The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-24 00:00:00

exening

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1849.

We dare not hope that the intelligence of the fall
of Hungary is not true. Whether or not the imme-
diate cause of her fall was the treason of one whom we
have hitherto regarded as the soul of honour and the
mirror of chivalry, it boots not now to inquire; but
there is the fact, that Russia—that power which Mr.
COBDEN the other day, with all the smug compla-
cency of ignorance the most crass, likened to a sheet
of crumpled paper—has trodden out the life of Hun-
gary, and is now handing over the bleeding and
mangled carcase to the Austrian vulture. But while
denouncing Russia and Austria as the eternal
enemies of liberty, of justice, and of humanity—
let us at the same time _le just. Gigantic as is the
crime committed by Austria and Russia, they are not
the greatest criminals—deep as is their guilt, it is
as nothing compared with the guilt of France, who,
Junas-like, has betrayed Liberty with a kiss. It is
France, Republican France, who is in deed and in
truth the destroyer of the liberty and nationality of
Hungary. But for her example Russia would never
have ventured to interfere in the affairs of Hungary,
and it was for the purpose of furnishing the prece-
dent to Russia, for the purpose of beforehand putting
it out of the power of any French Government to
protest against Russian interference in the affairs of
Europe, that the PRESIDENT of the French Republic
(who, be it never forgotten, is cousin by marriage of
the Emperor of RUSSIA, and who at Strasburg, in
1834, boasted that his pretensions were supported by
Russia), dispatched an expedition to Rome to put
down Republicanism and to put up Popery. This
interference on the part of such a people, for
such an object, would be as ludicrous as it
is infamous, were it not that a most mischiev-
ous precedent has been thereby offered to
every tyranny to invade its weaker neighbour,
whenever its form ofßOVerllMPnt may he displeasing to
it, or whenever the wolf may choose to denounce the
lamb as dangerous. The PRESIDENT of the French
Republic is the co-conspirator with Austria and Russia
against the liberties of mankind. Russian gold and
Austrian intrigue, acting through priestly influences,
secured his election as PRESIDENT of the Republic,
for the express purpose of carrying out the reac-
tionary crusade planned during the course of last
summer in this country, and France, Russia,
and Austria have, in carrying it out, crushed
liberty in Italy and Hungary ; they are now
preparing to do the same thing in Central Ger-
many, and such is the apathy of the French
people, that it would seem as though they
would contentedly see the Cossacks !again watering
their horses in the Seine without being roused to action.
Mr. COBDEN the other day denounced any capitalist
who should advance money to Russia—infinitely
more just would such denunciation be if applied to
any capitalist who should advance money to the
present Government of France, to enable it to escape
from the embarrassments which it has brought upon
itself by the perpetration of this Roman outrage. We
trust that no English capitalist will advance a single
shilling to the present liberticide Government of
France ; or should he do so we devoutly pray that he
may lose every farthing of it. Indeed, such would
most probably be his fate. The cup of the offences
of the liberticide faction in France is ;nearly full. A
Russo-Austrian alliance has always been the last card
of every anti-national Government in that country
for the last century, and the next time the people
take the management of their affairs into their own
hands, the reactionaries may rely on it there will be
no mistake. The debts contracted for the purpose
of destroying the Republic will never be recog-
nized by the Republic when she shall have
shaken off the yoke of her oppressors. It would
be well that capitalists should bear this in mind when
about to enter into a contract for a new French loan.
What a farce does it not seem to hold a Peace Con-
gress in Paris ? How can any man of high or honour-
able feeling, nay, possessed of one single particle of
self-respect, venture -in the Congress to open his
mouth against war without pointing to the
shameless example which France has just given
of making war upon a weaker and an
unoffending neighbour without the pretence
of one honourable, just, or popular object in doing so?
The example thus aet by France is the most shocking
in modern history, and however much we mar
execrate Austria and Russia, we must yet remember
that they have never pretended to be the friends of
liberty ; they have been throughout the struggles
of the last fifty years the consistent and open
opponents of liberty all over the world; they
have never - deceived any party all men
knew what to expect of them, and on which
side they would range themselves on the
day of battle. But with France the case is different.
She has always held herself forth as the leader in the
cause of freedom—a cause which she has accepted
only to betray, as witness Sardinia, Sicily, Hungary,
Rome. The conduct of France has sent back liberal
principles in Europe a quarter of a century. France
is the real, the dangerous enemy of peace and liberty.
But while thus denouncing the conduct of
France, what shall we say to that of our
own Government? It has been disgraceful,
and if not tainted, like that of France, with
the guilt of treason to the cause of liberty,
has been to the full as mischievous from its vacillating
indecision and its criminally credulous faith in the
honour, honesty, and upright intentions of the French
PRESIDENT and his Ministers. To this superstition
of an entente cordiale Italy, Sicily, and Hungary have
been sacrificed. The speeches of Lord PALMERSTON
have, throughout the session, been all that every
lover of liberty could
oulgwadorreddseineraet
and
dibut
" Alsmlikaue not ofwe e deedsweeds."
`and our present Cabinet stands in need of weeding
wofully. If, instead, of making
Ia n
have e_ loq u
ae
nn
speech at the close of the session, my Lord
PaLmensTost had simply said,
nounced to the Austrian Ambassador that • im-

