The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-21 00:00:00

NE W
gitgo,_„
tabs lords, 'especially ilahnersto made a
strenuous effort to obtain much better terms of 7.7,
peace, but were over-ruled bya large majotity of the
Cabinet. And we can further state, with the
utmost confidence, that, so far from being gratified
at the acceptance by Russia of the Austrian ulti It
-
matum Lord Palmerston shares the almost uni-
versal feeling of the country on the subject—which
is one of deep regret that the war was not allowed
to go on for another season, inasmuch as, with the
enormous force, both by sea. and land, which we
possess, we should have completely crushed Russia,
and thus have put it out of her power hereafter to
commit any further aggressions on the territories
of other Powers, or in any way to endanger the
peace of Europe.
Happily, if Lord Palmerston be only true to
himself, and is still worthy of that confidence which
the country reposes in him, he will be able, in
virtue of the fifth resolution, which reserves to the
Allies the right of making any supplementary con-
ditions they choose—to extort such terms from the
Czar as will so effectually diminish his power, and
destroy his prestige, as to make peace at once
honourable, safe, and permanent. The nation
looki to him alone. A heavy responsibility, there-
fore, rests on the Noble Lord. And deplorable
will be the results to his own reputation, as well
as disastrous to the country, should he not deter-
mine on exacting from Russia, before he consents
to peace, far more stringent terms than those which
are embraced in the Vienna Propositions.
Another of the rumours which are just now in
circulation is one to the effect, that the Western
Powers have intimated to Austria their willingness
' to agree at once to an armistice. We cannot believe
this. It is impossible that Lord Palmerston
should consent to anything of the kind. If he
were to do so, his doom would be sealed within a
few days of the reassembling of Parliament. Such
a step would inspire a feeling of ungovernable in-
dignation throughout the ;and. li. would be re-
garded as a deliberate betrq fal of 1.;3. cou.try.
With regard to Louis Napoleon, we are told, in
a telegraphic communication which we received at
a late hour last light, that he has actually agreed
to an armistice. This is given us as a fact, but we
cannot vouch for its being so. Even in France,
where no representative Government exists, and
where all depends on the will of one man, we can
hardly think that he would attempt so daring an
experiment on public endurance at present ; but,
whether it be so or not, Lord Palmerston knows
his own position and the state of public feeling in
England too well, to listen for a moment to so
monstrous and perilous a proposition as that for
an armistice. He knows that there must be no
cessation, not for one instant, to the war, nor to
the preparations for carrying it on with increased
vigour, until satisfactory conditions of peace have
received the signature of the Czar, and adequate
guarantees been given that the conditions of peace
so agreed upon will be faithfully fulfilled.
If Louis Napoleon chooses to agree to an ar-
mistice, be must be allowed to do so alone, and at
his own risk. Lord Palmerston is the constitu-
tional Minister of a free country, and he will be no
sharer in the guilt and peril of assenting to an
armistice in the present state of affairs.

(From the Press.)
We believe the peace to be essentially wise and
just. But hew will it be received by the country I
We fear with great dissatisfaction. The moderate
terms we have received fall so far short of the ex-
pectations excited, that we shall not be surprised
to find its conditions excite a frenzy of discontent.
Deception of all kinds, but political deception in
particular, commonly bears within itself the seeds
of chastisement. Probably it will do so in this
case.

Who was it that deceived the people with false
hopes ? Who promised them enormous political
results from the war ? Who spoke of remodelling
the map of Europe—of wresting the Crimea for
ever from Russia—of exciting a social and Govern-
mental revolution within her borders ? Let these
men answer at the bar of public opinion. for their
declarations, and let them stand convicted of the
grossest insincerity or the simplest folly.
Those who were most forward in exciting immo-
derate expectations have, by a just retribution,
been the very men officially instrumental in disap-
pointing them. The general character of the peace
will satisfy the Conservative party—will it satisfy
the Ministerialists ? How curious has been the
destiny of the two last coalitions ! Lord Aber-
deen's peace Government against its will drifted
into war, and Lord Palmerston's war Government,
equally against ifs will, has drifted into peace. In
each case the reputation of England has somewhat
sunk through the want of i rinciple on the part of
its rulers.

Equally strange is it that the Conservative Op-
position has supported both Governments in acting
against their inherent convictions and principles.
We forced I,nrel Aberrlr P. to.. ,p: Willago in a war
cest.ary to the honour of laglasid ia!A to the
security of Europe ; we have force-4 `:Lord Palmer-
ston's to agree to a peace now that the objects of
the war are accomplished. A few weeks back we
were threatened with a dissolution. What would
be the prospects of the Government with a disso-
lution now ?

In our future history this war will occupy a page
of mingled gloom and glory. It has been clouded
by faults of administration almost beyond belief
from their grossness, and by shameful timidity on
the part of the Executive. But it has its bright
side. The patriotic spirit of the people has never
failed ; they did not need the stimulants applied
to them ; and our army, notwithstanding that it
constantly moved in fetters, never displayed more
invincible heroism. Above all, this war has de-
stroyed for a generation to come the miserable fal-
lacies of that school of politicians who, in their
silly eagerness for peace, would deprive us of the
arms which give power to enforce it—who would
rob us of our best possession and dearest birthright
—our high place among the nations of the world—
and expose us to become the scoff and prey of States
with more martial instincts and keener insight into
the nature of humanity and the history of man-
kind.