Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-30
[From Our Regular Correspondent
Our European Letter.
LONDON. Eng, April 12. 1879.

OuT LuIOptdh Letlef.
LONDON. Eng, April -, 1879.
The British government have another
little war on hand in which they will have
the sympathy Of the whole civilized world.
That modern Herod. the king of Birmah.
who, on his recent accession TO the throne,
caused the slaughter of some eighty of his
kinsmen. including women and children,
deserves no mercy from the hand of man
His two brothers having escaped into
British BirmaE, and sought protection ut
the residency, His Golden Majesty, as the
king is called, demanded their rendition,
which was refused. Hence the massacre,
including the minister, whose mission to
the English resident proved unsuccessful.
In consequence of this inhuman outrage.
and the threatening attitude of the king,
five thousand troops have been ordered to
British Birmah, and no one will regret IL
complete extrpation of such mockery
of government. This affair is altogether
unlike the Zilu war, which England her.
self provoked, through the rash action of
her high commissioner. Atawayo, like
Sitting Bull. is brave warrior. and, from
his own point of view, true patriot. So
far from being the aggressor, he has al
lowed the English colony at the cape to
flourish in peace while constantly encroach-
ing Oh his territory. The little disturb
ances among the Dutch farmers in the
Transvaal were provoked by the settlers,
not by the natives. Sir Bartle Frcres
ultimatuna, sent without the authority Of
the home government, and for which he
has been so mildly censured, whipped
with feather, was simply n challenge to
a war of determination. No wonder the
black flag" was raised. Who can blame
the Zulu king for his desperate effort for
freedom and life! His people, his country,
his own existence were at stake, and all
history glorities the hero of a cause like
this. 1t is one of those " big, manly wars
WlllCu Iuthc NhluC. AUNT
that the ZulUs are barbarins. So were the
Britons. and the Gauls, and the aborigi-
nails of all other civilized nations. The
moral condition of people does MOI
change the eternal laws of right and
wrong. Justice is not the accident OF
intelligence and refinement The ag'
gressor, savage or civilized, is always in
the wrong, whether it be the white man
against the red man of the west, or
against the black man of the east As fol
this genuine Old Testament king of Biz.
NAH, whose hands are rel with the blood
of his own household, the sooner he is
wiped out of existence, and his blotch Of
IN empire effaced from the earth, the
better.
AS the spring advances and the SHOWS
of winter begin to melt away from the
mountain passes of the east, the kilograms
from abroad, the conversations ut the
clubs, the "lips +" of those who are in d-
plomatic society, begin to take Il warlike
hue. The mixed occupation scheme for
Roumelia is by no means settled; but the
Russian expedition toward Nero is. From
the usual Muscovite denials to the usual
Muscovite explanation, the military mis-
sion has grown up gradually, and at last
is duly acknowledged. But the Russians
mean no harm if things 90 well in
Roumela. That is the semi-otlicial state
ment, BY May over twenty thousand
well-equipped Russian troops, capable OF
being increased to one hundred and
twenty thousand by the armies of the
Caucasus, will be ready to contest with
England the possession of that ancient
Indian gateway, Herat. With this intel
Iigence comes the report of Russian gold
and influence oncs more at Kabul and the
English armies preparing for the onward
march. This is varied with disaster
Crossing the river Kabul, near Jalaabad
at night, fifty English hussars were swept
away by the torrent and drowned. A
party of French troops in Algeria at about
the same time were suifocated or starved
Ito death in the snow near Sonaki. Sol
Iiers have many dangers to encounter
besides those of hostile swords and guns
1t Is evden. that the Afghan troubles are
by no means at an end. If Russia sees
IN opportunity she will certainly strike ;
blow for prestige and power in cenlra
Asia. The time is thought to be more
propitious than it was !, few months ago
Russia has troops on the march to strategic
points. England is well occupied in
Africa. The Egyptian question is not vel
settled. Greece is once more coming to
the front touching her relationship will
Turkey and the Berlin treaty; and /" the
eastern question "again warns US that
1--WE have scotch'l the snake, not kill'd it,
She'll close and be herself"
before the lookcrs-on can realize how
easily the thing may raise its head again
and strike at the peace of Europe. The
English ministers lie on no bed Of roses
On all sides there is trouble and anxiety
for them. A falling revenue and IN in
creasng expenditure is bad for the popu.
larity of the budget,and though the recent
division shows the conservative party wei
knit together, there were disaffections
that are noticeable. Mr.. Walter, of the
Times, voted This time against them, an,
his Journal is once more Slowing rount
against the government. 1t is all yer,
we'll for malicious gossips to say that this
is the result of Beaconsfield's delay ir
giving Mr.. Walter title. The suggestion
is altogether outside the situatian. The
Times has keen eye for n change in the
tide of public opinion, and its traditions
policy, and not Mr.. Walters private
affairs, accounts for the view which the
leading journal takes of the Zulu war
However strong they may be the con
Seryatiyes cannot be in Office forever. and