The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 23, 1859.

one step the allies made in advance the Austrians
made one to the rear This is literally the whole

story—no incidents e xcept those always consequent
on the march of a large army, more or less heat in

the day, and chill or rain at night, more or less dust
and incumbrance on the road, fewer or more
dainties to be got by foraging.
,‘ But with all that, you must not suppose that
because there was no fighting the march of the large
force of the allies went as it were, by itself. Although
in popular opinion tale idea of a commander-in-chief
is a gentleman on e, prancing horse, among no end
of cannon balls a-,nd bursting shells, the coup d'eeil
on the battlefield, however important, is by no

means the greatest quality in a commander. Most
battles have been -won before even they began, by
the preliminary dispositions. This was the art in

which all great generals excelled.

" As no one could foretell that the Austrians would
continue to retreat, one had to be prepared at every

step for a rencontre with them, and while never
losing sight of this possibility, it was of the highest

importance to conceal the real plan of attack, to
bring up the army under the most favourable con-

ditions before the enemy, and to guard against any

countermovement of the latter. How far this has

been done will be probably apparent shortly. But
besides these strategical dispositions there was like-
wise the res frumentaria to be looked to, on which
Cesar the great commander lays such stress, the
maintenance of a large army making no requisitions.
The Roman armies and those of the French Republic
had the advantage which the Austrian army of the
present day has likewise—namely, to live on the
countries through which they pass. This facilitates
and simplifies marching very much. There are no
long waggon trains which are slow to come up and
encumber the roads, but it becomes quite different
if one has to organise a regular system of !Applies
over a long line for a large army in advance. The
French and Piedmontese soldier has, indeed, an
invaluable quality—namely, to carry the most
necessary part of his rations for several days with
him, and to keep them, too, which is tho great art.
He is thus never entirely dependent on the com-
missariat. But when it comes to a systematic
advance, and not a short expedition, then the diffi-
culties are the same as with any other army. The
rapidity of the movement scarcely allowed the
drawing of these regular supplies from the country
by means of contracts or ready money purchases ;
at any rate, one could not trust to this expedient,
and it was necessary to be prepared with everything
without reckoning on what the country itself could
supply. Everything had to be brought up over
long distances. To facilitate this, an auxiliary
train has been organised for each of the two armies,
by means of contractors who supply the carts of
the country. It answers well ; the horses and
mules are, in spite of some hard work, round and
sleek, and the men are kept in order by the agents
of their employers, so that no trace is found of all
the excesses by which these bodies of men usually
distinguish themselves. The result of this is that
the soldier has not been a single day without his
full rations, and, what is more, he bas them as soon
as he arrives, which makes a great difference.
" Now that the country behind is free of the
enemy all these difficulties will be considerably
diminished. Lombardy is, as every one knows,
extremely rich in all natural productions, and will
be able to supply most things even if the allied
army should have to remain for a considerable time.
" As for the movements by which the troops ad-
vanced from Milan towards the Mella, it would
be premature to speak of them, besides which they
can only be understood when the plan becomes
more developed. I will give you, therefore, only a
general sketch now. As you know, the first move
in advance of Milan was in the direction of Lodi,
which the Austrians abandoned after having been
driven from their position at Malegnano, which is
just half-way between Milan and Lodi. This move-
ment was only a kind of demonstration to leave the
enemy uncertain as to the point where the passage
was really to be effected. There are not less than
six great passages across the Adda, besides several
other smaller ones. The great are at the fortress
of Pizzighettone, Lodi, Cassano, where the railway
bridge crosses likewise, at Vaprio, Ponte San Pietro,
and at Lecco. All the bridges except this last, which
is out of the way and had been passed before by
Garibaldi, were destroyed by the Austrians, that
of Lodi immediately after the demonstration
towards that place, and the others on the night of
the 10th and 11th. The next day pontoon bridges
were already erected, both at Vaprio and Cassano,
and the troops began to pass across. The same
evening the King left Milan, and the next morn-
ing the Emperor transferred his head-quarters to
Gorgonzola. Every day since the advance has
continued.
4, The country beyond the Adda is perhaps more
than any other part of Lombardy intersected by
roads, connecting the many considerable towns and
villages which lie on this line eastwards. This
facilitated the advance considerably, for being so
close to the enemy it was always necessary to
keep well together.
" The Austrians retired so fast that none of the
bridges over the Serio, Oglio, or the Mella have
been destroyed. The railway itself was left unin-
jured, and the telegraph only so little damaged
that almost all along the line the poles remained
standing, removing thus one of the greatest diffi-
culties for its re-establishment. I need not say that
as soon as the army passes both telegraph and rail-
way are put together in working order, and the
bridges which have been destroyed are all in process

