New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-26
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
FEW PROMINENT pERsoNAGEs.


ever thought 1t was. He is not aijournast, and If
he took charge temporarily of bis new property IL
was only until suitable editor could be found. lie
had to appeal TO Mr.. Greenwood to help him make
I'D his first number His entire inexperience con-
sidered he has made very good paper during the
few DAYS of his interregnum. The new editor has
now been found. and is none other than Dlr. John
Morley suppose if the whole body of competent
Journalists and other cultivated persons in England
had been polled, Mr.. John Morley would have been
their choice When, however, the POST was offered
him. he at first declined it, He is already Editor Of
he Fortniohtly Reriew, which lie has lifted out of
financial embarrassment and intellectual despOnd-
cncy and placed in the very front rank of perlodl-
cal literature and his other literary work is heavy
He spoke of himself the other night at the Devon
shire Club dinner, as man of letters. lie IS a man
of letters, and a very distinguished one But he IS
also man of affairs. In one way or another, lie mas
long been connected with journalism. He took
charge of the late Morning Star, but too late 10
rescue it from the decay and destruction to whlch
previous years of mistaken policy and painful IN
competence had doomed it. He was then much
Younger and much moro inexperienced man than
now. He edited his paper during the few months OF
its survival with too little regard to what the french
call acfualix 1t did not show sufficient sense Oh
the Importance of to-day, as distinguished from yes
ter6ay and from OmOrrOw-which take to be tho
first condition of good journalism as the word ltScn
shows He had sort of intellectual contempt ,lor
some of the more trivial yet absolutely necessary
work on a daily paper He was too abstract. too
IDEAL too phosOphic, and many an article from his
pen lent clean over the heads of his readers. AT
that time he had lived more among books than
among men, and perhaps had not sufficiently pom
dered the saying of one of those French morallsts
whom he 80 much admires that it is more necessary
to study men than books. Latterly he has taken an
active part in public life He has mixed with all
classes of men; with the artisans. whose confidence
he possesses; with politicians, who have been as
tonished TO find recluSe beating them on their own
ground: with society, where he is favorite He
has shown himself a most effective and vigorous
platform speaker. No canvass was better conducted
than that which he fought for Westminster. lie
was defeated but his defeat was thought worthy OF
q compliment rarely offered even to successful
candidate The Devonshire Club. with Lord Hart
inrton at its head, invited him and his colleague.
Sir Arthur Hobhouse, to dinner In commemora-
ton of the gallantry and ability shown by them
in the contest for Westminster Sir Arthur HObhouse
is most estimable man, but l shall not be going
too far if say that it was Mr. Morley who made
the Westminster canvass so exceptional and memoir
able in its character Radical as he is, he extorted
admiration from the Wings, and he laid the founda-
ton of future Liberal success in this constituency
ASH said, he declined the editOrship of The Pail
Mall Gazette when first offered him. lie had other
work to do which ne cared more to do. He holds
views about journalism which, in one sense arc al
most inconsistent with complete devotion to Its
most arduous work But he is so manifestly the
man for the place that the urgency of friends pre-
vailed over his own reluctance He takes the helm
next Monday, and you may look to see his paper
benceforward one of the leading journals of Eng
land with great capacities and the stamp of high
character to be put in future at the service OF adj
vanced Liberal opinions. His editorial control
understand to DO absolute.
As for Mr. Bradlaughs Republication, 1t seems to
be of moderate type. 1t is, If not Laodicean Par
liamentary. I remember saying some years ago
that people were asking why Mr.. Bradlaugh did
not hang out his Republican Gag at election time.
His answer was that he did hang it out. l shall be
curious to sec what form and color it takes when
he comes to swear allegiance to the Sovereign, as
he must do on taking his seat He must take tho
oath or refuse it. If he affirmed, the obligation
would be the same. 1 presume he satisfies his con-
science by the reflection that the title of the Sow
ereign is Parliamentary title and that when he
swears to bear true faith to her Majesty this pledge
ia compatible with the intention to use
every effort within the law to upset the
throne he agrees to support. He may be
able to persuade his colleagues to vote the
Brunswickers back into Germany before the session
ends He will be strictly within his right in trying
to do So None the less do wait with interest for
the first motion, resolution, or even speech, in
which that movement shall be advocated by Dir.
Bradlaugh.
Understand Mr. Bradlaughs friends to say now
that as matter of taste, he would rather not take
an oath which seems to imply recognition Of the
existence of the Deity, or of Deity. But he has
duty TO his constituents Sooner than allow the
shoemakers of Northampton to be deprived Of his
services as their representative, he will accept. or
at any rate utter the formula so help me God"
When he prOnounces the words, he will pronounce
them as a meaningless Abracadabra an invocation
to Mumbo Jumbo; of no good, and capable of no
harm. If that be his view, he might have spared the
House the trouble of appointing committee. He
might also have spared his party tho reproach of
championing an atheist The reprOach and many
other equally foolish reproaches, come from The
Daily Teleorapk, whom The Pail Mall Gazette 90
buked sharply for its " curious baseness" in at
tempting to charge irrolgion and Maltlusiansm
upon AN Administration containing three of the
most devout men in England. The three most
devout men are Mr.. Gladstone, Lord SelbOrne, and
Mr.. Bright. Whether they are more deYOut than
their colleagues / will not presume to say But,
absurd as is the accusation directed against the
party and the Government. there can he no doubt
that the Bradlaugh business has brought serious
distress of mind to many worthy NonconfOrmists.
Mr. bTadlaugn s 1rlehuS now give ouI tuaI ho uoes
not care for the role of martyr. and will take the
oath. He has played martyr long enough TO want
something fresh. For many years he has fought for
a seat for Northampton Thanks to Mr.. Labouchere,
he has at last been elected. Whether he has or
has not conscientious scruples against taking the
oath of allegiance, may be question. That he is
ready TO affirm his allegiance to her Majesty seems
to be argued on all hands, 1t is not his Republican,
ism but his atheism which stands in the way of his
entrance into St Stephens.
dramatic experiment was made on Monday
afternoon at the Prince of Wales Theatre of curl
nus and interesf,np kind. Miss GeneVieYe Ward