The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-11 00:00:00

All that relates to the questions for which the
Congress has ostensibly been c:onvened appeared
in our impression of yesterda:7, so that every
person may form his own opin on respecting the
claims put forward by Russia t o the retention of
the Isle of Serpents and New Bolgrad. It is

indeed perfectly conclusive on both points, and
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg is convicted by its

own admissions of a most discreditable attempt
t ) take advantage of a deception practised by its

rc Ipreseutatives on those with whom they were asso-
ci: tted—a deception that must for ever disqualify
the parties concerned from pretending to the
characters of men of honour and gentlemen• From
the nature of the defence put forward and the

ready adoption by the Russian Government of
the disgraceful act of its servants, we obtain an

usis,ht into its very peculiar views on the subject

of a iplomatic arrangements. With a pleasing
affectation of candour, an almost infantine sum-
plioitl7, it acknowledges that it attempted to take
advantage of a clear and palpable misconception

on the part of the other Powers. It, however,

thinks it a sufficient answer to say that its Pleni-
potentiaries did not originate the mistake. They
merely took advantage of it when it occurred.
They did not produce the maps ! Far from it !

"Painted in Russian they might not have ap-

neared sufficiently intelligibly to all the repre-

sentat ives at the Congress. They, therefore,
formed their conclusions from the examination of
a map placed at their disposal by the care of the
French Government." Arguing on this state of
affairs, the Russian Government proceeds to say
—" This fact is worthy of mention ! It shows
that if the maps were faulty the responsibility
does not rest with the Russian Plenipotentiaries !"
This is, indeed, a novel doctrine. The parties are
convicted on their own confession of the suppressio
veri, if not of the suggestio falsi ! It is not for a
moment pretended that they were ignorant of the
true state of affairs—that they had not at their
disposal maps which, although they might not be
" sufficiently intelligible." to all the representa-
tives, were thoroughly understood by themselves.
They were, therefore, fully aware that the Bolgrad
of which they represented the importance to Russia
without stating that its retention would violate
one of the chief principles on which Peace could
be obtained, by permitting the French map to be
used, without explaining its error, and they were
for ever stopped from questioning its accuracy.
It was to all intents and purposes the basis of the
arrangement; and when there is a Bolgrad,
although now artfully designated " Tabak," that
fulfils all the conditions, it is perfectly clear that
must be the Bolgrad for which Russia appealed to
the assembled Plenipotentiaries.
On the point respecting the Isle of Serpents
the argument of Russia. is singularly fallacious,
although her conduct has not been quite so dis-
creditable. She declares that " the stipulations
refer to a demonstration on the main land, and
do not apply to the possession of an island
situate in the open sea. In fact no express
stipulation of the Treaty has either annexed to
Moldavia or adjudged to Turkey that Island,
which was incontestably in the possession of Russia
before the rupture !" And therefore Russia claim.;
as a waif what was not hers, because it has not
been expressly given either to Moldavia or to
Turkey. She forgets to say that it unquestion-
ably belonged to Turkey, and that her " occupa-
tion." was only tolerated for the purpose of guard-
ing the entrance of the Danube. She is no longer
the protector (?) of its navigation. The spirit of
Lthe Treaty excludes her from any participation
tnerein, aunt as uterizCf—fas " express stipula-
tion," the island must revert to its original
owner, as well from a due observance of the
principle on which the Treaty was founded as
from its geographical situation.
We are, however, to have the Congress, and
for what ? To save the honour of Russia ! That,
at least, is the avowed object—although, as we
yesterday explained, we fear there is an arriere
pens& ; something in the back-ground, which,
like a lady's postscript, constitutes the most im-
portant part of the communication. But, surely,
Russian honour (?), if there be any such thing,
would have been better sustained, byyieldinggrace-
fully in the first instance, rather than in being
defeated by a majority of votes ! The Muscovite
organ in Belgium professes to give a history of
the transaction, and declares that every
thing is arranged, that " ten points,
which have been the subject of debate,
are now decided, and decided against Russia by
a majority of five votes to two ;" adding, with
apparent frankness, "on some future day Russia
will have her turn ; to-day it is England's." We
cannot, however, lay this flattering unction to
our souls. After the example of Russian diplo-
macy which we have just witnessed wo must
distrust every profession. We cannot credit them
even when offering concessions. We still think
that the meeting of the Congress is a very un-
toward affair both for England and Turkey. Its
proceedings must be vigilantly watched, and re-
stricted to the alleged objects for which it was
convened. If Russia succumbs, and that no
other matters are introduced—that no improvi-
dent arrangements are concluded—well ! If
otherwise, we trust that the English Parliament
and people will know how to protect their own
interests, despite the sinister and unconstitutional
influences that may be brought into operation.
Germanism cannot, and must not, always remain
in the ascendant.

The Radical Electors of Lambeth had a treat
last evening in listening for the space of an hour
or so to the "slashing" speech of WILLIAM
WILLIAMS, their thoroughly independent repre-
sentative. It was on the occasion of his making
a clean breast of it according to annual custom
by entering into a minute explanation of his
conduct as M.P. for Lambeth during the last
session of the Imperial Legislature. Always a
rare opportunity for the utterance of plain whole-
some truths by one who occupies a seat in the
House of Commons neither as a partisan nor as a
Place hunter. An opportunity not lost therefore
(as every one might have felt satisfied it could
not, who knows either the Lambeth constituency
or theLambeth representative); an opportunity not
lost in any
one particular, by an iota, by a tittle,
by a hair's breadth by WILLIAM WILLIAMS,
Merchant and
. .
Political Econoin ist. Politician, Radical Reformer and
The whole Speech from first
to last, as given almost Ipstssima verbs in another
part of our impression of this evening, will amply
repay the reader of it for the trifling labour
oF its perusal. Especially that particular
part of Mr. WILLIAMs'S explanation—the core
or marrow of it as
last session, n ,
it seems to ns—hav-
g rmemorable division of
reference to
atsession,
we had almost
n see
sfseoe
said from infamy as a whole, the one independent
division which among all the rest of the divisions
of the year shone out in the character of the only
division befitting the dignity of the national
representatives. Need it be added that allusion
was here made by Mr. WILLIAMS to the bold,
blunt, brusque rejection, by the House of eon,
mons, of the pet Court project for removing the
National Gallery, at an immense expense to the
nation, from Trafalgar-square, " the Finest