The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-05-07

my cOlleagueS-Cno degree OF danger tina
may be before us. We have labored, ant
we continue to do so, fer an honorable set
Element by pacific means. [Cheers.l
But one thing 1 will venture to say will
regard to the sad contingency, an outbreak
of war-a rupture of relations between
two great Powers like Russia and Eng
land-one thing / will say with great
strength of conviction and great earnest
ness, in my endeavor to impress it upor
the committee, that we will strive to con
duct ourselves to the end of this diplo.
matte controversy in such way as that
if unhappily it is to end in violence OF
! rupture, we may at least be able to chal
lenge the verdict of civilized manhood, up
on review of the demands and refusals
to say whether we have or whether we
have not done all that men could do, by
every honorable and just means, toprevent
the plunging of two such countries, with
all the millions that own their sway, into
bloodshed and strife. loud cheers.
In my opinion the question before the
committee at this moment is a simple and
very narrow one. What we present to you
is a case for preparation. Is there or is
there not any cause for preparation
| [Cheers.]
Look at the facts before US. Try them
by that test and by no other. Do not urge
your own foregone conclusion to the mis-
conduct of Russia or any one. Do not
enter into the judicial part of case only,
but also into that part of it which is pru-
dental. Upon that aspect of the case,
and that alone-asking no credit as to the
future and no acquittal as to the passive
say it is case for preparation. [Cheers. !
! The facts within your knowledge are
enough to make it your bounden duty so
to prepare. Therefore, if 1 am asked for
more information my answer is this: 1t is
impossible for us to give you full infor-
nation. We could not at this moment
open up the correspondence that has been
going on. We could not lay before you
unsifted information and rumors that
have reached us. We could not enable
you by any possibility to judge of ques-
ton that has not yet reached state of
maturity for judgment. The evidence is
not complete. The development is simply
| going forward. Do not let us too san
guinely point to Favorable issue. Do not
let us despair that reason and justice may
on both sides prevail over narrower and
more unworthy feelings. [Cheers. We
cannot give you all the information we
possess. If we did give it it would not
place you in position for a conclusive judg-
ment. Were we to give part we should
infallibly mislead you, and therefore we
stand simply upon what is patent and no.
torious, and say that there is in those
patent and notorious facts-with which the
whole world is cquainted-cause, and
abundant cause, for preparation. [''Hear,
hear ~
Shall now, in very few words, 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
Amer, who stands between US and any
| obligations to him are not absolute We
are not obliged-God forbid we should
ever be obliged Ito defend him or any,
body else were he mislead into course of
tyranny against the just resentment of his
subjects. We are not bound to sustain
him in any course of evil, but we have a
contingent obligation to give him our aid
and support, and l think everyone who
hears me will say that that obligation
should be fulfilled in no stinted manner
E'Hear, hear !''l-if it really be living
obligation, contingent only upon this one
condition-that his conduct is such that
we can honestly approve it. That is the
present condition of affairs in connection
with the Ameer of Afghanistan.
I 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 concert and in council with him-to
act for him, and, as far as we can, with
him, to protect him III the possessions. of
his just rights. [Cheers.]
Well, with this view plan was formed
for the ILLUMINATION of the frontier be-
tween Afghanistan and what was only
yesterday the Turcoman country, but what
has now become, by rapid process, Rus
sian territory. We had made very rapid
progress 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 allow
ance and concession to those with whom
we are dealing that we should claim fol
ourselves. [''Hear, hearth Therefore
will only say that this territory has rap
idly become Russian, and that Russia is
now in immediate contact with Afghanis-
tan, and that the plan made for the delmi
nation of the Afghan territory has, unhap
. ily, been frustrated to this extent, that il
it has not yet taken effect in action
The circumstances of the delay may
have to be carefully examined hereafter
| am not about to examine them now OF
make the delay matter of charge, but
must point out notorious fact-that il
/ allowed for military advances upon de
{ bated ground that were obviously, and OIL
the face of them, in high degree danger
Gus to the future settlement of the ques
r tlon.
, However. we set ourselves to bring
/ about an agreement with Russia by which
we hoped that those dangers might, in
3 great degree, be neutralsed. That agree
, ment was concluded on the 10th af March
r although it has passed by the date of thu
: 18th of March, inasmuch as / think tina
, was the date on which it was telegraphe(
| to Sir Peter Lumsden. The agreement
+ consisted of covenant and considera
ton. Thecovenant was that the Russian
\ troops should not advance or attack, pro
vided the Afghan troops did not advance
or attack.
That was the covenant. There was
e reservation, and the reservation was tina
v unless in the case of some eXtraordinar
} accident, such as disturbance in Penj