The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-05-21

FOX CED ~ = - --CE< -.5IACE
OUR dispatches informius that the
peace commission, now in session in
London, has agreed to a settlement of
the lines between Russian, Asia and
Afghanistan, and this indicates peace.
Besides the fact that England was not
prepared to wage successful war
against Russia on Asiatic soil, there
was another reason, moral, potent,
which leads the English govern
ment, probably, to accept Russian
terms. When the proposal was first
made between the two governments
that mutual arrangement should be
made as to boundary line, Mr.. Thos.
A. Thornton, who was two years the
Secretary of the government of India,
and for twelve years Secretary to the
PeDjaub government-an excellent
authority, and one who could not be
blamed for any prejudice in favor OF
Russia-said, that according to
the recognized principles of
Justice, Penjdeh belonged, prima facie,
prior to the time of the joint commits
sion on the boundary question, to the
Syrac Turcomans, and that tribe was
subject to Russia and held It's occupa-
tieD. 1t was thus its belonging, and
not that OF the Ameer of Afghanis-
tar, who, pending the action of the
com mission-and after its appoint
ment-through some division of the
Syrac Turcoman tribe, took possession
of Penjdeh and thus undertook to put
his own Interpretation on matter
with which the joint commission only
had power to deal. 1t was this de-
clared undue interference of the
Ameer which hindered the Russian
commission from participating in the
matter of settlement of the boundary
question. Russia looked on the At
CHAN occupation of Penjdeh and Sari
YAH as a menace, and hence the ad-
vance of the Russian Outposts was {
fair counter-movement the while thu
boundary question was pending such
settlement. The Ameer has no JUS
claim on Penjdeh, because part O.
the Syrac Turcoman tribe had gon,
over to him and paid him tribute, AM
his taking possession of that plac
was justly neld by Russia as al
act OF aggression unwarrant
ed by fact and unjustifet
by circumstances. The succession
of part of the Turcoman tribe was on
of the matters that the joint commits
sion alone had to deal with. Thes
being the facts, England in going t.
war would have been untrue even tt
herself, and would, with all the fact
known, have been condemne
by all right seeming people. Sh
wohld have gone into War with jus
tice against her, and would have faile'
under load of 1gnominy. That sh
, contended in any manner for what sh
now gives up is, in fact, t
her discredit. That the ques
tloD, whether Penjdeh wa
Afghan or not, was clearly In dispute
was manifested by the instructions @
the British government to Sir Pete
Lumsden, giving him full authorit
to assign that place to Russia if
saw fit. When it was seized by th
Afghans, Russia protested, but Eng
land refused to recall them and Rus
sia advanced h1r trUups Ill Uruer t
prevent greater inroads upon debat
able territory. Their withdrawal wa
demanded by England, but refused a
| none Other but debatable land was OF
l cupied by them; whereas England SUI
ported the Amer in occupying Ian
! that was debatable. It was unde
this condition Of toings that hostili
ties, of no great importanc,
have occurred, and for which Englan
IS held to blame by those who are cor
3 versant with the circumstances abov
mentioned. She has now been force
to a settlement on the terms under
stood by the former commission.