A GREAT LIBERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 73, 24 September 1923, Page 7

A GREAT LIBERAL

DEATH OF LORD MORLEY

A DISTINGUISHED CAREER

IN POLITICS AND LITERATURE.

IWtTID FRESB AMOCMIIOX.—COFTIJGBT.) „_ UCRTRAUUi - HEW ZHMKD CA»LB ASSOCIATION.) (Received 24th September, noon.) 1 LONDON, 23rd September. The death ie announced of Viscpunt Morley of Blackburn. '

John Morley, first Vucount Morley of Blackburn, was born on 24th December, 1858. He roes to be one of England's most noted statesmen. As a youth h<* matriculated at Lincoln College, Oxford, and after taking his degree in 1858, went to London with the idea of taking up literature. He became editor of the Literary, Gazette," which, however, was already nearing extinction, and all the new editor's ability could not save it. He became known as a philosopher and a, Radical, becoming one of the mosb incisive contributors to the Press on poltieal subjects. He became successively editor of. the "Star," "Fortnightly Review," "Macmillan's Magazine, ' and the "Pall 'Mall Gazette." In 1833, Mr. Morley, as he was then, was' returned to Parliament as representative for Newcastle-upon-Tyne at a by-elec-tion. When, in February, 1886, Mr. Gladstone returned to power as a Home Kuler, Mr. Morley, who had never before held any public appointment, filled one of the most important offices in the Cabinet as Secretary for Ireland; He had always expressed his sympathy with Irish aspirations, and be is credited with an especial influence over Mr. Gladstone in the matter of Home Rule, and in particular with having kept the Prime Minister steady on the Bill of--1886, which had for its objective the separation of the British and Irish legislatures. After the' Gladstonian debacle at the General Election of the same year Mr. Morley led a life divided between politics and literature until Mr. Gladstone's return in 1392, when he resumed his former office. Mr. Morley's resistance to an Eight Hours' Labour Bill, and his opposition to other Labour questions brought about his defeat in 1895, but tho following year he found another seat, being elected for the Montrose Burghs. In the disputes which agitated the Liberal Party during Lord Rosebery's Administration, and afterwards, Mr. Morley sided with Sir William Harcourt. Mr: Morley's .activities were then again turned to literature. He publicly denounced the Government's attitude towards the Boers, and though not taking the popular side/ h'fs spe'echeiiand writings on the subject vner© given a respectful hearing. As a man of letters his work- was practically -concluded at this period, during which' he ' wrote, monographs on Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot and the Encyclopaedists, Burke,. Walpole, Oliver Cromwell* and Cobden* His contributions to political journalism, and. to literary, ethical, and philosophical criticism have been "of -inestimable value. He wrote the biography, of Gladstone, which was published in. 19Q5, proving a masterly account of the .'career of the great:" Liberal "Etatesmah^ When Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, formed hiß Cabinet in 1905,; Mr. Morley was made Secretary of State for India, during which he was called upon to deal with an alarming outbreak of sedition , in.lndia. When Sir Henry resigned in. 1909, and Mr." Asquith became-Prims ! Minister, Mr. Morley.retained Jiis'offica :in, the new Cabinet", but it:was thought advisable to relieve him of the burden. ! of a seat in the House of Commons, and he was transferred to the House o£ Lorde «s Viscount Morley of Blackburn/ He undertook the remodelling of the In-' dia Office in 1908-09, which he-carried out in statesmanlike manner. ■ He left the, India Office in 1910, and became Lord President of the Council until 1914, which office he resigned at the outbreak of the Great War. Since that date; be has retired into private life, and has onlji very occasionally come into the public eye, the most notable occasion being when he published his volume.'-of/."Re-collections." Viscyunt Morley was I never married, and he leaves no heir. ■