The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-09 00:00:00

mutts, firmly maintaining the rights of an inde-
pendent and constitutional country." He also
stated that no Power had ever asked for any alte-
ration of the Belgian laws relating to the Press.
There was immense cheering and enthusiasm at
hearing these announcements. It is to be hoped
:hat the manifest unpopularity of Count WA-
LEWSKI'S audacious language, and of the Protocol
so unhappily signed by Lord CLARENDON, will
deter the Count and his Master from attempting
in France to make laws for Belgium.
It is impossible to repress astonishment at the
principal parties implicated. That Austria and
Prussia should be ready for any attack on real
liberty creates no surprise, but that Louis
NAPOLEON should imagine England would allow
her own greatest institution to be suppressed,
where it exists in any other country by external
coercion, is truly surprising. If the French think
a NAPOLEON on the Throne a consolation for a
tagged Press, let him remember that Belgium has
no such indemnification. A COBURG and a free
Press may be a fair compromise, but a COBURG
And a Press under the laws of France would be
unendurable. We must do LEOPOLD, however,
the justice of acknowledging that we do not
remember his evincing any personal hostility to
the freedom of the Press. Probably he lived long
enough in England to know that it is a
practical convenience under a constitutional
Government. It is a ready means for any
Government to ascertain the popular tendencies,
and to adapt legislation to them before they be-
come unmanageable. But what shall we say of
an exiled Pole becoming the instrument of enslav-
ing a free country ? and what of our own Pleni-
potentiary, first asserting in his country's name
the impossibility of England's uniting in an at-
tempt to fetter the Press of another country, yet
signing Count WALEWSICI'S assertion that the
"Plenipotentiaries condemned loudly the ex-
aesses in which the Belgian newspapers indulge
with impunity, by recognising the necessity of reme-
dying the inconveniences which are so greatly
tbused in Belgium !" How c)uld his Lordship
commit this country to Count WALEVirSKI'S sum-
mary after his own truly English remarks? As-
suredly, many things were said and done of which
the Protocols tell us nothing. All England would
renounce the French alliance at once rather than
-iee the Peace of Paris employed to put down th e
freedom of the Press.

As we have already stated, we think that some
solemn and official declaration should go forth
from this country to Belgium and Europe, that
England will tolerate no interference with the
Press of Belgium. Indeed Mr. GLADSTONE
ihowed at length on Thursday night that the
attempt was wholly needless. No further check
but that of censorship can be introduced. Already
the law of Belgium requires the Government of
the country to prosecute, on behalf of any com-
plaining foreign potentate, while in this country,
if Lours NAPOLEON thinks himself aggrieved, he
himself must prosecute. The sore point probably
s, that the case there, as here, must go before a
jury ; and the Emperor of FRANCE remembers
how his uncle, in the case of PELTIER, gained
I verdict, but suffered infinitely more from
.the
ipeech of counsel than he could have done from
in obscure writer. Louis NAPOLEON does not
wish to become the theme of a B3lgian Mao-
KINTOSII.

The Circassians, now it is too late, are also
moving. They probably had till quite recently
no idea of what was going on at Paris. Seeing
~he forts which alone prevented their intercourse
with the sea destroyed, they in their simplicity
hought the powers which had caused their de-
struction would take good care they should never
he re-established. They supposed their commerce
with Turkey and with all Europe perfectly secure
For the future. Too late, however, they learned that
Russia would probably be permitted to cut them
,ff as before from the sea which washes the feet
.f their mountains, and by which alone they can
)btain not only such common articles of commerce
is they wish, but the supplies of warlike stores
which are their chief necessity for maintain-
ing their freedom. We read, therefore, without
:urprise that their chiefs in hundreds flocked down
;o Anapa on the news of Peace, drew up an ad-
tress to our QUEEN, asking the recognition of the
'ndependence of their country, and sent a depu-
tation of twelve of their number with it to Con-
itautinople. We trust that something decisive
will be done. It seems clear that the Circassians
have never renounced their own independence,
!qually clear that Turkey could never renounce it
for them—the SULTAN having no authority over
-.hem but that of the religious chief of ISLAM.
Unless our Government can take some efficient
step at once, Russia with her wonted craft will
accomplish her ends, while we are merely venting
►ur indignation. Her troops are already moving
to the Caucasus, and her probable intention is to
Overwhelm finally the free mountaineers, and to
compensate herself in Ciroassia for her losses else-
where. Was this result connived at by the Pleni-
potentiaries ? Was it a part of the policy of not
humbling Russia ?

The War is over. The War that cost some
'mucked and twenty millions of money ; and the
iuly good thing it has ace.)mplished is the libera-
tion of FROST, JONES, and Ca., and the revocation
)f the sentence of exile on SMITH O'BRIEN ! Is
this worthy of our character as an economical
people ? Is it in accordance with the principle
so triumphantly vindicated at the Naval Review,
when Members of Parliament wore victualled for
the day's holiday excursion at seven-and-sixpence
a head ? Were Paosr, JONES, and Co. the only
real patriots after all ? And now that patriotism
can do the ruling caste no harm, is it thought
politic to show a due appreciation of the virtue of
patriotism in the liberation of their persons ?
We are accustomed to speak of patriotism as a
priceless jewel. Could'nt we in this case have
'had more of it for the money ? A hundred and
twenty millions ! Divide the sum by four, and
the reader will find that gives thirty millions
L-piece for FROST, JONES, and Cu. ! Never,
surely, hung orient pearl so costly on the neck of
beauty. Item—Faosr—a Welsh icicle-diamond
we should say-30,000,0001. Rather staggering to
light on this in the national accounts ! Item—
JONES 30,000,000/. ! Of the five million JONES'
in existence was not a jewel of equal value, a
jewel quite as spotless and quite as worthy of
admiration, to be had at a somewhat lower figure
—for a million say, or for a QUEEN'S shilling ?
Item—SMITH O'BRIEN, an Emerald of the first
water, 30,000,000/. Surely a high figure for
a splinter of " the gem of the say." In the
language of fast men—" Isn't this going it
rayther ?" Don't let us be misunderstood ; we
don't in the least complain of the revocation of
the sentence of exile on these men. Nothing of
the sort. They ought to have been pardoned
before. Their power for evil has long been gone,
and whatever they may have respectively deserved
it would have accorded better with the majesty
of the country and its Sovereign to have set them
free, the Welsh rioters at least, years ago, and
SMITH O'BRIEN the moment he stood out in such
honourable relief to his ungentlemanly associates
in treason and
punishment. What we complain