The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-20 00:00:00

LONDON, WFDNESI)AY, DECEMBER 20, 1854

•
.erifouse of Commons last night affirmed, by
Aority of 39, that "it is expedient that her
rBl4l 9C should be enabled to enlist and employ
nets in her array." The proposition, how-
, was strongly contested, and we venture to

,rt that many of the majority /WY Or gave a
- unpalatable vote since the commencement of
r Parliamentary career. A. large proportion
the number decided in direct opposition to

eir own views and feelings. Under other cir-
eumstances, if a Derbyite Ministry held the seals
of office, the proposition would have been resisted
with the utmost energy and determination, and
the motives of those by whom it was brought for-
ward fiercely impugned. But now it seems as if
Honourable Gentlemen looked to " men rather
than measures," and that what would in one case
be sternly denounced, would, in the other, be ac-
cepted without protest or remonstrance.
It is but an act of justice to admit that " the
leek" was, in most instances, swallowed with edi-
fying humility. In place of making wry faces and
uttering threats of speedy and most hor-
rible vengeance, they had to dispose of
the nauseous dose with cheerful countenances,
s.tch as nurses exhibit when inducing their
refractory charges to obey the doctor's orders,
persuading them that it is so nice, and
hinting how " glad many poor children would be
of such nice physic." The specious pretences
were, however, easily discovered •; an involuntary
rising of the gorge against the bitter pill betray-
jug the real sentiments of its pretended ad-
mirers.

Two causes were mainly instrumental • m pro-
curing for Ministers the success which they
achieved. Ist, The knowledge that if the mea-
sure had been ignominiously rejected—as it ought
to have been—it would have aff3rded an excuse
for all past and future transgressions. The ex-
traordinary credulity, or rather gullibility, which
they displayed in regarding the professions rather
than the practice, the "sayings" rather than the
"doings," of Nicuo.L.As, with which they perversely
clung to the hope of peace, long after it had
vanished from every rational mind, would all be
atoned for and involved in oblivion, if the House
of Commons considered that 10,000 English,
Scotch, or Irish, might possibly prove as
efficient soldiers as an equal number of Ger-
mans—that they could fight as vigorously fur the
safety and honour of their fatherland as the
foreign mercenaries for the " pelt" for which they
were ready to sell their venal srvicos to the
highest and fairest bidder, to NICROLIS as well
as to Queen VICTORIA.
Any future mishap, too, would be ascribed to
the rejection ; and if Russian reinforcements suc-
ceeded in shedding more English blood, it would
all be owing to the factious refusal to employ the
invincible and irresistible Germans ! This was a
responsibility which many persons did not wish
to assume, or to afford a convenient cloak under
which Ministers might shelter all sins of omission
or commission. They thought, whether justly or
otherwise we leave the public to decide, that they
wash" allow the Government to take its own
c°llll'efe'r the present, unfettered and unrestrained
•--give it ample rope, and abide the result. We
confess,
however, we cannot regard such a course
as either manly or constitutional. Nor do we
see how men can consistently divest themselves
of the important duties confided to their charge
by the suffrages of free and •
independent consti-
tuencies.
But there was a second and oven more
powerful
operation. The threat
influence in resorted to only
in desperate cases was fulminated againt
waverers.
A "resignation" or a dissolution were th© awful
alternatives that must follow a Ministerial defeat.
Many felt that the result of an appeal to the
country would be that they would have to bid a
long farewell to all their greatness "—that they
could no longer append the magic initials M.P.
to their names, but would be compelled to sink
into priv4e life. Others, although they might
anticipate a renewal of confidence and further
tenure of their seats, might tremble at the large

amounts to be extracted from their pockets for