The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-08 00:00:00

many gordian. involutions long anterior to his
nomination as Lord High Commissioner. Mr.
GLADSTONE, first of all, as his colleague,
and afterwards as his succcessor, found
even his elaborated endeavouri to solve the
problem of Hellenic discontent, baffled, if that
could possibly be, even yet more summarily,
yet more provokingly. The upshot of all being
that after all that, has been said and done of late,
affairs revert at Corfu to the status quo ante jur-
glum !—for it has literally been nothing more
dignified from first to last than a squab-
bling jar and wrangle. The customary
biennial session began just a week ago,
according to usage, on the Ist of this present
month of March. By the arrival of midsummer,
it will, as usual, have been brought to a conclusi&
And, then, for a period of nearly two years his
Excellency the newly appointed Lord High Com-
sioner will have it entirely to hiMself to initiate and
inaugurate whatever reforms may appear to him to be
in any way most desirable, without being for a
moment embarrassed during the interval destined
to elapse between the two sessions—the session of
1859 and the session of 1861—by the perversity of
a disingenious and impracticable legislature.
. . _

Sir HENRY STORKS gave fair warning to the
lonian Assembly of what would be the inevitable
consequence of their own final perversity in re-
jecting the proposals of reforms submitted to their
consideration by his right hon. predecessor. His
Excellency acknowledged that he received with
regret that refusal of the Legislative Assembly,
brought to him by the President (FLAMBuRIANI),
at the head of a deputation of the representatives
—adding significantly, " I believe a change in the
existing system would have strengthened the
lonian Government and lightened the burdens of
the people." Reminding the members that the
question already answered by her MAJESTY, the
Sovereign Protectress of those States—namely, the
extravagant question about Greek annexation—had,
by reason of that Royal answer, been finally settled'
insomuch that it has become impossible to enter
upon it again " at any time or under any circum-
stances"—His Excellency added this expressive
intimation My duty is to observe the Consti-
tuion and enforce obedience to the laws. I
shall never be found wanting in the dis-
charge of it." And further, "As the as•
sembly has refused its aid to England on this
occasion, the whole responsibility now rests with
that body." Sir HEN RY adding yet more this
important declaration " Deprived of the sup-
port which the assembly might have given
to me, I shall, in prosecution of the bene-
volent intentions of the Protecting Sovereign,
labour in the work of improvement by a free exer-
cisejof the powers which the Constitution has placed
in my hands." And those powers ? The history of
our four and forty years' rule over the United States
of the lonian Islands furnishes us with abundant
testimony that -whenever a Lord High Commis-
sioner so pleases they may be stretched con-
stitutionally to the utmost limits of a military
despotism. A soldier like Sir HENRY STORKS will
know how to wield befittingly the viceregal
sceptre entrusted to his safe keeping—a magical
sceptre, none the less invested with a heavy re-
sponsibility, because, at any moment, at the will
and pleasure of its holder, an olive rod, or a rod of