The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-05-29

Earl Russell was the third son of the sixth
Dake of Bedford and was born in London,
August IS, 1892. As soen as he arrived at his
maj Gritty he took his seat il Parliament as a
Wing representative of che family b1rouyh of
Tsvistock. In 1919 he made his first molten IN
the interest of parliamentary reform aud re-
newed it Persistently year after year. His eff
forts lsecpred the repeal of the Test and Cor
pSfation acts in face of the opposition of the
Duke OF Wellington's ministry, and he next
tuTEed his attention so Catholic emancipation.
He won victory bus at the cost of his cleo
ton in the county of Huntington, though he
was returned from Bandoa, Ireland Uadsf
the administration Of E trl Grey he was made
Paymaster of the Forces and bore share in
the drafting and presentation of the great Re-
form bill of 1881. He went cut of office ia
1854 with the Melbourne ministry, bat was
called the next year 10 become Secretary of
State for TIE Home Department, aud in 1889
became Secretary of State for War and the
Colonies
With the Corn-law agitation came crisis in
Lord Johns career. Ia 1871 the increased
strength of the free trade sentiment ia Eng
land drove the Meloolrne government out of
Turning his back upon bis late constituency, he
stood TOR toe city of London. Nins votes, and
only nine, elected him, but be continued 20 rep
resent the city for twenty years afterwards A
holder stroke remained for him to make in 1915
when be addressed a letter from Edinburgh to
the electors OF the city of London, announcing
his conversion I'd the total aud immediate re-
peal of the Corn Laws. Tne publication of this
document led to the resignation of the Peel
ministry, aud on the 18th of December the
Queen commissioned Rassel to form a cabinet.
Interval discussions in the Liberal party made
his first effort failure, aad Sir Robert Peel,
resuming the administration, won the glory Of
passing the Corn law repeal. An unsuccessful
government measure caused another change
and Lord John became Prime Minister, hold
ing office for six years and resigning only ba-
cause of disagreement with Lord Palmer.
ston, the Foreign Secretary. His adminstra-
t'on was occupied chiefly with disorders in Ire
ianu' ouuer tue Z Arl of Aberdeen he was
maue orelgn secretary and leader of the
house OIL Commons; bat as Commissioner to
the vienna Conference of 1856 he provoked the
i'll will of the English people by advocating
peace measures and retired from the cabinet
In Lord Palmerston's second ministry he re
gained the Foreign Office, having in the mean
time carried through Parliament bill for the
admission of Jews to that body Among tue
interesting records of the years that followed
may be found his correspondence with Secre-
tary Seward concerning the Mason and Slidell
aHsir, and bis questionable attitude, as neu-
tral, with respect to the Confederate priyateer
Alabama.
In 1861 he Exchanged bis seat in the House
OF commons for Que in the House of Lords as
Ear Russell, and four years later became
Prime Minister again, choosing M Gladstone
Tor his Chancellor of the Exchequer. He lost
the reios OF government in 1866 with the defeat
OF reform bill, and since that time be has
taken part in public affairs only as one of the
literal peers. Earl Russell was an author as
Well as statesman, most of his works being of
historical interest.