The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-21

and from that time the tory was COM
pletely converted to liberal, and gave
ardent support to all liberal measures.
HE became, in 1852, Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and, while holding this Of
fee, made, in introducing his annual
budget, a series Of speeches which were
pronounced, by Lord John Russell, to
contain the ablest exposition of the
true principles of finance ever delivered
by a British statesman" Mr.. Glad
stone became the leader of the liberal
party in the House of Commons in
1865, soon after the death of Palmer
ston, and became Prime Minister of
England in 1868. In 1878, his bill for
the reformation of university educa-
tion in Ireland was defeated, and he
resigned the ministry. Mr.. Disraeli
was called to form ministry, and de-
clining, Mr.. Gladstone returned to his
post.
But the ministry was many times de-
feated, and finally he issued an address
dissolving Parliament. The election
for a new Parliament returned tory
majority, upon which Mr.. Gladstone
resigned the ministry, and Mr.. Disraeli
assumed the premiership. In the quar-
terly ReUie,o Mr.. Hayward says =
The first place among living competi-
tors for the oratorical crown will be
conceded without dissenting voice to
Mr.. Gladstone. He may lack Mr..
Bright's impressive dictiOn-impressve
by its simplicity-or Mr.. Disraeli's hu-
NOR and sarcasm, but he has made ten
eminently successful speeches to Mr..
Bright's or Mr.. Disraeli's one. His
foot is ever in the stirrup his lance is
ever in the rest. He throws down the
gauntlet to all comers. He is great
debater, great Parliamentary speaker;
with shade more imagination he would
be a great orator."
Another writer tells us that ''Mr.
Gladstone's voice is like silver clarion,
and after he has spoken for four or five
hours, the last notes will ring out as
clear as bell, without the faintest per-
ceptible indication of physical exhaus-
tion." In his oratory there is much
animated action, and not inf equently
violent gesticulation. 1t is said that
Mr.. Bright always writes the perOra-
tions to his speeches; that Mr.. Disraeli
frequently wrote out his speeches in
full, but that Mr.. Gladstone never
writes line Of his,-sOme of his most
successful and powerful ones being
made on the spur of the moment, and
in the heat of debate, and without any
previous preparation whatever. This
sort of power and success arises, un-
doubtedly, from the fact that his splen-
did learning, his indomitable industry
as a student, his vast accumulations Of
knowledge ON almost every possible
subject, and his retentiye memory,
make him always ready for any emer-
gency. When the Irish University Bill
was under discussion, there was anight
session. Mr.. Disraeli had spoken till
midnight. Mr.. Gladstone immediately
arose to reply. There could be of
course no previous special preparation,
and yet we are told that his Tejoinder
on that occasion has rarely ever been
exceled for close reasoning, brilliant
illustrations, and powerful eloquence.' y
Mr.. Gladstone's speech on Mr.. Disra-
ellis withdrawingth the Endowed Schools
Act Amendment Bill" was a brilliant
and mastery Oratorical triumph, utterly
cOnfounding his antagonist, and filling
his friends with eXultatiOn and delight,
Mr.. Gladstone's powers are so great,
his resources are so vast and so entirely
and always at his command, that it is
said. 1.-The readiness with which he re-
plies to a speech just delivered, is amaz-
ing lie will take up, one after another,
the arguments of his opponent, and ex-
anime them, and debate them with as
much precision and 1uency as though
he had spent weeks in the preparation
of his answer" And yet Mr.. Glad
stones speeches are said not to be well
adapted to purposes Of quotation, but
are rather working speeches. This
statement. however, cannot be applica-
bic to some Of his perOrations which
are full of sentiment, and brilliancy, and
felicitous expression.
In his speech on Parliamentary re-
form in 1866, in reply to Mr.. Lowe, who
had twitted him with once being tory,
Mr.. Gladstone turned to the liberal
side of the house and made such lofty,
pathetic and noble defamation, touch
ing the manner in which he outgrew
toryism and was cast off, and the noble
generosity with which he was received
by the liberals, as drew tears from
many eyes.
Mr.. Gladstone has a mastery power
over an audience-a power to kill preju.
dice, to win favor, change opinions
change votes, and to quell the fierces'
storms of opposition. He has that ex
treme subtlety of mind, and is at times
so much given to Over-refined distinc
tions, and casuistic modes of reasoning
to explain things away, that it wal