of reconstruction.
" According to the last news the Austrians have
large forces concentrated on the open plain before
Montechiaro, which is one of the few spots on this
side of the Chiese sufficiently extensive to be the
battle-field of a large army. One corps, about
20,000 strong, was yesterday still at Bagnolo, and
hail made a heavy requisition on the place. A
story is here related, for which I cannot vouch, but
which I have heard from people who have come
to-day from there. The Austrians placed guards
before all the bakers' ovens, and ordered them to
make bread as fast as they could. This bread was
distributed between the German and Croat soldiers,
but an Italian regiment which was with the corps
received no rations, although the soldiers had had
nothing to eat for the last 26 hours. The people,
seeing this, prepared some polenta for them, but
were prevented from giving it by the Austrian
authorities If this is true, the Austrians must
have been undeceived-as to their first impression
with regard to the Italian troops which are in their
army.
"In spite of the concentration of the Austrians
on this side of the Chiese I can scarcely believe they
will seriously try to defend that line, with the river
in their rear. They may perhaps do something of
the kind behind the Chiese, as the left bank of it on
both sides of the town of Montechiaro is skirted by
a line of low hills, which forms the first of a succes-
sion of positions in the direction of the Upper Min-
cio. The only question is whether the Allies are
obliged to accept a battle on the ground which the
Austrians have chosen for themselves. They showed
already before that they don't always take their
wishes into account, for they left the Austrians at
Mortara and went instead up the Ticino, where the
latter had to follow in hot haste.
" In the meantime the town of Brescia is in no
small excitement at the presence of the Allied troops.
Brescia, as you know, has always been distinguished
for its ardour in the national cause, and was in con-
sequence fearfully illtreated by General llaynau.
If anything, the tragedy enacted here in 1849 has
rather increased the patriotism of the great mass
of the inhabitants. It is, as a general rule, in
these populous towns that ono must look for the
force of the Italian movement. There is, of course,
in Brescia, as well as in every one of them, the old
generation of nobles, who are reactionary, and
the priesthood, which belongs to Austria, the
dutiful daughter of the Church, but this is
only a small, very small fraction, which comes
scarcely into account. The great majority of the
people engaged in trade, especially the silk trade,
are heart and soul with the movement. The chief
prod
ofthuecAtilopn of
sis aisnpdatrht aletoonwgntsh earsoeutthheernceslnotrpeess
where the produce of the surrounding country is
disposed of. But youmust not imagine these towns,
like other country towns on the continent, full of

