Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-12-18

lie was busy statesman TOT Sixty
three years. entered the house Of COM
mons in 1892, accepted office I'm 1894,
and for twenty-sevcn years he was
leader Of the Liberal party. The son
of n Liverpool merchant, born i'll that
city In the memorable year 1909, he
found an easy avenue Into parliament
by favor of the Duke OF Newcastle on
his reputation as Il brilliant debatcr.
His work on THE State In Its Rcla
tionS With the Church, won compli-
mentS from MacaulAy In his famous
review congratulating the "Stern and
unbendng Tories" on the advent OF
their rising hope" But the marvel
Gus insight and foresight of Macaulay
In their daring and their complete full
fllment In GladstoneS career must
speak for themselves. His reading Of
character In 1898 can be checked even
in this epitome of its SUBJECTS career:
Whatever Mr.. Gladstone sees is refract-
ed and distorted by false medium OF
passions and prejudices. He has vast
command OF kind of language grave
and majestic. but of vague and uncertain
import, - and in this way he deludes
first himself and then his readers. - I"
The more he reasons on his premises the
more absurd are the conclusions which
he brings out - and he is reduced
sometimes to take refuge In arguments
Inconsistent with his fundamental doc
trines and sometimes to escape from the
legitimate consequences OF his false prin-
ciples under cover of equally false his
tory.
Now let us hear Gladstone Illustrate
this for himself In 1854 he was asked
rs premier If the government was
going to send a relief expedition to
General Gordon then trapped in Khar-
tuna very simple and direct Ques-
tion, to which the premier made this
mastery reply, which was reported
verbatim: what we say Is that we
are not prepared to say at present that
there Is no obligation upon us to use,
according to circumstances, reasonable
efforts, If we can, for leaving behind
us an orderly government In Khar
tum." But they were too late to save
Gordon. Another brilliant answer to
n question put by member who re-
ferred to "the war we are wagng In
the Sudan" Gladstone jumped up and
said, II deny that we are at war;"
Then what are we att" I'VE are
engaged In military operations"' Incl
dentally killing 1000 Sudanese. An
other member on another occasion
charged the government with spending
FIJI, 100000. Gladstone rose and in
dignantly denied 1t. On being Chal-
lenged he rose again-"We have only
given orders which Will absorb that
sum-"
A more curious and significant an
swer was that given to one Of the au-
dience In a great meeting during the
famous Midlothian campaign. Glad
stone had spoken of the secrecy Of
the ballot. The man at the back asked
what he should reply If his employer
were to inquire how he voted. Glad
stone said: There Is not a bad story
about secrecy which Is not inappro-
pirate now. Sir Walter Scott when
asked If he was the author of the
Wayerley novels said, NO, l am not.
and II | had written them l should
have made you precisely the same an
that q person who gave that answer
was guilty of any act OF deceit. l do
not see myself how you can object to
It," This little episode was carefully
omitted from the printed volume of
those speeches. Sir Edward Hamilton
was chief private secretary toGladstone
and his intimate friend for forty years
In his memoir he writes that Mr.. Glad
stone dislikcd and dreaded the rising
''prepOndCrance of plutOcracy over he
reditary aristocracy. l have heard him
eXclaim, i am worshiper of the
hereditary principle - hereditary title
and hereditary possessions He was
an absolute slave to precedent and ira
dition."
Between 1869 and 1886 Gladstone Gre
ated seventy-four peers, mostly pluto
Gratis. The rent roll OF his cabinet min
listers was larger than that OF the Tory
ministries. In 1869 he, as premier, ap-
pointed his then quite young Stephen
to the family living OF Hawarden
church, then worth nearly $4,000 n
year. He is there still, but the stipend
was cut in half years ago.
The authorized biography by the