Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-01-05

tiGHs bul ny biC NOhtlhIhNdA hObAilNy
were looked upon as rich parvenues.
In England, on the contrary, we were
received with open arms, at least such
as we were entitled to. Royalty it.
self smiled on us. Some of the best
English blood affiliated with the
younger, more vigorous ape virile Am
erlcan. Our manners hadlstill some of
the old-time colonial days, which
Thaekery 50 happily painted. Our
purse was always open, as well as our
heart. We spoke the same language,
and we were the prodigal children who
had mounted high on the road to sue
cess.
1t does not require very fertile imag
ination to foretell the results. The
change of feeling from that of coldness
and reserve to one of amity, one of
friendship, was not sudden or spon-
taneous. 1t was the growth, not only
of years, but of generations. On the
stratum of our ever increasing social
and commercial Intercourse there gen.
Grated slowly Of microscopic proper
tions the fragments and the fine thread
Of mutual respect and lasting friend
ship That friendship of three genera
tions growth manifested itself when
English Statesmen proclaimed to the
world, ANY interference on the part
of European governmentsin the differ
ances of the great American Republics
with Spain will be a cassus belli for
England Let no intelligent Ameri-
can undervalue the great service thus
rendered to us by England-without its
interference, would have been GER
.ainty.
In depressing thus to note the stead
ily increasing feelings of amity be-
tween the two people, purpose to
| show that they were not owing to any
special agency, but simply the Sc
| luence of surrounding circumstances
Our national development ran on par
| lllel lines with the development of
| Sladstone's mental till 1868, when they
merged into one We had toward the
latter part of 1868 partially recovered
| from the effects of the war of the re-
)ellion, and were again making fast
strides toward prosperity; and our un-
on was stronger than ever.
Gladstone had finally shaken off ali
| .rammels of former associations and
| Influences; and become the head and
official leader of the liberal party. Sat.
! SIZED that the extreme conservative, as
| hold, was really a reactionary body
forgetful of the fact that this worlt
moves and never stands still, and tha
N us he found the natural ally for hi.
future plans for increased liberties o.
he peoples of the entire world, it was
hen he used his mighty influence tt
bring about that feeling of clost
friendship between the two nations
| hat prompted English statesmen tt
| offer to march abreast with us in any
future enterprise.
To retrace my steps to portray tht
life of Gladstone is a labor of low
rather than a task; for we see in hi
private and public life that purity tina
is so seldom presented to- us in tn,
! lives of great men. His life was likt
the placid stream which finds it
source in the clear and limpid water
that ooze from the assures of tn,
mountain rocks; that meanders a
clear as crystal through the noun
-ain's dells decends undefiled to th
wales where it pursues its even cours
ill it merges its life into that of tn
larger stream. Severe critics may per
haps detect some defects in Gladstone
| political life from 1S47 to 1868 but W,
must bear in mind that his indulgent
wise and good father had large es
tates in the West Indies cultivated b!
slaves that he, his father, had sat as
conservative on the Troy benches O
parliament; that Gladstone's earlies
and most intimate and best friend
and admirers were the scions of the cold
est and NOSE aristocratic families il
the united kingdom that he was re
ceiyed by them with open arms, ant
marks of distinction; and that he owet
to them debt of gratitude.
TO a mind as sensitive as Glad
stone's-sensitive to a degree, what
struggle it must have cost him, if fo
nearly n generation he hesitated t.
yield his later political convictions t.
his earlier ones; to leave his bes
friends for new ones; to oppose tn,
friends of his earlier manhood, his ma
turer ones, who will ever be able t.
properly estimate the greatness of tina
struggle. Nor can we for a momen
suspect him of sordid motives, for tn,
conservatives 1G5Red upon him fo
years to become the political leader
and were ready to yield him the lead
ership at the asking. u4.so
The esteem with which he was hell
by his former party friends is best ex
pressed by the lament of prominen
member; 1--WE lament the detection o
Gladstone the more knowing tn,
struggle it has cost him to leave us; W.
not only lose the services of his grea
talent as header but even as an oppon
ent he carries with him greater weigh
than any other man in the house. w,