The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-10 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM TIIR DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
( From the Morning Chronicle )
It is precisely twelve months to-day since the House of
Commons negatived the motion of Sir James Graham to
censure the conduct of Ministers in entering upon' hostili-
ties with China. Few of our readers, we think, will deny
that the intelligence which we publish to-day, the 9th of
April, 1841, is an ample justification of the vote of the
9th of April, 1840. There is no country ;n the world in
which a Minister is more frequently tried than in Englaed,
by the unjust test of the results rather than the principles
of his policy ; and we think we may say with confidence,
that there have Leen few Ministries that have stood the
test more triumphantly than the present. From Sir James
Graham, who opened the debate last year, to Sir Robert
Peel, who closed it on the part of the Tories, there was
not one opponent of the policy of Ministers who did not
seek to intimidate the House of Commons into an adverse
vote by the most sinister prognostications of the result.
We were " entering upon no little war—upon no war
to he terminated in a single campaign. It was one
which would be attended with circumstances no less
formidable than the magnitude of the interests which were
at stake. If a war with China were to t eke place, it
should be remembered that it was a contest which would
be carried on at the remotest part of the habitable globe,
and where the monsoons would materially interfere with
the communications which must be had with this country.
It was to be carried on at an immense distance from all our
naval stations. The squadrons which would be sent out
would be exposed to various dangers. They would arrive
at their destination after a long voyage, pent up in crowded
transports, and wearied with the fatigues of an element
which our land forces abhor ; they would come to the
scene of action with abated strength and dimishod ener-
gies." Such were the patriotic and statesmanlike views
of Sir James Graham ; while so hopeless did the case appear
to Sir Robert Pee!, that he had nothing left but to " pray
the Almighty Disposer, from whom all just counsel and
good works proceed, to avert the calamities and turn
from us the evils which the incapacity of our rulers
has most righteously deserved." What a triumphant
answer to all this is the convention signed by Captain El.
liot ! Every object of our policy accomplished "in a
single campaign "—at an incredibly small expenditure
either of life or of means. The wrongs of our merchants
have been redressed—the position of our trade immensely
benefited—increased facilities given for carrying it on In
future, and our diplomatic intercourse freed from those
offensive and humiliating forms, so long a source of se-
rious embarrassment between the countries. it is cer-
tainly not a very gratifying reflection, nor one very cre-
ditable to the principles of party warfare an this country,
that objects of this magnitude and national character
should be staked upon a trial of strength, and saved
from defeat only by a majority of nine votes. If Tory-
ism were not as unteachable as it is unprincipled, the
events of the last few years ought to teach it many
a salutery lesson. At home, every step in improvement
has been a step in opposition to Toryism. Abroad,
wherever generous principles of Government have tri-
umphed, it has been in spite of Tory opposition ; where-
ever the policy most consonant with the interests of Eng-
land has been established, it has been in spite of Tory op-
position. In Portugal, the English Tories were the
abettors of absolutism and Don Miguel, even at the mo-
ment that both were in active hostility with British sub-
jects and British interests. The principle of absolute
government is crushed in Portugal. and its representa-
tive no otherwise known than as a debauched mendicant
subsisting upon the charity of the Papal Court. In
Spain, the English Tories mainly contributed to keep
alive a sanguinary civil war in support of the same prin-
ciple, and in Spain, as in Portugal, with the same re-
sult. So in the Belgian question, we find them for years
supporting the obstinacy of the King of Holland, throw-
ine obstacles in the way of a settlement, and then urging
the delay in settlement as an accusation against their
opponents. Precisely when delay had produced all the
evil it could to the protege of Toryism, he consented to
a settlement. With the Eastern question they did not
interfere—because it was begun and finished before they
had time to interfere. But had " the Treaty of July"
been a " Treaty of February," or of March, there is little
doubt the month of April would not have passed without a
motion upon the impolicy of entering into hostilitea in
Syria. The candour and straightforwardness of English-
men will not listen to the sneaking attempts to undervalue
the successes which have crowned the policy ef Govern-
ment, by ascribing events which hare occurred to " happy
accident." Accident is not so uniform in its attendance
upon the " incapacity and imbecility of rulers," Accident
does not foresee the occult designs of others, and defeat
them by proportioning the means to the end with such nice
discrimination—necomplishing great objects of national po-
licy, while pressing with the least possible weight upon na-
tional resources. It was not accident that reconciled the
discordant views of the Powers of Europe upon those very
questions upon which they seemed most discordant, and
gars to the world renewed guarantees for the preservation
of general peace. Accident, indeed, may betray Tories
into approbation of sound and honest policy, but will not
induce the people of England to withhold their approval of
eminent success, won by foresight, prudence, and firmness,
maintaining the honour, and contributing to,lthe interests
of the country.

(From the Times.)
The important news from China, which we publish
to-day, holds out some prospect of a speedy, if not an
advantageous, settlement of our differences with that
vast empire. A vigorous " demonstration," which ended
in the capture of the forts at the entrance of :he Canton
River, seems to have satisfied the Imperial Plenipoten•
tiary that it was necessary to negotiate in earnest ; and
on the 29th of January the preliminaries of a treaty of
peace are stated to have been arranged.
In considering the value of these preliminaries, it
must be borne in mind that they were extorted from the
Chinese at the cannon's mouth, and that, in all proba-
bility, when the panic of the moment was over, t.. ii
e:e
would be a very strong disposition to recede from tlit.rn.
Neither can it escape our readers that the express which
communicates
.this intelligence contains also the ominous
words, " Details still remain matter of negotiation."
Every day's experience teaches us, that in affairs
of this sort, what is matter of principle widi one
party, is constantly treated or represented as matter of de-
tail by th© other; and the Chinese diplomatists will doubt-
leo strain every nerve to evade or counteract the effect of
their own concessions, by making stipulations inconsistent
with them in the further stages of the negotiation ; or, at
all events, do their best to protract those further stages to
an indefinite period. And, after all, the power of ratify.
ing or rejecting the articles agreed upon at Canton will
ultimately rest, not with the Commiisioner on t.:e spot,
but with the Emperor at Pekin. The communication by
post between Canton
.and the capital occupies not le?s
i
than 20 days, and it is impossible to foresee how frequently
real or supposed occasions for reference to head quarters
mprogress of the discussions. We
endodi
doubt
during al *co circumstance; were
present t,) the minds of the shrewd si,ttes•rnen who
e nat r arisenta i ur
manage the Celestial Councils, when they determined
or Admiral Elliot from the imam-
upon decaying poor
diate neil; iabcurhood of the Court
to the southern ex-
i
tremitY t f the empire, And .t is far from impro-
bable that the consciousness of being able te fall back upon
may have induced Ke-shen to
these diplomatic resources
make more liberal promises than he ever meant to fulfil,

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