faithful
representatives of the people whom they rule. The ground on which we
stand here is not British nor European, but human. Nothing narrower than
humanity could pretend for a moment justly to represent it.

It may have occurred to some that atrocities which it is hardly possible
to exaggerate have been boldly denied; and we are told by the Government
of Turkey that the destruction of life which has taken place is not the
work of either the Sultan or his agents, but is the work of
revolutionaries and agitators.

In answer to this we may say that we do not rely upon the reports of
revolutionaries or agitators. We rely upon the responsible reports of
our public men. Nay, more; while we know that there are those among the
six Powers who have shown every disposition to treat the case of the
Sultan with all the leniency, with all the friendship that they could,
yet every one of them concurs in the statements upon which we stand, and
in giving an entire denial to counter-statements of the Turkish
Government. The guilt of massacre, and not of massacre only but of every
other horror that has been transacted, rests upon that Government. And
to the guilt of massacre is added the impudence of denial, and this
process will continue--how long? Just as long as you, as Europe, are
contented to hear it. Recollect that eighteen months or more have passed
since the first of those gigantic massacres was perpetrated, and when
that occurrence took place it was thought to be so extraordinary that it
was without precedent in the past; for Bulgaria becomes pale by the side
of Armenia. But alas! that massacre, gigantic as it was, has been
followed up so that one has grown into a series. To the work of murder
was added the work of lust, the work of torture, the work of pillage,
the work of starvation, and every accessory that it was possible for
human wickedness to devise. To all other manifestations which had
formerly been displayed in the face of the world there was added
consummate insolence.

Come what may, let us extract ourselves from an ambiguous position. Let
us have nothing to do with countenance of, and so renounce and condemn,
neutrality; and let us present ourselves to Her Majesty's Ministers,
promising them in good faith our ungrudging and our enthusiastic
support in every effort which they may make to express by word and by
deed their detestation of acts, not yet perhaps having reached their
consummation, but which already h