The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-15 00:00:00

SMUT OP TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Times declares it is no faction, no sect, no class,
not even a Government, that has sent the Prince to
Ireland. When it is said that he ought to have gone to
Ireland before, and that Royalty ought to make a
periodical home there, that is as much as to say that the
duty of Royalty is fixed, though Royal persons may be
wanting to their part, and therefore open to censure. It
is as much as to say that in the moral view they have
no choice, but have bounden duties far beyond any
prescribed by the Constitution, and. certainly far
beyond any acknowledged in any private sphere.
The Royal countenance has been in all ages and in
most countries so great an object of desire that we
cannot wonder at the value set upon it by the philo-
sophical historian. But it is a testimony, however
unconscious, not only to the importance of Royalty, but
also to its claims upon the loyalty of all who are not above
or below this deep, enduring sentiment. Admit these
clain,s, and the claimant presents himself. What is Irish
loyalty? Is it a name or a thing ? Is it an expiring tra-
dition of obscure antiquity, or a living reality? Is it only
an idea for poet.; to shape into verse and factious men to
twist at their convenience, or is it a real sentiment, enforc-
ing duty? It will never cost any man an effort, or a
sacrifice, to be loyal only to that which no longer
exi.,ts and has no claims upon him. Such loyalty
is that of the maniac who worships his own dream.
Where this only is to be found, no wonder that it rapidly
gives place to the Republicanism the loyalty of which is to
a man's self, or his elective counterpart. But loyalty of
the true kind there must in Ireland, if Ireland it still be,
and the people be not wholly transformed ; and for that
loyalty there are no possible or conceivable objects but the
Royal pair who have at last presented themselves to re-
ceive what is their birthright and due, what they never
sought, what they have no choice but to claim, and what
they can only receive as the life-long source of affectionate
interest and dutiful, perhaps anxious, obligation.

The Post remarks that from this bright, fresh spring
morning, happy and hopeful crowds—a people represent-
ing themselves— may look forward to a long day of peace
and prosperity. They are coming out of the winter of
their discontent to hail the approaching summer. Flowers
and flags will help to interpret the sentiments which they
entertain ; ringing cheers and eyes which speak the lan-
guage of the heart will witness to the loyalty and love that
make up in round words the sum of their joyful welcome.
For years they have seen their inheritance washed away,
as it were, by the tide, and added to the ascendancy
which was a thorn in the side of their patriotism. The
consideration for which they parted with their unconquered
right of legislating for themselves, the equitable equality
which they fairly contemplated, has remained an ul:4-
settled account, and been, as it naturally would be, a fes-
tering sore. Now, however, the past can be forgotten in
the promiseful present, and it is something that a deceived
nation should be thus reassured, and something more that
a power competent to open up the better way is recognised
by all parties, even by those who have "nursed their wrath
to keep it warm." Whether the recognition be made on
the high ground of common justice, or on the inclined plane
of political expediency, or from some abnormal and un-
tenable position, is comparatively unimportant. It is
enough that there is a good augury, and that, if it please
Providence to keep the memories of this day green, the
darkest spot on our horizon may shortly disappear.
The Daily News says Mr. Disraeli has always been a
distinguished letter-writer, but the two epistles he pub-
lished almost as soon as he became Premier—the first to
the newspapers, and the second to Lord Dartmouth—were
not of a kind to sustain his reputation at its earlier level.
But Ids letter to the Rev. A. Baker, a Buckinghamshire
clergyman, is entirely in his old manner. His severest
critic will not allege that it wants what its author most
prizes—" finish." Mr. Baker, as a High Churchman, had
been somewhat startled by Mr. Disraeli's extraordinary
assertion, that the High Church Ritualists were in con-
federaCy with the Irish Romanists for the purpose of
destroying the connection between Church and State.
The allegation was too open to be disavowed, .too prepos-
termeg to jttetify, too useful to abandon ; but its author
was equal to the occasion, and more. A harpy thought
struck him. He would take captive the heart of his corre-
spondent by a word ; before he had so much as begun to
real.the letter.he should he won. So. Mr. Disraeli began,
" Maundy Thursday, 1868." Thus can genius make of
a mere date a theory, a symbol, almost a sacrament.
Mr. Baker must have felt a pang of regret as he thus
saw the current of pious thought he had been dis-
turbing with. profane topics at a sacred season.
The-ground being thus cleared, Mr. Disraeli is at liberty
to revert to his alarmist tactics, though we hardly think
that in the concluding portion of the letter the master's
style is so well sustained. In writing to a country rector,
the Liberation Society was a good topic to introduce
but we are surprised to find Mr. Disraeli assuming the
success of its operations. It will probably be, he says;
the first victim of the spiritual despotism it is blindly
seeking to establish. That cannot he, however, until
what he calls its " fats! machinations" have succee,led—
a cont!;!geucy nhich Mr. Disraeli evidently thinks not so
r.mo::e as some of us suppose. To prevent such a catc.-
strophe, and preserve the LibA-aticn Society against
own folly in the enjoyment of life and liberty, Mr.
Disraeli promises to use his " utmost energies." The
Daily 2Vews hopes the Premier's reverend correspondent
duly appreciates this undertaking, and the prestige of
past success which Mr. Disraeli brings to his new cam-
paign.

