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Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2603, 21 August 1878, Page 2

We observe that in all the centres where addresses congratulating Earl Beaconsfield on his noble and disinterested labours at the Berlin Conference have been adopted, there is a strong opposing feeling. In Christchurcl), Dunedin, and othor New Zealand centres the papers teem with letters questioning the right of small local bodies to pledge the public on a question about -which there is, to say the least, a wide divergence of opinion. In Sydney, the Beaconsfield address has called forth a counter movement headed by the Premier, Sir John Robertson, and the ex-Premier and present leader of the Opposition, Sir Henry Parkiis, and a host of the leading Liberal statesmen of New South Wales. The resolution carried by the Hon. Mr Fraser in the Legislative. Council last nightfavourable to the adoption of an address to the Queen, conveying. congratulations on tne issue of the Berlin Conference is not open to the same objection. If parliament adopts such an address it will be at once representative and honoui - able. The result of the Conference, after England had been led so far in the direction of a bloody and objectless war, must afford extreme and general satisfaction. It will still be a matter of opinion, however^ whether but for the policy of Earl Beacons.

field, M. much better settlement, with- no aggrandisement to; Kusßia, no destruction of Turkey, anight nit havjflbeen achieved ■withoit li£ wa^ atgfSall? by the wise S exercise Of England's influence. The Mrge 'section of thoughtful people in England and the colonies who believe that peace has been achieved in spite of Earl through,the. unceasing national agitation against »"itai on the side of the Turk, is attested by monster anti-war petitions and Liberal tions. 7~Fbr"our "orra"part," it appears a matter of little consequence whether the issue of Earl Beaconsfield's policy was what he designed; whether the division of Turkey which has taken place was foreseen and secretly connived at; or whether it has been forwid upon him, and Jke a wise man he recognised and made the best of the inevitable. The sum total is too substantial and satisfactory to make us too particular about the contributary items. Earl Beaconsfield may receive all the admiration his admirers choose to bestow on him. But there is a good deal of force in the objection urged against small public bodies or isolated individuals pledging the political views of the whole community. At the Thames, a few persons went round with the hat, and collected enough to pay the cost of a telegram to the Noble Earl, which was published in the Court Circular as the voice of Grahamstown. Of what value is such an expression of opinion, or is it possible to conceive that it can prove a source of gratification to Earl Beaconsfield? In all probability, the sole person to set eyes upon such telegrams is his lordship's private secretary, who must know pretty well by this time how to answer these communications. But even supposing that the august Premier himself did tear open the envelope, we can picture him exclaiming : " Hang it 1 there goes another five guineas." Most men's sentiments would be the same under like circumstances. An occasional and unexpected compliment is agreeable enough, but a surfeit simply sickens. Lord Beaconsfield, with nil his faults, is too true a gentleman to like " toadyism." There is, however, another and more serious aspect to thew telegrams. If they possess any value at all, it is only as political capital, and may strengthen the Beaconsfield Cabinet on questions about -which the colonists know very little. While we are struggling ourselves for home reform, why should we allow our foolish vanity to weaken the demands of the people of England for similar advantages? But for this danger, the congratulatory telegrams might be viewed as a very harmless sort of mania. It must be observed that all public bodies strongly resemble sheep in one particular. When the bell-wether (Melbourne or Sydney) starts an idea, •which seems on the surface to be apropos, they all follow helter skelter, without taking the trouble to think the thing out for themselves. We will venture to assert that had no Australian city forwarded an address of congratulation to the English Premier Mr J. C. Firth and the Chamber of Commerce would never have thought of doing auything of the sort. It has struck many people, too, that considering how all but moribund the Chamber has been of late years, -its action in this matter was more remarkable for vanity and grandiloquence than for a great taste. The same complaint could not, of course, be made of the City Council; but if they do decide to send a message we trust it will be paid for out of their own pockets, and not out of the public funds. It would be a manifest injustice to do anything of the sort while so many citizens are very far from enthusiastic about Lord Beaconsfield, and have not the least desire in the world to plaster him with fulsome praise, or aid him politically. Though 3 they are willing to admit that it is true he has managed to get us out of a mess, they maintain that he also undeniably got us into it, and there is not much to be grateful for. Had he been more patriotic and less _ anxious to poaturo effectively, the crisis would never have occurred at all. Throughout he has peen perfectly unscrupulous, for after carrying the war party to the verge of the consummation they so devoutly desired, ho stopped short, calmly threw them over (knowing they dare not murmur) and then did precisely what might have been done many months ago. The fact of the matter is Disraeli's brilliancy blinds people's common sense. All that we see now is that a great crisis has been tided over by him. We never stop to think by what means that crisis was brought on, or if wo do our doubts are lulled to sleep by reading that " England's honour has been vindicated," or some such piece of patriotic bunkum.