RUSSIA. AND HER ENGLISH ALLIES.
The Lache, near Chester, 26th November 1855.
Sin—I find a scamp robbing my hen-roost, and address him thus : "You, Sir, loose that black cock out of the bag; give up those eggs; put down that stick ; and come out of that." He resists ; I collar him, and take him before a magistrate. On the road, we meet a trusty friend of the cap- tive, who makes this appeal—" Did you not, when you first saw this gentleman whom you are treating so rudely, profess a specific purpose, stated in ' four points' and now you unblushingly discard your original avowal of definite intention, and, elated by unexpected success, drag an un- fortunate young man before a brutal justice. Upon any future misunder- standing with gentlemen of our class, can you ever be believed ?" So rea- sons your correspondent of Clevedon Court, in his 1, 2, 3.
The possible extent of a war never can be foreseen at first. England was not disgraced when the war commenced at Corunna, for the liberation of the Peninsula found its unforeseen termination at Paris. Washington was not disgraced when the war which set out with resistance to a tax was extended into a struggle for independence. This talk about specific purposes, when winnowed, is all chaff; which, if used by the supporters of war, would cer- tainly have been subjected to the formula of depreciation, "specific pur- poses, &c.," much more deservedly than words describing motives which, after all, must actuate men, unless they are to be nothing but pigs of an im- proved breed. " Hine illa3 lachrymal." The incapacity of valuing anything but meat and money is at the bottom of all Peace arguments. This is the cause of the application of " &c." to every generous principle. Caring themselves only for the larder and the coffer argument, still for decency's sake the Peace party are obliged to talk about Christianity and philanthropy ; which, how- ever, in their own closets, they class as " &c." and so it seems to them, that when their opponents appeal to principles, it is only an " &c." that is used. Under whatever decentdisguise, the Peace cry is an appeal to the selfish passions of the masses, (rich or poor) ; and those who raise this cry are Rue- ma's best allies—England's worst enemies. As to Russia's services to civilization, " G. H." has sufficiently spoken.
Previous page
