The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-16
BRIGH1's RESIGAATION.

| dUOuJ LIS IOpOIISU IGSiSudlICu, no
said the true cause of 1t was the
Egyptian policy of the government,
eliminating in what Bright con-
siders the unjustiiable use for force
in Alexandria. He was opposed to
sending the fleet to Egypt, originally,
for any political purpose. He con-
sidered that England had no BUSH
ness to interfere with the internal
affairs of Egypt, having
no serious interest there ex-
cept in the Suez Canal and the
Canal never was menaced by Arab
or anybody else. He believes that
the massacre on TIE 18th of June
was largely provoked by the pres
enee of the English feet. He re-
CARDS the continued presence of the
feet with a constantly increasing
number of foreign men-Of-Tar in
friendly harbOr is in itself men
ace and an unfriendly act. The mo-
tive Of sending them, namely, the
protection of English subjects
was good motive, but matters
were SO managed that the fleet
became source of danger rather
| IMAM prOtecLlOn.
When asked what the feet should
have done after Admiral Seymour
had delivered the ultimatum, and
Arab promised to discontinue
the armament, and then broke,
this promise, he answered that we
have yet heard but one side of
the story, and he seemed inclined
to discredit the report that the cleo
trio light showed that the troops
were continuing work. He insisted
however, that these details were
comparatively unimpOl tant. The
real cause of his resignation was the
use of force, which was not defensiDle
on moral grounds. For forty years,
said Bright, L have told my coun-
trymen that morals were the true
basis of politics. l have denounced
war. l should have been false
to nv principles, had l become a
party to a war which was begun
without necessity. He pro-
ceeded to express his pro-
found regret at parting FROM
his colleagues, and his grief at tax
ling the step which, as have said
must seriously harm the ministry.
and perhaps will divide the liberal
party. He deplOred it, but to
abandon his principle he could not
from any regard to the party or any
affection for person.
| Bright's eXtrem e reluctance to sever
himself from the government was
even more strongly shown by his
delay in taking the final step. He
was present at the cabinet council
50 late as Thursday, three days after
the hOstilItieS beg an. His formal
resignation was offered only yester-
day. Even this afternoon some
journals express doubts about the
truth.
Sir Charles Dixie in an
swering question In the
house with characteristic caution
said that there might DO some
grounds for the report. The long
conversation above, briefly given,
might be condensed into a single
phrase: Bright resigns from sheer
adherence of war. How wide the
divergence between him and the
rest of the world is, may be judged
from his declaration, that the only
war which was justifable since the
| time Of William III. was the sup
preston Of the rebellion by the
northern states.
Bright's own friends feel, says the
| Poll Nell Gazette, that it Is hard to
| find any reason for his retiring now
which did not exist last May when
the cabinet approved the menacing
note and dispatched the feet to back
I'D the notice, but no liberal is dis
posed to judge Bright in q
critical spirit. Before his re-
signation the liberal party was
practically united in sustaining the
government. The true course
would have been to carry away such
English subjects as wished to depart
and then to leave the KhediVe and
Arab to battle their own disputes.
The Sultan, as the sovereign, might
properly have iAterfered. Bright
admits that the restoration Of
Turkish authority in Egypt
would have been a misfortune, but
/ the English would not have been
responsible and Europel could, have
REQUIRED adequate guarantees for
| the departure of the Turks when
order was restored. He also admits
| that English intervention would
have been beneficial to Egypt, but
be repeats that England had no
business there. When asked to
| fix the points where his
mind parted company with the
minds of his colleagues, he replied
that though unable to approve the
general course pursued with refer
ence to Egypt, he always hoped
| they would stop short OF the
employment of force. He ridicHled
/ the notion that the feet was
| seriously menaced by the forts, and
| dwelt strongly on the state
ment of the Standards corre-
sDondent, and one other, that betore
| the bombardment had begun, DuS-
! after the expiration Of the time
| fixed by admiral Seymour, the
Egvptian authorities offered TO dis
maptIe the forts. He was not aware
/ that the statement was officially.
Confirmed, but should 1t prove trHes
he thought the beginning Of
bostilities, after such an affair, was
deserving OF the strongest censure.
| whether this report was true or rot
n FDfo fO ooV,fiuxzo ~. 40