The Evening critic., 1885-04-27

A quiet philosopher has suggested chat
perhaps the impending conflicts in Europe
portend destruction to monarclical govern
ment and the establishment Of Christianity
throughout the world. There may be a
trace Of superstition in the idea, but it GER
tainly has an influence on the direction of
public sympathy in this country. View
about to enlist against England in the
Crimean war, when somebody whispered
that Cossack triumph would be blow at
Christianity. From that'time forward the
Duke of Wellington became an American
here by adoption. Stern, hard-hearted
statesmen said that England's invasion Of
the Transvaal was an unwarrantod seizure
of territory by force of arms. Then some
body intimsted that England meant only
to establish Christianity in that benighted
land, and all American protests were
silenced. This country was on the verge of
condemniug England for It's cruel subjec-
lion OF India, when 1t was suddenly learned
that an English victory there woula bo the
downfall of Mohammedanism. After that,
all of MS were with England. The same
thing happened whom Great Britain poache1
on the preserves of Bechuanaland. And
when Gordon was sent down to Khartoum
to plant tho banner Of the Cross in the hot
territory Of the Crescent, somehow or other
the world came to understand that il was a
Christian warfare.
Yet all this time England has been in
ereasing her possessions by the sole right of
conquest. The British Government doesn't
purchase territory or annex foreign coun-
tries by convention. Her aggressions have
been continuous and portentous, but always
by force, until to-day her drum-beat Is
heard around the world by many millions
of subjects, who hate the English Govern
ment and despise her religion. 1t is true
that wherever England has established it.
self purer laws, better government, more
education and some civilization have in.
variably followed. These may partially
compensate, but they cannot alter the fact
tiat England has always been persistent
invader
For the first time in its modern history
Great Britain is called upon to defend
itself from foreign invasion. Russia has
acquired valuable information in the study
of English methods, and evidently proposes
10 contest its strength with the tight little
sic. But one hears again the whisper of
religion. There is an ill-defned idea in
This country that every Time England
triumphs it brings one more banner to the
Army Of the Gross, and, perhaps, one more
frierd to universal republicanism. When
France endeavors to embroil itself with
Egypt and China, the people of the United
States sympathize with France because we
deem it nearest in harmony with our re-
publican institutions and our religion.
When El Mahdi defeats the Italian sol
diery, the American people meet the re-
suit with great regret. That is religious
afliliation for it cannot be denied that the
Italians are to-day trespassers on soil
that is not their own, engaging in war
with which they had nothing to do but
preserve an armed neutrality.
These are some Of the evidences that reli-
gion still has powerful influence on modern
warfare, even as 1t had q predominating in-
huence over ancient turmoils. From the
invasion of the Holy Land to the invasion
of Soudan, the Crescent and the Gross have
stood against each other. They have not
shifted their positions greatly.