Year: 1873




In the route to the East To go through the
canal new class of ships had to be built. OF
this carrying trade at least seventy per cent
carry the British flag. So here was canal
which England had opposed and ridiculed,
and yet it was not only successful, but neces-
sary to her commercial supremacy in India.
1t was owned by Frenchmen, and an
Egyptian prince had it in his power. France
insists that, her capital having built the
canal, she should control it, as she does her
property in telegraphs and railways. England
insists that the work is SO useful to the world
that it should be taken from the control of any
company or any nation and made neutral and
free, like the great rivers and the high seas.
This commercial quarrel-this emulation in
the contest for supremacy in Asia-is behind
the opposition now made by the great treaty
Powers to the judicial reforms of the Khedive
and his general policy of progress. In palmer
words, Egypt must be stided because Of q mis-
understanding between France and England.


Now, if anything were clearer than another,
it is that in controversy of this kind America
has no part. In the first place, we have the
should be no interference in foreign affairs.
There is no foreign affair more insidious and
perplexing than this Eastern question. There
is not one with more complicated and
embarrassing contingencies. In no case
should we be more particular to avoid entan-
Cling alliances. We can have only one general,
generous, magnanimous policy. We must
deal with the ruler Of this ancient and re-
nowned dominion as we dealt with Theirs
when he became President of France, and
with Figueras as President of Spain. We
must encourage him in his reforms, assist him
in the regeneration of his kingdom, aid him
in every honest effort to improve the condi-
ton of his people, and pray that the time may
come when Egypt will be as mighty as when
her sons ruled in Memphis and in Thebes.
Surely no course is clearer than this, and yet
we have our Secretary of State taking an ac-
tive part in the quarrel and refusing to con-
sent to judicial reforms in Egypt because
it gratifes the French Minister. This
is the attitude of Mr.. Fish. That
worthy Secretary is quietly making a
diplomatic record for us on this new East
ern question that in time may lead to
great harm. It will make precedent that in
the future may be followed to our sorrow. It
will injure us in Egypt, where we are strong,
and embarrass a prince who is entitled to our
sympathy and our respect It is a practical
interference in foreign questions that will do
us neither credit nor honor. It may be the
result of inattention on the part Of Mr.. Fish.
1t may come from misapprehension of the
question-from friendly desire to please the
distinguished gentleman now French Minister
in Washington. We are afraid, however, it is
to be attributed to that tendency in what may
be almost regarded as traditional in our State
Department, to always take the side in inter-
national questions most unwelcome to Eng
land. In other words, to irritate England and
surrender to her when she becomes in earnest.
However much this question concerns Eng
land, it more directly affects the Khedive, and.
withdrawing from the merely European fea-
lures of it, we are bound to aid the ruler of
Egypt in his splendid struggle, and to aid
him as cordially in regenerating the empire of
Pharaoh as we have aided Figueras in found
ing free commonwealth upon the empire Of
Ferdinand and Isabella.