The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-23 00:00:00

THE SION LONDON, MONDAY EVENINGS JUNE 23, 1856

having conquered the enemy in the battle-field,"
did " melt away like a wreath of snow under
the sun of summer," owing to that imbecility and
corruption, and to the same causes must be attri-
buted the enlistment difficulty with America.
The respectable well-to-do classes are open to the

charge of looking after their own selfish indul-
gence, and " leaving the State to take care of
itself." Imbecility and corruption are still at
the helm, or biding their time to be there, and the
vessel of the State cannot but be in danger while
this state of things continues, even were Europe
not trembling, as it does, in the incipient throes
of revolution.

Equally certain is it that the immediate cause
of this disaster and of this danger is the irrespon-
sible position of our rulers. Government is in
the hands of a few, and these few, feeling there
is none to bring them to task, administer public
affairs so as best to promote their petty party in-
terests, and not the interests of the country. The
story is an old one, and will, almost as a matter
of course, be repeated so long as this irresponsi-
bility is suffered to continue. The chief blame,
how-
ever, is with the constituencies, we have said so again
and again, and Mr. ROEBUCK is of the same opi-
nion. If the country has been so sacrificed, and
is in such danger, the fault is theirs. The con-
stitution invests them with all controlling power,
and if that power is usurped and abused by petty
cliques, who else is to blame but themselves I

Mr. ROEBUCK is not far from the truth when
he says the country " owes a great degree of gra-
titude to the Press." It was the Press that rescued
the army in the Crimea from extinction and saved
the honour of the country from utter abasement.

The country has neither been nor is "alive to
the danger of the State." While the best interests
of the Empire have been perilled, we, for one,
have contemplated with " sorrow," if not with
"shame" the apathetic state of the public mind.
At a crisis when it especially behoved the nation
to look closely after the management of its affairs,
the constituencies stood by as spectators—not
wholly indifferent, to be sure—instead of princi-
pals deeply concerned in the consequences of every
move. Their charitable impulses, their patriotic
ardour did not slumber—they suffered them in par t
to be misdirected. What came of imbecility being
suffered to be at the helm, is now largely felt. What
might have been the case had the Press not done
its duty, posterity will best appreciate. It will
not do to make a scapegoat of the House of Com-
mons. Rarely, indeed, has there been a worse,
but unpardonable as its faults are, the constituen-
cies are chiefly to blame for them. The House
is their House—its members are their representa-
tives—and dared not have acted as they have if
they had been duly reminded of their duties.
Such results having followed this neglect, the
obligation of the constituencies, always imperative,
becomes tenfold more so now. To them is
entrusted the honour, welfare, and security of
the country ; and all these have suffered, and are
still greatly imperilled. Were there not sufficient
motive here for more concern on their part in the
administration of public affairs, abundant may be
found in the fact, that in that peril their own
selfish interests are involved. If patriotism be
impotent to move them, what shall be said of
Mammon ? Hear Mr. ROEBUCK : " The
people of this country, like the people of America,
are worshippers of the almighty dollar, and so
long as they are that—so long as they will be
made like beasts of burden to bear the yoke, they
deserve to bear it ;" and, let us add, that yoke
will necessarily touch the pocket more and more
heavily, as well as degrade the national instincts.
f Consider that, after being told " You are un-

worthy of the name of freemen if you do not act
up to the obligations which it imposes." If you
would rescue this country from its perilous condi-
tion, and your selfish interests along with it from
like danger it is your bounden duty—and youmust
look more closely to the management of public
affairs. Are you prepared to do so ?
So far we have been enabled to express our
concurrence in Mr. ROEBUCK'S sentiments and
views. Now that we come to the mode of pro-
cedure we are somewhat at varianc?. Mr. ROEBUCK
believes worse of the people of England than we
do, and appears to us somewhat illogical beside.
He is of opinion the people of England
would turn a deaf ear to a measure
of Parliamentary reform, and yet tells us
"It is idle to talk of Administrative reform un-
less they are ready to have Parliamentary reform."
To be sure he tells us the latter end may be ob-
tained by other means. But we would ask him,
if the people are not in a condition to listen to a
measure of Parliamentary reform, in what their
readiness consists, and what prospect is there held
out of Administrative reform ? The natural order
is Parliamentary, and then Administrative reform
—given the one, the other will inevitably follow.
Mr. ROEBUCK, however, conceives he can make a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Two corrupt
trees indeed—for he would use the reform-despis-
ing constituencies to reform their reform-needing
representatives, and thereby reform the State.
We are afraid he is in error, and that the pro-
cess 'will prove almost as valueless as rea•
soning in a circle. We don't mean to say
that nothing can be done by means of the scheme
he proposes of bringing the dereliction of mem-
bets before their ponstituencies, and shaming or
frightening the delinquents into a semblance of
virtue. Our fault with it is that it does not begin
at the beginning, and if exclusively relied on will
occasion the loss of much valuable time. Rouse
the constituencies and the masses to the necessity
for Reform in Parliament, and all will be straight-
forward sailing into port. Try to " influence" the
House of Commons as proposed; and, though some
measure of suceess be obtained, the country will,
or we are mistaken, still sigh in vain for substan-
tial Administrative Reform. We have spoken
hesitatingly, perhaps a little obscurely ; but the
evils of our administrative system lie deeper, if we
are not greatly mistaken, than Administrative
Reformers generally appear to imagine, and we
heartily desire Administrative Reform.

