The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-23 00:00:00

fication—

"That if!, he would have blown them up,
But a little accident prevented him :"
the little accident being his capture before he
could put his design into execution.
What the design of the two Governments ori-
ginally was we won't undertake to say ; but the
general opinion both here and at Naples is, it
was something more than figuratively to " blow
up" King Bound and his Government. If so,
that amiable and discreet Monarch has had a
narrow escape. "A little accident" has "pre-
vented" the catastrophe. The little accident
being the appearance of the policial as well as
political, and impudent more than either—circu-
lar of Prince GORTSCHAKOFF. That Boatel and
his satellites should, under all the circumstances,
be merry does not in the leant surprise us.
Their merriment is quite natural, and
will doubtless be shared by wiser and
more discreet individuals than themselves.
Indeed we look with confidence to a wider theatre,
and count on England and France being the
laughing-stocks of Europe and America. The
story is so redolent of the ludicrous, and tends so
much to divest the Allied Powers of the
respect due to their position, that constituted as
human nature is, more especially in that aggregate,
or rather segregate, phase of nation.
.we
should rather wonder if it were otherwise.
The memory of " the oldest inhabitant' of the
British Islands, or of France, we fancy, would be
tasked in vain to " find a parallel humiliation to '
that now infficted by Governmental folly on the
two nations. The dignity of either demands that
they shall not threaten, unless prepared and deter.
mined, in case of obstinacy, to carry their threats
into execution. What the precise terms employed
in the communications with the C ourt of Naplea
were, as already intimated, we do not know—but
it is pretty certain King BOM BA was frightened,
and expected nothing short of a bom-
bardment of Naples, if he refused to
comply with the requests made to him.
The Ambassadors of the two countries were to be
withdrawn, and an Allied fleet was to appear
before Naples. The interests of humanity and
the well-being of Europe were at the very least
to be vindicated and rescued from peril. The
subjects of BOMII.I were to have the opportunity
to do what they liked, or rather what they could,
with him. An Italian kiUgdom was to be res-
cued alike from tyranny and anarchy. Great
things were to be done, and adequate means were
provided to do them. Austria sneaked as usual
when she does not swagger on to the scene. The
King understood what Austria meant, however
much it might differ from what she said. He
plucked up fresh courage and went on strengthen-
ing his fortresses, and, adding to the number of
his troops, actually retorted the admonition he
had isoeived with every circumstance of insult

The Ambassadors still remained, and the
fleet lay in port, at all events kept
out of sight of Naples. Time passed on,
and when action seemed imminent out
came the Russian Circular. Never wai asto-
nishment greater than that of the two Govern-
ments. It fairly took away their bre Oh. So
soon as recovery set in they refreshed themselves
with " humble pie," and announced their deter-
mination to go on as they had threatened, taking
good care, however, to define their intentions
within the severest limits. The fleets were to be
despatched towards, but not to Naples, nor by way
of intervention, but for the protection of English
and. French subjects. The measure was simple ;
partook in no degree of the nature of an interven-
tion or of a threat, and could not be "considered
as a support or encouragement offered to those
who seek to shake the throne of the Two
Sicilies." BOMBA, of course, does not believe
any more of this than suits his convenience. They
meant to coerce him, to say the last of it, by bully-
ing, and theyhave caught a Tartar. That is his view
of the matter, and a sensible one it is. For our
part we never believed that any more was intended,
or that what might be done would be in the
interests of liberty. But for the degradation of
this country we should say matters are none the
worse for the appearance of the Russian Circular.
Had anything good been intended it would by
this time have been achieved. Better tyranny in
its loathsome deformity than patched and salved'
for the sake of appearance. But a heavy culpa-
bility rests with those who have betrayed England
into a proceeding unworthy of her greatness, and
her position in the van of Freedom—who have
made her the jest of a baboon, the sneer of tyrants,
and the object of mingled contempt and indigna-
tion to the oppressed.

The name of CHISHOLM ANSTEY is not yet for-
gotten in England. Few men gave greater pro-
mise of eventual success, when he had sobered

down from the intellectual intoxication thai
attended his first admission to a seat in the Im

perial Parliament. There was unquestionably at
first a grievous lack of discretion, but his errors
were those of a high-minded and enthusiastic
young man, aiming at more than he could by any
possibility hope to accomplish. But at any mo-
ment of his career there never was the slightest
doubt cast upon his political integrity and honour.

