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

a9DuI VIC U6bSlMluSu 10 give CI6ulGs anu
we thought it our duty to give credit, to
the parties to that agreement, and we
acted upon that duty, and did not in
this House say one word to impute evil
color to that reservation. We thought it
our duty to give that construction to the
reservation, and I do not say that the
construction is shown to have been wrong.
Come what may (''Hear. hear!n) am
bound to say that although the House was
somewhat startled by the reservation, 1
believe the agreement was accepted by the
House as a binding covenant. 1t was u
very solemn covenant, involving great
issues. There were thousands of men on
the one side standing for their country,
and on the other side. for what they
thought their patriotic duty, placed in a
position of dangerous contiguity and i'll
danger of bloody collision. This engage
ment came between the danger and the
people exposed to it, and we believed that
it would be recognised as one of the most
sacred covenants ever made between two
great nations, and that there would be
rivalry between the two Powers to sift the
incident that followed to the end and
ascertain how it had come about and who
and where were the persons upon whom
responsibility for it rested. [''Hear,
hear ~
All this remains in suspense. What
happened? The bloody engagement of
the 3Oth of March followed the covenant.
I shall overstate nothing. L shall not pur
posely overstate anything.
All say is this, that that woeful en-
gagement Of the Both of March distinctly
showed that one party or both had either
through i'll will or through unfortunate
mishap, failed to fulfil the conditions Of
the engagement. We considered it, and
we consider it still, to be the duty Of both
countries-and above all, [ will say it is
for the honor of both countries-to exam
inc how and by whose fault this calamity
came about
1 have no foregone conclusion l will
not anticipate that we are in the right
and although L have perfect confidence in
the honor and intelligence of our officers
Tcheersl-I will not now assume that they
may not have been misled. / will prepare
myself for the issue and l will abide by it
so far as 1 can in a spirit of impartiality.
What say is that those who have caused
such an engagement to fail ought to be-
come known to their own Government and
to each contracting party. [ will not say
we are even now in possession of facts
which create in our minds impressions I'M
favorable to the conduct Of some Of those
who form the other party to these negotia-
lions but 1 viii not deviate from the
strictest principle of justice in antici-
pating anything of the ultimate issue
of that fair inquiry which we desire
to prosecute and are endeavoring to prose
cute
The cause of that .deplorables collision
may be uncertain. Whose was the provo
cation is a matter of the utmost conse-
quence. We know that the attack was a
Russian attack. We know that the At
ghans suffered in life, in spirit, and in re-
pute. We know that aSblow was struck
at the credit and authority of a sovereign
who is our protected ally and who had COM
mitted no offence. All [ say is, we cannot,
in that state of things, close this book and
say we will look into it no more. We must
do our best to have right done in this mat
ter.
Under these circumstances there is
cause for preparation, and | hope that the
House will feel with me, after what /
have said, the necessity we are under of
holding the Soudanese funds available for
service elsewhere. I hope the House
will not press upon us demand for time,
which can have no other effect then prop
agating here and elsewhere the belief that
there is some indecision in the mind of Par
lament loud cheers whereas l believe
that with one heart and one soul and one
purpose only, while reserving the absolute
liberty Of judging the conduct of the
Government and visiting them with its
consequences, the House will go forward
to perform and meet the demands of JUS
tice and the calls of honor, and will, sub
iect only to honor labor for the purposes
of peace. loud and general cheers.l
The vote to pass the entire credit Of
$50, 0OO, 900, en- bloc to the Government, as
MI. Gladstone had requested, was then
put from the Chair. The credit in this
form was at once agreed to without dis
cussion, amid loud and prolonged cheering
from both sides. The cheering was re-
newed and tumutuous when Mr.. Glad
stone arose from his place and passed ou-
of the Chamber.