Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-01
DiSraeli and Gladstone in Debate.

Disraeli and Gladstone In Debate.
From Justin McCarthys Correspondence
with the New York Mail.
LuSpoN, February lO.--I was preseut the
other night when Gladstone made his great
bid for popularity by dcnouncing the Amerl-
can claim for consequential damages. As
the speech has pretty nearly set this country in
flame, | may ask little of your space to de-
scribe the speech, the debate and the scene.
The House was crowded to excess, for every
body knew that Disraei would draw out the
Government on the subject and that Gladstone
would say something strong.
Disraeli led off His speech was immensely
clever. 1t had fine show of patriotism about
it. and of unSefSh readiness to support the
Government for the sake OF the country, while
all the time it continued to throw the whole
h!ame of everything ou the Government, and
especially on Gladstone. One must be well
h!bituateG to the House of Commons style to
endure most of its speakers, and Disraeli
u.unneriSmS transcend those of anybody else.
lie talks in sepulchral voice He stammers
and boggles and halts at irregular intervals in
the middle of every sentence and lnteuects
that odicus Jaw aw, which EugliSh speakers
seem unable to get rid Of His gestures are
angular constrained and awkward | have
heard few pubic speakers in various cou
tries in my time, and hereby record my torni-
cr declaration that the manner of Mr.. Disrae
is the most utterly deestable that has ever
come under my notice. But for all that his
speech was very clever, ingenious and effective,
aud Disraell is Il perfect master OF phrases
lie never speaks without bequcathlng some hap
py phrase. to be quoted again aud again in and
ont of the House. He spoke as he always does,
L. 2l,o II, 1,h, ,Ir
lies, aud on the other side Of which sit the
Ministers When, leaning across the table as
if b. were about to lie down on it, and looking
straight at Gladstone, he announced that he
was prepared to support the GOVERNMENT he
cunveyed aud, of course meaut 70 convey, the
following impression: Il knowthat this is all
Your fault: have personally the most utter con-
lcu.pt for you and all your colleagues | could
overwhelm you with shame, but for the sake
of the country will actually sublue my feel
ings and consent to endure you while this diff
Guilty lasts.
GLADSTONE.
Mr. Gladstone was Singuarly mild. even
humble in his reply towards Disrael He put
On the weak air Of one who rather likes to be
lvhukcA. aud believes 1t to be tor his spiritual
good For myself believe Gladstone to be
perfectly sincere and high-miuded man, but
lug. He was sweetly sanctitied in his dealings
with DisraeG, but he famed up into anything
hui sanctity when he came to talk your Ala
lama claims. 1t was really Il splendid spec-
men Of that ornate and gorgeous kind OF elo
Qllence which is peculiar to Gladstone.
lu the opening passage OF the speech t.:
House Of Commons mannerlsm and tone we've
painfully apparent. The sing song cadence
and the oddly lachrymoSe strain like that of
certain kind of preacher were unpleasant to
hear He dropped the doeiul tone as he
warmed in his speech Years, however have
told heavily on his voice. 1t is no longer the
wonderful organ, sweet, strong, clear. like
clarion that it used to be. All the finer notes
have been worn away He is sometimes husky
hoarse and even harsh But the closing pas
sages of his review Of the Alabama question
were full of genuine power and impresslvcuess,
and they took the House immensely. Proba-
bv you will think the style ofthem ovewrought
and extravaganza But this was not the effect
upon the ears of those who lstcned-even
those who like myself land there are some
such), regarded the speech as n the highest
d,.gree i'll timed and mischievOus. Viewed as
a mere piece Of defamation, 1t WAS wonderful
" artistic, for Mr.. Gladstone managed with
rare skill to convey into it manuer as Of one
who was honestly restraining and repressing
his emotion-a> of one whose ardor would
have led him to utter Defiance but whose self
control enabled him to be content with a pro-
lest. Strange as ii may seem to you, this was
the effect produced The speech was made
for the gallaries for the press, for the public,
to anticipate the Tories to show that the honor
of England and the British lion and the Unicn-
lack and all the rest Of the properties are safe
in the hauds Of a Liberal Ministry.
Iron DWELLING Houses An English firm
doing quit, an extensive business supplying
Austria with iron dwelling houses, manutac-
turcd in England and set up at short notice by
English mechanics wherever the purchaser de-
srcS The houses that are most III demand
are those Which have two, four or six rooms,
the purchasers being generally the better class
"i' Austrian artisans. The great want OF the
advanced workiugmen of the large Continental
cities has long been for small. comfortable dwell
lingS. and this want is being rapidly met by
tie introduction of the English houses OF iron,
which are not only warm, strong and reason
ably elegant, but cheaper than can be built ID
icnna, at least of any domestic material. This
seems curious when there are taken into ac
r'Nuit all the charges incidental upon the cost
,t material, construction, carriage and Custom
House dues, and it suggests that the enter
prise might le made to pay Ill this country,
especially in the immediate neighborhood OF
the iron and coal fields The iron houses OF
America are, with very few exceptions, large
and costly, no attempts having been made to
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