The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-10 00:00:00

THE MINISTRY AT THE GUILDHALL.

The Daily News, in commenting upon the Lord Mayor's
dinner at the Guildhall, remarks that the chief feature of
yesterday's speaking was the vindication of our attitude
with respect to the war. The complaints of our neu-
trality were admirably dealt with, by the Lord
Chancellor first, and then by the Prime Minister,
while Lord Granville historically vindicated our
efforts after peace. Mr. Gladstone, indeed,
put the question of our neutrality with all his force,
when he said that not only was it impossible for us to give
satisfaction to both sides, but that we had a better testi-
mony to our success in that we had given an equality
of dissatisfaction. It is, however, but of little
use to spend time and effort in attempting to
convince two excited belligerents that we have
occupied a neutral position between them. As Lord
Hatherley said, a person standing on a line half way
between two distant persons, seems to each one to be
nearer to the other. His lordship's elaborate and able
vindication of our impartiality may be commended to the
notice of the Germans when they are able to attend to
it. At present such a vindication serves only to
reassure ourselves amid what Mr. Gladstone fitly
called the cruel reproaches which have been cast upon us.
That those reproaches are altogether undeserved is clear,
and Englishmen all believe with the Lord Chancellor that
when the excitement of the war is over it will be acknow-
ledged by both sides that we have behaved with the
strictest impartiality.

The Telegraph says the Ministerial speeches of last
night indicated that the Government has to deal with
three great questions presented by the present war. First
comes the question whether we have acted
fairly by both belligerents, or whether there
is any justification for the complaint of
Count Bernstorff, that we have really acted as the
ally of France, by permitting her to replenish
her exhausted arsenals in the manufactories of
Birmingham, and have thus become virtually her ally.
We have repeatedly shewn how groundless is the com-
plaint, and it is satisfactory to hear so eminent a lawyer
as the Lord Chancellor challenging the jurists of Europe
to point out a flaw in the enforcement of out
Proclamation of Neutrality. But, as Lord Ha-
therley himself pointed out, it is futile to ex,
pect that Prussia can do us justice in such
matter while she is distracted by the turmoil of
war ; and wo must wait for the judicial quietude of
peace. The duty which we owe to France and Germany
as arbiters presents a more difficult question. England
is placed in such a position that she could not have
permanently held aloof from the contest. That
plan of isolation which removes her from the
jealousies of European policy, and that stead-
fast liberalism of spirit which draws to her the
appeals of the wronged, in themselves indicated
her "as the one nation which could bring peace, if that
blessing could result from anything else than the over-
whelming victory of one belligerent over the other. Well,
we have used our last efforts, and the effort has not suc-
ceeded ; nor could Lord Granville repeat his overtures
until the situation shall be so changed as to alter
the resolution of either party. Lastly, comes
the duty which must be discharged by England when the
time shall arrive for defining the conditions of peace.
Prussia has already announced that she will be content
with nothing less than the surrender of two provinces
which are passionately attached to the nationality of
France. The morality of that demand was cha-
racterised by the Lord Chancellor last night in
words of frank indignation ; and, if the Prime Minister
spoke in terms of greater reserve, his meaning was equally
clear. From the Guildhall, last night, the English
Cabinet sent forth this message, that the war, at the out-
set, was waged by Germany for a purpose which won the
sympathy and the admiration of England ; but that now,
when the contest has been degraded into a war of con-
quest, the German people have forfeited the claim to
uphold the standard of political morality.