The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-03-29

believe this was the first time that an In
fiuential English magazine lent its col
umns to the advocacy of what was then
q very unpopular cause in England. MIR.
Morley was born in 1888, 80 that he hes
Just turned 80. He went TO Cheltenham
to school, and afterwards to Lincoln col
lege, Oxford, at neither of which did he,
like others who have risen, give signs OF
his future greatness. The Union at Ok
ford is debating society in which many
English statesmen first distinguished
themselves as public speakers, but Mr..
Morley did not shine even here, and when
he came to London to try his luck
with letters his future was as
He wrote for The Literary Ga
zette, and eventually for The Satur-
day Review, though, as he has himself
told me, article after article was re-
turned to him before he discovered what
was suitable and acceptable. He read
law with his friend, Mr.. Frederick Har-
rison, travelled In America to study
democratic institutions, and became
editor of The Fortnightly in succession
to George Henry Lewes. His works on
Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau, on Ed
mund Burke and on Richard Golden,
show his great capacity for what may
be called philosophical biography, but
he attains his highest eminence as Q
literary critic, in which character he is
scarcely inferior to Mathew Arnold him
self. The failing health of Mr.. Ashton
n;llyo IoI 20 h;o raf;rapnanf In Eahr,,oru
1888, from the representation Of New
castle-on-Tyne, and Mr.. Morley, after
vigorously contested election, was re-
turned to parliament for the vacant seat.
In three years from that time he entered
Mr.. Gladstone's cabinet, becoming q
right honorable and chief secretary for
Ireland, without filling any intermediate
office or undergoing any of that official
training in a subordinate department Of
the government which was at one time
considered essential to the attainment of
high office. AS his assumption of Office
was simultaneous with, and the result
of, Mr.. Gladstone's adoption of home
rule, he was received in Ireland by
the popular party with Joyful &C
clamation, and his administration had
none of the difficulties to encounter
which have proved insufferable to so
many English statesmen. The govern
ment of which he was a member lasted
only few months, for the home rule
bill, which it was formed to carry, was
rejected by the house of commons, and
subsequently by majority of the Brit
ish electorate, so that Mr.. Morley had no
opportunity of showing his skill as an
administrator. OF his methods as poll
tician no candid opponent can complain.
He always fights fair; no striking below
the belt, no personal abuse, no calumini-
GUS inuendo, defaces his controversial
style, and, though his doctrines and SEN
timents are warmly combated by the
opposite party, the devotion of his own
ardent followers is fortified by the re-
spect and admiration of his adversaries.
Like every one of the lieutenants of Mr..
Gladstone he is of course overshadowed
by his great leader, but his presence in
the front rank gives peculiar confidence
to his party as regards their future lead
ership. The newspapers of all shades Of
opinion agreed, with a remarkable alb
sence of professional jealousy, in ap-
proving of Mr.. Morley's elevation to
cabinet rank. %*x
cannot, perhaps, better conclude this
sketch of the distinguished statesman
than by quoting the address which he
issued to the electors of Newcastle-on-
Tyne, on his appointment to Office, and
which is a model Of brevity, simplicity
and directness:
"GENTLEMEN-The queen has been
pleased to approve, on the recommended
ton of Mr.. Gladstone, of my appoint
ment to the Office of chief secretary for
Ireland regret that this will impose
upon you the necessity of new election,
but confidently believe that in accepting
a responsible post, in time of public
perplexity, 1 shall have your hearty ap-
proval and support. should have been
unworthy of the high spirit Of my con-
stituents if / had shrunk from task,
however arduous, which was pressed
apon me as public duty by the llustri-
.ous statesman who is again at the head
Of national affairs.
81 have the honor to be, gentlemen,
your faithful servant, JOHN MORLEY"
will only add that Mr.. Morley, who
Is a man of average height, with 1.-the
figure and elastic frame, seems to be in
the prime of his powers, mental and
hysical. O'CoNEoR POWER