The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-05-27
A "DRIVING" LETTER.
The M. e. Pastor Talks Plain English
on the Gladstone Question.
Declines 10 Deliver the Memorial Day
Address.

Editor Daily Free Press: My pur-
pose, in planning to preach on Mr..
Gladstone, was purely patriotic.
supposed that every enlightened
American citizen would applaud the
holding of such a service, and that
such services would be held in every
church. l also supposed that every
church would be permitted to hold it's
service at the time and place Of its
own choosing, and in its own manner,
without any outside interference.
We need England's help in the pres
ent crisis. We are getting it, too,
despite the fact that we have recently
declined, with many high words that
must have been very offensive to
every Englishman to the ends of the
earth, an AnglO-American treaty,
and for years members of our Ameli-
can Parliament, and representative
members too, such as Mr.. Chandler,
have stopped short of no word of bit
terness and open insult to the govern
ment at Westminster and Downing
street, and that, too, in many OF her
gravest crises.
Memorial Day is, of all days, the
most appropriate for a Gladstone
memorial service. 1t is Memorial
Day. We thus mingle our tears with
those Ct our cousins, our most
brotherly and helpful cousins, beyond
the sea. Besides, the G. A. r. is at
the cross on that day; their eyes are
full Of tender and compassionate tears:
their hearts overflow with the spirit
of Jesus. All Englishmen, too, at
home and in every colony, will be in
the same place and mood next Sun
day. Despite their differences of
opinion Mr.. Gladstone was teeir idol.
No EDglishman was ever as passion
ately loved, except Sir Robert Peel.
An insult to the memory of Mr..
Gladstone would sting every English
man on the planet-sting him to the
very quick. On the other hand for
the American nation to gracefully &C.
knowledge his noble qualities and
transcendent genius would open to US
every English treasure house, and
place at our disposal, directly or in
the entire war fleet of the
crown.
To that end 1 proposed to contri-
butte, next Sunday night, what little
ability, as a patriotic citizen, l pos
sess; next Sunday because it will be
Memorial Sunday, and in the
evening because 1 wish to preach
a sermon at 1890 in the morn
ing in honor of the boys in blue
at 10 80, instead of in the evening,
because many of the the honored
heroes, the aged, the crippled and the
infrm, cannot attend an evening
service but can attend day service.
Out of Difference, however, to the
both public and private, of
the grand army of the Republic of
which J. have the honor Of being a
''son," l have determined not to
speak, in Mankato, on William Ewart
Gladstone.
AS Great Britain controls eleven
millions square miles of territory and
3S1 millions of people, with the most
powerful army and navy in the world,
had planned in my address next
to urge, in view Of our pres
ent war with Spain, and the IN
attitude of other powerful |
nations, a close alliance with the |
Mother country, and to say some |
words of eulogy in honor Of her best, |
1er greatest and her most illustriOus |
'on, Mr.. William Ewart Gladstone,
who, for more than a quarter of
century, had been our strongest and |
most constant friend, not merely in
Europe, but in the world.
But since observe that such senti-
nents do not prevail in Grand Army
;ircles must, though with the deep
st reluctance, decline to be the
peaker next Monday. I do not wish
o misrepresent the spirit and con-
fiction of the Grand Army Of the
Republic. This notice is given at the
arllest moment possible after learn
ng the hostile sentiment of the
1rand Army.
With reverence for the boys in blue,
hOugh sometimes disagreeing with
hem, JOHN MERRITTE DRIVER.