The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

What is " Sensational r

Suppose a man to succeed to office when public
opinion has insisted upon Reform ; suppose a Prime
Minister to herald him with a bombastic flourish as
" the fittest man in the Queen's dominions" for his
onerous charge ; suppose the man himself to assure
the House of Commons that all previous abuses
have been due to the mismanagement and indiffer-
ence of his predecessor ; suppose the same man to
purchase the cheap cheers of his fellow-legislators
by braggart promises of efficient control and per-
sonal sacrifice ; and suppose him to conveniently
ignore his own statements, and whilst filching the
labours of others, to throw stones at them from
the convenient shelter of Parliamentary place
would this be sensational ? Suppose the nation to
be so outraged by the abuses and cruelties tacitly
sanctioned by one notorious department and its offi-
cers, that some show of justice and humanity to paupers
is found necessary to prolong the life of an unpopu-
lar ministry—is the use of charity and decency, as
political counters, sensational ? Suppose a servant
of the State to be as bold as a lion in his pledges to
the public, and as meek as a sucking dove in his
performances with guardians; suppose him to be
outwardly rigid and privately compromising—is this
sensational ? Suppose he, or an officer under his
direction, to preface public investigations by private
interviews with the people accused, wherein friendly
hints are given how damaging evidence may be sup-
pressed ; suppose him to have other investigations
conducted with closed doors, and to cause others
again to be so craftily managed that the evidence
is published and the verdict resolutely kept back
—is this sensational? Suppose a pinchbeck
popularity to be earned by the adoption of other
men's ideas and a wholesale renunciation of
one's own—is this sensational ? Suppose under-
hand relations are endeavoured to be established
between a public body and its critics, and sops to
be proffered to Cerberus so deftly that a stern front
and frowning brow is successfully maintained even
while coaxings, fondlings, and tit-bits are being
offered—is this sensational ? To allay oneself with
pitiful intriguers ; to purchase hirelings who, having
played fetch and carry to one set of masters are
ready to transfer their shameful services to the
highest bidder with an unscrupulousness that such
light o' loves only know—is this sensational? Is it
sensational to pander, palter, truckle, and deceive ;
to hush up cruelty and brutality to the helpless,
frauds on the ratepayers, and dishonesty to the
poor ? Is it sensational to bid for political support
by throwing the judicial mantle over parochial
misdeeds ? Is it sensational to make active sym-
pathy with suffering a matter for punishment, and
selfish indifference the key to favour and reward ?
Dickens's " All the Year Round."

CATTLE PLAGUE INQUIRT.—The weekly return
of the reported cases of cattle plague in Great Bri-
tain states that in the week ending 23d February ono
attack of cattle plague has been reported, which is a de-
crease of one on the return for the previous week. This
is a fresh outbreak of the disease, and it occurred on a farm
containing 18 cattle at Barlaston, in the petty sessional
division of Stone (county of Stafford): the animal, a cow
(attacked 16th February), was killed by order of the in-
spector. No healthy cattle were slaughtered during the
woeek from having been in contact with infected animals.
The number of cattle reported attacked in Great Britain
since the commencement is 253,864, and 52,641 animals in
the aggregate have been slaughtered healthy to prevent
the spread of the disease.