MR. GLADSTONE AND THE GOVERNMENT.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 62, 7 December 1878, Page 3

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE GOVERNMENT.

An article lias been published by Mr. Gladstone in the "Nineteenth Century," on the mission of England. It is a violent diatribe against the present Government, liis chief accusation is a de-ire for Imperialism, and a determination to annex territory. He instances Fiji, the Transvaal, Cyprus, and the movement that is now on foot, as he assumes, to annex Afghanistan. There is not much that is new in this indictment, and oddly enough it is pretty well answered by an su'ticle ill the same number of the same magazine by Mr. W. K. Greg, on the foreign policy of this country. The contribution is calm and severely critical. It does not spare the Government policy, for it condems the convention with Turkey. The other is a fervid, angry, outburst, breathing fury and disappointment. Its spirit may be gathered from the ex-Premier's opening words—" Gentlemen, we bring you peace and peace with honour." Such are the leputed words with winch Lord Bcnconsrield and Ixird Salisbury rewarded the admiring crowd who, on their return to London in July, formed part of the wellorganised machinery of an obsequious reception, unexampled 1 suppose in the history of our civilians, and meant, perhaps, to recall the pomp of triumphs which Home awarded to hor most successful generals." The spirit id' this opening sentence is preserved throughout. Mr. Gladstone twits the ministers with liio vain-glorious boast in the Queen's ;.i.fh, on the prorogation as to the aid ■which the colonies would have given in a war that " might" have been, and he points out that no man of sense believes the colonics are likely to become in a manner parties to any great European war. This article, though it travels over old ground, and deals with grievances which the House of Commons and the public Opinion decline to endorse, will nevertheless, provoke a good deal of interest.