New-York tribune., 1878-12-05
THE ANGLO-AFGHAN WAR.
PUBLIC OPINION IN ENGLAND.

LONDON, Nov. 23.-LOrd BeacOnsfeld has carried
his point, England is at war with Afghanistan, and
the Anglo-Indan Army is once. more engaged in its
favOrlte paStlme of "thrashing nggeTs." Do not
suppose the phrase is mine 1t is the phrase current
among English officers of all ranks in India. 1t
fifty enough marks the brutality of the sentiment
felt and expressed by men of AnglO-SaxOn race
toward races of darker skin than their
Own-toward princes of oldest lineage and
highest rank, as well as toward pariahs
and outcasis of every degree. Not many
generations ago Lord BeacOnslied himself. or his
ancestors would have been mentioned Just disre-
spectfully. | dare say il is among the sources Of
the deep seated delight he enjoys to-day that the
sons OF the who used TO extract his fOTefathcrs
teeth and treasure ale doing his bidding to-day IN
the khyber Pass.
don't think it Is popular war; 1t would be
great mistake TO suppose that the vOmit and swag-
ger of The Daily Telegraph represent the real feel
ing of the English people Roughly speaking, you
may divide the nation into three categOnes:
i. The Jmg0cs proper, who look upon sCrim-
mage" with Afghanistan as leading mp to a war
with Russia, and hail it with delight for that rea-
son. AT the two poles of this party are two very
different forces. At onc such men as Captain
Burnaby, who improves on the usual blasphemy of
private life by the pious ejaculation in public,
Would to God we were at war with
Bussia"; and Captain Bedford Pm, r. NJ,
who politely proclaims the Emperor of Russia
liar and 2 thief. At the other, Lord Beaconsiield
himself with his grandiose dreams of Oriental En-
pire and the sincere politicians Of The PaU Mall
gazette school, with their profound conviction that
Russian aggression III Central Asia is steadily
directed toward India, and had better be met
sooner thau later; at a distance from the frontier
than on the frontier itself Perhaps Lord LyttOn
may bc said TO occupy middle position between
the twO-half poet half dipomatist, with fanci-
fu sense Of greatness to be won by practical work,
and keen ambition for celebrity in the European
chancerics and saloons in which he has all his life
been lounging.
.. The bulk of the Tory party, wel-meaning but
puzze-heaied, deeply grateful to any leader who
will supply them with opinions dazzle the pub
llc and maintain n working Parliamentary ma
jority which shall keep the needy younger sons of
great families in profitable places. They are dis
posed to swear by anything Lord Beaconsleld says.
lie never pats them 70 the toll of making up
their own minds. Add to this numerous and pow
crfu, class the less numerous but still important
mulifud who in all countries are ready to accept
the powers that b., and whose idea Of patriotism is
summed uDn the belief that Britannia rules the
waves, and that Briions never shall be slaves but
people who are not Britons must be slaves when it
suits British convenience. Both these look up to
Lord Bsacon-feld as a kind Of yicc-Proyldencc.
3. The Liberals l include among tho Liberals
the most cultivated and thoughtful people of Eng
land with few exceptions, irrespcctlvcly of party
politca If don't say the most honest and cOnscl-
ontous it is because these words have different
meaning with go many people in public aud private
life. 1t is not in England alone that one sees men
OF scrupulous integrity in thor own dealings, who
he OF
the State
with the exception of the first, there is no great
collection Of people in England among whom this
war cxcitcs enthusiasm. The second class accept it
as a dispcnsation from superior power, out OF
which tnry hope good may come. ! he third Is
slcrnly and sorrowfully opposed to it; agreeing,
nevertheless, that sMco the nation is COM
nittod 10 war; ;hc.c IS nothing to do but
light IL ont There will he no attempt,
in Parliament or cl,owh r., to hamper the Govern
,ncnt m the prosecution oG the war; But there is
very clear purposc 10 require from them much
iullcr explanation than they have yet given of the
means b; which they brought Oh the war, and Of
the objects thcy expect 10 gam by IT,
think il may 6e said also hat there is a growing
iupa.Icucr of the methods by which the govern
mcnt o. the country has for some time past
been carried on. If anything be- more
alien TO the spirit Of English institu-
ton, than the dcspoIsm of personal rule, 1t is Sc
crccy. The ErsIishman does not like being gov
crucd from dark closet. 10 say nothing of what
happened last Simmrr. look at the trchs-the
word i, not parliamentary. but | cannot help it
playrd lately Look that is, at tha processes by
which the nation D., landed in war n ignorance OF
the reasons which lcrdits rulers to engage ia it..
Three different accounts Of these reasons have
been given. The Secretary Of state for India has
published dispatch 30 the Yccioy of India which
m substance alleges that Shcrc Ali is needed as n
friend; that SIR. Glads,onc's Government might
have had his friendship, but wlntonly rejected 1t,
and that he is now to be thrtshed into good Will or
good behavior. Lord Lytton publishes Proclama-
ton Of his own, containing a long recital OF grloy-
anccs against Sacro Al, a distinct accusation
against Russia Of mfricndy Interference
uha Czn taking the place of Mr. Glad
stonc), and declaration that the Government
of India will not tolerate such interference. Inc
independence of AfChanistan, adds the Nceroy VIII
be respected. Yet prior to both these announce
m,nts Lord Bcacon5frld had declared that the OBJ
icct of the war with Shtrc Ali was to obtain Scleh-
tc frontier for India. Lord Cranbrooks state
mcnt is difficult to reconcile with Lord Lytton's,
and Lord Bclconsfalds hatly contradicts tueh
both. Which are We to believer 1t Is certain tHat
the fcctGcaton Of the frontier ot Whlch Lord bea-
consfcld speaks can only be attained "t the cost
and ont of the territory of Atghanistan, whose
independence" Lord Lytton pledges himself TO
respect PERHAPS independence will be secured TO
Argbapiston as territorial integrity was secured to
Turkey.
But this is detail. There is something more I'M
portant than any contradictions between Official
declarations. If they were all consistent and all
honest they would bo open to two grave objections
They am not the evidence of ejusce OF InuS
tce of this war; but the opinion OF Ministers upon
the evidence And even this opinion, and the JUSTIN