The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-25 00:00:00

Qnt
251L1A;

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1850.

Yesterday evening, by a strange coincidence, two
most important debates commenced, one in the Le-
gislative Assembly at Paris, the other in the House
of Commons at Westminster, severally affecting the
stability of the French Republican Ministry and of
the English Constitutional Government. According
to a fact long notorious, the maintenance of the ex-
isting system of administration among our neigh:
boars is directly dependent upon the acceptance of
the official demand for an increased dotation to the
PRESIDENT. Meanwhile the continuance in
authority of the existing system of admi-
nistration among ourselves is equally de-
pendent upon the acquiescence of our represen-
tatives in the non-official demand for a vote of con-
fidence in the foreign policy of Lord PALMERSTON.
To the latter subject of discussion our attention is at
present exclusively restricted, the debate already
commenced in the popular branch of the British
Legislature affecting the very base of the national
character, the very core of the national sensibility,
the very root and pith of the national constitution.
Any recapitulation of the circumstances out of which
this absorbing question has originated would be little
less than an impertinence, every detail having
become familiarised by this time to a re-
markable degree among the masses of the
population. It may be permissible, however, For
tit to make sundry allusions of a preliminary de-
scription by way of appropriate prelude to the con-
sideration of last night's proceedings in the Lower
House of the Imperial Parliament.
No definite explanation being requisite to remind
the people of England of those bitter and virulent
personalities which have been long and pertinaciously
directed against the illustrious statesman at the head
of the Foreign Department, it will be sufficient for us
to remark that those rancorous aspersions against Lord
PALMERSTON have only been surpassed in their base-
ness by the flagrant mendacity with which they have
been designated the expressions of public indignation.
A brilliant and startling testimony to the contrary, a
glorious token that these miserable vituperations and
slanders are the mere ebullitions of party spleen and
private animosity, instead of being in the smallest
particular the utterances of popular opinion, was
afforded last evening outside the very vestibule of the
House of Commons, where the distinguished Minis-
ter, her MAJESTY'S principal Foreign Secretary,
was greeted on his appearance with the spontaneous
acclamations of the multitude. Of itself the enthu-
siasm of his reception by the people upon that parti
calar occasion was an ample and decisive contradic-
tion of the assertion that his policy was an object of
abhorrence to the community. A more significant
response could not have been given to the condemna-
tory decision in the House of Lords than the cheering
which welcomed Lord PALMERSTON yesterday evening
in his approach to the palace of the Parliament.
Yet the approving voice of the country
had already reached the ears of the Eng-
lish statesman through the legislative and literary
organs of public opinion, through the popular jour-
nalists and the popular representatives. We assert
this advisedly : for the shameless turpitude
with which the foreign policy and the poli-
tical character of Lord PALMERSTON have been
assailed by one or two isolated newspapers
(calling down upon those publications a very general
and overwhelming sentiment of disgust) has been
answered by the otherwise unanimous eulogium, both
of his policy and of his character, by the
rest of the mouthpieces of the community,
whether metropolitan or provincial. While,
moreover, a disgraceful coalition of enemies in
the hereditary Chamber of the Legislature has enabled
the House of Peers to decide in favour of the Leader
of the Protectionist Opposition—a sense of civism, a
strong and conscientious sense of civism, an admira-
tion of all that is noble, patriotic, and magnanimous,
have induced upwards of 100 of the most independent
Members of the House of Commons to afford Lord
PALMERSTON a most signal assurance of their esteem
and admiration. The interesting presentation of a
testimonial to the lady of that Noble Viscount,
coming as ,it did at a time so peculiarly ap-
propriate as the very day, Saturday, when
intelligence was received of the reconciliation of the
French and
English Governments, must, in truth, as
Lady PALIIERSTOII4 very beautifully intimated, have
enhanced her feelings of pleasure to those of pride
and gratitude ; it must, in truth, as her illustrious
husband asserted, have been the proudest moment of
his existence ; and it must be regarded, moreover, as
having been the most significant
and expressive
forerunner of the debate opened last • •
evening, in.the
House of Commons, on the motion of the Hon and
Learned Gentleman the representative of the borough
of Sheffield.

Certainly, amidst the whole body of the Members
of that great assemblage, no man could have been
more peculiarly qualified than Mr. ROEBUCK to pro-
pose that virtual vote of confidence in her MA-
JESTY'S advisers, in regard to the policy of
the Foreign Secretary more qualified, we
mean, by his perfect separation from all
party, and by his complete and glaring inde-
pendence. Faction being his very antipodes, and
partizanship his very antithesis, no individual could
ever seriously impute to the Hun. and Learned
Member for Sheffield, in reference to this or any
other motion, motives of a dubious, much less
of a reprehensible, character. Hence it was with
mingled pain and astonishment that the House heard
Tat night au idis insinuation thrown out that Up