New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-04
D1pI0vAcY ON THE STATES.

The general press ulSpatchos ha'o uOnS
scant justice to the explosive effects OF the
premature publication of the Salisbury -Schou-
valoff agreement Our staff correspondent
tells us this morning that the Eng
ush Tories were thrown into panic
by the shock of the disclosure, and that there
was revusion of public sentiment IN
Paris rs well as in London. He cites through
out his letter the testimony OF recent eulo-
gists of the British Cabinet like The Pdt
Mall Ga-ette aud Ia R6publiqae Frdned'se,
and proves by their tardy admissions
and angry recriminations that LORD
BaacOnsfield has fallen from the high
estate of a European champion to the low
level of an English intriguer. The foreign
files which have followed this letter fully sus-
tain his conclusions Az the establishment OF
the Tory journals wore off. their rage became
uncomfortable. The brilliant Pail Mall has never
abused its pet aversion, MIR. Gladstone, more
vehemently than it now denOunces the lead
ers of its own party. 1t charges them with
abandoning "the safe and honorable principle
"of collective European action, for the danger
"ous and vicious principle OF separate under
"standing and backstairs bargaining" 1t puts
England in the light of helping Russia to
"pack a congress-" and plotting against
the public law of Europe; and 1t be-
rates the leading journal for entering into
competition with The Telegraph to play the
turnkey to the Government, and Haunt It's
plush. So staid a Conservative journal as
The Standard is unsparing in its condemna-
ton of the London Memorandum, and even
the phlegmatIc Saturday Rerie,c loses its tenn
per and scoIds The Globe for its imprudence
and dislovalty in publishing the news. Alto
gether. the action of the Cabinet has been
arraigned by its stOutest supporters as utterly
indefensiblc.
II is barely possible that the Ministry may
have explanations to offer that will break the
force of the indictment. If the Memorandum
was brought to the knowledge of the Courts
before the invitations to the Congress were
issued, the British representatives Will be re-
lieved from the Odium of entering European
council chamber with cant on their lips and
secret compact in their pockets. Now 1t was
plain that Count Schouvaloif did not make
journey to St. Petersburg merely to revise the
invitations to the Congress. The object OF his
mission was to effect compromise respecting
questions of fact, and as he halted twice at
Bismarck learned the nature of the concessions
that were embodied in the London MemOran-
dun. 1t is not easy to believe that Austria
was duped, for her diplOmatists have been in
hearty accord with the British delegation
mt the Congress. Ii is possible that
the ex parte basis of agreement was
communicated to the other Courts before the
invitations were sent out. The Memorandum
NAV have been signed in the vestibulo or on
the grand staircase, and not behind a door on
the back stairs.
In this respect we are more charitable than
DUP correspondent. 1t is not strange that his
Indignation is aroused by the disingenuOus
statements and back-handed policy of Lord
BeacOnsfeld and his colleagues. To distant
observers like ourselves, the attitude of the
Government in these negotiations has been
equivocal from first to last. They have as
smcd to be UNFOLDING the great principle of
the sanc,ity of treaty obligations. Yet it
cannot be disguised that the object Of
the Treaty of Paris was to secure
Turkey against foreign interference, and this
treaty obligation the British Government had
repeatedly disregarded in sending Lord
Salisbury to the COnstantinOple Conference,
in maintaining neutrality during the war, and
in keeping fleet at anchor of the Princes
Islands. In standing out for the valid
ity of treaty that had been broken through
so often that it had been reduced to shreds.
Lord Beaconsfeld brought England to the
verge Of war. His championship of Europe
was self-imposed and insineere. The voice
was Jacobs voice. but the hands were the
hands of Esau. The BritOn wore too thin
disguise to be taken for whOle-sOuled Euro
pean. AS soon as he could make his bargain
with Russia, whether on the back stairs or
on the front steps, ne dropped his mask.
UNSPOKEN SPEECHES.