The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-19

plexion, abundance OF dark hair and eyes OF
piercing lustre. People who Judged only by
his external aspect supposed him to be deli
cate but he in fact possessed physical con-
sti,ution OF unelualled v'Gor. The first ro-
formed Parliament met on Jan. 30; 1873.
aud the young member for Newark took his
scat for the first time in an assembly which he
was destined TO adorn. delight. and astonish
for soma sixty years. and over which Tor a
great uorton of that period he was to WELD IN
unparalleled and paramount authority. The
Wings had large majority. but there was
com pact minority OF Tories under the leader
shin OF Sir Robert Peel. and in their ranks
young Gladstone found a congenial place. His
maiden speech was made about four months
after he entered the House. In reply to
some structures on the treatment Of slaves
on his fathers plantation In Dsmsrara.
Some two weeks later he spoke more at length
against the bill providing for the extinction OF
slavery in tho Wost Indies. Tho position he
took in this matter has been somewhat mis-
conceived. He did not defend tho institution
OF slavery; on tho contrary. he deprecated 1t
and declared himself favorable TO emanclpa-
ton. but he thought that 1t should be effected
gradually and after duo preparation. The
slaves. in other words must be educated and
stimulated to spontaneous industry. while. ut
the same time. the owners must DO fully COM
pensated. During this session coercion bill
for ireland having been introduced. Mr.. Glad
stone gave silent votes for It. and on the other
hnnd he spoke in opposition to n Ministerial
bill asserting a principle he was himself to
carry out at much later period: to Wit. the
right of Parliament to apply tho property
OF the Anglican Church In Ireland to the
uses Of the State. 1t il also Interesting
When We remember that Mr.. Gladstone has
long been the idol OF British Dissenters. to
lsnrn that in his sec ,nd session he oppos,
bill intended to enable None n rmists to
enter the universities by iemoving the neces-
sity OF subscribing to tbs Thrty.nine Articles
At matriculation. In the course OF his speech on
this subject Mr.. Gladstone made an assertion
which spoke volumes for the lie he had him
SELF led ut Oxford and tho kiud o! company he
kept there. Lord Patnerston had expressed
some dislike OF u system which. ms he said.
compelled undergraduates to go from wine to
prayers and from prayers to wine. Mr.. Glad
stone had n botter opinion Of such under-
graduates as he had known. He did not be-
lieve. lie said. that even In their most con-
vivial moments they were unfit TO enter the
house Of prayer. Oxford has produced but
few men in any ensration to whom this would
suggest itself as possible vlndcntion OF COM
pulsory chapsl.
1t appears that II due allowance DO made for
growth and dove lopment, Mr.. Gladstone's style
OF oratory was. at the outset pretty much
what It is to-day. His utterance was then
marked moro conspicuously than now by q
Lancsstrinn burr" but his voice was always
clear. flexible. and mrlodious. His gestures
were varied and animated. but not violent; he
turned his face and body from side to side and
often wheeled around TO face his own party MS
he appealed for their cheers. Like the younger
Pitt he showed " q premature and unnatural
dexterity" in the combination of words. and
thsn as now. II he erred at all 1t was on the
side OF nuency ard prolixity. He seems to
have been unaware that brevity could be
merit: bis dicton was redundant. Involved.
and Johnsonese: and. after u fashion which
had not yet passed away. his speeches were
freely Rarnished with Horatian and VirEilian
citations. He was. as he himself told Ques-
toner. often nervous In opening q subject but
never in reply. A critic OF public men. writing
In 1885, when tho member for Newark had been
in Parliament for five years. remarks with
curious foreshadowing OF Liberal Unionist
criticism. that Mr.. Gladstone displays con.id-
cradle acuteness In replying to an opponent:
be is quick in his perception OF anything vul-
nerable in the speech to which he replies. and
harry in laying the weak points bare to the
House. He is plausible eyen when most in
error. When 1t suits himself or his party no
can apply himself with the strictest clossness
to the real point at issue: when to evade tho
point is deemed most polite. no man can wan.
der from 1t more widely"
Mr.. Gladstone was hut 25 years old when he
was made Junior Lord of the Treasury in
the Ministry formed by Sir Robert Peel toward
the close OF 1884. and Immediately after tho
meeting of the new Parliament he WAS pro-
noted from the post named to tho Under Sec
re,aryshp for the Colonies. The Adminstra-
ton. however. was not long lived. Sir Robert
Peel being beaten on March 80. 1885. by Lold
John Russell on the latter's motion to prao
tically confscate a part OF the temperatures
OF tho Irish Anglican Church. and resigninR
q week later. Released from the labors OF
office, Mr. Gladstone divided his days between
Parliamentary duties and study. Then. as
now. his constant companions were Homer
and Dante and it is recorded that at this time
he re ad the whole Of St. Augustine in twenty.
two octave volumes Living in chambers In the
Albany. he pursued the same even course Of
systematic industry and reasonable recren-
ton which he had marked out for himself Mt
Oxford. He went freely into society. dined out
constantly, aud took part in musical parties
deligh,ing his hearers with the cultivated
beauty OF his tenor voice. In Parliament. dur
Ing tho next TWO or three years. he repeatedly
advocated this interests OF the East Indian
planters. and his impassioned speech on their
behalf. delivered on March 30. 1888, placed him
hiah among parliamentary deba,ers. The
year just mentioned IL especially noteworthy
In record OF Mr.. Gladstones life. because it
witnessed the appearance OF his famous
work on the State In Its Relations
with tho Church" Whom he wrote this
book Mr.. Gladstone had fallen TO con-
siderable exten: under the influence Of Mr.
Eowmau's genius. The work attempted to
survey tho actual state OF the relations be-.
tween the State aud the Church In England: to
show from history tho ground which had been
defined for the national Church at the Bslor-
nation and to inquire and determine whether
the existing state Of things was worth pre.
serving and defending against encroscbmsnts
from whatever quarter. This question was
decided emphatically In tho Affirmative. Mr.
Gladstone did not shrink from applying his
conclusions to the crucial case OF the Anglican
Church In ireland. that Church which he him
self was subsequently, to disestsblish. His
doctrine then was that tho church established
By law was TO be maintained for its truth; that