The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-07 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 185,

EAST INDIA HOUSE, 6Th JANUARY, 1858.
THE COURT of DIRECTORS of the EAST
INDIA. COMPANY DO lIEREBY GIVE NOTICE, That
a Special General Court of the said Company will be held at their
House, in Leadenhal:-street, on WEDNESDAY, the 13th instant, at
Eleven.o'clock in the forenoon, at the desire of Nine Proprietors of
East India Stock, as expressed in the following requisition, viz :
..

• " EAST INDIA COMPANY. •
" We, the undersighed, request that a Court of Proprietors be
called to consider the communication addressed to the
Court of Directors from the Government, respecting the
continuance of the Powers of this company.
" HARRY Tnomsow, Lieut.-General.
" MaLcoust LEWIN.
"JOHN JONES.
"G. CRAWSHAY,
"JOHN FAULKNER.
" GEORGE CRAWSHAY.
"JOHN ALLAN.
"C. FINCH, M.D.
"EDWD. EAGLETON, jUn.

" Decembar 31st, 1857."

JAMES C. AIF.LVILL, Secretary.

FIELD-MARSHAL .R4DETZKY

Austria has lost her Wellington. Field-Marshal
Count Radetzky is dead. Comparing Radetzky to
Wellington, and placing him on a similar national
pede tal, we pay the highest tribute to the de-
parted soldier th;tt Englishmen can pay to a fo-
reigner. To write the life of the late Field-Mar-
shal would be no less a task than to write the
history'of Europe for the last 70 years. The present
sketch must necessarily only bs an outline, with
the figure of Radetzky in the foreground.
Radetzky entered the Austrian army as Cornet in
the 2d Cuirassiers, under General Caramelli, as far
back as 1784. He was gazetted as Lieutenant in
1787, but his active military career did not com-
mence till 1788. Austria was at war with Turkey,
and Lieutenant Radetzky first distinguished him-
self at the siege of Belgrade, which was entered by
the Austrians on the 9th of October, the faubourgs
having been taken by storm on the 30th of Sept.,
1789.

Europe was on the eve of great events. The
French Revolution of 1789 broke out, which led to
that great conflict in Europe, the scene of so much
bloOdshed and glory, upon which the curtain fell
at Waterloo.
In 1793 Radetzky's regiment served against the
French, and in 1795 as Adjutant to Gen. Beaulieu,
who commanded de Austrians in Italy, he met
Napoleon, then in his 27th year, on the field of
battle. At that time a Sardinian army was acting
in concert with the Austrians, while Nelson swept
the Mediterranean. The peace of Campo Formio
was concluded on the 17th of August, 1796. This
peace was little more than a truce. In 1799 the
allied Powers again took the field against Napoleon.
Austria sent an army of 180,000 men into Italy.
Radetzky, whose name had been honourably men-
tioned more than once, was appointed Adjutant to
General Melas, with the rank of Major. At the
battle of the Trebbia Radetzky had a horse shot
under hint, and from the coolness and bravery he
displayed on that occasion he was gazetted as
Lieutenant-Colonel.
On the 15th of August, 1799, Radetzky led the
Austrian attack in the battle of Novi. This was
one of the fiercest actions fought during the cam-
paign. It lasted for 12 hours, from Bin the morn-
ing till Bin the evening. At first the French were
successful, led by Joubert, who fell mortally
wounded, leaving behind him a reputation which
still lives in the annals of his country. The battle
terminated in a complete defeat of the French.
In Baron Melas's despatches the name of Radetzky
is again most honourably mentioned. After
quoting the names of various officers who had
distinguished themselves at the battle of Novi,
Baron Melas says,—" I beg especially to bring to
the notice of his ajesty for promotion, Lieutenant-
Colonel Count Radetzky, the more so as I have had
so many occasions of admiring his great bravery,
decision, and unceasing zeal and activity ; to-day
it was he who arranged the columns for the attack,
heading the men in person on various points, and
contributing thereby considerably to the victory."
The result of this campaign was that nearly the
whole of Upper Italy fell into the hands of the
Austrians.
Napoleon returned from Egypt towards the end
of 1799, and stood as First Consul at the head of
the French Republic. He made proposals of peace.
The allies were not duped by his proposals ; war
was decided upon. Napoleon sent Moreau with
an army of 140,000 men into Germany, and ap-
pointed Massena commander in-chief in Italy.
Melas commanded the Austrians. 12,000 English
were landed at Minorca, and Admiral Keith was
ordered to Uockade Genoa. Napoleon joined the
army in Italy in person in May. On the sth of
June (1800) the sanguinary battle of Marengo was
fought. Napoleon's star was again in the ascendant.
Melas had two horses shot under him), and was
wounded by a bullet in the arm. He was carried
from the field under the impression that the battle
was won. " This battle is lost," exclaimed Des-
saix to Napoleon ; " but there is time to win an-
other." A few moments later he fell mortally
wounded. The battle of Marengo, which ended
in a victory for the French, is one of the most san-
guinary on record. A truce was concluded on the
16th June. The Austrians had to hand over to the
French the fortified places of Tortona, Alessandria,
Turin, Milan, Pizzighettone, Arona, and Piacenza
within four days, and within the month the towns
Cuneo, Ceva, Savona, Genoa, and Urbane ; the
Austrian troops were to evacute Piedmont, Liguria,
Savoy, and Lombardy, and to withdraw beyond the
Mincio. In other words, the whole of Northern
Italy was handed over to the French. Radetsky,
who greatly distinguished himself on the field of
was appointed to the command of the
M ArchdukeMarengo, was
Albert's Cuirassiers.