prejudices and far behind their age. Although they
are on a smaller scale, they resemble in their spirit
those large manufacturing towns of England which
are the most advanced part of the community ; the
difference is that most of them have played a more
or less prominent part in history, which they are
proud of. They are, in fact, still what they were
as Municipia under the Romans•and as Free Towns
in the Middle Ages—the strength and pride of
Italy. The Austrians well knew this, for not only
did they never reckon_ upon them, but they con-
sidered them rather as their most deadly enemies.
When they had to withdraw before the Allies, they
quitted them as fast as possible, for they knew that
the first tricolor would be the signal of a general
rise, and they had in lively recollection the street
fights-of 1848.
" With the exception of a part of Garibaldi's men
none of the Allied troops have stayed in the town ;
they are encamped outside. As soon as they ap-
peared in the neighbourhood the Municipality got
up an address, signed by all the most prominent
citizens, in which they declared their resolution to
renew the union with Sardinia which had been
broken off since 1848. This address was presented
to the King.
" The beauty in these towns is that, in spite of
the systematic war which Austria has carried on
against the Municipalities, naming her own crea-
tures and preventing as much as possible their
action, there is so much life in these old bodies,
that as soon as the pressure is withdrawn they
right themselves in an instant. They establish
their self-government as if they had always
exercised it; there is no new organisation re-
quired; the most objectionable among the coun-
cillors go away of their own free will ; some
popular men are taken in, and the system works
admirably. It was the same in all the towns which
the Austrians have left hitherto. And this is like-
wise the secret why no excesses are committed ; no
interregnum ensues, which leaves no scope to the
development of evil passions. No doubt, the Mu-
nicipalities are considerably aided in their work by
the great predominant idea which has taken com-
plete hold of most minds—namely, to do everything
and submit to everything in order to get rid of the
bated foreign dominion ; but were it not for the
Municipalities this would scarcely be sufficient to
prevent over zeal and the dangers accompanying it.
" JUNE 17, 10 A.M.

" The town is resounding with cries of joy.
King Victor Emmanuel is making his festive entry
at the head of his Staff. The stern-looking gray
buildings are festively decorated with tricolors and
carpets, the windows and. balconies as well as the
streets filled with an enthusiastic crowd, it rains
flowers from all sides, and the sun is brightening
every object. It certainly compensates for many
hardships and dangers to make war in a friendly
country, where you have the people with you, and
where every one of your steps is strewn with flowers
and illuminated with bright happy faces. The war
almost loses its horrors, unless, perhaps, you have
to go and see a wounded friend close by.
" The moment for something decisive seems fast
approaching ; the armies are more and more con-
centrated, so-as to be at hand, and are advancing
towards the great aim."

HE IS COME!

