The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-11 00:00:00

of obtaining the Parliamentary majorities so
essential to an English Government.
This being admitted—and we see not how it
can be controverted—the whole matter lies in a
nutshell. If Ministers profess to rule in conse-
quence of popular support, they mist set forth
the grounds on which they deserve it. If they
ask for " confidence," they must show confidence
in return. There would be no reciprocity in ask-
ing everything and giving nothing in return.
Nor have their antecedents been so very brilliant
as to allow us to rest tranquilly while they are
entering into engagements not only affecting the
interests, but the honour and safety of the country,
without seeking to know the nature and character
of the stipulations by which we are to be bound.
It might have been all very well for " the
good old times, when GEORGE the 3d was King,"
to ignore, or to affect to ignore, the voice of public
opinion. The Minister could command a majo-
rity of those who having purchased their seats,
were quite willing to sell their votes to the
highest bidder, their only object being to make
the highest profit in the political commerce. If
there are now such men—would that we could
say there are not—they must at least respect the
decencies of life, and not affect to despise the
" swinish multitude." If that multitude, however
" swinish," constitute the majority, they are prac-
tically the rulers, and the highly-polished and
fastidious few must yield to the paramount autho-
thority for the time being.
Let there be no attempt at • concealment or
mystification.- Whether the question on the Lapis
be the Austrian Affiance or the National Finances
—the former acts or the future intentions—let
there be the most perfect frankness and candour.
If there have been faults, let them be honestly
acknowledged. The open confession will bring
immediate pardon, particularly if any reason-
able hopes of amendment can 'be entertained.
But if there be any attempt to entrench
themselves behind official traditions, to with-
hold information, and thus to govern not
for, but in spite of the people, the long pent-up
indignation will boil over, and, despite the conse-
quences of a change of Ministry at such an emer-
gency, Lord ABERDEEN and some of his colleagues
will be ejected from office. Let them not deceive
themselves by the notion that the matter rests
with Parliament or with the people. It rests
with themselves, and with themselves only ; and
if they should be ejected from office it will be
owing, not to a factious opposition, but to a con-
temptuous and disdainful silence. The national
injury will be inflicted, not by their opponents,
but by themselves.

We must earnestly and emphatically protest
against the attacks which have recently been made
by a morning contemporary against the character
of a gallant and distinguished officer, one who has
served his country in almost every clime, and
under the most varying circumstances, with ability,
fidelity, and zeal, and of whom she may well be
proud. What may be the object of these on-
slaughts we cannot affect to guess. How Sir
RICHARD ENGLAND has excited the anger of the
" cruel Thunderer" is involved in equal obscu-
rity. But the fact is too palpable. Not merely
the efficiency, but even the courage, of a man be-
yowl fear and reproach, is assailed with ruthless
and virulent pertinacity, in a series of articles.
Sir RICHARD F_ANGLAND - - may, hoviever,
take comfort. He has not been the only
General thus distinguished. Our readers
cannot forget the time when we felt it
an imperative duty to defend one who
had received similar vituperation, and who had
nobly vindicated his character even before the un-
fair and calumnious attacks were printed or cir-
culated. Sir RICHARD ENGLAND need not com-
plain of a fate which Lord GouGu likewise has
endured. Nor could, and, we venture to add,
would, Lord GOUGH complain of having Sir
RICHARD ENGLAND assimilated to himself. We
respect and esteem the brave Generals who have
fought, and many of whom have bled, in the
Crimea ; but we feel assured that not a single one
of them would accept a compliment to himself if
offered at the expense of his gallant comrade.
One of those who shed his blood on the field
of Inkerman, but whose life has happily been
spared to his friends and country, has nobly,
come forward in defence of the absent soldier.
Brigadier General TORRENS, in a letter that re-
flects the highest honour on himself (which ap-
peared in our impression of Friday), proves that it
was impossible for Sir RICHARD ENGLAND to act
otherwise than he had done, or that he could be
considered in any degree responsible for the 3d
Division having been less engaged with the enemy
than the other portions of the army. He had,
in fact, no choice in the matter ; and though as a
soldier he might repine at the good fortune that
placed another in the post of honour he could
only obey the orders of his superior, and hopo
for a better chance on another occasion.
Had there been any act either of omission or
commission for which he could justly be held liable
there might have been some—we will not call it
justification, but extenuation—for the defamatory
attack. But there was nothing of the kind. On
each occasion, when the army was engaged, he
obtained the cordial thanks of Lord RAGLAN for
his services, Although he had not to sustain the
brunt of the encounter. either at Alma or at In-
kerman, he fulfilled the duties confided to his
charge in the most exemplary manner, so as to
justify his selection for the important command
to which so many distinguished and experienced
Generals aspired.

We cannot abstain from publishing in this the
most prominent portion of our columns a commu-
nication from a respected Correspondent on the
subject. It is to the following effect :
"That the public may not be misled by an article
which appeared in the Times newspaper of the Gth inst.
relative to the rank and attainments of the above distin-
guished officer, I think it right to lay before your readers
a statement of his services ;—Sir R. England entered
the army in 1303; served in 1809 at the siege of Flush-
ing, and on the staff in Sicily is 1310 ; in France in
1815, &c. ; commanded the 75th Regiment for several
years ; was commandant of Caffraria in 1832-3, and was
prominently employed in the Kafir war of 1835 ; be-
came Major-General in 1851, having held that rank
(local) in India from 1312 ; was nominated a K.C.B.
for his eminent services in the Affghan war of that year,
where he commanded the Bombay troops ; received the
thanks of Parliament for intrepidity, skill, and perse-
verance' displayed by him in that contest. He accom.
panied the army to Turkey in 1854, as Lieut.-General,
in command of the Third Division, and is thus men-
tioned by Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, is his dispatch to
the Secretary for War, after the Battle of Alma My
best thanks are due to Lieut.-General Sir R. England,
Lieut.-General the Hon. Sir G. Cathcart, and Lieut.-
General the Earl of Lucen. for their cordial assistance
wherever it could be afforded.' In the dispatch after
the Battle of Inkerman Lord Raglan writes I must
likewise express my obligations to Lieut.-General Sir R.
'England for the excellent disposition he made of his
division, and the assistance he rendered to tke left of the
light division.' I now, sir, leave the British public to
joputedrteihieleinwurhtiahutteerisreliance can be placed in the leading articles
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Queen and country.
" London, Dec. 9."

" AN OLD SOLDIER.

We can ourselves bear witness to its accuracy
in every particular. It is scarcely probable that,
if he had exhibited the white feather so unmis-