We will rapidly pass over the next 10 years of
Radetzky's career. As a recompense for bis ser-
vices against the French during Napoleon's Ger-
manT campaign, he received the Order of Maria
Theresa. After the peace of Luneville (1801—
1805) he enjoyed temporary repose. On the re-
newal of hostilities in 1805 we again find Radetzky
on active service, with the rank of Major-General.
The chief command was given to Archduke Charles
of Austria. The battle of Austerlitz led to negotia-
tions ; on the 26th of December peace VMS con-
cluded at Presburg, and Radetzky, with the rank
of Brigadier, enjoyed a few years' repose at Vienna.
Hostilities were renewed in 1809, and Radetzky
was appointed to the command of the avant-garde
of the sth corps d'armee. Prussia was hurailiated
at Jena and Friedland, and shortly afterwards
Napoleon dated his despatches from the Palace of
Schonbrunn. From the opening of the campaign
on the Danube until the memorable battle of
Aspern (21st and 22d of May)Radetzky was scarcely
a day without fighting the enemy. During this
campaign he was opposed by Napoleon, Davoust,
Oudinot, Massena Molitor, Lefebvre, and Lannes.
Vienna capitulated on the 13th of May. Then
came the battle of Aspern. Six times was Aspern
taken and re-taken on that day, and on the night
between the 21st and 22d the sentinels of the hos-
tile armies were in sight of each other. On the
22d Napoleon beat a retreat. This was the first
time he had been beaten in the open field, and the
sensation was immense throughout Germany.
Radetzky was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Field-Marshal in June, 1809. On the 4th, sth,
and 6th of July following was fought the battle of
Wagram. In that sanguinary contest Radetzky
commanded the cavalry. He was rewarded with
the colonelcy of the sth Hussars, and made Chief
of the Staff. Peace was signed at Vienna on the
14th of October. In April, 1810, Radetzky was
appointed Commander of the Military Order of
I Maria Theresa. Inspired by the lays of Korner,
and sick of French dominion, theyo ath of Germany
rose in 1813. Austria joined. Napoleon offered
Silesia as a bribe for neutrality, which Metternich
declined. He proposed a European Congress to
settle the affairs of Europe. It met at Prague, but
led to no result. On the 12th of August Austria
declared war against France. During the whole of
the campaign which followed Radetzky acted as
Chief of the Staff under the immediate orders of
Prince Charles Schwarzenberg. After the battle of
Kulm the Emperor of Russia presented Radetzky
with the Order of St. Anne of the first class, and
Schwarzenberg in his despatches attributes the vic-
tory mainly to Radetzky.
The great battle of Leipsic (18th of October,
1813) sealed the fate of Napoleon in Germany. In
this battle Radetzky, who commanded the Austrian
cavalry, was wounded, but he took a very leading
part in the campaign in France during the follow-
ing spring. On the 21st of March, 1814, Lieut.
Field-Marshal Radetzky entered Paris, riding by
the side of the Emperor Alexander of Russia,
Frederick William of Prussia, and Prince Schwar-
zenberg. On the 20th of April Napoleon left for
Elba, and on the 4th of May Louis XVIII. entered
Paris. On the escape of Napoleon from Elba,
Radetzky again took the field, but he was not pre-
sent at Waterloo.

