New-York tribune., 1878-12-21
TIE ANGEO.AFGHAN WAR.
TIE PREMIER AGAIN IN LUCK.


POOR HEALTH.
,r,ox r,tr pyout AR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
LONDON. Dec T." What luck the man has, was
everybody's exclamation on Thursday when FAR
Ilament met The man in luck was Lord Beacons-
field, and the particular 81 OF fortune whch came
10 him ON that day was the news of General Rod
erts's victory IN the Peiwar Pass There had been
for some days previous no little appreh nsion about
the fate Of the Koorum Valley column. 1t had
pushed ON too rapidly aud suffered q check on tne
previous Thursday. Since then nothing had
been heard of it, rumors OF bghting
on Sunday; anu since these rumors were
neither confirmed Dor cOntradicted, dread OF
a disaster had spread abroad. If the disaster had
rpally occurred or If some knowledge of the victory
had not arrived in time, the Government would
have had to face the two houses from under
cloud, and the course Of Parliamentary events
might have been seriously altered. But on Thurs
day morning the telegraph brought its reaSsuring
message at four and sixpeuce a word; the Jlngoes
began shouting in their old fashion, and Parliament
assembled in q mood of patriotic swagger when
once more put the Opposition to rout.
They would have been routed it may he said, In
any case. know nothing in recent political history
more pitable than the present condition OF the
Liberal party. They are an army OF lions led by "a
well, by man who is not lion. Putting aside the
accident OF Roberts's success they had better fight
ing ground than they have had for long time
They had Ministry before them, still numerically
strong in both houses but dscredited and dis
trusted by the country; Ministry which reached
the summit of its popularity last July, and
which hss been plainly going down hill ever
since All the signs by which tue temper
If people may be judged pointed to loss of con-
fdence in the Government. The Afghan war is
not popular war. The Berlin Treaty, spite of
Lord BeacOnSfelds assurances. is no longer any
thing but subject for apologies. There Is serious
alarm at the stretch Of personal rule from month
TO month more clearly revealed. here is distress,
depression, anxiety about the financial condition
of the country. The Liberals had only to fol-
low up the note which Mr.. Gladstone struck
in his WOOwich speech last Saturday, TO
strengthen themselves both in the House.
where there are always certain number
of walters upon Providence. and with the nation
the majority of which Is only waiting to declare
itself on their side.
This the Radicals saw clearly They were ready
90 act. 1hsy have the courage of their opinions,
and they entreated and implOred Lord Harrington
and his colleagues to challenge the Government at
the start by an amendment to tine Address Many
Liberals who are not Radicals were of the same
mind Ea-l Grey strongly of that
opinion as to move the amendment himself in the
Lords which Earl Granville, the tituar chief
nor support. Lord NOrthbroOk and Lord Lawrence,
moderate men, saw plainly how absurd their posi-
tion woald be if they failed to make good in Para-
men the protests they had addressed to the people,
before Parliament met, by repeated letters, by me-
MORALS, and by an organized committee. 1t is safe
to suppose that the Duke of Argyll detained by i'll
ness, of the same mind. 1t is certain that Mr.
W. T.. Forster. usually reckOned the most prudent of
rnen, and Dir. Childers, whO like Mr.. Forster,
member of Mr Gadstones Cabinet were for
throwing down the glove at once Mr.. Glad
stone himself had clearly indicated his purpose
by his powerful speech. So had Nr. Whtbread,
another safe man respected in the House a de-
posltory of constitutional maxims, and now that
Mr. BOuvere is gone, perhaps its highest authority
on Parliamentary tradition and procedure. So
thought. as happen to know. some of that band
of chosen Wings. representatives of the oligarcby
of great families which once governed England in
theu paternally y-PrOvidental way. As for the Rad
icas they did more than entTeat Becoming aware
that their appeals to their nominal leaders met with
but cold response, they addressed to them, first
remOnstrances and then menaces. 1t was with some
difficulty that the more ardent among them were
restrained from breaking out into open mutiny. /
am not sure but Mr.. Chamberlain did mutny. At
any rate he took line of his own. When he found
that Lord Harrington would not move amend
mont 10 the Address. aud would not himself bring
forward substantive resolution of censuTe upon
the Government for fOmenting the Afghan war
when he found. moreover. that Mr.. Whitbreads
motion was to be general IN terms and limited in
scope to the injustice of the war, he resolved TO
move and did give notice to move, a resolution
of his own. condemning the Government
for committing the country to without
the sanction of Parliament. He and his allies were
think. right IN their conception of the situation
and Of the policy that the party ought to adopt.
But il is the less true that the existence of
conflict inside the party was once more disclosed.
and that all unity of action was imperilled
Things have been patched up since, aud the pros
poet now is that the different sections of Liberals
will act together next week. Lord Harrington will
support Sir. Whtbread's resolution. He de-
fends himself for not originally proposing it,
on the usual English grouud-precedent-
Such q resolution has always, or almost always,
been brought forward by an independent member
and not By the leader of the Opposition That is all
very WELL but that 10 not the main question. II
Lord Harrington had consented to support Mr..
Whitbread IN an immediate and direct challenge to
the Government, in the shape of an amendment,
instead of waiting for resolution. the country
would have understood that the two were of the
same mind. and that the party held coherent
view. 1t was not necessary, possible.
60 refuse 10 vote supplies 1t was
sary TO say, as MIR. Gladstone said, that the
war was unjust and that il was brought on wantony.
Those are propositions which common people can
understand, aud to which believe the country
would have rallied.
But In both houses the Opposition leaders. instead
OF bringing on a general engagement contented
themselves with guerrilla skirmish Lord Crah-
brooks dispatch was one principal topic of debate.
The Secretary for India made attempt to Justify
A;od II "a Col ha m fact