To Mr. Forster replied Mr. Cross, who described the impression
that there was a war party in the Government as due to a "lying spirit" abroad in the land. He got very warm indeed about the " sham " vote of credit, insisted that it was a real vote of credit, and not a vote of confidence, and then at great length insinuated that there was every reason for cherishing the deepest suspicions of the policy and the conduct of Russia, and for believing that the Turkish Plenipotentiaries were being withheld in some way by Russia from communicating with their Government. Every sort of dilatory excuse was adopted, while "the Russians were still advancing," and now they were probably more than half-way from Adrianople to Constantinople. He taunted the Opposition with the little they could say for the policy "of your friends the Russians," and concluded a speech one-half of- which was softer than butter and the other half a feebly-flourished sword, by declaring that the great object of the Government was to conclude a complete, lasting, and satisfactory peace. If so, the Government must be fully persuaded that the best thing a British Administration can do in favour of a lasting peace, is to carp and snap at every condition essential to such a peace.
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