The Portland daily press., 1891-12-29

the real solid statesman he has long
shown himself to be. 1t will surprise
many to be reminded that Lord Hart
ington served on Earl Granville's mis-
sion to China SO long ago as 1856, and
since then he has been lord of the adj
miralty, secretary for war, postmaster
general, secretary for Ireland and sue
cessor to Gladstone in the leadership of
the Liberal party.
This is an unusual record and of such
uniformly good quality that it has es-
capped the sort of fame which mischiev,
GUS brilliance often wins. He never was
and never aspired to be brilliant, but for
plain, aightforward, solid workman
ship, sound common sense and indomit-
able grit Lord Harrington admittedly
ranks among the very best public serv-
ants of England. This is the more re-
markable because he is constitutionally
indolent, as the heir to one of the wealth.
lest dukedoms may perhaps have been
excused for being. He is wealthy in his
own right, and delights in the turf. Not
many horse owners can boast of keeping
an earl to manage their stables, but in
this capacity the late Earl of Westmore-
land was proud to serve Lord Harting-
ton.
For quarter of a century this luckiest
OF favorltes was the cynosure of the
scheming eyes of British matrons on the
lookout for gilded son-in-law. Lord
Harrington might have married the
greatest belle in the land at any time
He could even have had his choice of a
crowd of princesses, and great was the
marvel why he didn't. By and by q
mild Whit of gossip got abroad, and for
the last dozen years the names of the
now Dowager Duchess of Manchester
and the marquis have been coupled.
They would be found bracketed in the
lists of country house parties and at
public entertainments.
The late Duke of Manchester was away
most of his time looking after his sheep
farms in New Zealand or elsewhere. He
died last year, and the faithful pair are
smiled upon by all the little Cupid cher
ubs who watch DER the lives of lovers
cruelty parted. The lady is sister of
the once vivacious empress of Austria,
and they have both distinguished them
selves in the saddle as cross country rid
ers and share in marked love of Eng
hsh sports and pastimes.
The marquis has had plenty of trou-
bles to dash his cup of pleasure. His
well beloved brother Frederick was the
unfortunate chief secretary for Ireland
who was martyred by the knife of polit-
ical assassins. The noble self restraint
of Lord Harrington during the cyclonic
time that followed in the house of CON-
mons won the admiration of his bitterest
foes. Not one word did he utter during
all those scenes of recrimination, but
bore his sorrow and indignation in man.
Hest silence.
His parting from Mr.. Gladstone in
1885 and his subsequent leadership of
the Unionist coalition are sufficiently
familiar to need no further allusion
here. The death of another brother
quite recently was double blow, as
apart from the bereavement it necessi-
tated postponement of the wedding.
Lord Harrington has himself been seri-
ously i'll, but his stout constitution may
be trusted to give him as long lease of
the dukedom as that enjoyed by his oc-
togenarian father. AS a speaker he is
like John Bright-plain, blunt, sense
spoken in simple English, hitting the
nail right on the head every time. Of
course he lacks Bright's charm of elo-
quence. His manliness and transparent
sincerity have long won the hearts of
the people and the commoners in par
Lament.