The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1871-10-25
,ur. a.IadSrone.s Position.


The question is esgerly debated whether Mr.
Gladstone has lost ground this year as the beaJ
Of the Ministry With both Honses Of Parlia
ment Rilh the Press and the club coieries o
London. there can be no doubt he has There an
few OF his oNn rariy who speak Of him without
vexa,ioa and disrasagcment They DO his bohests
bot without love or enthusiasm. They are made
TO feel the whip and the collar too mueh Tn.
fortunately. The Prime Minister Is more a monk
i than a man Of the world He has little knowledge
Of hauisn nature, ana leaves it out Of account in
T bis reckouinrs- In his own case. when challenged
TO justify an opinion or policy. be is always ready
70 borrow or invent some great principle on which
( tits Supposed to rest ana which has Influenced
bis mind and compelled him 10 take particular
course. He Is apparently quite unconscious Of
the various personal circumstances which have in
reality been governing his conduct Expediency
Is unknown to bin Great principles alone COM
uiaai bis allegiance For instance a couple Of
yesrs ago it becsne evident that as the Irish
Church question had been settled. and the Irish
hld question was on the eve o. being disposed
Of, al least FOR 4 time. II was necessary 10 find
some other question on which the party could BE-
rallied. Mr.. Gladstone looked about bin, and
saw nothing but the ballot He had previously
opposed the ballot, and he hai now to explain
Why be was going TO support II. DO not doubt
the perfect honesty and sincerity Of his deelara-
ton that bis change OF mind had been eaRsed
solely BY philosophical considerations. dare
say be Was himself unconscious Of the fact that
he vas taking up the ba,loi just 10 keep his
party together and himself at the head Of il. yet
that was really the case. His argumeat was that
when s minority Of the people exercised the frar-
ehise On behalf Of the rest, the majority had
right 10 know how they exercised It. Bot now
that the great body Of the people voted. each
nan for himself the necessity Tor public voting
had ceased. ana voters had 4 right TO vote
withoat letting anybody know whether they
voted on one side or the other. This was very I
ingenious theory, If It had Only been trle to the
facts; but then 1t wasn't. Il j. only in borou-hs .
that household suffrage prevails and although .
there most adult males have votes, the franchise /
IS stln trust-ass1ming it ever was oue-be- I
cause there !; Is exercised BY the males on behalf .
Of the women and children; and in the counties
Il Is st.l minority Of males voting for the ma
ioriiy. mention this merely 70 show the curious
ben, Of his mind and his superstitious regard for
anything that can be passed of IS principle,
even though he has Just invented il himself on
The spur Of the moment, and under the pressure
1f necessity. IL he were more student Of hu-
nan nature, be would know that great deal Of
personal feeling. aud personal interest," too 20 70
he sharing Of opinions The abolition Of pur-
,hase IN the army was a principle Of the Liberal
Party. bat he shoald haye been aware that it
struck AZ the Platocracyas vel As the sristocracy
nd that auo-E those VITO we're compelled BY
heir political professions to vote for If. there
gere many who privately resented such pro
SEEDING bitterly, and were extremely sore about
/. The saue thing may be said Of the Ballot
fberals as vel as Conservatives are afraid Of
eg mode Of voting. tie effect Of which il is
impossible to forecast, which viii upset all pre-
i0us calculations. and keep candidates altogether
D the dark IS 10 the chances Of election till the
oluug Is all over. In practice. very likely,
iatters viii turn cut more comfortably; but, Of
purse. nobody can tell, and members feel very
1eaSy aboct their seats. All these things help
3 create kind Ct floating atmosphere Of dis
'ateut snj unPleaszatleSs, which should have
cen taken into accoaat in the Minister'S ealc1-
.ti0us. If determined to push both measures.
e should 81 least have done aI he could to soothe
ID eonciLaits bis followers and the Opposition as
.uch as possible. 70 wrap their physic in sugar
ID Wreathe their bonds with flowers. On the
2atrary, however, everything has keen done TO
ri;ate and exasPerate everybody all round. The
RENTERS aspeuty of manner and imperorsness
are produced 9 ranking disaiectio1 among bis
N men. and fanusi to s white heat the fury Of
la Opposition. u this way. Mr.. Gladstone has
scidedly lost ground in Parliament, bat doubt
hether be has lost much real ground in the
'untry. Mr.. Loves unhappy Budget has rather
.maged the financial reputation Of the Cabinet.
Il in other respects the public o1t Of doors and
Esy from the clubs. the public Of Manchester,
irminghan, Edinburgh Glasgow, and other
WIS are rather disposed to side with the
reuier. aud to think be Is very ll-used nan
e has beer, as : matter Of tactics too much
lacked lately in 4 sharp personal uauner,
aich. when persisted IN, is alEays pretty sure
torn pubiie opinion TO the side of the sup
Ised victim. People in the country know moth
2 Of Mr. GIadstones personal ofeusivg1ess-
ley know hin o1ly from afar oE IS nan With
great deal Of lofty sentiment s1d fine laaguage,
i think the House Of Commons is rather u
lsora5le and uufair toward hin On the whole,
believe Mr.. Gladstone could still carry q good
ljozity At The elections. but it would not BE- As
fore. BY his name aloHe-be would have to
BE his measures and good deal. Of course.
'ald dspeCd On vhat they were--C5r- n Z
mes.