The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-02 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, NOV. 2, 1865.

Mr. GLADSTONE has been the first of the Cabinet
to make his debut under a somewhat new character,
and he seems, taking all things into consideration,
to have acquitted himself very well, and to have
shown great circumspection. At the outset of his
oratorical displays he had to encounter a serious
obstacle in the question of Reform being thrust
upon him as it were, and in reply to the address
presented to him by the deputation from the Reform
Union he showed skill in avoiding awkward admis-
sions, and in not using expressions that might
hereafter embarrass him. After paying a tribute
to the " manly, outspoken plainness" which charac-
terised the style of the address presented to
him, the right honourable gentleman went
on to say that the subject of Reform must be
treated in a comprehensive manner, and that
Parliament must bring to the settlement of
that important question a spirit of pradence,
combined with manliness and courage, and
that it must, above all, avoid the undue
influence of one class over another. The most
skilful can hardly turn these expressions to any
form that may be inconvenient, if quoted at a
future time. The freedom of the city was after-
wards presented to Mr. GLADSTONE amid much
cheering, and the address which was then delivered
by the right hon. gentleman was distinguished by
his characteristic clearness, and replete with the
graces of his wonderful oratory. He alluded to the
" solitariness" which he felt when he reviewed the
chief events of the last few years. " Sad, nume-
rous, and wide," as he declared, are the blanks
which death has made in the ranks of eminent
men during the last few years. The Prince
Consort heads the list of those who have been
snatched away during the last five years from a
community to which they rendered important ser-
vices. The name of RICHARD COBDEN, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer observed emphatically, will
be for ever great in the annals of this country, as it
is now great in its esteem. In the ranks of official
life the losses have been very considerable, and many
may be startled to find mentioned in this speech that
no less than seventeen men have died during the
last five years, whose privilege it has been to advise
the Sovereign as members of the Government of
this country. As for the last of these eminent in-
dividuals, Mr. GLADSTONE impressively said that,
while his loss was deplored in every corner of the
land, they had the consolation of feeling that " it
had pleased the ALMIGHTY to afford him strength
and courage, which carried him to a ripe old age
in the service of his country," but it has not been
so with all those recently summoned away from
us. "It has been my lot," said the right hon.
gentleman, "to follow to the grave several of
these distinguished men, who were still at a period
when their countrymen expected great things of
them." Thus, while these last few years have
been in some respects cheerful, in others they have
been sad, for the " long procession of the figures
of the dead" makes those left behind feel "soli-
tary." Yet, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer
remarked, in this country there will never be a
dearth of men to serve the country. Her MAJESTY
has sent for Earl RUSSELL, and Mr. GLADSTONE
cordially approves of the selection. Indeed, if the
right hon. gentleman meant to put aside the re-
marks that have been made concerning the jea-
lousies that may arise in the Cabinet, he could not
have spoken out more decidedly in terms of eulogy.
He considers the name of RUSSELL to be a promise
and a pledge to a people ; and it is not likely, he
says, that a man who has fought in a hundred
fields for the liberties of England will, in his
seventieth year, prove false to the great work, and
turn away from his grand undertaking.
Mr. GLADSTONE briefly adverted to the many
salutary changes which have taken place of late
years, and which are not too highly appreciated by
those who dwell on their importance. The popular
franchise has been largely extended, religious disabi-
lities have been almost entirely swept away, and the
poorer classes of our countrymen have greatly bene-
fited by the social improvements that have taken
place. Taxes have been reconsidered that were found
to press with too heavy a burden, and freedom
of intercourse with other nations of the world
has been increased and extended to a great degree.
These are, in truth, solid and substantial benefits
and blessings, for which, as a nation, we
should be thankful; and Mr. GLADSTONE does well
to remind a great body of his countrymen of such
inestimable advantages, because many in influential
positions, who ought to know better, are always too
apt to be complaining of everything, and insinuating
that the country has seen its best days. It is wiser,
better, and truer to take a fair estimate of public
questions, and to hope for the best, while deeply ap-
preciating the advantages which have already
accrued to us. Mr. GLADSTONE does " not disdain
the idea of party," he thinks that much good may
come occasionally from the manifestation of its
spirit; but he declares that " party is only an instru-
ment for ends higher than itself, and those ends are
the strength, the welfare, and prosperity of our
country." The right hon. gentleman dwelt at some
length upon the great enemy to civilisation and
progress—" War," and he spoke eloquently and
earnestly concerning its horrors. War, he describes,
as an exceptional case in which both parties cannot
be right, but in which both may be wrong. Now-
adays, the frequency and necessity for war are
greatly diminishing, although, as Mr. GLADSTONE
observes, "it is not impossible in our days to find
some instances in which the dangerous and culpable
desire to take possession of the property of others
leads nations and men into danger and difficulty.
" Even," he says, " in the midst of the oldest civili-
sation upon the Continent of Europe that thirst for
territorial acquisition is not yet extinct." Still,
it becomes us to
in considering our progress,

speak with discretion, for, as Mr. GLADSTONE
remarked, modesty befits a ruler instituting com-
parisons with any other age or country, for as errors
may have crept unperceived over them, so they may
be now doing so over us. The benefits that have
followed from free trade were strongly dwelt upon
by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and the
Treaty with France he considers to be in
some respects a treaty with tho world. lie also com-
bated the idea which was prevalent with some that
too great a devotion to commercial matters led to
the worship of Mammon. It must be confessed,
however, that this is the great danger of our gene-
ration, and therefore it is better to attach too much
importance to them, than too little, for pro-
sperity may be bought at too costly a price if the
public spirit and natioial honour are nearly sacri-
ficed in the bargain, if not completely so. Mr.
GLADSTONE concluded his eloquent speech by allud-
ing to the heavy responsibilities that attend public
life and Ministerial careers. Still there are en-
couragements and consolations if men but ear-
nestly strive to do tb,eir. best, and, as the right