New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-31

that another would be created as soon az Cit'"'"
stances seemed TO offer fresh chance OF success.
The fall of Pleyna and the demonstrated apllty oi
the Russians to crush the Turks have reused some
excitement among certain sections Of the English
people. and this 1t is Of which Lord Beaconsheld
takes advantage II is nothing TO him that the dis-
tressed nation secs its hopes Of revying prosperity
dispeled in a moment; that trade suffers, stocks
fall. and something like panic sets in all over the
Continent. Like President johnson and Marshal
MacMahon. he has apolicy. and this policy he puF-
sues to the end-whether the end be a lasting injury
to his country or his own humiliation.
Opinions are much divided as TO what Parliament
will really be asked to do when il assemblies. Inc
assertion about the grant of money to be voted may
mean much or little. The sending Of the british
feet to Besika Bay, and Of the 5000 troops TO
Malta meant at one moment active Intervention III
behalf Of Turkey at another, mere convenience OF
communication with the British Ambassador al
COnstantinOple IN the one case, and filing mp the
complement Of the Mediterranean garrisons IN the
other. All depends on the amount of the demand.
and the revelation of its object There are Liberals
who fear that Lord Beaconsfed may profit by the
interval to do say something which may irreyoca
bly, commit England to war and that Parliament
will have no choice but to sanction this something
The alarm is already sounded, and remOnstranccs
begin to come in from the cOuntry-frOm Man
chester first Of ALL though il is but twentyfour hours
since the news was known. There are others who
believe that no definite resolve has been taken, but
IL is hoped the Russians will have committed them
selves before the middle of January TO a movement
south Of the Balkans which may be represented as
a menace TO Constantinope and peril to British
interests. There is a third party which believes
that the dissensions in the Cabinet have proved
now, Ms before, irreconclable and that Parliament
is really summoned umpire bstween Lord Beacons-
field and Lord Salisbury. This does not imply
that Discussions will be admitted to exist still less
that formal or informal appeal will be made TO the
Legislature to settle the dispute which parayse7
the Executive. 1t means simply that members are
expected to BRING word what they and their con-
stituents will support, and what they will not and
that unanimity IN the Cabinet is TO be secured by
the surrender of Lord BeacOnshed If the protests
from the country prove too strong or by the adhe-
sion of Lord Salisbury to a vigorous policy if
passion for war can meantime be kindled. In any
case the summons for the 18th is a notification 70
Russia that England not TO be left out OF any set
Element of the Eastern questiOn-iust such piece
of safe swagger as we have heard before now from
Lord Beaconsiield in an atter-dnner speech at the
Guildhall.
But for the menace and the panic, the Liberals and
the non-Mohammedan majority of the English pco-
pie would welcome the early assembling Of Parlll-
ment In the Autumn OF last year they unayail-
iugly demanded it a safeguard against diplomatic
plots. There is still compact Tory majority, but 10
is NOT q majority which be coaXed OF scared into
taking leap in the dark when war with Russia IS
in question. All through the heated and con-
fused debates Of last session, the House
Of Commons stuck immoya5ly to its one
idea of neutrality. 1t will not abandon it
without cause shown One would like to see the
Minister who should venture 70 tell the House, as It
was told yesterday morning by a renegade Liberal
newspaper that il is not called together to debate
and deliberate, but to do whatever " the Queens
Cabinet shall bid. The one thing certain IN the
midst Of all the conjectures thrown out Is this
that Parliament viii grant no money and sanction
no war without full knowledge and free debate,
in which the country will take part.
Ii il equally certain-lt has been proved by the
course of eyeuts-hat the country has approved the
policy Of neutrality TO which Its representatives adj
Lerad. The Government have recognized that
have asserted it by the mouths of different Minis
ters Ii is not a month since Lord Derby repeated
10 a deputatlon Of Anglo-Turl', with Lord strathe
den nd their head. that nothing had occurred to
modify the policy OF the Government-that policy Of
conditional neutrality which had been distinctly
formulated for the benefit Of the Russians IN the
torpedo" dispatch. Before the Government can
successfully appeal to Parliament to support cru
SADIE in behalf Of the Crescent, it will have
to explain what has happened since the first
Of December to require or justify the aban-
donment of neutrality and recourse to hostIhtes,
or TO steps probably involving hOstilities. The fall
of Plevna has happened, but that foreseen. Tur
key has issued an invitation to Europe to mediate
but offers no fresh guarantees; she simply repeats
the hypocrtca professions with which she rejected
the PROPOSALS of the Conference. The fortune of
war has gone against her, and she wants TO escape
having her stake. This too was anticipated. Ger
many and Austria have rejected the appeal Did
ANYBODY ever suppose they would 90 otherwise
Yet this is all which the most ingenious supporters
of the Government can allege as a reason for
change Of attitude on the part of England. II,
plainly, is not enough. There is nothing in all this
to arouse popular feeling.
Knowing that. Lord Beaconsfeld has in some
measure prepared the ground beforehand by invok-
lng-not for the first tme-the personal influence of
the Queen He is the greatest political mpresario Of
modern times. His love Of stage effect breaks ont
On every great occasion. Like other imaginative
men. he believes that the most pr0saic
people are never so quickly touched as by
an appeal to the imagination. Such an appeal
he has made. Tie Queens visit last week
70 Hughenden was arranged, beyond all doubt,
with a view to the Cabinet meetings, the
summoning of Parliament, the final effort to plunge
this country into war for Turkey. 1t was meant to
signify to the country, in way which the simplest
could understand, the perfect accord existing be-
tween the Sovereign and her chief Minister. IL has
oug been known that the Queen liked Lord Beacons-
field personally. 1t has long been suspected that he
ingratated himself at court by ready submis-
sion to the Queen in matters in which other Minis