MERCY AND HUMANITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 64, 16 March 1900, Page 2

MERCY AND HUMANITY.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"The quality of mercy," says Por-.'' tia, "is not strained," and this is how it differs from the anti-British argu-, ments of "W. "Whittaker and Co.' The "mercy and humanity" which Mr Whittaker commends in Olive Schreiner are.' not otherwise unknown in South Africa ' for it is the fruit of the exercise of these; : virtues by Gladstone in ISSI which Boer and British are now engaged in consum-. ing. Thus it would appear that the moral qualities do not always and in all ! circumstances draw the same quantity ' of water. It is, of course, inconceivabm that a Britisher should support the action of his countrymen from consdenr ■, tious motives, these latter being the undoubted monopoly of that intellectual minority to which Mr Whittaker belongs, nor, and for the same reason, is it credible that he (the Britisher) should arrive at the same conclusion by a process of reasoning. Whatever effect (if any) human volition may have on the progress of events, it .is quite certain that it cannot re-act on the past, and it is useless therefore for us to upbraid one another with what is or what is. dona with. It is lawful, however, to anticipate the verdict of the future, thus 54 years hence the events now stirring the-. [ passions of the empire may be summarised in these words:—"ln 1900, England. at the cost of one hundred millions, oi money, ten thousand British lives,-and the loss of 15,000 Boers, gave peace and good government to South Africa." - * | am. etc., AS YOU LIKE IT- ;