The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-29 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 1857.

Despatches in anticipation of the Overland
Mid from Bombay will be found int another part
of our impression. Although by no means so
complete as we could have desired, they still add
considerably to the information, via Calcutta,
which we yesterday communicated to the public,
detailing the proceedings previous to the grand
aasault and during the earlier days of tire terrible
conflict. They prove, beyond the possibility of
doubt, the indomitable pluck and courage of tbe
British, troops, and the u'ufliacbing res)lution by
which they were animateL Tliey had before
them mutineers and murder erg, men—or rather
fiends in h
-11raan shape—who .had been deaf to the
cries cif their afflicted countrywomen, and of help
loss infancy, and guilty of outrvigel the very nar
ration whereof made the blood run cold. They
were firmly determined to do it or
die-to crush
the rebellion in its stronghold, or t
leave their
shattered remains among the cruniblio,g ruins of
the imperial city.

-- -
Oar former advices from Dalhi were to the 31
Sept. The siege train, sof long and so atxiowly
It
looked for, was then expected every moment.
was known that when it arrived, the day of rAri-
bution could not long be deferred. On the 4th, its
aPProack created a feelin; of exultation through-
on" the EIS iDs army. Four or five days were oc
"Pied' placing it in po3ition, and then a
destenctive--fire was opened on the doomed city.
On the 10% and 11th, sorties were made, but in
vain. Our gallant soldiers were prepared even
for the convulsive efforts of despair. We lost
many valuable men ,in these operations ; but each
casualty only instilled fresh vigour into the hearts
of the survivors. By the 13th all was in readiness
for the onalasght. The breaches were declared

practicable, or, rather, the debris of the shattered
defences could no longer oppose an effectual resist-
ance to the fierce attack of men who stood—

"Like greyhounds in the Blips,
Straining upon the start."

At this time General WILSON issued an admi-
rable order, contrasting strongly indeed with
the mawkish sentimentality of the civilians. He
spoke of the hardship and fatigue so cheerfully
endured by officers and men—told them that the
time was drawing near when their labours would
cease, and they would be rewarded by the capture
of the city for all their past exertions, and for a
cheerful endurance of still greater fatigue and ex-
posure, and, of his assurance that, " when or-
dered to the assault, British pluck and determina-
tion would carry everything before them, and
that the bloodthirsty and murderous mutineers,
against whom they were fighting would be driven
headlong out of their stronghold, or be extermi-
nated ; but warned them of the necessity of keep-
ing together and not straggling from their co-
lumns." He also called upon them for the sake
of humanity and the honour of their country to
spare women and children, but to give no quarter
to the mutineers ! .

There were other salutary cautions, but the
above constituted the most important features of
this inspiring address. It was in every respect
suited to the occasion, and we may rejoice in
knowing that notwithstanding the mortality
amongst our Generals, we had in Major-General
WILSON " the right man in the right place." It
required, however, but little exhortation to sti-
mulate men already eager for the fray, and
burning to inflict well-merited punishment on the
miscreants by whom they were opposed. Nothing
could resist the rush on the Cashmere Bastion.
Ther© they entered in their terrible strength, and
forthwith spreading to the right and left, occu-
pied the whole line of defences from the Water
Bastion to the Cabul Gate, including the Cashmere
Gate and bastion, the Moree Gate andsbastion, the
English church, Skinner's House, and the grounds
about. The chief loss on our part was sus-
tained in clearing the way along the ram-
parts to the Cabul Gate, and in an attempt
t) penetrate beyond that point to the denser parts
•f the city, towards the Jumma Musjid. When
this was accomplished, the victory was virtually
achieved, and our loss on that first day amounted
to about 500 men killed and wounded. The
Cashmerian troops, which, with the Ghoorkas,
attacked the Kissengunge suburb, were repulsed,
the latter behaving remarkably well, the former
but indifferently.
The succeeding days were occupied in following
up the first triumph to its legitimate conse-
quences. Our men proceeded steadily, and with-
out yielding a single point. On the 16th, the
magazine enclosure was stormed, and in it were
taken 125 pieces of cannon. The Kishengunge
Battery shortly after fell into our hands ; and, on
the evening of the 16th, an attack on the maga-
zine by the enemy had been repulsed, and a chain
of posts established from the Cabul Gate to the
magazine. At that time the rebels were only
keeping up a desultory warfare from the tops of
the houses. They dared not meet our soldiers face
to face, but were skulking behind walls, or in out-
of-the-way places. Many of the townspeople
had submitted and received quarter, which was,
however, very properly refused to every Sepoy
the puling proclamations of Lord CANNING, and
his umbra, Mr. J. P. GRANT, to the contrary,
notwithstanding. On the 20th the entire town
was in the possession of our soldiers, and the sem-
blance of resistance completely stopped.
We have already commented on the sayings
and doings of that smooth-tongued ctviLiau, .rho
was sent to control the military men in military
affairs. He received a proper answer from Gene-
ral NEILL, who told him "to mind his own busi-
ness," and it appears that WiLsoN and HAVELOCK
are ai little inclined to tolerate his impertinent and
presumptuous meddling. We trust, however, that a
stringent inquiry will be made into the causes
that led to an appointment so extraordinary and
impclitic, which alone suffices to show the utter
absurdity of the prevailing system in the Anglo•
Indian Government. Lard CANNING must an-
swer for it before Parliament, and the sooner he
is relieved from his present duties to enable him
to defend himself in person, the better for all
parties concerned ; for himself, because he will not
have the opportunity of committing more blunders,
and incomparably so for England, and all desirous
of the maintenance of the British supremacy in
India.

