New-York tribune., 1886-04-25

/
him from his one purpose Of restoring social orael
in Ireland. He was accused OF imprlsoning ooo
suspects and keeping them In prison without ''ia'
Whoever else may accuse him, 1t would come Win
n DOOR grace from us In America, when during the
war we locked up nearly 10000 men on suspicion
of dislovalty. and seldom thought OF trying them.
| A duel was going OH between the League ana inc
Goyernment-or if you like. between Mr.. Parneii
| and Mr. Forster-which ended for the time by tho
retirement of Mr. Parne into the peaceful seciusioh
| of Kilmainham Gaol. Tho power of the League
was broken. So great had It become that II Dir.
Forster had not locked mp Mr. Parnol, Sir. Iarncii
vould soon have locked up Mr.. Forster. lnaV u
worse fate did not befal the Chief Secretary WIS
due to the mcrest chance; or, as others "ouu Sns'
to Providcntia interposition. Tho history of the
plots TO murder Mr.. Forster came out III
the investigation Of the PhGnix Park tragedy. NO
body will forget the assassns who looked INTO INC
window of the railway carriage at "estiahu no"
where sat Mr.. ForsteTs wife and daughter pcloIc
whom they meant to blow out his brains. 1hey
did not simply because he had driven TO hihgs'o"h
instead of taking the train. In Dublin they show
the stranger-I was shown it a fortnight ago-the
bridge on which Mr. Forster was to have been MUIR
dered and over which he actually drove while an
accident detained the car with white horse which
sbould have preceded HIM as a signal to his assas-
sins These were bat two attempts ont OF many
Mr. Forster knew we'll enough his life was aimed
at but went his way with tranquil courage
which even among his Irish enemies was not
without it's admirers When he resigned on account
of the Kilmanham Treaty. to which he refused 10
be a party he had cleared the ground Tor
his successor II is the fashion among those who
do not like hm to say he failed. Ask Mr.. Parnc,
and the other leaders of the Land League which
Mr.. Forster shattered what they think.
On the memorable scenes that followed in the
House of Commons said what l thought at the
time and need refer but briefly to matter on
which have not changed my opinion. The attack
on Mr.. Parncll as one who connived at outrage and
murder made profound impression on the
country, and it remained unanswered save
by counter attack from Mr.. Parnell on Mr.. Fors-
ters administration of the law. The Irish, | sup
pose. will never forgive the whom they so long
assailed He was hated to the last that was his
reward for two years of devoted service and heroic
effort to secure to Ireland the rights which we most
value in America. He was, OF course, an opponent
of Home Rule; "no Home Rule" they say, were
the last words that passed the lips of the dying
statesman
"IIe was man." said Mr. Gladstone IN his culogy
upon Mr.. Forster, "upon whom there can be no
doubt that Nature had laid her hand for the pur-
pose of forming q thoroughly genuine and
independent character" 1t was this
very genuineness and independence which
brought him sometimes into collision with
his colleagues. Mr.. Forster was incapable of COM
promising with his conscience He took immense
pains to be right he studied and mastered his
subject there were difficulties before which his
industry shrank then, once conymced, he was
adamant. Mr.. Gladstone resented at the tline
Mr. Forstcrs resignation and his statement OF the
causes of his resignation, but lie now lifts himself
high enough to say that his Chief Secretary for
Ireland administered the great OIL In spirit OF
sef-sacriice and genuine philanthropy, That Is
not adequate tribute; hut IT covers me charges
which the Irish Nationalists used to bring against
him.
Patriotism was with Mr.. Forster n passion
his love Of freedom intense; his con-
ception of duty unbending ilc had humor
and good humor. and he bore with singular sto-
cism the invectIve which the Irish heaped upon
him. When he spoke he spoke to the point. OF
rhetoric he had little; of grace or finish OF style,
almost none; but he had power OF lucid statement
and an energy of intellect which made his speeches
quence which comes from directness and plctu-
resqueness of speech from sheer Intensity OF con-
vIctiOD, and from burning synpathies. In the
House he was an effective debater. On the plat
He cultivated none of the arts OF the drawing
room; men often thought him rough, but appeal
to him for a service and he was kindness itself.
Amid the pale shadows which fit through
vigorous individuality; force in politics; man
who had TO be reckoned with; who could not be
caoled; who stubborn for the right. He was
a fype of Englishnan who would have made his
mark in any period of English history; of
that great middle-class from which so many of the
best of them have sprung. He dies unhapp ly at
the very moment when his experience his sagacity,
his fearessness might have been of most service to
ba nt try ha nrofnIudlv wed O.. W T..