The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-08 00:00:00

THE BALLOT.

Reformers, sincere and earnest Reformers, require
little more than this from Lord PALMERSTON and
his colleagues in the Government. They want to
know—not so much what Ministers can do this
session, but something at leetst of what they will
undertake to do next ! They want to know what
may be the maximum, and what the minimum of
those mysterious political entities of which Lord
PALMERSTON has spoken so often of late under
the very vague title of " progressive improve-
ments." Surely, in seeking this, we are
not demanding anything so -very unreasonable ?
At any rate—reasonable or unreasonable—the
country WILL have it ! And. we are very much
mistaken if the now House of Commons do not,
in the name of the country, insist upon this
forthwith, and without any further trifling or
prevarication.
Everybody who has read. it, must remember
very well, how, in Sir BULIrI. LYTTON'S exqui-
sitely droll apologue of the "Dog snd the Cat "
(vide "The Pilgrims of the Rhine")—the Dragon
fairly poses honest Dog, who .12-as found his way into
his den, by submitting to hi-m this rather startling
Alternative—" Either be my Servant or—be my
Breakfast !" Lord PALMER 3TON had better make
up his mind to the rather allairming fact at once,
without any more ado—thz bt he himself is in pre-
cisely just such another Qua: oe'lary ! There is the
Monster REFORM confronting him—insatiable, in-
exorable ! Let him decide and that quickly—
Will he obey the imperative I)amands of the Age
or be himself sacrificed I'

The stringent criticisms t)n. 'the nomination of
Major-General the Hon. Tx 0 NIAS kSUURNHAM, to
the chief command in China, have excited the ire
of Lord PANMIIRE. The Nol )!o Lord is very indig-
nant that any person should. dare to question the
propriety of that appointm€ .13 t, or indeed of any
other which he may be plleased to make. He
therefore speaks in no measxred terms respecting
the officers, who actuated it);r a strong sense of
public duty, expressed t h eir views respect-
ing the selection, and the journals who
gave circulation to their ()pinions, and corn-
m3nted at some length ti to reon. He alluded
to anonymous traducers as " unfit to carry the
commission of the QUEEN, as id unfit to associate
with his companions iu th 3 profession." These
diatribes were chiefly direct nd against "M. L,"
who narrated clearly and e: tplicitly some unplea-
sant truths, which went far to prove the total un-
fitness of the Honourable 1 dajor-General for the
arduous and important situat ion into which he was
pitchforked over the heads of 'many officers who had
certainly higher claims than any to which he could
refer. Now, it is quite clea r that the Gentleman
writing under these initials l ias not deserved this
censure ; that for all pr actical purposes bis
identity was as fully manifested as if ho had
affixed his name, address, an d rank to the docu-
ment referred to, He declai :ed that he was serv-
ing on the staff of a certain Brigadier, and that
he had in that capacity conveyed a message to the
Honourable Major-General, on the memorable
occasion, where, from Lord C despatch, it
is clear that there was at leas t a grave misconcep-
tion of his orders and where h is " coolness" (under
shelter of a nullah or dry wate r course) and " great
success" (in taking possession . of an undefended
battery) were. all that could be alleged in his
favour !

There may be occasions in w U ich an anonymous
accuser would merit severe censi i re. If calumnies
were put forward, through vind ictiye or malevo-
lent motives, nothing could be to o stringent. But

M. L. stated merely what he ha d witnessed with
his own eyes, and which he Till doubtless be
fully prepared to verify on a sin; able opportunity.
He well knew that his statem 3 ntS would not be
cordially received at the Horse I ,Guards, and that
in giving, to all intents and pu xposes, the means
of his identification, he WE s incurring con-
siderable risk as to his fi r.ture professional
prospects. So far, therefore, from being an
Anonymous Calumniator, he al Ihibited a high
degree of moral courage in comini ; forward under
such circumstances, and has em inently entitled
himself to the thanks and grati tu de of the coun-
try, for proving, beyond the poss ibility of doubt,
that the Honourable THOMAS LtSFIBURNHAM was
not " the right man for the rit place."
It may be asked why these s tvtements were not
earlier put for ward ? Why 1 Nre they delayed