New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-16
GLADSTONE In THE HOUSE
How He Dominates the Entire Assembly
His Power in Debate

How He Dominates the Entire Assembly
His Power in Debate.
London correspondent of The New York
Times.
There is an indescribablefa fascination
IN watching the great man as he sits
toward the outer end of the govern
ment bench listening to a debate. It
may be that this is not his invariable
rule, but at least haven never happen
ed to see him in the house in any 9TH
er garb than evening dress, with wi
der expanse OF shirt front than is or
dinarily 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 mus
lngly fixed on the great mace on the
table before him. when in repose. The
full top light shines on his long bald
crown, his clustering gray side locks
and his shirt front, and makes him
the conspicuous object OF every eye.
About 10 or o'clock in the evening
he always writes his daily letter to
the queen, using a pad on his knee
and a quill pen, and it is one OF the
most familiar of his curious ways that
this occupation never prevents
his hearing acutely ali that is going on.
All at once you will see him stop writ
ing and screw his head to one side like
a very wise old bird, and you may
know that he has heard something
which interests him If the speaking
happens to be unusually good he will
turn and look at the orator steadily,
as if delighted at the discovery OF new
talents. When lesser lights OF the op-
position-and the name of these is
legion-are attacking him, he custom
arily draws his head down INTO his
collar and looks stonily at them; but
If the assault befrom somebody worth
listening to, say Churchill Or Smith, he
listens more graciously, expressing on
his strikingly mobile face as the in
dictment goes on all his emotions
amusement, interest, dissent, indigna-
ton, scorn, elation. No great actor
ever knew better how to show forth
more varied feelings in all their inten-
sity on his face. And then to see him
nod his head, or slowly shake it, inre-
spouse to some controversial assec-
ton! Lord Burleigh's nod could not
have been more subtly eloquent.
When he rises to his feet a great
hush falls over the house. It would
not be exact to say that all eyes are
turned upon HIM, because he is at all
times the focus of observation, but a
light of interested expectancy comes
into every face. He begins in a low
tone of voice, but there is such abso-
lutte silence that his first words are
never inaudible and rarely indistinct.
He has been making notes during the
speech he is to answer, but he will not
refer to them once he is on his feet.
His form as he stands at the side OF
the table, upon which he lightly rests
one hand, does not seem as tall as it
really is, so delicately is it proper
toned. l wish there were words in
which to convey the sound and fiber
OF his voice, tor until you are able to
associate this with your image OF the
man the mental picture fails. 1t is I'M
like any other voice, just as Sarah
Bernhardt' is; it has in itself thepower
OF generating new sensations, new
thoughts in the listeners mind; it
seems to have something of primor-
dial weirdness in it's suggestions-like,
the ocean or the forest primeval." OF
F; oratory, as such, there will not be
much. There will be nothing at all
to recall Wendell Phillips or Web
| ster, or to suggest CASTELAR, or Gam
BETA. 1t is not even the eloquence
of Bright or of Joseph Cowen. There
are no gestures, save limited move
ments with one hand; there are no
swelling outb ,rsts Of the voice, no
tricks Grounded elocutionary periods.
One feels only at the outset that a
great man is terribly in earnest; then,
as the slow, careful, logical sweep OF
speech goes on one feels that this earn
estness is contagious-one catches its
spirit, hangs approvingly upon its de-
velopment, thrills with enthusiasm at
its climax of conclusions. The great
orators whom | HAYS named could
| electrify legislative assemblage. play
upon it's emotions at will, blanch its
cheeks, quicken its pulses, command
It'll widest plaudits, but after the
speech was over the votes would be-
cast just as if it had not been made.
| There areno such physical excitements
in listening to Mr.. Gladstone. He
does not storm your senses-he con-
| quers, your reason, convnces your
| judgment.
This Tremendous power of persua-
sion is the key to the whole man. 1t
accounts for both his strength and his
weakness. Heis so superb, Sc match
less an arguer that he can lead English
sentiment around after him wherever
he wants to go. But heis.also SO Won
derful a casuist that he persuades
even himself out OF his own judgment
sometimes, and then leader and led
alike go into the ditch. Sentiment
and shrewdness are curously mingled
in his mental control. He may be az
cautious and wary as Machiavelli, up
to a certain point; then he will be for
a time as open and unsuspecting as
Lady Jane Grey-and then all at once
flame forth with the passionate fervor
OF a Loyola. Yet all the time he will
be, in his intentions, deeply conscien-
tious and sincere. Toward whatever
point of the compass his steps may