those who
have sold their venal services to Russia, and are
desirous of earning the degral.ing wages of their
infamy. It has been justly remarked that a weak
sovereign is more injurious t o the nation than a
wicked one. The change from King Log to
King Stork miglat have been 'beneficial to
the frogs who escaped the lioyal 7.,111, aid ;rho

were not destined to form iho materials of "a
' dainty dish to set before the I ring." So it is with
FREDERICK WILLIA.M. The v ery points that might
make him a respectable, aye, :an estimable, friend
in private life, have been -destructive to his
character as a Monarch, and very prejudicial to
the cause of Prussia.

Now, knowing the feelingg by which he has
hitherto been influenced ; seem g, also, that all his
efforts have been directed tows .rds extricating the
AUTOCRAT from the scrape in which his pride and
cupidity had involved him, w e must regard any
Prussian interference in the -quarrel with doubt
and suspicion. Timeo Dana os, et dona ferentes,
should be the motto of every English Diplomatist
and Minister ; and the more plausible the profes-
sions, the More specious the protestations, of the
Prussian representatives, the more cautious
should be the conduct of those acting on behalf
of the United Kingdom, or rather of the Western
Powers, for in this case the interests of France
and England are one and indissoluble. Wo are
now told that a Prussian despatch, addressed to
the Cabinets of London and Paris, announces
"an agreement with the views of the Western
Powers, and offers, to the terms of a special arrange-
ment, conformably with the particular position, of
Prussia, to unite with them in, urging a settlement
of existing difficulties !" This is indeed ominous !
This is something to be carefully watched !--suffi-
cient to induce every Englishman to shake off his
apathy, and to be on the alert against the
" dodges" of those whose interference is not for
our good, and who, considering the peace-at-any-
price predilections of the English Premier, may
produce most serious mischief before the re-assem-
bling of Parliament will enable us to obtain full
information of what is going iorward. The selec-
tion of such an envoy as M. VON USEDOM—one
who, as a pupil in the sclvool of the Chevalier
BUNSEN, is popular in England—only enhances
the danger. FREDERICK WILLIAM and his ad-
visers well know that an ami.assador of a different
character would have no &twee of success, and
they strive to shelter th'emselves behind his
deservedly high reputation. He is cordially re-
ceived at the English Court, in a very different
manner from that which would be accorded to a
Russian partisan. He has the opportunity of
offering suggestions and throwing out hints which
might not be granted to one of a different calibre.
But this is not all. It is mot merely the pre-
sence of M. Vorr Usenom in Lostd.on that must be
provided against: There are collateral matters
going on at Vienna, that proves that there is some-
thing threatening in the wind. („"in the 28th last, at
Vienna nay, more, at the resLidence of the Earl
of WESTMORELAND ! ! a conference was held, . at
which were present not merely -the representatives
of England, France, and Austria, but also of
Russia. Yes, Prince GORMSCHAKOFF assisted
in the deliberations of Count BUOL, Baron
DE BOURQUENEY, and the Earl 'of WESTMORELAND.
We only wonder that Colonel VON MA NTECITEL
was absent ! While such matte rs are going on—
while we see the war " star-lead." by Ministers
determined to obtain peace a,:t any price, or on
any conditions, it is time. that the people
should be true to themselves, and should impress
on their representatives, the necessity of being
fully alive to the schemes and intrigues that
are in operation for the purpose of securing an
early
armistice. We cannot cal;] it a peace, one
that would not be in accordance with the honou37
or the interests of England, bait would, in ex-
change for a temporary time, ttgore than quad-
ruple our future sacrifices. No ; we have Ruzsiti