The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30

told lord Grey: They are certainly
satisfied in my country at the way Lord
Durham deals with business and treats
all political questions. They think him
remarkably clever, and say that he has a
amer OF discussing affairs which is both
STRAIGHTFORWARD and honest" On the other
hand, the Gear minated that he would not
receive Stratford Canning, whom Lord
Palrnerston made Ambassador to IT. Peters
burg after Durham's return. The outcome
OF this incident was a brief suspension OF
all confidential intercourse between the
two Governments.
When Durham got back TO London In
November, 1882, he found Ireland on the
verge OF civil war and the Grey Cabinet
divided over the question Of coercion.
Durham considered coercion an unsatis-
factory remedy. and never concealed his
antipathy to StanIey's Coercion bill. The
measure did violence to his most cherished
convictions, and it chafed him that at such
a crisis Stanley should have the support OF
Lord Grey. w can never do anything
said Durham, with Ireland but by a great
effort, which must combine a determination
to make our authority respected and the
evidence that we only want great authority
for the purpose Of developing national
prosperity. These bit by bit reforms, in
troduoed among a population excited.
undisciplined and taught to believe that
everything is gained by agitation will
never succ sed." The author of this volume
expresses the opinion that the Wings lost
in the spring Of 1888 a golden opportunity
OF doing soms thing on a broad scale to
settle the political grievances OF Ireland.
So far as Durham was concerned the Irish
Coercion act of 1888 detached his sympathies
from the Cabinet. He felt that the Govern
ment by the suspension OF habeas corpus,
the Introduction of martial law and other
Expressive measures was adopting a dan
gerous m unworthy course, n as Lord
Grey seemed welded to Stanley's proposals
he determined to stand aside. He resigned
Office in March. 1888, a step which was fol-
lowed by his elevation to an earldom..
That Durham should have accepted a
peerage either in 1928 or in 1888 gave Of
fence to some Of his fellow Radicals. h
had he, il was asked, as a popular member
OF the House Of Commons and the head
Of one Of the most ancient families In the
country, TO do with a title? Why should
the honored name of Lambton be hidden
under a coronet? This drew from Durham
an interesting statement: 1T was always
a dream Of mine" he wrote, = that l could
do more in the Lords than in the Commons
30 advance the cause OF reform. l saw
that there was no one there who would call
things by their right names, no one whose
training in committees and parliamentary
business could enable him to bring out
effectively much useful matter which
rntrht afNaruaHA FORM tho ~rnVndWnFk nf
efficient proceedings, and l proposed TO
myself 70 play that part"
When Earl Grey resigned the Premier
ship in July, 1884, the Radicals thought
that Durham would be called to the head
of affairs, but hat wal not his own opinion.
He knew that he was too ~outspoken, too
pronounced in his Liberalism and too
little Of a courtier to be persona grdtd to
William ". At the end OF a fortnight
he King sent for Lord Melbourne, who
became Prime Minister, thus justifying a
prediction made by Durham in 1888. One
would nave supposed that in the new Min
istry there would be room for Durham,
for Stanley had quilted the Cabinet, and
the Irish question was entering upon a
new phase. Lord Grey undoubtedly might
have stipulated that Melbourne should
offer his s~on-in-law. Durham, al impor-
tant place in the reconstructed Government,
but Grey did nothing of the kind. More
over, Melbourne disliked enthusiastic men.
and Palmerston-for the matter Of that.
the majority Of his colleagues-was OF
the same way Of thinking.
The author Of this biography suggests
IL Durham had been called to power
in 1884, as the Radicals desired, the whole
career OF Disraeli, who was destined to
remodel the Tory party, might have been
changed. Disraeli declared at the time
that the Wings could not exist as a party
without Lore Durham, and recognized
the blunder which they made in not availing
themselves Of the services OF a statesman
OF such wide views and with 80 great and
enthusiastic a personal following. Al
bany Fonblanque old Durham that the
opinion Of Tories and Radicals
was that he was essential il the Liberal
party was to retain power. Nor did he
conceal his own conviction that Durham
was the only statesman who could guide
and, il need be, curb popular demands.
On the other hand. Brougham made no
Of his intention to keep Durham out
Of office. He said in so many words that he
WOllu Lhhe CdIt lndt Nne Hlhn WIN whom
had been In former years on terms Of
the closest friendship should never again
belong to the Government" The banquet
given for Lord Grey at Edinburgh toward
the close OF h summer Of 1884 seems TO
have been the fatal turning point at which
the devil of jealousy o possession OF
Brougham's mind. with results that were
10 prove disastrous to the magnanimous
Durham. In the Edinburgh Rericp for
October, 1884. Brougham did his best to
belittle the friend Of earlier days. He
taxed him with fragrant inconsistency, be-
cause, having p~ropounded a large plan
OF Parliamentary reform" in 1921, he had
acoeded to the plan of 1882, which did not
go "a tenth part 30 far" Moreover. he
divulged matters privately discussed in
the Cabinet, misrepresented Durham's
share in drawing up the bill Of 1882, and al
lowed 1t to be understood that Lord John
Russell was It's chief originator, whereas,
as we have seen, the most liberal features
were due to Durham.
In November William w. dismissed Lord
Melbourne, but the Tories, who came into
power under Sir Robert Peel, held it for
scarcely four months, When Melbourne
and the Wings came back in the spring Of
.oaE n.-L... AGAIN Lee S.A - -. -