New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-10
GLADsToNES GREAT SPEECH.
ENGLAND AND THE SULTAN.


ENGLAND AND THE SULTAN.
THE SCHEME WHICH HER aAJEsTYs GOVERNMENT
CoNCoCTED IN THE DARK WITHOUT so MUCH AS
SAYING BY YOUR LEAVE TO PARLIAMENT.
(Dsltsasd IA ne HJuss Of Commons July 3O)
This educing of order and prosperity out of
chaos and anarchy 1.-THE chaos and anarchy OF centuries
of 100000 OF people over territory larger than
Western EurOpe) is what Is undertaken by Govern
nent which finds the public affairs OF this country In
such condition that they In vain taxing their brains
to discover this aud that little method Of saving few
hours OF time in order TO disarm Parliamentary oDstrue
ton and enable US 70 get nd Of some small portion OF
those OF our own business, which are
full OF meaning for they are measures in which human
sTf9E aaS are aead TrS oVeaxed e Th
Turkey In Asia is an outpost OF British power, and
Is to be maintained and reformed because u Is an out
post of British power. The enormous responsibility Is
TO DO cast upon us of defending at such moment as 1t
not accessible by roads 1000 or 5000 miles from our
resources. and actually cOntermnOus with the whole
vast amount of country we are undertake the social
and political reconstruction. We are 10 construct the
police, the iudicature, the revenue and civil Service
the appointment of Governors. and. finally, TO
sanch all those fountains OF corruption IN COnstanu-
nople which have hitherto vitiated all benehcent
schemes. That is the mild scheme which is coolly pro-
cheersl tad6pted upon the responsibility Of the Gov
ernmem carefully concealed in It's conception
and IN its negotiation concealed from us until the dis
closure OF 1t of no use, weight, value, because
tue full price of the covenant had already been
tractcd by Her MJesty's Government. What are the
reasons for this nuheard OF proceeding this mad under
takngf Loud cheers and counter cheers.
want to know at what period OF British history and
by what British statesman such an act as this would
have been done. But have some knowledge OF those
country for the last forty or fifty years have sat in
Cabinets by the side Of the Duke OF Wellington OF Sir
Robert Peel, OF Lord Aberdeen, OF Sir James Graham
or LORD LandsdOwne OF Lord PalmersOn, Of Lord Car-
endon, OF Lord Russell; have known their modes OF
looking at these affairs nave known the regard they
paid TO the rights and duties OF England and TO the
rights and duties OF Others the measure which they took
or tile power OF England, ana OF tho limitations placed
upon all human power, and do not hesitate to say
that there IS not Of those men who would for one
moment have looked at such scheme as has been con-
cOcted IN the dark by the members or the Government
GOppOsltiOn cheersl 1t would, perhaps, be presump
tuOus in nue. 20 speak in the face OF gentlemen opposite
with equal confidence of the late Lord Derby, bus am
bound 10 say that have precs ly the same conviction,
and that II the late Lord Derby had had such scheme
presented TO him would have taken the course
td R9T SssR Ti n WePd e
at such plan it is within the limits Of practical or
Unnatural politics." CheersI
Why have we obtained no explanations Of the motives
which Induced Inc sultan TO enter into this convention
Tue Under Secretary in moment OF dangerous candOr,
quality in which the rest Of the Government nave not
often erred llauglter told us why this convention had
been kept back. IL thisthat they afraid the
sultan might not have signed it, In other words II was
neaF.l Why should not the Sultan have had every OPP
pOrtumty OF getting knowledge and information before
have done The Sultan would not have signed 1t. Sec
recy necessary. Is tnat the account given by
would have disclosed all facts, publicity would have
opened every mouth. That. as we learn now, would
appears to tnat all this partakes much more OF tue
Arabian Nights than Of the region OF practical politics
Lord Derby, on the 9Th of last March, said it was de-
slraOe IL should be understood that no alteration IN
these international agreements should be acknowledged
be valid until Il had received the assent OF the Powers
II you allowed TO make alterations nc your own WILL
May Russia Or II not Russia, why you Hear, hear
turkey may cede Cyprus to you, may she cede Nifty
tho other show the national uridcia ground for the
distinction. Hear hear.
II foreign powers have reason to complain what DO
you say OF Parliament The treaty-maEng power IN
this country is great anomaly IL has been endured
presidency. aud with regard 10 the rights OF Para
used II Is nOlerable Cheers In this respect II seems
to the Government have been guilty OF gross dsre-
have not made prudent use Of the treatymaking pow
They have not adhered 10 any known principles OF
afU T MScn RaS SseS into
treaty, far l am aware-H so, II
comparison TO ths-the general terms OF which were not
known and familiar to the public mind Not one OF the
treaties which the noble lord mas referred 10 was secretly
negotiated challenge the Government to supply us with
an instance OF treaty OF great Importance involving
great and imp rtant responsibilities certain IN great
contingencies OF imposing heavy sacrifices on the peo-
pic, aud entering beyond the lines Of ordinary prece
dent has been negotiated In secret and ratified in
At this moment, II Parliament thought proper
10 ignore the Berlin Treaty, they are at liberty TO do So
The world knows pretty well what England is made
Of but am by that the world is OF oue
opinion upon the Standard OF moral action. they
OF the standard OF material strength. l
am DESTROYS that standard material strength
should be highly esteemed by the other nations. be-
lieye 10 is OF far greater Importance that we sh0nld
stand high their esteem for truth and honor and or
Openness in proceedings casting aside the motives
Of selshnes and giving scope TO the CONSIDER
alton OF broad aud lofty aspirations value an insu-
lar position, but dread the day when we shall be re-
duoed TO moral insuary. lCneers. desire that SYM
pathy should be cherished IN foreign countries, and
have sOrrowuy to confess that at the conclusion Of this
treaty mixed the proceedings were all along with
profusion OF British interests, which although be-
leye them 70 be perfectly fictitious and imaginary. have
been pursued with a zeal and greediness as IL they
were the most real and vital In the world.
First Of ALL we have the imaginary and fictitious In
terest then had the prosecution OF these interests
By means OF strange aud unheardOf schemes which,
think never occurred TO the Imagination of statesmen OF
other days. then had these strange and unheardof
schemes prosecuted In manner which appears, as far
IA can see 70 be In this very deficient OF regard
indeed 10 the authority and TO the law OF Europe and OF
the respect due TO foreign Powers We had them again
associated with dsrespect ana neglect it might per
haps be called contempt, OF the rights OF Parament;
and lastly carried away the belief rather strength
ened than weakened by she absence or eaReress on the
part OF Her Maestys Government TO afford information,
that result OF these operations likely 10 lead 10 an
increase Of responsibility with no addition OF strength
but rather dimnutOn OF IT, TO loss OF respect abroad
10 shock constitutional institutions at home, and to
an increase OF the burdens laid on the shoulders OF
eonhdng people.
REaCONSETEID rs GLADSTONE.