The New York herald., 1877-02-09
the Opening or ths British Par
llament.

It has become so uncommon an occur
renee for the Queen to open Parliament in
person that this bit of picturesque pageantry
makes . festival occasion for our cousins
across the water, and this festival they en-
joyed at its best yesterday. In Her Majes-
ty's speech will be found tho usual mere ref
ercncc to tho great topics Of tho time that
are deemed worthy royal attention. 1t
was aptly pointed ont by tho liberal
leader that the negotiations with tho
United States on the subject of ex-
tradition was not one Of these honored
topics. Perhaps this was not o mere
lapse Of the royal memory That was
q negotiation not brilliant in its legal as
poets, certainly, for Her Majestys constitu-
tioral advisers, and they may not care to
invite any consideration of that part Of their
record. By fnr tho most exciting topic
touched by Her Majesty was that of the re-
lations with Turkey. Out of the considera-
ton Of tho Conference and the Bulgarian
butcherics there is evidently to como a
storm. In both houses the keynote is
already given. In the Lords, although
Earl Granville declared he would not touch
this topic till the papers werc before Parlia-
mcnt, yet he seems to have driftcd involun-
tarily into sharp criticism of the Premier.
In almost any country in Europe save
England 20 sharp conflict as is now i'm
minent in the British Parliament would be
looked forward to with uneasy apprchcn-
sion. There is to be exploded within few
days all the pent-up wrath Of hostile par
tes-wrath that has accumulated in tho
months in which one has controlled the
course Of the government in great crisis of
international politics, and the other has
been compelled to look on, excited by the
spectacle to the last syllable of endurance.
And there is also apparently to be venti-
lated the ins and outs of some peculiar
diplomatic proceedings that cannot be re-
garded as savory by believers in the tradition
ally straightforward character of John Bull.
In what other country in Europe can case
that passionatcly stirs the sympathies of
half the nation be with impunity brought
forth and made the subject of the fierce
defamation that will rage in the House of
Commons over the Bulgarian butcheries,
or where else dare any one parade Minis
terial scandal? In the only countries where
freedom to assail the government in this
style exists revolution is the possible con-
sequence of every Parliamentary battle as
resolute rs this one may be, tho coming of
which they contemplate in England with
cquanimity. On the occasion when it
was objected to the apartments Of the
placid Mr.. Dick, that they were not
large enough to swing q cat around in,
that philosopher replied that he did not
wish to indulge in that kind Of exercise;
and it may be thought that other govern
ments in Europe are none the worse for not
affording an opportunity for the scene that
is in preparation in London. But in free
countries the primary objections to parlia-
mentary government are not listened to,
much less answered. It is a spectacle
for the admiration of the world that
in government where there is so
much Of the feudal fabric left, as there still
is in England, the principle of popular
sovereignty is so vigorous and SO effective
that the grievances of opinion may change
the government in night, and one for the
especial admiration of the politician that in
such case all the machinery of the State
will move on in uninterrupted tranquility.
John Millions great words:-
Revenge o Lord thy slaughtered saints whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold
will still move the soul with indignation
against that political slaughter of Chris
tian people which they denounce; and in
the country in which these lines were written
slaughter hundredfold worse, with cir
cumstances especially fitted to intensity the
horror, must necessarily excite the deepest
emotions of pity and indignation while if
it can be shown that the government of
that very country was Indifferent to SO ter
rible crime, or paltered with the human
passion Of the people on that subject, these
emotions of the nation become Of great
consequence as o political force. Mr.. Glad
stone, Mr.. Bright and some other prominent
men who lead the liberal onset are fully in
sympathy with the fervid spirit behind this
movement and we believe less than justice
was done them when it was charged by the
Premier that they were making ON agitation
injurious to the country only in order to
get into Office. That the events referred to
constituted case of terribly aggravated in
humanity there cannot be any doubt that
the Ottoman government ordered the
butcheries is no less certain, for this was in
sultingly declared to the Conference by
Safvet Pacha; and tho. government which
thus commanded acts which shocked the
civilized world was at the time in such COM
nunication and on such terms with the
British Ministry as tn make the latter
almost party to the transaction. In view
Of these facts the British people
would DO rec-eant to their own his
tory and 10 that sense of humanity
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