The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 667, 29 August 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equsil oii'l rxa*t justice to nil men, 01 whatever Hiuto or periuasion, reifgioua or political # * ♦ • * Here klinll the Presi the Pboplk's right maintain XTnawcd hy mtiuonce and unbrihrfl n^^*—

TVEMAX AUGUbI 20. 1&70.

The intelligence, coming as it docs, aa an official warning to the Governoi of New South Wales, that wir between England and Russia is iminiuent, will break like a thunderclap over these Colonies. For the last ten or ft dozen oJFyears, we have been wont to receivo from time to time the intelligence of the critic.il position of the European powers, with the full confidence that the next mail would bring 1 us the assuring news that the difficulty had been capable of pacific solul ion, and so it. has always turned out. This time, however, it comes not as mere news, bat as a warning, as a note of alarm founded by the mother country liei Iself to her dependencies. Ah yet we have the bare announcement of a probable event. Except as we can read it by the light of meagre and desultory messages, which a broken cable has of late rendered even still more disjointed, wo are but partially «*nligh'.:ued as to tho coarse of events which has led up to the present crisis. The pliancy of the late Sultan of Turkey in the hauds of the Russian Government, tho insurrection of the Christian Provinces instigated doubtless by Russian intrigue, and, as some say \iy active assistance from that country with the object of disintegrating the Ottoman Etnpin, and the triple alliance of llie three Emperors which led to the drawing up oi the celebrated Berlin noto, the acceptance of which by To i key would have given the three Powers mentioned, Russia, Germany, and Austria, the right of controlling and directing the internal constitutional reforms without the concession of which Turkey could nover have hoped to have subdued the rebellious Provinces — all this culminated in the long withheld appearance of Britain on the scene, not alone in the shape of a diplomatic note, but backed in Bessica Hay by the " vis inertia)'' of a fleet of iron clads, such as all the world besides could not produce. It was tho craft of a M tchiavol combined with the sword of a Kupert, and no wonder that the spirit of the Turks rose in exact proportion as those of the Russians were disconcerted and paralysed. Tho " coup de main" which dethroned Abdul Aziz, the tool of Russia, and placed Sultan iVJtrad Effendi on the throne was their first stop towaids securing constitutional fieedom taken by tho Turks. Aud this, it must bo remembered, was a direct check to the policy of Russia, given by Turkey under the aegis, it may so bo said, of the British presence. Since that erent ( he chain of iuteHigeuce has be< k n broken, and wo

m,w learn iho lesalt Ufniecomp.ii.i^l | with the more immediito cau<-e« which led v,) to U, tlu> piecis>e poi>i(, of rupture Vi-wcp'i lh" I'owers. and what is peilups of nviro coast nee, the uttitiii'n w'lich o'her yi'o.tf. Muropt'tn Powers tl);ui tho'o of Britain I and Russia will ast>un.e. . Of UiL we have no intel'igence, but it will sorcely, we think, be found that Germany will range itself on the side of Kun.sia. Germany has yet its mission to fulfill and the advance of the Russian Empire^ westward is a stumbling 1 block" in its wny. The unification of the.Garman Empire is not comj>lete. It needs all Austria westward of (be Danube to complete that which, and it has never beeumndea secret, is as much Ihe policy of the German Empire as the possession of Eastern Eui'ope is that of the Kussian. This of course, involves the absorption by Germany of much territory, and Rome millions of the German subjects of Austria, and if these pass to Geruiany, Austria must have its equivalent, and that may be the real and nominal dependencies and provinces of the Ottoman Empire. That Austria wonld accept this position is more than probable. The exchange would be solidly advantageous to her, giving her the position which German feeling 1 assigns to her as of right, that of a great Eastern Power, while on thp other hand she must feel that if Germany wi'ls it her German Provinces must go sooner or later to the stronger power. Such a redistribution of territory would work out the policy of Germany, it would attain the-ob-ject of Lutain in keeping b.ick Hkissia within her legitimate bounds. As to the supposed feeling of accord betweon the Courts of Ber.in and St Petersburg^ we are not inclined to attach any great weight to such an influence. The tie between that of St Jamss and Berlin is equally potent, but ties such as these avail nothing agaiubt the carrying out of nation; 1 policies and the opening of the floodgates of national feeling, and there is little of leal unison between the Rus&ion and the German people, but ruther the reverse 1 . Supposing then (hat such is the position, it remains to be seen what attitude France would take, whether on this occasion she would draw the sword against her old allies of 1854 and in defence of bor then enemy. Far more likely, if she be diawn into the melee of nations that she will be found oppostd to than allied with Germany — not that the loves England less, but that she hates Germany more. The Franco. German war has left a scar in the breast of Prance that time will never heal.

