The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-19

| it might be ''warned" that the government
will possibly, at future time and in IN un-
defined contingency, demand grant Of
money to enable it to ''adopt measures Of
| precaution." That an occasion should
seem so pressing or a danger SO imminent
rs to require an extraordinary assembling
of the national legislature, and that the gov
eminent should not be prepared to state the
occasion.or the danger more distinctly than
in these hints at a purpose for which
it may want support, are facts that seem
scarcely consistent with one another But
the governments position is certainly one
of difficulty and delicacy, and the appreci-
alton of this point has somewhat disarmed
the criticism with which otherwise the OPP
position might have overwhelmed it. 1t is
an admirable fact in the party strife OF Eng
land that an opposition draws very skilfully
the line that divides its assaults upon the
bad politics of the administration from as
saults upon the cause of the nation.
But for this the blatant and bel
licose defamation sometimes INDUCED
in by the Premier when war was
yet remote possibility might be recalled
for the contrast with the lamblike quality
nent, at least within his reach. If it is as
sumed that the presence Of Parliament is
necessary to give the support the govern
ment may shortly want, it is at least equally
certain that the government would rejoice
if the occasion should pass by without the
IF hot mi Cbf nal
it to appeal to Parliament in that way, and
therefore it is in some sense under moral
obligation to mince it's phrases, since
at the present critical moment the use
of a coarse phraseology or the indul-
gence in that sort Of loud buncombe with
which Earl Beaconsfeld has made famous
his oratory at Lord Mayors dinner would
excite an irritation difficult to soothe, and
might thus provoke and produce that very
state of facts for which he wishes to be
ready but which he hopes may not arise.
To assemble Parliament as a precaution in
view Of possible war; and to make war
certain by the way in which that precaution
was taken, wonld be capsheaf to all that
is maladroit in this statesman's career.
In the attitude in which the early convo-
cation of Parliament has put England there
is, however delicately words may be used.
this degree of menace to Russia, that the
call of Parliament implies purpose to have
at hand the means of making war in case
the terms Of peace that Russia presents to
Turkey shall seem in any respect to involve
danger to England. No Power could
automatically inform another that if, in
the terms OF peace it was about to pro-
pose with third Power, this or that
disagreeable condition was included it
would thereupon make war, since this
would be for one nation to exercise
pressure upon the will of another
that would be in derogation OF its sover-
eighty. Nations hear the terms that others
have to propose and then act for themselves
in regard to them. But it will not escape
observation that by the course taken in re-
gard to Parliament England exercises, with
out ostensibly doing so, precisely that sort
of pressure upon Russia. In the most con-
spicuous possible way she informs her, with
all delicacy and consideration in the use of
words that she is waiting to hear her terms
of peace, and has gone as far as she can
toward preparation in case they should
seem to her to make war necessary. There is,
moreover, an advantagei in intimation Of this
sort over declarations made by the ordinary
diplomatic method. 1t does not involve
any responsibility. 1t does not commit the
government that makes it, since its future
course is made contingent on it's own inter-
probation Of certain document. If its
bellicose attitude is ineffective in influence
ing the course Of others, and it judges at
last that war is too hazardous venture, it
is not bound by any declaration formally
made of definite purpose. 1t can bully
with safety and if its bullying frightens
no one it can calmly eat its leek and pre-
tend that it prefers it to all other vege-
tables. But Russia can afford to dis
dain the menace that is implied in Eng
lands attitude, for there is another side to
the medal. England thus assembled in
Parliament and waiting on the words of
Russia the fate of her empire in the East
trembling in the balance, end herself
trembling with attention lest to guarantee
the interests of that empire she may be
compelled 10 take q step that will not
eventually help her, but will divulge that
the most powerful coalition ever formed in
Europe is now in existence against her
all this is a spectacle that cannot be salts
factory to the pride of the statesmen and
writer's who have iancied that it was the
divine mission of England to domineer in
arrogant superiority over patient world
It might be we'll for others to know pre-
cisely what England's ground is, but it
would be certainly we'll for England to
know the ground that is taken against her,
She might not, however, like to know this
at the expense Of a step that would put in
motion forces with which great effort