MR. GRANT DUFF ON DISARMAMENT.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1
Sin,—Will you allow me to correct an error in the Spectator of the 14th, which, though trifling in itself, is of some consequence tome?
I never stated, as a matter within my personal knowledge, that the Governments of Prussia and France only asked that some disinterested power should take the initiative in advising disarma- ment. After looking very carefully through the numerous speeches which I have made during the last few weeks, I am inclined to think that the writer ofspe article about Lord Stanley had in his
mind the following passage, which occurs in a speech made by me at Elgin on the 21st of October .—
" Well, but if Governments will do nothing, can Parliaments do nothing? I have good reason to believe, or rather to know, that a desire to take some steps in this direction is moro generally diffused amongst the Parliaments of Europe in this year 1868 than has ever been the case before, and various plans have been proposed for bringing the opinion of the representatives of the taxpayers to bear upon the actual wielders of armies."
I have certainly said nothing that comes nearer than this to the statement in your columns. I wish I could do so, for I think it would be hardly possible to exaggerate the utter unreasonableness, the meaningless horror, of the war between France and Germany for which so many persons in the former country, who ought to know better, seem so very anxious.—I am, Sir, &c.,
M. E. GRANT DUFF.
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