(From the Times.)
When the hawk is in the air the barndoor fowl
will flutter and scream. But the alarm may be well-
founded, yet carried beyond the limits of reason.
The Assurance-offices most emphatically warn
people not to move their furniture in a hurry. A
thick party-wall takes some time to burn through.
There are party-walls in politics as well as in house
rows, and if terrified householders sometimes throw
their tables and chairs, and themselves too, out of
window before there is any need, or incur a certain
flood of water to escape the mere chances of a
scorching, nations can do themselves the name
foolish damage. The smaller States of Europe are
quite right to keep up their defences in a good
serviceable condition. Of course, there is no know-
ing what may happen. A hundred contingencies not
at all uncomplimentary to the belligerents now in
the field, may bring the torrent of war over other
ground. For example, we confess we should hear
with great dismay of anything happening to Na-
poleon 111. of a sort to transfer to new hands the
government of France and the conduct of the war.
It is the duty of every State that cares for its inde-
pendence to protect itself to the best of its ability.
But that is a very different thing from joining the
war by anticipation, proclaiming partisanship, fix-
ing upon men the characters they repudiate, and
creating difficulties in the way of a better course.
A few towns in aermany, which, in the event of
war coming their way, would simply be trodden
under foot and smothered by armies, are loud in
their abuse of France. They defy her, and chal-
lenge her once more to violate that Fatherland
which in the map of history is one huge battlefield.
Cannot England, which has so often and so fruit-
lessly assisted the Continent with money and arms,
assist it better with her example and advice ?
Cannot she teach it to imitate her own insular
neutrality ?
King Leopold is on a visit to our Court, and it
is likely enough that this experienced Sovereign
should contrast with anxious feelings the vicinity
of a Napoleon with the protection of a father-in-
law. Belgium is not the country that can contem-
plate without misgivings a sanguinary war be-
tween France and a German State. It is with
Austria that she is now connected by family ties.
But a Napoleon is not the worst thing Belgium has
to fear. In 1848, when France rejected the Orleans
dynasty, Belgium was all alarm. Louis Napoleon
was residing quietly in St. James's, and doing duty
as a special constable. Lamartine, Cavaignac,
almost every Frenchman of known courage and
ability, had a better chance of a French throne
than a Bonaparte. The spirit of the French nation
was then the bugbear. It was France, all soul, all
nerve, all emotion, all fire, with no field for her
ambition, and scarce room for her people. King
Leopold thought of Antwerp, and wished it were
safe. He listened. to hear it cried in the streets of
Paris that the Rhine was the natural boundary of I
France, and respect for a wise and good man pre-
vents us from specifying the effect it would have
had on his movements. So it is not in the name
of Napoleon, or in a war between a Napoleon and
Austria, that consists the danger. For Belgium it
is better that her powerful and excitable neighbour
should be in the grasp of one man capable of taking
a comprehensive view of its interests and those of
France. It might be the interest of any ambitious
General or any demagogue to recommend an inva-
sion, on any or no reason. He might care little for
the question of right, and his stake might be only
that of the ordinary adventurer, who gains by suc-
cess and loses nothing by defeat. What if the
civilised world were indignant ? What if an army
were destroyed? He would survive to repeat his
pernicious counsels, with the turn of fortune now
in his favour. On the contrary, it is of the
greatest importance to Napoleon 111. to stand
well with Europe, and not to have a serious mis-
chance. His apologies may not be always quite
satisfactory, but they are apologies, and tributes
to the paramount claims of public morality. He
knows and feels better than any man in France
the consequences of betraying that reckless acqui-
sitiveness which marked the career of his uncle.
He feels the difference between a fixed and an ad-
vancing frontier.
Central Europe has shown that it is not neces-
sarily concerned in a war arising out of the con-
flicting interests of great Powers. in the smaller
Mediterranean States. England, France, and
Russia have all a deep interest, or choose to feel
one, in the disposal of Turkey and the detached
kingdom of Greece. Austria and France have a
like interest in Italy. The nature of these interests
it is needless to scrutinize. The fact of an interest
which has led to frequent interference, occupation,
and invasion is enough for the purpose. The three
first-mentioned Powers waged a costly war, and
finally settled the affairs of Turkey without em-
broiling Germany, even though Austria was sub-
stantially interested in the result. She could then
afford to be neutral, and, of course, all. Germany,
though not without some reasons for keeping
Russia within bounds, was also neutral. The pre-
sent case is merely a repetition of the former on a
somewhat smaller scale between only two great
Powers and with still less pretension to a European
quarrel. The only interest of Europe in Italian
affairs is to leave Italy to itself, and keep Italy to
itself. We believe it to be also the interest of the
neighbouring States to leave her alone, for she can
only occupy their attention and their armies
out contributing any equivalent support. Were
France, at the loss of fifty thousand men, to find
herself occupying Italy with a hundred thousand,
she would not be in at all a better condition for
molesting the rest of Europe. Nor would the
results be more dangerous to the peace of Europe
if Austria were to be triumphant. What, then,
has Germany to fear? What has Belgium ? The
best thing they can do is to remain neutral so long
as the war is loealisA4l in Italy, and la. the meantime
to take a lesson from the lamentable breakdown of

the boasted military system of Austria. The giant
has collapsed at the bullet of a French rifle. Dis-
cipline, physical strength, the commissariat, the
strategy, the transport—everything has failed in the
hour of trial, excepting only the courage of the men,
who have been marched up, famished, sleepless, and
sun-stricken, to be shot down without a chance of
even selling their lives dear. It now turns out to be
an immense army, or rather an immense crowd of
raw lads, without training, without skill, without
stamina. Such is the stuff of these huge German
armaments, that make so great a show on paper, but
vanish at the first crossing of bayonets or the first
sound of the cannon. This is to play at armies. Let
all the Powers of Europe, great and small, see that
they have real armies, of real soldiers, who can en-
dure a march as well as fight ; and let them see that
the rest of their system is adapted for the field as
well as the parade, and then they need not be much
concerned for the fate of an Italian campaign. As
to ourselves we need a fleet as well as an army, and
it will be our own fault if we have not one equal to
all that can be brought against us. For the general
interests of the human race it were to be wished
that Austria and France found better use for their
men and money ; but they are not rendering them-
selves more dangerous to the rest of Europe by de-
stroying one another on the other side of the Alps.

