The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-26 00:00:00

LOUIS NAPOLEON has postponed his promised
communication to the Legislative Assembly until
this day. Lord DERBY, however, took advantage
of the grand banquet at the Mansion House to ex-
plain the part which Great Britain has taken in
the intricate complications which have occurred.
It was a manly and straightforward statement,
showing that her MAJESTY'S Ministers have done
all within their power to avert the terrible mis-
chief of an European war, and that even within
twelve hours before the time when he was address•
ing the Lord Mayor and Citizens of London,
another, probably the last, step had been taken to
prevent so fearful a catastrophe.
From the
,earliest moment that the war cloud
appeared lowering in the political atmosphere, Lord
DERBY and his colleagues have used every exertion
to preserve peace and tranquillity. The mission of
Lord COWLEY had been attended with complete
success. When Russia unfortunately interfered,
whether by accident or design it may be difficult
to decide, the mediation of England would have
smoothed away every impediment. No difficulty
could have arisen as to the parties to be repre-
sented in Congress, or respecting the preliminary
arrangements. The question in dispute. would
have been speedily decided, and the exhaustion and
expence of maintaininf, powerful armaments and
large bodies of troops soon got rid of.

Lord DERBY declares that he has endeavoured
to maintain "the strictest and most absolute im-
partiality between the two parties." Everything
that has come to light proves the accuracy of his
statement. lie has found faults on both sides ;
neither have come into court with clean hands, or
merited the support of an independent and disin-
terested nature. Whatever might have been the .
state of the balance until last week, Austria is now
unquestionably in the wrong. She has taken upon.
herself what Lord.DEABY truly declared to be the
fearful responsibility, which attaches to that
country which first deserts the peaceful paths of
diplomacy, and subjects the question in dispute to
the terrible arbitrament of the sword."
There has been, asalready announced, an emphatic
protest against the conduct of Austria. "There
was nothing at the moment to discourage, indeed
there was everything to lead to the hope of a success-
ful issue to the negotiations." There Was, therefore,
nothing to justify the hasty, precipitate and, because
involving the horrors of war—the criminal step
taken by Austria.". Whatever the consequences
may be she has brought them on her:6ell, and can
find none to sympathise—" none so poor to do her
reverence!'

The Bubble Congress has failed, as we prLdicted
would be the case ab initio. It could have been pro-
ductive of no good result, and would only have pro-
duced new difficulties and additional complications.
It was a most inopportune suggestion, and if there
should be bloodshed it will be altogether ascribable
thereto. But England has now taken up the sub-
ject at the very point of departure. It has again

proposed its mediation in order to arrange all I
existing differences subject to the alternative of
either "an immediate, absolute, and simultaneous
disarmament of all the three Powers, France,
Austria, and Sardinia, or a consent on the part of
all three, pending the result of the mediation, to
retain their armies in precisely their present condi
tion, and to maintain a positinn, if not of peace, at
all events of inaction." This is judicious advice, and
Austria will be mad, indeed, if she does` not give in
her adhesion to the course indicated.
The noble Premier availed himself of the oppor-
tunity to explain his meaning with respect to
the " armed neutrality," which had been mis-
apprehended, of course, not misrepresented by Lord
Jomc RUSSELL. The armed neutrality does not
imply that Great Britain is ready to em-
bark in the contest whenever it sees a
favourable opportunity. She has no anxiety to
defend Austria from the conseque4ices of her own
misconduct; on the contrary, she fully appreciates
the criminal folly of the German despot. But when

a million of disciplined men are under arms, per-
haps' opposed to each other on the field of battle, it
would be little better than an abdication of her
political functions if England did not keep up
adequate preparations, so as to be prepared for
any course which her honour and dignity
might demand. k The arms are necessary
to preserve the prestige which England ought
always to command. If her influence can be
rendered beneficial, it will only be by retaining
the power which she possesses of turning the scale
be.f.ween the belligerents.
_ _

Thd .admirable speech of Lord DERBY—the full
and entire confidence which he has exhibited
towards the country—merits an adequate return,
which can only be shown by the electors in every
constituency throughout the length and breadth
of the land. We may have war forced upon us ;
but unquestionably her MAJESTY'S Government have
adopted every means to avert it, without in any
degree compromising the honour or dignity of
Great Britain, or recommending to others anything
of which they could justly complain. France,
Austria, and Sardinia have all been in fault, and
it would be greatly to the credit of the Power
that exhibited a disposition to retrace its footsteps,
and to make the first concession in fa` our of
universal peace and tranquillity.

