The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-06 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 1860.

Among those proverbs, whose veracity is confirmed
by the experience of daily life, must be mentioned
the saying of our continental neighbours, " Les
absens ont toujours tort." It is so easy to drop hints
and make sly suggestions, when those most imme-
diately concerned are not near to spoil the effect of
the witty remark or question the truth of the insidi-
ous comment. It is no matter of doubt that the
resignation of Mr. DISRAELI took every one by sur-
prise, and notwithstanding the alacrity which some
had prepared themselves to display in speeding the
parting guests from Downing-street, they were taken
aback by discovering that their services were not re-
quired, and that the road was ready for Mr. GLAD-
STONE to come, see, and conquer without the exertion
of dispossessing his rivals. It was not to be expected
that the ex-Premier should be allowed to retire to
the comparative retreat of Opposition without some
strictures being passed upon his mode of procedure
during the fleeting mouths while the destinies of
England were entrusted to his hands. Anything in
the way of direct attack is always fair, and
the policy of all public men is an open
subject for criticism ; but what is to be
deprecated is the covert form of assault,
the indirect remark, and the hidden meaning. Wish-
ing perhaps to make a little diversion in this dull
attitude of public affairs, when the once paramount
question of Reform is as old as the hills, and when
nothing new can be said on the subject of the Irish
Church by the utmost stretch of imagination, or the
powers of the most inventive genius, it has been
deemed expedient to take a retrospective glance and
discover the amount of injury that was done to the
public service by the Conservative Administration.
In default of a better or worse theme the critics have
found out that the patronage of the Conservative
chief was very faulty indeed, and that, in point of
fact, it is a pity that he had so many opportunities
afforded him of doing good turns to his party. This
is really very absurd, and it is also very u f n arr. The
candid' spirit and impartial manner in which llr.
DISRAELI conducted affairs in Parliament and in his
official capacity might have saved him from such un-
called-for attacks, which are alike unworthy of the
party they assail and of the party whose interests
they pretend to forward. High-minded and right-
thinking politicians of all shades of opinion, and of all
classes of society, would scorn to cast such imputations
on our leading statesmen, but as such insinuations
always have some weight in certain quarters, it is
as well to notice them, if only to point out their mis-
chievous tendency, and the wrong tone which they
infuse into the elements of our public affairs. Great
offence was given by the late Premier by talking of
the monopoly of liberalism, but surely in these stric-
tures we may discover the presence of the worst cha-
racteristics of that evil. Why, we may ask, is one
set of men in the country to have all the prizes of
the public lottery and the other to remain for ever
debarred from the privilege. There is neither law
nor reason in such a line of argument, and the
advanced spirits of the Liberal party must repu-
diate the notion with indignation, as a slur upon their
fame and a contradiction in terms to the principles
which they profess.

It is always best in matters of this kind to look
at both sides of the question, and if we take into ac-
count the preponderance of power that has been given