(From the Daily News)

" His Majesty the King of the Belgians arrived
to-day, on a visit," &c. This is one of the regular
entrées of a London season, as regular as the Derby,
the Ascot Cup-day, Almack's, or Cremorne ; and
we are certainly not among those who are inclined
to attach any special meaning to a perfectly natu-
ral and customary incident, Limited monarchy,
however strictly interpreted, is not supposed to be
impersonated by a Monarch whose doings and
goings are limited to the tether of his own
domain, and it would be a monstrous imperti-
nence, as well as cruelty, to grudge our excel-
lent cousin, King Leopold, whose palaces are small,
and whose subjects are few, an occasional change
of air and scene. Besides, Laeken, we cannot help
admitting, is a little dull, and Brussels politics are
not the liveliest in the world. A trip to Dover is
an excellent " constitutional," and at a time like
the present it is an absolute tonic to an old gentle-
man who takes a warm and conservative interest
in other people's affairs. It would be hard indeed
if royal personages were: not permitted to pay a
family visit, to take a peep at old friends, to enjoy
a fortnight's run, without incurring the dark sus-
picions of uncourtly Radicals, who can never be
persuaded that Kings and Princes sometimes talk
about the weather, like the dullest of ordinary
mortals. It is a grave symptom of something or
other, this morbidly indiscreet curiosity about what
is called " the Court policy," so prevalent of late
as if our boasted responsible Government had sub-
sided into the pitiable condition of a screen for
secret agencies unamenable to Parliamentary and
national control. Se that when a vil4e 'and under-
standing Prince, who was an English nobleman
before he was a foreign King, comes over once or
twice a year to the adopted country of his early
life, a solemn buzz and murmur rises up ; a wfully
vigilant and acute observers whisper audible
surmises, and shake their heads protestingly. This
disposition to regard King Leopold as the grand
fly wheel to the dynastic machine of Continental
Europe cannot be said to date from the memorable
occasion when we were assured on the highest au-
thority that " Constitutional Government was on
its trial ;" but that oracular utterance is certainly
responsible for having quickened a jealousy which
was almost extinct. Of course it is idle to affect to
doubt that the King of the Belgians pays some at-
tention to what is passing. beyond the frontiers of
his interesting and industrious little kingdom, and
the present crisis in the South of Europe is calcu-
lated to excite not only his interest but his emo-
tions, and to recall vividly to his mind the circum-
stances under which he ascended a throne which
he has filled with so much credit and advantage
to the monarchical principle in general and to
the Belgian people in particular. We could not
recommend his Majesty a better course of
reading during his present stay in London than
Hansard's Parliamentary Debates for the years
1830-1832. We are persuaded that the perusal of
the debates on the Belgian question and the Con-
ference of London will strengthen his perceptions
of the true bearings of the Italian question, and
enable him to take a clear and generous ;view of the
rights and wrongs which are now in disc siori on
the Mincio. When he is asked whether Austria
can lose a province, or the Treaty of Vienna a
clause or two, without disturbing the equilibrium
of Europe, and subverting the foundations of pub-
lic law, he will be ready to reply that had Austria
not lost a province and had the Treaty of Vienna
Belgiumremained intact,i was no kingdom and
Leopold no King. It will, we imagine, be infi-
nitely amusing to him, after 18 tranquil and pros-
perous years, to read the doleful speeches in the
British Parliament, in which the treaty-rights of
Holland, that ancient ally of England, were -not
unjusty or unreasonably invoked by Tory members
who insisted that the integrity of the kingdom of
the Netherlands had been purposely established as
a barrier to France, and expressed their apprehen-
sions that Prince Leopold would hereafter look up
to France as his natural ally and. protector, since
it was France that had helped him to his throne
and Belgium to her independence. It will be plea-
sant to him to note the foresight of the Whigs,
who began by fearing that Prince Leopold could
not sufficiently separate himself from England, but
afterwards argued that, by applying to France, in
the first instance, for 50,000 men, he had consulted
his own safety, and set himself free from the ob-
jection of his too great leaning towards England.
These debates, and the events to which they relate,
compose the best of sermons on the late Foreign
Secretary's " pedantic observance of treaties," and
no man in Europe is better calculated to improve
the text and to enlarge on the discourse than our
good friend the King of the Belgians, whose recol-
lections will suffice to inspire him with some con-
sideration for Italy in her struggle for deliverance
from Austria, and even suggest excuses for her ap-
peal to French bayonets.- We need not the wisdom
of any Mentor or of any Ulysses to enlighten us as
to the value- of Austria in preserving the balance
of power according to Metternich. We do not
need any oracle to remind us that it was Metter-
nich who permitted Russia to encroach in the East
of Europe, while he was busy forging chains for the
populations in the South ; and that when the Otto-
man Empire was declared in danger and France and
England in arms, Austria was insincere and doubt-
ful in negotiation, selfish and-vacillating during the
war, obstinate and embarassing in Congress ; that
she presented no barrier against Russia in 1849,
when she called in Russian troops to her aid, no
defence to Turkey when she held back from joining
the Allies. But 1830-1832 is already a distant epoch.
Times, and men, and kings are changed since then.
Belgium, of all states in the world, has contracted a
near and dear alliance with Austria; and an amiable
lady, who bears a name familiarly fond and sad to
English ears, has exchanged the cheers and smiles
of a loving population for the sullen silence and
averted looks of a people that owes no loyalty to
oppressors. We can hardly believe that the impres-
sions of the Princess Charlotte can have convinced
King Leopold that Austria has a better right to
Lombardy than Holland had to Belgium.
Perhaps, however, the King of the Belgians may
be more interested just now in our recent change of
administration than in foreign politics, and may. be
solicitous to know the reasons for the change, since
Tories and Liberals alike proclaim neutrality. He
will find the reasons admirably stated in the debate
on the Address in November, 1830, by Henry
Brougham :—" In a monarchy, I say, the doctrine
of measures not men is irrational, and men, as well
as measures, must be looked to. The men may
make a treaty which will make war inevitable at
some distant day, unless the honour of the country
be sacrificed ; and, as long as the men can act
secretly, we must look to them and their character
as well as the measures they avow." Again : " The
people of England are enamoured of their own
liberty, and they are the friends of the liberty of
others." Words so explicit and so frank as these
dispense us from regarding with jealousy the visit
of any king—be his relations, his correspondents,
his predilections what they may—with jealousy
disfavour : still less the " mission" of the venerabler
Prince Esterhazy, who has come
again after an
absence of twenty-one years, not apoorer but a
h
sadder man, after closing the eyes of
to tell his surviving friends in
Ital einncipated,
pens that-Austria is bankrupt London hoaw it hicap,
-
and Hungary once more ripe for y
r insurrection.

