Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-05-05
RICHARD coBDEN.

The English Liberals beWail in the deatl
Of Richard Golden one of the great English
men; even the London Times confesses tina
his eminence must remain unquestionable
and the Emperor Louis Napoleon orders hi
bust to be placed in the gallery at Versailles
Yet he held no Office he had refused to b
made baronet but he was universally
honored for the sincerity Of his life and char
acter, and for the devotion of noble powers
to the welfare of his country.
Richard Golden was what is called self
made man, which means simply that ht
used his Opportunities, and had the happy
gift Of knowing when and how to use them,
La this he was ike Mr.. Lincoln. There are
plenty of poor boys, sons of small farmers
in England. ike Richard Golden, or of poor
Western settlers in America, like Abraham
Lincoln, who are thrown upon the world,
but after a desperate struggle succeed in liv-
ing respectable lives. But it is a peculiar
energy, clearness, tenacity, and purity Of
purpose which enables them to become what
Lincoln and Golden were.
1t is the good fortune of England at this
time that she never had an ADLER group o.
liberal leaders. They are a distinct boGy
from the Whig chiefs. In the days of Sn
Francis Burdett the folly of the radical par
ty defeated its best purposes. But the lib
eral leaders of to-day, such men as Richard
Golden, John Stuart Mill, John Bright,
with their immediate allies, bellittle both the
Wing and Tory Giants. They represent
what is noblest, best, and most humane in
English political thought and progress
Mr. Cobden's signal and most illustrious
service was bis advocacy of free trade In
1889 he led the movement for establishing
the Anti -Corn-Law League, and after tre-
mendous and incessant agitation, wich exas-
perated the agricultural, as the anti-slavery
agitation had exaspe ated the commercial,
interest in England. Sir Robert Peel, the
Prime Minister, yielded to the inevitable
logic of the reformers, and brought in the
bill repeating the dutiesupon imported corn,
which was approved on the 26th of June,
1916. 1t was one of the greatest political
triumphs in history. 1t reversed the ira
ditional and cherished policy ofa nation, and
the result was achieved by solid argument.
The grateful nation enriched Mr.. Golden
as a recognition of his patriotic service.
But his political independence was never
disturbed. He never courted majority.
His constituents approved the war with
Russia, He opposed it. England made
war upon China. Mr.. Golden, with the
majority in Parliament, voted to censure
Lord Palmerston, and his constituents re-
fused to re-eleet him.
Like all the English liberals, Mr. Golden
has been one of our irmest and truest friends
during the rebellion. He had been twice in
this country and understood our politics.
Still better, he understood the eternal law
that prevents injustice in an enlightened
people from being permanently profitable /;
and although not of sanguine temperament
and knowing the condition of the country
and the spirit of the rebellion, he was con-
scious of the terrible task before us, yet he
sincerely believed it would be accomplished.
Golden did not live to hear of the fall of
Richmond, nor of the surrender of Lee, nor
Of the final sealing Of the coast by the oc-
eupation of Mobile. But he did live to see
the insurection of a system, which, as a
political economist, he knew to be disastrous
to any nation, tottering and falling and
the great principle Of equal justice before
the laws, which as a statesman, he knew to
be the only sure foundation of states, ascen-
ding to its complete victory. Happily for
him he died before he heard that the wise
and patient and practical statesman, who was
the characteristic product of institutions
which Golden trusted with all his heart, had
suddenly rested from his labors amidst the
tears of nation. The two men lived for
the same great purpose. The true interests
of the people of England and of America,
have lost two of their noblest friends in
Abraham Lincoln and Richard Golden
Harper's Weekly.