New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-25
ENGLISH POLITICS
MR.. eLADsToNE-THE SESSION THUS FAR.

more reasons than one. They are glad for his SAX,
that he has stayed away long. and they are clad
for their own sake and for the country that he hal
mot stayed away longer. You have heard, al
have all hearu here. rumors that he WAS about t,
retire from public lie and to accept a peerage
Such runors spring up. or, more truly speaking, are
set afost, often MIR. Gladstone has a cold. Of
fails for whatever to take his usual place
the House. They are not true. and considering
that they come not from Mr. Gadstone's friends bu
from his enemies, it may be said that they are to-
tally unauthorized and misleading
1t must nevertheless. be conceded that Nr. Glad
stOne returns to work with reluctance. His stav at
Cannes is the first real vacation he has had since he
became Prime Minister. From the dav of his arri-
val on the Mediterranean coast. his strength and
spirits revived So did his appetite for literar y
work, ana he took up almost at once his long-neg-
lected Homerc studies, add pursued them with zest
during his whole stay. The place charmed bim-
the air, the view, the walks, the freedom from
duties, aud, for the most part, from troublesome
company, all delighted him. At first he was imps-
tent to return. sense of postponed duties tor
mented BIN. Very soon different looOd ensued.
His family andfrends, w no had had much difficulty
In peIsuadng him TO stay over the opening of Par
lament, began TO experience fear of another sort.
Having once TecOnced himself to absence he be-
came disposed to prolong it He announced that he
meant to remain IN Cannes till Easter Day by day
the fascination Of freedom grew upon him. | don't
know that he ever pronounced the word resignation
bus think il may be sand that those about him be-
came convinced that the thought OF 1t was in his
mind. They began to dread lest it should really
become serious Purpose The alarm was commune
Gated TO London. His colleagues. who at hrst had
done their best to induce him to protract his vaca.
4 tl,,..
URGENT messages travelled across Frauoe to the
Chateau Scott. Influences Of many kinds were
brought to bear. and finally with success.
Making secret of his extreme reluctance 10 give
M his yfouud liberty, Mr.. Gladstone fixed the
CAV for turning his face nOrthward, aud northward
he started at the hour agreed lie puts on harness
ia very different spirit from that of a few years
ago. When he quilted his retirement in 1876 to
denounce tine Bulgarian horrors and prevent the
completely of England In the atrOcious policy of
Turkey. be entered upon his task with Joy He con-
tinued il. completed it, resumed il in 1870 over
threw Lord Beaconsfeld and his Government in
1880, and ever since has worked Ike giant.
Work has Deen delight TO him all his life LONG.
His only idea of rest to do something else.
Now he returns it with a struggle accepts it as
duty, and will probably do three times as much as
any of his colleagues no longer because he cannot
that he feels the burden, but Of laying it dow he
has at present thought aud for the future no def
mite purpose.
The notion that Mr. Gladstone will some day
make himself Peer, often 1t has been talked Of
rs not that commends itself to those most de-
voted TO him, nor, it is believed TO himself Dis
raeli in the House of Lords seemed in his right
place. He had been a champion of tue order, and
of most things whch the majority of the order sup
port He cared greatly Tor splendor, for rank. for
the Difference which in this country is accorded to
title. For none OF these things does Mr Gladstone
Care Most of those whose confidence has beeu
gwen to him would regard his presence in Cham
Der OF Peers incongruity. II was the fitting
close of DisTaelPs 1t wonld not be a fitting
close OF SIR Glsdstones career. It is hardly too
much to say that the annount ement of his eleva
iion to az EsrldOm would be in respects such
q shock to the Liberal party AZ fell npon England
" hen Pitt became Earl OF Chatham utterly differ
ent as the circumstances would be.
Yet even his title has been chosen for him. Mr..
Gladstone, fay the gossps. net for the first time is
to be Earl Of Liverpool. There several Obec-
tons TO that. There are always objections to Civ
Ing a new man an old title. the Queen, l hear.
" bo liked Lord Liverpool, would be disposed 10
withhold her assent. Then, although the title is
extinct, the family Is not. Two daughters of the
third and last Earl still living. and their wishes
are entitled TO consideration. The renson given for
pitching this title for Mr.. Gladstone is of course
hat he was born in Liverpool. But there are
plenty of Other names at his disposal should he bc
disposed TO claim them ana at present the matter
nay he left where it belongs In the region of pure
conjecture.
The House gave its Leader warm greeting on
his return and reI Gated 1t when he for the rst
lime. All his friends and most of his opponents are
slad TO have him back again. Politics apart. the
House is q more Interesting place with Mr.. Glad
tone than without him. Loru Harrington, who
las actea as MS substitute has carried business
With discretion, energy and unfsiling good sense
'or the purposes of the debate the address, lie
las been PERHAPS not less useful leader than his |
hief would have been. He has certainly contrib |
lied less than Mr. GLADSTONE would have done 10 |
he stream of talk which for three weeks flowed on
without ceasinR. There are circumstances in which |
Hence, or moderate speech, is not an unmixed dis
ID antago The present Secretary of State for War
las one point OF superiority the Prime Minister
Is Leader of the House. He cannot be drawn" In |
ain do the Parnellites rage and the Fourth Party
imagine vain thiugs. Taunts sneers. invective.
nsinuations which sting Mr.. Gladstone into indig-
ant retort, are wasted upon the stoical composure
# the future Duke of DegOnshire. To watch the |
col Indifference with which Lord Harrington re-
elves the insults OF half dozen opponents makes
ne consider whether after all, aristocracy has not
Is uses. There armor against vulgar impor-
inence like contempt. 1t is impe1etrable if it be
enuine. and nobody doubt the utter genuine
ess of Lord Hartington's contempt for the oflen-
i've personalities be has to meet.
What is wanting to Lord Harrington is what
voala Le wanting to anyone holding power tenn
orariy and ahat is authority. Neither he nor any
ody else in Mr. GladstOnes absence could give
ecisiye answer u any important question. This
as been more cases than one; in none per-
APPS. With more clearness than on the question OF
the troops from Egypt. Lord Hart
,gton took il upon himself to say they might all 10
ut Of the country in six months Lord Granville
D the other House, about the same time was re-
that nnthinr cnnld hn moro indiscreat than