The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

THE groptalli,

commission to inquire into the causes of the riot.
It was of no great use, as the arms were put where
they could be easily got at ; and the investigation
of the nature of the mischief did nothing towards
curing it. The executive gained no force ; and the
amount of murder perpetrated in the latter months
of that year tried the courage of every member of
the government. To such cares Lord Eglinton
succeeded in 1858, when the Derby ministry came
in. There was some idea that the office of lord-
lieutenant would be abolished at that time ; and
the iiroposal to that effect discussed in parliament
was negatived amidst expressions of belief on all
hands, that Ireland must ere long be governed by a
secretary of state. Lord Carlisle was, however, to
be Viceroy again. He used the interval of his being
out of office to travel in the East, and on his return
be published his " Diary in Greek and Turkish
Waters."
In the summer of 1859 he resumed the Vice-
royalty, with Mr. Cardwell as Chief Secretary, on
Lord Palmerston's return to power. Ireland bad
been prosperous under a series of fine seasons, and
there was hope of a diminution of crime—of the
crime which recedes or gains ground according
to the welfare or suffering of the agricultural
population. But there wax now a succession
of bad agricultural years to be gone through, and
the condition of the people was more obviously
declining from 1860 to 1863 than at any time since
the famine and fever. Lord Carlisle devoted his
efforts to improve the agriculture of the country.
By exhibitions, by central and local meetings, by
every aid that his presence, his eloquence, and his
earnest support could give, he tried to give a wise
direction to the spirit, and the capital, and industry
of the country, during three years of dis-
heartening adversity and decline. When these
were over, and fine weather brought good
crops to light once more, the small farmers and
the better order of labourers were leaving the coun-
try as fast as they could. Lord Carlisle stoutly
and indefatigably maintained that the emigration,
painful as it was to witness, was unavoidable under
the relative conditions of the United States and
Ireland ;and that it was, under these circumstances,
a benefit to those who remained behind, as well as
to those who went forth. lie had the most neces-
sary qualification for a ruler of Ireland in his
indomitable hopefulness.
All other Irish interests had his goodwill and
best assistance, as well as agriculture. lie watched
over the Queen's colleges, and the course of the
national schools, and the increase of manufactures,
and their introduction into all the provinces. His
hospitality, and the genial cheerfulness of his court
and society, were all that the discontented could lay
hold of in the way of complaint or ridiculn ; but
in Ireland popularity is a real governing power,
and as long as nothing better is sacrificed
to it, it is a power in the bands of
an accomplished and cheerful-tempered man
which he has no right to neglect or despise.
Nothing that was done and enjoyed at the
Castle impaired the spirit of the executive in deal-
ing with the rancour of bigots, or the insolence of
factious magistrates, or the outrages of agrarian
conspirators. Lord Carlisle's reign was not signalised
—any more than former viceregal terms have been
—by success in extirpating Ribbon societies, and in
fortifying the loyalty of the rural population to the
law ; but there were no special causes in the Viceroy
or his course of policy or manners to blame for this,
He was unable to do what nobody has been able to
do yet, and what will probably be done at last by
other agencies than that of any one man, or set of
men iu office. The charge against him was that he
governed Ireland by words—by speechification.
The question is how far it is requisite for a good
ruler of Ireland to be eloquent ; and it may be re-
marked that after 1829, O'Connell himself did
nothing for Ireland but speak, though he bad the
mind and heart of Ireland thus under his hand.

When the hoped-for change in the fortunes of
Ireland set in—when the crops improved, and the I
farmers began to recover their means, and the emi-
gration showed signs of slackening, Lord Carlisle's
connexion with Ireland was dissolving. During the
early part of this year speech was becoming difficult
to him,through &partial paralysis, which did not show I
itself otherwise. He had engaged to preside at the Ter- '
centeuary Festival at Stratford-on-Avon ; but when '
April arrived his physicians remonstrated against his
purpose of fulfilling his engagement. It did appear
hazardous in the extreme to put to risk his scarcely
recovered powers of speech ; but the festival seemed ,
to be in danger of failure, several pledged visitors
had drawn back, and he was resolved not to faiL '
There are many who can testify what his address
was, in matter and manner. The archbishop by his '
side—Archbishop Trench—an anxious listener,
declared afterwards that Lord Carlisle's speech i
was not only as good, but as finely de-
livered, as any be had ever beard from
him. Others who_ were unaware how critical
was the occasion, were of the same opinion. The
effort seemed to have no bad effect. He returned
to Dublin better rather than worse. After a time,
however, the affection returned ; and the whole
right side became paralysed. He was in this state
when the O'Connell statue celebration took place in
Dublin, and the consequent faction fight took place
in the form of the Bellied riots. Severe reflections
were uttered, in private and in print, about Lord
Carlisle's absence at such a time. To be sure it
was " for his health," as duly announced ; but a
man's health should wait on such a crisis as that
was. While such things were said Lord Carlisle
was at Castle Howard, helpless and dumb ; not
only speechless, but unable to bold the pen. His
public life was closed. He would never speak
again, and he would never again be seen, in
Ireland, or anywhere out of his own home.
His private life, however, had never been more
beautiful and beloved than now. lustead of the I,
irritability and depression which usually accompany
the disease, even where the intellect remains un-
affected,
there was in him a serenity and even cheer-
fulness as unmistakeable as the clearness of his
mind. He was as willing as ever to receive what
others said, without manifesting any harassing need .
to reply. His drives, in the fine autumn days, •
among the woods at Castle Howard, were a keen
pleasure to him as he watched the changing beauty
of their foliage. Sad as it was, his decline was so
much less grievous and terrible than it must Lave
been in a man of a lower mural nature that it was
endurable even to those who loved him best. When
it became known that his career was closed,
the echoes of his old eloquence must Lave
awakened in many minds ;—the West Riding
electors who had beard his best-remembered
speech ; the Leeds mechanics to whom he had
spoken as a lecturer ou Pope ; and the Americtius
and the Irish, to whom he had spoken frankly and
affectionately on the interests of their country ; and
finally, the lovers of Shakespeare, who heard his last
public utterances, and could perceive through them
how much poetry had contributed to the happi- I
Less of a thoroughly cheerful life. Literature was
indeed a solace and delight to him from the opening
of his reason, through all the labours and trials of
life, and at last in his decline, when all but mental
pleasures Lad become extinct for him.

• if. willegoi be remainbell as a great statesmen ;
Ikit the taiglition of him remain as of the best
*M• most bibbed man hate company of gatemen
• of his day and generation.