The peace of 1815, concluded at the Congress of
Vienna, is a resting point in Radetzsky's career.
We next find him combining administrative
with military command in the Lombardo-Venetian
territory, Enjoying in the highest degree the esteem
of his Imperial master, whose successor, the pre-
sent Emperor, is indebted to him for the preserva-
tion of his Italian possessions. The first half of

Radetzky's career was chiefly on the battle-field,
and the second half, if we except the last few years
of his honourable life, was equally stormy.
In 1331 Radetzky was appointed Commander-in-
Chief in Austrian Italy. In the intervening period
he had resided partly at Vienna, partly in Hungary,
where 1-4 held the appointment of Inspector-Gene-
ral of the Army. In 1836 he received the baton
of Field-Marshal. It is only those who have lived
in Italy, more especially at Milan, the capital of
Lombardy; who can fully understand the feeling
the Lombards entertain towards Austria. It is
one of sullen but intense hatred. Radetzky's office
Was no sinecure. When Mastai Ferretti succeeded
to the chair of St. Peter as Pius IX„ and initiated
his rule by liberal reforms, a thrill of nationality
ran, like the 'electric fluid, through Italy. This
was in 1846. In the following year the movement
was almost brought to a crisis by the Austrians
placing a garrison in Ferrara. A " Guardia Ci-
vics," or National Guard, was formed in nearly
every State, and then came, like a thunderbolt, the
Revolution of 1848 at Paris. Revolution succeeded
revolution. On the 17th of March (1848) the news
of the events at Vienna reached Milan. On the
same night the Archduke Rainier, the Viceroy,
with his family, left Milan for Verona. On the next
morning barricades were erected in every street of
Milan ; the revolution had commenced. After 3
days' fighting Radetzky retired in good order to
Verona. This is a sad chapter in the history of Italy.
The descendants of t .e men who seven' times re-
pulsed Frederick Barbarossa, instead of acting
hand and heart together against the common foe,
lost the golden opportunity in frivolities, banquets,
and speeches about Italian liberty. Moreover, it
seemed as if the galvanised corpse of Italy had
suddenly become imbued with all the old feelings
and fears of Guelph and Ghibelline, Bianchi and
Neri. The Italian League, nevertheless, for a
moment triumphed. The red, white, and green
tricolour waved from the towers of every city, except
Verona, Mantua, Legnano, and Peschiera. The
number of Austrian troops at Radetzky's command
at this period was about 75,000 men. This includes
the garrisons of the fortresses. Austria was too
much occupied at home to send reinforcements.
Charles Albert declared himself, and on the 25th of
March a Sardinian army crossed the Ticino in two
columns. On the Bth of April he advanced against
Radetzky. Skirmishing commenced on the 9th with
the Austrian outposts at Goito, about six miles from
Mantua. After some severe fighting, Charles Albert
forced the passage, and Radetzky fell back, first on
Mantua, then on erona. The Italians were elated
with success ; reinforcements poured in from Tus-
cany, Rome, and Naples. Radetzky concentrated
his main force at Verona, leaving a strong division
at Pastrengo to keep open his communications with
the Tyrol. Charles Albert resolved to attack this
division. On the 23d he carried the heights, and the
Austrians fell back beyond the Each. The Piedmon-
tese Monarch then gave battle. His army was about
45,000 strong, that of Radetzky 30,000, w ith Verona
to fall back upon. On the 6th of May, Charles
Albert gave orders to advance, and a general battle
ensued. The Austrians were driven from St. Lucia.
The resistance was, however, so firm that the Sar-
dinians had to fall back to the position they held
in the morning. The present Emperor of Austria
and his brother, the Archduke Albrecht, were pre-
sent at this engagement. The Lombards became
alarmed. They had fancied that they could drive
everything before them. A panic seized upon
them. In vain did Charles Albert exhort them to
be firm. A retreat was resolved upon. The re-
c •At r .neniattihsbeeelabml
oeef
aaAt t
eflumigguphsttt.
wRa C ras
dmee
tmazdkoeyn at
wo fadesel
fl :
tno ndi
jtothdheieAc3dllodssate..
on their heels. On the 4th he was before ;Haan.
Charles Albert endeavoured to defend the city. He
met with no support. The town surrendered, and
Radetzky entered in triumph on the 6th. The
capitulation was honourable. The lives and pro-
perties of the citizens were to be respected, and
the Sardinians were to evacuate Lombardy on the
7th. Venice alone held out. Garibaldi and some
other desperate men, knowing they had no mercy
to expect, crossed the Swiss frontier. The Italian
revolution was not yet over. The internal state of
Austria was deplorable. The Hungarian revolution
broke out, and Vienna was in danger. The Turin
Chambers petitioned Charles Albert to renew the
war, and public feeling ran so high that, had he re-
fused, he would in all prolealulky have lost his
crown. He sent a declaration of war to Radetzky
at Milan. The result of the short but brilliant
