The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 9, 1858.

cestry in a direct line to a period of time removed
from this by three or four hundred years. The
noble houses whose chiefs sit there by right of their
high rank, as hereditary legislators, are of compa-
ratively recent date as patrician races. The Lords
of England, Ireland, and Scotland, Barons,Viscounts,
Earls, Marquises, Dukes, are there as such for the
most part—in the vast majority of instances—in
reward for noble services done to the State by Com-
moners. Now a valiant soldier, now a heroic
sailor, now a learned judge, now a skilful diploma-
tist—becomes a Peer and bequeaths to his descen-
dants on his death a title and a coronet. The son
of a Highland gentleman, only the other day, in
recompense for his display of high qualities upon
the battle field, becomes Lord CLYDE of Clydesdale.
The first Lord NELSON, the greatest sea captain the
world has ever known—though but a younger son
of a poor country clergyman—notoriously won his
title at the sword's point, going into action with the
words " A Peerage or Westminster Abbey !" Mr.
SUGDEN, the son of a small tradesman in our own
time, moreover, is, as a lawyer, Baron ST. LEONARDS.
Mr. HARRIS, at the close of the last cenfury, by
reason of his genius for diplomacy, became the
first Earl of MALMESBURY. As a body, the Lords
are drawn from the Commons. It is, consequently,
to our thinking, both vulgar and ridiculous to de-
claim thus against the Peers and the Peerage, as
against some pernicious incubus, instead of both
being, as they are, part and parcel of the Constitution.
But, says Mr. BRIGHT—" Traders are not admitted
—and therefore the House of Peers is exclusive."
Let any man prove that his being a trader benefits
the country and leaves himself unrewarded—and
be sure that rara aris will not have long to wait
for his elevation to the peerage. But it is simply
absurd to complain, because traders, as traders, are
not admitted to the Upper House of Parliament.
As well complain that successful sportsmen and
accomplished anglers are not recompensed with
peerages when they return with their bags and
baskets crammed to repletion. Trade is its own
great reward—in the gold tinkling In a Danren
shower into the till. The Golden Calf :is excel-
lent, in its way, melteddown at the Mint, and
stamped with the effigy of the reigning sovereign.
We are not popularly desirous of having it raised
upon a pedestal. We only want the use of it as a
nation—passing through the purse and the breeches
pocket. As a means for the performance of good
service to the country, trade may even; now, when
it so -wills, win a peerage. Besides, the honoured
ex-Chancellor already mentioned (Lord ST. LEO-
N.kRDS), how many members of the House of Peers
are there not who are the descendants of trades-
men ! Let a trader, or the son of a trader, fight by
land or by sea, as HORATIO NELSON and CoLIN
CAMPBELL fought before him—let a trader, or the
son of a trader, master the rugged science of law,
like Mr. YORKE-triumph, like Mr. HARRIS, in
diplomacy—write essays and histories, prose and
verse, like Mr. MACAULAY, and. be sure he will find
Trade no obstruction to the gaining of a peerage.
Altogether, we cannot but think that people gene-
rally are arriving more and more distinctly at the
conclusion that—as is undoubtedly the case—there
is a great deal of eloquence in what is said by Mr.
BRIGHT, but there is also a great deal of—Bosh.

THE THEATRES.

LATEST NEWS.

After the presentation of this report, Baron de
Manteuffel on several occasions transacted business
with the Prince, but the latter said not a word to
him about the report. This significant silence,
joined to the arrival in Berlin of personages osten-
sibly summoned to form part of a new Ministry
and among them M. d'Auerswald, an ardent poli-
tical adversary, caused the Ministers to resign."
The King of Prussia, says a letter from Meran,
has become much better, and regained in some
measure his former portly appearance. It adds
that in conversation his Majesty is more expansive,
and appears in good spirits.

Count Apponyi, the Austrian Minister in Lon-
don, arrived at Vienna on the 4th, and was received
at a private audience by the Emperor. Baron de
Prokesch had the honour of dining at the palace
on the 3d.

The Archduke Charles Louis, Governor of the
Tyrol, arrived on the 3d at Trieste from Vienna.

A letter from Munich says The children of
King Louis of Bavaria have inherited his Majesty's
taste for literature, and especially for poetry. His
Majesty's eldest son, the reigning King, Maximi-
lian 11., has already published several poetical pro-
ductions ; Prince A dalbert , another son, has also
written poetry; and the Princess Alexandra, a daugh-
ter, has published a volume of tales, which has a large
sale, and the proceeds of which are devoted to charita-
ble institutions. Duke Maximiliam of Bavaria, also,
is known for a work called Phantasm' and by
several translations."

Several of the Lisbon journals publish a note to
the effect that a number of journalists had held a
meeting to discuss the propriety of supporting a
project for raising by national subscription the
amount of the indemnities demanded by the French
Government for the capture of the Charles-Georges;
and that they came to the conclusion that the pro-
posed subscription was inopportune.