The Sun. — 1855-11-16 (London, England)

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENINGI NOVEMBER 16, 1855.  As to the attack on the Emperor, of which the meeting'was made the instrument, what purpose could it serve ? If he really prompted the prcceedings we must think he was very ill-advised, and our own Government too. He and they ought better to have known the temper of Englishmen. He must have seen that here, with a Press absolutely free, and the right of meeting unrestricted, the refugees would only be raised from contempt and converted into martyrs, by legal proceedings—and still more so by proceedings of questionable legality. He could do nothing more likely to peril the cordiality of alliance between the two Governments than to incur the suspicion of prompting our Government to infringements on the liberty of the Press, or harsh dealing with refugees. Having lived with us so long we should hope he has quite got over the morbid sensitiveness of the former NAPOLEON to the freedom of our Press.  We must own we suspect most strongly that odious Court which has mysterious influence in high quarters here. The savage young Jesuit who perpetrated the murder of Assn, who robs Hungary of its liberties by perjury, and Lombardy by his brutal soldiery, who trciaibles before KOSSUTH and Mazznir, as before living impersonations of the NEMESIS which awaits him—his is the hand which, as we conjecture, pressed down the scale. Possibly hehoped to see thegt eat patriots ultimately drives across the Atlantic, which he is much less likely to see, than to see himself driving on the Marine Parade at Brighton. At least he might hope to intimidate them, and to check their dreaded pens, and their correspondence with the crushed, but yet ardent, patriots in the suppressed nations. Lord PALMERSTON' must indeed beware. Englishmen will not allow their valued and indispensable ally to touch a hair of their cherished liberties, but the detection of the influence in such proceedings of the hated traitor at Vienna would ruin any Ministry, and might have even worse consequences than that.  The householders of London will do well at the present time to ponder over the history of their local administration during the last quarter of a century, in order to appreciate the immense boon presented to them in the Metropolis Management Act. To be sure we cannot promise by way of inducement that the immediate result will be altogether agreeable, but we pledge our credit it will be wholesome. For what, in sober truth, is that history but a aerie-comic illustration of selfishness suicidally indulged in ? A history of betrayed trust, and of servile submission on the part of a majority of the ratepayers to the most pettifogging brigandage, and of grievous scandal to the admirers of an ennobling principle. A history of a long-continued dereliction of an incumbent duty, because of an unworthy apprehension of a little trouble and unpleasantness incident to the discharge of it. What are the facts ? To the householders of London, it is no exaggeration to say, was pre-eminently committed the vindication of a system to which this kingdom, more than to any other, owes its unexampled greatness. Residing in the metropolis of the freest and most energetic country in Europe, the centre of commercial enterprise, wealth, and intelligence, they were peculiarly called upon to do justice to the principle of local self-government. Not only was the character of their local administration likely to be inquired into by their provincial contemporaries for imitation, but also to be invidiously noted by foreigners and others who have no love for, and almost as little plified one comprehension of, free institutions. If the operation of the principle in question was to be placeexemLondon. -Yet a rather matter rn of course, thatwas that, place, of all place we say in we no city or town in the kingdom, boldly challenge assent, when however corrupt and wanting in intelligence and public spirit, has the important trust been more signally betrayed, or could in thethreesuelptsecouflatthivaet for ridicule. To caricature betrayal foreigner mor havee matter them was to outrage prObability, and vie with