The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-10

bring all the blessings of life within the reach of
the largest number" At o'clock the driver
reined up in front of two-story house, not
remarkable for splendor, but suggestive of
wealth and comfort.
The great Commoner came out to meet the
"fy' and welcomed me most cordially to
! Durford, for though his country home was
usually designated Midhurst Durford was the
name of the place since the day of his birth,
and it was only after the Ant-Corn Law
League grew in power and popularity; after
the Corn Laws were repealed; and after ma
| tional gratitude had assumed the shape of
gift of $3.50, ,000, that Mr. Golden was able to
buy the old homestead which had been sold
from his father. Here he was born; here he
died; and here his widow and daughters yet
mourn the loss of the manifest spirit that ever
tenanted human form.
After accompanying me in person to the
guest-chamber, we came down together to
supper, and enjoyed substantial meal, not
forgetting glass of rare old Madeira. OF the
household | saw only Mrs Golden, a noble
woman, with what Tennyson might designate
quiet eyes still faithful to the TRUTH for she
had been her husbands companion in the
bitterest strife attending the Anti Corn Law
agitation, before Sir Robert Peel became CON
vinced, against the remonstrances of the
landed and agricultural interests, of the JUS
tice of the peoples cause and of the wisdom
of the COmmoner's course.
Richard Golden may be said to have begun
his public life in lS4l, in the first year of
Sir Robert Peel's second administration.
In 1887 Mr. Golden had visited France, Bel
gium and Switzerland In 1888 he went
through Germany, and came home Free
Trader.
In 1889 Mr.. Golden first established the
powerful Anti Corn Law League, after Mr.. Viii
liers' motion to repeal the bread tax was de-
feated in the House of Commons.
o.vslo A1,,k II. 4. i.
which he had gone had made Mr.. Golden, in
appearance only, an old man before three score
and ten. He was born in 1904, in Sussex
county, near Midhurst. His hair was silvered
with grey, but there was that sympathy in
him-the Italians name it SympGtico-a to
the glow of a conscious and cultured intellect,
which made him seem much younger than he
really was. He was seated by pleasant wood
fire, and began at once to talk of American
affairs; for the two subjects which seemed
nearest his heart Were:-First. The ultimate
triumph of the Union against the combined
powers of the Rebellion, the Devil, and Jeffer-
son Davis; and the success of the Union arms
he never permitted himself to doubt in
side or outside of Parliament. Second.
His hope, cherished till he died, that Lord
Palmerston could be permanently driven from
power, for he confessed to extreme contempt
for the jaunty ways and cynical optimism of the
Premier.
In our conversation, Mr.. Golden expressed
his opinion that Mr.. Seward was eight
weight" thought he had a fatal fuency with
his pen; wrote too much and thought too little.
He was Englishman enough to regret that Mr..
Seward had taken ground that England had no
right whatever to send arms to the Rebels, Mr..
Golden cOntending that the contrary of this
was the law of nations, and thought the right
of individuals to furnish arms to aid rebellion
even could be traced to the days of Thomas
Jefferson.
He told me an amusing aneodote of Mason,
of Virginia, who was United States Senator
when Mr.. Golden first visited America. The
English Commoner was the centre of attrac-
tion, partly because he was we'll known to en-
tertain Free-Trade notions, chiefly, perhaps,
because he, Mr.. Golden, was then notable
man.
Much to his surprise, Mr. Mason asked Mr..
Golden to take glass of whisky from some
point in the immediate neighborhood of his
place in the Senate IN. B. this liquor is now
called, by the Hon. Garrett Davis, the Uernacu-
lar drink of Kentucky.)
After extending, as above mentioned the
courteses of the Senate, Mr.. Mason observed
! Senator Seward walking across the Senate
! Chamber when, with true Virginia hauteur,
he drew himself up, and said, looking towards
Seward, =" Mr.. Golden, prohigate demagogue
that ~
Mr.. Golden never told that story without a
merry twinkle in his eye.
| had just finished the life of Cavour who
was personally known to Mr.. c. He COM
! pared him to Stephen A. Douglas and
thought Cavour was his equal in audacity and
| power, but statesman not great in moral
| purpose. He talked much of Mr.. Seward
and ranked him with Lord Palmerston, whom
he cordially hated but gave Mr.. Seward the
credit of being one of the most adroit and sue
cessful politicians in the world, but denied
ht,,,t t1,oy l. of C. 4oIo.
Mr.. Golden said that he was not sure Wen
| dell Phillips was not the foremost thinker in
America, and he was very clear that Phillips
was the best man in America to send to Eng
land to give the English an idea of the length
and breadth of our struggle for self govern
ment. He said, the clear ringing sentences
OF the Boston orator were pleasing to the Eng
lsh ear; and that his terse, epigrammatic style
would make friends for America wherever he
! went.
On the evening of my arrival he had just
| written his last letter to Deane, of the London
Times. The ''Thunderer'' had always, prior
to this time, hid behind its 'tmpersonality ar
gument, " that no one man was responsible for
anything said in the columns of the London
Times. Walter, who Mr.. Golden said wanted
to be Peer, and hence his toadysm to the
aristocracy, and Delane, the chief writer for
the Times, had made bitter and continued per-
sonal attacks on Mr.. Golden, ever since he
negotiated, at the request of his own Govern
ment, the celebrated French treaty at Paris
But of this newspaper war between the Times
and Golden came this good result, which was