The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-13 00:00:00

limn O THE PUBLIC, JOURNALS,

What we lately said, remarks the Times, with respect
to the disposition of the French Government towards the
(Ecumenical Council receives full confirmation. Our latest
intelligence states that the Emperor Napoleon's Ambasador
Acme, the Marquis de Banneville, has presented a
Note !NM the Minister of Justice at Paris, representing
that to proclaim the infallibility of the Pope, would
T;d inopportune at the present moment, both from
a .1.:1-rious and from a political point of view,
and hinting that,
if the Papal Government were
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7'144.
to insist upon.
a measure, it might lead
._
those terms of the Concordat
France to withdraw from
which bind that power to the holy See. Important
declarations to the same effect had been made already in
the account of the relations of the French Government
with foreign States laid before the world in the so-called
Yellow-book. We must now see what the next step on the
part of Rome will be. The French Note—and all the world
ought to be thankful for it—brings the question of the
(Ecumenical Council into the smallest possible com-
pass, for, according to all the information we
receive, the Pope, and those in his immediate
circle, were, till now, resolutely bent on giving the
dogma of infallibility the utmost emphasis and signifi-
cance, and the Liberal party in the French and German
Episcopate, backed by the civil power in their respective
States, were equally determined to resist this latest
encroachment of the Papacy to the uttermost ; so that the
proceedings of the Council begin now to assume an interest
which at first they seemed scarcely likely to possess. The
Council, however, is, indirectly at least, France's own
work. It is to French bayonets that the Pope is
indebted for his throne, and the Council for its place of
safe meeting. Will it be in the Emporor's power to avert
the consequences of his own work ? Will his Note be
sufficient to uphold the terms of the Concordat—to gua-
rantee the rights of civil legislation and the interests of
knowledge in opposition to the "word of eternal truth,"
against a Church which boasts of being "stronger than
Heaven itself ?" The answer to these questions is obvious.
Without the " miracles " of the Chassepot, whero was the
Pope's strength ? Only let the Chassepots depart, and let
us sec what kind of garrison the 903 bishops in council
assembled would form for Rome.

The Standard declares that the Duke of Abercorn's
speech at Belfast on Wednesday is a masterly indictment
against the Irish policy. of the present Government. He
truly points out that it has come to this in Ireland, that
every demand is coupled with a threat of rebellion. It is
not merely that we have lawlessness ruling all through the
country, but even the men who address the Government
and Parliament say, "If you don't give us this or more,
woe betide British rule in Ireland," and this state of affairs
he traces to the language of Mr. Gladstone and his
colleagues. The total disorder of public opinion
that puts treason into the mouths of the petitioners of the
Crown and Parliament, is, perhaps, even more striking
than the lawlessness which prevails in every relation of
life. Coming from whence it might the Duke of Aber-
corn's retrospect of public affairs would deserve attention.
Coming from this nobleman its significance is remarkably
enhanced. The men of Ulster believe that it is well for
them to be part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
—that if many things are not as they would wish—are
not yet as they hope to see them—the Irish people have
yet many advantages in the rule, and may win still
more, and, in close connection with this country,
vindicate for themselves a position amongst the family of
nations which otherwise it would be impossible for them
to achieve. It is on such considerations as these that
Englishmen wish tci see their rule in Ireland founded. Had
it not been for Radical policy, it is such considerations
that would long since have reconciled us to all sections of
the Irish people. It is the section of the Irish people to
whom these sentiments of wise patriotism belong who,
through the mouth of the Duke of Abercorn, allege, with
a just right, "the government of Mr. Gladstone in Ireland
has been a signal and disastrous failure,"

The Peninsular and Oriental Company, says the Post
more, perhaps, than any other body, must be affected for
good or evil by the opening of the Suez Canal. This mag-
nificent shipping company, which is, in its completeness
and proportions, an honour to the nation, has of late, like
the rest of the world, been contending with adverse cir-
cumstances. The Government screwed it down in its
contracts to the lowest possibie pitch ; a foreign Govern-
ment highly subsidised a line of steamers competing with
it; and the slackness of trade it naturally felt severely.
With regard to the conveyance of passengers
and mails, the Suez Canal will, we learn, be of no
assistance to the Peninsular and Oriental Company.
Even if the evident risk of steamers sticking in the Canal
were obviated, the much greater rapidity of transit across
the Isthmus by the railway would commend itself too
forcibly to the Postmaster-General and to the
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the day will come when the Peninsular and
Oriental Company will be permitted to send their
mail steamers at nearly full speed through the Canal is
probable enough, and a great advantage it will be to them
to be enabled to do so. But many years must elapse before
this desirable end is arrived at, and in the meantime the
great company must be content to disembark its mails and
passengers at Alexandria and Suez.

