The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-19 00:00:00

lIIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAT.—Morning, 1011. 58m.—Afternoon, 11h. 38m,
2'o oimo w.- 31 °ruin g„ h. m.—Afternoon, 12h. 10m,

baronet boldly declared his belief to be that the
Whigs were anxious to keep the question unsettled
for fear that OTHELLO'S occupation should be gone,
and that they should be left without a subject for
threats, vituperations, and fair promises—be bank-
rupt, in short, of theirpolitical capital. In opposition
to Mr. GLADSTOIsZE'S witty antithesis about Liberal
trust and Conservative distrust, Sir E. B. LITTON
propounded a pithy aphorism, to the effect that the
chief distinction between the parties was, that the
one kept their promises, though they had lost their
places, while the other kept their places, though
they broke their promises. Whatever the prevail-
ing sentiments of the country, the electors of Hert-
fordshire will hardly hesitate to return a member
who does them so much honour, and whose shrewd
sense and good judgment, no less than his more
brilliant qualities, so eminently fit him for a place
in the senate of his country.

Mr. GLADSTONE has lost no time in coming for-
ward again, and in his speech last night in Liver-
pool he displayed great moderation in talking of
his recent defeat at Oxford. For this he deserves
great credit, since many men similarly circum-
stanced would have given way to natural feelings
of excitement and irritation. Mr. GLADSTONE has
chosen the better part, in appearing before a large
and influential assembly as the former representa-
tive of Oxford, and not as its defeated candidate.
lie therefore dismissed the matter in a spirit worthy
of the theme, and showed himself above party con-
sideration, and beyond petty malice. When the
first excitement of the controversy is over, and the
temporary confusion has passed away, the tribute
last night rendered will long be remembered as
a gracious and grateful offering to the time-honoured
University from one who, alike by classical attain-
ments and oratorical gifts, was well worthy of being
her representative in Parliament, and ably qualified
to defend her interests. He said that nothing
would induce him to connect his defeat with " one
single word either of disrespect or indifference
as regards that ancient, great, and venerable
University." Having bade adieu to classic
scenes, the right hon. gentleman has turned his
attention to a very different sphere, and one asso-
ciated with very different recollections ; but, as he
said, there is no reason why the man who has been
the faithful representative of the University should
not be the faithful representative of the electors of
South Lancashire. Mr. GLADSTONE was very fav-
ourably received last night, but that is not a sure
sign or a certain indication of his success. Under
the circumstances he was sure of an enthusiastic
welcome. An English assembly, of whatever poli-
tics the majority may be, is always ready to accord
its tribute to one who shows a gallant spirit under
defeat, and exhibits an unabashed front in trial and
difficulty. Mr. GLADSTONE did not appear before
his audience last night so much in the character of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer canvassing for
election, as a public man of eminent reputation and
high character appealing to a large assembly of his
countrymen to afford him the opportunity of taking
that place in Parliament which he fills with such
brilliancy and effect. An unusual interest was
thus imparted to the proceedings in the Royal
Amphitheatre at Liverpool.

Mr. GLADSTONE declared with truth that Oxford
represented more conspicuously than any other
place the most " prominent features that relate to
the past of England, but in Lancashire he fcund an
assemblage of different phenomena." Yet he
argued from this that it was the duty of public
men to harmonise as far as possible between " the
past of our glorious country and the future that is
still in store for her." This is quite correct, and
the right hon. gentleman's remark is particularly
appropriate just now when so many distinguished
men make such serious mistakes in going to ex-
tremes in that direction of exclusiveness and beset-
ting doctrines. Mr. GLADSTONE desires now to be
returned for his native county, and his speech of
last night is more that of a statesman than those he
has often delivered on similar occasions. He
seemed to rise to the height that was due in conse-
quence of the occasion, and to drop as much as pos-
sible the partisan and placeman for the statesman
and orator, and candidate for an important district,
and not the mere political agent of agitation and
controversy. Of course there was some exception
to this rule, when the right hon. gentleman touched
upon finances, and was in a manner compelled to
defend himself. One thing suggests itself to notice
when this topic is discussed, and that is that the
Conservatives really were allowed no chance of
displaying their powers and maturing their plans.
On both occasions their tenure of office was so
short that they had no time to do justice to them-
selves, or enable the country to judge of their merits.
Out of taste was Mr. GLADSTONE'S sneer at the
efforts made by his predecessors to reconstruct the
Navy. It is no sign of strength to refuse to accord
clue merit to our opponents, and the right hon. gen-
tleman is going against the general opinion of the
country when he endeavours to detract from the
praise so fully and deservedly given to the Adminis-
tration of 1858 in this important respect. It may
well be observed, en passant, that the present Go-
vernment have not been very successful in their
attempts at ship-building, but by their failures and
mismanagement have made themselves the laughing-
stock of all competent judges, while they have
squandered the public money in the most reckless
fashion to suit their own perverse fancies. Mr.
GLADSTONE is very indignant indeed at the asser-
tion that retrenchment was forced upon him by the
Opposition side of the House. Mr. DIsRAELI's
remarks in Buckinghamshire on a recent occasion
have also given him dire offence, and he criticised
them in a good-humoured manner, but evidently
rather in a vexed spirit. Ile said he knew that
good harvests were not due to her MAJESTY'S Go-
vernment, but that some people blamed them for
bad ones ; and in 1860, when there was such a
wretched harvest there was a deficiency in the pro-
ceeds of the public revenue, little or nothing
was heard of the sound doctrine that the
harvests are not the work of the Government. "At
that time," said the right hon. gentleman plaintively,
" I do assure you, that the Government, and espe-
cially the unfortunate Chancellor of the Exchequer,
were held responsible for the harvest." However,
he took consolation from the fact that civilisation
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had now discovered that Administrations were not
responsible for the state of the harvests. However,
added Mr. GLADSTONE, it is now found out that
there is such a thing as " luck ;" and everywhere it
is thus said that the Government is the " luckiest"
Government, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
the " luckiest" Chancellor of the Exchequer that
ever was. Mr. GLADSTONE must take his chance
iu this in common with the rest of public men, and
no expect every one to agree as to his merits. It
is, besides, true that he has had a great deal of work
during his recent career as Chancellor of the Ex-
quer. Mr. GLADSTONE paid a well-deserved tribute
to the manner in which the people of Lancashire
had borne the fearful visitation of the cotton
famine, and said that when we looked back upon
that period, " when we consider the noble qualities
that were displayed in the time of ikat affiiction,
when we recollect how we then awakened to the