The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-19 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDA}, OCT. 19, 186 G.

The Mayor of Oxford having given his annual
dinner afforded an opportunity for speech-making,

which will afford interest at this dull time of the
year. The entertainment was to the leading per-
sonages of the city university and county, and was
very brilliantly attended. The " Health of the
City Members„ being
an interesting
given, Mr. CARDWELL made
Speech. After some complimentary
remarks
respecting the Mayor, on his retirement
from office, the right
dilate upon hon. gentleman proceeded to
the
ineorm
around us. As to the
events so lately passing
war in Germany, we
save cause to rejoice
that
for at one time
it threateneditis over so soon,
in duration the disastrous to rival
struggle across
the Atlantic. While fully ,Y u
Mr. CARDWELL in the satisfactionl Pait"ing with
he expresses,
at the brief duration of the war, we c
annot, go so
far as he does in believing that a te, • • Lneheial char),,e
has taken place. " We have seen a new Germany ' I
i
arise on the ashes of the old—a Germany which is 1
likely, I think, to exercise a greater influence in
the councils of Europe, and I trust that that in-
fluence will be a beneficial one." If
,it is it will be
something quite unprecedented of late years, for
Prussia's influence and efforts have always been on
the wrong side. Of course, as here mentioned,
England has no jealousy concerning the territorial
aggrandisement of foreign countries, only nothing
that has taken place in Germany of late has
.13een of a nature to promote the advantage and hap-
piness of others. Mr. CARDIYELL very truly states

that England is " justly confident in its own re-
sources, material, and wealth ;" but we wish that
the Government of which he was so prominent a
member had shared his convictions, and not acted
as if they were afraid,of the resources of Germany.
Had they done so Prussia could never have attained
that supremacy which she has now unhappily done,
and been able to dictate terms to others just as it
suits her own arrogancy and self-sufficiency.
Mr. CARDWELL is a good statesman, and his re-
marks and observations are worthy of all attention
in many important respects, more especially
where he seek's to point the moral of the late war to
us. "If we see victories gained more rapidly than
the victories of C.E3AR or NAPOLEON ; if we see
the destinies of empires changed in a war so short
in duration that it has been termed a seven days'
war; I think it is only prudent for the greatest
countries in the world to investigate the causes of
these events, and to consider whether they can learn
from them any lesson in regard to the future organi-
sation or improvement of their own material re-
sources." This is very much to the point, and
exactly what we should do, when we ponder
upon what has recently taken place. The strik-
ing advantages which Prussia gained by the
forethought and energy displayed by her Ministers
in preparing for the war may well cause all red-
tapists to learn wisdom, and our time-servers to
exercise their powers a little more to their own
credit and the advantage of the country they pro-
fess to serve, and whose money they squander at
so fearful a rate, that they may draw good from evil,
and take the lesson of this German war to heart in
the matter of our inefficient state of preparation for

emergencies.

Another subject of interest at the present time
was referred to iu this excellent speech, namely, the
" extent to which men engaged in civil life arc de-
voting themselves to the study of the military art,
and constituting themselves valuable accessories and
reserves in aid of the regular forces of the country."
The Volunteers have already shown themselves
to be deserving of all commendation, and those who
are now in Belgium have displayed their "practised
skill" in a manner creditable to their own efficiency
and reassuring to their countrymen. It is interesting
to notice the progress that has been made in the
public estimation and appreciation of the valuable
addition to the services of the country. In all places,
and at all times, when matters of general interest
to the community are referred to, the Volunteers
are specially made mention of. The Royal
Naval Reserve is also a great element of strength if
its appliances are properly made use; of and, as Mr.
CARDWELL said, it is most important that each
force should be kept in its own separate state in high
efficiency, the advantages they possess being very
great. As they are chiefly on the defensive, and not
on the aggressive side, they are a great make-weight
r on the side of peace.
Another point worthy of consideration in Mr.
CARDWELL'S speech was his allusion to American
affairs, and side by side with that great Republic,
but not in any emulation of it, we are now
engaged in constructing a new community by the
union of the several provinces of British North
America. Mr. CARDWELL deserves great praise for
the energy he displayed in furthering this impor-
tant work, and for the encouragement he had
the prescience to afford it. The description given
by Mr. CARDWELL of this Confederation is a very
just one, and one calculated to inspire confidence in
its future. "They will not be of a greatness to com-
pare with their powerful neighbours, there will be
no rivalry, and there will be no jealousy ; but ex-
tending as they will from the , Rocky
Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, with an
unlimited territory, with a large population, with
commercial enterprise, and with maritime enter-
prise, they will constitute no mean community
among the nations of the world." One of the most
creditable acts of the late Government was this
inauguration of the Confederation in North
America, and it is well for them that they can look
back upon a work so likely to afford satisfaction
for the future, and to consolidate the frontier of the
" foremost dependency of the British Crown." Mr.
CARDWELL was precluded from adverting to the
" vexed questions of the day," but he spoke of the
general policy to be pursued in a strain very diffe-
rent to that which animates those meetings where
Mr. BRIGHT is lord of the ascendant. fie said that
it was his sincere and earnest hope that they might
address themselves " to questions of that kind in
no narrow or party spirit, but in a broad and
patriotic spirit, conscious of the vast importance of
their proceedings to the future destinies of Eng-
land, and animated only by a paramount desire to
arrive at conclusions which may satisfy public ex-
pectation and strengthen the institutions of the
country."
Mr. lIENLEY returned thanks for the county
members, and made a few interesting remarks. He
said that he did not think it advisable to join the
present Government, because he deemed it wiser for
a man to find out for himself that he was old than
to leave it to others to find out that he was not able
to do his work. Whatever his opponents may say
of him, no one can possibly aver that want of
straightforwardness is a characteristic of Mr. HEN-
LEY'S discourses. Whatever he has to say he always
says inin a
a ddirev e rc
tti
n manner, without any circumlocution
teherigflaitct,litohna.
that at
ttlhemesaenenirtuelry
said, or
-
lexaggeration.
Itainments men ofgaTtlolhranks and opinions came toge-
ther without alluding to questions of discord, that this
" was not an unimportant lesson, for one of the great
secrets of securing all that was valuable was to respect
Referring to the recent
differences of opinion."
I changes in Germany, - Mr. HENLEY said that all
old landmarks had been swept away, and that,
therefore, those who now lorded it over others
must show their fitness to do so by securing ad-
vantages to the people. If they did riot do so
~ a fearful day of reckoning would certainly come
upon those Princes who had brought about these
changes, unless the just expectations of the peoples
and of Europe were fulfilled, and the proposed
end of the change accomplished." We are glad
to meet with so sensible a remark, instead of the
encomiums usually bestowed so lavishly upon
Prussia just now.

The moral has very often been pointed of the
neglect and ingratitude with which the most useful
public services are too frequently repaid, and every
one who has taken the trouble to exercise his
memory can at once recall a dozen provincial his-
torical names. It is, however, somewhat mortify-
ing to find that although we may have improved
considerably in some other respects, we are still as
bad as our ancestors in this, and that wealthy and
munificent England does not scruple to avail her-
self of the talents and labours of men whom she
leaves to starve on their reputation. The story of
official routine, of prejudice, and unwillingness to
g inventor
ive an
but there i
a fair
as
more
been e
disgraceful
times
out of number,
aspect of the case
than this. It is when the in-
ventions of men who have devoted the best part of
their lives to some great public end are accepted
and profited by ; but 'the
inventor himself is
so ill-requited that, instead of his success
enjoyment, it leads to
ointment.
being a source of profit and
nothing but mortification and disapp
Such a case, if the aory is told tet ly, and as yet