The Daily News thinks that it is one of the healthy
signs of Protestantism that on all hands there is a rising
discontent with the exclusion of the laity from eccle-
siastical affairs. The new diocesan organisations unite
clergy and laity in Church work, and the bishops who are
adopting them are distinctly recognising the congregations
as having rights as well as duties. Even in parochial
work lay help is being sought, and the organisation of
lay agency is one of the most hopeful movements of
the time. The more the Church rouses herself to do her
true work, the more does the theory which makes the
clergy a ruling caste break down. These circumstances
gave significance to the concluding proposals of the Rev.
J..C. Ryle on Church Reform. His final letter deals with
the position of the laity, and Mr. Ryle, probably cor-
rectly, describes the feeling of the Evangelical
party in saying that in nothing is a thorough
reform so needful as in the position of the laity
in the Church of England. Mr. Ryle speaks of
the present position of laymen in Church affairs
as the " damnosa haereditas " bequeathed from Rome. Mr.
Ryle truly says, " the very last thing we clergy possess is
a judicial mind;" and he protests with all his heart
against trying ecclesiastical suits before clerical judges,
and prays, as most laymen do. " From exclusively clerical
tribunals may the Church of England ever be delivered.,
In short, Mr. Ryle boldly advocates the institution of
popular rule for personal rule, and a mixed government
for clerical government, in all ecclesiastical affairs.

The Telegraph observes that one of the greatest
Judges—possibly the greatest Judge England has ever
seen—a predecessor of the present Lord Chief Justice,
was called upon about a century ago to settle the law re-
garding bills of exchange and commercial tramuwtions of
that description. The matter was quite beyond the com-
petence of our old feudal lawyers, but it had to be settled
once for all, or England could not have remained a great
commercial nation. So now with reference to these modern
companies—with the ill-defined liabilities of parties, we
have to consider what directors can do and what they
can lea '.re undone without rendering themselves amenable
to the, criminal law. When people are once aware that
theiz: own prudence must protect them, inasmuch as the
lav, cannot, they will be very cautious how they give up
tY,eir interests to enterprises which do not offer satisfac-
tory guarantees of honesty and stability. If that is the
truth, let us be told it, and we shall know what we are about.
At present we labour under what is possibly a delusion—
namely, that the directors of these great enterprises
which have grown up under the law of Limited Liability,
are criminally responsible for their acts. In a rough
way we imagine that directors who publish false balance-
sheets, and thereby induce the public to become share-
holders, are subject to the criminal law. The most modest
households in the kingdom, equally with the greatest
capitalists' are deeply interested in the issue of this great
trial. Whether the result is due to the imprudence of the
public, ar to the defective condition of the law, or to both
causes, the fact remains, that through the operation
of these associations a calamity as great as any which
could bo inflicted by war, by pestilence, or famine, fell
upen the land. Take up a list of ruined shareholders, and
try to find out what has become of them and of their
families; pursue a similar process with the lists of all the
ruffled depositors and insurers ; and it will be found that
we have not even coloured the simple truth. It is doubt-
ful if a greater responsibility has ever rested upon the
shoulders of an English Judge than that which rests with
the Lord Chief Justice Cockburn. It is a turning point
in -his own great career, and we doubt not that he will be
found equal to the task-.

The Herald refers to the settlement of the Egyptian
question, and say's that Egypt is quite unable to contend in
arms against the Porte. Whatever future may be in store
for her, she is at present a dependency of Turkey, and
only in that lir;:it is she recognised by the Great Powers of
the world. There is not one of those Powers which
/3,,e8 its way at present to do anything to aid the Egyp-
tian Vienroy in throwing off an allegiance which, in
the present condition of the country. is a guarantee
o,C rernianence rather than a cause of weakness. We
tick `not deny that Egypt has made immense strides
cL, Late. Her government and her civilisation are being
aP.similated to the Eurolean model. The overland rout,
Pritish India, and the nilway across the desert, have
made her a great centre of the connueree and progress of
thp world. The discovery, by English enterprise, of the
lakes and upper streams of the Nile, and the expeditions
unJer Sir S. Baker against the slave-bunting tribes
those countries, are opening up for her benefit a mighty
,tlonlinion in Central Africa. The Canal across the Isthmus
of Suez, which bids fair to be a success, may make her
a link between the Eastern and Western worlds, and
tree; on her soil a mart of exchange fer the products of all
nations. A great future seems in store fur the land which
*a's the mother of all lands, and whose history laughs to
scorn the traditions of Babylonian empire. Not the less
Is it becoming in the rulers of Egypt to bide their time,
?end. await the development of events, to allow their
country in its rejuvenescent or modern phase to go through •
Its- period of pupilage till it is strong, and of age to cast
=.;ff its swaddling clothes with the consent of all. For the
iiresent, and probably for some time to come, Egypt is
province_ of Turkey,
_and there is peace in the East.