The Oamaru Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880.
The news received by the San Francisco mail published in another column is of more than ordinary interest, and is well "worth perusal. The portion relating to the late elections in Great Britain tells plainly how high public feeling has run, even allowing for the exaggeration of the American Press, and shows how eagerly European nations have watched the outcome of the greatest political contest that has for many years taken place in the Old Conniay. Not only will the result of the elections tend greatly to revolutionise the government of Great Britain, but it will work a great change
in the tactics of European nations. Tfcifls we are told that Russia's movements in Turkestan are dependent upon a change of Ministry in England, that in Turkey the S.ujtan and Porte tire much alarmed at the i'6sult of the elections, and that general dissatisfaction exists throughout Asia Minor. All this leads to the impression that Russia hoped either for assistance or passive acquiescence in her Eastern aggressions, that Turkey is fearful lest England, under Air. Gladston's rule, will withdraw frosi her a jjrotecting hand, and that in Asia Minor there is a feeling that the Liberals ■will not be inclined to check Russia's aggressive manceuvres in that territory of troubles. In England the excitement appears to have been intense. The sedate and highly respectable Conservatives were driven to desperation, and, in their efforts to stem the Gurrent of Liberalism sweeping over the land, they mildly declared that the constituencies had been bought with Russian gold; tbfit the country was ruined, its prestige gone, its influence in European comunls sacrificed ; and that revolution is impending at JJmnp How much truth there is in these frantic statements will shortly be seen. If we are not greatly mistaken, the result will be widely different from that so freely and circumstantially predicted, and that the greater attention that will be paid to domestic affairs will have beneficial effects upon a country the domestic flffinrs of which have been neglected during the Beacons' field administration. Earl Beaeonsfiekl madeindisputably brillianteffortsto take a prominent part in European affairs. That the Tory Press should have been driven to the necessity of attributing the depresson in trade to democratic paprice and Liberal misrepresentation shows bow desperate was the' battle they were fighting, and to what straits'
the Conservatives were -driven. The result of the elections has already been received by cable, and there -is therefore no necessity for us to •■state-how utterly these devices failed, to divert the mass of the people of Great Britain from securing a Governroent that would pay due heed to internal administration. The Conservatives were utterly defeated. In the words of our telegrams we may say, " Never since 1845 have . the Tories . been so weak numerically, or so discouraged morally." Even the name of Her - Majesty has not escaped free use in the battle, her continued absence on the Continent, "we are told, having formed a subject of sharp comment. If there is-any truth in the statement made by a Berlin correspondent, that "Her Majesty is exasperated, against Earl Beaconsfield for having deceived her as to the real feeling of the country," how incorrect an estimate the late Prime Minister must have formed of the. ability of his redoubtable antagonist, Mr. Gladstone, to rouse the people of Great Britain to a sense of the necessity for a change of administration. The result must ha.ve been startling indeed to the man who of late has been styled the foremost diplomatist of the age. He must have been convinced that a brilliant coup d'etat in foreign affairs is not so capable of carrying weight with the populate as honest attempts to well govern the country. Nor does the wave of Liberalism appeal' to have extended to Great. Britain only. It has spread to Spain, where a manifesto has been issued by 300 former Deputies, and journalists, demanding Liberal reforms. Truly is the Liberal cause spreading, and men's minds tending in the direction of equal rights for all classes. The news from Ireland is more re-assuring, but still the effects of the famine are being severely felt in many districts, and much has yet to be done before the people are relieved from the necessity of depending upon charity. One portion of our summary of news will be read with feelings of horror and disgust. We refer to the news received of the fanaticism being practiced in Mandalay. The reported death of the King of Burmah has no foundation in tact, but "his Majesty" is suffering from leprosy, and here comes the appalling portion of the intelligence, The Mandalay astrologers, those " wise men of the East," declared that great propitiatory sacrifices must be made, and as a result of these utterances, hundreds of human beipgs were burned alive Under the towers of the town. Priests, women, and children are being sacrificed in order that a miserable sot and despot may live. The Catholic Convent has been broken into to secure victims, and even foreigners are not held sacred. No wonder, then, that a panic has seized the people, and that they are leaving the city. It is a thousand pities that this man—if he can be called such—did not die. He would then have been relieved from the pangs of the loathsome disease that never visited a more appropriate subject, and 700 :of his innocent people would have been saved from a death as horrible as his heathenish brutality could, devise.
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Bibliographic details
Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1271, 4 May 1880, Page 2
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921The Oamaru Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880. Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1271, 4 May 1880, Page 2
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