Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-09-18
THE AFFGHANISTAN WAR.

Lord PALMERsroS having been accused, the hustng
at the recent election, Of improperly bringing the Afghan
s,an entered into the following explanation and defenc.
of that sangunay contest 1t interesting (says the George
town Advocae) showing, from authentic source the
cause and the motives Of the English conduct
"Bu Mr.. Harvey says, too, that behaved very i'll in
Afghanistan We charged with being the authors of
great and deploabe calamity in that country II is perfectly
true that most affecting catastrophe happened in the
tains OF Aghansan and that several thousands Of
men-some of whom British born subjects Of this
try, and others British born subjects Of lnda-peshed
the most melancholy and barbarous manner But WHY was
went originally into Aghanistan It was because the
King of Persia threatening inroad into Aghanistan
and IN conjunction with persons in authority there ev
IDENTIFY, and without the slightest Disguise contemplating the
invasion, and, if possible the subugaon of Eastern
Empire. Though Mr.. Harvey objects to the phrase our
Indian Empire and says there many in this country
who have not foot of land there, and whom is there
fore mockery to talk of our Indian EMPIRE should like
him to show the country in which there some men
who do not possess any land for his argument applicable
to every country on the earth under every form of society
England however, does indeed possess extensive territories
in lnda and they of great importance with regard
to the the resources and the prosperity of the
pre- They worth defending and the mode of defend
ing them the time of which speak was by going into Aft
ghansan, by deposng sovereign who enemy, and
by placing upon the throne in his stead sovereign upon
whose friendship considered could rely. WE'LL the
calamity to which Mr.. Harney has alluded occurred but
how did it happen Mr.. Harney has, as think with some
what bad tase launched into most woundnp and as sim
cerey believe, unfounded charges against the officers Of
the British army. believe he totally in in suppos-
ing that there any foundation for such charges British
officers of honor they behave gaantly in the field
and honorably in quarters and entirely dsbelieve the
statements upon which Mr. Harney founded his sweeping
charge against the officers of army in Aghansan. lido
not blame the Afghans for wishing get rid Of troops.
1t natural they should do They told u.s. you
CO. We replied, We willing to go; only give US a
safeguard through your mountain passes and will go
you wish Was that agreement kept No; the tratorous
chief with whom it made under the pretence of
ing confdng troops, only led them destruction. When
they had fairly got into the mountain passe they
cheousy attacked, and barbarousy and inhumany
murdered. That act Of treachery which, think,
might have elected expression of Indignation from
who processes himself to be much mbued with SYM
pahy for humanity and to be much the friend of all classes
of mankind. Hear Those who that army into Aft
ghanisan much the of the calamity have al
luded who builds house is the cause of its being
burnt down. or man who builds ship is the cause of its
being wrecked in The calamity had nothing to do
with the original expedition and believe if any of those
generals who afterwards distinguished themselves in India had
been then in command, instead Of the brave who did
commando who suffering the time from Illness
which had then almost brought him to the graveha calamity
in all probability would have taken place. II was, then,
in defence of dominons that the original expedition took
place, and blameable than Mr. Harney him
self for the most affecting calamity which, years after
wards, befe the Of the conquerng army. Mr. Har-
ney also finds fault with the which takennot
by us but by vndcae national honor
and avenge this act Of base and perdous eache Those
taken by the Conservative Government which
succeeded and applaud them. think they right
and proper but, whether right wrong they taken
by Others and not by and, though willing share
all the responsibility which attaches approving them my
present colleagues and myself had voice in their adoption