Lord Salisbury, in reply, postponed debate upon almost all points,
and based his strong hope of peace mainly upon the Emperor Alexander ; but he said one thing which may here- after turn out to have been of importance. Prince Bismarck, he said, was always declaring that Germany had no interest in Eastern Europe, and that was probably true, for even in the Crimean War Prussia was the only Power which refused her co- operation with either side. England had, however, other traditions and other interests. "We, too, have a past ; we have traditions and a policy—a policy from which we have no intention of departing—a policy that we shall consistently uphold. We have interests ; we have for the last three or four generations asserted interests in the South-East of Europe ; and we shall not show ourselves more indifferent to those interests than those who have gone before us." Now, what does that mean P If it means that the Government will help to oppose Russian aggres- sion on the Balkan States, Lord Salisbury will please even those who would not consent to war ; but if it means that we are once more to fight for Turkey, he will split his party into fragments. Even the Tories will not be united, and we doubt if he will find a Unionist to go with him. It is the Confedera- tion of the Balkans which they desire, not the continuance of a destructive Tartar tribe which has destroyed the prosperity, and almost the life, of every province it has conquered.
