The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-07 00:00:00

Cfs

LONDON, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1853.

The public curiosity respecting the occurrences
'between the opposing army in the Danubian pro-
. noes remains unabated and unappeased. There
la no lack of intelligence. Rumours of every
lkind are rife, but unfortunately there is nothing
distinct or decisive on which reliance can be
placed. We h
the Turks ear hourly of skirmishes, in which
have beenl repulsed, but we can learn
Nothing of the l
eged particulars—all is vague
land unintelligible. The most surprising part of
the transactions
is
wend indifference the comparative apathy
is withwhich the warlike
intelligence received.
The
capi-
talist hears of an encounter between
tqhueieotpposing
troops somewhere " between
Kalafat and Kra-
jowa, after which the Russians retreated towards
Slating !" He sends down orders to his stock-
kroker to buy i4—the only weighthe attaches to
Vie report is that ir imagines he may purchase on
=tore reasonable4rnis. The next half hour he is
told that "in a co4et near Dam many Russians and
T iurks were klled, that the Turks retreated up
the river a ..,_,the Russians followed them !,, He
increases hi si vestments. He then hears of " the
defeat 8 tbuTtirkr.,lL corps which passed the
J =I, t" A further purchase
is r, s 3. , • , . ince the slightest hint
/.. ;
.„.5,,,
~,45
‘iyllll_.llo' ~
. ,Y. _ :...4.0-•
of : . ,IblF- 'VT.,.- ii,ref4 ay, more, of a paltry
j
. -, l-;zr ~,,,,,-'' :-J
s. • ..,
~...i4,',.,..?: , cfeyr,pien on either side were
464 have sufficed to "fright
the idir ..' §ji
.16 iety " to have created A
• 01.1
irt , , r .---,
2nonetary panic, . and to have sent quotations
tumbling down in a manner that would have de-
lighted the ursine soul. But our ears have
,got accustomed to the cry of "wolf," and the j

husbandman in the fable had become matt indif-

ferent to the cry of wolf from the mendacious
shepherd's boy than have our capitalists, fund-
holders, and shareholders to the Stage whispers of
the Stock Exchange--whispers intended to be
heard by, and to 'produce a decided effect on, the
audience.

We can, in this abundance of materials from
which to select, only repeat our admonitions to our
friends and the community at large, not to suffer
themselves to be influenced by any statement as to the
authenticity whereof any reasonable doubts can
be entertained. It appears certain that at least a
detachment of the Turkish troops had crossed the
Danube without any decided opposition from the
Russians. There would therefore be nothing to
prevent a collision, if the Generals, or either of
them, were that way disposed. But as we have
already stated, the warlike inclinations of both
OMER PACHA and Prince GORTSCHAKOFF are ma-
terially bridled by positive instructions from their '
respective Sovereigns. The Russians, as we have

already pointed out, cannot take the initiative
without completely disregarding all former pro-
fessions, and casting off the mask under which
they have hitherto attempted to conceal their ob-

jects. The Turks, although burning for the con-
test, and to expel the invaders from their terri-
tories, are restrained by the imperial firman, and
the distinct and positive orders to take ho decisive
step until further instructions. Under the peculiar
circumstances there will necessarily be daily skir-
mishes between detached parties in which even blood
may be shed, but such trifling matters will not bring
out a general engagement, or create any serious

impediment to the final arrangements in course of

zealisation, nor do we suppose that any difficulty
will be created. These, however, are matters
merely of speculation, the best founded and most
carefully considered opinion may at any moment
be defeated from the most trivial occurrence.
It is hard to reason temperately when opposed to
an armed foe—more especially when that foe is

trespassing, without a shadow of right or justice, on
your territories, combining the greatest arrogance
and insolence with the most grasping cupidity. We
cannot, then, be astonished at any lengths to
which they may be driven, or means they may
adopt, for the purpose of vindicating their names

from the insult that has been heaped upon them.
They have already exhibited the greatest patience,
under very exasperating circumstances, and it
could not be very surprising if that patience should
fail at any moment. We believe that they will
continue steadfast and obedient to the instructions
that they receive, but that is all that can be said
on the subject.

