New-York tribune., 1869-02-27


sudden and irreparable loss in the death of Ernest
Jones, of whom 1 spoke last week. Grote tells us
there is an ancient and honorable meaning of dema
gogue Neither the airfof soil of England fs favoraI
BILE to denlagogues in the modern and discomfortng
sense of that word They have never fourlshet
among us, and there have been fewer Of them than
has been supposed. Many public advocates Of the
people have been counted classed, and discussed
demagogues, WHO were not so. The late Mr.. Ernest
Jones was the greatest Instance Of this During the
last few years it has been partially dscerned that Mr.
Jones was an honest and an able politician Since
his death this has been more openly admitted What
Mr.. Bright is to the middle class Mr. Ernest Jones
was to the peopleto all those oft regarded as the
insurgent classes. 1t is only lately that the
took heartily toMr Bfightthey always took heartily
10 Mr.. Jones', and this illustrates the temper
of English Democrats, who are by no means 50
democratic as they are supposed to be, or as they
think themselves to be. Mr. Jones took the part of
the working people and defended their feelings fath
er than the dOctnes of the rights of labor for they
had no definite doctrines upon that subject nor Mr.
Jones either. OF course they liked him for his de-
fense of them but they know he gentleman, well
born and well connected and they liked him better
stil for that They were charmed to have the elo-
quent yonng aristocrat on their slde. Then he at
tackled the Manchester school;' he hated manufac-
turers and the middle class who once possessed Of
power themselves forgot all their fine promises of
heping the people political enfranohisement Bnt
in all his fierce attacks which disturbed the peace of
the Anti-Corn Law League he did not hate these par
ties as wgrknen hated thetna-he hated them as an
aristocrat hates them. His tastes were courtly-he
was man OF genius. poet and cultivated gentle
man. and was disposed to look down trade as Lord
John Manners and the young Engllnd party looked
down uponit Some who worked with him in those
~ 1 = L.
tive in some day of reaction or disgust, like Sir
Francis Burdett, The evil days came which tried
him; but the day Of reaction never came. His
natural refinement was never disgusted at the
coarseness of the poor. because he knew it not
coarseness of the heart7tbut of the poverty and
ignorance from which ne tried to raise them. Prou
and brave he spoke 6ery w6rds at public meetings.
Two years imprisonment followed. in which he was
treated with an indisnity, contempt, and cruelty,
such as political prisoners are elsewhere subjected to
only in despotic countries. The visiting justices
were of the class he hsd outraged and they were not
inclined to make their prisoner oblivious that he had
fallen into their power. Nor would any members Of
the Government Of the present day relax the harsh
ness Of bis treatment. Thomas Carlyle went and
had look at the Gagged Chartist through
the bars of his prison, and added. by his
account of his inspection, to the public de-
probation Of the prisoner. Nervous, sanguine
ambitious conscious of great powers. these were two
dreadful years to psss but his spirit untamable
He could not hope to escape the cholera which dec
mated the inmates Of the cells around him: He was
treated as though il was desired that he should die
of it. But what occurred inside the prison was q
small thing to a man Of his nature TO what he knew
was occurring outside of it His wife, an accom-
family dependent on aid which was sure TO fad her
needs ana had to be p[ecured BY means q appeals
orable pride The thought of this was worse than
the hangman's moose t0ber husband, and the prison
1S 81 Hspn epnd S no Tn Whether cholera or grief
had killed his family ard his WIFE. he knew she
would bear all that was needfu for his honor and
hate after this His psetc hatred became intense
and undying; and thoe who arc going to condemn
it should put themselys in his place tTst The care
an5 sorrovof ha prism years told the health OF
his wife and few yeas after his liberation be found
hinself a wi,ower aud his children motherless 1t
was hfd fh be shChld die just as the prospect was
assured hin of enering Parliament. the equal Of
those who pat thishaiignant misery upon him, and
to meet then faeeto face in conflict 1t is clear that
Ernest Jonel becsne O. poet under the influence OF
Lord Byroni geius. His early poems are all By
ronc in fore AMI passion In Jail they wonld not
TO write vie AID he covered, in this fluid tbeleayes
of his prayrYok with his poem the. /" Revolt Of
Hndosa Y as kept iS mouths b Without pens
TO Mr. Dishel. who respected him as O. man of
genius ana eefainlg at enc time the brightest days
with Nr JoesUsre those when he joined his friends
after interyevs With his eminent literary acquan-
tance Ne bdeve that Thomas Cooper epesher
eminent chasst who wrote 1s tR R0s whsa gS
Not long aftelhis Imprisonment Mr.. Jones's nnce,
Mr. Halton Ahesley, made him an offer OF fortune
of E2DOOa ye%, IL he would abandon his ,Chartist
adyoeaey. N that time Mr.. Jones well understood
what he washbout and what his prospects were
The seryice the people would not keep him IN I
bread TIN people be served never keep any adyo- |
cate of Mr. loness type IN bread Indeed 1t was Mr.
Joness prIf and Pgilcy not to receive any pay lot
ury or deTkndeHce, debt must result, and those
whoacceped hs services knew IL Ernest Jones s
chosen lAs caalse and would not shrink from
the lot it sntaileda; 1t was hard for his
With % dslSsts 1atsO health SSd Ss HPsca1dss tastS
comforts aud peans her husbands genius so unpEoft-
ably devoted 10 patriotism likely to bring her,
The uaele's Wealthy 0fier was declined IN terms OF
noble but disastrous pride and the fortune was gwen
to the uncle gardener In London Mr. Joness life
was always {ne Of anxiety and labor. he published
newspapers which he lacked capital 10 sustain:
People sent him orders who could not pay him, and
and the poet ever droaming of high things con-
nemned 10 perplexity. TO labor and humlliatlon |
To the day Of his death anxiety followed him. He
went TO Manchester with sad heart. When his
before bis death had letter from him to say how
De looked forward, when member for MANCHESTER |
70 come and ait by the old frsside, and
la tax over AGAIN the long deferred dreams oi
Jones would have been brought forward for
Glasgow at the last election but his friends were nm
sbe to provide funds for contest and he could not
DO IT else 1t is believed be would have been elected
itisa proof that honesty and genius mako friends in
diverse circumstaneesr-that Mr, Jones had multi, |
tudes Of friends in Scotland, yet no man ia has
consequences. was more unlike the Scotch than 4
Ernest Jones He loved and hated without eaicula-
ton, and. like the genuine Of all lands, he was
ggnehangeable in his simplicity. and friendships:
H. Ill.