The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1854.

Ministers are now pledged to carry on the war
against Russia—in the event of the Czart's refusal
to accede to the terms of the last stringent pro-
positions as conveyed to his knowledge through
the very masterly letter of NAPOLEON 111.—Mini-
sters, we say, are now pledged to carry on the
war against Russia in a manner becoming the
strength of the British Empire, the dignity of the
Crown, the glory of the nation, 'and the honour
of the Government. There cannot, fortunately,
be any further doubt upon that point, after the
debate commenced last evening upon the motion
of the Honourable 'and Learned Gentleman the
Member for Aylesbury. Whatever our objections
to the scheme of foreign policy hitherto pursued
by the Coalition, we must at least give them due
credit for the decision and explicitness of their
language at the present juncture, when the con-
flict—unforeseen by them but long anticipated
by ourselves—would appear, even to their capa-
bilities of perception, to have become inevitable.
It would be absurd, of course, to do otherwise
than laugh derisively, NS; ith the Opposition, at that
preposterous boast indulged in by the Right Hon.
Baronet the First Lord of the Admiralty, accord-
ing to which it would actually appear that he re-
gards the present situation as' little short of " a
diplomatic triumph," or, at the very least, as a
great advantage—that situation which has been
produced by Lord ABERDEEN'S ingenious develop-
ment of what was originally merely a quarrel
between the SULTAN and the AUTOCRAT into a
deadly and implacable conflict in which Russia
must be opposed by the united chief powers
of Christendom. A. deliberate and impartial
reconsideration of past occurrences only tends
more completely to satisfy our judgment that the
Cabinet has been most culpable in continuing,
during so protracted an interval, these utterly
fruitless and, to our thidking, wholly unjustifiable
negotiations. That, however, is no longer the
question at issue. Ministers are .beginning,
adroitly and wisely enough, to divert popular
attention from their past misconduct, front their
weakness, their delays, and their hesitations, by
presenting us with substantial guarantees of their
future energy, promptitude, and determination.
Abundant evidence of this will he found in the
bold, Marls, and patriotic speech delivered last
night in the House of Coin nions by Lord JOHN
RUSSELL. Than that speech nothing could have
been more admirable under the circumstances. It.
drew forth at once all the latent 'generosity
and magnanimity of the Opposition.. It extorted
the panegyric of Mr. Drsro.ELl. It will satisfy
in a great measure all the long-tortured hopes of
the Population—in reference, at least, to the
course which (in the contingency of a refusal by.
the CZAa
of the required concessions) will be
forthwith adventured upon by her Britannic MA-
JESTY' g Government.
Remembering that the chief burden in the
event of
ar with Russia must, necessarily de-
volve, of course, upon France and England as
the two ,mcwit Powerful and resolnte of all
the Allies. of
Turkey,' it is most gratifying to
observe the additional indic-itionn every day
coming to light oT the icleatitv of their views,
of the solidity of their mutual reliance, and
of the perfect cordiality of their sentimeuts to-
wards each other. In telit ueOny of all this
it was distinctly declared
evening by the
leader of the }louse of Connees, sp
behalf of the Arial in is t rtahtie os:
etra"n
°akin(' in the
Tsai:
name and on
whole year of almost daily inter-
EM EMPEROR of the FRENCH during
Eons—during a
course—has been so fritndly, so straightforward,
that it would, be impossible not to place the
utmost reliance on him." We wonder what were
the thoughts of the First Lord of the Admiralty,
and of the President. of the Board of Control,
while Lord JOHN RUSSELL was yesterday making
that acknowledgment ? We wonder what are now
the feeling in this regard of, their respective eon.
stituencies—their opinions in reference to their
I.
ternpm• end their prescience—their temper as poll-
ticiant; a al their preecience as statesmen ~ Speak-
ing thus of NAPOLEON, how did the Noble Lord.
the member' for the Cite- of. London, speak almost
in the same breath of. Nie.aoLa's-eewlien. passing
the coilduCt of the two potentates undenTeview
last evening, in I,:s Ministerial statement to the