MR. BRIGHT ON THE EGYPTIAN WAR

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1208, 15 December 1882, Page 2

MR. BRIGHT ON THE EGYPTIAN WAR

♦- Mr. Bright having been written to by a Wesleyan minister as to the grounds of his opposition to the late war, gives the following statement of his views: — "The Spectator and other supporters of this war, answer me by saying that I opqose the war because I condemn all war. The same thing was said during the Crimean war. I have not opposed any war on the ground that all war is unlawful and immoral. I have never expressed such an opinion. I have discussed these questions of war — Chinese, Crimean, Afghan, Zulu, Egyptian — on grounds common to and admitted by all thoghtful men, and have condemned them, with arguments which, I believe, have never been answered. I will not discuss the abstract question. I shall be content when we reach the point at which all Christian men will condemn war, when it is unnecessary, unjust, and leading to no useful or good result Wo are far from that point now, but we make some way towards it. But of this war, I may say this, that it has no better justification than other wars which have gone before it ; and that doubtless, when the blood is shed, .and the cost paid, and the result seen and weighed we shall be generally of that opinion. Perhaps the bondholders, and those who have made money by it, and those who have got promotion, and titles, and pensions, will . defend it, but thoughtful and Christian men will condemn it"