The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-26 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 26, 1867.

Lord. GRANVILLE has endeavoured to throw over
a time-honoured custom, and to bring on a discus-
sion of an important topic without giving due
notice of it. In this he was hardly wise, and the
result did not encourage him to make the attempt
on another occasion. It is indeed unreasonable at
the best of times to expect those in the capacity
of Government officers to answer, at a moment's
notice, whatever may be asked of them. Urged on
without preparation they may omit some point of
interest or importance, and speaking without due
care they may promise more than they can perform,
and raise expectations which cannot hereafter be
realised. The noble lord commenced his remarks
by stating that he had no wish to interfere with
previous arrangements, or to raise a debate
upon the papers connected with the Abyssinian
affair, but he desired to be better acquainted
on some points. After all, however, the explana-
tions he asked for implied very much the same as
the results be disclaimed, and so Lord DERBY very
justly understood it. Lord GRANVILLE contended
that some information should be given, such as was
most urgently called for, and which it was most
desirable to have as soon as possible. It was true,
remarked the noble lord with a taunt of sarcasm,
that five hundred pages seemed sufficient to satisfy
any moderate appetite; but yet he asked for more
and fuller knowledge than those official documents
presented to his eager gaze and doubting mind.
One thing is very evident, that the noble lord read
those papers far more in the spirit of the critic who
extenuates nothing, than that of the one who sets
down nought in malice, for over and over again he
contrived to suggest this, and insinuate that with
great ingenuity, and evidently with a damaging
purpose. In fact we may fairly come to the con-
clusion that Lord GRANVILLE looks on the whole
affair with a jealous eye, and suspects that there
must be some plan in the affair which he had better
di: cover at once. Still it would have been much
more suitable if he had waited until the proper time
came for such inquiry and investigation, instead of
rushing on to his point, regardless of conventional
forms or established usages.
We cannot see the object of raising discussions
at the wrong time, and of what avail was it for the
noble lord to recapitulate a part of Lord STANLEY'S
speech in July last when he replied to some
questions about the Abyssinian business? It was
no proof of the inconsistency of the Government,
because the noble lord the Secretary of State.for
Foreign Affairs was speaking of the things that
concerned the present, and not adverting to future
possibilities and eventualities. As a general rule,
it may be said that quotations from old speeches
are seldom to the point, and are hardly fair,
inasmuch as those who may have over-
looked them at the time, or forgotten
them since, look upon them, when officiously
put before them, with the experience of
the time that has elaped since their utterance, and
are apt to form an erroneous conclusion as to the
judgment of the speaker. In this case before us
we cannot see that Lord STANLEY said anything
that he has not since supported by action, and it
happened that when he addressed the House
he had not the full information that he after-
wards received, and which decided the Ministry
as to the paragraph in the Royal Speech in August.
concerning which some have been pleased to
be captious. Lord GRANVILLE has taken great
pains to show that the Government could not have
obtained the information which led to their believing
in the practicability of an Abyssinian Expedition,
or, at any rate, if they did that there is no sign of
it in the pages just given to notice, and which
purports to be a full, true, and particular account
of the matter.

Lord DERBY replied to the question put by the
noble lord in a brief but decisive manner. Ile said
that the noble lord himself was a member of the
Committee which last year recommended that ques-
tions of that sort should not be raised without notice