Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1879-10-11 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE SOLIOITOR-GENERAL AND THE PEACE SOCIETY.  Sir Hardinge Giffard, Her Majesty's SoßrianGeneral, in recently addreming his constituents, at Launceston, made some disparaging allusions to the Pace Society. In reply, Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., remarks r—" Sir Hardinge Giffard, like many more who attack the Peace S icity, knows, we suspect, very little about it, and has taken little trouble to inform himself of the principles, the objects, and the operations of that body. Speaking ri the Government, he says, 'They did not go to war, sad consequently ought to have expected praise from the Peace Society, but they had got the re. veise: It is rather a daring assertion to make. in view of what has been going on in Afghanistan an 1 South Africa, that the Government 'did not go to war.' But probably Sir Harding* Girard meant to say, that they did not go to war on the Eastern Question. Even that is scarcely accurate, for the Afghan War was most distinctly the outcome of their Eastern policy. and it is very doubtful, at least, whether Sir Bortle Frere would have dared to involve the country in war with Zululand, if he bad not been emboldened to do so by seeing how the sinister counsel be had given in regard to India had been followed by the Government. No donbt, bethought it would be gratifying them to see the ' Imperial' policy of bluster and aggression corned out in Africa as well as in Asia. But se long as the policy of the Government was a really pacific policy, the Peace Society did give them praise. At their annual meeting, in 1876. while Lord Derby wan yet in office, and was, we believe. making loyal and strenuous efforts to preserve peace, a resolution was passed, gratefully acknowledging the effort, made by the British Government to prevent the war breaking out in Eastern Europa.' But we do not call that a pacific policy, when the Prime Minister was hurling threatenings and defiance at Russia. when Lord Derby was driven out of the Cabinet by its warlike propensities, when the fleet was moved up to the Dardanelles, when the House of Commons was asked for six millions of money for military preparations, when the Reserve were called out, when Indian troops were brought to Malta, when the naval sad military departments were in a state of feverish activity, when Members of the Government were introducing deputations and addresses from the most violent clamourers for war in the country. It would have been strange indeed, and a singularly ironical comment on its name and professed object, if the Peace Society had ' praised ' those who were doing all this. Sir Ilardinge Giffard's remarks on the Zulu War also abounded with the strangest misrepresentations. He said that Sir Bartle Frere was sent to Africa by a Liberal Government, whereas everybody, except the Solicitor-General, knows that he was sent there by the present Government. He charged Cetewayo with the 'ill-treatment and wholesale murder of missionaries,' a charge for which there is not a shadow of foundation. The Solicitor. General further alleged that ' Sir Henry Bolivar, in several despatches, had said that Mona Panda's death, Cetewayo had set every kind of reason and humanity at defiance.' We find Si, Henry Bulwer again and again referring to the African Chief in very different language. In one of his despatches. dated June 26th, 1876, speaking of the dispute between the Zulus and the Tra aaaaa I Boers, he says The Zulu King had always. deference very much to the wiabes of the Government, forborne from doing anything in respect of the question that might produce a collision.' How comes it to pans that, among our public men. there has come of late such au habitual contempt for truth? The most unscruplous assertions are generally made in the very teeth of notorious facts."  The Italian (loam nment 11••• ordered eight additt,oal ,100-ton guns trona Sir W Ariastrsng matt U. at • swat of £16.000 eanla  No home is complete without one of W. H. ICNOWLES; PIANOPORTSS, HARMONIUMS, Si Os sooo,—Worohooro, ILarkotoplaos, Notts.