The New York herald., 1879-12-01
OBITUARY..

RIGHT HON. JOHN ARTHUR RoEBucK, NJ. p, p. G.
John Arthur Roebuck. Member of Parliament for
Sheffield whose death yesterday in his seventy-sev-
enth year is announced by cable despatch. of
the most remarkable OF famous group of politicians
now nearly extinct. 1t is striking instance OF the
irony OF history that man whose reputation was
made as liberal of the liberals. radical of the
radicals--a man whose famous nickname OF "Tear
'em" was earned by bitter denunciation of the to-
ries-a who habitually employed the most cut
ting satire against Benjamin Disraeii-should have
closed his eccentric at feud with his lifetime
friends as "right honorable by the grace of
the Earl of Beaconsfeld, X. q. The late member
of Parliament for Sheffield was materially de-
scended from the poet Thomas Tickell the most in
timate friend or Addison. who. when he became
Secretary of State made Ticke his under secretary,
greatly the disgust of Steele. Tickells transla
ton of the First Book of the Had being highly
commended by Addison was tho occasion OF the
breach between Addison and Pope commemorated
by the latter in his memorable lines upon Atticus.
and Tickells elegy upon his benetactor was de-
clared by Goldsmith G. J. Fox and Macaulay to be
the finest in the English language. The grandfather
of the late statesman, Dr. John Roebuck. dis
tinguished physician and savant Of Carron. Stirling
shire, Scotland. who q friend and coworker OF
james Watt in the improvement of the steam
engine and author OF political pamphlet
denouncing tho American colonsts in 1776.
His father E. q. Roebuck ESD. was merchant
long resident Madras, India. In that oriental city
John Arthur Roebuck was born, December 20, 1902,
but before he could derive any permanent impress
sion of his native place sent to England to be
educated 1sO7). No particulars of his boyhood
given by his numerous biographers until the year
1916 when. having lost his father. he accompanied
his mother and stepfather to Canada. He remained
dence and the manner and extent Of his education
remained unknown to his later contemporaries. He
studied law in London. called to the Bar the
Inner Temple QS3D and opened office in London.
lie Immediately threw himself with intense energy
into the struggle tor Parliamentary reform. and was
victory having been elected "Radical
Reformer" for Bath At the general Parliamentary
elections of December, 1882 He speedily made his
mark in debate, was reelected in 1884, and was
chosen in 1885 by the House of Assembly OF Lower
Canada to their agent in their disputes with
the Imperial Parliament and zealousy defended the
of that colony in its contests with the ex-
ecutve government. His hrst celebrity in Para-
stamp duty newspapers. inveighng against the
s.stamped press" and its conductors as being ex-
The newspapers replied. He reta!iated personally.
naming certain members Of the Metropolitan press.
Edward Sterling, editor of the Times and Albany w.
Fonblanque of the Weekly Examiner, matters were
accommodated. but in the instance OF Mr. Black.
November -, 1885, Two shots were fred with
out effect, when Mr.. Blacks second withdrew
and the affair ended without any assignable result.
In the same year Mr. Roebuck, who had already
written very effective Beuthamite articles in the
new. noisy and ultra-radical Westminster Rerec be,
editor and proprietor OF an ''unstamped
series of political publications entitled Pamphlets
for the People" OF which sufficient number were
issued to form two bound volumes. In the House
of Commons Mr.. Roebuck was soon known as the
"Objector General and. in the words OF one OF his
biographers he faced every fact in politics,
al
wings and tories headed the rest of the radicals in
plain speaking and being still young nan, OF no
ated inside and outside Parliament, mingled feel
ing OF detestation. wonder, admiration and amuse-
ment In fact he had become q House OF Commons
character But he was independent with his con-
stituents as with the House; "unmanageable"
reached the stage of unpopularity. he was thrown
out of his seat at the general election OF August,
1887. polling only 80 votes where he had formerly
polled 1885," his successful competitor being the
late viscount Powerscourt During his four years.
exclusion from Parliament Mr.. Roebuck first went
the Northern Circuit but does not seem to have been
burdened with much business. At all events he had
sufficient leisure to continue his career rs
pamphleteer and to contribute political articles
| to the Westminster and Edisbwgh quarter
| lies. Such man could not longs remain
| out Of Parliament. He remained public character
and in the necessity of finding some audience to adj
dress, took to the public meetings then becoming
numerous. The Corn law question was coming up
to the front, and on both Mr. Roebuck had much to
say. BY the time new House of Commons was to
IL,
he had at least come to be regarded as something
more than an eccentricity, and was patronizingly
referred to by the whig coterie OF the Edinburgh
Retiew ''rsing man." The borough OF Bath
was again in one Of Its radical humors aud the ten
pound householders returnedl him. along withsLord
| duncan. by sweeping majority over the Peelite
tories Revenge 10 sweet, and the member for Bath
| tasted IL with uncommon relish He soon be .ame
| more conspicuous than before There had been
| great electoral corruption; he pointed it
! out. he insisted on inquiry, he demanded
committees. he even had members down
ut the Bar He made GOO enemies out Of the 65S MEM
| bers. but he pleased the public ana made his own
courageous Independence thoroughly compre-
| hended." It was during this Parliament-1S41-7-
| that Mr.. Roebuck exhibited the most feverish
tivity of his life aud most thoroughly justified his
| Charles Sumner. Wendell Phillips and Benjamin F.
| Butler rolled into onoi
About this time he wrote for several of the maya
zines especially Tdifs and the London Reve,c. His
next conspicuous public appearance. the most men,
| orable of his life. in January. 1885, when he
| brought forward in the House of Commons motion
| for inquiry into the conduct of the Crimean war;
which WAS resisted by the government of Earl Aber
deem. but carried by majority Of l0I; when that
| n matter Of course. became chairman OF the 'Se-
| bastopol committee, but his name was not to be
found in the list OF the members OF the new Cabinet.
| In September of the same year Mr. Roebuck was
offered but declined, the post of Charity Commits
| sioncr He was unsuccessful candidate for tho
| chairmansnip of the new Metropolitan Board of
| Works. in December. 1856, and accepted in June.
1856. the chairmanship Of the administrative Re-
| form Association. founded the previous year by
| some leading merchants OF London, body from
which great things we're expected. but which lapsed
| inAo eternal silence soon after the publication
| of a luminous programme" Soon aftcrward
the member for Sheffield made himself conspicuous
us57l by his eloquent opposition TO projected war
against China, and his attitude upon this subject
was influential in electing dissolution OF that Par.
lament. In June, 1858. lie took an energetic stand
in favor Ferdinand de Lesseps project for cutting
the Isthnus of Suez. then generally considered in
! England as a conspiracy against British shipping
interests CD, and In 1851 he caused much emotion
among his electors at Sheffield by series OF speeches
In of Austria When about that time the Arch.
| duke Ferdinand Maximilian Of Austria, aftcrward
| the unfortunate Emperor OF Mexico. visited England.
| Mr., Roebuck was tho statesman who received him
with greatest cordially pronouncinR an elaborate
| cncoinium upon that Princes administration
| of the Lombardc-vcnetian Kingdom. During the
| American civil MIR. Roebuck was an avowod
| partisan of the '.Southcrn Confcderacy" there
| by further alternating his Sheffield constituents.
Despite a formidable opposition he was reelected in
IsG5 CONT atted in the session OF 1866 the RUSSELL
| Gladstone ministry, and supported the Reform bill
of the Disraelli Cabinet later in the year His de-
nuncatons of trades unions at last put tho finishing
blow TO the waverng allegiance of Shenield and lao
lost his seat that borough In 1863 After six years