Professor Henry Smith, the Liberal candidate for Oxford, has issued
a letter explaining his views upon the Eastern Question. He says that there has been much in the foreign policy of the Government which he cannot approve. They should have recog- nised much earlier than they did that the condition of the Christian Provinces of Turkey had become unendurable, and have been prepared when the emergency came with a well-considered policy. Instead of this, they drifted with the stream of events. Never- theless, he concurs in the general tenor of Lord Salisbury's de- spatch, not perceiving in it any intention to restrict the liberties to be granted to the Christian subjects of the Porte, but only a
protest in favour of international obligations, and against Russia clispteing of the Eastern Question in her own way. He demands permission to judge independently of the future action of the Government in the matter, and hopes that all English- men will unite, if any of the great interests of the country are -endangered. This letter will, we fear, greatly diminish the zeal of Academic Liberals on Mr. Smith's behalf. It really implies that he would disapprove the liberation of the Christians, if Russia gained advantages by their liberation, which, as no Power Trill liberate them but Russia, amounts to an indefinite postpone- ment of their claims. We fear Lord Beaconsfield would con- vince Mr. Smith that English interests were endangered, and we see that Liberals must support him only as a convinced Liberal in general politics, though unhappily unsound upon the great question of the hour.
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