Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-05-07
GLADSTONE'S SPEECH.
One Of the Grandest Efforts OF the
ssGrand Old Mans

"Grand Old Mans
The following is from speech made
by the English Premier before the
House of Commons, Monday, April ~:
''Let us consider what is the present
position, and what is the mode of con-
duct of the government adapted to that
position. 1t is not q case of war. There
is no war before us. actual, or | NAV
| even perhaps say. proximate, though |
| am slow to deal with epthets which are,
of course, liable to some latitute of in
depreciation. | am not called upon to
define. and l would find great difficulty
IN defining since it does not stand upon
any choice of mine or of my colleagues
the degree of danger that may be be-
fore us. We have labored and we con-
tinue to labor for an honorable settle
ment, by pacific means. TCheers.1
But one thing | will venture to say
with regard to that sad contingency. an
outbreak of war-a rupture of relations
between two great powers like Russia
and England-one thing | will say with
great strength OF conviction and great
earnestness, in my endeavor to impress
it upon the committee, that we will
strive to conduct ourselves to the end
OF this diplomatic controversy in such
way as that, if unhappily it is to end in
violence or rupture, we may at least be
able to challenge the verdict of civilized
mankind upon review of the cores
pondence, upon review of the de-
mands and refusals. to say whether we
have or whether we have not done all
10 htF a
honorable effort, to prevent the plung-
ing of two such countries, with all the
millions that own their sway, into blood
shed and strife. Loud cheers.
''ln my opinion the question before
the committee at this moment is sim
pie and very narrow one. What we
present to you is a case for preparation.
Is there or is there not any case for
preparation? CHEERS Look at the
facts before us. Fry them bv that test
and by no other. DO not urge your
own foregone conclusions to the mis-
conduct of Russia or anyone. Do not
enter into the judicial part of the case
only, but also into that part which is
prudential Upon that aspect of the
case and that alone-asking for no
credit as to the future and no acquittal
as to the past-we say it is case for
preparation. [Cheers.
THE EVIDENCE NOT COMPLETE.
The facts within your knowledge
are enough TO make it your bounden
duty so to prepare. Therefore, if | am
asked for more information my answer
is this; 1t is impossible for us to give
you full information. We could not at
this moment open up the correspond
ence that has been going on. We could
not lay before you justified information
and rumors that have reached US. We
could not enable you by any possibility
to Judge of a question that has not vet
reached state of maturity for judg-
ment. The evidence is not complete
The development is simply going for
ward. Do not let us too sanguinely
point to a favorable issue Do not let
us despair that reason and justice may
on both sides prevail over narrower
and more unworldly feelings. TCheers.
We cannot give you all the information
we possess. If we did give it it would
not place you in position for con-
elusive judgment. Were we to give
part we should intallibly mislead you,
and, therefore we stand simply upon
what is patent and notorious and say
that there is in those patent and motor
ieus facts, with which the whole world
is acquainted, cause, and abundant
cause, for preparations. {" Hear"
Hear
PATENT AND NOTORIOUS FACTS"
'Shall | now, in a very few works,
sketch rapidly and slightly the outlines
of those patent and notorious facts?
The starting point of our movement in
this case is our obligation of honor to
the ameer who stands between US and
any other consideration of policy. But
our obligations to him are not absolute.
We are not oblged-God forbid we
should ever be obliged defend him,
or anybody else, were he misled into a
course of tyranny against the just re-
sentiment of his subjects. We are not
bound to sustain him in any course of
evil, but we have contingent obligation
to give him our aid and support, and |
think every one who hears me will say
that that obligation should be fulfilled
ia no stinted manner T'Hearl Hearr'1
If it really be living obligation, con-
tingent only upon this one condition
that his conduct is such that we can
honestly approve it. That is the pre-
sent condition of affairs in connection
with the ameer of Afghanistan. 1 have
stated distinctly to the house that there
have been full communications between
him and the viceroy of India and that
the language he holds and the principles
he announces are those which absolutely
entitle him to call upon us to act in con-
cert and in council with him; to act for
him and, rs far as we can, with him, to
protect him in the possession of his just
rights. TCheers Well, with this view
plan was formed for the delimitaton
of the frontier between Afghanstan and
what was only yesterday the Turkoman
country, but what has now become
by rapid process Russian terri
tory. We have made very rapid pro-
gress ourselves in various quarters of
the world, and the idea which, beyond
all, desire to carry along with me, at
every step of this painful and anxious
process, is the determination to make
every allowance and concession to those
with whom we are dealing that we
should claim for ourselves. Hear"
Hear. Therefore will only say
that this territory has rapidly become
Russian, and that Russia is now in inn
mediate contact with Afghanistan and
that the plan made for the delmtation
of the Afghan territory has unhappily
been frustrated to this extent that it has
not yet taken effect in action.
DANGEROUS MILITARY ADVANCES.
The circum stances of the delay may
have to be carefully examined hereafter.
| am not about to examine them now,
or make the delay a matter of charge;
but | must point out notorious fact.
that it allowed for military advances
upon debated ground that were obvious
ly, and on the face of them. in high
degree dangerous to the peace, and dag
erous to the future settlement of the
question. However, we set ourselves TO
bring about an agreement with Russia
by which we hoped that those Dangers
might in a great degree be neutralized.
That agreement was concluded on the
10Th of March, although it has passed
by the date of the 18th of March, mas
much as think that was the date on
which it was teegraphed to Sir Peter
Lumsden. The agreement consisted of
a covenant and consideration. The
covenant was, that the Russian troops
should not advance on or attack, pro-
vided the Afghan troops do not advance
or attack. That was the covenant
There followed reservation, and
and the reservation was that, UNI
less in the case of some extraordinary