The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-13 00:00:00

MR. GLADSTONE'S INDISPOSITION.

It would appear that for a short time past Mr.
Gladstone has been suffering from sleeplessness, which
is regarded as the inevitable result o the winter Sea-
Sion. Mr. Gladstone, it will be remembered, remained
in town nearly a fortnight after his colleagues left, com-
pleting arrangements in reference to the partial recon-
struction of the Ministry. Since then he has suffered
from a cold caught while felling timber in Hawarclen-
park, and had been laid up for a short. time. His step is
thought to have lost soma of its old elasticity. Dr.
Andrew Clark was summoned on Saturday by telegraph
to Hawarden Castle. He arrived there on Sunday, and
left for London on Monday. He found that the pro-
tracted exertions of Mr. Gladstone during the winter
Session had overtaxed his physical strength, and that
the loss of sleep from which he suffered was to be
attributed to this cause. Therefore, While assuring
the Premier's family that no apprehensions need be
entertained as to the result of his indisposition, he
prescribed absolute rest and relaxation. In these
circumstances Mr. Gladstone's visit to his constituency.
has been postponed, so that it will not take place
during the present month.
_

It may be mentioned that Mr. Gladstone attended
Divine Service at the parish church on Sunday, but
did not read the Lessons, as is his usual custom. He
was also present at an early service at Hawarden
Church on Monday morning.

The fro,- —•• nffir.;al r,tltament was shown to in-
quirers IA v L telegraphed in reply to
numerous requests for information :
"There is nothing whatever serious. Mr. Gladstone
is merely somewhat overworked, and needs rest for a
short time."
The Hon. F. Leveson-Gower and Lady Frederick
Cavendish left the Castle on Monday morning.

The announcement that Mr. Gladstone's visit to
Midlothian had been postponed because of the state
of his health caused intense disappointment in Edin-
burgh, It was at first rumoured that his illness was
of a very serious and a critical kind, but later the
abandonment of the "campaign" was viewed very
much as a Frecautionary measure, and the step was
generally approved. There was evidently a disposition
In many quarters to make unreasonable demands
on Mr. Gladstone's pawers, and to encroach unduly
on his proverbial liberality of speech. Proposals
to ask him to receive deputations and visit other
towns such as Glasgow and Paisley were but indica-
tions of a desire to increase his labours, which could
hardly have failed to produce injurious results. The
various counnittees that have been working assiduously
of late in order to complete the arrangements for the
ineetings'are deserving of much sympathy. The ex-
penses inc-r'-1 ,-;11 1-e cheerfully borne by the
Liberal as, tdat and clubs concerned with the
arrangements, and the active members will have the
satisfaction of knowing that by abandoning their work
they are doing Mr. Gladstone a greater service than
they could have done by adding to his burdens and by
increasing the risk of a more serious attack.
Dr. Andrew Clarke has stated that the exceptional
Session of last autumn added much to the strain on
the Premier's powers, especially as there were no
private members' nights to relieve him from constant
attendance in Parliament. His anxiety was increased
during the past few weeks, when the process of re-
organizing the Cabinet was in progress, and the selec-
tion for various Government appointments had to be
made. It may be stated that Mr. Gladstone has
during a short period shown signs of nervousness
-which he has never before exhibited, but his general
kealth is on the whole good.

WEDNESDAY.

