New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-04
THE ANGLo-RUsSIAN PLOT.
EUEoPE TAKEN BY SURPRISE.

Palace which has startled, not Paris ony but ali
Europe and which has suddenly transformed
European opinion about England. 1t has done
more than that 1t has impaired the confidence
! with which people looked forward TO peace as the
sure result of the Berlin Congress. 1t has sown, IL
all reports may be believed, distrust among the
members of that Congress. Be that true or not, IT
has beyond all question, spread CONSERVATION
throughout the ranks of the Pro-Turk and ant-Rus-
sian parties wherever they exist in Europe. And it
has brought upon England deservedly OF
NOT. n part of that humiliation which the
LIMOGES within her borders hoped they had
poured ont upon Russia. They believe themselves
betrayed by the very man whom they have hereto
fore counted on their instrument IN one sense ana
their leader in another. The journals which have
been filled for months past with unmoasured and
INSCRIPTIONS panegyric on Lord Beaconsileid, can
hardly mention his name to-day without shreks of
rage The same journals had been eXtolng
England-of whom in their eyes Hebrew Prime
Minister is the observation-disclosures the champion OF
European civilization against the CosSack. IL Is
they also. or some of them, who to-day lead the
chorus of indignant outcry against her. What is
the meaning of it all
Putting aside for moment all matters Of detail,
the main accusation against England may be
summed up in II sentence. During all her negotla-
tons with Russia she had taken her stand on what
she called the treaty-law of Europe sue main
tanned that the Treaty of Paris could not be essen
tally modified without the formal assent OF the
signatOry Powers she insisted that the new Treaty
of san StefanO, 10 which only Russia and Turkey
were parties had and could have 10 binding force
until, whether by congress or by negotiations be-
tween the Cabinets of Europe discussing
the treaty in common, European agree
mont had been arrived at. That attitude
il was which earned her much of the
applause Of Europe as was not the applause of
Turcophil claqxe. But while still maintaining 1t to-
ali appearance she secretly and suddenly aban-
doned it, and entered INTO private arrangement
with Russia, of nature to protect British interests
and save British susceptibilities Having secured
those she calmly throws over the rest and leaves
other Powers 10 shift for themselves. each to make
such bargain As il can with Russia; and trcaty-law
and public faith and international law are forgot
ten altogether All this she did, not only IN yic-
aion Of repeated declarations by cabinet ministers,
but in the dark The Schouyaloh-Salisbufy memo
randums were private. They communicated
TO no other Power. England entered the Congress,
her Ministers refusing TO questions in Parlia-
unent aud leaving all Europe to understand that she
entered il for the purposes and on the terms laid
down in the Salisbury circular and elsewhere, when
in fact she was entering it as the other party to
bargain with Russia winch the two Powers were to
do their best to get accepted and enforced 10y the
Congress
That is the accusation. II may OF may not be
true But Ministers have been challenged, and
have not ventured TO deny that the text of the
documents rs published is accurate or that such
a bargain has been made. All they say Is that the
account is incomplete and therefore iBeXact And
that brings us to another point which has roused'
in England at least not less grief and indignation
49, hp
when they assert or deny anything with respect TO
which they think it their interest to miscad the
public
It's painful 10 have TO put such q question IL
would be still more painful to have to answer II,
but am not called on to answer il. There Is native
testimony. Earl Grey n man Of the very highest
distinction, publicly accuses Lord Salisbury OF de-
liberate deceit. You have not forgotten that when
n summary of the AngO-lRussian terms first APP
peared in The Globe three weeks ago. Lord Grey
asked Lord Salisbury whether there was ANY
truth III it, Lord Salisbury replied that the state
rnent was wholly unauthenticated and not de-
serving Of the confidence Of your Lordshp's House.
S9ys Lord Grey: This answer was calculated 10
convey TO rny mind an entirely false impression,
and to make rue believe, not that the statement
was merely 'unauthenticated that il 10 say, not
sanctioned by official authOfity-but untrue IN IT.
self while in fact il a strictly accurate account
of the substance Of the agreement which had been
signed three DAYS before"-the same Of which we
now have the text. And The Pei Mall Gazette. the
ablest of all the Anglo-Turk journals. says: Lord
Grey complains that this answer conveyed
10 his mind entirely false impression,
as Of conTse it must have done. But the
reply was anxiously looked for by the whole coun
try; it was addressed to the whole country; the
whole country was deceived by it just Lord Grey
I'M IL
some discredit, when it ventures to make elabo-
rately misleading statements before Parliament"
Hence the renewed eff Tts of Ministers IN
answer 30 fresh questions to make II appear that
Lord Salisbury had some justification for what his
once foremost advocate now calls dull disioyal
auibbling" The Duke of Richmond and Sir Stat
ford repeat the TO the Lords, the other to the
Commons, the same formula, of which the words
appear to have been dictated TO them by telegraph
from Berlin-to the effect, as above stated, |
that the Salisbury -SchOuyalod documents Just |
published are incomplete. and therefore |
inaccurate In what points they are
incomplete. and how Lord salisburys assertion that
the original correct abstract Of documents now adj
miited to be genuine WAS wholly undeserviDg of
confidence can be reconciled with the facts we are
left to conjecture. This is what English statesmen
of the Conservative kind have come TO. They have |
heretofore, although holding Office as the colleagues
of Lord BeacOnSield, maintained a reputation for |
truthfulness and plain dealing. 1t is whispered in
their behalf that, Lord Salisbury excepted, they |
were kept in ignorance of the agreement with Count
Sehouvaoff, which is hardly credible. Were 1t So |
what would be left Of Cabinet government in Eng |
land and what would be said OF ministers who con- |
sented to hold Office as dummies Yet French |
journal itself owned by French Minister which !
has been one of the most Jealous in applauding Lord
Beaconsfeld's government and policy. remarks:
English diplomacy has submssiyely accepted the |
Russian habit Of mystIfieation: 1t appears more |