The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING JUNE 4, 1858.

upon :
"And here it may not be out of place to remark the
singular faculty, displayed by some recent Whig ad-
ministrations, of doing nothing during a series of long
official existence—it is very ingenious, and proceeds
somewhat in the following fashion :
The great object of course is to avoid responsibility ;
hence it does not answer to undertake measures of great
importance ; they are unwieldy, and one is liable to be
turned out upon.them—so far, therefore, better to pre-
scribe than to take—still it does not suit altogether to
resist them, especially if of a popular character ; ac-
cordingly, the Whig party being (as we may safely
assume) in office, they coquet with the question a little ;
speak, some for, some against it, till nobody can make
out exabtly what will come of it ; the sanguine people
on each side severally contending that they have the
Government with them. " Mr. A. spoke for it," says
one, " therefore they are certainly with us." "But
Lord B spoke against it," says another, "therefore they
are eertainlynot," and Lord C. has puzzled everbody, one
for he spoke way and voted another.
"At length, however, all doubts are to be solved ;
the Government, in the person of its leader, steps in (he
has been judiciously absent hitherto) and amid breath-
less silence proposes—a commission.. This is eminen ly
convenient, for it pledges Ministers to nothing, and is
not very repu7sive to either the supporters or opponents
of the measure l the first think it is something good
gained, the last that it is something evil deferred. The
issuing of these commissions is a surprisingly tedious
business ; accordingly the month of May has arrived
before it is organised ; about June it enters on its func-
tions, and as the days are then hot, it cannot sit long at
a time. About September the report is presented, and,
as Parliament does not meet for nearly five months sub-
sequently, chances are strong that in the interim some
thing turns up to put it out of every one's bead.
All this we take to be admirable—the description
throughout not being less true than humorous in
every particular. " For shelving a question,"
continues the writer—
" There is no plan like a commission ; it is the
only certain method known of bringing about the
great Whig desideratum—nothing ; and for many
years past, therefore, has been constantly and un-
failingly resorted to. We remember no great pub-
lic question that, has not undergone this nullify-
ing process at their hands. Mavnooth, the Poor
Laws, Corporation of London, Harbour Dues, and
Passing Toils, Landlord and Tenant relations, Edu-
cation, and it is impossible to say how many more.
The diversity of subjects, however, in no way precluded
an uniformity of result—it was always the same—
nothing. After a vast number of inquiries on the sub-
ject in Parliament, "the report is placed in the hands of
members," and by them quietly placed some where that
they are never likely to see it again, and so ends—
the Commission."

Every one acquainted even superficially with
the routine of Parliament will appreciate the
vivid truthfulness of this minutely accurate and
poignantly exact description. It is Whig policy
to a T, both in and out of office—touched off in
every micros copic particular with the distinctness
and varisimilitude of a photograph.
A supplementary comment upon the advan-
tages accruing to the country at large as among
the inevitable results of Whig rule, the pam-
phleteer afterwards specifies thus whimsically—
where he says : —" It is certainly very fortunate,
but Whig Ministers have, beyond all others, the
faculty of never leaving anything but a deficit in
the Treasury. Nubody ever yet found sixpence
there when they had gone out." For example,
adds :—" Iu 1841 the deficit was above two
millions sterling, and necessitated the Income
Tex of Sir R. PEEL. In 1852 the Exche
quer was just afloat and no more ; in
1858, it is dipped to the extent of four
millions." Or, to be exact, precisely 3,990,0001.
These are, indeed, undeniably among the only
certainly reliable consequences of installing in
office at any time a regular old Whig administra-
tion—

Do-nothing and Deficit.

It is something to be rid of that lamentable
double certainty at last, and to have a chance
at least of securing a Surplus, and of getting
Something done in the way of logiblative improve-
ment.

THE PROVIDENT CLERICS' BENEVOLENT FUND.—We
are much gratified to learn by the report, which appears
in another column, that the recent festival dinner of this
excellent institution has been in the highe,t degree suc-
cessful, wore than 1,2001. having b:Jt n collected on the
occasion. We know of none, among the noble list of
charitable institu'ions in this metropolis, which has
achieved a greater amount of good among the class it
is intended to benefit, or that has performed its m'ssion
in a more practical and unostentatious way than the

---
Provident Clerks' Fund. We have on very many °coo=
sions, with sincere pleasure, called attention to its pro-
gress, and we trust to have to record for it a long ar,d
uninterrupted career of prosperity.