---Are the offi
CORPORATION PETTY ExrEN sEs.
of " yeoman of the Channel" and " train bearer!' ces
con-
sistent with the order of things in 1859 ? and do not the
small amounts of £25 and £l5 set against them re-
present the collander theory of Corporation finance ?
The Thames Conservancy costs £6,000 a-year ; the
short-hand writing at the Central Criminal Court, for
twelve sessions. is entered at £9OO ; cloth for Ministers
and other great officers of State costs £l2O 12s. 6d.
" working the ventilator" at the Central Criminal
Court figures at £5B 16s. 8d ; and thee whole o
clockatftthheatNew
Cattle-market is bn the grand scale of th
pansive affair, £940. During two years, sculpture for the
/lansiou-house cost £3,230 16s 6d. ; a medal to commemo-
rate the visit of the King of Sardinia, with cases for the
same, cost £551, and ornamentally writing an address,
£1361 Wo say not a word about water-bailiffs; we make
-no complaint of the allowance of £l,BOO a year to Mr. Bun-
ning, the City architect ; we even think ,the comptroller
not over-paid at £l,OOO a-year,r the City solicitor but
fairly dealt with £2,ooo—fo his tasks are neither few
,nor small ; but we, nevertheless, enter a protest against the
continuance of payments
Press,ment,s for anything except substantial
civic utilities.—
ill The Suffolk is.
_also-arrivedannoineed from Melbourne with
, J 1,061934 cleesgo.o.f
h gaadol; balued at £192,000. About £lOO,OOO

THE CASE OF MR. GILPIN.