Tlia arrangements between the Bank of Eng-
laud and the Liverpool Borough Bank have not
been completed. The result is that the business
of the bank cannot be carried on until further
notice, and the most serious inconvenience will be
sustained by the depositors. It is said that this
untoward event has been occasioned by the with-
drawal of some of the guarantees that had been
tendered on behalf of the bank. The chief in-
ducement having failed by the temporary stoppage
of the bank, even for two or three days, the in-
jury which should have been averted at any cost
was thus sustained. Nothing could restore its
damaged credit. The friends willing to come
forward on its behalf were thus, in justice
to themselves, compelled to modify their
propositions, and as the Bank of England
insisted on the original terms, the negotiation fell
to the ground. It is said that they were still
willing to give their notes as collateral secu-
rities, to meet any deficit after the realisation
of assets, but this was not deemed sufficient, and
therefore the matter must take its course, and
the depositors suffer from the refusal to satisfy
their demands, and the shareholders from the
terrible consequences incidental to a forced liqui-
dation. It is still mid that efforts will be made
to mitigate the full extent of the evil, but we fear
that it will still be severely felt in the commercial
metropolis of England, combined as it is with the
American panic, and the almost total absence of
remittances from the other side of the Atlantic.

The effect of the suspension of cash payments
throughout the United Sites, had been almost mi-
raculous. Houses of unquestionable solvency that
had been compelled to close theirdoors, had already
resumed business operations. The rate of exchange
on England, had advanced from 100 to 108, and
there had been an averag ) recovery in the-princi-
pal stocks, of 10 per cent.

The effects would have been even more percep-
tible, but for the attempt of the different banks
to insist on the liquidation of their respective
balinces in specie at the Clearing-house. This is
a very narrow and short-sighted vievr of the case.
It "maintains the tightness, because each is afraid
to step beyond its companions,
Stzryelyhaivf
etbneoy or to afford the
requisite
relief to the commercial community.
rrigehfutsteotodepmayanbduiltlioirnomt o
etalicehpouthhlei
rc,.
A little calm consideration will, however, convince
them of the folly of
induce them to act moreell liberallycouduc, and we trust
t
amongst them-
selves.

Why may we not profit by this salutary lesson !
These banks have given ample guarantees for the
redemption of their notes, and therefore for all pur
poses of internal trade, they are jug as good
as specie. If bullion be required to go abroad

let it be purchased at its fair market price.
The disturbance occasioned by a small pre-
mium being required for gold or silver will
not be the tenth part so great as that re-
sulting frem an usurious rate of interest, and
the almost total cessation of monetary failures.
Let us, therefore, ascertain what movement we
may make in the same direction, and how
we may be enabled to avert the dangers
impending over the trade and manufactures
of the kingdom. Parliament should be
forthwith convened for that purpose, but
in the meantime, Lord PALMERSTON should act to
the extent of suspending the provisions of the
Bank Charter, respecting the amount of notes
that may be issued against securities, and also
by authorising the issue of notes of smaller deno-
minations than 51., whereby a large amount of
bulliou will be rendered available for the general
purposes of the country.

An Englishman will rarely yield a practical point
to argument only. He would almost treat mathe-
matical demonstrations as mere theory, if he could
not have their conclusions brought home to him
in something like the eclipse occurring at the pre-
dicted hour, or the engine performing a calculated
duty. All the reasonings of political economists
convinced but a few intellectual men, till some
few Manchester merchants began to open their
eyes to the effect of our Corn-laws in building
cotton mills on the Continent and in America, and
to their interference with the markets for the sale
of their manufactured goods. Every day, too, till
the end of the struggle, the arguments became
more and more citations of facts, which were
brought to light from all quarters,—the last year
or two, indeed, when the League had come to
close quarters with their antagonists, they forced
facts upon them like a storm of grapeshot, when
the Irish potato rot—the final anti-corn-law fact,
sprung like a mine beneath the wavering ranks of
" the Farmers' Friends."

