The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-08 00:00:00

can scarcely be argued that the course pursued
by Lord CANNING was either wise or equitable.
There was a vast difference between the mutinous
sepoys and those who bad never partaken of our
slit or received our bounty—as wide as that existing
between rebels—treacherous and bloodthirsty
rebels—and fair and avowed enemies. The con-
duct that it would be weakness to refrain from so
far as the former were concerned, would be heart-
less cruelty to the latter, who might have con-
sidered themselves not only justified, but impera-
tively called on to take up arms in what they be-
lieved to be the cause of their national indepen-
dence. _ _ _

During the early part of the insurrectiolen leniency
nLieonred
CANNING was justly censured for 'undue
towards the insurgents. It was then necessary to
make a striking example that would have deterred
others from entering the field against us, and
more especially have struck terror into all who
had ill-treated the helpless fugitives or prisoners
who fell into their hands.
There could be no compromise with those who
had murdered in cold blood, or even more cruelly
treated our countrymen and countrywomen, but
those who were unstained by such atrocities
should not only have their lives and honours, but
their properties, respected, and they should have
had early intimation thereof, so that they might
not be driven into a desperate and reckless resist
ante to the British supremacy.
It was perfectly right that those who had been
"steadfast in their allegiance," or even neutral
during the crisis, should be not only maintained
in their former positions, but even rewarded for
their fidelity. But it was certainly going too far
to declare that with these few exceptions, "the
proprietary soil of Oude should be confiscated to
the British Government."

So sweeping a clause was calculated, as we have
already stated, to drive them to desperation, and
render the task of pacification and subjugation far
more onerous than it would otherwise have been.
It is not sufficient to say that " the Governor-
General will be ready to view liberally" the claims
which may be acquired to indulgence. Something
more was indispensable ; and although Lord CAN-
NING might not have been disposed to act with
undue severity in all cases, there can be no doubt
that the people might, from the language of his
proclamation, be easily induced to take that view
of the case.

is -given as a duty, and by universal experience it
is found that a sense of duty itself will not
enforce attention, except to an amount far below
what is required fora two or three hours'
service. We do not wonder, therefore, that
the great majority of clergymen, bishops in-
cluded, appreciate but feebly the sentiments of lay-
men, when the latter demand less of even so good
a thing as the Liturgy. Its devotional merits no
one denies, but brevity is, on the highest autho-
rity of all, one of the most important quali-
ties of devotion. HE, who certainly knew
best, suggested a very brief model, indeed,
as the " manner after which we were to
pray." Our Church listens to his instructions
by introducing that model of brevity some half-
dozen times in one service, besides a host of other
devotional or theological compositions. We think
the laymen's case unanswerable.

Under such circumstances the Government
would have abdicated their functions had they
refrained from expressing their disapproval of the
ill-advised and inopportune proclamation. Had
they acted otherwise they would have become par-
ticipators in the policy resorted to. But there
was nothing to compel a resignation—nothing to
make Lord CANNING throw up his situation in
disgust. He was really but the servant of the
Home Government, not the Dictator of India,
the modern Mogul. It was a total misconception
of his position that induced his over zealous friends
tio force the explanations that were elicited.
Should he think himself bound to return home,
they must be deemed responsible. For, as Lord
ELLENBOROMIN declared, the present Government
neither desire nor dread that resignation.

Some progress was made last night in
the resolutions respecting the future govern-
ment of India. The vexed question of Secre-
tary of State or President of the Council was
discussed just as seriously as if it were a matter
on which the future welfare and prosperity of
the Anglo-Indian Empire, with its 180,000,000
of British subjects, mainly depended Tue
Chancellor of the Exchequer, however, solved the
difficulty by an intermediate course, substituting
the words " responsible Minister of the Crown"
fur "Secretary of State or President of the
Council." The compromise was eagerly ac-
cepted, and the third resolution was conse-
quently withdrawn. We have already ex-
plained why we preferred the designation of
" Secretary of State" to that of President.
It was mainly because the former style and title
more clearly indicated the connexion with the
Crown, and the responsibility of the Minister for
the time being, and rendered the total disseve-
rance from the moribund Company more clear and
unequivocal to the natives of India than it
might otherwise have been, that we preferred
it. However, the term, " one of the responsible
Ministers of the Crown," will answer every pur-
pose, and if any consider the mattsr worthy of
further discussion it can be decided when the bill
or the resolutions is in committee.