(From the Times.)

Mr. W. 0. Stanley, the gentleman who so hon-
ourably vindicated his pretensions to the possession
of a sound head and clear judgment when the
Derby Reform Bill was on the anvil a few months.
ago, is again hitting the right nail upon the head.
We find ourselves suddenly involved by him in the
meshes of a breach of privilege, and all because a
certain gentleman, a Mr. Dennis, the legal adviser
of Mr. Vernon Smith, made certain statements at a
public meeting at Northampton on the evening of
Monday last. The substance of these statements
was that attempts had been made to corrupt Mr.
Charles Gilpin. Mr. Dennis said to the meeting—
here are the very words of our report :—" As an
illustration of the agencies that had been at work
during the late struggle, Mr. Gilpin showed him
two letters, which he had received from the agents
of the Tory party, and in which a direct attempt
was made to corrupt Mr. Gilpin in the dis-
charge of his duty as a member of Parliament,
and to influence him in giving his vote upon the
last division by offering to him a pecuniary consi-
deration of the grossest and most direct character."
There it is ; the fly will be found embalmed in the
pure amber of Mr. W. 0. Stanley's Parliamentary
eloquence, and that lump of pure amber will be 'found
adhering to another of our columns this day. Not
the faintest shadow of a remark or comment was
offered upon the matter in this journal. The world
was informed that on a certain night, at a certain
town, a certain gentleman, named, stood up among
so many hundreds of people andsaid so and so. Mr.
Dennis, Mr. Gilpin, the Northampton meeting, and
the House of Commons might—as one should ima-
gine—settle this little dispute among themselves.
Such, however, does not appear to be the conclusion
at which Mr T. Duncombe and other gentlemen
have arrived. Upon the state of facts set out above
their desire is to be accurately informed—not of the
position and character of Mr. Dennis, but—of the
name or names of the publisher and editor of the
Times ! The names required will certainly throw
considerable light upon the question. Mr. Gilpin,
it appears, admits that he received two such letters,
but states that he is unable to bring them home to
the agents of the Conservative party. Might it not
be as well to have the letters produced, and hon.
gentlemen would then know the better what they
were talkin6 about ? To give further weight and
colour to this mare's nest, which Mr. W. 0. Stanley
has so judiciously dug up, the house is told that her
Majesty informed Lord Palmerston, who informed
Mr. Vernon Smith, who informed Mr.i Dennis, who
informed the meeting at Northampton, and, by
consequence, our reporter, who informed Mr. W.
0. Stanley and the rest of the world, that Mr.
Vernon Smith is to be raised to the peerage "in
consideration of the gross scurrility, foul abuse,
and most unwarrantable attacks that had been
made upon him during his tenure of office."
But has not Mr. Vernon Smith been guilty of
breach of privilege ? He, a Privy Councillor, to
betray the secret thoughts of his Sovereign on so
capital a matter! Where is Lord Derby while such
dreadful things are suffered to pass without challenge
or reprimand ? This most ludicrous passage in the
records of our Parliament would not have been
quite complete without the reappearance of our old
friend Colonel Dunne upon the scene, to talk to the
house about the Times' calumny upon his own
honourable self. True it is that, by some enormous
mistake of the tellers, clerks, printers, &c., who
draw up the division lists, his name does not appear
among the " Ayes" on the Ecclesiastical Titles
Bill ; but then Colonel Dunne has forgotten all
about it, which is, of course, decisive on the other
side.