The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-10
BIOGRAPHY OF GLADSTONE
John Morley Presents Inside History of the
"Grand Old Mans" Life

New York, Oct. 9.-The biography of
Gladstone, upon which John Morley has
been at work for several years past,
will be published tomorrow by the
Macmillan Company. Being the record
OF the life of 4 man who aided in shap-
ing the destinies of England for two
score years, ii is really the history of
an important part of the Victorian
era, and contains much as to the man
and the events of his time that is new.
The author had possession of the letters
and papers of the statesman, including
a curious diary, and many extracts are
published for the first time. They give
an intimate view of several of the
great crises through which England
passed while Gladstone was a member
or the leader of the government, and
nearly all of them will prove of great
historical Importance.
The Trent Affair.
OF paramount interest to Americans
are the comments of Gladstone on the
Trent affair. contained in some corre-
spOndence with the Duke of Argyle.
Gladstone described the cabinet meet
ing held after the receipt of the news
that the Confederate commissioners had
been seized. After the cabinet meeting
he writes: Il returned to Windsor for
dinner and reported to Queen and
Prince The cabinet determined on Fri
day to ask reparation, and on Saturday
they agreed 10 two dispatches to Lord
Lyons, of which the one recited the
facts. stated we could not but suppose
the American government would of it
self be DESTROYS to afford us repara-
ton, and said that in any case we must
have the commissioners returned to
British protection; and (2) an apology
or expression of regret. The second
of these dispatches desired Lyons to
come away within seven days if the
demands are not complied with. l
thought ana urged that we should hear
what the Americans had TO say before
Withdrawing Lyons, for l could not feel
sure that we were at the bottom of
the law of the case, or could judge
here and now what form it would as
sumo. But this view did not prtvail"
MIR. Morley shows how the Queen,
the Prince Consort, Mr.. Gladstone, each
in his or her way, worked together to
soften, abridge and modify Lord Rus
sells violent dispatch to Lord Lyons,
the British minister at Washington, and
to avert anything which might bring
on a collision, and this, despite the
fact that strong and active interests in
England favored forcing North and
South apart for Englands profit.
The next passage in the book deals
with Gladstone's intlammatory Newcas-
tie speech. during which he let fall the
sentence about the American war, of
which he was destined never to hear the
last. His statement that Jefferson Davis
had made a nation created pro-
found sensation, and Mr.. Morley does
not spare his subject the frank state
ment that he made an outrageous err
ror, fraught with serious consequences
He prints Gladstone's own estimate OF
his error, in which the statesman scores
himself reientlessly for his most un-
warrantable declaration"
Majuba Hill.
OF Majuba and Gladstone's part in
it Mr. Morley writes; Some have ar
sued that we ought to have brought
UP an overwhelming force to demon
strate that we were able to beat them
before we made peace. Unfortunately
demonstrations of this species easily
turn into provocations, and talk of this
kind mostly comes from those who be-
lieve, not that peace was made in the
wrong way but that a peace Rivins
their country back to the Beers ought
never to have been made at all, on any
terms or in any way. This was moi
the point from which either cabinet
or Parliament started. The government
has decided that annexation had beer
an error. The Beers had proposed in
quiFy The government assented OF
condition that the Beers dispersed
Without waiting a reasonable time fol
a reply, our general was worsted in Z
rash and trivial attack. Did this can
Gel our proffered bargain? The poin
was simple and unmistakeable, though
party heat at home. race passion IL
the colony, and our everlasting human
proneness to mix up different questions
and to answer one point by argument
that belong to another, all combined t,
produce a confusion of mind that
certain school of partisans have tradet
upon ever since. Strange in might.
nations is moral cowardice, disguise,
as a Roman pride. All the more ma!
we admire the moral courage Of tn
minister. For moral courage may b
needed even where aversion to blood
shed fortunately happens to coincid
with high prudence and sound polio!
Of state"
Khartoum and Gordon.
On the fall of Khartoum and tn
death of Gordon, Mr.. Morley writes
The cabinet in London fixed in thei
resolve not TO accept responsibility 70
a Soudan war, and not to enter upo
that responsibility by giving advice 70
or against the advance of Hicks, stoo,
slcof. Here was their first frigftfu
blunder-4n decision. Unfortunately
the ready clamor of headlong philan