The Standard ridicules the exaggerated protests with
which the Ritualists repel Mr. Disraeli's imputations. At
the.same time it none the less appreciates the earnestness
with which, misled by a forced interpretation of the Pre-
mier's language, they have been repudiated on behalf of
the High Church party. No one supposed for a moment
that the High Church party was inclined to favour the
separation of Church and State, or regarded with indiffer-
ence the initiation of such a policy in the case of the Irish
Establishment. Certainly the letter of Mr. Disraeli will
effectually dis,ipate the impression that he contemplate 4
making any such charge against them. The right honour-
able gentleman repeats the allegation which he fastened
upon the extreme Ritualists, but he declares that he never
intended to cast any slur upon the High Church party.
On the contrary, be professes the highest respect for it.
At the same time, the Premier is careful to acknowledge
the services and usefulness of the Low Church party,
which was 'undoubtedly mainly instrumental in keeping
alive religious faith and earnestness at a period of almost.
fatal torpor.

The Telegraph says this exhibition of "epistolary rasa
fleas "—to borrow the epithet which Mr. Disraeli himself
applied to Lord John Russell's Durham Letter —Must excite
sorrow rather than anger. Remembering political history,
and .not forgetting that the Conservatives have no
mtnopoly of little tricks, we see how difficult it is for any
one to touch party pitch without being defiled. How is
a man " to keep the whiteness of his soul" and yet to
win ? Mr. Disraeli's position is especially hard ;he has
never yet led a party forming a majority in the House
of Commons. They have three times got into office
by accidental alliances with deserters from the Liberal
camp, and they have always retained power by a
series of summersaults—turning heels over head,
and regarding all their opposition vows as "
lent and void." The Liberals also have generally
abandoned in office the principles they professed when out
(t place ; but their offence is that they have left things
mulone by dropping their Appropriation Clauses and
Leform Resolutions, and settling down into inaction and
rust. The old stern idea was, that if a man changed on
the Treasury bench the opinions which he had held in
o; position he should not be the instrinnent for carrying
into effect his new creed. A Liberal might become a Con-
servative, but a Liberal member was dishoneot if, like
Le1.,1 Palmerston, he was merely exhibiting Conservative
predilections in office. A Conservative might become
Liberal, but no Conservative Minister could honourably
propose measures that, as leader of the Opposition, he had
continuonaly opposed. People used to think that when a
man changed his views he should no longer retain power—
that for him the only "post of honour was a private sta-
tioN." 13 that idea now to be considered obsolete ?
The Post, while admitting that the Volunteer Review
was a splendid success, would guard against the conclu-
b:oA that the exhibition was a perfect one. First, there
was the muddle in the arrangements. which revealed the
fact that the organisation, in respect of combined opera-
tions throughout the country, was too disjointed and
incomplete to he at all satisfactory. Again : there was
rrinin for much improvement in the military appearance
r.nd skill of the troops reviewed. The dress and appoint
*tient of several of the corps was not all that could be
desired. Another point to which, attention must be
directed is the supply- of officers. Though many volunteer
ollicers have acquired by study a considerable knowledge
of their nrofession. the majority of them are not thoroughly
up to the mark. Again : at tnese annual reviews attempts
si,,uld be made to form camps for the purpose of te..ching
r 3 the art of living iii the fields. Those who could
;;C,!inf•toe 'Pt'vo days before the review might, as now, go oo
the same d:iy.

tannic: CIO TM:1111,1'3 of the crack volun-
P who reftt:ed to take part in the review for fear
Everythin— went off well. Tl,ey
her e4ret that they did not take ;,art, in the ilk
irnprovenv,‘nt nl:”.ht be male ii tl:e

{;,:r e•mtem a por.y eTeeisby .
;101) of volunteer; two days LefOre tre that
the preceding Saturday. Certainly tie duty of
volunteers would probably lie chiefly in garrison,
in the event of their being called out ;;but unfortunately
our force of regular troops available.for home defence is so
very small, and even with the militia would give us so
small a first line of defenders, that the volunteers would
have to be called upon to supply a continent to stand
beside their comrades of the other branches of the army ;
and it is most desirable that they should have some expe-
rience of camp life and camp discipline.
The Telegraph rejoices in the-success of the review, and
warms dismal prophets of misfortune that they should not
again propirsy of failure.