New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-15

British Government. You know what they were and
need not repeat them. You have remarked for your
selves doubt, that they amount to surrender Oh
nearly every point for which England has thus 1ar
cOntended-Or appeared TO contend. What Russia
comedies on examination proves to be consistent
with the retention of nearly every important adj
vantage aimed at in the Treaty of San Stefano.
There are to be- for example, two Bulgarias instead
of one; purely Russian Bulgaria north OF the
Balkans, and what may call European bulgaria
south of the Balkans. In this in other cases. II
Russia gives up anything, Turkey gains nothing.
Lord BeacOnsfelds interesting client comes out OF
the diplomatic fray no better than she went in and
there is already talk of a final arrangement which
sounds ominOusly like partition, and which the
Turks and their friends are beginning to
denounce as plumber and spollatiOn. For
time, this account of the new terms
was received with absolute lncreduty; at
least by people who have cOaxed themselves into
the belief that Lord BeaconsfePs championship OF
the Ottoman had basis of sincerity and sprung
from something like purpose to rescue the
Turkish Empire out of the Russian grasp II this
account be true said the "JingOes," what has
England been quarrelling about all this timer was
it for the British PrOtectOrate over Turkey which
Ministerial papers are now advOcatingf so
strong was the feeling, that Lord Salisbury was
as he could of the story. He said it was not
authenticated" OF course not responds The Globe;
we never said it was, and Minister may therefore
describe it az mot deserving your LOrdships conf
dence," without being liable to the charge OF
equivocation 1t cannot be authenticated till 1t has
been officially vouched for and Ministers who have
every object in keeping secret as long as possible,
will not vouch for it, or admit it to be essentially
accurate, till they are compelled to. But the
journal which first published the terms realiirms It's
confidence that they contain the sum,and substance
of the preliminary understanding or agreement
come to between the two Governments for smooth
ing the way to Congress, and which alone has
rendered the meeting Of a Congress practicable
Among other reasons for believing it is this that
The Globe is Sir Stafford Northcotcs paper.
Nor is even the concession in form which Russia
makes an unmixed concession. England eats her
share Of the eek. 1t is certainly true that Russia,
so long as no agreement had been come to between
herself and England as to the notifications required
by the latter in the Treaty of San StefanO reserved
TO herself the right Of rejecting discussion in Con-
eress on such points as she thought beyond the jul
risdcton Of the Congress. 1t is true also that the
British Government when asked If there were no
questions which they on their part would refuse to
submit TO the Congress, refused TO say there were
not Both Powers have now waived the
point they reserved. If there be any humiliation IN
that waiver il is a humiliation to be divided be-
tween England and Russia. The proportion in
which they are to share it is matter of opinion. lt
will be differently computed by heated partlsans III
each country The impartial observer will not
discover that either has lost much dignity or
prestige. And if it be true that England is pledged
i'm advance the very points which Russia desired
10 Withdraw from general criticism Russia runs no
risk at all. The reason of her original refusal no
longer existing. the refusal itself was no longer
worth insisting on.
Now as to the composition Of the English mission
and Lord Beaconsfed's determination to take part
in the Congress himself The inconvenience of the
course were touched on In Parliament last night by
Lord Granville In the Lords, by Lord Harrington in
the Commons. They are stated with far more
completeness and precision in two London journals
this morning in the leading Liberal journal and
In the leading Conservative journal. 1t Is not un-
common, let me say, TO find grave constitutional
questions discussed in the best London papers
with more fulness Of learning and more weight Of
argument than in Parliament itself To begin
WITH there is no precedent; point always strong
with the Engllsb but which no great stress need
be laid 1t is more to the purpose to urge that no
precedent ought to be created. Lord Beaconsield
and Lord Salisbury not only hold the highest posts
| in the Government they are beyond dispute the
| two strongest men in it, When they are away in
Berlin, one OF TWO IuluBS must luidiilDly ottuA
Either they will decide for themselves on every
point raised or they will refer such points TO their
colleagues at home. Is the latter cOnceivabei Is
anybody's Imagination vigorous enough to conjure
up the possibility of the rest of the Cabinet over
ruling a decision at which its two leaders have
arrivedi' II it gives a formal ratification,
the same thing happens as If it gave
none at all, and we driven back
on the other suppOsiton that the two plenipOten-
tares will really decide and act for themselves.
Everybody knows they will. But then the Cabinet
as a Cabinet no longer exists. Another step down
ward has been taken another milestone on the road
topersonal government has been Teachedand passed.
Parliament has been suppressed for months. A
seryie majority has been content to register Lord
BeaconsGeds DEGREES, announced as they have been
with every form of smooth pallIation by colleagues
i'm whose individual good faith some confidence
could he placed. Now the Cabinet is to disappear
also. No check is to be kept on the despOtlsm OF
Lord BeacOnsields will except the influence OF
Lord Salisbury, and Lord Salisbury has been only
too correctly defined the hand of velvet under
the iron glove. Discussion has been stited in Par
lament on the plea of state necessity ana men
endured it because discussion was supposed to go
on in the Cabinet IL is hard to conjecture with what
garment they will hencefOrward cover their p0tl-
cal nakedness. On no great question, whether home
or foreign will any decision be taken by council
from which the Prime Minister and the Foreign
Secretary are absent. There is no answer to the
bitter but Just epiCam of the Liberal writer TO
whom have referred above, that England is TO be
governed for the time being from Berlin.
Into the other arguments not less conclusive
will not enter. II is enough to point ont how grave
the peril, and how scaldaOus the new departure
now taken must be, when the chief Liberal
and chief Tory organ are at one in con-
demning it, The question is not all per-
sonal one, either. Personal OF not, the in
dependence of The Standard is both surprising
and gratifying veteran politician tells me that,
though Lord Salisbury is necessarily included in its
argument, the article is believed to express-as
well it may-Lord Salsbury's own views. He can