Year: 1878

With the death of Earl Russell has passed
away another of those old links which bind us
20 the past. The statesman and man of let
tiers whose long life has come to a close was
the cotemporary of Melbourne and Grey, of
Campbell and of Moore. AS far back as 1889
he prepared the way for reform in England.
He had seen Napoleon at Elba, and lived to
witness the downfall of his nephew; and, in
fact, in all the great events which have taken
place in Europe for more than half century
he was an active participation, many of them
being closely associated with his name. Born
of an ancient house, the members of which
had on several occasions proved their devo
tion to the Wing party, he was brought up
in the straitest sect Of Whigism. When he
was first elected to Parliament the long term
OF power which the Tories had enjoyed was
approaching its end. In the year 1880 the
Liberal element was gradually gaining
strength, although Wellington was blind to
the signs Of the times, and did net know that
bloodless revolution would sweep his Cabi-
net out Of existence. When that had been
accomplished and an administration had been
Lord Grey, Lord John Russell, as he~was
then called, moved the first reading of the
reform bill in Parliament. That was the
circumstance which afterwards stamped him
in popular estimation as a great statesman,
although in reality he was only the mouth
piece of the party, and was selected by them
in order that the measure might receive some
prestige.


The history of England during the thirty
years which followed would not be complete
without Earl Russel's name. 1t cannot be
said, however, that he always showned keen
judgment and determination. The attack
which he made upon the Church of Rome in
the year 1851, when he professed to belive
that Papal aggression was about to destroy
the Queens supremacy, drew down upon him
the condemnation of Brougham, Macauly and
even John Bright. Leech's ca..cature it Punch
representing Lord Russell as boy who had
chalked 'tNO Popery" on Cardinal Wiseman's
door, and then run away, represented the
popular feeling entertained towards him at
that time. The foreign policy of England
under his direction was such as to bring her
into derision. lie was entirely ignorant of
Continental affairs; he could not speak French
and his vacillating course of action not only
weakened England's influence but provoked
against her undisguised hostility. At the
Congress of Vienna he failed to secure peace;
he persuaded Denmark to take up the gage of
battle of Prussia and Austria, and then left
her to fight alone; he was completely out
witted by Prince Gortschakoff in the contro-
yersy as to the French occupation of Syria,
and was snubhed by that willy diplomat when
he offered some suggestions as to the internal
government of Poland. In fact, an old
statesman afterwards said in Parliament that
during the whole course of his diplomatic
correspondence Lord Russell wherever he had
interferred-and he had interferred every
where-had been lecturing, scolding, bustling
and-retreating.


1t was, however, with his conduct during
the late cavil war in this country that we
were more Immediately concersed. His
ignorance of international law and the narrow
minded manner in which he looked at the
subject almost resulted in rupture between