The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-29 00:00:00

EARL GRANVILLE'S STATEMENT.

The Times says nothing could be more flattering to Lord
Granville than the reception in the House of Lords yes-
terday of his statement on the negotiations preceding the
Declaration of War. Lord Granville was simple and
natural, without in any degree departing from the dignity
of his position, and his narrative was clear and succinct.
without seeking perspicuity and brevity at the cost
of omitting the difficult and obscure parts of the history.
These critical Peers do good service to the State in their
peculiar line, and so long as Lord Grey plays, with his
great ability, the part of a candid friend, and Lord Salis-
bury supplies candour without the pretence of friendship,
Ministerial errors will not pass uncorrected. Their silence
was a negative tribute to Lord Granville's successful per-
formance of his duty. Those who did speak praised him
with warmth and generosity. Lord Russell approved
everything that had been done with something of the
satisfaction, if we may not say benignity, proper in a
veto. an who had first installed Lord Granville at the For-
eign Office nearly twenty years ago. The Times goes on to
say. It is probable that nothing could have prevented a war
already resolved upon, but a more direct remonstrance at
the earlier stages of negotiation would have warned the
Imperial Government that the total want of sympathy
they now resent with surprise would certainly
await them if they proceeded to extremities on such
slender, if not imaginary, grounds of provocation.
Lord Granville apparently inclines. to the opinion that but
for the affair at Ems war might have been avoided, and he
yesterday quoted a vivid passage from a dispatch of Lord
Lyons in support of this view. Lord Malmesbury, on the
other hand, avows himself of opinion that it had very
little to do with the result, as the war was a fore-
gone conclusion between both parties. It is too certain
this has been a fixed idea with many Frenchmen these
four years past, but it may still be true that without this
spark the explosion would not have occurred, and through
mere lapse of time the warlike elements of this genera-
tion would have lost their strength until they finally dis-
appeared.
The Daily Art ws remarks that the chief importance
of Earl Granville's speech, and all the importance of
the two speeches which succeeded it, was in reference
to our own position as a neutral nation. Perhaps
the best compliment to the attitude of the Foreign
Office is conveyed in the complaints which are
urged against it. When M. Lavalette complains to
Mr. Gladstone that Lord Granville is " cold, very cold,"
and the Prussian Government on their side accuse us of
unfriendliness, the public will probably feel that the atti-
tude of the Government is all that can be desired. Every-
body feels that there is both inconvenience and danger
in a neutral attitude. Each belligerent is sure to de
dare that they who are not with him are against him,
and each thinks that mere common justice to his
enemy is disfavour to himself. But the tone and temper
of our neutrality are not to be judged so much from the
guarded and reticent speech which so well became Earl
Granville's reputation for tact, discretion, and temper, as
from the tone of Parliament itself. There is not a
statesman on either side of the House of Lords
who was disposed to stand up in the debate
of yesterday and declare that under no cir-
cumstances would England go to war. France
knows perfectly well that we should never allow
her to make Antwerp a Cherbourg on the Scheldt ; and.
even if the Emperor was willing to negotiate a treaty with.
Prussia, allowing him on her side to occupy Belgium, he
would probably have waited till we were engaged else-
where before he marched his armies across the frontier.

The Telegraph says Lord Granville's simple statement
was rendered impressive by the weight of its own matter.
Most of the facts, it is true, have already been made
known by the publication of the diplomatic papers ; and
the Foreign Secretary did not say a word to throw light
on the question which is in all men's minds—the
question, What share had France and what share
had Prussia in the originating of the proposed Treaty,
the substantial authenticity of which has been so much
debated, and the importance of which will make it
historic ? That inquiry Lord Granville did not answer,
probably because the Government can have reeeived
no further information from any of the Powers
which proposed to become contracting parties ;
but Lord Malmesbury justly said that the country
would expect ample explanations on an early
clay. So far as regarded the share which the representa-
tives of England have taken in the negociations, Lord
Granville's statement won the unstinted eulogies both
from Lord Malmesbury as the representative of the Con-
servatives, and from Lord Russell as the representative of
the independent Liberals. Meanwhile our duty is to be
strictly neutral. We must be neutral, because this war, so
far as it has yet gone, has touched no interest of England;
but as Lord Russell urged last night the neutrality of
England alone is not sufficient; it must be accompanied
by that of Denmark, Holland, and Belgium. Either of
these countries might do irreparable mischief by plung-
ing into the war; and this country must spare no pains
to keep all three out of the conflict. England must be
neutral, but her neutrality must be of the most dignified
and vigilant sort ; and to give her position due effect she
must be well prepared.
The Post, speaking of Lord Granville's statement last
evening, says as though it contained that was new it was
eminently satisfactory, and was freely accepted by all par-
ties in the Huse as a fair and candid exposition of a foreign
policy which, if it was not crowned with success, was, at
all events, eminently calculated to attain such a result.
If other Powers, continues the Post, should unfortu-
nately be brought within the vortex, it might be difficult
to say how long Great Britain could remain neutral.
Denmark, Belgium, and Holland are all in dangerous
contiguity to the belligerents, but it would be im-
possible to overrate the interest which we take in
seeing their neutrality maintained by their Govern-
ments, and respected by the hostile Powers. Above ail,
it is the duty of her Majesty's Government to allow no
misunderstanding to exist as to the course which this
country would deem it necessary to pursue in the event of
the independence of any of those States being seriously
threatened bd either of the belligerents.

