The herald., 1893-09-10
THE POT CALLING rHR KETTLE BLACK.


speaking censoriously because we have
a snesking admiration for "cutpurses
OF the Empire and the Rule" of which
we have never succeeded in diveeting
ourselves. We always looked with won
der and even awe ON the freebooters Of
the middle ages, and even Capt. Kidd
and the New Orleans pirate Lsfitte
stood high in our regard. In fact, any
nation or individual that could steal on
a Wholesale scale is entitled to the re-
spectful attention OF the world. No
matter what codes of ethics, interns-
tionsl or local, they may have violated,
if they have done it on a large scale
their offences seem to be practically
condoned.
Two quite clever writers occupy a
large space in the last number of the
North American Review in discussing
the present status of things in Sian.
One ia Mr.. Curzon, an ex-English
official in the British Asiatic empire.
To this gentleman's excited vision the
whole course OF France with regard to
Siam is utterly indefensible. The Gaul
is the great cppressor Of the unoffending
Asiatic, and is bulldozing his way into
the control of the Mekong basin without
shadow CT right; or, rather on the
principle ofthe lines.
The good old rule-the ancient plan,
They may take who have the power,
And they may keep who can.
Now this is doubtless all very true.
France has no more right to any de-
Tendencies of Siam than the United
States has to the possession of Hawaii
or Cuba. These islands might be made
very valuable properties in the posses
sion of this country, but the American
people have not yet made up their
minds to turn freebooters, however
brilliant the examples which have been
set to this country by great and puissant
nations, who have in hundred in
stances made might stand for right.
We may have lost good deal of money
by pursuing this conservative and con-
estent course, but at the same time we
have undoubtedly saved ourselves q
great deal of worry.
Per contra, to Mr.. Curzon's smooth
statement Madame Adam gives the
French eide of the question. The real
gravamen OF her article is that La Belle
France has been obliged to grab some
thing to keep her end up. In face OF the
insatiate appetite of England for grab
bing Asiatc territory, that of France has
been what the hunger OF boarding
school miss would be to that OF a prize
fighter. The Madame is Thoroughly road
up in the history of English aggressicns
in Asia, and she gives resume of them
from the time of Lord Give down. 1t
was for q long time a debatable ques-
tion as to whether France or England
would conquer and loot the rich cities and
valleys of India, and frances failure to
support her brilliant champion and his
gallant followers at the right time caused
the victory to perch on the banners OF
England. This vivacious Frenchwoman
lays on her pigments with great nicety
and effect. But taking both the articles
together, it looks very much as if both
England and France regarded India, and
Asia generally, as simply game of
ehuttlecock and battledore in which
right at no time entered.
The whole question can be disposed of
in very short measure. Neither France
nor England had any more right to loot
and dominate the people of India or
Asia than Turkey would have to set UP
the rule of Mohammed in London OF
Parie. The whole history accompany
ing the Englieh conquest and absorption
choly incidents conceivable. 1t wai
made possible by the genius and energy
of two of the ablest and most consum
mate scoundrels that ever lived, viz
Lord Give and Warren Hastings. The
former, on returning to his country anC
meeting the averted faces of his country
men, who were appalled, by the nara
tives of his atrocities that reached Eng
land from all sources, although h,
brought back enormous wealth, haC
the grace to commit suicide. Hi
scared conscience was not proof agains
the stings OF remorse. The celebrated
trial of Warren Hastings, which wa
illuminated by the most brilliant orator.
that has ever figured on any stage o
the worlds history, developed the in
credible atrocities that eignalized tn,
establishment OF English ascendancy il
India. The stories told of Pizsrro il
Peru shrink to insiguifcance in the com
parieon. no one, who wishes to be in
formed of the peculiarly atrocious in
ception of British rule in India shoul,
fail to read Macaulay's essay on Warrel
Hastings, or the speech of Edmun
Burke on the Nabob of Arcot's debts
The two together form picture that j
absolutely unique in all the annals c
mankind for rapacity and barbarism. A
we are giving but faint echo OF thu
carefully studied utterances of such me
as Charles James Fox, Edmund Burke
Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Thoms
Darlington Macaulay, we can scarcely
accused OF exaggeration.
Madame Adam, in her article, gets i
one very neat piece of work. John Blu
is very fond OF talking about the horror
of human slavery, and the celebrate
Lord Chatham got off a beautiful piet
| of defamation about the incompatible
J of the air of England and servitud
ENGLAND has maintained Exeter Ha