The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07

The essay on Castlereagh is a resolute,
and In q large measure successful. attempt
20 rehabilitate a British tstesman who
played a great part In his day. but who was
msdt the target Of ridicule and contumely
by his Wing contemporaries, including
cons picuously Brougham, Moore and Byron.
During the last ten years Of his life, when
he was ForeignSecretary and for the greater
part Of that time leader Of the House OF
Commons, the energies Of a whole school
Of political writer's were devoted TO identify
ing CastlereaRh in the minds Of the British
community with a cause for which he had
no sympathy; TO loading him with respons
bility for measures which he had done his
best to avert and 10 vilifyinR him for hos
tility 20 the liberties Of mankind, which, as
q matter Of fact il had been the ma in work
Of his life 10 vindicate. After 1914 these
writer's strove to persuade his oountTymen
that he was the English representative Of
the Holy Alliance, and an accomplice in
every freak Of tyranny that was perpe-
trSted from Warsaw TO Cadiz. Even after
his labors in his country's service had
brought his life to premature and terrible
close, the animosity Of Castlerea CHS enc
mics did not relent.
Lord Salisbury points out that lord
Castlereagh's opponents had many things
10 Evenge which political partiz1nr are slow
10 forgive. Castlerea Oh bad not only for
many Year, excluded them from power,
hut he had succeeded, in spite Of the prophe-
ciea Of evil with which obey had pursued his
policy. He had attained the very objects
which they had declared impract icable,
and carried through to a glorious triumph
the measures which they had stigmatized
a. imhecile. Forced TO admit the SUCCESS
Of hs policy, they were driven TO impeach
hh motives. Against criticism Of this
kind Statesman who has the foreign policy
OF an empire to conduct IL almost defense
lee. The author OF this essay could not
foreeee IN 1901 that no one ives to he more
keenly Give 10 this truth than himself,
destined a. h. was to occupy the Foreign
ono for many years.
Already he could recognize, however.
that the obscurity in which diplomatic
transactions are necessarily shrouded Ia
hhely to conceal from the public eye the
circumstances upon which a statesmRn's
justification rests. The necessity OF spAring
the feelings OF powerful monArohs or Minis
ters elsewhere and Of hiding the faults
or folliea Of men whom Il would be injurious
10 EnRlish interests 10 offend, often forces
. Foreign Secretary to be silent, where
silence n interpreted by his enemies a. con-
festion. Lord Salisbury's researches had
convinced him that CastleTeagh was not the
man 20 leopard the meanest English interest
for the sake OF refuting some oalumniatoT
Of HE own good name. That such calumny
might seem az the frrt glance 10 have some
foundation IA evident to any one familiar
with the state Of things in England and on
the Continent during the second decade Of
TIE nineteenth century. The tyranny OF
the Spanish, PortuRr zee and Italian monar.
chias and the intoerant assumptions OF
the Holy Alliance, had aroused an abun.
dance Of bitter and resentful feeling amone
educated EnElishmsn. Under such circum.
stances Il was easy 10 persuade the ordinary
EnglishmAn that the Minister who always
a. became his once, spoke In public with
courtesy Of the Allies Of England, shArec
their maxima Of government, and aoquiesoec
In their attitude toward secondary States
The impression was strengthened by thu
measures Of domestic repression which h
fell 20 Castleraagh 10 defend In the Houss
Of Commons, and which, even when levelec
against assassination plotsLlike the plo
which eliminated In the murder Of Per.
ctval-ars always unpopular In England
Thus Il happened that the belief that LorC
CSstlereagh wa the arch ensmy Of freedom
all over the world was widely spread. anC
came 10 be almost an article Of faith with IN,
school Of writer's and public men who pre-
pared the EngliNh Doil for the Reform bill
and reaped lie earliest fruits.
A. the date Whsn this essay was pub
llHhed (JSnuAry, 1871, Lord Salisbury
II = convenient thus 10 speak Of him
though he wa then Lord Robert Cecil
va able 20 aver with truth that the Nemesis
which generally DEGREES that partiEani
shall be forced 10 do In oEico prooiselJ
tAsi WhiSh they most loudly dsoriod d