What will the East India House philosopher, MILL,
and the statesman, Lord JonN RUSSELL, say to a
Lady's letter, which we republish from a Scotch
contemporary in another column ? The philosopher
and. the veteran statesman have repeatedly told
their followers, who have long been gaping for
something like an answer to Liberal constituents,
that " undue influence," corruption, and all that, is
almost become a thing of the past ; and that, left
to itself, it will soon die a natural death. We may
excuse ,the philosopher for ignorance of everyday
facts, but: not so easily the statesman. He knows
better. He knows that there are not half-a-dozen
counties in England where the tenants-at-will dare
return him, however disposed to do so. If he thinks
otherwise, let him try again South Devonshire,
where, only three years alter the Reform Bill, he
was unceremoniously kicked out by a majority of
600 ; and where, two years further on, the Liberal
candidate was sent to the rightabout by a majority
of about 1,000.; and where, ever since, if we remem-
ber aright, two Tories have walked the course. We
presume he has.no doubt of the Liberal tendencies
of the yeomen of Devonshire ; let him try once more
whether they are as free as they are free-minded.

Beieg now,- however, pretty safe for London,
although he will vote against his three associates, he
will, of course, be wiser than to contest a county.
Even his hostility to tenant emancipation would not
procure him the 'good will of the tenant-drivers in a
single county of England. He is professedly a
Refornier ; he is certainly a Whig ; and he could
only hope to succeed in a county where Whig
landlords had the greater number of farms. But
if he will not reflect on factS, let him look on them.
We all remember a beautiful Duchess canvassing
Westminster, and bribing with a kiss. Vain all
bribery bills and vain the liallot itself, we fear,
against such bribery. The gallant of a tradesman
who had been allowed to kiss a pretty Duchess
would vote for her candidate, Ballot or no Ballot.
But Mrs; JEAN MILNE HOME offers no such irre-
sistible seductions. Her only charm is that she is
" your landlady." She has " patrimonial estates,"
as well as a husband; and being a "charming
woman" in the sense of the once popular song; or a
" strong minded 'woman ;" or a " Bloomer and a
women's rights" lady ; she thinks fit to.lecture her
tenants on their political duties at this election.
She is careful to inform them that the " idea of the
communication originated with herself;" although
she says elsewhere my husband and I" (I and my
husband ?) " wish and believe," &c.
fs Wish and believe" what? that no one will vote
against his convictions, but if there should, /info).-
tuna teli,be. any. iohp .caw.i9t.c.qiaqgiei44ouSly agree to
join us and the rest of the tenantry, I fondly trust,
and I ask it as a favour, that they will abstain from
taking any very 'active part in the opposition."
But what calls forth,the blandly-worded request;
why" the • fact; • that,- though the majority of the
tenants have promised their support to their
Bloomer landlady's nominee, Sir Seam MARJORI-
BANKs,• some. have not yet .declared..themselves,
and Snme have declared that they do not mean to
vote." These coy gentlemen to whom our Bloomer
goes- a wooing with.. -the most • potent of
all inducements, not openly mentioned, are
told • that. if- thiir -siienee is due to- .-tile•ainiable •
wish " not to put themselves in 'oppositiOn to the
- - •
majority of 'their own body as well as to their land-
lady and .landlord, .slie.has only to thank them for
their' odd and kindly feeling;' •buti if indifference
or intimidation are their reasons for apparent
indifference;'''' has .nnlyto 'exhort them to "come
manfully forward," remember their landlord and
landlady, and, py•th9 credit of the estate, vote all
of them- ono Way,

Bu.
r.
,{h.e..ifallot • soeiety will have this letter
framed and glazed
...d hung up in their rooms,
and in t h arso.. We should
exceedingly like, too,'to have a stereoscopic photo-
graph of Mrs. JEAN MILNE HOME,- sitting in her
boudoir and inciting this letter; it would be quite
an election study. But, seriously, what must be
going on behind the scenes if letters like this can
see the light of day ? Very rarely are they
wanted. Who ever hears of such a thing as a
'tenant voting in opposition to his landlord "and
landlady ? There is no need for any such employ-
ment of "influence" as will bring it under the
cognizance of the prq46. "I am Squire So-and-
so's tenant,"
." I am Lord So=and-so's tenant," is
always quite reply enough to the most, zealous
canvasser. The tenant tells him not his own
politics, but those of his political proprietor ; and
the'canvasser, from the ordinary feelings of
humanity, would not think of torturing the poor
voter by telling him that his vote was his own ;
he knows the answer would be, "My opinions are
my own, but my vote is my landlord's. I mort-
gaged my politics to him when I took his farm."

We are not " far North" enough to have any
guess as to the causes of the humble attempt at
liberty intlicatedby tenants on the 13loomerlandlady's

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TAI E SUN.
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1859.