On the other hand, it is so manifestly the inte-
rest of the Russians to avoid a contest at this
moment, that we believe they will so far as prac-

ticable remain on the defensive. It is true that
any degree of moderation now exhibited cannot
justify the original aggression, or exhibit them in
any other light than unprovoked invaders of a
friendly soil. If attacked, however, and successful
in maintaining their position, it would give NICHO-
LAS a loophole for escape, and enable him, as we
have long since stated, to make a specious affectation
of magnanimity—a pretext of moderation, of
which his toadies awl servile adulators in the
Senate and the Press would make abundant use.
Then we should hear usque ad nauseam of the
generosity (!) and truthfulness of the CZAR, who
had remained contented without crushing his
opponent, and satisfied with obtaining even a
portion of what he had claimed before the com-
mencement of hostilities. Then we should see even
more systematic efforts than at present to run down
t fie Mussulman, hear of the weakness of the Ottoman
Empire, and hear the scornful inquiry repeated in
sundry forms as to why England is called on to
protect misbelievers, or, to maintain the tottering

pre-eminence of three millions of Mahomedans
over twelve millions of Christians. Then, too,
we should hear the pro-Muscovite Members of the
Coalition setting up that moderation of NICHOLAS
as a defence for their own doubtful and vacillat-
ing policy, and as evidence that we might have
surrendered ABD-UL-MEDJID to the tender mer-
cies of his opponent, possibly even as proof
that there would be no danger to the peace
of Europe if the Russian flag floated over
the Bosphorus, and ST. SOPHIA were trans-
ferred to the Greek Patriarch. These are matters
of which GORTSCHAKOFF is well aware, and he
will not, with the full knowledge of what his im-
perious and exacting master requires, be guilty of
any act of precipitation calculated to destroy the
web so subtly woven. The attack, then, will not
proceed from the Russian side ; nor do we believe,
for the reasons set forth, that any decisive or
general engagement will take place. Such, too,
appears to be the general opinion on the Conti-
nent, where the most threatening appearances
seem to be regarded as affording additional
guarantees for a pacific solution of tho interest-
ing and vitally important problem.

What benefit or advantage to society is derived
from the present system of imprisonment for debt?
therelfrthe an
bmeayny, which we most positively and
emphatically deny, is it sufficient to compensate
f
attendant evils that follow in its
wake
? Is it even an equivalent for the expendi-
ture falling on the public and local taxation of the
country, and which is necessary for the mainten-
ance of the system ? These are interrogatories de-
serving of distinct and unequivocal answers—of
answers not hastily or recklessly delivered in ac-
cordance with ancient prejudices, but the result of
calm and attentive consideration, in which the
subject has been carefully examined in all its de-
tails by the light of truth and reason. We can
scarcely hesitate as to what would be the result of
a careful investigation into the entire system by
expseirgienc impartiali Indeed it is
pas
shoulddges' have been ned and
strange
that it
al-
lowed to remain up to the present period,
without change or alteration, and that the public
attention had not been more forcibly directed
thereto, and the public indignation excited until
the account of the melancholy death of poor
WILLIAM JONES, in consequence of the heartless
cruelties and privations practised at Winchester
Gaol, and the still more deplorable sufferings of
WILLIAM MILLAR, during his forty years' endur-
ance of the discipline of that model establishment.
Strange it is that the po Arerful writings of CHARLES
DICKENS, and the comments elicited from various
quarters, did not lead to extensive and sweeping
modifications in the practice.
But so it was. Who is there who has not seen
some friend or acquaintance hurried away from
his family, and all his prospects in life ruined,
from the reckless exercise of the power afforded to
creditors ? And who have been the parties to
avail themselves of that power ? Have they npt
is.ntte'aalrierasb, anlybdeen those least deserving of sympathy
for any losses that may be sustained—the bill
property stealers, who use it as an
instrument of extortion, to obtain payment from
friends
and
that
fromOf thead
ptiadopting efficient
victim, or
c to
steps to defeat their machinations, and
prevent t
pre-
serve their estates from the plunderers whose
cupidity they had excited? Yes, with some few
exceptions, we may state
to
sn tattlist the parties taking
(eine
bt
ttevrrsitas
ref t ehxo esueagainst the persons of their
Commissioners of the Insolvent e the leaenlgtruta,gebeoefetnahee
their own insurers from the
exorbitanc
charges, or who hold out temptations yof their
and induce-
ments to extravagant young men to run into debt
in the hope of " working" the amount one Way or
the other, by fair means or foul, from innocent