New-York tribune., 1885-07-21
NOTES FROM LONDON.

| Inc law which vacates the seat of q momher -
the Hsuse OF Commons on his acceptance of OFF,
dates from Queen Anne. 1t was passed a. . csm.
promise. Ministers were then the servants of the
crown; directly chosen by and responsible to the
crown There was fear that the authority Of thu
Sovereign would be too strongly asserted in the
House. party was in favor Of excluding Mn
isters from the House altogether. As less extreme
measure 1t was agreed that they should submit
themselves to reelection. The reason for thu
statute of Anne has long since ceased. but the
statute survives. A kind Of understanding exists
that Ministers thus conpeed to present themselves
10 their constituents shall not be opposed. This
understanding has its limitations, and Is occasion.
ally violated by both parties, with or without
reason Sir William Harceurt was opposed by tho
Tories at Oxford when he became Home Secretary
In 1880. beaten and forced to take refuge in Derby.
And now Lord Randolph Churchill is opposed by
the Liberals at Woodstock on his taking the Sec
retaryship of State for India.
The general feeling in Sir William Harcourys
case was that the Tories behaved shabbily. The
general feeling IN Lord Randolph's case Is
that ths Liberals or rather tho Radicals arc
behaving shabbily. Lord Randolph IS opposed
by certain Mr.. Corrie Grant, man without stand.
ing at the bar or in the party; notorious for hav-
ing made sundry scandalous charges against city
officials which he had to withdraw. lie has tried
for Office in the City of London and failed; tries
now at Woodstock and is pretty certain to fail
again. The Liberal leaders dc not approve Of Mr..
Ccrrie Grants proceedings An excuse for the con-
test Is put forward. 1t is said that the Liberal
workngmen in the borough wanted a fight Per-
haps they did, but party discipline in such matters
is stringent enough 10 have kept the too
jealous workingmen quiet had the caucus
managers cared to exert their authority The
truth is the Radicals wanted to annoy Lord Ran
dolph. The real leaders contented themselves with
policy Of neutrality, and with signify ing their
disspproval by silence.
Lord Randolph Churchill, it may be said. has
little claim to indulgence. He wonld be about the
last man to make one. He has reused
hatreds by his bitter attacks upon Mr.. Gladstone
and others, and these paraded as Justification
for the hostility now shown him. Mr. Gladstone
stands in no need of volunteer vindication of this
sort, or of any sort, and owes thanks to the
pushing people who use his name. It was thought,
too, that the Duke of Marlborough, Lord Ran
dolph's brother, would throw his influence against
him. The two have been knswn to be on bad
terms. Woodstock. though not quite pocket
borough, is borough In which the authority Of the
Dukes sofMarlborough of has always been considerable
But the Duke has. after interval OF hesitation.
resolved to do nothing against his brother and
declined to go down to Woodstock. alleging truly
the great pressure of work in the India Gfice, to
whica he is new. Lady Randolph. Lady Curzon.
his sister, Sir Henry Wolf. Sir Robert Peel and
others have been conducting the canvass and are
guests of the DIXIE of Marlborough st BIenheim
Palace. 1t is the testimony Of everybody that
Lady Randolph's canvassing has been of the most
clever aud efficient kind. No one here thinks it odd
for ladies to engage in such o contest. They
have always taken part in personal appeals to
the electors. The only penalty know of for such
conduct il that they must submit. as In Lady Ram
delphi ChurchIs case. to be told that the influence
Of brilliant and beautiful woman on constltu-
ency is not strictly political.
Late this evening comes the news Of Lord
Randolphs reelection for Woodstock by more than
double his former majority. It is popular
triumph; popular oven among his opponents. aud
the figures nore eloquent than any comment.
A majority of 127 in a total poll OF 937 is enough
for anybody. In 1880 Lord Randolph had but 10.
Lady Randolph. amid scene of much excitement
was called on for speech. She said " l cannot
make you spsech, but thank you from the bot
tom Of my heart for returning Lord Randolph
Churchill third time" speech not easy to i'm
prove upon.
Public opinion is such flexible thing that IL
approves alike of the acceptance of baronetcy bv
Mr. Miais and of the rejection Of baronetcy by
Mr. Watts These two artists stand at opposite
poles of their own world. Both painters Of cx-
traordinary gifts. Mr.. Miais is the most success
full man Of the day. He has devoted himself nn-
remt,iAgly to the painting OF portraits aud OF
pictures for which there is Al immediate demand.
His Landscapes are among thu most original and
interesting of modern English pictures His figure
pieces. whether historical or casuai, have been
nf
merits which Justify all the general liking for
them. AS for portraits. sir. Miais has painted
more than anybody clss. and more gsod ones No
man can transfer to canvas more safely and swiftly
the facts of the face he sees before him. lie is
consummate draughtsman, coorss In his own
way, knows how 10 produce likeness and handles
his subject with singular freedom. often with adj
mlrabc power. He has toilei steadily along the
road which leads TO fortune, and which leafs alss
to fame so far as fame is sure possession of TO-
day. with hope for the morrow. Recognition
by the State of Mr. Milai rare
capaciey ami rare SUCCESS itIy takes the form
of title which ne will easily and support
with the simple dig,ity characteristic of the man.
How far Mr. Watts d ffers from Mr. Millais you
have had every opportunity of knowing. The rec
erd of his lifes work is in New-York. No English
painter Of any generation has had higher views OK
art or nobler aims. Few have lived up to 80 high
an ideal or expressed their purposes on canvas
with so much sustained power and beauty. He long
since withdrew from what will venture to call tho
commercial competition that has becn rife during
the last quarter of a century in England. He, too
was popular. 1t depended wholly on himself to
make a large fortune or to omit making 1t. he
preferred his art to the pecunary results OF bis art
Fer many years it has been Mr. Watts's habit to
pant "a certain number Of Portraits and other
tbAs 10 rtaiu To
gave perhaps third of his time the other two
thirds he devoted to art for arts sake. The result
il b fore you on the walls Of the Metropolitan Nh
a.nn, In Nax-Ynrk Tho nortraits are studios OF