campaign which followed is too well known and too
recent to need mentioning in detail here. It may
be
et
battle was fought on the
staleidoftoNohvaavrea.coTmimmetnced and ended with the
23d of March, and lasted till nightfall. The Pied-
montese fought—as they fought at the Tchernaya—
with the greatest bravery, Charles Albert and his
gallant sons were everywhere in the hottest of the
Austrians.bbwKyaeiyrnoegt
nhteeatstill
k.
a r taken
mi
General
b,egAyne taer
tnera
hdaedelvonrDne
Austrianstmti
rh
oe
fight, and the old Marshal for the last time led on his
Gvn o'clockeedndoe field,
General,"
nla, ,
h, tsohapei
hope of
oetfvheen
broken-
heartedi
retrievingn g the
the fortunes of the day. The faubourgs of Novara
danger.
monarch,‘ ' Let m e die,
abdi-
cated that- night in"falavYoutraskais
shaeiitinZetdhfreCohmpaorinlaestpAootibttehortef
Victor d one.
the present King, and died shortly afterwards in a
foreign land. The new King sent General Cossato
to Radetzky, asking for a truce. The Marshal's re-
ply was severe. He said the past conduct of the Pied-
montese Government was not of a nature' to in-
spire
the
ne t2e6e
26th
hb
oe before rue "Emilmeanaubdeli,
him with confidence, and he must have gua-
ETmhemhainteurevli.ew
Taatrhhooeyohkt
termsrb ue
place.ct ew couldefernhe
aAßbvatei.
truce
uteoethrzetconcluded.kwwyearsesi g
nVe Victor
t on
Emmanuel then asked for a personal interview.
and Victor
mild, for
had Radetzky thought fito
on Turin. This short and eb
11)111g campaign of
1849, which lasted only one rlweek,ian added a fresh
lustre to the honours of the Marshal. The young
Emperor Francis Joseph sent the Archduke
onea l t o
of
fe
silver, and
William of Austria expressly to Milan to thank
Radetzky and present him t have marched '
.th the Order of the
Golden Fleece. The Ecoperwoir, moreover,e ordered
a gold,Eed
re-
sented to him. ainndhiionheono'ofure,oopfpewrhiwcehroeuperoef.
All the sovereiges of Europe
showered honours upon him. The Emperor of
Russia conferred upon him the honorary title of
a Russian Field-Marshal, and sent him a marshal's
baton one foot and a-half long and one and a-half
inches in diameter, entirely of gold, with a wreath
of enamelled laurel and oak-leaves, and set for two
inches above and below with diamonds. King
Louis of Bavaria ordered his bust be placed -
to in
the Walhalla. Vienna presented him with the
freedom of the city, which was conveyed to him by
a deputation at Novara. Twenty-six other cities
followed the example of the capital. Venice still
heli out, but the news of Gorgey 's submission in
Hungary, and the treaty of peace with Sardinia,
concluded on the 14th of August, made the proud
Queen of the Adriatic submit. On the 30th of
August Radetzky made his solemn entry into the
city of the Doges.
An attempt at insurrection was made at Milan in
February, 1853. Radetzky put it down with a
hand of iron, and confiscated the property of those
Lombards who had become Sardiuian subjects.
This was not only unwise, but illegal. It nearly led
to a new outbreak with Sardinia. All diplomatic
relations between the two countries were interrupted.
This obnoxious decree has at length been revoked.
It is one of the acts of justice rendered by the
younc,
a Emperor in his recent visit to Lombardy.
The decree banishing the Swiss from Lombardy has
also been justly censured.
In his 90th year Radetzky still maintained a
clear intellect. At the visit of the Emperor last
year (1857) to Milan Radetzky, then no longer able
to mount his horse, tendered his resignation to his
Imperial master on the plea of failing health.
Hereupon the Emperor wrote him the following
letter :
" Dear ,Field-IVlarsbal Count Radetzky,—That strong
feeling of duty and faithful devotion which, during a
period of 72 years of service has afforded such a match.
less example to the army, induced you on your arrival
in my Lombardo-Venetian kingdom to represent with
noble candour that your years weighed heavily on you,
and to petition to be removed from your post as Com-
mander of the Army and Governor-General.
" With the greatest regret I accede to your request,
but T do so only because your rtlease from such a great
weight of business affords me the hope that you may far
gperfect •
a series of years, and in . health, enjoy a life which
is so dear to me and so glorious. At the same time with
this I issue orders concerning everything g relating to
your future personal position. You will always be a
heartily welcome guest in any of my castles,
as well at
Stra, Monza, and in the Ville Reale at Milan, as at
Vienna, in the Burg, in the Palace in the Augarton,
and at Hetzendorf. Your presence will afford me an
opportunity of learning your wise views and of taking
your approved counsel whenever it may be required.
May you long live, loved and honoured by me and by
all true Austrian heart', to serve my army as a living
proof el its glory I Your reward for the eventful past
you will find in the grateful remembrance of your Sove-
reign and in your own glorious reminiscences.
"Milan, Feb. 28, 1857." "Firearms Joanna."
At the same time he offered to give him the title and

