The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-29

0.
matchIess skill, always kept an eagles ey
upon his opponents, never gave them an ad
vantage, was always on-the look out for thei
weak point and rarely missed an opportuni
| ty of infiicting upon them serious politica
| injury. Such are the rare qualities whic
have enabled him so long to MAINTAIN himsel
at the head Of the liberal party. Howeve
his rivals may ridicule his short comming
in comprehensive legislation; however intel
lectual radicals may sneer at his mental an,
literary deficiencies; however economist
may object to his multiplication of place
for proteges of his own family; whateve
general exceptions may be taken to him
as tactican and party leader he had n,
rival in his day; hence in hours Of disastei
the liberals still instinctively turn to him
lie never appears so well as when surround
ed Dy obstacles. difficulties and impeli;
ments; is always greater in opposition thar
WHICH, III OluCC al titC HCtu "a q tltuupuau
party. Notwithstanding his external frigid
ity and apathetic hauteur, there is about
him, when you get to know him and especial
~ ia his own home, a great deal OF genialitJ
and kindness of feeling. His adgersaries
declare that he is a politician In contrad is.
tinction to statesman, the first belonging
to that numerous class who are constantly
thinking of what the country will do for
them, while the latter belong to that class
OF patriots who are ever thinking Of
what they can do for the country.
There is more satire than vsracity in this wit
ticism when applied to the Right Honorable
Earl. A close examination into the history
Of his public career has satisfied us that there
is little in Earl Russel's course to Justify this
severe Judgment nor do we believe it will
be that Of a non partizan and passionless
posterity. Il
At the early period OF his life when he as
sayed to attain fame as a dramatic writer
and poet, his personal friend, Tom. Moore,
dedicated to him some verses in which the
immortal bard undertook to persuade his
lordship to leave Parnassns and stick to
Pa rliament; at the same time he reminded
hi m OF the responsibilities which attached to
the house Of Russell. It Is not known wheth-
err Moore was envi0us OF Lord Johns fre-
quent draughts at the fount of poesy, or
whether he really believed bis friend was
never likely to become a favorite with the
muses. and in kindness to his literary in-
firmities, rendered him gentle reproofs In
poetry, on which he could. not venture in
per son. The lines, however, had the effect
of Christening down Lord Johns exhuber-
ant taste for metre--his poetic mantle was
soon thrown aside and exchanged for the
dignified robe OF the legislator.
Earl Russell was born in 1902 and entered
Parliament as a member for the "rotten
borough of Tavistock in 1914; in 1920 he
was member for the Huntingdonshire; for
the town of BaEdon in Ireland in 1880, and
for Deyonshire in 1881, which seat he vaca
ted in 1885, on his ap pointment to the office
of Secretary for the Home Department, and
was the guiding spirit Of Lord Melbourne's
administration. From 1S4l to 1916, whilst
Sir Robt. Peel was in power, Lord John Rus
sell led the opposition, and on the defeat of
Peel this year succeeded to the Premiership,
which he held until 1852 In office, he
showed an indisposition to take the initia
tive in any marked measure Of progress and
advancement. AS a consequence, he could
only depend upon small anc uncertain
majority in Parliament; and the inefiicien-
cy OF his ecclesiastical titles bill, accompa
MED, nearly at the same time, by the seces-
sion Of his colleague, Lord Palmerston,
forced him into retirement. Under the adj
ministration OF Lord Aberdeen, he was For
eign Secretary for short time and then
Lord Presi dent of the Council. Lord Pal
merston now became Premier, and in 1856
appointed Lord John, Colonial Secretary and
he represented England at the Vienna Con-
ferences, and in consequence OF the dissatis-
faction caused by his diplomatic course,
again resigned. In 1859 he resumed office
under Palmerston as Minister for Foreign
Affairs, and bore conspicuous part in the
solution OF the important questions which
occurred In political affairs in different parts
of the world. Amongst these may be mem
toned the protests made by the British gov
eminent to that Of Russia against the OPP
pressions practlced on the Poles; it's endeav-
ors to deter the great German powers from
pursuing an aggressive policy towards Dem
mark, and the disputes which arose between
England and the United States during the
civil war. 1t must be adm tilted. with refer
ence to some of these veXed questions, that
however unsuccessful the efforts of England
may have been, through the backwardness
of allies. in averting the evils it sought to
counteract, the sincerity OF Its ntentions,as
evinced in its diplomatic action under the
auspices of Earl Russell, has been clearly
manifest. We, therefore, who felt at the time,
or now feel, any bitterness towards the
mother country for her course towards the
South during the civil war-her apparent
want Of sympathy should now, that the
hour OF passion has passed, be ready to unite
in according to her the need of praise for
having been wiser in that great crisis than
we ourselves were.
During his active political life, such was
his patient, persevering industry, that he con.
tributed largely to the literature OF the day.
Among his best known works are his Life Of
Lord William Russell, his Miscellaneous
Essays and s'Mcmories of the Affairs of Eu-
rope "A Concise History Of the British
Constitution, 'sThe Nun OF Arvouca, a
tale,'' and tragic drama styled Don
Carlos.'' His most recent work composed
during his retirement, is entitled, Essays on
the Rise and Progress Of the Christian Res
lgion in the West Of Europe. from the reign
of Tiberins to the end of the Council of
Trent. This work illustrates how happily
and usefullY the evening Of his days was
passed, how far he was removed from those
discontented, qderulous, il-condtioned,
equity old men, who ludicrously contend
against the grave-a burden to themselves