The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27

each other in face, although Doueherty Is longer
and Russell broader in the countenance. Rus
sells voice is not SO melodous Dougherty's,
and lacks that mellow quality which defes time.
bad court-ro and great conventions Both
are Irish, of course, of the best vintage of their
race, and BOTH like wine, are better orators for
age. As Russell faced the House of Commons
on one of the most memorable nights of the pro-
longed debate on the fated bill, all eyes were
fastened on him, and no man present awaited
with more visable pleasure and delight to come
than Mr. Gladstone, himself, who assumed his
usual pose of rest and interest-crossed legs,
folded arms, and body well set against the leath-
ern high back of the Treasury bench
Every argument that ingenuity could devise
for the bill Russell cited in its support From
classic urns he plucked the flowers that dropped
their bright hue and disseminated occasional
odors along roadway far from gentle or easy.
TIE great crises of British history he recalled TO
warn those who forgot the disasters of the past
in their Willingness to wreck the present. With
we'll blended caution and courage he exploded
the fears of bigots and the threats of bnllies
and every paragraph was as dry and sub
stantal If he had expended a
day upon it alone. Mr.. Gladstone received
every sentence as if addressed exclusively to
him, and from time to time turned to those
behind him to nod his acquiescence, or looked
vehemently across the table, rs if he expected to
see the opposition wither and vanish before Rus
sells scorching blasts Often he interpolated
"Yes yes!' and often, Hear! hear" and from
speaker rose and fell with no discordant note,
nor Grant cadence, his eyes flashed fire, his lips
moved with inarticulate emotion, and he clutched
several times the knee of the colleague at his
side in nervous ecstacy of satisfaction or energy
of approval.
One passage in the speech no one who heard it
can ever forget, nor can any one forget the reve-
lation it afforded of the real vivacity of Glad
stone when totally released from official con-
ventionality. Russell had in his closed hand
fpap fhn coff 6o rich
nents of the disestablishment bill In few
sentences he recalled the period, the nature and
object of the measure, and the heat which it
engendered in Ulster. But he misstated the
year, and was promptly corrected by Glad
stone Then he prepared to read the extracts.
Or course, In America they are perfectly
familiar to all who remember the affair-and
l must add that we remember these British
affairs much better in America than they are re-
membered here, where people eat and sleep much
more than we do, and read much less 1t is not
too much to say that every word uttered in 68
and go over the proposal of disestablishment has
been repeated over the proposal of home-rule
The oracle has been worked TO speak the same
dire prophecies of religious strife, civil war; de-
structon of trade departure of capital, disrup-
ton of the empire, and-final menace in all the
categories of woe and ruin whenever a wrong in
Ireland is to be redressed-separation. There
were then the same vaporings on the platforms,
the same imprecatons on the Orange al
tars. the same appeals to base
traditions, the same inflammation of
the vicious in human nature. OF course
the bigot who was going to raise the standard of
revolt If the alien church was lifted off the necks
of those who would not 60 upon their knees in
it, has been vowing he would do exactly the
same thing if the home-ruejbill should pass; and
the extracts Russell held in his hands were from
addresses proffering self-immola:ion. He read
them exquistey They reeked with carnage.
Every second word was ''die." The least over
doing in the reading would have ruined the
dramatic effect. and there was more danger of
oversteppng the bounds, than of not imbuing
the rendering with sufficient drollery The
whole House went into continuous roars of
laughter.
1--WE snail die" he said, with lofty patnos,
tinged with ray of indescribable comedy, ''as
our fathers died before us. We shall de-" and
his pitch rose and his voice became charged
with faint tremolo. ''as our sons shall die after
us We swear it, and our VOW shall be heard
from earth to heaven and from end of VI
ster to the other" The anti climax was given
amid volseys Of laughter, which, pealed
no more; and the sonorous voice of the
Prime Minister, laughing above all the
rest, continued to be heard while his
supple body was almost doubled at times with
boyish fun Even after the scene was fairly at
an end he laid his head back upon the bench and
laughed, while tears of merrment believed his
face. 1t may be true, as said by the author of
'Obiter Dicta," that the death of Beaconsfeld
eclipsed the gayety of politics and banshed cpl
gram from Parliament But the scene created
by Charles Russell. and in which the greatest of
Prime Ministers was conspicuous participant,
proved that at least the capacity for enjoying
gayety, if not for producing epigram, still lives
in Parliament.
heart. began this article with the intent of
describing the effect upon him of the confirmed
news of Mr.. Chamberlans betrayal. No one
who sees him now can doubt that he is endur-
ing keenly but intrepidly, wound inflicted by
a hand which he clasped to lift the man belong
ing to it into honor. Well may he ap-
ply to Mr.. Chamberlain the words of
Agamemnon to Ulysses: Accomplished in
evil wiles and crafty minded. thou vert the
first invited by me to the feast; then it was
pleasant TO thee'to eat the roasted meats and
quaf the wine" Following tho example of
Agamemnon, he neither chides the deserJer nor
exhorts him. I'VE shall settle these disputes at
a future time" and the settlement is foregone
conclusion. No one doubts that an overwhelm-
ing Liberal majority will confirm the great Min
ister's determination to plant the germ of home
rule in Ireland.
1t has been the happy fortune of great British
politicians to have wives who aided them in
bearing the cares of office, and made their pri-
vate existence blessed. Not more to Pitt was
the accomplished companion of his labors, or to
Fox the lovely being who exercised her spell
upon him to the last, than is the wife of the
great Minister to his honored and glorious age.
Mrs. Gladstone is no longer rare visitor to the
House of Commons She is a tall, distinguished
looking woman. following her husband Tin the
silvered gray of years. but at his side always,
either in literal truth or in the closest sympathy.
Her face is strong. keen and refined. A fore
head high rather than broad; FULL bright eyes,
rich with feeling; long, straight nose, high at
its joining with the forehead; sympathetic
mouth, clear, sonorous voice, a simple,
stately manner, gracious and womanly,
a stvle Of dress suited to her age and station
such are her exterior characteristics. Who does
not rejoice that she has lived to behold the lau
rels on her husbands head, and that he has her
to walk with him to the not distant ends 1t was
my privilege to express to her the admiration
with which in our country his efforts for the
betterment of men and governments are OBJ
served, and her response showed that she, as
we'll as he, finds in this vaster sympathy deep
happiness.
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