New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-23
TWO ENGLISHMEN.
SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT AND THE DUKE
OF DEVONSIIIRE

1bere are two Englishmen now living who.
.oren together may give the student Of English
,olitics very good notion OF what most avalls III
| English public life TIE two are Sir William
4 Jarconrt and the Duke of Devonshire, whom 1t Is
Nan little difficult not to think of and speak OF
" ord Harrington. They are good llluStra'lo's
-. hocausc Of their likeness. but of their unlike
no.s In private life they have many things IN
| "S,,roop bu,-at least in England-privatc life Is
| oro thing and public life another. 1t Is assumed
| aith reference TO public men that they are
/ ,;rtuous persons; that they have, at any rate
| 4, much virtue as enables them 10 conform TO a
certain standard Of morality. Not much more
,,an that is demanded condition OF usefulness
N the State, but that much is.
v Perhaps the standard has, Of late, been raiSca
, and when l say of late, ! mean since the -Non-
.o,formst Conscience became n thing to he rcck-
oped with in politics. 1t drove Mr.. GLADSTONE -
hoax with Mr.. Parnel, and so shattered, for the
,,me hcnp. not only very extraordinary political
alliance. but the foundation on which res'cd
rroat nolicv. Yet you have only to go back a
, r.ars Ia see n still greater force in operation
,be force Of that general regard. not only Tor
,oralitv but for honor and conduct and tru'h'
.hicb sent Sir Charles Dixie into obscurlty an
ohscurity from which, in defiance Of public opinion
! .nP Of his own pledges he is now seeking 70
emerge. Society and the constituencies Will smut
,beir eyes TO much, but if the scandal Is fragrant
18th will take notice of it, and both will o7trac2e
the offender
That however. il a question which need not pe
considered now. It is only necessary to say OF 'he
two eminent Englshmen before us ina. 10
,ublic criticism of either is ever o'Tc"
npon the private character oil e''ir';
What Is remarkable is, that while everything Sa''
sbout either assumes that each IA in priVae Al ap
tight man, their political characters oHer q WI
,,ost which if not complete, Is very s,I!Ni i
1bev are. at present, opponents. Nlr "il""
Uarcourt is a Glsdstonian iIomc h"''''
MI. ot Dovonshire is n Unionist The fortunes
Of war bring them pretty irequen'N NV
,.,on and their methods Of dealing with Sfe''
s.iono of nolicv are also completely opposed
Tacb has lately spoken more than once on IN"
,oSmn. NJ the hour. II will not be necessary 10
n,otn much. if ANYTHING. Of what they sain, nu'
~ >.oobes are there and may be referred TO II
ANYBODY lkes4s
ca, William Uarco,rt has delivered, since Home
pr,e became part of Mr.. GladstOne's faith' nla'I
sooros NJ spceches can't say | have reau an
~ thcm bnt have read or heard many. lIeE
ora Seldom dull. either 10 hear or to read IL o'lc
,osses many of them by, il il not because tI'N
are not entertaining. but because thcN are n'
nvoftable They do not influence the 'o"'e VI
sNais Sir William, whose abillueS VERT io"-
,,,dcrrated Is really one of the most conip''el'
nraotitioners in English politics lie mas NHo"'
.aoe rho mower of rapidly acquiring what ne
docs no. know and may happen TO want 70 KNOW
lie has energy, great courage, much NerS"'i'''''
a considerable acquaintance with Ia" "'" Il"
Almost perfect command of Parliamentary ''',l'N'
He is A maker of epiarams, OF Jokes OF hic"-
r. 1~ol fgT
names, and this talent Il not only Nalu"'T o".' !"
this country. rare. and the possession oil II Hi'''
the political combatant very consi"eiaoIe |"-
,o,+aca in the arena He is extremely ready,
understands the House Of Commons can take p'r'
IN any debate at a moments notice, and Is really
a dehater not merely maker of got speeches
porbons il |. enough 10 say Of his Parliamentary
,,si+;on that he has cntp V echpSed Dis ohiE
esrious competitor for the succession TO the lead
er.hip of the GladstOnian party in the House ol
Commons Mr. John Morley. As rough ana
tumble fighter in the Parliamentary prizc-rlhs'
Sir William has few superiors; perhaps nome
though neither as debater nor as tactician Is nc
ouitc in the first rank. He writes aS well as ne
speaks; thing which can be said OF fe" men
who are prominently speakers HIS letters oil
controversy are models Of vigorous statement
nonted. brief, readable, and dama1lhg 10 '"'
enemy. With a pen in his hand Sir "lHiain Is
far more than a match for his reVecd fa"c'
Mr.. Gladstone. who, on the platform OF ~ ui'
Uouec could dispose easily enough OF tins Col'heI
Of Heavy Dragons
7. may seem violent - think OF the '"p ~ a"-
rs,saries but there was time. still within Vie
,.o,Irr ~ man when Sir William Iarcour con
si,crcd Lord Harrington the proper leader OF the
Iibo-a, Marty. and when, if the current opinion
q, ~. time bc credible he regarded Mr.. "IaH-
stour's resumption Of the LIBERAL leadership a. I"
'us. a mild word. impo!tlc
Tho ts,ne WIS 1880 NJ. Gladstone had re-
oonnced for some years the responsibilities o'
leading the Liberal minority. and durlng 9reht
,art of Lord Beaconsfclds Ministry had re'Ired
10 his IIawardcn lrcside, ana occupied lil'i'S''
with Dante and Homer and other bnrohc p"f
suits Those who keep in their memories iul
catalogue of Mr.. Glndstones most remaTkanle "N-
motifs will tell YOU that he never dld HnNrmh3
more admirable in its way than on that brilliant
oecosion in the louise OF COmmor- when ne I1l"
tbe lash on Sir Williams hro1d back. mere are
,.,, Gr.r ,ieocs Of considered invectivc; there
have been few which the House enjoyed more
u, oddly enough. Sir William though an orna-
ments TO the House, mas never "c'h 0N"'"'
popular in the House.
Win all t,cse capacities and titles 10 respect,
si- William Uarcourt's authority is far less than
i, ought To- BE with the country If Were forced
~ give = single reason for this deficiency,
should saw though reluctantly, that IL had some
thing 10 do with the stability Of his CONVICTIONS
This docs not imply any doubt % his sincerity
IIe H. perhaps. TOO sincere. "hcn you "'
politician advocating with tremendous emery
particular opinion. and then not long after with
equal energy another opinion inconsistent with
fine first. and rreconcilahlc with H. yOn cannot
bu, think his power Of convincing himself Is too
great You like a man 70 lie convinced but not
10 be convinced 700 often. 4 medicine taken too
frequently loses its healing force. A man who II
always pcrsuadng himself that some new doctrine
Is true loses in a mcasure, his power Of per
snadiag others. Perhaps lie loses hi, power Of
, Judging what arguments will be- efficient with