Mr. Gladstone takes full advantage at Iclawarden
Of the relaxation which Dr. Andrew Clark had pre-
scribed for him. Since he contracted the chill from
which he is suffering, Mr. Gladstone has restricted
his exertions simply to walking and driving, accom-
panied by his body guard. On the afternoon of
Monday, when apprehensions on his behalf were
general throughout the country, he drove out to
Tenymynydd, aod walked home to the castle, and ex-
pressed himself benefited by the exercise. For quite a
week past Mr. Gladstone has been complaining of
lassitude and fatigue ; indeed, the sleeplessness to
which reference has been made had been intermittent
for nearly a fortnight. It was then deemed advisable
to consult Dr. Andrew Clark, especially as the visit to
Mid Lothian was at hand, to be followed by a Session
which, it is expected, will prove unusually laborious.
Mr. Gladstone was known to be exceedingly anxious to
fulfil his important engagements in Mid Lothia;), and
for this purpose apologised for his inability to be
present at several local gatherings. For this reason
le was unable to receive a deputation of West
Cheshire farmers who desired to discuss agricultural
grievances and proposed reforms with him dozing the
brief recess. Writing to Mr. James Tomkinson, of
Willington Hall, Tarporley, the Liberal candidate for
West Cheshire Mr. Horace Seymour, on behalf of
Mr. Gladstone, said :—" Mr. Gladstone regrets that
his work is such that he is obliged to study specially
how he can manage to reduce it," and added that " it
is quite beyond his power to receive local deputa-
tions." It may, • deed, I,e takm for panted that
only the strict injunctions of Dr. Andrew Clarke would
have prevented the Premier from fulfilling his engage-
meat with his constituents.
The Premier slept well on Monday night, and
yesterday morning, as usual, attended early morning
service at the parish church. He was accompanied
by Meg. Gladstone, Mr. W. H. Gladstone, M.P.,
and the Alispes Gladstone, the service being conducted
by the Rev. Stephen Gladstone, son of the Premier.
Mr. Gladstone came out after luncheon, and, in com-
pany with Mr. Russell, M.P., Professor Stuart, the
Rev. Mr. Wickham, and other gues ts at the c
walked to Broughton-hall Station and back, a distance
of five miles.

and with satisfaction that Mr. Gladstone's medical
advisers are right in protesting against the pre•arranged
performances in Edinburgh and the neighbourhood.
Doubtless, the Opposition may unkindly hint that
Mr. Glaistone himstlf will not be sorry to escape the
" heckling " to which the representatives of Scotch
constituencies have, in ordinary cases, to submit. It
xotild, in waver, be a strange misconception of the
Prime Minister's character to imagine that he would
evade, in any circumstances whatever, the task of meet-
ing inopportune or embarrassing questions with in-
genious answers. He will, perhaps, himself deplore the
slight indisposition, resulting from his extraordinary
efforts in Downing-street, and in the House of Com-
m ms, which has lost him the opportunity of explaining
to the rigid Presbyterian orthodoxy of Mid Lothian
the "true inwardness," as the Americans would say,
of the :tile:. ed negotiations at the Vatican. These are
Mr. Gladstone's amusements, just as much as his
onslaughts on the trees in Ilawarden•park. The
country has the first claim upon him while he remains
at the head of affairs, and has a right to insist that he
shall husband his powers for occasions and objects
worthy of them. . . . Meanwhile, the followers of
Mr. Gladstone will rejoice that an incomparable force
is not to be wasted—perhaps even jeopardlzed—in
mere party stage-play. The electors of Mid Lothian
must be content to deprive themselves of a high
intellectual entertainment, though one scarcely worthy
to occupy the time and to absorb the energies of the
First Minister of the Crown.

A young lady in Wigan, who is suffering from consump
tint), sent to .N.r. Gladstone on his hirthuay—which was
also her own—a letter containing a bookmark, on which
she had worked in silk, " The Bible our Guide," The young
lady received in return a box containing fruit and hot-
house flowers, together with the following letter in Mr.
Gladstone's handwriting
Hawatden Castle, Chester, January 1, 1883.

"Dear Madam,—' am greatly touched by your
kindness in having worked a bookmark for me under
the circumstances at which you glance in such feeling
and simple terms. May the guidance which you are
good enough to desire on my behalf avail you fully on
every step of that journey in which, if I do not
precede, I cannot but shbrtly follow you.—" I re-
main, dear Madam, faithfully yours,
"W. E. GLADSTONE."