We anticipate a very similar course for the
warfare against the Vote Monopoly Laws. The
great philosophical politicians, the BENTHAMS,
GROTE; MOLESWORTHS2 and THOMPSONS, have done
their part. The argument is as complete against
the Polling Book a% it was against the Corn Laws.
It is convicted, beyond mortal doubt, of being
the Oppressors' and the Bribers' Ledger; the direct
instrument of every kind of corruption and undue
influence ; the one reliance of the Monopolists of
other men's votes. The Brains have done their
part, yet we should hardly say it is now the battle
of the Brains and the Dunces, for the majority of
the opponents of the Ballot are stupid, only in the
Yorkshire sense of the word ; that is, they are
obstinate only ; but certainly not too dull of com-
prehension to feel the force of the arguments.
They comprehend them, indeed, too well ; even
the dullest of the Dukes is but too thoroughly
aware that the ballot would make his tenants
electorally independent. Could they but be per-
suaded that the result of the ballot would be
similar to that of Corn-Law abolition—that it
would increase their power over constituents as
much as free-trade has improved their rent rolls—
we should have their votes to-morrow. Well
knowing the contrary, they fight to the last.
Still we do not despair on that account. When
the landlords surrendered the Corn Laws they
generally :felt as sure of reduced incomes as
they now do of reduced political power, through
the ballot. Yet they gave in. Facts beat them,
and the great public beat them. And facts and
the public will beat them on the ballot. We may
add that their feara will be falsified also by the
result of the ballot : they will not lose political
position and power ; they will only have to seek
it by merit, and not by bribery and coercion.
The busy many will always p,,,e.,.. ,A__ ____ „c
leisure and wealth to represent them, and we be •
.lieve Englishmen generally, all other things being
equal, prefer the man of rank to one of their
equals. There is no denying that Englishmen do
not like to elevate their equals above themselves.
The ballot would only improve, politically, our
aristocratic readers, as free-trade has improved
our farmers. It would educate, not supersede, our
scions of the peerage.

The Ballot Society is therefore acting most
wisely in accumulating facts from every quarter.
Their opponents may cavil, and sift and test them
rigorously : let them do so, the facts will bear it.
Let them find if they can some alloy in the Ame-
rican, the Dutch, the Belgian, the Sardinian, the
German, and the French ballot, still the sterling
value of the facts outweighs many times the alloy.
But what will they do with the Australian
Ballot ? Oh, Victoria and all the Australian colo-
nies are new communities. Yes ; and there the
ballot is virgin gold. There is literally, by any
honest test, no alloy there. The argument from
facts, there, is, we believe perfect.
Look at what we may term the outside view of
them. The Times paraded against the great fact
of the adoption and success of the ballot in Victo-
ria. The vulgar growlings of a tenth-rate journal
at Adelaide, one whose name it would not have
quoted in its columns, if an English paper, and
whose editor at that distance could know no more
than we do of the matters in Victoria. But Ade-
laide itself has answered the Times, it has adopted
the ballot ! At Victoria itself the contrast be-
tween the turbulent and corrupt municipal elec-
tions, and the general election, which occurred
about the same time, was so manifest, that the
municipality forthwith adopted the ballot. All
parties at Melbourne, even the Attorney-General,
who, on the part of the Government disclaimed all
responsibility for its results, now cordially sup-
port it. The other colonies also in Australia,
have all either adopted or are adopting it. Its rd.
sults in Victoria have been accepted by all as. da-
631V° The prima facie view is, therefore, most
satisfactory. To call our fellow-subjects there a
new community is absurd. New South Wales is
so in no sense, and all the others are communi-
ties of Britons, retaining all the habits with which
they departed from us the other day.

But Victoria has also answered Lord JOHN RUS-
SELL as effectually as Adelaide has answered th 3
Times. One of the Stock arguments of the Whit
Lord is, that electors are trustees for non-electors,
and must be held responsible to them by open -
voting. We have before exposed the utter ab-
surdity of the notion of trustee-voters. Still Lord
JorrY, and others with him, have used this
wretched sophism as a fine clap-trap argument to
set the non-electors against conferring the ballco;
on the present constituencies. " The ten-pound
Householders," it is said, " will tike pretty good
care of their own interests if you do not know
their votes ; and depend upon it, improve as you
may, they will never give the working-classes a
vote." " I will not," says Lord JonN, in the
interest of the working-classes, "consent to give
a vote t) a limited constituency." In the interest
of the dominant classes, L'rd JOIIN
whatever ho meant, Vict )ria has answered what
he said—the Parliament there, e!ected by a limited
constituency and the Ballot, has given Universal
S?cirrage to Victoria. The truth is, half the elec-
tors of England are now by coercion or bribery
trustees for the squirearchy, and for the
aristocracy of every class. Liberate them from
their bondage and it will soon be seen, as in Vic-
toria, who are the true operatives' friends.

In /di respects, however, the success of the 1331-