The Portland daily press., 1879-06-09
The Duke of Argyll.

To the Editor Of the Press:
OF the members of the British Peerage,
there is no individual whose appearance in the
United States should be greeted with such cor
dial testimonials of respect and honor as the
illustrious man whose arrival in New York has
just been announced. A descendant of a re-
nowned line, of which he is himself the no
blest representative although one Of his an
cestors has been described by Pope as
"Argyll, the States whole thunder born to WELD,
And shake alike the Senate and the feld,'-
and by Sir Walter Scott as the generous pat
ron OF JEANNE Deans-heis entitled to special
welcome from the people of this country, not
SO much for these reasons, or that he is pru-
dent, wise, and sagacious statesman, one who
shared with Gladstone the responsibilities and
labors of an administration during whose term
of six years more was accomplished in the
direction of broad and liberal principles and
measures of needful reform, than had been
brought about in all preceding administrations
since the Reform Bill of 1882, or that he has
been the author of thoughtful and successful
books, like ''The Reign of Law "Primeval
Man." and the elaborate work on Eastern
affairs under the rule of Lord Beaconsfeld re-
Gently given to the public,-as that this leader
of the Peerage, and father-in-law of a royal
Princess, has shown himself at all times-in
seasons when to do so "tested the frmness Of
ones temper and the strictness of ones princi-
pies intelligent and earnest friend of the
United States, the undertaking enemy of hui
man slavery, and the sincere believer in and
constant champion of, the principles of justice,
equality, and liberty upon which our republi-
can institutions are founded.
1t will be remembered that at the great din
ner at the close of our civil war, given to Mr..
Garrison at st. James's Hall, London, an oc-
casion of historical interest, presided over by
John Bright, and at which he made one of his
most eloquent and Characteristic speeches, and
when Earl Russell made the well-known
speech in which he frankly acknowledged the
error into which he had fallen in assuming the
success of the Southern rebellion, the speech
of the occasion, the one of deepest insight and
which evinced the most thorough understand
ing Of the question and the wisest sympathy
with this country and her republican institu-
tions, was made by the Duke of Argyll.
Nor should it be forgotten that during the
civil war he was the one member of the high
est branch of the aristocracy of Great Britain
that never hesitated, even in the darkest hour
of our fortunes, or when the strain ON English
feeling against us was the strongest to defend
and uphold and cheer the American cause, at
all places and on all occasions where brave
and generous word could be of service to it;
that he stood for the cause of union and liberty
because he understood it and thoroughly be-
leved in it.
-
that without the influence and power of the
Duke, more actively exercised if not more con-
slant and positive than that of Prince Albert,
with whom, to the credit of good sense and
good heart it has always been understood the
Queen was in entire sympathy, the general
unfriendliness of England was restrained from
expressing in itself in acts of positive beliger-
ency. I. W. Jr.