The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-24 00:00:00

the Note, of the Sened, and of the Convention, be
meekly submitted to by the AUTOCRAT ? Will the
"EMPEROR'S Cup for 1853"—that sickening cup of
most delectable Turkey Rhubarb, depicted by one of
the artists of our sagacious and inimitablePunch—
be quietly swallowed (with a wry face) by the Atrro-
ORAT 7 Or will his insensate policy be carried to
its utmost extravagance—will his forces cross the
Pruth, and advance to the occupation of the,
Danubian Principalities ? In either event, the
ulterior and inevitable consequence must be satis-
factory. Supposing, for example, on the one
hand, that the CZAR consents to the intermediation
of Austria with a view to the negotiation of some
ingenious diplomatic compromise--the prestige of
his authority in the East will have altogether
evaporated. The pride of his despotism will have
yielded to the chivalrous resolution of Turkey,
aided by the support simultaneously accorded to
Turkey by the French and British Governments.
Russia may then " slope" as much as ever she
likes towards Asia, according to the famous phrase
of M. DE LAMARTINE—for thenceforth she can
never dream of " sloping" towards Constantinople.
So much, consequently, for the happy nature of
the result under that contingency. Now let us
cor sider for a moment the probabilities of the
result brought about by the opposite conjecture.
Suppose, therefore, on the other hand, that the
Emperor NICHOLAS, enraged beyond measure by
the inflexible bearing of the Sublime Porte—
in other words, wholly beside himself on
finding his golden day-dream melting away
at the very moment when it seemed to give
promise of its realisation,—supposing that his
wrath be such at the disappointment, that for
once he pays no regard whatever to the dictates
of prudence, but marches his troops across the
Russian frontiers, and so declares war against Turkey
and her allies—he will find himself confronted in
the attack, not merely by the patriotic ardour of
the Osmanlis, but by the combined armaments
also of the two most formidable powers of
Europe, by the allied influence of the two
mightiest races of Christendom. What the up-
shot of such an unequal contest would be,
it were not difficult, of course, at once to antici-
pate. To question the result for an instant would
be preposterous. The Pruth once crossed by the
Cossacks—the French and British fleets now at
the Dardenelles would advance to the opposite
shores of the sea of Marmora, and take up their
position in the waters of Constantinople. Pro-
bably they will penetrate yet further, traverse the
Bosphorus, enter the Black Sea, bombard Odessa, and
rifle the stores of Sebastopol. It was rumoured some
time ago that the Emperor NAPOLEON had re-
solved, in the event of the Cossacks marching
boldly upon the line of the Balkan Mountains, to
ship 30,000 French soldiers across the Mediter-
ranean, and disembark them at Constantinople.
Whether this report be accurate or wholly suppo-
•sitious, it is at least tolerably certain that there is
at this moment an exceeding probability of a
military as well as of a maritime movement against
the AUTOCRAT. Possibly, therefore, some speedy
advantage may arise both from Chobham and
from Satory. Even Mr. CosnEN—the great
Apostle of Arbitration—will admit that it must
require an iron gauntlet to crumple up Russia like
a sheet of pap3r in the summary manner that he
was the first to indicate. Consequently, with
that knowledge before us, it is some satisfaction
to be conscious that England and France are now
equally on the alert in regard to the policy of the
Emperor NICHOLAS, and to remember that, at the
present moment, in proof of this, the union-jack
and the tricolor are fluttering side by side at the
Dardanelles.

Before dividing on Lord STANLEY'S amendment
on the second reading of the India Bill, Honour-
able Gentlemen will have to consider not merely
the expediency of giving time for obtaining the
further information necessary for permanent legis-
lation on •this intereating-and important-au-1460t,
but also the possibility of bringing the measure
now before the House to a definite and satisfactory
conclusion within the few remaining weeks of the
present Session. It is not simply that we should
give the parties, so deeply interested in the form
of government under which they are to live, the
opportunity of being heard in their own cause, of
putting forward and substantiating their reasonable
complaints, before they are practically shelved for
an indefinite period; but that there should be full
and ample time to consider attentively and maturely
G.he Ministerial propositions, introducing the amend-
u:eats necessary to remove the many grave and
Serious objections that are entertained on all sides
to the complicated details of the bill—we must
not forget that Midsummer has arrived, and that
the centrifugal force that usually disperses mem-
bers of both branches of the Legislature at this
season, operates with more than usual power in
consequence of the early commencement of the
session--the sitting in November, and up to,
and during a portion of, the Christmas holi-
days—neither hereditary nor representative
legislators will, unless under very- peculiar
circumstances, consent to do more than a cer-
tain quantity of business during the legis-
lative period, and there is certainly no such power-
ful claini 'on their sympathies* and indulgence
in the present. instance. The old adage that
" all work and no play makes JACK a dull boy,"
finds many favourers within the Imperial Palace at
Westminster, and our legislatorial " JACKS" have
no notion of consenting to the introduction of
any practice that will increase their natural dull-
ness, which is, perhaps, as largely developed as
the most inveterate Conservative could desire.

If proof were required as to the indisposition of
the House to enter upon a task so arduous
and so important at such a time, it would be
found in the listless and wearied appearance of
the scanty audience that could be attracted by the
Indian debate. There were periods during the
evening at which a " count- out" might have
brought the discussion to an igi:ominious termi-
nation; and afforded startling evidence to the
Oriental subjects of Queen VICTORIA as to the
carelessness and apathy with which their affairs
were regarded. Even those who could be pre-
vailed upon, by the blandishments or ob-

j urgations of the whippers-in, to attend,
paid little attention to the arguments of the
speakers on either side, but lounged and slum-
bered on the almost empty benches, exhibiting
pictures of persons in a state of happy and tran-
quil insonceance rather than of men engaged in
the consideration of a great question materially
affecting the welfare and happiness of 150, 000, 000
ofhuman beings, acknowledging the same allegiance
as themselves, or at least dependent on the protection
of the Anglo-Indian Government. Surely, no
better argument could be required in favour of
the postponement, which is so essential to the
correct solution of the great problem.
If delay were, indeed, so dangerous as Sir
CHARLES WOOD endeavours to show, who but
himself is to blame for such a result. Why did
he procrastinate so long ? Why did he refuse to
give intimation of the nature of the measure lie
was about to bring forward until the 3d of June,
when more than two-thirds of the Session had
expired ? What reason, then, has he to complain
if further time be required. As we have re-
peatedly pointed out, there is something more
than suspicious in this undue precipitation, the
reckless haste with which he attempts to force
his bill through its various stages ; and it
certainly looks as if its late introduction formed
a portion of the plan of carrying by coup' de
main a measure which would not bear a
searching inquiry, or calm and impartial dis-
cussion.

An attempt has been made to convert the rea-
sonable application for delay into a party question
—a determined onslaught on the Joint-Stock Ad-
ministration, with a view to its overthrow, and
the restoration of the " DERBY" Government.
All the possible consequences of such a result are
depicted in the most glowing colours, the alarmists
giving full reins to their imagination as to the
chain of events that might follow. The nation
was to be involved in war—the promised Reform
Bill indefinitely postponed the most fearful
calamities encountered if the representatives of
the
people should not consent to be good children,
and to accept, blindfolded, whatever Sir CHARLES
W°C)l3 VlaY please to offer—to vote black white;