New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-18
MR.. GLADSTONE.
HIS RESIGNATION AND SOME OF THE IN
CIDENTS WHICH EMBARRASSED
HIS DEPARTURE.

dignhed less worthy of him ard OF his great
career than he and they desired. There Is.
believe. little doubt that different termina ion
was intended Mr. Gladstone himself has al
ways had an eye to effect. even 10 stage effect,
and he was. when he chose actor OF consum-
mate ability. He was also experienced stage
manager. and ne could have arranged most
effective dramatic exit. ! think he had arranged
one and that the curtain was meant to 20 down
on scene very unlike that which We have
actually beheld What was II which inteTfered
with these we-lad plans?
The answer TO such a question must aweys
be more or less conjecural. Such testimony as
there is comes from variety Of Witnesses One
or two OF them may be called witnesses at first
hand-men Cor women who are in position to
know. and do know. and who for that very
reason are cautious. Most Of the others have
only hearsay evidence to Offer--the kind OF evil
dence which needs the most careful sitting and
most Confederation. Nor. after ALL is it neces-
sary to attempt to give a positive answer nor
perhaps prudent. But out of the mass of cur
rent gossip there are certain stories which in
themselves are not improba BILE. and which come
from good sources and may these grounds
be repeated
One of them goes back to last october. Mr.
Gladstone had made important speech in
Edinburgh in September had gone on to pay
visit or two further north. had returned to
Edinburgh on his way south, and was dining
one night in an Edinburgh hotel in company
with a number OF intimate personal and politi-
cal friends. Dinner over. the walters had
left the ROOM the conversation became
fidentia. as 1t often does in such circumstances,
and political prospects were being discussed.
All at once. Mr.. Gladstone said he had made up
his mind or nearly made up his mind. never to
thnr SDepCh
the opening of, another session of Parliament
This meant of course, that he had resolved not
to remain Prime Minister beyond the present
session, which, at that date. nobody expected
10 last till The anticipation then was that
business would be brought to an end by Christ
mas of 1898. SO that this startling announce
ment came not very long before the date when
IT was supposed by Mr. Gladstone. as by every
body else. that 1t might take effect. The au-
tumn sittings had been arranged on that theory |
The walters. l said. had left the room. or
were thought to have left but one had fingered |
behind his fellows and heard what Mr. Gladstone
said The average intelligence of the British |
domestic is such that nineteen out of twenty |
servants would have missed the meaning OF |
Mr. Gladstones remark. This happened to be !
the twentieth: man. moreover. who concerned ,
himself with politics and who in his own sphere !
was looked up to as leader and had relations |
with leaders more important than himself. He |
took his story TO them. or 10 one Of them by |
whom 1t was made known to others. among |
whom the question arose whether it should be /
published not. 1t was decided for various /
reasons to keep 1t secret for the time It is /
said however, that one Of Mr.. Glad /
stones friends who were at the table |
aware that the servant had heard and saw him /
leave the room afterward. The fact was not, at |
IN
Now whether this the origin of the state |
ment published some months later by THE Pail |
Mall Gazette" whether that statement came /
from an Independent source. is disputed Per-
haps II does not much matter much mat /
ter whether "The Pail MALI statement was
based letter. was at first believed,
a verbal narrative supplied by the pos
SCISSOR Of 1t to those in whose hands he thought
II might have commercial value. In either
case the attempt TO make merchandise of II
was carried out, as described II not long after
the story. admitted to be true appeared
If the two incidents were independent Of each
other, each based on the indiscretion of a
servant. Perhaps the servant is not very much
10 be blamed 1t is rather the masters than the
servants whose indiscretion is 50 often culpable
People forget that the useful machines behind
their chairs are human. and have ears and have
also human Interests and are under no obliga-
ton to keep secrets which are not told to them
as secrets nor told to them at all. but are over
heard in what may be called the course Of bust
ness.
But a good deal had happened meantime The
fact that Mr.. Gladstone contemplating an
early retirement from office had become known
to Ills family. to some of his colleagues--not I
think. to all-and to some near friends not in
the Cabinet. They all kept X, as they all had
reason to keep it, profound secret. It was to
the interest of no friend Of his to make 1t known
prematurey. Moreover. the strongest efforts
were made to induce him to alter his purpose.
Some of his family took part in them. and out
side influences were brought to bear. They were
all in vain Mr. Gladstones mind was made up:
for more reasons than one. as / will explain at
another time. think it settled. arl known
by several persons to be settled, that his Prime
Ministership would not outlive the present ses-
sion of Parliament
That being settled, he had to consider further
the manner Of his withdrawal 1t is impossible
that Mr.. Gladstone should not have desired to
quit the scene with dignity and with certain
state or ceremony. He had long been the first
figure on this stage. 1t would never be said OF
him that nothing in his public life became him |
like the leaving Of it, but he surely desired it
should be said and felt that his leavetaking was
worthy of his CAREER The great names OF the
past were ever before hm-Walpole Chatham |
Pitt. of whom he said strange things Canning |
whom he idolized Peel. whom he looked TO as
his master Palrnerston, veteran like himself
Beaconsfed. his great rival. Their departures
from public life had been made in different
ways but all had been well made He knew I
how much the nation and the party expected q
OF him. He had arranged. believe his own I
exit; ordered the method of his retirement. de- ,
termined how and in what circumstances he C
would bid farewell to the House Of Commons. v
and what legacy he would leave to his successors
and to the people over whom he had so long r
.'uled. The disclosure in The Pail Mall Gazette"
"nrne like a thunderbolt. II he had meditated q b
dramatic coup 1t was spoiled II may be taken Y