The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-03-21
THE SOUDAN TROUBLE.
Sketch of the English Policy and Some of
the Things 1t Has Led To.
Correspondent ola Phila Paper

SAopSh VI INC LhSnsn IOllcy ana some OF
the Things 1t Has Led To.
Correspondent Ola Phila. Paper.
Everybody can see for himself the en-
barrassment in which the English Gov
eminent has involved itself in the Soudan,
An embarrassment SO great that even the
combination of individual heroism, COM
petent generals and a we'll equipped
army has not availed to extricate nom
plussed Cabinet from its .dilemmas. But
although the instinct of people, sud-
denly called upon to make a supreme
effort for the attainment of an indefinite
or rather an unknown object, may gen.
orally and justly denounce those in power
as the delinquents, it has rarely happen
ed that the bill of indictment has been
SO heavy, consistent and unanswerable
as that now drawn up against Mr.. Glad
stone and his confederates. The Soudan
smbroglio which has destroyed the repu-
tatlon of the strongest Cabinet and the
most formidable parliamentary majority
Of our time, has been caused not by
single mistake or by ono unfortunate
reading Of the political horizon, but by
succession Of blunders in gauging the
course of events and by perverse reso-
luton to abstain from all attempts at
guiding or controlling them which are
quite unexampled IN the history of any
powerful community, and which would
not have been credited if Nj. Gladstone
had not labored successfully to provide
dubious theory as to the decay of en-
pires with an established precedent.
He would hazard the assertion that,
while the Government of England is
aware of the predicament in which it
stands, it is profoundly ignorant of how
it got there; and it is probable that each
minister has separate theory of his own
as to how these common difficulties in
which they are involved arose, at the
same time that he cherishes the belief
that all these calamities might have been
averted by the prevalence Of his views at
any given time in the discordapt counsels
OF cabinet which has endeavored to
preserve the outward show of union.
ERRORS NOT YET ADMITTED.
Let it be supposed that even now min
listers admit that there have been calam
tiles in . national sense. When they.
speak Of misfortunes they alluds to their
own-to the thwarting of the most ex-
cellent intentions, to the failure of the
most infallible theories, and to the grasp
ing and self seeking policy of other gov
ernments and peoples. They still cling
tenaciously to the origina! policy which
entailed their present discontinue, and
they will not retract single word of
that rash and foolish declaration, that
Egypt was to cease to hold any region
south of Wady- Halfa, although their mil
itary program is on scale that has not
been approached since Cambyses brought
all the resources of another great empire
to bear upon the wild and warlike races
OF Ethiopia. Mr.. Gladstone has sought
to reconcile the inconsistent. He has
striven to show that elaborate military
arrangements, vast expenditure of ma
tional treasure, and even the outporing
of the best blood of his country pave the
way to retreat, and retreat alone. He
will 60 to Khartoum, although he squan-
ders the resources and wrecks the future
of the empire; but he will not retract one
syllable of those declarations which have
alone bound every black man to the
cause of the Mahdi. He has neither def
mite purpose nor distinct policy. He
may be described as having no clear OBJ
ject before him at all; but he knows the
power Of his country, and he will use il
freely and lavishly-not for victory, but
for the self-effacement which Maiuba
Hill is supposed to have apotheosized as
the highest form of imperial greatness.
The difficulties in the Soudan are to a
certain degree attributed to the procrss-
tination shown in placing the affairs of
Lower Egypt on sound basis. The de-
lay has not merely prevented the return
of the tranquility which existed before
the revolt Of Arab Pacha, but it has
given incre sed force to all the anti Eng.
lish sentiments and passions among the
other foreigners resident in Egypt as well
as among the mora fanatical Arab classes.
THEY ONLY WANT TO BACK OUT.
Even in the Delta the English have put
themselves in a false position by announc.
ing their fixed intention to leave the
country at as early date as they can
how much more have they aggravated
the perils that beset them in the Soudar
by the declaration not merely that they
will withdraw, but that by their arbitra
~ fiat the Khedive's Government has
caused to exist in those regions. The
situation in the Soudan threatened from
| its own internal difficulties to beco' OIL
I