New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-08
ENGLAND AND THE TURKS.
ANGRY CONTROVERSIES IN PROGRESS.

MR.. rAwCErr ANSWERED BY SIR STAFFORD
NORTuCOTE.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.I
LONDON, Dec. 16-The Turks may boast OF two
fresh accessons 10 their ranks, Mir. Roebuck and
Mr. Swinburne. We know Mr.. Roebuck He is
man whose opinion cannot be predicted. and has
therefore a certain value. But he is not repre-
sentative man. His vote counts His influence,
formerly considerable has decayed and is less than
that of any other man of equal ability in England.
He retains, however, his power of saying disagree
able things in a strong way. and the Ministry VIII
be glad To have him their side in the House rather
than against them. He takes what is called the En-
ehsh view: that an Englishman must stand by his
Government in crisis: and he pronounces 1t q
shameful thing" that any body of Englishmen
should attempt to thwart them at such an emer-
Vency That is Mr. Roebuck's shot at the ST. James
Conference; fired off, Enthusiastically, at non
political dinner given last night by the Fishmongcrs
Company to some of Her MajestY's Judges and other
great people.
Mr. Swinburne's alliance with the Porte Is an
nounced in pamphlet, brilliantly and vigorously
written, like all Mr. Swinburne's prose- though, IN
deed in this it must be said there is much brilliant
nonsense and vigorous windmill fighting. Ii must
also be said that the attack on Mr.. Carlyle Is
abusive to the last degree to degree quite lntoi-
cradle were the offender any other than Mr.. SWIM
burne, ana were III not Iudl tIt CouidSC WIN
he assails now as in some painful previous instances
great and honOred writer. is open to the suspicion
of being more or less Dutch in origin and quality.
His inyectiye is of kind to which Mr.. Swinburne,
were il employed against himself or one OF his
heroes, would probably apply stronger ADJECTIVE
than care to USE The title of the pamphlet is
"Note of an English Republican on the Muscovite
Crusade" but the title will wholly mislead any
body who seeks for an argument on the general
question, any one of the questions now waiting
for answer between Turkey and Europe. 1t is ono
long lampoon Mr.. Carlyle, though since Mr..
Swinburne is too much of an artist to paint all In
black each gibe Is set of with civil word OF COM
pliment not touching the matter at ISSUE The one
idea which runs through the 20 pages is this that
Mr. CARLYLE has heretofore been the apologis of so
many crimes that he is cstoppcd from condemnlng,
as he did in his recent letter. the crimes which the
Turks committed against the Bulgarlans III there
be another, il is that though the Turk may be bad
ruler there is no reason To hope that the Car of
Russia would be a better Mr.. Swnburne proclaims
himself a Republican, and can see little good Ill any
government which stops short of communism. lie
assures us that the eulogist of Cromwell would
have been Cavalier had he lived i'll the days OF the
Great Robcllion follower of Plate had he flour
ishrd cotemporaneously with "the communist and
stump orator of Nazareth "-appellatiOns which in
Mr. Swinburn. Is mouth must be understood as
meant for culogy upon the founder OF that Chrls-
tanity al VIII ell he insists hat Mr. Carly Is the Toe
Nj Carlyle indeed, he describes as the woIshiper
of every gallovs on earth but one, and that the
cross of Chri.i!
You will perhaps think ! am giving far NOR at
tention to Mr.. Swmbune than his political import
apcc demands, and SO am. His political import
anc, IS exactly none at all, but be is a celebrity.
and ne writes on the burning question of the day;
question the heat and fame of which seem TO have
heated and infamcd the minds of the men who deal
with it, and to dazzle them into blindness toward
every other question. 1t is only this week, when
news has consisted mainly of cOnjectures, that peo-
pie have turned their eyes with any steadfastncss
toward either France America, i'll each of which
q political crisis has existed that III common times
would have CON; ,ctely absorbed the attention OF
English political students. Mr.. Swinbune'S essay
appeared Yesterday and has elected thus far but
single comment from the London press. and that not
a favorable one; at least, | have seen but one. !
make the qualification because don't pretend to
read or even to look through every publication which
the printing 9TeSSeS of London throw Ofi-not even
every paper that appears daily or weekly since it
after awhile becomes clear III the ease OF some OF
them that they can be safely neglected. This IN
terval of comparative dizziness is what Mr.. swirl
burne seems to have waited for. Mr. Carlylcs letter
appeared three weeks and more, and a writer so
rapid rs Mr. Swinburne would easily have published
his answering pamphlet in as many days. He has
rightly calculated that the gossip which comes by
wire from Consantnople about the talks between
members of the Conference does not till the mind.
Still less can il be filled with sheer husks and straw,
for straw as MIR. Carlyle long since remarked does
not continue definitely to yield wheat, no matter
how industriousy you thrash the empty stalk
fact of which The Daily Telegraph, with its daily
rethrashed leader in behalf of the unspeakabe Turk,
remains and promises long to remain, wholly i'll
sensible.
OF such speeches as there have been since Monday
speeches by Mr.. Fawcett on one side and by par
of Lord Beaconsfeld's Ministers on the other
wrote what seemed ncedful to write by last post.
find since that ore remark of Sir Stafford North
cote's to which attached no Importance, IS taken
M more seriously than it seemed to me to merit,
and discussed ty both friends and foes as note of
defiance. The remark is answer to Mr.. Fawcetts
statement that he not disposed to forgive OF
forget what the Government had said and done in
support of Turkey Sir Stafford responds that the
Government for once agrees with Mr. Fawcett, and
does not wish forgiveness forgetfuness for It's past
performances III that be meant a challenge to the
OPPOSITION in Parliament to do its worst, can only
cav that il sounds TO me both safe and shrll. Par
lament is not to meet for nearly two months; not
till the Sth of February-a long date for the matur-
ing of political cartel. Before that day comes, the
Conference will have met and probably dispersed;
the line Lord Salisbury is to take, only known
by guesses will have been announced and It's effect
produced; policy presumably new will have been
proclaimed by the Government acted on If not
proclaimed; and Lord Beaconsfeld has genius for
forgetting inconyenient facts in past history not
likely TO desert him now when he most stands i'll