The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-05-26
The Prime Minister OF England.

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WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE.
The Prime Minister OF England.
An outline Of Mr.. Gladstone's public Ca
reer Is soon given, although he has assisted
in the making of history for nearly half q
century, and Is, In some respects, the most
remarkable, if not the greatest, man In Eu-
rope. He was born December 20, 1909, at
Liverpool, an Englshman by birth, but
Scotch In blood. His father was q merchant
Of considerable eminence and wealth. Great
pains were taken in the education of q lad
singularly studious and ambitious. Before
attaining the age of twenty-five, the future
statesman graduated at the University of
| Oxford, double first-class man. This was
In the year 1881, preceding by atwelvemonth
only his entrar ce upon public life as Mem
Der of Parliament for Newark-on-Trent, one
| of the historic towns of Nottinghamshire.
| Gladstone was an ardent Conservative at
that time, and his first book was defense of
| the union Of Church and State,-a remarka-
BILE work which Macaulay reviewed in the
| Edinburgh Rerieto, with appreciation of its
spirit and scholarly style, but cendemning
It's conclusions. Newark continued Mr..
Gladstone as her representative until 1915.
During the thirteen years of this association,
hopeful honors had fallen on the head of the
youthful Commoner, "handsome Gladstone"
as he was called. He was only twenty-five
when Sir Robert Peel made him a Junior
Lord Of the Treasury. Three months later
he was promoted to be an Under Secretary
for the Colonies, which position he held un-
til April, 1885, when Peel went out of office.
Upon the return Of Sir Robert to power, in
1871, Mr.. Gladstone was made Vice Presi-
dent of the Council and Master of the Mint.
In 1S43 he relinquished the frst-named of
these offices in order to assume that of Pres
ident Of the Board of Trade. Two years
afterward he was made Secretary for the
Colonies, soon after which he resigned Office
and his seat In Parliament. The University
of Oxford returned him as a member of the
House of Commons in 1S47, a connection
which was maintained for many years, not
outstanding the fact that In 1851 Mr.. Glad
stone differed so widely from his party In
opinion that he was no longer numbered in
the Conservative ranks. He was member
Of the coalition ministry of Lord Aberdeen,
formed in the year 1852, that same ministry
which, in alliance with France and Turkey,
undertook the war with Russia. His office
was that of Chancellor Of the Exchequer,
for which lie showed marvellous aptitude,
handling the national accounts with an easy
mastery and presenting them before the
House Of Commons and the country with
degree of eloquence which had perhaps
never before adorned so uIattractive q matter
as national finance. The Aberdeen ministry
resigned In 1856, In consequence Of the
clamor raised against its management of the
war, and q reconstructed ministry with Lord
Palmerston at the head and in which Mr..
Gladstone had place proved to be short-lived.
In 1858 and 1859 the subject Of this sketch
was sent on special mission to the Ionian
Islands, and in June, 1859, again served as
Chancellor Of the ExcheQuer under Lord
Palmerston, the premier, upon whose death
and the succeeding premiership of Earl Rus
sell he continued to hold the same position,
and also acted as leader of the House of
Commons. His rejection as representative
of The University of Oxford, in 1856, was
succeeded by his election for South Lanca-
shire. In 1866 the Russell-G ladstone min
istry, as 1t was called, resigned In conse-
quence Of an adverse vote on the question of
reform In Parliamentary representation, and
. Conservative government assumed Office.
When, In the election of 1868, South Lanca.
shire rejected her representative, he was tri-
umphantly returned by the borough of
Greenwich, and Mr.. Dlsraeli's government
retiring because of the election of Liberal
majority TO the Commons, Mr.. Gladstone as
sumed the premiership for the first time.
His great measures, the dsestsblishment aud
abandonment Of the Irish Church and the
Irish Land Bill, were passed by the year
1870. In 1873 his government was defeated
on the Irish NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Bill, and
he resigned, but was persuaded by his Sow
ereign to resume Office. He served until af-
ter the general election of 1874, which re-
suited in the triumph of the Conservatives.
Mr.. Gladstone now retired from the leader
ship of his party in the House of Commons,
which was assumed by the Marquis of Hart
ington, and devoted himself to literary labor.
In 1874 and 1875 he produced certain PAM
phlets on the question Of the Roman Catho-
lie Church In its relations to the civil power,
which created a great sensation and were
read throughout the Christian world. His
pamphlet entitled bulgarian Horrors and
the Question of the East" published in 1876,
was of remarkable force, and gave moral
support to Russia in the war between that
power and Turkey which broke out two
years afterward. Alearned work on Homer,
which saw the light in 1876, indicated the
direction of one of bis recreative studies
one of large number, by the way, for Mr..
Gladstone's powers are exercised in q great
variety Of ways, and his attainments In lam
guages, literature, and other subjects exem-
plify his astonishing industry anu mental |
force. The magnificent triumph of the Lib |
erals In the election of 1880, when Mr.. Glad |
stone was elected by Midlothian and the |
borough Of Leeds, virtually compelled his |
assumption Of power as the First Lord of
the Treasury, to which he added the func-
tions of Chancellor of the Exchequer. He |
is member for Mid Lothian, or Edinburgh
shire, preferring this to the representation of
Leeds, for which borough one of his sons,
Herbert, q promising young statesman, is |
sitting. Another of bis sons has seat In
the House Of Commons, one is clergyman
of the Established Church, and one Of his
daughters IL married to q minister Of the
Church of England. The wife of Mr..
Glsdstone's youth Is still living. She Is an
excellent helpmeet, the eldest daughter of
Sir Stephen Glynne, Bart, to whom he was
married I'm the year 1880. The Irish Land
Bill is the last great accomplishment of per-
haps the ablest minister England ever pro-
duced, and questions arising out of the Irish
difficulty are now taxing his wisdom aud EN-
dursnce to degree which, however great,
he bids fair to master. When his.work shall
be done, Ireland will be the greatest gamer
by his craftsmanship, which Is that of vet
eran, a man of extraordinary learning and
vast natural capacity, OF interchangeable appli-
cation, wonderful executive force, and I'M
sloquencs, Of progressive convic-
tons and high, conscientious courage.
The Younger Brothers.