Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/344

300 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP. IX. Ijord Bag- la ri's de- .si)atch in answer. The injury done to the public ser- time levelled against him by the servants of the Crown, with an indignation rather governed than veiled by his native high-l)reeding, but still with the same steadfast carefulness for the interests of the public service, the same loyal spirit and temper, the same absolute command of his sub- ject which we saw him disclosing before in his answers to the Duke of Newcastle. It was on the last day of February that Lord Raglan received the accusing despatch ; and, so full, so ready at hand was his knowledge of the whole subject, so great his skill as a writer con- ducting business of State, that on the next day hut two, he had not only completed the volumin- ous answer demanded by Lord Panmure's ques- tions and censures, but made it what I trust will be deemed a conclusive exposition of the truth — an exposition holding good at all points, yet kept free (with fine taste) from all air of pursuing in triumph the amply refuted Minister. In this admirable despatcli, Lord Raglan showed the source of the embarrassments which had hampered the latter part of the campaign, and the origin, too, of the sickness and of the sufferings which had afflicted our army, but he achieved his whole explanation with an easy, masterful strength, not resembling the strength of mere disputants. Because made to compass a task of great magnitude, the despatcli is of neces- sity long, yet it does not, I tliink, contain any words that could well be spared.C^^) It is well to read and admire the lucid masterful writing of such a State paper; but