mediately the Russians cross the frontiers of Hungary
we shall acknowledge the independence of that coun-
try, and our fleet in the Mediterranean will take
possession of Trieste and Fiume, which will be gar-
risoned from Malta and Corfu, and will then
proceed to raise the siege of Venice, the
independence of which will be also acknowledged,"
his Lordship would have effectually secured the
liberties of Hungary and Italy. In the face of
such a declaration, with the knowledge that Turkey
would join England in an alliance offensive and' de-
fensive, and that Moldavia, Wallachia, and Poland,
would in such a case be up and doing, the
CZAR would have preferred mediation with
Austria to war with Hungary. If last year
be had, instead of suffering himself to be
blindly led by France, at once acknowledged,
as he was bound to do by treaty, the inde•
pendence of Sicily, and pointing to the guarantee
by England, in 1812, of the Sicilian Constitution have,
at once announced to the Neapolitan BOURDON
that any attempt on his part to violate that
constitution would constitute a cam Belli, Si-
cily would now have been free ; and seeirg
the independent attitude assumed by England,
the French PRESIDENT would not have ventured
to attack Rome, nor his cousin, the Russian EM-
PEROR, to invade Hungary. That Lord PALMER..
STON, had he been permitted to follow his own inspi-
rations, would have acted thus, we verily believe,
but he is thwarted and obstructed by an irresponsible
camarilla. Too long has he submitted to the secret
tyranny of this cabal. Let him come out from
among a Ministry to which he alone imparts re-
spectability; let him leave them to perish of their own
rottenness—they already stink in the nostrils of the
people ; let him resign, and denouncing the camarilla,
upon which, be it dynastic or aristocratic, the people
will know how to do justice, if he cannot uphold
the cause of liberty in foreign countries, at least, by
placing himself at the head of the movement, save
it in his own.

The year 1769 has been for ever rendered re-
markable by the birth of many peculiarly dis-
tinguished men. Among the number, however,
were three whose astonishing careers have cast the
recollection of the others into almost entire oblivion. In
that auspicious year three infants first saw the light,
born in different countries and in such marvellously
dissimilar conditions, that their history is another
proof of how little a man's fortune depends upon his
circumstances, and how entirely (under PROVIDENCE)
it depends upon himself. Of these three infants, one
was the younger son of a British noble, another was
one of the fifteen children of a humble tradesman in a
Turkish town, and the third was the offspring of an
exiled Italian family, living in retirement in
a little island of the Mediterranean. Eighty
years back they alike slept the sleep of unconscious
innocence in their dissimilar cradles—those three men,
whose lives were to have an imperishable record in
the history of the world, whose actions were to
change the fate of nations. Unlike as was the outset
of their various careers, all ultimately adopted a sol-
dier's life, even the young Turk fled away from the
tobacconist's shop to which his destiny had seemingly
consigned him, and entered the army as a volunteer.
Nevertheless, although the battle-field was to those three
heroes the initiation of the path of renown, it is not to
be inferred from thence that war is an infallible way to
glory, and warlike qualities the best passports to dis-
tinction. Had these three men been only soldiers,
their names would have passed away like the thou-
sands of others never known beyond the muster-roll.
It was not to the mere circumstance of their having
adopted a military life, but rather to their own great
talents and marvellous energy, that these men were
indebted for their remarkable celebrity. It was
talent and energy of no common order that converted
the unknown English ensign into " the WELLESLEY
of Assaye," and afterwards into the WELLINGTON of
the Peninsula and of Waterloo. It was talent and
energy, or rather let us say it was genius of the
highest order, a mental capacity capable of conceiving
great designs, and an indomitable courage and resolu
tion in effecting them such as no other man has ever
possessed. It was this, and not the circumstance of
his having first chosen a sword to carve his pathe
that elevated the humble :youth of Corsica to the
Imperial Throne of France, that girt his brows with
the Royal diadem of Italy, that gave to his dominion
"a realm, surpassing that of Charlemagne,

Which stretched from Moscow to the Southern Seas,"
and made the Kiegs sea Princes of Europe attendants
in his ante-chamber.