The rumours which have for some time past been floating in the political atruospheie have at. last assumed tftnp'ihlfi.fi>v*»H — Vl^~ar& asm? red Tby our own correspondent that Sir Julius Togel is afc last weary of the fierce conflict he has sustained almost alone during the last si* yeara, and intends to avail himself of the honourable outlet of escape nffbrded him in the acceptance of the AgontGeneralship. The probability of his resignation appears to have caused a flutter in Ihe Ministerial dovecote, and Sit* Donald McLean and Mr Richardson are spoken of as likely to follow the lead of the Premier, and place their portfolios at thf disposal of the House. We presume the refuse of the cabinet will not be recognised by incoming Ministers, so that an entire change in the personnel of the Ministry may be anticipated. We, howevor, are disposed to question the truth of the statement that the Native Minister and the Minister of Public Works will vacate their respective position*. Sir Donald has do;ie a world of good since ho fiVst took office. It is useless to deny that the expenditure in his department hns been perhaps needlessly extravagant, but it were worse than unjust to shut our eyes to the fact of the pacificatory results which have accrued nnder his ' regime.' We neod only point to the opening of the Ohine. tnnri goldfields, to thefacfc that herds of cattle and sheop now traverse the plains between the Ateamuri bridge and Cambridge, where formerly their passage was barred by hostile savages, to the settlement of the Upper Thames and Piako districts whero «ir years ago the ■whiteman scarcely daTed set his fooc, to the wii*en stretching from Tauranga to the Thames, to the opening of Kaimni, and to a thousand and one advantages which we now enjoy, to point our tale. We unhesitatingly a»d fearlessly state our conviction that the resignation of Sir Donald McLean would be n loss' to any district the prosperity of which may be affected by the movements of hostile natives. If our space would admit of it we could picture a startling contrast between 18G8 and 1876 in roferenco to native matters. Mr Richardson has always shown himself to be a practical hard-working man in his department, and we know of no one at present in Parliament who in administrative ability — in his particular line — will be able to supply his place. Of the " head and front of the offonding," Sir Julius "Vogel, we can only rtcord our conviction that be is one of the most remarkable men in the Australasian Colonies, whether his policy end in success or sinks public affairs into the deepest slough of despond, the fact will always remaiu that ho lms lor seven years borne the whole burdeu and heat of puny warfure upon his own

.shoulders. W„ > the iinini^ra'ion (lcfpirtin< ut atlaokcl, Yo<rcl had to co no lo ho uscir. Vv'a.s a lar^e lean wanted, Vogel li.ul to negotiate it. 1 1' the p sittl Hcrvke w.utsl atU-n tiori, tho futuiv Agent (icneial w;is the only m<n who cutild provide tho br.iins and n'e.-g\ for its re-or-ganisation. Jle hud to answer every qutstion, to party every blow. We ure not going- to express an opinion as to tho wisdom of all Ms policy, — time *• alone will tell us this,' bnc when ho is- gone, mark us well, a great gap in Colonial politics will tell us that a master mind has gone from amongst the people of New Zealand. Of the future head of the Ministry — as prophesied by our correspondent, we have little to say, except that the '-' chnmeleon of poiitics" might be the term which would best express our idea of his capabilities. All things to vll men always was and always will be the late (Superintendent of Wellington. We can in the proposed ohango see nothing l'e-assoring, nothing- to give assurance that th« rabid polidcul feeling which has boon rending the country shall be assuaged, nothing to guarantee that iho stiife of parties shall be swallowod up in the patriotism which tho heart of the country is yearning for, and nothing which in forgetting old animosities will ensure us practical attention to our most pressing wants.