The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-06 00:00:00

•
JUR GREIT CARICATURISTS:

At last (says the Pall Mall Gazette) we have a
treatise upon our caricaturists and comic draughts-
men of the present century worthy of the great sub-
ject —in intention, at least, if not absolutely
in execution. " English Caricaturists t' By
Graham Everitt. Swan, Sonnenschein and Co.
We have had before elaborate monographs, such as
Mr. rego's "Rovvlandson" and " Gilray," and Mr.
Thomas Wright's " Gilray ;" we should also have
George Cruikshank's "Autobiography," if Dr. Rich-
arclson would but bestir himself ; and we have Buss's
and Parton's books on the subject in general, but
never yet have we seen any serious attempt at a con-
tinuous narative on the progress of the caricaturist's
art in this country. Mr. Everitt has succeeded in
producing an entertaining history of caricature, and
consequently of the events, political and social, of the
century. What mighty names are brought before
us—mighty, when in the days of our great grand-
fathers ridicule was one of the most powerful
engines which influenced the conduct of
affairs! Here are Gilray the madman, under
whose merciless lash " Boney " and " Georgey "
and Burke and a host of others are known
to have winced; Rowlandson the versatile, who di-
rected his barbed wit as much against the foibles as
the politicians of the day; George Cruikshank—
" glorious ,George "—their worthy successor, both in
composition and technical skill, who for 20 years laid
about him with his etching needle and only stayed it,
it is said (though not by Mr. Everitt), when the too
sensitive powers that were felt constrained to "pen-
sion off" so dangerous a critic. Then come the lesser
stars in the same firmament: Robert Cruiksbank,
Heath, Williams; and later on the great H. 8.,
Leech, and Tenuiel. And what a number
of political occurrences, scandals public and
private, movements religious and secular, are
passed in review all tinged with the wormwood of the
caricaturist's satire! All these events Mr. Everitt
describes at length with great clearness and vivacity,
giving us a view of them, so to speak, from the in-
side. The war with France, the introduction of gas,
the scandals of Mrs. Clarke and Queen Caroline,
Joanna Southcott, the 0. P. riots, and all the other
matters of history, are fully dealt with, and make up
a fascinating recital for the student des mceurs. Then
in the department of " graphic humour," besides
those mentioned, we have Theodore Lane, Seymour,
" Phiz," " Crowquill,' Kenny Meadows, Bennett,
Tliackeray, aud ever so many more. Mr. Everitt
gives satisfactory- memoirs of their lives and honest
criticisms of their works; and when he fails in this
it is simply because he is not specialist enough to
satisfy the collector—that most exacting of critics.
Mr. Everitt's book is a valuable addition to our
scanty literature on a most delightful and instruc-
tive subject, admirable in its plan and sound in its
judgments and general matter.
REHEARSING HOME RULE.

At a recent weekly meeting of the guardians of the
South Dublin Union, a report on the question of taxa-
tion in Ireland was submitted by a committee of the
board. The report suggested that absentee landlords
sho,ild be taxed 20 per cent, on th a poor-law valua-
tion of their properties unless they resided at least
nine months of the year in Ireland. Mr. Guinnes3,
who moved the adoption of the report, said absentee
landlordism was the primary source of all the evil in
the country, and he expressed the opinion that the
Queen should reside in Ireland three months every
year. Mr. Byrne, while condemning absenteeism,
said he also condemned the rebel, who made it un-
comfortable for any man to reside in the country.
They had banished the landlords and those who had
money to spend, and this had been accomplished by
the "League of Hell." An angry discussion there-
upon ensued, and several attempts were made to
induce Mr. Byrne to withdraw the expression. He,
however, refused, and eventually the disorder became
so general that the chairman left the chair and
declared the proceedings adjourned.

A man with a noisy dog calls him "Tree," because
all the bark is on the outside.
_ _

_
An Indianapolis man who seemed posted on
whether wheat was up or down before he had reached
the Board of Trade or seen a telegram was asked
how he got his information. "Well, I'll tell you,"
he replied. "Every morning on my way down at
eleven o'clock I pass the shop of a butcher. He
speculates some and has a brother in Chicago. He
knows me to be a bull. If what is a point higher he
comes to the door and .says7Mr. Backus, shall I
send you up a very choice fat steak for dinner?' If
wheat is down a point or so he bows very stiffly and
'says, 'Shall I send you up corned beef or s soup bone
to-day?"

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

LORD HARTINGTON'S REFUSAL TO JOIN A
GL iDSIONE CABINET.

