Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-11
Mr.. GIadstone's Defeat.


as remarkable as it was unexpected.
That he should have carried through
successfully his foreign policy against
the formidable-and in some instances
neutrality-suspicious. he had to en-
counter, to go down on his do
mestic policy, and that. too, on
financial question. seems on its
face opposed to every theory of
probabilities. The history of the
GLADSTONE Ministry is crowded with
grave issues growing out of foreign COM
plications, and more than once the Gov
eminent was in a position in which its
overthrow was not only confidently
predicted, but seemed inevitable.
The Premier entered Office handi
capped by deplorable Egyptian pol
icy. The public, however, soon forgot
that the Egyptian complication was a
legacy, and sought to make him re-
sponsible for all the ills it entailed.
Developing out Of the Egyptian situa-
ton were the revolt Of Arab Pacha,
the massacre at Alexandria, the slaugh-
ter Of HICKS Pacha's army, and last,
but not least, GoRDON's expedi-
ton and the disastrous Soudan
campaign, the only redeeming fea-
ture Of which last was that it af-
forded another brilliant illustration of
British valor. Then, and while all Eng
land was smarting under a sense of
modification, came the news Of Rus
sian aggression and intrigue in the
East. and the Afghan problem doomed
up again. The English mind became
possessed of the belief that Russia had
seized the occasion Of English discom-
future in the Soudan to make a
bold dash for India, and for
the time being the English war party
threatened to sweep everything before
it. At times, as had been the case
during the excitement that followed the
receipt of the news Of the fall of Khar-
toum, it appeared that Mr.. GLAD
STONES own party would unite with
the opposition to effect his defeat. Yet
in this crisis, as he had done in several
previous crises, Mr.. GLADsToNEprOved
himselfmaster ofthe situation, and forced
from the world the acknowledgment that
by consummate craftsmanship he had
accomplished what had appeared i'm
possible. Despite all assertions to the
contrary, Mr.. GLApsToNE's manage
ment Of the Anglo-Russian trouble has
redounded to the advantage Of England
in that it has secured for her the moral
support Of the civilized world. The
emily reasonable hypothesis, therefore,
on which to account for the defeat
Of the Ministry is that advanced
by one Of the English papers,
that owing to discussions in the Cabi-
net the Ministry had become indifier-
ent, and that indifference had spread
to the Liberal party. While there
were avowed objections on the part OF
the public to the budget, even Mr..
GLADsToNE's worst enemies have &C
corded him the highest rank as finan-
cier--have acknowledged that he is an
authority as a budget-maker. AS
Chancellor Of the Exchequer under
PALMERsToN and RUSSELL, he
raised himself to that position in the
popular estimation, and has held it ever
since. But after all, be the cause Of
his defeat what it may, England is by
it to-day placed face to face with two
questions Of momentous gravity. These
questions are viii the Conservatives, il
they 20 in, undo all that GLADSTONE has
done in respect Of the Anglo-Russian
matter ?--and If so, where is the man in
the Conservative party that can carry
the nation through the ordeal that mus,
follow?