The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-12

neither legal nor moral responsibility.
The Afghan War.
If the capture of cannon by the British
troops under General Roberts may be taken
as in any degree measure of the general
success of the operations. all certainly
goes well for the English on that line
The enemy has certainly not been brushed
away with very ready facility. and there
have been difficulties with the adj
vance and with the communications
of which we have not been per-
mitted to hear The worst because OF
the restrictions put upon newspaper
correspondents; but it is likely that all the
difficulties taken together do not and could
not amount to an effective military obstacle.
Indeed. tho conquest of Cabul may be
safely set down as the easiest part of the
case for the British government, and the
part as to which there has been the least
doubt and uncertainty in the councils of
Her Majesty's advisers. What they are to
do with it when they get it, how they are
to proceed beyond Cabul and how
they are to get over the apparent
military necessity of holding the country
without exposing themselves to the charge
of merely replacing things in the attitude
in which they stood just before the massacre
of Cavagnari--these are the troublesome
points At this stage CT the case Russia
seems to put spoke in England's wheel.
The London Vanity Fair, well informed
on the diplomatic gossip of London
and other capitals, and its report that
trouble about Herat is on foot between the
two governments is doubtless story with
good foundation. Russias conditions
were imposed upon England on the occa-
sion of the former advance to Cabul, and
they required that England should not pre-
tend to annex the country or permanently
occupy it with troops. What Russia would
not consent to then she will not consent to
now, unless she has some such substantial
reason as the concession of Herat and an
understanding about Badakshan. If the
diplomatists cannot get over that difficulty
the fighting with the Atghans will be very
light prelude to the hard part of the story.
------------
Master and Man-The Blair Case.
In the case of Blair. now on trial in New
Jersey for killing his coachman, John ARM
strong, two points are relied on by the de-
ience to secure an acquittai First, they
hope to prove that great provocation was
given, and second, that tho shooting was
actually done in self-dofencc. The first
may have no legal weight, but where 1t is
ingeniously brought out has generally
modifying effect upon the conclu-
sions of jury; the second, Of
course. entities to q verdict of not
guilty it made clenr, Unfortunately
the case has had disagreeable aspect given
10 it on the point of social relations. 1t
was rashly assumed by sundry persons be-
cause Mr.. Blair had shot man In his en-
ploy that tho question of capital vs.. labor
was on trial that it was not whether the
shooting OF one man by another was capt.
tai crime or justifable act. but whether
the rich were at liberty to shoot the poor.
The law certainly makes no such dis
tinction, yet tho rotations of master
and man have an important bear
ing on the case. Anger ut being dis
charged undoubtedly led the unfortunate
Armstrong to use language to his employer
which would not be tolerated by many men
from u socinl equal. He is alleged to have
made certain demands for money which,
oven II reasonable, would in their insulting
form have led most men of spirit to reject
them for the moment, or OF least, as Mr..
Blair is said to have done. to refer the man
to legal tribunal for redress. The further
point is ndduced of master seeking to OBJ
tain from servant the control Of his prop
erty and met by refusal. On what mis-
taken notions of his rights in the matter, or
on what mere impulse of surly temper,
the coachman acted in refusing to give
up the keys Of the stable it is impos-
sible now to decide, but 1t is strongly
borne testimony to that he did refuse,
and hence the relations Of master and SCR
vant--the one as intending to eject, the
other as opposing that ejeciment-f form q
strong point III the trial. Livery employer
has right to resume control of his prop
erty mt will from hired servant, tho ques-
ton of compensation due having no bearing
on the matter. That is matter for the
courts, If personal agreement fails. In the
cnse of man SO blinded by passion as to
be capable OF destroying properly because
he knows he is about to lose his place the
right to eject him promptly is highly inn
por.nnt one, and whatever safeguards tho law
may place around the recovery Of wages it
places no restriction on the right 10 dis
miss and, If necessary, eject 1t was In pur-
suance OF this right that Mr.. Blair went 10
his stable. The alleged uttorances of
threats by Armstrong and the further allie
CATION that he actually reached Tor pistol
IL. "a hol hin,