New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-10
BRITISH TOPICS.


LORD GRANvuLE-"T sTRICTEsr NEUTRALITY
AGAIN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FOR THE HONE
RULE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. NOT N DANGER
TURKISH AFR JCIuEs - GRANYILLES ELo-
QUEScE.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
LONDON, Aug. 29.-The British legislator fills
up his vacation for August and February with
many occupations he shoots, hunts, travels battles
in the sea, Vegetables in the country. Some men do
of these things, another, but there is one
thing they all do They make speeches. The elo-
offence for which st. Stephens no longer affords "A
theatre is bestowed on the constituencies 1t would
be drelry business to read al tho haraugues, still
moro drcary to make an abstract or whatever brief
mention Of them. / have not the least intention of
dongit But there are some notable exceptions to
the general run Of unimportant and unmcanng ut
tcrauces. Probably thcrcmay be dozen in the course
of theDext six months which will deserve moments
attention IN America. II happens that there have
been two this week one by Sir Stafford Northcote,
one by Lord Granville. As Sir Stafford Northcotc IS
leader Of The House OF Commons, and Lord Gran
vile is lead T Of the Liberal party, and as England
is still on the ragged cdg, of possible crisis what
such men as these say must be scanned critically.
Nor is either of them duh man; though, indeed 1t
is litle to Sir Stafford Northcotes advantage TO be
brought into close comparison with man Of such
varied accomplishments as Lord Granville. The
Tory shall nevertheless have the FIRST place, for he
is I'm Office, and he spoke first
Tie address OF Sir Stafford Northcote to the Con
seryatiyes Of Plymouth on Monday evening touches
briefly on the var. and would be more interesting Ii
there wcre at The moment, any doubt about the po-
sition of the Government with reference TO the war;
Bui there f. not Sir Stafford repeats that the pcbcy
of the Government is policy of "strict
- IN,
IaGye-it Is the "mictcst ucutfahtyP Strict
or not, it is compulsory; neutrality which
the head Of tho Government would never hayo
adopted of his own motion did not, in fact, adopt
willingly. but was forced by pubhc opinion to adopt
in opposition to his own opinion ard wish. Lord
B.acousfcld's lieutenant takes the trouble 70 explain
that the following of this neutral policy Is to his
own mind clear duty which one is happy to hear,
for Sir affords own sake 1t is creditable to him,
also that he puts new definition on the much
abused phrase British interests rebukIng those
who have used it lthe Augo-Turk partly in " mar
row and selfish sense" and charging it so as to
mean the interests of humanity. All this IS satisac-
tory. II is clear proof that Lord Beaconsleid Is
either pursuing or desires the country to believe he
is pursuing such course the country has clearly
indicated to him.
As to the obstructionists, who have been repeat
ing in Leeds and Liverpool, their threats Of renew
ing the contest with the majority of the House, the
language used by the leader of the House lacks
clearness. which probably indicates a lack Of clear
purpose in his own mind. He regrets the " false POI
s,iion in which few members, new to the House OF
Commons. had placed themselves" recognizes the
dntv of nreyenting that assembly from being made
ridicuIous and hopes the Irishmen Will see the error
of their WAYS. IL they should not-and they are
daily pledgng themselves to resume hostiilties next
veor-then what 7 Not much beside generahties.
The character of the House must be "yindicated"
SO indicated, nevertheless, As not to confer the non
ors of martyrdom on The offenders, or TO place the
Uousc in conflict with the constituencies. And II
ap,ars that IL is to be vndcated to use the words
Of Sir Stafford Northcote, by treating Messrs. Far
rou O'Donnell and the rest like naughty children,
and put them in the corner till they are good 1t 49,
perhaps IN the hope of rendering the oDStructlVes
r,culous that the language and peculiar discipline
of the nursery are invoked against them' Inc only
meaning that can be extracted from SIT Staiiofds
ratber heavy fun is that the obstructyeS will for
a time be suspended. They VIII be denied inc
nrvece of speaIling. voting and making motions, or
taking any other share in the business OF the House
till they are good and say they are sorry and prom
ise to not be naughty any more, l suppose. The
rights of other children meantime to be protect
ed the rights of mnorties not to be infrnged, and
so ON talk of which we heard good deal not long
ooo and of which we shall hear much less when
Ministers have really made up their minds that
maiorities also baye rights, and that the forms Oh
the House exist to be used, not to be abused
Lord Granville spoke twice at Bradford on Tues
dav the occasion being the opening of new Lib
er.,l club. There was q luncheon in the morning.
and great meeting at st. Georges Hall In the eyen
iur-Lord Granville the hero of both events. lie IS
n clever rather than great orator; taking as ms
maxim Peters advice to the COlossians, Let your
su.ech be always with grace, seasoned with SALT
lie has a knack of saying hard things about an OPP
ponent without giving oflence-perhaps because he
means none-and of saying sweet things about his
friends which even their enemies may admit to DO
deserved. The two speeches at Bradford are sown
with compliments and they are not dragged in' but
fall in naturally IL was natural to recoect that Mr.
ichtspoke not very longago IN the same place. and
trcre is no extravaganza in Lord Granyillcs pro-
uouncing Mr. Bright of the most genuine orators
whom the English nation and English education ever
produced or in saying that bis three speeches
showed power of reasoning humor, pathOs and per-
suaslyeness. People are always eager to hear the
oplnon one leading man holds of another, and Lord
Granville showed his usual adrotnoss in finding an
excuse for expressing a good many. In discussing
the character and composition of the House Of Com
mons, it is easy refer to some of Its membership