The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-26 00:00:00

10T; WATER AT LONDON' BisIDGY.

Tins DAY —v orning, 36 min. after 1 EveitOr, 5 min. after 2
To- Nloaftow —M r;.!..:.23 min at tor 21 Eventng, 47 ti in after 2

THE; WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, FEB. 26
TrIERUOITETER, Lowest, 37 Higheit, 45; Noon, 45,

B111031I:TIGII, 30'5.
WIND W.-dull cloudy weather.

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Le*DON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26. 18.50.

An interesting ceremony took place vest er3ay at
Southampton, in the welcome accorded to Viscount
GOUGH by its inhabitants on the occasion of the re-
turn of that distinguished veteran to his native
country. Before making any further allusion, how-
ever, to this occurrence, we cannot refrain from comz-
menting upon the very absurd and disgraceful pro-
ceedings of the Mayor and Borough Council of
Southampton. Their conduct is only a new and
flagrant evidence of the ridiculons fanaticism engen-
dered by that greatest humbug of the age—the Peace
Society. It will, doubtless, have been already ob-
served by the majority of our readers that the mem-
bers of the Town-council of Southampton re-
fused to vote a congratulatory address to,
Lord GOUGH, and his gallant companions
on their arrival on the shores 'of England
simply on the plea that these same municipal
wiseacres are opposed to Hero-Worship ! To
Hero-Worship ! Why, if the proffering of an
ordinary mark of respect to a man who has done
great serviCe, and good service, to his country be
hero-worship, then do we trust that not only we our-
selves, but the vast multitude of Englishmen likewise,
are in heart and disposition also Hero-Worshippers.
We have no adequaterlanguage in which to designate
by words sufficiently contemptuous this wretched
affectation of wisdom and moralit:y. Let the town-
councillors of Soathampton felicitate themselves on
the knowledge that they are chjects of derision to
every light-thinking man throughout the United
Kingdom.

It mast have been a source of p:.cullar gratifica-
tion to the veteran soldier of Goojerat, that the
welcome accorded to him yesterday, at Southampton,
was the result of no mere municipal formality, but
the spontaneous ebullition of the sentiments enter-
tained ,by the more loyal and patriotic among its
inhabitants. After nearly sixty years severe and
continuous -service in. the armies of England, it
must have proved inexpressibly consolatory
to return homewards cheered by the ap-
plause of his fellow-countrymen, and sustained by
the knowledge of having previously acquired the
commendations of the Parliament and the approval of
his SOVEREIGN. A life thus drawing towards its
close, amidst the universal respect of a whole nation,
one might imagine would have been spared the petty
insults of a provincial municipality. However that
may be, it is certain that notwithstanding the opposi-
tion of a few narrow-minded hypocrites, the recep-
tion accorded to the noble soldier, both at Southamp-
ton and in the metropolis, could not, by any
possibility, have been more earnest and enthu,
siaqic. Nor was the young and gallant
hero of theuPunjaub overlooked by those who hastened
to welcOttle- the ex-Commander-in-Chief of the Bri-
tish Indian army. Attention was fixed with no small
degree interest upon the heroic soldier whose
genius and bravery had been mainly instrumental in
suppressing they revolt among the Seikhs, and in
leading to that series of victories which terminated
at last in' the acquisition of the country of the five
rivers—thereby extending our Asiatic possessions
from the extreme southern to the extreme northern
Areas of Hindostan.

We doubt n'otsthat suitable marks of popular ap-
probation' will be accorded both to Lord GOUGH and
to Major '.EDWARDES, not only by the multitude
themselves, not only by the military profession and
the metropolitan municipality, but in like manner by
our Gracious SOVER2IGN. L'esides the admission of
these illustrious soldiers to an audience with the
QUEEN, ana.the- reception accorded td Lord Gotrcx
on the occasion of his first entrance into the Houso of
Pears,
i;r; doubt not that tokens of the ge-
neral aCimiration entertained thrgighout these
islands 'in regard to their conduct will be
given in the customary form of public enter-
tainments, Such is our herotworkhip that we would
see all potsible honour paid to those who, whether by
their ho.r.th; their voice, or their intellect, do good
and true service to their fatherland. We would even
witness this manifestation of homage f,r the more il-
lustrious citizens of our empire, because of all the
spectacles that can be i•resented to contemplation we
conceive that none is so odious and melancholy