rank of a Prince of the Empire. This the old man,
from family reasons, refused. At Venice Radetzky
was waiting to receive the Emperor when he
landed. He was so weak that he was compelled t )
witness the review from a carriage, much to his
annoyance. The beautiful young Empress paid
the attention of a daughter to the old soldier. The
Emperor presented him with four beautiful ponies
and a carriage, and the last days of his life have
bees like a serene sunset after a stormy day. The
accident which preceded his death occurred as fol-
lows :—The Countess Wallmod.eu had called to take
leave of the Marshal, and when she was about to
leave the room ho rose from his chair,' an I insisted
upon accompanying her to the door. The Countess
strongly protested against him doing so, and having
made him resume his seat she hurried out of the
room. It is presumed the gallant veteran had
again risen from his seat. She was still iu the
ante-room when she heard a heavy fall. On re-
turning she found Radetzky on the floor with a
broken thigh. This sad accident doubtless some-
what shortened the remaining days of the Marshal.
In consequence of his great age no attempt was
made to set the bone, and with his mind still
active Radetzky was now a prisoner on his couch.
The universal sympathy expressed for, him on this
occasion is the beat proof of the appreciation of his
services in his own country, at the same time that
it is the noblest tribute a people can pay to fellow
citizens. A more loyal subject or a more gallant
soldier never served the house of Hapsburg.
Field-Marshal Radetzky died on the sth inst.
at 8 o'clock in the morning. He had been suffering
for some days from his chest, and though he may
really be said to have died from old age, the more
immediate cause of his demise was paralysis of the
lungs. His illness was short ; the first bulletin
was issued on the 30th of December, and, as already
said, on the sth inst. the brave old Marshal breathed
his last.

