Morning journal and courier., 1884-05-19
MT. Gladstone. tGsorgs William Curtis. in HArper's Magazine for


 fGeorue William Curtis, in Harper's Magazine for
 June.l
 Mr. Gladstone, at the age of seventy-three, Prime-minister of England, and the chief of English statesmen-no less eminent for weight of personal character and accomplished scholarship than for his extraordinary mastery of public affairs and his Parliamentary elo- quence-is a fine illustration of the English genius in it's most characteristic form. There is a certain sturdiness in MT. Gladstone's nature showing itself in every way, except his reputed sensitiveness to personal criticism which is in singular contrast with the Oriental character of Lord Beaconsfield, so long his chief opponent. It was the want of this quality quite as much as an alien genius which made the late minister so apparently un English. No one, indeed, cultivated English ways more assiduously, or celebrated with more eusto the distinctive English life. than Lord Beaconsfield, and he identified himself with the bucolic party-the squire, the country gentleman-and he seemed in every manner resolved, if resolution would accom- plish it, to be an Englishman.'
 But the contrast between him and MT. Gladstone was as apparent in every aspect as it is in the remarkable caricatures of Punch, in which, if Gladstone has sometimes the air of a prig Disraeh has always the air of Cagliostro. When Disraei was at the head of the ministry, the feeling was una voidable that it was an accomplished foreign talent that was governing England. But with Gladstone, it is England governing her self. Much more than in any chief minister the English conscience is felt in Gladstone. In Lord Sidmouth and Mir. Percival, the two most ordinary and common place of Prime ministers, there was the conventional Eng fish responsibility and morality. But ln Gladstone it is the power of rectitude which is remarkable. He believes in honest deal- ing, and in subordinaiine public policy to the moral law. He may not like to be personally criticised, but he is not ashamed to be called sentim ental in his regard for the moral honor as we'll as for the interest of England. Nothing could be mere distasteful to MT. Gladstone than the Egyptian complication. Nothing could have been more delightful to Lord BeaconsfeId. The vagueness of the object to be attained by warlike operations, the difficulty of possible protectorate of the country the desire to respect the rights of a people so remote from English sympathy and habits, naturally oppress MT. Gladstone. ! thus necessarily engaged in transactions In which his country should never have been ! involved But they would have been exciti | ing chapters of romance to Lord Beaconsfeld, and he would have endeayored to turn the situation to the most dazzling account. Coping at once with the elusive situation l in Egypt with the franchise in England, and ! with the discontent Of Ireland, and goaded | by Tory party not greatly led, but offered | by brilliant cynic worthy squire, and 8 ! non- -descript madcap, only chief of the ! sturdiest moral and mental quality could | hold at seventy-three position which nobody | else could fill. It is, we said, his character ! no less than his genius which will give him 8 | great place in English history. With the con- ! quering Chatham and the accomplished Chan ming, with William Pitt and Sir Robert Peel, Gladstone must always be mentioned as an | English statesman and minister who showed | in his public and private life, in his masterly | grasp of affairs, in his ascendency over a | great, intelli gent, and progressive party in
 his high moral tone and his immense accom- ! plishment, the power which any intelligent | country would wish to see conducting it's af- ! fairs.
 This is the year in which the other great English speaking nation calls one of it's citi. l zens to the chief executive magistracy. | Happy that country if 1t summon to that of | fee 8 statesman so commanding, conscien-
 tious, and courageous, and a man so spotless
 as the English Prime minister! Looking al
 Gladstone, and then across the sea at oul
 Presidential contest, the Engiishman may be
 pardoned if he is not quite ready to abandon
 political system which brings so great. | government, and even the American may | wonder whether his system of selecting tho
 chief magistrate Is s1rer than the English
 method to bring the real chief of party tc
 the executive chair.