Lord Salisbury having returned from Osborne, and
the Queen having accepted a resignation of Ministers,
sent a messenger on Friday to Mr. Gladstone. The
message from her,. Majesty summoning the right hon.
gentleman to Osborne did not reach Carlton-house-
terrace until half an hour after midnight. Sir Henry
Ponsonby having travelled to London by an unusually
late train, he remained with Mr. Gladstone about
half an hour. During Saturday a rapid succession
of callers, all of them well known in political circles,
showed that business of great importance was being
transacted at Carlton-house -terrace. A Queen's
messenger and Foreign Office messenger arrived
early with despatches and remained at Mr. Glad-
stone's disposal all day, being employed in conveying
messages to and from Mr. Gladstone's followers until
a late hour. Lord Granville walked across from
his residence a few minutes after 10 a.m.,
and was a frequent visitor during the day.
Lord Hartington, to whom a messenger had
been despatched, arrived from Devonshire-
house at half-past 11, and remained over half an hour.
At the conclusion of the interview his lordship called
on Lord Granville. While the Marquis of Harting-
ton was engaged with Lord Granville, Sir Henry James
called on Mr. Gladstone, and remained with the right
hon. gentleman until half-past 12. He then joined
Lord Hartington as the latter was leaving Lord Gran-
villa's and the two walked away together to St.
James's Park. Lord R. Grosvenor, Lord Wolverton,
and Mr. Herbert Gladstone also called early on Mr.
Gladstone, and in the afternoon Mr. Chamberlain was
conversing with his leader for two hours. In the
course of the afternoon Sir Henry Ponsonby again
called at Carlton-house-terrace, and during the day
several telegrams in cipher passed between the Queen
and Mr. Gladstone through Sir Henry Ponsonby, who
remains in town so as to be able to render assistance
in carrying out any arrangements necessary to pre-
pare for the change of Government. During the after-
noon Mr. Gladstone communicalled with Lord Salis-
bury at Arlington-street, and later on received a visit
from Sir Julian Pauncefote, Permanent Under Secre-
tary at the Foreign Office, who laid before Mr. Glad-
stone important information in relation to foreign
affairs. Lord Selborne also paid a visit to Mr. Glad-
stone during the day. Mr. Childers, in response to a
telegram from Mr. Gladstone, returned from Scotland,
-and late on Saturday evening was for over half an
hour engaged with his chief. Immediately afterwards,
Lord Spencer, who had arrived in town during the
day from Althorp, visited Mr. Gladstone. The right
hon. gentleman attended Divine service at St. James's,
Piccadilly, on Sunday morning, walking to and from
the church, in company with Mrs. Gladstone. In the
afternoon he went to All Saints', Margaret-street, and
was afterwards visited by Mr. John Morley, who was
followed by Lord Wolverton. Lord Spencer called
upon Lord Granville in the afternoon, and remained
with him for some time, and in the evening paid a
visit to Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Childers had a long
interview with Mr. Gladstone, lasting from a little
before six to nearly seven p.m.
The Press Association supplied the following on
Monday last: We are enabled to announce with
authority that the Marquis of Hartington, finding him-
self unable to acquiesce in the Irish policy proposed
by Mr. Gladstone, has declined to join the new
Administration. This decision, which is final, was
communicated by his lordship to Mr. Gladstone during
his visit to Carlton House-terrace on Saturday morn-
ing. The conference between the Liberal leaders
during the last few days have led to some important
changes in the programme upon which the new
Government will stake their existence. The basis
upon which an agreement has been arrived at in re-
ference to the Irish question is the establishment of a
legislative assembly at Dublin for dealing with purely
Irish affairs, on the condition that the integrity of the
Empire and the rights of the Crown shall be guaranteed
by ample safeguards. Against the wish of more than
one statesman whose name will be found in the new
Cabinet the proposed measure for dealing with the
Irish land question will be shelved for a time This
is principally on account of the desire expressed by
Mr. Gladstone, who has not yet completed his bill on
the subject. The matter will not, however, be allowed
to drop.
The Central News says: So many rumours are
being circulated in reference to the Irish Party that
we have been authorised to state that, even if posts
were offered to them, neither Mt-. Parnell, Mr.
Healy, nor any other member of the Irish Party
whose names have been mentioned would accept
office under the British Crown until Ireland has her
own Parliament.
Mr. Gladstone addressed the following letter,
dated Jan. 22, to Lord Waveney, in acknowledging
the resolutions passed by the Ulster Reform Club:
" I have to acknowledge your letter of the 16th and
its enclosures, and to express my regret, which I
am sure is also yours, that you were not able to
send me a less gloomy account. I last night made
the best attempt I could to obtain from the Govern-
ment, who alone can speak of the entire country
with authority, some definite statement of their views
on the social condition of Ireland, hut it was entirely
without effect.—Believe me, faithfully yours, W. E.
GLADSTONE."