In stature Radetzky was below the middle height,
with broad shoulders and a clear piercing eye ; he
possessed that peculiar attraction at'ributel to
Frederick the Great and to Napoleon. Among a
hundred officers, though simply dressed in a gray
surtout, Radetzky would command the attention
of all. The statue in bronze at the Great Exhibi-
tion of 1851 is an excellent likeness of him in his
86th year.

Radetzky was married in 1797 to the Countess
Fanny Strassoldo, by whom be had five sons and
three daughters. Of these only one son and one
daughter survive him. His son is a Staff officer in
the Austrian service ; his daughter is married to
Count Wenkheim.

THE PAST YEAR.

(From the Guardian.)
It is with something like a sense of relief that we
feel ourselves out of 1857. It would be better
still if we could feel ourselves well rid of it. But
its consequences will not disappear as fast as its
months have gone, to be numbered with times past.
Historically, a peculiarly English year—passing in
a commonplace tenor over other nation', while
fraught with the most unlooked-for and startling
turns of fortune for England and the Eugliah race,
and those millions out of the pale of Christendom
who are dependent on the English race—the year
1857 marks the beginning of a new and difficult
and critical period of our national existence. Athens
after Salamis, Spain after the discovery of America,
the United States after the Treaty of Independ-
ence, France in 1789 and 1848,-were scarcely more
on the brink of a future full of the loftiest and
most glorious promire, with the altei native, in
cave of failure, in wisdom, energy, or honesty, of
disgraceful and irreparable disaster, than we are
now—the re-conquerors, through what narrow
chances we hardly yet fully know, of an empire
which we had nearly lost ; whose eyes are at last,
though late, opened to the value of the most mag-
nificent of earthly heritages, which we ha I held for
one hundred years without caring about its great-
ness. From this time England mutt begin to rule
India with deeper interest, with a closer connection,
with more direct influence. On the manner in
which she acquits herself of her untried and perilous
task will depend in no small degree her own domes-
tic fortunes. Our Indian empire has been hitherto
a kind of tour de force on the part of a few brave
and energetic men, on whom the nation at large
looked oir with the careless admiration of specta-
tors. From henceforth the nation at large, through
Ministers and Parliament, is to become directly
responsible for India.
We pass out of a year which has brought us to
this without our being in the least prepared for it,
with the feeling that we have passed through one
of the most eventful years of our history. It is
strange to remember bow tamely and without in-
terest it began. An Administration living on a
questionable credit did not seem to have anything
that it cared about to submit to discussion or to
carry through Parliament. It had net much to
propose, and that was proposed with little zeal and
much vacillation, and there was not much more
spirit or clear-sightedness in the criticism called
forth. All was sleepy and flat till a debate arose
on the proceedings at Canton. Then feeling, argu-
ment, resource, were called up and strained in
earnest, and the struggle that followed was a re-
markable one. It was not one to make us proud
of Parliamentary Government, or to inaugurate the
year with credit. Never was there a clearer and
more indefensible case against Ministers; never was
the honour of the country, if its honour depends
onjustice and fair dealing, more at stake ; never
was a more remarkable and more earnest agree-
ment of opinion among the leaders and chiefs of
