23 DECEMBER 1899, Page 3

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman addressed a meeting con- vened by the

Aberdeen Liberal Association at great length on Tuesday evening. After censuring " certain news- papers which had misled the people of this country," the speaker deprecated alike despondency and the tendency to criticise our generals in the field. But he refused to accept the doctrine that criticism of the Executive must now cease, and positively declared that the Liberal party accepted no responsibility for the war, nor had ever acquiesced in the policy or proceedings which led to it. Mr. Chamberlain, he went on, was mainly answerable for the war, which he had entered with the emur lager of an Emile 011ivier, and the Government ought to have framed their military preparations_on a,scale proportionate to the resources of their opponents. We hope we shall not be accused of misrepresenting Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman when we say that he seemed to contend that under no circumstances could Mr. Chamberlain be entitled to any credit. If things went ill, it was his fault; if otherwise, it would be due to the wisdom of his colleagues and the fortitude of the country.