The times., 1898-05-19

however, established the divorce court,
which gave Gladstone cause for rejoicing
that he was not in the ministry. About
that time. too, Lord Beaconsfield did
what he could to get Gladstone into the
government and so out of the leadership
of the House. But Gladstone was not to
be caught by any such wiles, and con-
tinued TO give to the government his sup
port when he thought IL was deserving of
support, and at other times 10 act the
part of the candid friend. Something,
however, was accomplished when Glad
stone was sent as commissioner To the
Ionian Isles, which were desirous OF be-
ing united to Greece. He was gotten out
of the country for time. but in 1860 vas
back in Parliament, an acknowledged
member of the Liberal party. st this
time also he published his elaborate stud
les of Homer and the Homeric Age in
three volumes.
Palmerston's influence was supreme
from 1859 to 1865. when he died, and II
was an influence utterly irrecolcildbie
with the feelings of Gladstone. Palmers-
ton was never in earnest about anything
Lord Houghton once said of Gladstone,
II sat by him at dinner. He was very
much excited, not only about politicism,
but cattle, physics, china, and everything
else
Palmerston was an aristocrat by birth
and association; GIadstone's aim in life
appears to be to be known as the Great
Commoner. He once said in speech at
Liverpool that he did not know why
commerce should not have its old fam
lilies as well the nobility, and of one
of these families he unquestionably
came. Bright and Gladstone were Pal
merston's most bitter enemies. and It
was only after PaImerstons death that
Gladstone became really the leader of
the House of Commons, while also hold
ing Office as chancellor of the eXchequer.
Russell, who had been heart and soul
with the reform hill of 1892. was with
Gladstone heart and soul the ques-
tion of parliamentary reform, and IN
1866 a reform bill was brought into the
House of Commons providing briefly for
the addition of about 100000 electors in
England and Wales, through the en-
franchislng of copy-holders. lease-hoId-
ers. savings banks depositors, and 9TH
ers. A small section OF Liberals organ
ized at this time against the government.
and Bright said that their leader was
conducting a political cave of Aduliam,
into which he invited every one who was
distressed, and every one who WAS dis
consolate. GladsIone's speech on the
reform bill was one Of the greatest II
not the greatest, of his life IN spite Of
his determined efforts. however. the bill
was defeated on June IS. the anniversary
OF the battle of Waterloo. and the inn
mediate resignation Of Earl Russell fol-
lowed much against the viii of the
queen.
In the following Parliament Disraelis :
triumph seemed complete and the House
of Commons almost ignored Gladstone.
Disraeli is said to have declared at this
time that he would hold Gladstone down
for twenty years" When however. Dis
,lf =
himself In office. but not exactly in pow
er. Gladstone was an opponent to be
reckoned with. On March 3, 1868, Glad
stone gave notice of a resolution 10 dis
establish the Irish Church and on that
question the campaign OF that year turn
ed. The returns showed an overwhelm-
ing Liberal victory. and Dsraeli and his
colleagues Immediately resigned. Glad
stone was summoned TO form a new ad-
ministration. and in course of time car
ried the measure for the disestablish-
ment of the Irish Church. This was fol-
lowed by what may be called the golden
age of the Liberal party. The Irish Land
Bill and English Education Bill were taxi
en- up in the session of 1870. The former
reversed the existing conditions and
threw upon the landlord the burden of
proving that he was justified in the eyic
ton of a tenant The object of the bill
was, in short, tc secure TO the tenant
freedom from eviction 80 long as ne paid
his rent, and TO secure to him the value
of any Improvements due to his industry.
Lord Palmerston had been wont to say
that tenants right was landlords wrong
but the passage of this bill was now tri-
umphantly accomplished in August, 1870
The Education Bill provided for COM
pulsory education in England.
The Alabama Claims.
The next important action of the Glad
stone ministry was in the matter of the
Alabama claims. in which his love of
peace and fear OF hasty action were
strongly shown. Soon after this his pop
ulaFlty began to wane. One Of his most
memorable speeches was that made on
Blackheath, in the endeavor to win back
| his native borough of Greenwich which
| had been alienated by his policy of re-
| trenehment.
! In 1873 he undertook to settle the troub-
lesome question of higher education in
| ireland. and managed TO get himself into
| difficulties with both the PrOteStants and
| the Catholics. in his endeavor TO establish
| university in which both should be sat
isfed. 1t has been truly said that Glad
/ stone understood man, but not men. On
/ a great question OF principle he was at
| home. and could advance the most ire
| mendous arguments. couched in the most
| eloquent terms but he made many enc
| mics in practical life. He never stopped
being earnest; there was no byplay OF
| wit and humor, no free-and-easy jOllity
| in his demeanor. He was always very
much concerned over something.
| Some of his colleagues took offense
| because he paid so little attention Il
| them outside of working hours and he
| never seemed to recognize the truth o.
| the saying that men who have only
worked together have only half lived
| together. In 1874, he retired from active
leadership. arousing the grief of some
| of his followers who. by quarrels among
! themselves, had done most to weaker
| his influence; and he plunged with un
! abated vigor into theological controver
| sy. which seems always to have beer
| the recreation of his leisure hours. i
| anything taken so seriously can be call
| ed recreation. Then he took up tht
Eastern question. and forgot ancien
| Greece and modern Rome, to fling him
| self into an agitation aeainst Turkey
| He was now nearly seventy years old
but seemed vigorous of thought ant
| language as in his prime. He made tn,
| most fmpaSsfoned speeches. often in tn,
open air; he published pamphlets which
| had immense circulation; he poured let
| ters by the bushei basketfuI into the
| newspapers, and the air grew dark witt
| controversial postcards of his writing
His pamphlet on Bulgarian Horror.
| and the Question of the East" handled
| the Eastern question from three point:
| of view: % how to stop anarchy auC
| misrule in Bulgaria: (2) how to prevent
the recurrence of the outrages; 80 thai
| the honor of England must be redeemed
| by the expulsion of the Turks H
| claimed that Turkey had broken the
| treaty of 1856. and was thus entitled tC
no consideration. From 1876 to 1880. h,
l -f.,i,, ,pf1 =
consfields foreign policy. and frustrat
ed the design of the latter of going I,