Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-03-07
HIS RESIGNATION CONSIDERED
Formal Announcement of the Retirement
Of William {. Gladstone.

LONDON, March 3.-Ihe following Of
fetal announcement of the resignation
of the Rt. Hon. William f. Gladstone
as prime minister, first lord of the
treasury and lord of privy seal, was
made to-day at Windsor Castle:
Mr.. Gladstone has rendered his resiena-
ton, but 1T has not yet been formally ac-
cepted. Probably the Queen will write on
Prenner's resignation.
the meeting Of the cabinet at which
the announcement Of Mr.. GladstOne's
coming retirement was made was held
thls afternoon. The Premier arose
early this morning and took long walk
IN the grounds of Windsor Castle, at
which historical group Of buildings he
had been the guest of the Queen over
night. The morning was fine and
Mr.. ella dstOne, who was accompanied
by Sir Henry Frederick Ponsonbv, pri-
vate secretary to Her Majesty, enjoyed
his walk greatly. The Premier looked
in the best of health and was certainly
in the best Of spirits. After his morn
ing walk, Mr.. Gladstone visited his old
friend, the Dean Of Windsor, the Very
Rev. Phillip Frank Eliot, d. d.
The other cabinet ministers, upon ar
rival here, were driven to the castle and
the council meeting took place. Mr..
and Mrs. Gladstone left Windsor at 8
o'clock this afternoon ON the same
train as the returning cabinet
ministers. The route from the
castle to the railroad station was
thronged with people, who heartily
cheered Mr.. Gladstone. 1t is stated
that Mr.. Gladstone will shortly leave
England for the continent and that he
will remain abroad until the end of
spring. Numbers of telegraphic mes
sages reached Mr.. Gladstone during the
morning, some of them being from Ire
land, asking the Premier to reconsider
his determination to retire from office
and recording resolutions adopted at
meetings last night expressing SYM
pathy with the great Liberal leader and
urging him to continue at the head of
the Liberal party. Among the towns
which sent such messages are Belfast,
Londonderry, Cavan and Monaghan.
After Mr.. and Mrs. Gladstone and the
cabinet ministers had LETT Windsor it
became known that the Queen had
sent her private secretary, the Rt. Hon.
Sir Henry Ponsonby, to London, sum-
moning Lord Rosebery to Windsor
Castle. Dispatches received here later
announced that Sir Henry Ponsonby, at
o'clock this afternoon, had delivered
his message to Lord Rosebery and that
the latter was starting for Wind
sor. Among those who called
upon Lord Roseberry, previous to
leaving Tor Windsor, where the Rt
Hon. James Bryce, chancellor of the
Duchy Of Lancaster; the Rt. Hon. 4. II.
Dyke Acland, vice-president of the
Common Council, and the Rt. Hon. Sir
James Ferguson. The consultations at
Lord Rosebery's residence ended
towards noon, when Earl Spencer left
for Paddington Railway station, where
Sir William Vernon Harcourt, chancel-
lor Of the exchequer, and the Earl of
Kimberly joined him, and they started
berry and Mr.. Asquith then drove to
John Morley's, where a consultation
was held previous to the departure OF
other members Of the cabinet for Wind
SOr.
While it seems to be settled that
Lord Rosebery will be premier, there is
considerable diversity Of opinion AS to
who will be the next secretary of state
for foreign affairs. The general opinion
seems to be that the Earl of Kimber-
ly, who is now lord president of
the council and secretary of state
for India, is the coming man for this
pOSlIlOu. LOIu AluDCIly uetS IliO d |
great deal of experience, having al
ready filled the positions of under sec
rotary of state for foreign affairs, and for
India, and has been minister to St.
Petersburg lord lieutenant of Ireland,
lord privy seal, twice secretary of state
for the colonies, and secretary of state
for India. The Earl of Kimberly was
born in 1926.
Among the other cabinet changes dis
cussed is the probability that John
Morley, now chief secretary for Ire
land, will succeed the Earl of Kimber-
ly as secretary of state for India. If
the current rumor in official circles is to |
be believed, these are the only two |
cabinet changes which will be made.
The Radicals, who have been making
such a bitter opposition to. the selec-
ton Of a peer for the premiership, are
loud in their expressions of delight at |
the fact that Mr.. Gladstone yesterday
again refused the Queens offer Of a