New-York tribune., 1878-04-27

sition would not have lacked conference. But TINS
disinterested though far from homogeneous states
man, considers nothing human to be foreign 10 MS
essay, and his demand for corruption is SO much
greater than the supply that he no sooner catches
sight of any kind OF vice, than he corras IL IN 4
sentence. and Aaunts over the whole menagere the
flag of Civil Service Reform!
But how about Burke, as the forerunner OF Ea'on
And first as to the "rdicule" he encountered
"Jhe i'll success of the war with Amerca)' ana the
increased taxation required to support IL, says
Burke's biOgrapher "occasionlng at tins moment
Ioud outcries for Parliamentary Reform ana re-
trenchment of the pubic expenditure, Mt BURKE
dexterously wrestcd attention from the former'
which he had always deemed an unsafe and I'M
practicable measure $50 that he was only halfway
Reformcr to begin with, to the latter which ne
Thought was in every respect most desirable ana cx
pedient He knew too much of human ma
ture and of the business of the State to be
by visionary schemes of hopeless purity and I'M
possible perfection. THE man talks like an old
machine pOtican.l
His notice of motion. on the 18th of December
opened brief but lucid exposition of the outlines Of
his plan to which opposition gave much praise Tor
the matter and the manner. lIfalse, not
ridicue.
Great as was the idea entertained of his talents
expectation was infinitely surpassed by the produe-
ton of the plan itself. No publlc measure
of the century received such general encomium.
Few speeches from the opposition side OF the House
ever fell with greater effect than this and OF itsclf
had he never made any other, would place him IN
the first rank of orators and practical statesmen for
cOmprehensivcncss of design, minute knowledge ot
detail the mingled moderation and justice toward
the public and to the persons affected the wisdom OF
its general principles, and their application TO local
objects. As composition il has been considered
the most brilliant combination ef powers that ever
was, or perhaps can be devoted to such toplc.'
[Buta that time Mr.. Dorman Il. Eaton was only
tn NdrcCllHs G'iS.
"Only one sentiment" says another con
temporary. who voted against the measure.
"pervaded the Housc and the Nation, on the
unexampled combination of cloqucncc, labor
and perseverance, which had been displayed by
their enlightened author They covered with as
tonishmcnt and admiration even those who, from
principle or from party appeared most strenuous i'll
opposag the progress Of the bin itself through every
stage"
"Mr. Burke's Reform Bill" says the historian
Gbbon, who was himself member of the Board of
Trade which the bill strove to abolish "was framed
with skill introduced with eoquence, and supported
by numbers Never can forget the delight with
which that diilusve and ingenious orator was heard
bv all sides of the House, and even by those whose
existence he pToscrihcd.'
"By the irresistible effect of his w.t." says Prior,
4" as much as his eoquencc, sentence OF death was
passed on the poor Board Of Trade by majority OF
eight: the $500 folio volumes Of its IabOrs, rather
unluckily urged by Mr.. Eden in its defence, being
rdiculcd with such inimitable effect by Mr.. Burke,
as to be- in the opinion of many the chief cause OF
condemnation"
This then is the kind of "ridiculc" which Mr..
Burke encountered from partisans and spols-
men when he first advocated economical REFORM,
and which comforts Mr.. Eaton for the demure and
sometimes posi- bly, iTeN eTcnt observations which at
tend his own extraordinary Civil Service Reform
performances. EdmU.G Burke made n speech in
the English House of mmOns which filled lils all
mirers with enthusiasm and overpowered his oPpo-
nents with admiration. His statements were so
clear his logic was SO convincing, his rdiculc was
so powerful his plan practicable, and so wise
that the guns of his foes were for the moment
spiked, and bis highest encOmiums We're wrung from
the very men whose craft was endangered by his
attack In the whole Nation there was but one re-
sponse of applause and delight have all the hun
dred years since ceased 10 ring with the echoes
of that magnificent hour. And Mr. Dorman B. Ea-
ton seeking shelter from the merry peltcr of jest
and gibe over his syntaX all askeg, his logic all
a-limp and his tropes tumbling heels over head,
scrambles into his little mud-scow, pulls up along
side this booming old English man-Ofwar, hOsts his
northumberland on stray oar and summons
the scoiers to wonder and perish as he prepares to
paddle down the ages in the role of TIE GREAT AR
MAZDA! GAIL hANlLloN'
-------
1,U,Dy.N TDDfTc