The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-24
WILLIAM r.. GLADSTONE.
"A Sketch of the Political Life of Eng
lands ssGrand Old Man,

dino, y. b, a well-known merchant Of
Liverpool, and was born there, Decem-
Der 90, 1909. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, oxford, Of which
he was nominated a student in 1929,
and graduated, taking a double first
class in Michaelm2s term, 1884. He
was returned at the general election
in December 1892, in the conservative
interest, for Newark, and entered par
Lament just as the struggle Of parties
was at it's height.
On January %, 1893, he entered Lin
coins Inn and Eyhen ne had been a
member for siE years anu three
months, petitioned TO have his name
removed from the books Of the society,
on the ground Of his having given up
his intention of being called to the
BAL. In the house of his
mercantile origin, the success OF his
university career, his habits of bust
ness, and his high character recon-
mended him to the notice of Sir Robert
Peel, who, in December 1894, appoint
ed him to a junior lOrdship Of the treas
ury, and in February 1885, under sec
rotary for colonial affairs. Mr.. Glad
ston= retired from office, with his min
i~sterial leader, in April, and remained
in opposition until Sir Robert PeeIs
return to power in September l841. On
accepting office under Sir Robert Peel,
in 1S41, as vice president Of the board
Of trade and master Of the mint, Mr..
Gladstone was sworn a member OF the
privy council. In his new position he
had to explain and defend in the lower
house Of parliament the commercial
policy Of the government; n in the
discharge OF this duty he had what
ever advantage - mercantile origin
and connection could give him. The
revision Of tn tariff in 1912 was almost
entirely the result Of his energy and
1ustry. When his laborous work was
brought before the house Of commons,
1t was found to be as admirably exc
Cuted in it's details as it was complete
in its mastery Of general principles,
ana il received the sanction OF both
houses with scarcely an alteration. In
1913, Mr.. Gladstone .uceeded the earl
Of RipOn as president of the board Of
trade, but resigned hat office early in
1915.
In January, 1916, Sir Robert Peel an
nOunced his intention Of proposing a
modification of ;he corn laws. Mr..
Gladstone, who had succeeded Lord
Stanley (the earl Of Derby in the post
Of secretary of state for the colonies,
adhered to the leade under whom he
had entered upon ministerial life; but,
possibly, unwilling to remain under
obligations to the late Duke of New
castle, who synpathized strongly with
the opposition party, resigned his seat
for Newark, and remained for some
time out of parliament. AT the gen.
eTaI election in August, 1847, he was,
with the late Sir Robert Harry Inglis,
elected for the University of Oxford.
In the parliament of 1S47-52, the ques-
tons Of University Reform and the re-
mOval of Jewish disabilities were fire.
British army before SebaStOpOl, and the
cause of it's SufferingS. For some time
Mr. Gladstone, who hold no public Of
flee, gave Lord PalmerstOn's ministry
an independent support. I'm the winter
of 1859 he accepted, under Lord Der
by'S second cabinet, a special mission
to the Ionian Islands, to arrange GER
tain difficulties which had arisen in
the administration of that dependency;
and in June, 1883, resumed office under
Lord Palmerston as chancellor of the
eXchOquer. In this capacity he was
mainly instrumental in repeating the
paper duty. in promoting the nego-
tatons conducted by Mr.. Golden, which
resulted in the commercial treaty be-
tween this country and France.
Besides being eminent as t states
man, Mr.. Gladstone had acquired celeb
rity as an authO His GirSt work, a
realise entitled The State in it's Re
lations with the Church." published in
1898 (4th { L, enlarged, 2 volumes, IS
Al and followed, in 1S41, by his church
Principles Considered in their Results
stamped him, while still a young man,
as a deep and original thinker. Soon
after their appearance, they were
thought worthy Of a long and elaborate
criticism by the late Lord Macaulay
in the pages of The Edinburg Review.
Mr.. Gladstone's Remarks on Recent
Commercial Legislation" published in
1916, while the country was on the eve
quently and earnestly agitated in the
lower house. Though MIR. Gladstone's
early sympathieS no CUB bound him
strongly to the high church and tory
party, yet he felt that on both these
points the e~XigencieS of the times re-
quired that come concessions should
DE made. He consequently found him
self frequently opposed to his former
friends, and eventually separated him
self from the great body of the conser-
Vative party, in February, 1851.
Al the general election in July fol-
lowing, MIR. Gladstone was reelected
for the University of oxford, but not
without a severe contest. On the for
matiOn of what is generally known as
the Coalition" Ministry, under the
earl Of Aberdeen, in December, 1852.
Mr.. Gladstone was appointed to the
chanceilorship of he exchequer. in
which office the thorough knowledge
Of finance which he had acquired, and
had tested by practical experience at
the board of trade, proved of the great
est assistance to the ministry. After
the breaking up of the Aberdeen AID
ministration, or rather, on its recon-
struction under Lord Palmerston at
the beginning of 1855. Mr.. Gladstone at
first continued to occupy the same post,
but he resigned in the course OF a few
weeks, On finding that it was not the
intention of the ministry collectively
TO oppose the vote of cOnsure implied
in the resolution of Mr.. Roebuck, in
favor of the appointment of a commit
tee OF inquiry into the state of the
of an important Change in her COM
mercial system, were intended to pave
the way for the extensive notifications
in the restrictions or commerce i'm
posed by the corr laws, and contain
an able and comprehensive summary
of the beneficial results Of the tariff OF
1912. In 1871 he published a work of
a different kind, which created consid-