Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
GLADSTONE AND TYNDALL.
The Former Makes n Statement Concerning
Their Little Dispute.
rBr CABLE TO THE DISPATCH,

Their Little Dispute.
rBY CABLE TO THE DISPATCH,
LONDON, March S-Mr. Gladstone being de.
sirous that the American people should know
the merits of the controversy over the charges
made against him by Prof. Tyndall, asked me
20 call upon him to-day, The Grand Old Man
was waiting in his library beaming over with
good nature and in high spirits Before him
lay telegram announcing the result of the
Stamford election and his first words were:
Have you heard the good news7" Then he
spoke OF the encouragement these repeated ex-
pressions of public opinion from the polls gave
him and said that they strengthened him to
work until home rule was accomplished. Mr..
Gladstone gave me an exclusive copy of a let
ter he has to-day written to Prof. Tyndall, in
response to letter of Gladstone written jan
uary 20 and answered to-day. Gladstone's first
letter was as follows:
MY DEAR SIR-If you are correctly reported to
have said at an Ulster meeting where Lord Lon
donderry appears to have been the chief speaker
that nave called Mr.. Pitt black guard i have
torequest that you will at your early convenience
ment.
Six weeks later Prof. Tyndall answered this
letter in communication that would fill two
columns OF THE DISPATCH. in which he re-
views Gladstone's entire Parliamentary career
having evidently crammed history for the occa-
sion, concluding with postscript to the effect
that he intended to send the letter to the press
The substance of the response to Mr.. Glad
dall's letter, thus:
did not say you had called Mr. Pitt black
GUARD. Ihe exact words as reported in every
newspaper to which have had access were these:
HE waited until he was 70 years old to discover
that that, Fit was blaekguard and the Union
crlme' For YOUR opinion of Pitt and his work.
expressed when your intellectual power was at its
maximum. quote statement made by you in
September, 1856: ''It is hard to say what might
not have been anticipated from his (Mr Pitt's)
v1gor and wisdom, com bined with a continuance
tion swept over the face OF Europe and drew him
on to war, which again postponed for quarter
Of century th al attempts at legislative progress
union with Ireland and the abolition of slave
trade In the heyday of your manhood, when
than they are now, YOU bore emphatic witness to
P1tt's vigor and wisdom. and pointed out the
union.
This is Gladstone's reply:
thank you for recalling to my memory the ex-
act words which were used by you at Belfast
respecting Mr.. Pitt, and which implied that had
But regret that after the labors of six weeks
have allowed you to satisfy yourself that had
not so employed It you have not been able to pre-
vail upon yourself to confess your error. In lieu
OF this You have spent your time In the study Of
some among my many political delinquencies.
and have proved that 33 years ago, when my con-
tact with Irish questions was limited TO those of
religion and finance, l shared the general ignor-
ance and gave utterance to the then classical
opinion of Englishmen about the union. sim
cerely thank you for setting out at so much length
union subject OF special study, have endeavored
to set forth its true character, and l contentedy
ulary which you have almost exhausted in your
effort to anticipate the condemnation that history
is to pronounce nc, upon me and my doings- it seems
only desire Is to meet you the terms which
long ago we stood, when under my root you gal,
lantly offered to take me up the Matterhorn, and
guaranteed my safe return.