But what I speak of now is
the disruption of all concord in your army caused by the reform
which has forced itself upon you. All loyalty has gone; all that
love of his profession which should be the breath of a soldier's
nostrils. A fine body of fighting heroes is broken-hearted, not
because injury has been done to them or to any of them, but because
the system had become peculiarly British by reason of its special
absurdity, and therefore peculiarly dear."
"Buncombe," again said the voice, and the word was now repeated by
a dozen voices.
"Let any one show me that it is Buncombe. If I say what is untrue,
do with me what you please. If I am ignorant, set me right and
laugh at me. But if what I say is true, then your interruption is
surely a sign of imbecility. I say that the change was forced upon
you by the feeling of the people, but that its very expediency has
demoralized the army, because the army was irrational. And how is
it with the navy? What am I to believe when I hear so many
conflicting statements among yourselves?" During this last appeal,
however, the noise at the back of the hall had become so violent,
that the Senator was hardly able to make his voice heard by those
immediately around him. He himself did not quail for a moment,
going on with his gestures, and setting down his foot as though he
were still confident in his purpose of overcoming all opposition.
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