In the House of Commons, where the Address was moved
and seconded, with unusual ability, by Mr. Albert Grey and Mr. Hugh Mason respectively, the former supporting a foreign policy of sympathy, and the latter lending his sanction to the principle of non-intervention, Sir Stafford Northcote, who praised Mr. Grey's view and deprecated Mr. Mason's, congra- tulated the Government on their promise to carry out the stipulations of the Treaty of Berlin but remarked on the critical character of the attempt to put pressure on the Porte, asking, "Are we going to commit ourselves to the use of force ?" and if the question was answered in the affirmative, "in what direction is the force to be applied ?" With regard to Afghanistan, Sir. Stafford, amidst the most vehement ironical cheering, declared that the late Government had always aimed at "the maintenance of friendly relations with Afghanistan, a country which we desired should be truly prosperous and truly independent." Evidently the late Govern- ment was a misunderstood Government, and one which took, moreover, the greatest possible pains to be misunderstood, by completely dissembling its friendly feeling for Afghanistan, and its sincere desire for the independence of that country.
