New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-14

No more astounding admission was ever made.
If both trial by jury aud shipbmlding had been i'm
perilled for the moment, the friendship and amty
between two great nations we're at stake, and the
preservation of peace and Of the honor and good
faith of England might also, one would think, have
engaged the attention of the British Government.
But it is ludicrous to say that trial by jury
sailed IN consequence of the proceedings against
the Alabama; and if the lucrative trade of ship
building in danger of being made less lucrative
it was Only in proportion as it ceased to be legit-
mate and became Illegtimate.
LATE YEARS OF HIS HFE.
OF late years Lord Russell has preferred Pembroke
Lodge, the house in Richmond Park given him by
the Queen for life, TO London. The receptions he
held there twice a week have been thronged by
friends by political allies by fashionable people by
herO-worshppers from every country and cline, and
by all the celebrities Of three continents who found
themselves in London from season to season. Even
the Shah of Persia paid him visit, and was aston
ished al the modesty Of the mansion in which the
man who had so lately governed England found
repose. Great man, little house." remarked the
half-savage Prince who discovered for the first time
that political supremacy and barbara splendoI may
occasionally part company
Long after his voice had failed him, Earl Russell
was one of the most regular attendants in the
House of Lords, which counts very few regular
attendants among its distinguished or undls-
tnguishcd members. During the last two years he
has seldom been seen there. For some time before
his disappearance he had become the torment of the
reporters gallery. 1t was as difficult to make ont
what the old man was saying, as it is 10 make out
what Lord Derby Is saying; who, however, relieves
the distress of the fourth estate by sending pretty
full notes to the scrbes who have failed to catch his
ord SAT- IN benches II
company with Earl Grey. But he never fell into the
groove ofacTid ana Interminable criticism which was
the grave Of Earl Greys considerable influence.
To ms last days he capable Of fine impulses.
Witness his readily proflcred and frankly published
subscription, in 1876 in aid of the Bulgarians, and
his Willingness to take the char at a London meet
ing called to express its horror at the unspeaEable
atrocities Of the people whose ruler Mr. Layard has
lately been toastg as the ancient ally Of England.
lie was far too good Wing to become partisan Of
the Turk. The friends Of the Ottoman cried out
against what they called the indeconcy Of an eX-
Prime Minister siding openly with the distressed
and plundcred races who endured the yoke OF the
Ottoman. But whatever Lord Russclps faults,
want Of courage was never among them. He had
courage Of several kinds among other kinds one of
the rarest, the courage of his opinions.
They say he was fond Of office. Perhaps he was.
capable. He has taken notice of the accusation in
book, which was the last he published lie does not
DENY that there was some truth in it, But he denies
scornfully that Le wanted Office for a low motive
for his own ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF for the profit of his
party. Onice 10 him was not an cnd it was a
means for serving his country. Il was imputed to
him not less bitterly that he showed too little re-
luctance on occasions in parting with colleague.
Over and over again his dismissal Of Lord Palmers-
ton in Sj2 has been cited q proof of his want of
loyalty; as proof that he eager to get rid Of
rival too near the throne But Lord PalmerstOn had
snuod against two laws OF political life which Lord
Russell held paramount 10 party or to personal obi
cations. lie was Lord RusseIls subordinate and be
was the mouthpiece Of England IN her commuuica-
tions with foreign governments IS subordinate. he
had ovcrrulcd and dcded hi- chief As Foreign Sec
rotary. he hal made haste 10 commit his country
to a declaration Of sympathy with the great
est crime IN modern history, the coup d6tat
Of 1s51 Lord Palmerston has found an
apologst in his last bographer, Mr. Ashley. and
no speedily contriycd to aveuEo himself az the time
on his leader. But neither tho act ho vonturod on
nor the cynical opinions which inspired IL VIII add
anything TO his fame III history. Some other
charges against Lord Russell Of a similar kind rest
uuhapp.ly, on q better foundation.
incidents AND ANECDOTES.
His letter 10 the Bishop of Durham against Papal
aggression has boon thousand times cited as
model of impudcnt InycctWe. don't care 60 fight
that battle over again, but / always thought Lord
John had secner perception of the political mis-
chief plotted then and since by the Court OF Rome
than hs critics had. His letter TO the Dean of Here
ford, who had written TO tell HIM he should not
obey tho mandate 90 vote for Dr. Hampton as
Bishop, viii long rcmain model Of epistoary
brcyity:
81 have had the honor 20 receive your letter Of
the ODD inst. IN which you intimate to Inc your in
tention of violating the law. / have the honor TO
be your obcdient servant, etc"
Many examples could be quoted from his speeches,
and above all from his dispatches, of his power
of saying dsagreeabe things IN a curt, disagreeable
way; but there is nothing better than tins. The
use he made OF this talent by no means promoted
bis popularity among those with whom he had 70
deal; aud he often earned a few curses for his
country His purely literary efforts brought HIM no
fame nor had he any delcacy Of style; or with all
his funrss of knowledge, much grace of culture.
What he knew of literature he seemed to have
quircd for purpose not from love.
Dccorous rs the London papers are, some of them
have referred to the snallness u Lord Russelrs
fortune in such PLAIN terms that there can be no
harm in telling a story | heard Of him some years
ago. Everybody knew he was not rich, and not a
GOOD business man. lie used to complain Of the
heavy expense he was put TO account OF his
official duties. One day he told his brother, the
Duke Of Bedford, that it cost him e15-
600 year 10 be Prime Minister. But you
can't spend fifteen thousand year." re-
pied the Duke; you haven't got 1t, nor
anything like it, Besides, there's no great additional
outlay from being Prime Minister. You have
an extra carriage or two and few
more horses, and you give number of dinners, all
of which don't come to any vast sum-" Lord John
insisted and finally the Duke proposed to him that
his own steward should look over his books and