Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-07
GLADSTONE IN THE HOUSE.
His Marvellous Power In Debate.

London Correspondents New York Times
There Ia an Understandable fascin alton in watch
ing the great man as he sits toward the outer
end Of the government bench listening TO a de
bate. 1t may be tAat this is not bis iuvariable
rule, but at least have never happened TO sec
him In the house in any other garb than even.
Ing dress-with o wider expanserof shirt front
than Is ordinarily worn even here, where very
much linen is the fashion. He leans back
comfortably, with one thin leg over the
other and with his eyes musingly fixed on
the great mace on the table before him.
when in repose. The full top iigr shines on bis
long, bald erwin, his clustering gray side locks,
and his shirt front, and max IS him the conspic-
uous object OF every eve. Aboat 10 or IL O'Clock
In the evening be always writes his daily letter
TO the queen, using pad on his knee and a
his curious ways that this occupation never pre-
vents his hearing acutely all that is going on.
screw his head to one side ike q very
wise old bird and you may know that he has
heard something which interests him: II the
turn and LOOK at the orator steadily as IL de-
lighted at the discovery of new talent. When
lesser lights of the oppOsition-and the narae
OF these is lesion-are attacking hhn. he
eustomariiy draws his head down into
but If the assault be from somebody worth
listening to, say Churchill or smith, he listens
more graciously, expressing on his strikingly
mobile face AS the indictment goes on all his
emotions-amusement, interest, dissent, inCig-
nation, scorn, citation. No great actor ever
feelings in all theif Intensity on bis face. And
then to see him nod his head. or slowly shake
Lord Burleigh's nod could not have been more
subtiy eloquent.
When he rises to his feet great hush falls
over the house. 1t would not De exact to say
that all eyes are turned upon him, because he
Is at all times the focus of observation. but .
light OF interested expectancy comes into every
face. He begins In a low tone of voice, but
there Is such absolute silence that hts first
words are never inaudible and rarely indis-
fianf t,n1 Toor. 1,x~t fka
speech he Is TO answer, but he will not refer
TO them once he II on his feet. His
upon which he lightly rests one hand, does
not seem as tall as 1t really 10, so delicately
Is ii proportioned. wish there were words in
which 10 convey the sound and fibre of his
volec, for until you are able to associate this
with your image of the man the mental pic
ture fails 1t is unlike any other voice, lust
as Sarah Bernhardts is; it has in itself the
power or generating new sensations new
have something of primordal weirdness In
its suggestions-like the ocean or the forest 1
prirneval" OF oratory, as such, there will not
Wendell Phillips or Webster, or to suggest Cas-
telar or Gambetta. 1t Ii not even the eIo-
srsnes OF Bht or IF 5SssPh CSwen There
the hand; there are no swelling outbursts OF
the voice, no tricks OF rounded efo-
set that great man is terribly I'm earnest;
then, as the slow, careful, logical sweep OIL
speech goes ION ONE feels that this earnestuess
IS contagious-ope catches its spitlL haHS
spprovingiy upon its development, thrills |
with enthusiasm at its climax of conclu- |
sions. The great orators whom / have named !
could electrtfy legislative assem- Mage, play |
upon its emotions at will, blanch ii cheeks, |
quicken its pulses, command its widest plaud- |
fts-but after the speech was over the votes |
would be cast just as il 1t had not been made. |
There are no such physical excitements in |
listening 10 Mr.. Gladstone. He does not st6f1n |
your senses-he conquers your reason, con- |
vinces your Judgment
Ihis tremendous power OF persuasion Is the |
Key 10 the whole man. II accounts for both lbs /
strength and his weakness. He Is so superb. so /
matcheSs an arguer, that he can lead English |
sentiment around after him wherever he wants |
10 go. But he Is also SO wonderful q caSIlst |
that he perSuadeS even himself out of his own |
judgment some times, and then leader and-led /
alike 30 into the ditch. Sentiment and |
shrewdneS5 are curiousIy mingled I'm hiss
mental control. He may be as cautious |
and wary Machiavelli up to q GER
tain point; then he will be for time as open
and unsuspecting Lady Jane Grey-and |
then all ut once flame forth with the pas
sionate fervor OF a Loyola. Yet all the time he |
Will be, in his intentions, deeply conscientious
ana sincere. Toward whatever point of the |
compass his steps may really be directed his |
moral vision viii be fixed upon the north star /
OF political acknowledgements and advancement
Hence 1T has happened tha} while the cle~er |
men of his party, able at Leaf 1Jo that he was
temporarily in the wrong path, have often held /
aIooi from him, themasses OF the English peo-
pie, having supreme faith In his Intentions
have followed him blindly through good and |
evil report.