In point of fact Lord EBURY'S arguments were '
not answered. That sects within, the Church
would quarrel over the proposed retrenchments
was no argument against the merits of the de-
mand itself, yet this was all that was alleged of
any cogency for the indefinite procrastination of
what will surely be accomplished some day. Nor
de we see much in the argument itself. The
demand really is for liberty of retrenchment,
not for alteration of creeds. The complaint
is that we are made to pray till we utter
words, not prayers ; we do not want to alter
quality, but quantity—that, at least, is the gene-
ral feeling. No doubt Puseyites would like to
restore a little Romanism, and Evangelicals to
exclude what there is of it, from the Liturgy, but
the great mass of the people only want such cur-
tailments as shall spare them weariness in divine
worship. Nearly opposite to us is the well;
known Exeter-hall : I4rd SHAFTESBURY and his
coadjutors did curtail the Liturgy for their
"occasional services for the working glasses"
there. They cut it down to the Litany, with two
or three additional prayers, and two or three
hymns. We believe that part of the ser-
vice was generally approved by the audience
as a great improvement on the cumbrous " duty"
in the old parish churches.
With one thing we could but be much struck
in the debate ; the complete subjection which it
implied of the Church to the State. Dissenters
will certainly read it with some curiosity, and we
shall not fail to see it noticed in their organs.
Here is the Church confessing that, as a Church,
it cannot modify its prayers and creeds in the
smallest measure, without a Royal Commission,
and the sanction of both Houses of Parliament.
We may disguise it as we will, but the fact is, that
all the Dissenters in the House of Commons—
and all " the Papists and Infidels" must give
their sanction to any alteration which the Church
of England may wish to make. Nay, more,
it is in the competency of the three secular
powers to make such alterations in the
Book of Common Prayer as they may think de-
sirable, whether the dignitaries of the Church like
it or not. Practically, of course, such a
proceeding is not a very likely one. Our
High and Dry Churchmen, however, may
contemplate their constitutional position with
advantage. As a matter of fact, Mr. HAD-
FIELD, or Mr. BOWYER, or Mr. ROEBUCK,
has a perfect right to discuss in the House of
Commons any part of the service itself of the
Church of England with a view to its altera-
tion ! High Churchmen may vapour as they
please in convocation, but it is the act of uni-
formity which makes their Church what it is,' and
those who passed that Act can pass another Act
either of uniformity or liberty whenever they
please.

LATEST NEWS.

MARSEILLES, MAY 7.

Letters from Naples state that the Neapolitan
government is about shortly to publish new cus-
toms tariffs, which will lower considerably the
import duties ; in fact, the maximum duty on
foreign goods is not to exceed 20 per cent.
The King has returned from Gaeta to Naples.
The rumour that the Hereditary Prince is about
to visit Vienna, and Count de Trapani, London, is
incorrect.

New shocks of earthquake have thrown down
many of the houses which were damaged by the
last shocks in the citerior principality and the
Basilicata.

NAPLES, MAY 7.

Tho Customs tariff is to be considerably reduced.
The statement that the maximum of importation
duty is to be 25 per cent. ad valorem is not correct.
The Hereditary Prince is about to depart for
Vienna with Count Trapani, and to proceed to
London.

Another earthquake has completed the destruction
of the houses in the provinces already devastated.

The fourth resolution, relating to the appoint-
ment of a Council, and its constitution, was
proposed and partially agreed to. Its consid.eraticn
will be resumed on Tuesday evening, when the
really important points--viz., the number of the
proposed Council and its constitution—will be
decided on. All parties are agreed that there
shall be such a Council, and the real points at
issue, respecting its functions and authority, will
then be determined.

MADRID, MAY 7.
Yesterday the Queen suspended the sittings of
the Cortez by royal decree.

Senor Diaz, Minister of the Interior, has given
in his resignation. The Minister of Justice replaces
him ad interim.

A telegraphic despatch from Lisbon states that
the elections for the Cortez have begun all over
the kingdom. At Lisbon all the Ministerial can-
didates have been returned.

We learn from Athens that. the Chambers have
voted 44,200,000 drachmas f4r increasing the navy.
It is believed that Turkey and Greece will accept
the arbitration of the Powers in the difference which
has arisen in respect to consular jurisdiction.

Indian questions may be uninteresting in them-
selves to most of our readers, and they may mo-
destly think them to be hardly within their com-
petency, but the subject of the House of Lords'
debate, as reported in The Sun of yesterday, must
come home to half our countrymen at least, and
is certainly one on which they are better
able to give an impartial verdict than the
whole bench of Bishops. Does our " incompar-
able Liturgy," our famous old Prayer-book, need
revision ? Does it need adaptation to the wants
or even to the wishes of the men of the present
day ? Should we like some change to be made in
the length or arrangement of the services ? These
are, at least, Sunday questions, with half the wor-
shippers of the country, and they understand,
and must be far better judges of the case, than
those who read the prayers. We must insist on
the claim of the laymen to be the best judges
of the book they hear read to them every
Sunday. Performers are not the best critics
of their own work. How often do we see
a speaker at a pubic meeting, quite inte-
rested himself, when either by the matter
of his speech, or by his prolonging remarks beyond
a reasonable length, he has become unendurable to
his hearers. Ironical cheers, shuffling of feet,
coughs, and general restlessness, admonish the
man, if he has ears to hear and eyes to see, that
he had better stop.

Were it not that we have all of us too much
religion in us, and too much sense
m
ehof propriety,
ll
rietyia,uto,
do such things in the Temple of
how many of oar churches wouldnothte ywitenac:s?
similar scenes on every Sunday in
Clergymen, like other speakers, are not
aware of the weariness of their congregations.
They are actively engaged themselves, and the
time does not hang so heavy on their bands,
cause they have something to do ; but it is far
otherwise with their congregations, the, for the
more part, passive listeners to what they have
heard a thousand times, and hear every week.
Under this condition, attention has to be com-
pelled. It is pot attracted involuntarily by the
freshness of the matter, or by its variety and live-
liness, the chief causes of attention with an audi-
we for secular purposes ; attention to the Liturgy

THE SUN, LONWON, SATURDAY EVENI"NG, --M-AY 8, 1858.

large coast batteries, forming the first part of
the works destined to defend Copenhagen, which
were lately approved by the Supreme Council,
have been•commenced.

The Chamber of Representatives of Belgium on
Wednesday adopted unanimously the bill approv-
ing of the treaty of commerce and navigation be-
tween Belgium and the Republic of Venezuela.

The Madridjjournals of the 3d contain no political
news. The small squadron destined ior Feinando-
Po was being fitted out with all despatch in the
dockyards of Carraca.