The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1886-04-13 00:00:00

Monet Conniti Exinems.

DORORIBTER. APRIL 13Tm. Mts.
A GREAT DORSETSEURE STATESMAN.

Wieseib. "History of our Own Time.' ie written
up to date, two striking Incidents ci the pad week,
epos which pen and paned are still busy, will Burly
used souse remarkable contraits. The inciting wens
is Parliament 'Yard upon Mr. Gladstone' almost
triumphal progress, MN and shamrock in button hole,
apes the great corasion of proposing to the British
Peeliament Heine Rule for 1 rel sad, vim 111100110 dad with •
I. • kw brief hours by the sad funeral meter which
followed the mortal remains of Mr. W. R. Fortin to
Westmineter Abbey. The semi in the House of
Commens on Thursday night, and that in the
Jerusalem Chamber on Friday morning, sharpen the
outlines of the new political departure. The one
symbolises an era of changes fraught with mighty
ereasentraoss, the other stub with sharply defined
motoriala the burial of a Deed Peat Policy. We do
mil here Wimp. & hasty MOW= of Mr. Gladatone's
proposals, but we do consider the time opportune for
indulging a retrospective glance upon a singularly
pare and high•minded character which haa pained
herald the tongss of slander, out of the heated
annosphere of political strife and misrepresentation.
Is days when we are asked to blind our eyee to all
bin parr/ emanderations, the lesson of the life of Mr.
WI. Freer is ow which canal too chnely be takes
to bean. However desirous of maintaining a loyal
nmetedlen with his party, he was reedy on any
umession to staind at right angles, if his convictions lad
him to serums thie attitude. He was not, in fact, a
mem to give to party While Wee 1110101 for mankiad.
This peculiarity cache treed in newly all the public
notions of hie life. Ile dared even to broth with the
religious; body with whom he hod from his earliest
man been ameciated. 11 anything tends to keep an
Individual in owe particular groove, it is his faith.
But OM this had no binding influence with Mr.
Fonder, who, when he saw that education could not
be rendered national without comosuion to the clergy,
ger • up • little foe the mks of gaining much. Certainly
we may my his character woe deer cut ; for examine
se we may the actions of his career, we shall i.e that
his invariable principle wee to pursue • single object,
and to oast aside all minor considerations in gaming
It. He laboured fur the ballot aa one determined not
to yield se inch of ground that was essential to
ewer, and yet Mane who was never daunted by tea.
wavy awoke. If the Lords rejected is, as they did,
he esemed to say "Very well, let them throw it out.
JAI. l. short, but principle is enduring. No matter
lilt fail to par for two or three Sessions, so loag as
the oblige is attained within • reasonable time." Mr.
Forster was nod • men to shout at the trot rejection
"down with the Lords," rather like General Grant,
did he keep "pegging away" mil victory crowned his
efforts. His policy in Ireland, which probably cost
him his life, WS/ at Wei dictated by heroic motive..
His own ideas of what was Just and right did not
coincide with those of his colleagues, they certainly
did not agree with the opinions of the people, whose
again be was called upon to administer. Neverthe•
leas he did not once hesitate to put them in practice.
But it will be as • friend to Colonial intimate that his
will in future be chiefly remembered, and in this per.
deular the force of his character was just se clearly
*visaed. Many of his party friends had come to
consider Emu colonial possessions of doubtful worth.
They were for maintaining merely a nominal conner.
tion, with the idea that the sooner a dependency
'odd sever itself, the better it would be for the
mother imuntry. This wan not Mr. Forstar's opinion.
end lie took great cars to assert it wheserar he li.l
the chance without regard for cousequenoes. If is
condemnation of the Liberal Government for it', par•
tial desertion of the tribes on the border* of the
Transv sal, his revere criticivm I the 'raor). l,u, I
the Soudan, his readinete at all time. to ',lead the
caw. el the clown•trodilen, in whatever part of the
world they outlived —three signs of ins character prove
how unique was his genius end with chat
OM be followed his convictions. Such nicti a, ' rare,
and their security increasn the regret for the by., of
an good and able a statesman. The graceful tribute
paid by Bads Sperimr, 1,1.1'41.94h, and Ompet in the
House of Lords to the departed statesman, wits well
deserved.