The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26, 1853,

the tables may not be reversed on any
caprice, on any pretended provocation, or any
necessity provided for the purpose. The doings
at Cherbourg may be wonderfully expedited by a
little change of application. Look at the article in
the Senatus Consultum, gentlemen of the Peace
Society. And I would also bring to your notice,
as an incident of some significance, that the Minis-
ter of War of the Sardinian kingdom took occasion
twice, in his last reported speech upon his estimates
to recal to the minds of his hearers in the Parlia-
ment that " war is not improbable." Perhaps
being nearer to the volcano, he has greater dread
of the eruption.
In all this there is much to think of, much to
treat of wisely, little to dread. The task of the
press cannot be mistaken=it is to handle a serious
subject seriously. This is no time for the exhibi-
tion of juvenile vigour or of craftily studied rhetoric
in stinging sentences. If the press taker upon it-
self the dignity of statesmanship it must prove itself
capable of the office. It must not court the frivolous
—aye, and the few—among its readers by a mere
flourish of its weapons. The business of life is
not a tournament, not a constant exhibition of
mere dexterity. The main quality in a journalist
is judgment. The higher he places his preten-
sions, the more certain is this truth. He
is a warrior, not a gladiator. He is to look to the
purpose and end of his efforts. What can be the
aim of such a paper as the Daily News, at the very
moment that a grave and eventful dispute exists
between the French Government and the press of
this country, in comparing Louis Napoleon with
Captain Macheath, and telling his English guests
at the Tuileries that their host will not become
their plunderer if his necessities do not compel him ?
Is their no more worthy and equally effectual way
of keeping the English people on their guard
against possible aggression, now that the Daily
News has left off opposing the levy of the militia,
and believes that the treason which would keep
recruits from its ranks may prove a public danger ?
Does the Daily News imagine, when it abuses the
French Imperial Court, acknowledged now by all
the European powers, and makes our own
Ambassador at Paris a partner in the dis-
grace—does it believe that it does this as
the representative of any part of the Eng-
lish public ? Does it think that one voice
will join its hue and cry of insane and vulgar pro-
vocation ? And if it acts without hope of so com-
promising its fellow-countrymen, to what does it
pretend beyond the character of a contemptible
brawler offering offence for pure ruffianism ? Does
it hold itself to be pernicious or impotent ? To
provoke war or to be despised ? What Englishman
is willing to risk the least evil of contest to please
the Daily News? What Englishman does not now
expect from his newspaper the solid advice and in-
formation of a friend, not amusement from the
grimaces of a hired jester ? The people will not
countenance such incitements to great evil. We
are, -or rather our Government is, the unwor-
thiest on record, ready for defence. The good of
the world is strong enough to hold down the evil, if
the well-intentioned possess prudence. We have
only to refrain from all that may disgrace our dis-
cretion or weaken our means of maintaining peace.
CAUSTIC.