The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-05-27
ENTRY INTO POLITICS.
Began His Career as a Tory-Espouses
Ire1andsa Cauae


Mr.. Gladstone's formal entry into poll
was Conservative, and the future lead
er of the Liberals entered Parliament
as Tory under the latter's patronage
of the Duke of Norfolk for the latter's
pocket borough of Newark. Those were
stirring times and we'll calculated to
bring out all of merit there was in the
member from Newark. He was not only
healthy and wealthy, but was the rip
est Hover OF the university culture of the
to have been striking.
The great O'Conneil, after an agitation
almost revolutionary in character, had
but three years wrung Catholic emanci-
patton from an unwilling Tory ministry
with a strong majority ii Parliament
at it's back, and the Duke of Wellington,
the Irish soldier then at the head of the
English government, had forced the re-
luctant King to 81 gn by informing him
that refusal meant civil war. A thor
ough-going. Tory up to that time, the
passage of the reform bill made a last
ing impression upon Gladstone and no
doubt shaped his future political career.
The following year Gladstone entered
Lincoln Inn with the intention of be-
coming lawyer. Later, finding that he
had no real taste for the law, he with
ever, he had taken a lively interest in
his fathers business affairs and showed
considerable aptitude for mercantile pur-
suits.
In 1885 Sir Robert Peel made Glad
stone a junior lord of the treasury and a
year later he was appointed under-secre-
tary for the colonies. From 1886 to
lS4l ne e. was out Of office. but returned
when Sir Robert Peel resumed control
and made him vice-president of the board
of trade and master of the mint. To
young Gladstone was delegated the duty
of defending in Parliament the CONNER
cial policy of the government The re-
vision of the tariff of 1912 was mainly the
product of his work. Subsequently he
became president of the board of trade,
which post he resigned to take the secre-
taryship of the colonies.
In 1916 Mr.: Gladstone first had his
serious attention drawn to Ireland The
anti-cOrn agitation was at it's height and
Golden, Bright and O'Connell had almost
brought the ministry to the point of sur
render: Gladstone was nearing the turn
ing point in his career. He was in SYM
pathy with the free trade movement, but
was under obligations to the Duke of Nor
folk, who, like most of the old aristocracy
was stanch supporter of the policy of
protection. Gladstone supported Peel in
the repeal of the corn laws, but resigned
the Newark seat he owed to Norfolk and
was out of Parliament for a time.
Next year, however, Gladstone was
elected for Oxford university. For the
following five years questions arose which
brought him into almost direct antag.
onism with his Tory associates. He was
strong advocate of university reform
and of the removal of the political disa.
bilities of the Jews. 1t was in 1850 when
Mr.. Gladstone espoused the cause of
Irish home rule and made speech in
which was his first appeal to the con.
science of the civilized world. which he
has so often repeated in his home-rule
speeches:
There Is further appeal from the House
or Commons to the people Of England; but
PIE of England to the general sentiment OF
| the civilized world, and l, for my part am
OF opinion that England will stand shorn of
chief part of her glory and pride If she
shall be found to have separated herself
the moral support which the general and Ind
fixed convictions of mankind afford.
When Gladstone stood again for Ok.
lord he met with vigorous opposition and
won only after stubborn contest. He
entered the coalition ministry of Lord
Aberdeen as chancellor of the excheque,
in 1852 and retained the post under The
premiership of Lord Palmeraton in 1856
but resigned and remained out of office
for some time. During Gladstone's re-
| tirement Lord Derby, who was premier
| and who. like himself, had translated
Homer, sent him as a commissioner tt
| settle the troubles in the Ionian islands
| and he prepared the way for their restora
| ton to Greece.