New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-27


sccveswhrch. like Sir. Parnel s,arc too long He has
take, reef in his shirt collar, but the most patti
ot,c fisherman could not him OF showing 100
little linen Mr. Gladstone il thu one Engll'lmAn III
the House " no arrays himself like an American
He u in morning Dire s. but his waiscoat IS OF the
evening aud shows three black studs anna in'
rather troubled expause of his shlrt-iront. lie
wears bac tie, very clrclessy fa-tcnei J. IL does
not matter what he wears The head Is the heal OF
a king of men, and his subjects hail his rising with
long peals of homage OF which king might De
proud.
We all listen for the irs tones of the voice,-hah
the effect of his speech will depend or whether ne
Is in good voice or not The first sentences come
little huskIiy, then the throat clears, AMI thence 10
the end the changing tones came at will no key in
tins marvellous organ failed to respond with
the right note to the touch of the master.
He began quietly enough, but with
more soemnity than is his wont. Ii was
plain thai he had strung himself to the great per-
iormance os n great task. The Tories may say
what they like the House OF Commons il n differ
ent body when Mr. Gladstone is ad lresslne 1t. 10
the lofty spirit the ennobling influence. of the orator
many of them Insenslble; 1t none the
less exists The lghtness of MS touch in the ex-
ordium is charming, but every word goes to the
mark and as the words numerous that is say
ing much. Agree with him or not. You feel that he
does approach his subject as no other man ap-
proaches it with an elevation fyew not attai ed
by his rivals If rivals he have in spirit OF SEEM
ing disinterestedness, oven when the contest is
contest of party with a dignity that is all his
He disclaims all thought of rcproach on the
duct of the late Ministry. His disclaimer provokes
laughter which those of us who arc not Tories
think unmannerly His face flushes the ieers
reach him across the table and he answers with
proud gesture: If they do not like to do me that
Justice shall not ask it," But again and again be
had TO endure this laughter; sometimes, l must
say, his audacty encouraged 1t. He was more
than once in that strange mood of mental rehle-
ment which the House has come to regard as
"proper subject of merrimcnt." He drew perceDtl
BILE or imperceptbe distinctions with equal con-
fdence When lie is not too serious about them
it IS a delight to watch these intel
lectual gymnastics He traversed Sir Michael
Hicks Bcachs statement of what be
called simple facts. 81 will not say his
simple facts are pure lictlons, because that would
! hardly perhaps be courteous. But they as de-
VOID of Foundation ~ if they had been pure fiction
IA piece of playful casuistry which Mr. John Nor
lev received with a delighted toss Of the head and
o broad smile. There are no two minds In the
! House which have had more training in the use OF
words for the purpose OF delicate discrimination.
Mr. John Morley il still young and may pause on
the perious path which Mr. Gladstone has pursued
TIL it has led him to dizzy heights. | wonder
whether lie ever read Doudan's remark on another
great artist in language Victor Ilugo-il teement
lone arec Les nos qfH en- est dcrcau resc'dre
1t came Iuto my head as / listened to Mr.. Glad
stone expounding to an Open-mouthed HouSe the
distinction between person who, having promised
that bill shOuld be reconstructed Is bound TO re-
construct it, and person who has not promised
that a bill shall be reconstructed, and Is free to
reconstruct IT, hut not bound TO. The logical va
ldIty of the distinction did not protect 1t from the
laugh of House which remembe red perfectly the
passionate " Never, neyer!" wnlcn ne was now OK
planning away
After A few minutes spent in trying his muscles
in this way on he went to higher ghts and ex
cursons into wider field If, while under the
fascination of the orators ce and manner
yon can keep Won mind clear, you VIII admire the
structure of the speech as a work o. art. he
passes easily from the pcrsOnale ana controversy
| OF the opening to a statement OF his position WIN
! reference to the bill aud what the House was To
! vote on. He broadenrd ms previous concessions
| by not a single inch, and won not single Vote
| from the wavercr,. Ulster was touched with no
better >ucccss-hOpe of success III such matters lie
had abandoned-bnt 1t served as an easy TRANSITION
| 10 the historical argument, which was the burden
OF the mole discourse and, perhaps, Tor the Illnc
ateuurpO,e OF the evening, little ovcrDurdenel H.
4 reference to the Colonies offered him the opening
| he wanted for an at tack on Mr.. Cham beraln-One
of the sensations of the debate. Ii took the iorn
of elaborate banter, good-hUmored and payln on
the surface. very bitter IN substance. MI biad
stone delivered it with appearance of affec-
tionate interest IN the political ingenuity OF MS
Younger friend vita variety OF IhIonatl'h ana
feline gesture which amused the House II genera
and pratifed to the the resentment or the
Parne ites against the Radical leader. HIS attack
ON Lord salisbury az the author of policy of co r
npll ed Gladstone
thar bis own scheme had Il rival III the Held, fore,
Swallowed the policy OF the coming caHpaISh anu
eXaSperafed the ores. a.,
But tbls ana everything else was forgotten In the
perora,on With asustaIned splendor OF dlctlon and
dignity OF thought and feeling. Mr. UIaus'one held
the House for perhips quarter vi an holi coh'
pletely III his grasp. AS sentence borrowed sen
tence each in the same lofty Key each
snem1np TO reach the oratorical climax which
s,Il rceded further and further the hearer thought
each sentence must be ne last. But on ana on "enl
the orator. his voice more melodious' ms
N ,re patletlc. He sIlenc"d his Tory opponents
Not one of them cared TO lose note OF THAT ncoin
parable voice as 1t rose ana ei IN lhiscai cd i
anid the deep hush that had fallen on the House
The oldest member had heard nothing equal &c
this ; the youngest cannot hope that III VIII ever
Mr. Gladstone began his speech at half past ii
smoke MI four hi lues past l. and resumed ms seal
amid "A tumult OF cn"ers when ior some lhlhute'
prevented the Speaker from putting the question
The House could not regain lis 9inpoNuie nc ioe
ings which the great orator had stirred came IRON
the depths OF human natnreahd lhe aSi'a'ion "oui.
NOT be Gained He had spoken. and he knew It,
for a lost cause he knew the division was goinl
against HIN: everybody knew 1t, but the lalth IL
fIture triumph overmastered the certainty OF I'M
mediate defeat. Nay, such was the encnantmeh'
of that last quarter OF an hour thai 10 many oI HE
followers defeat no longer seemed possible; they
w,Ie sure that men VINO doubted must have beer
converted A member of tine Government VINO SAT
IN the next gallery leaned over TO me ana III, I'M
aush of ais ne " born fan IN asked Will you haw
a sovereign even on the division p Icould not wei
refuse.
seemeJ imperylous to all this enthu ilasul 1t VA
the speaker, who presently put the question; ! o.
Ayes sn,wered wItn II great shout prolonged Into
a crv ike no hing the House ever before heard
The Noes responded. Tue Ayes have It,. said lh'
Speaker there was the usual dissent the division
bells rang; the question was again pue, anu w