The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-05 00:00:00

eir iancipation of the Christians in Turkey by
treaty, he will be willing to evacuate the Prin-
..cipalities simultaneously with the evacuation of
the Euxine by the combined fleets."
Such a proposition shows too clearly his reli-
ance on the good offices of " the estimable.,gen-
tleman." And it is well that he should be unde-
ceived ere it is too late, and convinced that he
must not only abandon the unjust pretensions
which he has advanced, but make ample retribu-
tion for the damages occasioned by his iniquitous
conduct. A thorough understanding is of the
most vital consequence at the present moment; and
the CZAR can never be completely undeceived so
long as the man who is either his dupe or his tool
remains at the head of the English Government,
and by his servile twaddling can be supposed to
influence the decisions of more energetic Ministers !
Nor is it with respect to Russia only that the
influence of Lord ABERDEEN is prejudicial to the
best interests of England and of Europe. If a
more vigorous and decided policy prevailed, the
German Powers would not be allowed to maintain
the suspicious neutrality, that is far more inju-
rious than the most decided opposition. The
rulers of Austria and Prussia would be distinctly
and unequivocally told that those " who are not
with us are against us"—that we cannot allow
them to bring their forces into such positions as
would enable them to inflict the most serious in-
jury upon the interests which we are endea-
vouring to support. If Austria is per-
mitted to concentrate a formidable body of
troops upon the frontiers of Turkey—squadrons
that may at any moment deal deadly blows
against the Turkish power—it is manifest that
preparations must be made to meet any casualty
—preparations that would require almost as great
an exertion as the acknowledged and open hosti-
lity of the German Emperor. A clear and
straightforward declaration should therefore be
insisted on—a declaration that left no possibility
of misconception, no loophole for escape. The
internal condition of Austria prevents the possi-
bility of her rendering much assistance to Russia
if Galicia, and Hungary, and Lombardy avail
themselves of the favourable opportunity for
achieving their independence. Some years since
she would have been unable to maintain her ground
but for the Cossack auxiliaries. Such aid can-
not now be afforded. While NICEOLAS has ample
occupation for all' his military resources, we can,
therefore, insure a much safer description of neu-
trality by compelling Austria to speak out, and if
her intentions be not honourable, forcing her to
" doff the lion's hide,
And hang a calf-kin on those recreant limbs."

But is it ABERDEEN that will adopt this de-
cided course ? Can we hope for such straightfor-
ward and vigorous proceedings from " the pupil of
METTERNICH ?" or can we suppose that Austria
will discover her real intentions while he is Prime
Minister of England ? Certainly not ! His pre-
sence in the English Cabinet is more detri-
mental to the Turkish cause, to the inde-
pendence of the Ottoman Empire, than any-
thing that could be imagined. It led to the
aggression. It caused the contumacious rejection
of every proposition heretofore made, and the
malign influence will prove fatal if not speedily
averted.
We have seen enough of the strange inactivity
in the Black Sea. The :protegee of ABERDEEN must
be stimulated to prompt and decisive action. In
the Baltic we doubt not but that " gallant old
CHARLIE" will go to the extreme limit of his in-
structions, and really create a diversion in favour
of the Sultan by carrying the war into the enemy's
country. But why is there not a land force co-
operating with the combined fleets ? France has
troops ready to do the work—to wash out the
disasters of 1812 in the glories of 1854. Eng-
land has transports sufficient to bear the French
as well as the English troops to what ought to be
made " the seat of war." Not merely Reval, and
Helsingfors, and Cronstadt should be attacked,
but also St. Petersburg itself. We should teach
them the painful but salutary lesson, that
" 'Tis not the roundure of their old-faced walls
Can hide them from our messengers of war."

But we cannot hope for such vigour while ABER-
DEEN presides over " the Joint-Stock Administra-
tion," and gravely assures the Parliament and the
people of England that " the DIPEROR was always
well-founded in. his apprehensions as to the dissolu-
tion of the Turkish Empire," and that " he sees
nothing in the ►Memorandum, but what is wise !
what is moderate ! ! and what is judicious ! ! ! •

And so, after t.ll, there is no foundation for the
charge against the Messrs. STURGEON ! These
injured gentlemen, who have been held up to
public execration as criminals of the deepest dye,
have been exonerated from the imputation of de-
liberate fraud. The hay in which the dead
lamb was packed up was not furnished by them,
but by others—and yet we are not told who are
the criminals. The dreadful accusation against
those whom we are happy to be enabled once
more to designate as respectable gentlemen, was
not hastily or lightly put forward. It was a mis-
take for which not any extenuating circumstance
could be alleged. For Messrs. STURGEON and
Sorr were not originally charged—one, who had
really no connection, good or bad, with the transac-
tion was first implicated. Mr. STURGES was given up
as the miscreant, who had, for the sake of filthy
lucre, imperilled the honour and interests of his
country—nay, more, endangered directly, as well
as indirectly, the lives of our gallant soldiers and
seamen, and the safety of the vessels in which
they were proceeding to their destination. Every
one felt that " hanging was too good" for such a
wretch, and deplored the defective state of the
law that did not authorise the infliction of exem-
plary punishment on the offender. Each person
held up his hands and re-echoed the prayer—
" Oh ! Heaven, that such companions thou'dst unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip
To lain the rascal naked through the world,
Even from the East to the West."
The delusion was partly dispelled when the
accused declared in the plainest and most intel-
ligible language that he had not only never been
guilty of such atrocious fraud, but that he had
never at any time supplied forage, good, bad, or
indifferent, to the victualling department. The
charge was astounding. It might have been
ruinous to a person of inferior position and
lower standing than Mr. STURGES. But the
direct traverse, the simple issue taken, arrested
the tide of suspicion, and. induced the public to
suspend their judgment, and await further ex-
planations.
These explanations were not long withheld.
Ministers discovered- the serious mistake into
which they had been led ; and were quite pre-
pared,
on receipt of the i-ery temperate and gentle-
inanlike letter of Mr. STURGES, to exonerate him
completely from the fearful imputation. But,
when doing, so, they professed not to withdraw the
accusation altogether, not tostate that an infamous
fraud had not been committed, but that it had
been Perpetrated by others, and not byMr. STURGES.
Professing, then, "to place the saddle on the
right horse," to point out the real culprits against
whom the storm of public indignation should be
directed, they declared,
distinctly and unequivo-
cally, that Messrs. THOMAS STURGEON and SONS,
of " Grays, Essex,"
were the parties con-
nected in the nefarious transaction—that
the
matter was placed in the hands of the Crown So-
licitor, in order to exercise the due vindication of
the law, and the punishment of the criminals.
It was stated, too, that the publication of the
names was not the only penalty that would be
sustained. The Lord Chief Justice, very
properly,
declared that the law was not so defective
as had,
been supposed, but that there were ample means
of punishing the parties.
Now, however, a new statement is put forward
—put forward after an interval of a fortnight,
during which the matter has been suffered to re-
main uncontradicted. Put forward, not voluntarily
or as a gratuitous apology for the charge preferred
after three days' consideration and with full time and
opportunity to elicit the true facts of the case,
but when a friend of _the accused had given notice
of a motion on the matter to insist, on a stringent
and' sea"rc"hing investigation. During that dreadful)
interval Messrs. STURGEON had petitiohed-, the
House, offeripg explanatioris of their proceedings.
They irere nOt, lloreTei; allowed even to fitatct