Wo earnestly invite attention to an article
which we have extracted from a provincial con-
temporary, the Liverpool Albion, in reference to
" General THOMPSON and the Continental Free-
Trade Movement.'' The labours of the veteran
reformer, the author of the well-known " Cate-
chism of the Corn Laws," have been the most
beneficial and the worst rewarded of any in the
great cause of "unrestricted competition ;" while
others have received valuable testimonials, he has
not even been allowed to retain his seat in Parlia-
ment, in which he had made himself so pre-emi-
nently useful. He is still, however, indefatigable
in the cause to which he devoted his disinterested
and efficient labours.

Ho has now placed at the disposal of the Brus-
sels Congress a pamphlet in French—tracing the
entire history of " politico-commercial" progress.
Such a work, from such a quarter, will, doubtless,
be duly appreciated—and conduce greatly to the
success of the interesting and important conven-
tion -which will be held iu September' in the Bel-
gian Metropolis.

sc^iptions received by
It is stated that, up to last evening, the total stib-
sufferers by the lundatiAs in 'France had reached
17,0001. the Lord Mayor on behalf of the

LATEST NEWS.

BERLIN, JUNE 21.

Thanks to the mediation of Russia an arrange-
ment has bean concluded between Denmark and
the United State; in virtue of which a provisional
toll convention will remain in force till June 1857.

The Sound Dues will be collected under this con-

vention as formerly.

MADRID, JUNE 22.

The Qaeen has been indisposed since the 19th.
She was bled for this, and yesterday a miscarriage

,00k place.

FOBTRAIT OF GENgBAr, WILLIAMS,

OF KARS.

Major-General Sir William FEnwick Williams, Bart.,
K.C.8., attended by his aide-decamp, Major Teesdale,
visited the Westminster Photographic Gallery, in Par-
liament-street, on Saturday, after being invested with
the insignia of the Bath by her Majesty, and honoured
Mr. John Watkins with a sitting for his portrait. We
have seen an impression of the photograph taken on this
occasion, and can pronounce it equally successful as a
likeness, and meritorious as a work of art. The
picture is on an important scale, and represents the
" Hero of Kars" seated, holding his plumed hat in the
right halal, while his left rests on the sword, which is
placed across his knees. The noble soldier-face of the
distinguished general wears an expression of calm dig-
nity that will be recognised by all who know him as pe-
culiarly characteristic, and his breast is covered with the
decorations that have been 'conferred on him by the
monarchs of Turkey, France; and England. Mr. Wat-
kins's well-known gallery of portraits contains many
celebrities of various kinds, but to none of them at the
present time is so strong an interest attached as to this
life-like representation of the gallant general whose
heroic defence of Kars shone so conspicuously in the late
war, and won for him the admiration of the world.
Another portrait, privately shown to us, of the late
Captain Langhorne Thompson, taken by Mr. Watkins
immediately after the decease of that brave and lamented
young officer (who reached home to die but a few hours
before the arrival of his brave chief), is a touching me-
mento of the departed heroism that must be of inesti
triable value to the bereaved relatives. There is nothing
painful in this photograph ; the features are of the
finest type of manly beauty, and the expression is that
of tranquil repose in sleep.—Monting Chronicle.

Major-General Sir William Williams, attended by
his aide-de-camp, Colonel Teesdale, visited the West
minster Photographic Gallery, 34, Parliament-street, on
Saturday, after having been invested with the insignia
of the Bath by Her Majesty, and honoured Mr. J. Wat-
kins with a sitting for his portrait. The photograph
taken on this occasion is equally successful as a likeness
and meritorious as a work of art. It is on an important
scale, and represents the hero dressed in the uniform of
a general of artillery and wearing all his orders.--.2im a.

HER MAJESTY AND TEE RETURN OF
THE GUARDS.

The return of the brigade of Guards from the Crimea
will give to the inhabitants of London another great
holiday.

Sir G. Grey has announced that sufficient notice will
be given of the time, and it is stated on authority that
her Majesty and her Royal Consort will meet the return-
ing heroes at the railway station in the Waterloo-road,
and that their march into London will be headed Ly the
Qtleen herself i❑ person—on horseback, we presume, as
the simply going before in a carriage would scarcely be
a royal compliment.
The route of the return will be up the Waterloo-road,
across Waterloo-bridge, by the left along the Strand to
Charing-cross, and thence by Pall-mall and St. James's-
street to Hyde-park, where the troops will be drawn up
in line and reviewed.
After the review, it is proposed to give the guardsmen
a public dinner by subscription in the great tent now
used for the azalea show at Cremorne Gardens. The
subscription is under the management of several distin-
guished officer, and will be arranged so that the gene-
ral public may participate in the pleasure of giving a pub-
lic dinner to these brave fellows, who have so well sup-
ported the ancient character of the British soldier for
indomitable courage in the field and invincible good-na-
ture when the battle is fought and won.
'Borne suggestions have also been made in giving to
the Guards, on their return from the Crimes, an invita-
tion to visit the Crystal Palace. The subject is, we un-
derstand, under the consideration of the directors, hut
the difficulty is to decide in what manner the visit shall
be paid. If the whole brigade is invited, and the men
are required to be formed into line for the purpose of a
grand military display, it will afford but little pleasure
to Those for whose benefit the invitation would be given ;
and, if the visit be paid, we trust that the Crimean ve-
terans will, like other visitors to the Palace, eujo7
freedom from the restraint of military discipline, and be
permitted to enjoy themselves among the beauties of
nature, and the wonders of art and science which are
provided at Sydenhaan.