After a few years, when the early illusions were
&spelled, Mr. ANSTEY was justly regarded as a
consistent and energetic reformer, ready to lend
his aid in the removal of every recognised griev-

ance. There were at that time few more efficien

members. To great natural shrewdness and con-
siderable knowledge he united indefatigable in-
dustry, and never for a moment swerved from that
honesty of purpose, which was at all times un-
impeached and unimpeachable. He had by that
time learn Ted to distinguish between the practical
and the Utopian—to discern where he might
render essential service to the popular cause ; and
it is but an act of simple justice to state that no
amount of personal labour or annoyance deterred
him from steadfastly supporting the cause which
in his soul and conscience he believed to be well-
founded. Previous to the last dissolution he
had earned for himself the reputation of a very
hard-working and efficient member, one who
would do honour to any constituency by which
he might again be qualified to take part in the
• political affairs of the nation.

But, unfortunately, high deserts do not invari-
ably insure success at the hustings. Mr. ANSTRY
VMS not returned' at the last general election.
But the nation was not thereby deprived of his
services. He was appointed to the honourable
but comparatively barren position of Commis-
sioner for codifying the law, and in that capacity,
by his extensive learning and indefatigable indus-
try, gained golden opinions from all with whom
he was brought into contact. Lords LYNDHURST
and BROUGHAM were, we believe, to be reckoned
amongst the friends and admirers whose respect
and friendship he had gained in that capacity.
There was still reason to hope that the services
of Mr. ANSTEY would at no distant date be again
available in the representative branch of the
Legislature, when, unfortunately for himself and
the country, the Attorney-Generalship of Hong
Kong became vacant. It was offered to and
accepted by the learned gentleman, and he was
speedily consigned to what can only be consi-
dered as honourable banishment, in what has
been appropriately designated as " the noisome
scandal of the East !"
We cannot, of course, enter into the motives
that induced a man of such high promise to accept
an appointment so far inferior to others to which he
might fairly have aspired. He went out, however,
to the pestilential climate, strong in the hope o
being enabled to purify the moral atmosphere—
t) cleanse the Augean stable, and, so far as prac-
ticable, to render Kong Hong worthy of being a
British dependency. His attempts, however, at
improvement have been met by the most virulent

and systematic opposition. Every effort was
made to vilify and crush the honest reformer,
who used the broom too strenuously for those
steeped in corruption. Not only did he meet
with unexpected obstructions in every stage of his
progress, but he was made the target at which
many envenomed shafts were aimed ; not only
was the most bitter and unsparing abuse aimed
against his devoted head, but sundry civil actions
were instituted against him, for acts which he
considered essential to the due discharge of his
official duty.
Under such circumstances, it is by no means
surprising that his health should have broken
down between the combined influences of
the climate, and; a combination of vexa-
tions such as those above alluded to. The last
accounts state that " dysentery and low fever
have brought him to the verge of the grave." It
may even at this moment be too late to save him. 1
The faithful reformer may perish before a helping
hand can be extended on his behalf.
But surely something should be done while
ithere is yet hope. It would be a graceful
act on the part of the Government that would
be duly appreciated by the Reformers of Great
Britainf and we may add, of Hong Kong. From
, Lord PALMERSTON it would come with peculiar
charm, inasmuch as Mr. ANSTEY had once
been a strenuous and indefatigable opponent,
although he had reason subsequently to change
his views. Let Lord PALMERSON, then, come to
the rescue. Surely he has it in his port er to
bring home, or at least to chancre to a more
wholesome destination, the victim, before the last
sad sacrifice has been consummated. He may
be assured that he never did a wiser or more
politic act. We shall hope that it is only neces-
sary to direct attention to the subject, and that
at least an attempt will be made to preserve a
valuable life—one that may yet render important
service to the country, if timely precautions be
taken.

When the Metropolitan Board do agree, their
unanimity is wonderful. Unfortunately, their
chief point of agreement seems to be the rejection
of the only scheme whereby the metropolis can