The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-03-20


the Unique Characteristics OF the Hero u
Khartoum.
The life Of General Gordon Is without
. parallel In history. He had win a.
imperious rs Napoleon's; he had a
nature rs infcxible rs Cromwelrs; he
had Gives genius for war and fertility
Of resource; he had Jan Lawrence's
capacity for governing semi-civilized
races; he had Francis Xayicr's over
mastering love Of humanity. But with
these traits were combined chivalrous
devotion 10 the races for whom he
laborcd. with a contempt for the states
manship Of Europe, an unqucstioning
reliance upon the law Of his own con-
science. and an intense religious nature
that reflected at once the mysticism Of
the middle ages. the austere virtues Of
Puritanism and the fatalism Of the Ease
A man Of commanding genius in achicy-
ing great results BY means Of insig-
nificant instrumentalitics. and in con-
ciliating the prejudices and overcoming
the resistance Of barbaric hordcs, he
was at once hero among men. and a
solitary figure removed from them by
unique characteristics.
There Is, perhaps, no other country
in the world where such a character as
General Gordon's would be so easily
misunderstood as England. His SOM
bre genius. his medieval piety and his
devotion to the interest Of semi-ciyilized
races. had little in common with the in
tensely practical instincts of the Nation.
His contempt for the tedious processes
Of diplomacy, and his indifference to
the fate of ministries and the policy of
governments marked him out as mys-
terions idcalist. whose judgment was
not to be accepted without hesitation
and reserve. He returned from. China
to face a storm Of obloquy and reproacli
from the humanitarians who mistook
him for cold-bloodcd butcher of the
Chinese population. His work in the
equatorial provinces and his battles
with the slayc-hunters were neither un-
derstood nor appreciated By English
men, while he incurred the hostility Of
the ring OF pachas at Cairo through his
administrative reforms. At Mauritius.
in Basuto-Land apd in India he found
it impossible to endure official restraint.
His mission to South Africa was COM
plete failure. and it was not until as an
arbitrator he had personally decided
that China should not declare
war against Russia that the
English people began to comprehend
the genius of this grim Puritan warrior.
His rowing commission rs miracle work
er in the Soudan was regarded at first
with enthusiasm. but the moment he ar
rived at Khartoum every proclamation
that he issued, every proposal that he
made. was criticised and misconstrucd.
The Government which had dispatched
him across the desert refused TO follow
his advice. The humanitarians de-
nounced him as the shareholders ally.
Practical politicians condemned his
nomination Of Zebehr rs his successor
as the act Of fanatical mailman.
But even Englishmen awoke at last
to consciousness of General Gordon's
heroic qualities For nearly year that
solitary European has held his ground
against horde OF barbarians. He has
raised armies and paid them without
money. He has conducted marvel
lous campaign BY promising liberty to
several thousands OF blacks and by
mounting rusty artillery on fleet Of
leaking hulks. He has stood on the
broken rampant, q solitary English sem
try refusing to desert those who had
trusted in him. and awaiting an army
OF rcscuers which never came. And
there he will remain in the memory Of
the nation sublime figure, never to
be forgotten; his heroism. fortitude.
chivalrous loyalty and Christian faith
understood at last.--N. y. Tribune