Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/296

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252 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAT, he placed the fullest confidejice, including even ^^' the one who was truly liis ' right-hand man ! '(^^) To people at all ai)prehending what conimand- ership means in an army, this application of ' constitutional ' doctrine to a Headquarter camp must seem beyond measure preposterous ; and therecep- the astonishment, the anger, tlic noble scorn tion of such lie a measure with which Lord Eaglan heard of a proposal for ^y Lord ^ roe Raglan. slieltcring him behind his staff olncers, may be imagined by all wlio know anything of liis loyal, generous nature. Incommensurate as it was with the scale of lamentation and invective in which the great journal had spoken, tliis quomt measure could be hardly expected to remain veiy long in its favour; and the time soon came for advising a course of action that harmonised with the utter despair already enjoined by the paper. Lest a nation — once famed for its steadfastness — should be send- ing out fresh troops to support our imperilled Thedeciani- army, the great journal solemnly declared itself si°pporti'ng agaiust such fond efforts ; and the nation which, by reinforce- in facc of this Warning, should dare to reinforce Lord Raglan, was thenceforth to be only a waif shaken off, and unblessed by the ' Times.' ' We ' are all to persevere with the whole force of the ' empire in carrying Lord Eaglan and his Staff ' through with it, and enabling them to redeem ' their credit at the risk of another army — this ' is what Government is prepared to ask.' . . • ' For our own part, whatever others may be ' pleased to do, we will take no further part in ' such an aftair. We wipe our hands of the