every party in Parliament except ono ; never was
there a debate where the victory in argument was
so overwhelmingly triumphant. But Lord Pal-
merston, beaten!in debate and condemned in Parlia-
ment, appealed to the country; and a result followed
as remarkable as the discussion which had occa-
sioned it. Without a policy, without promises,
without measures, claimed alike by Liberals and
Conservatives, Lord Palmerston was as signally
victorious at the hustings as he had ignominiously
succumbed in the debate. He even contrived to
inflict personal punishment on some of the ablest
and most popular Liberal chiefs, who had opposed
his China policy, by excluding thorn for a time
from Parliament. Never was there such a sin-
gular ostracism. And it was all;clone on the suppo-
sition that Lord Palmerston was a true represen-
tative of British pluck, or a trustworthy guardian
of British honour. It was all done by an appeal to the
coarsest, vulgarest, most unscrupulous, moat hollow
instincts ofnational selfishnessandna.ionalboastful-
ness. Lord Palmerston's admirers, in speaking of
his triumph in the spring, now drop the patriotism
and the statesmanship of it, and celebrate its
adroitness. Yes, adroit is the word ; there can be
no dispute how adroit he showed himself. But
when adroitness is the first virtue and chief stock-
in-trade of a favourite premier, it is difficult to
avoid thinking of the days when there was no man
to govern England except Sir Robert Walpole and
Lord North.

The results of Lord Palmerston's confirmation in
power have been much on a par with the victory
itself. The quarrel in which he involved us with
China has dragged on ingloriously and fruitlessly,
interrupted by more serious matters ; and the
stoutest advocates of unscrupulous and high-handed
force are beginning to be tired of a war once de-
clared to be imperatively necessary, and would be
only too glad to have it off their hands. From
domestic contests, in which the year seemed to be
consuming itself—there was little to divert us but
some remarkable crimes. In the steps of Sir John
Dean Paul followed a series of criminals from the
respectable classes—men whom any of us might
have sat next to at dinner, and whose names
appeared as munificent benefactors in the lists of
charitable societies. There were various gradations
of guilt, from the bold frauds of Robson and
Leopold Redpath, to the dishonesties and cog- I
mereial tricks of the Royal British Bank ' • but
they were the crimes of persons whom we had not
been wont to see in such a character before the
public—of persons, too, who as a body had lately
held themselves up as foils and rebukes to the
bunglers and defaulters of the public service. In
the midst of all this came the first telegraphic mes-
sage from Meerut. We seemed to have lived many
years, instead of only the last six months of the
year of the Chinese debate and the general elt ction,
since that message woke up the whole country to a
sense of the horrors of an Indian revolt. For since
then we have gone through a trial such as no civi-
lised nation had gone through since the settlement
of Europe. Other nations had gone through bloody
wars and bloody revolutions. It was reserved
for us to see within our own borders a bate and a
revenge against us such as that which Mithridates
roused against the Romans in Asia, or the Saxons
wreaked upon the Danes on St. Brice's Day. We
have ourselves passed through one of those terrible
accesses of the thirst for wholesale vengeance which,
a short time ago, we should have thought impossible
in days like ours. We have seen something of the
old Heathen fashion of warfare, and we have our-
selves felt something of that enthusiasm of retribu-
tion which has often seemed so unintelligible to us