IS SELFISHNESS POLICY?
[Our duty at this critical moment is to maintain the Empire of England.—Speech of Mr. DISRAELI, August 11, 1876.] ENGLAND speaks and Europe listens,—what doth England say? From the very shrine of Freedom comes a voice to-day,- Comes a voice from Christian England, bids them spare or slay. - Is it death, or is it life? What doth England say?
"Shall a brother help a brother, if the waves run high? Shall a nation save a nation, if it lose thereby ? Keep the peace, endure oppression, trade and gather pelf, England's mission (hear it, Heaven !) is to save herself" Hath he said, and shall the world say, "This is England's choice ?" Nay, but this is the supplanter, this is Jacob's voice. Shall he rob us of our birthright, right to free the slave, Right to comfort the afflicted, right to hear and save?
Shall the Danube hurry seawards, red with Christian blood, Outraged maids and ripped-up mothers rolling down the flood? Shall the savage lust of Islam hold its revel there,
And the putrid breath of corpses lade the sluggish air?
Oh, for Milton's rolling thunder, Cromwell's fiery zeal for God ! Then should England rise to vengeance, tread the path that once she trod.
Once again for sacred Freedom should her hosts go forth to fight, And the battle-cry of England should be," God defend the right !"
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