The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-12-25
Earl BeaconsfieId and the Afghan
War.

The San Francisco Chronicle, of November
25th, has arraigned the Earl of Beaconsfeld
in an editorial of unusual severity, for his con-
duct on the Afghanistan war: charging the
Premier with usurping the power and privi-
leges of the British Parliament, by illegally
waging foreign war without the consent OF
the latter body, and plunging the nation into
contest that will entail upon the government
and people vast addition TO their already
large and burdensome national debt, amount
ing to many millions of pounds sterling. Speak
ing of the cost of the Afghan war, and the
present national debt of England and India,
the Chronicle quotes the London Times of the
25th ultimo as follows:
1.-The Exehequer accounts show an increase of ex.
penditure for this year over the last year (IS74) Of
the Gladstone Ministry of S6 900 900. During Glad
stones administration the budget was in several
years below 1850, 600 600, aud above 1872 900
600. Last year it had risen to over S400 900 900
and for this year 1t is stated at S42 600 600. And
yet, in the face Of this expenditure it i:
the policy Of BeacOnsfeld to make the India Govern
ment and people bear nearly &ll the cost of the in
vasion of Afghanstan, though that unhappy country
is now taxed TO the extent of S2SO, 900 900 year
without reckoning the of the independent
uneonquered princes. The debt of India including
government railway obligations, is close upon 81,
600 ,000, 600. Added TO the debt of En- gland t az
gregates the largest debt owed by any nation il
the world whereof history speaks. Should Russia
] take hand in the Afghan war; or should the inva
ding columns encounter another disaster like that
lS4l-42-in either event to the country frou
| the disgrace and dishonOr of q failure the Who'll,
army of India may have to be drawn into the con
tct, with the certain prospect of another enormous
/ increase Of the national debt"
But the Chronicle does not stop here, for i
| goes on to charge the Premier with the crime
of treason against his country, deserving tht
fate of Straford, in the following bitter style
''In view of these facts and probabilities th
naughty and overbearing conduct of Beacon sfielC
| has no parallel in British annals. The offenses o
Charles and Straford were as insignificant by com
parison with this mans, the taxes they sought Il
levy without the consent Of Parliament were trhuj
in amount compared with the probable costs Of thi
w1r And there is substantially difference in tn
] crime of Straford and that of BeacOnsfeld The
both aimed at the same usurpation of powerful
| right OF the monarch to make without the con
sent of Parliament. For if a Minister may, in con
tempt Of the Commons, bring the country into war
1t follows, as tie night does the day, that the peopl
must be taxed to pay the cost of it. whether Para
ment likes it or not. At this day no good lawyer
lao impartial historian, questions the justice of th
4 conviction, sentence and execution of Straford on
charge of treason. The only debatable ground is
Was it good or bad policy? Therefore. when th
Liberals boldly Beacousfeld of treason, the
have at least strong prec dent in support of tn
accusation. But for the late opposition he met wit
from Salisbury, Cross and others of the Cabinet, b
would have proceeded in his arrogant and unlaWfU
| course without asking the opinion of Parliament g
all. The time for a just reckoning of his offense
| will come only when the tax screws shall recev
their last and severest turn and then England wi
stand amazed at her fOrbearance and folly toward
| Minister who has taken to himself greater amour
| of power in the Government than was ever wielde
by even Plantaganet or Stuart king"
Such an arraignment of such man an
Minister, as Earl Beacons6eld, by an Ameri
can journal, seems to us, to exhibit too muc
acrimony and malevolence of spirit, which ca
only be accounted for on the supposition tha
the author of the article is either the hire
partisan of other parties to the present diff
Guilty between the Ameer, and England, c
that he is so much prejudiced against Eng
land, that he eagerly embraces the suppose
opportunity to give vent to the promptings
a morbid hatred of everything English, by
TRADE of abuse against the present Premier, i
! buS pSisOu VI I1dIl DedCODsuelu, WHO lds
during long and arduous public caree
proven himself, not only the first among Eng
lish statesmen of any age, but the most fal
seeing diplomatist in the world, and at th
same time, the most devoted and patriotic
English statesmen.
We regret to see in any American journal s
much unnecessary rancor displayed as W
find in the Chronicles article: because we q
not believe that any respectable portion
the better class of Americans, sympathise wit
the sentiments of the Chronicle.
Judging Earl Beaconsfeld by the lights of b
past history, we feel warranted in saying tha
in whatever be has done in the Afghan affai
the future results of the war will amply viz
dicate his craftsmanship and patriotism, an
confound his traducers, as his sagacity an
wonderful forethought has heretofore done c
SO many memorable occasions. 1t is the fat
of men of genius to be misunderstood at frs
but it rarely happens that time does not viz
| dicate them in the estimation of the wise an
good; and Earl Beaconsfeld, seems to be n
exception to the rule.
CHIoAeO WATER WoRKs.-The total cost of Il