The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-31 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, JAN. 31, 1870.

IN old times the British Parliament by no means
invariably assembled at Westminster. Though that
was the most usual place of meeting, the Three
Estates of the Realm sometimes made excursions
together and visited Oxford, Winchester, Notting-
ham, and other towns, by way of change. Though
Parliament now represents three countries,svhereof two
of them are very remote from London, we have giver
up the migratory system, and the M.P. for the Orkney
Isles and the M.P's for Galway have to go from the
north and the west to far south-eastern Londoa
There is seine compensation to the electors for this
centralisation, though there is none for the elected.
The annual speech which the M.P. makes to his
constituents is intended to give them a slight taste
of the Parliamentary life which their ancestors used
to enjoy to the full. During the present vacation
this pleasure has been administered rather
sparingly. Conservatives have not liked
to talk about the past, and Liberals have not known
what to say about the future. The present Govern-
ment is essentially one of progress. It cannot rest
upon its oars. Jt cannot, as Lord PALMERSTON'S
Government did, appeal to bygone achievements 4.9
an excuse for present inaction. It must be ever wir.-
ning fresh victories, or it will cease to have any reason
for its existence. But it is only the chiefs who know
beforehand how those victories are to be won, and
they are not at all likely to betray the plan of the
campaign to the enemy. Thus it comes to pass
that though we are on the eve of a most eventful
session, parliamentary speeches are unusually dull.
Even Sir JOHN COLEBItIDGE had very little more
than generalities to tell the Exonians. When he
referred to particulars he expressed Merely his own
wishes, and his hour's speech left his constituents net
a whit more enlightened than they were before
Every ono knew, for instance, that a 'Cabi-
net which contains great landowners and
the sons of great landowners, is not likely to
pass any measure for confiscating the property of
Irish landlords. Everyone knew that the time is
gone by when the Soreerron-Grxish.sn's compro-
mise with regard to University Tests can be accepted,
and that a compulsory and complete measure is
inevitable. Everyone knew that the Ballot is equally
unavoidable. Most persons have ehrewedly guesse I
that Mr. FonsTem's education bill will not satisfy
extreme men on either side, and that the Government
will not overthrow the present system but supplement
it where it is defective or inapplicable. We are glad
to see that Sir JOHN COLERIDGE differs from
his eloquent friend Sir ROUNDELL PALMER
with regard to the rights of married worn° 1.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL criticising a speech of the
Ex-ATTORNEY-GENERAL regarding the property of
women, considers that the law in this country " is
absolutely barbarian," and that the Liberal pony
"will insist upon its amendment." For even though
the majority of women should turn out to be, as Sir
Jolter COLERIDGE and we believe them tube, Tories,
right ought to be done. We have little doubt
but that very shortly right will bo done.
Mr. Burma, in a memorable letter written last
session, remarked, " The Lords are not very wise." 31:.
PI:TEIt TAYLOR reminds 113 sometimes that the
Radicals "are not very wise." The very advanced
M.P. for Leicester is reported to have said that the
House of Lords is "harmless, useless, and a de•
gradation to the common sense of the
country." It is difficult to understand her
that which degrades can also be harmless.
But assuming, as we have the right to assume, that
the strongest epithet most fully expressed his mean-
ing, then we are compelled to tell Mr. TAYLOR that
his estimate of the Upper House renders him very
unfit for the Lower. We may all have our own
ideas as to the propriety of altering that which is
aasiss, but wholesale condemnation like this is
as absurd as it is injurious. There is no
assembly in the world which can boast of possessing
men of such high character, great attainments, aed
splendid eloquence as the House of Lords. We may
wish sometimes that it were more e;t rapport with
the nation—that it did not so frequently carry resistance
to the extreme of obstinacy. Bat we beg leave to tell
Mr. TAYLOR that so far from degrading, the Ile!the
of Lords adorns the country to which it belongs. It
is fair to the Radical party to say that they do not
all talk nonsense like Mr. PETER TAYLOR. Mr.
MIALL is a tolerably advanced politician t, -speak-
ing at Bradford, on Friday night, he protested against
the tone of depreciation so often adopted by public
speakers in England with regard to their own
country. He said that he wished to enter a protest
against the painful habit of referring to this
country as the worst educated. country in Europe.
He did not believe it was the worst. As regards our
other institutions, ho had a high opinion of
the present House of Commons, believed that it was
a great improvement on the last ; and so far from
denouncing the House of Lords, he averred that he
agreed with almost everything which had been said
just before by Lord HouGuToN. As Lord
Hotaarroet had been praising that assembly,
especially for its habit of treating the new-made
peer with the same consideration as the peer of most
ancient lineage, it may be inferred that Mr. Mrann's
opinion of the Upper House is widely different from
that of Mr. PETER TAYLOR.

THERE is no patriotism in the Money Market, and
of course we have no right to look for it in such a
place. Nevertheless it might occur to speculators
sometimes to ask if they are doing wisely from any
point of view in advancing so much money to one
Government as they have advanced to the Russian.
In the first place this money is lent to a country
whose policy has for many years been that of constant
and persistent conquest and annexation, which has
brought that power within a short distance of
our Indian frontier. Without being Russo-phobists,
we are inclined to doubt if this is precisely what
Englishmen, even English City men, desire. Of
course, it does not necessarily follow that because
Russia touches our boundary she means to invade
our territory. It may even be an advantage to us
that she should civilize the barbarous tribes
and open the way to commerce. Neverthe-
less, remembering how Russian railways con-
' structed with English capital helped the Czar?,
to keep the Western Powers at bay fifteen years
ago, it is worth while at least to reflect that the
gold which we subscribe :?.o freely now may be turned
against us at some future day in the form of iron,
that shall be not merely railway iron. The second
point for consideration is that though Russia is most
punctual in the payment of her creditors, she is very
backward in giving them any accounts. All through
the last war English bondholders received their inte-
rest as punctually as though England and Russia were
the best of friends, instead of being engaged in a
life and death conflict. Thus it comes to pass that
Russian credit is always high; and the new loan
announced last week has evoked an army of sub-
scribers. But this confidence is based almost entirely
upon faith. Wo know little of the real financial
position of Russia. Perhaps, if we did know, the
knowledge would make very little difference. The
people who are rash enough to lend insolvent Turkey
whatever she asks are not likely to refuse solvent
Tzu7sia. Then, again, as the Economist points out,
there is considerable misconception anions English
investors as to the mature of the guarantee which is
offered them. In many cases the guarantor is the
Imperial Government itself, but in some it is only
a local Government, the GoVernment of a province,
which becomes responsible. By an almost culpable
negligence, subscribers to tile various loans have lall. 4:1
to notice this important distinction. Perhaps they
ahay find it out some day to
_their