The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-18
Rosebery ON Pitt.

1t is long time since the literary and
Glasgow lecture of Lord Rosebery on the
British Empire as 1t might have been II
your aunt had CHANGED to be your uncle. :"
The noble earl has been long and pleas
antly known in this country. His sincere
and disinterested admiration of it was
shown generation ago when he came
over and engaged his young affections to
in business shortly afterward and nothing
happened. Later his friend d'Israeli ar
ranged a marriage for him with the Bar
oness Hannah de Rothschild.
We are indebted to this leader of Lib
eral opinion in England for some views
on the history Of our struggle for inde-
pendence which are novel. if not sensa-
tionaI. He draws a rainbow picture of
what might have occurred il the great
William Pitt had been sane enough to re-
fuse a peerage and TO demonstrate to that
calm and normal character George Ill
that the appropriate caper was to give
the American colonies a majority in the
House of Commons, anything they wanted
In the House of Lords; both as a condi-
ton preparatory to the removal of Lon
don to New York. Philadelphia, or Bos-
ton unhappily, while the mind of
George III was never clouded, the great
Minister was as crazy as an insect which
cannot be mentioned in polite society.
There is excuse for tears in this case
All the facts have not been confded to
US; but, from a careful reading of Lord
Rosebery's Glasgow address we are en-
titled to deduce the belief that he did
into which Pitt fell, and to satisfy George
Rex that his hope of salvation lay in
coming 10 terms with George Washing
ton.
If Rosebery's advice had been followed,
the British Empire today would have in
cluded the Hanna Empire, and Rookie
teller. Havemeyer. and Morgan would be
Ansio-Saxon princes today. while Duke of
Durham would be duke indeed. All this
blessedness was lost forever because Pitt
was lunatic and did not hypnotic the
sanest king of history in the right cirec-
ton.
Our affection for Rosebery, on account
OF his willingness to take couple !
Of our millions across the wave, and in |
vest the same In political business, en-
tirely prevents US from asking invidious |
questions as to his own mental proc |
esses. Far be 1t from us to suggest |
that he needs guardian. But when |
nf lie nrts 10 int L.;
cavity tina. his old friend and colleague. |
William Pitt, was mad. that George III |
WAS not. and that he himself is sane
enough to be at large, we are afraid
that something is eating the foundations
OF the British constitution.
Rosebery is not the only person af-
ficted in the way he appears TO be. Sew
eral other English statesmen, Lord Sails
bury included, seem to entertain an idea
that whenever British inability to raise
an effective army, or to do anything
else on grand scale, is developed. 1t is
only necessary to turn to America for
advice. assistance, money, and men
Probably there is some excuse for this
notion. Our Anglomaniac nouyeaux riches
have fed IL with their daughters and
dowers- Our splendid diplomacy, from the
Clayton Bulwcr Treaty down to the Hay
Treaty and the surrender of
piece of Alaska, have fostered 1t. The
Salisbury secret alliance sat
isles all Ensiishmen in public life that
The day Of an imperial federation includ-
Ing the United States is close at hand.
Who. then, can blame Rosebery for his