The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-26 00:00:00

Eke 3toarbrib'ge ebertur.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 1876.

MEDIATION.

Although Parliament has dispersed, and
Ministers have mostly gone away to their
country seAts, various announcements seem to
remind us that they still bear with them the
cares of State, and that whether in Downing
Street or elsewhere, the burden of a mighty
empire must remain upon their shoulders.
From India to Australia, from the Canadian
dominion to the newly-acquired colony of Fiji,
the multitudinous incidents in the life of a great
Empire constantly demand the attention of
those who are responsible for the welfare of
peoples representing so many different races,
and such a host of diverse interests as those who
call themselves subjects of the Queen of Great
Britain. And in this quiet time so far as poli-
tical activity is concerned, when the public
hear little or nothing of the strife of parties, or
of the clang of arms raised by contending
factions, the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, although relieved from attendance in
the House of Lords, finds ample occupation in
watching the course of events in the East of
Europe, if haply he may find an opportunity of
proffering the assistance of this country in
patting a stop to the war between Mussultnan
;Ind Sclavonian, upon which the attention of
the Continent has been of late almost exclusively
directed. . _ _ _ _

There is one great advantage derived by the
nation from the sitting of Parliament, of which
it is deprived in the recess, and it is never more
conspicuous than at a time commanding public
interel.t. When both branches of the Legisla-
ture are in full session, a question to a minister
in either House goes a long way towards eliciting
information upon any subject on which it may
he required. Some of these inquiries are at
times inconvenient, no doubt, and it happens
occasionaiy that a Minister may decline to
answer thew, on the ground that compliance
would be detrimental to the public service.
But there have been cases in which a Prime
Minister, not caring to ,volunteer a statement
has caused a polite intimation to be conveyed
to the leader of the opposition that an interro-
gation upon this or that particular subject will
elicit a declaration which it would be to the
interests of the people to know. Ile question
is asked accordingly, and together with the
reply is circulated as widely as the newspaper
press can reach. But when no Parliament is
sitting, such opportunities totally disappear.
Ministers cannot be reached in any way what-
ever. The House of the Legislature, the proper
and legitimate place for avowals of policy on
the part of members of the Cabinet, are closed
for six months; and the Lord Mayor's banquet
at Guildhall on the 9th of November is almost
the only recognized channel through which
Ministers can speak to their countrymen.
Coming precisely midway between August and
February, it cuts the recess directly in half;
and it is likely enough that Ministers are as
glad as their listeners when the time arrives for
clearing away any misapprehensions which
might have arisen during the three nv)uths
that have elapsed between the prorogation and
the banquet. A pod deal may happen in a
quarter of a year; and the Ninth of November
banquet is, therefore, always a welcome halting.
place from which the past can be reviewed and
assurances given tending to reassure the public
mind upon any point on which it may have been
disturbed.

Therefore, while we all feel deeply interested
in any efforts Lord Derby may be making in
the direction of peace, we shall in all probability
have to wait some little time before we know
officially the precise terms on which the media-
tion of Greet Britain has been offered. The
scourge of war is so terrible, that no exertions
should be spared on the part of civilized people
to stay such a plague provided they see a chance
of doing so with any degree of success. At the
same time it is clear enough that offers of
mediation can be made oniy at favourable
opportunities ; if made at other times they are
worse than useless, for such a course would tend
only to impair and weaken the influence of the
Power interposing, even when, had it been used
with a beneficial result. For instance, in the
earlier stages of the last tremendous struggle
between France and Germany, it would not have
been of the slightest service for any foreign
Power to have stepped in, and laid down bases
for peace negotiations. The disaster at Sedan
and the capitulation of Metz found France
quite as determined to fight the Teuton, and
the Teuton equally as resolved to beat down the
Gaul, as on the day of the declaration of war.
At no time during the four years of civil strife
in America, were offers of mediation at all likely
to be favourably entertained. The idea of the
one side was to crush out a rebellion ; the
notion of the other was to obtain independence
as a separate nationality ; and until one was
completely beaten, obviously there was no hope
of a cessation of hostilities being listened to.
In the present case a subject State has risen
against its rulers; it declares that it has done
only after extreme provocation, this view of the
case being, it is scarcely necessary to say, not
the one which is recognized at Constantinople.
It is clearZthat between two such belligerents the
greatest care must be exercised in approaching
either with proposals for peace; but the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs possesses
the reputation of being a wise and prudent
man, and the country may enjoy its time of
political repose in the full assurance that no
step will be taken by our Foreign Office which
is not marked by caution and deliberaion.