The Standard considers that Earl Granville's explana-
tion gives us no information of which we were not pos-
sessed before, except indeed it be the announcement of the
dissatisfaction of both belligerents with the attitude of the
English Government. France finds the noble Secretary
for Foreign Affairs cold, and is disappointed that
he and his colleagues and the English people
have not shown her more goodwill. Prussia,
on the other hand, complains through Count
Bismarck that Lord Granville should have made a pro-
posal which the Chancellor of the Confederation could not
recommend to his Sovereign, but which that Sovereign,
something more tender-hearted than his Minister, some-
thing more impressed with the responsibility
which falls upon him who says the word which
leads to war, was, to his credit, ready to accept.
Lord Granville, and the Standard thinks fairly, interprets
this dissatisfaction as some proof that the Government
has done its utmost to maintain a strict and honest neu-
trality. The correspondence shows that it did its best to
avert war, and the declaration made yesterday by Lord
Granville must be accepted as a pledge that, the war
having broken out, the English' Government, whilst
thoroughly mindful of the obligations and the interests of
England, will maintain that careful neutrality, which will
enable it to intervene most successfully with its good
offices whenever the opportunity offers. We
have the solemn assurance of the French Go-
vernment that it will respect the neutrality of
Belgium, of Holland, and of Luxemburg. If we have
not assurances quite so distinct from .
the Prussian
Government, we are bound to assume that it aot in
the same manner. Even assuming that such promises
aro mere masters of course, and that both Powers are
ready to break their solemn engagements if they see any
advantage likely to arise from it, we may be sure that
neither will lightly give its antagonist the benefit of the
alliance of the country whose neutrality it injures, or pro-
voke the possible antagonism of the great Powers now re-
maining neutral.

THE WITHDRAWAL OF FRENCH TROOPS FROM ROME.
The Dublin Freeman, commenting on the reported with-
drawal of the French troops from Rome, says We
have good authority for stating that on thq wiry clay that
war was proclaimed by France the Roman Government
was assured that it would have no effect on the relations
between the French and Pontifical Governments. As
long as the Pope required the presence of a French force
in Rome it would remain there. The Emperor had
pledged himself, and in giving the pledge he only refiectv.cl
the universal feeling of France, that the indepqudtanc'e of
of his Holiness should be maintained cquto Qua coute. If
he wished for the withdrawal of the French garrison
it should he withdrawn, hut as long as that wish was un-
pronounced, a French garrison was to continue in Rome.
Telegrams from Rome to Eondon announced the hostile
feeling to France which pervaded the Roman Court.
They were all pro-Prussian. The very bq.o understand-
ing subsists between the Pope ancl this Nmperor. There
is no Prussianism in the ya,ticAil heyond those respects
for a friendly Power which the Holy See always dis-
plays. And as Prussia governs directly between three
and four millions of Catholics, and indirectly about thir-
teen millions, the relations between it and the Holy See
are important.

_ -
Mr. Alexander Mohan, Tecovder of Derry, was
seized with a fit of apoplexy while attending the Tyrone
Assizes on Thursday, and died in a few hours.
OUTRAGE IN InELAND,--On Tuesday night 20 or
30 men met Mr. Arthur Parke, of Longford-house, in the
county of Leitrim, and his agent, Mr. Johnston. The
men were armed with bludgeons and stones, and assaulted
Mr. Parke and wounded him so severely that he hay not
nee been able to be removed to his house. Twq leaders
were arrested. This is the third tine I*. P.arkes life
has been attempted, solely, ;t ids, sad lo,ecaufie he is
favourable to Methodism,