The Wolverhampton and Midland Counties Advertiser. — 1876-09-09 (Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England)

MANCHESTER. The letter  The Bishop of Manchester, in the course of a Long latter to the Tines, says:—" That the conscience of the nation is awakened there can be no doubt. The spirit of slumber or indifference, whiohever it was, has passed away. The people are thoroughly aroused. It is felt that it is no mere question of the exigency of a Ministry, or of the fate of a Government, or of • line of ordinary policy which might be safely left to the hands that are used to pilot the vessel of the State. It is a question concerning, and deeply concerning, the honour and the character for humanity of the people of England ;and it would seem as though the people of England, if they would have their honour and character for humanity safe, must take them into their own keeping And that this Indignation-- for it amounts to that-is not exoessive nor misplaced appears to he tardily admitted by the Government itself. , His lordship then quotes from the recent letter of Mr. Bourke.] But lord Derby has told us that in these delicate and difficult polities] criees he likes to feel, before he acts, that be has the mind of the country at his back, supporting him in tile action; and it is that the noble earl, who will have to set sCsna and to act decisively, may know the mind of the wintry on, at lewd, one important issoe that I make this appeal. Travellers abroad this summer *end home Void to their friends that they are surprised to observe the wonderful leap forwards in continental hillyenoe that FAigland has made in the last few 'writhe. The position, if it flatters our pride, rise with it a very grave responsibility; Of it would seem as though the maintenof what some call territorial integrity ' lind others 'the status in yun oats' of the Ottoman Empire was considered by the other Powers of Eu.ope to -be lett in our hand,. Lord Derby hos said that the .Treaty of Paris was never intended to guarantee Turkey against death from natural causes or by her own hai d. Was it intended to enable her, ander the protecting Aegis of England, to commit these monstrous crimes of brigandage, rape, and murder upon an almost warmed and industrious peasantry which she has committs d with impunity? The balanos of power' is a buglioar ' which seems to frighten statesmen and diplomatists and to paralyse their power of action. But are the people of England going to be frightened by it too? Even if it were certain that Russia would become possessed of Constantinople though that seems neither the likeliest nor the best solution of present es:implications—it has yet to be shown how this would perilously or even prejudicially affect either the industrial development or the Imperial power of England—those ' interests ' which Mr. Bourke says bar statesmen 'are bound first to regard. But the question which the English people should answer is not this —whether they would like to see the Russians at Constantinople—but another— whether they wish their Government to lift a hand, or even to raise a voice, to maintain the territorial integrity of the Turkish Empire in Europe. The Treaty of Paris could never have bound us to this, under all conditions, and ',ode 'pie mute. Sfy second point touches the question of humanity Are we to do nothing as a people to relieve the widespread and, I fear, spreading distress caused by all this 'carnage and devastation?' Are Our feelings and our sympathies wholly to evaporate to 'indignation meetings?' Sixty- five villsges, many of Item with populations reckoned by thousands, have (been destroyed; 15,000 people are admitted to have been inetesscred. A committee has been formed at Philippopolis, and contributions, hi, d'lstria, who is its president, Worms us, 'may he sent to Conotantinople, to the (loninlatee-General of France, Russia, Austria, Italy, and the United States.' And why, it will be asked, is the -Gonsul-General of England, almost alone of the great Towers represented at Constantinople,'conspicuous by his absence' from this list? Is it that it is thought that to the heart of England -you noticed, We, perhaps, Garibaldib bitter phrase—the other day—it is a matter of indifference whether these ill-fated Bulgarians perish or are saved? Let us wipe , off this reproach, 11 it is being fixed upon ns."