TORY OPINIONS OF ANNEXATION.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—It is pleasant to observe the rapid progress which the Con- servative party is making in its "education." Sympathy with subject peoples was never regarded as a Tory "note," but when they do sympathise, their sympathy is wonderful. They have, during the last year or two, discovered that the Poles, whose name used to be rather a by-word in Tory circles—almost on a par with "Niggers "—deserve a great deal of it ; and more recently, the proposal of Russia to reannex the territory which she lost in 1856 has called forth a wonderful amount of indignation. Those who sympathise in the main with Russia, and believe that she is a Power which has grown, and will grow still more, in civilisation, naturally regret the step; if it is to be taken in disregard of the wishes of the annexed population ; but it is not comparable in cool cynicism and rapacity with the reunion, or whatever the word was, of Savoy to France in 1860. Yet somehow, I do not seem to remember that the Tory party, and more especially "society," expressed any strong disapprobation of the conduct of the late autocrat of France in that matter. Surely it would be more dignified and manly of "society," instead .of this con- tinual desagrement of Russian motives and Russian actions, in utter inconsistency with all its former predilections, to say frankly, "We like the Turks," or, "We want a war." If they get their war, they will fight none the better for all this preliminary railing at their opponents.
As for those Liberals whose dislike of Russian methods is too inveterate to allow of their doing common justice to Russia now, they are, of course, so far consistent. But ought not they to be made a little suspicious of their own judgment on this occasion, when they see by whom their occasional denunciations of Russia are applauded? If Catiline were to accuse Cethegus in my hear- ing, it would go a long way to make me believe that on that occasion at least Cethegus was doing his best to act honestly. —
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