The history of this greatest of the children of 1769
is interwoven with the history of the world, and the
fortunes of him whose greatest triumph is in
having given the death-blow to that almost
invincible conqueror are familiar to all. He lives,
an object of veneration to his countrymen—long may he
be spared !—the only survivor of the wondrous " three"
whose lives have cast so much celebrity upon the year
1769. It is not of these that we would now speak,
but their fortunes have been recalled to us by the
consideration of one who started on his career at the
same epoch, and who, as it were, but yesterday, has
been gathered to his fathers. MEHEMET ALI
is no more. The son of the Turkish trades-
man, the incipient tobacconist, the volunteer
soldier, the Viceroy of Egypt, the terror
of the SULTAN, and the glory of the Egyptian, has
passed away—
"The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
We can readily believe that MEHEMET must have
been greatly beloved by his own people, for his character
was one that invariably wins regard. He is described
as frank and open, easily impressed, and readily express-
ing 'tall he felt ; to his children remarkable for his
kindness, and living in domestic life with simplicity
and without restraint. Ever active and energetic, he
rose before sunrise; and, like all ambitious men,
keenly alive to public opinion, he was in the habit of
having the European papers constantly translated to
him, and any remarks concerning himself affected him
much. He entertained a high opinion of America,
and prophesied that its great resources would hereafter
be remarkably exhibited. It is said that he was
well acquainted with the characters of European
politicians, and familiar with the various views of
Lord JOHN ItussELL and Sir RonErtx PEEL, the
latter being his especial favourite. These are but
minor points, yet they are interesting as character-
istics of a great man. Ambition, which ultimately
converted the obscure tobacconist into the powerful
Pasha, was the ruling passion of MEHEMET. That
ambition stimulated his first essay in arms.
He soon obtained favour with the Governor
of Cavalla (his native town) by crushing a re-
bellion. In 1799, in the war with the
French in Egypt, MEHEMET greatly distinguished
himself, rose in rank and acquired the love and sub-
mission of his soldiers. After various ♦icissitudes
and much intrigue, in 1806 he was raised to the
Pashalic of Egypt, and at once ensured to himself
the adhesion of the army by the payment of long-
owing debts. From this period the new PASHA, not
content with the power he had obtained, seemed only
desirous of extending his dominions; assisted by his
victorious son Inaaulat, his successes were great. It
is unnecessary here to recapitulate the varying fortunes
of MEHEMET ALA, they will be found detailed in an-
other column. One blot, however, tarnishes the memory
of the VICEROY—the cold-blooded murder of the
Mamelukes, an act (making allowances for the
doubtful morality of the East) not, perhaps, so
atrocious in intent as it assuredly was in execution,
but, nevertheless, an indelible stain in the history of
this generally merciful and magnanimous Prince.
As an instance of this latter quality let it not be for-
gotten with what almost unparalleled generosity
MEHEMET ALx permitted the ordinary transit of
the India mail through his dominions, even while
the English fleet were bombarding Acre—an act
worthy of the chivalry of SALADIN !
The great test, however, of the worth of a Governor
is the condition of the people over whom he rules.
Has Egypt been benefited by the sway of the late
VICEROY ? We believe, on the whole, the answer
would be in the affirmative. MEHEMET Au, not-
withstanding Turkish prejudices, encouraged fo•
reigners to mingle with and instruct his people. In
his latter days he founded many schools and hospi-
tals, and endeavoured to promote manufactures. The
following observations.are said to have been uttered by
him some years back. They form a noble panegyric
on his memory :--
"Respecting myself," said he, to an intelligent Eng.
lish gentleman, "I am not a literary man. sly educa-
tion has been gleaned from the open page of nature. I

know the advantage education has given to the inhabi-
tants of Europe, and I am struggling with prejudice and
ignorance in order to sow the sceds of futone advance-
ment among my people. This is not the work of a day,
a year, or a generation ; but I hope the condition of the
people of Egypt is yet destined to be elevated by the
labours of those who succeed me. I have urged on my
sons and my grandsons to follow up the work ; and if
in after;ages, when my ashes shall be undistinguishable,
the Arab races of Egypt can hold up their heads in
the world of civilization, my name may perhaps not be
forgotten in the traditions and history of the times I have
lived in."

It seems the VICEROY only learned to read at the
age of 45, after his elevation to the Pashalic ; never-
theless, history was his favourite study, especially the
history of NAPOLEON and ALEXANDER. He thought
much of fame, and was anxious to leave an enduring
reputation behind him. Let us trust that in the good
he has effected in Egypt he has left a memorial of
himself less perishable than the remembrance of his
warlike achievements, and, moreover, let us hope that
his successor will carry out the principles laid down
in the paragraph above quoted. He may be assured
ameliorationhglory of King and Governor, but also their
that
most
ene d
enduring monument.
of the people is not only his
greatest
monument.