ST. JAMES'S HALL.—A grand concert for the benefit
f the daughter of the late Mr. Leffler will be given on
Monday evening, the 7th inst. Amongst the ar,istes the
names of Mr. Sims Reeves, Miss D dby, Mr. and M.
dame Weiss, Miss Arabella Goddard, &c., will appear.
Herr RubinEtein and Herr Joa him will appear at the
performance of the Vocal Association, at St. James's
Hall, on Wednesday evening next, June 9. The Vocal
Association, of 300 voioes, will also perform some part-
songs, fir the first time, edinpowed—expressly for the
miety.

MADAME RISTORL—The public will be glad to Lear
that this distinguished artiht has signed articles with
Mr. Gye for a series of performances in Loudon this
season. Toe St, James's Theatre has, we understand,
been taken for these performances.

A supplement to the London Suzette of Tuesday, June
1, was published last night, containing the particulars of
the inveititure of the King of Portugal with the insignia
of the Order of the Gig-ter, by the Marquis of Bath, at
Lisbon, on the 27th ult.

THE DEBBY GOVERNMENT. —The Edinburgh, Neat
says 'rue Liberal sect.on of politicians, from whom
lone the Government has anything to fear in the house,
as w. it as the publ c out of doors, will respond to Mr.
Disraeli's appeal, and support the Government, at least
fo, a season—fir.t, Lecause there is all but universal dis-
trust and condemnation of the Palm-r4onian WLigs ;
because the public love fair play even to poll.
tical enemies ; and third, because they will get, as they
Lave already obtained, more liber,l concessions to the
people's cause and the pricciples of self-goverr,mmt from
the present Government than from the Whigs. On
these grounds Lord Derby will receive present forbear.
ante, asd will obtain confidence according to his
measures."

•
MADAME Puzzt's CONCERT.—Madame Pozz:, th -
j 1 tly celebrated teacher of singi7,g, who, for we mus
not say how I/any v arc,
has enjoyed the patronage of
our most ari-tocratic families, gave her annual concer. .
on Monday morning at the Hanover-square Rocms.
It is almost superfluous to state the the company was
twoyoung
incommodiously nutueromi, and Viat it included the
c .61,ne de la creme cf sank and fashion. To show that
Midame Pun is as highly esteeincd by her prAessional
brewer' as .he is by her .nutnerous pupils and their
fa .iiil'es, we may state that between the parts of the con-
cart she rc.ceived from Msdlle. Piecolamini a massive and
magnificent si-ver pa!ver, and Was sublequently pre-
sent .d by Signor u tg ini with a splendid vase, en bronze
dori, itil teitiDS of the admiration and respect of
event
h.
distinguished artistes,
maeEpnp,Etiaiaed fiin se iadtr. ANAoriougi
tuLhsi.GuEird MacleodN a few
iNa d
,—a
ndAayAvsenragyguos. melancholy
Am a 0 p h a i
1,
both
-struck by-
ogether during a thund.rstorm, they were
eliding at Middle Quarter, North -Met' were standing
t
lightning and instantaneously deprived of 110.—Inver-
ne8J'epurier.

Cabinet, to any whom Lord PALMERSTON, except
under constraint, would be likely to introduce.
Lord STANLEY, unlike the over-year'd Reformers
to whom Lord PALMERSTON would turn, has the
candour, which is open to argument, instead of
the proud obstinacy which resists all it dares re-
sist, and as long as it dare do so ; he has the prac-
tical interest in the welfare of the middle and
lower classes, which disposes him to trust the ob-
jects of his regard, instead of the Whig dread of
democracy ; he thinks "his order" more honoured
by relying on the well-eafned good-will of the
million, than by constant denial of their rights ;
he is, of course, an aristocrat by birth and rank,
but he covets not a mere feudal superiority to the
many, but their willing homage to aristocratic
advantages conscientiously used in their service.
Of such a man every true Liberal would be but
too ready to exclaim Utinam ?toter esses

Another reference to a very admirable pam-
phlet, commended by ourselves the other evening
as eminently worthy of examination--the pam-
phlet entitled "Phases in Politics"—will be very
welcome, we doubt not, to our readers if but for
the sake of one pithy quotation. The pamphleteer
has just been remarking (p. 44), in words of
epigrammatic antithesis, that the late Opposition,
the present Government, " use office as a means
to carry measures, the Whig party using measures
as a means to obtain office : and he adds there-

LITEST NEWS.

ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ASSASSI-
NATE THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

A rumour circulated yesterday in Pads that
another attempt at assassination had been made at
Fontainebleau, and that several Italians were ar-
res' ed. This, it is declared, is false. Again, it was said
that though it was not true that an attempt had
been made, yet some persons were caught in the
act of fabricating grenades. This again subsided
into three or four suspicious people being taken
into custody. Today the story runs that the Sar-
dinian authorities had given notice to the French
police of the movements of six persons who had
come from Rome, and were coming to France for a
criminal purpose, and that two of them were
arrested on the road, two in Paris and the re-
aming two escaped, and have not yet been found.
This, we believe, to be nearly the true version.

INDIAN CIVIL SRPVICE EXAMINA-
TIONS.

" ELLENBOROUGH."

April 10, May 8,
1358. 1858; Increase. Decrease,
X X X
X Bank of England .. • • 19,653,499 20,496,1-79 842,5 q) Private Banks
Joint-stock Banks
_ Total In England
Scotland— .......
--- ---
'United Kingdom ,135,158,626 36,731,1,38 1,275,412 _
And as compared with the month
..nri;,— 41_, „ ,
... ..,........

And as compared with the month ending the 9 h of
May, 1857, the above returns show an increase of
94,2111. in the circulation of notes in England, and a
decrease of 1,018,402/, in the circulation of the United
Kingdom.
On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the
several banks, the following is the state of the circula-
tion :

The private banks are below their fixed issues 1.1,07;C,556
The joint-stock banks are below their fixed
i55ue5...........................

383,182

---
Total below the fixed i55ue........... Z 1,444,738
The Scotch banks aro above their fixed issue £625,469
The Irish banks are below their fixed issue £91,767
The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the month ending the
sth of May was 14,461,2341., being an increase of
57,163/. as compared with the previous month; and an
increase of 8,829,249/. when compared with the same
period last year.
The amounts of gold and silver held at the head offices
of the several banks during the past month have been as
follows :—..

Gold and sily©r held by the Scotch banks £•2,143,61
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks

Total of goll and silver held Bein -04,437,72
g an increase of 29,849/. as compared with the pre-
vious return, and a% inerease of 352,025/. when com-
pared with the correspondinE.), period last year.

SOUTHAMPTON, ThurAay.—Her Royal Highnesses the
Duchess of Kent landed in the dock 4 at noon to-day from
the 11, Jai yacht Fairy, Captain Crispin, on return from
visiting her Majesty at o,borne, and left by special rain
for her residence, Clarence-house, St. James's, London.
The Duchess was r.c,ived on landing by Messrs. P.
Hedger and J. Levy, as representatives of the Dock
Company, and Mr. Beach, of the South-Western Rail-
way Company. Lady Fanny Howard and Sir George
Couper were in attendance upon her RiyA Highness.
The Queen and Ros al family will leave Osborne at 3
o'clock to-morrow (Friday) afternoon for Buckingham
Palace.

The following is a copy of a letter from the Earl
of Ellenborough to the chairman and deputy:
chairman of the Court of Directors of the East
India Company relative to the regulations framed
by the board for examination of candidates for
appointments to the civil service of the company :
" India Board, May 5.
" Gentlemen,—l beg to transmit you a copy of the
paper laid before Parliament with respect to the exami-
nations of candidates for the civil service for this year.
"You will perceive that I have this year placed the
examinations under the Civil Service Commissioners,
and have also re-established the second examivation,
which was a part of the original plan.
" I regret that the preliminary announcement, pub-
lished before I came into office, precluded me from doing
more than I have done.

" If I should remain in office for another year I pro-
pose making material alterations in the subject of the
first examination, and fixing the second examination at
a greater distance of time from the first, as well as mak-
ing it much more severe ; so that at least we may, by
this new system, obtain civil servants as competent, as
far as mere education can make them so, as the great
majority of those Kho were furnished by Haileybury
College.
" I cannot but think that no examination can test the
possession by a candidate of the higher qualities required
in one who may exercise a great influence over the well-
being of the people of India ; and I fear we may here-
after have to regret the departure from a system which,
whatever may have been its theoretical defects, and
whatever may have been its practical inconveniences,
gave us, no doubt, a constant succession of civil ser-
vants distinguished by the characteristic qualities of
English gentlemen.—l have, &c.,