OBITUARY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7215, 20 May 1898, Page 4

OBITUARY.

WILLIAM; EWART GLADSTONE. London, May 18. lib Gladstone died at five o'clock today.

The Right Honorable William Ewart Gladstone was born in Liverpool on the 29th December, ISO 9, and was, therefore, in his eighty-ninth year. Though English by ngf.ii-fi.y, he was, to use his own words, of "Scotch extraction, which is purely and absolutely Scotch as to every drop of blood in my veins." He was a descendant of one o£ the old Border families so famous in Scottish song and story. The original seat of the Gladstones, once known as Gledstanes, was, according to a writer who traced the genealogy of the family, "on a green knowe, on the high bleak moorland near the Biggar Born, in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire." Burke claimed for the deceased statesman, through the marriage of hi 3 father, Sir John Gladstone, with Uis3 Robertson, daughter o£ the sometime Provost of Dingwall, a royal descent from Henry HI. of England and Robert Bruce, King of Scotland; and a Scotch writer upon genealogy states that Mr Gladstone was descended on the mother's side from the ancient Mackenzie, of Kintail, through whom was introduced the blood of Bruce, of the ancient Kinas of Man, and of the Lordsof the isles and Earls of Ross, «fcc. Mr Gladstone, however, never made any claim to nobility of origin, but was proud to own that his father was in commerce, to which he has in frank and manly words avowed his obligations. " I know not why,' he Baid in the course of an address to the Liverpool Collegiate School in IS/2, "commerce in England should not have its old families rejoicing to be connected with it from generation to generation. .... I think it a subject of sorrow, and almost of j scandal, when those families who have acquired or recovered station and wealth through commerce turn their backs upon it, and seem to be ashamed of it." But it is with the life's work, and not with the noble origin, of an illustrious man that we have to deal ; and we must hurry on ; for it was a busy life that which has now closed in peace, and we have but space for the merest outline thereof. TTTC EDUCATION" A>"D ENTRY CPON" POLITICAL LIFE. Mr Gladstone's early education was obtained at a small school near Liverpool, and it is recorded that in later years his teacher "was fond of expatiating on the incapacity which the first financier of his epoch displayed in his younger days in mastering even the rudiments of arithmetic." At the age of 12 years the subject of our notice was entered at Eton, where he early displayed considerable literary talent, and was one of the chief contributors to the College Miscellany, wherein he figured as the author of sundry versified outbursts. If the boy be father to the man, then may his lines— Who foremost now the deadly spear to dart And strike the jav"lin to the Moslem's heart—

be taken as applicable to the future impassioned and eloquent champion of the oppressed nationalities suffering under the domination of "the nnspeakable Turk." From Eton Mr Gladstone six years later became a foundation student of Christ's College, Oxford, and had a brilliant University career, which termicated in 1831 by his graduating double first-class—the highest attainable honor. As a member of the Oxford Union he earned a repntation as a debater, and prepared the way for his early entry into rarliament. Quitting Oxford, Mr Gladstone spent some time upon the Continent. In his absence the Reform Bill was passed. The people had and ■won one of the greatest- constitutional tattles in the Parliamentary history of the nation, and the King having assented to a measure broadening and enlarging the franchise, the country was hnrried into the tnrmoil of a turbulent election. The Duke o£ Newcastle sought for a promising candidate whom he might thrust upon the electors of his pocket borough of Newark. Young Gladstone was chosen, and, in response to an invitation to become the ducal nominee, he hastened back from Italy, and plunged into the contest Read in the light of the events of the last four decades, his address to the electors seems strange indeed. Hi 3 strong Conservatism was disclosed in the words, " We must watch and resist that iniinquiring and indiscrimination desire for change" a remarkable seutiment with which to start a political life destined to devoted and restless advocacy of reform. Bat stranger still 13 the fact that the major part of that address consisted of a defence of slavery. Still in those early days Mr Gladstone had a sympathetic corner in his heart for the poor, " founded upon the rule that those who are least able to take care of themselves should be most regarded by others": aye,even in those times, when Labor legislation was only thought of in the direction of restricting the liberty of the hired toilers, he enunciated the principle that " is is a duty to endeavor, by every means, that labor may receive adequate remuneration." The election resulted in the return of Mr Gladstone at the head of the poll, and the defeat of Sergeant Wilde, the erstwhile Libera] member for Newark, who had fonjrht with the victorious host for the Reform Bill. Of the young member of the House of Commons—Mr Gladstone was scarcely 23 years of age—a Conservative journal wrote : " He is a gentleman of amiable manners and the most extraordinary talent; and we venture to predict, without the slightest exaggeration, that he will be one day classed amongst the most able statesmen in the British Senate"—a prophecy early realised. ET PARLIAMENT. Unlike his great rival in later years— Disraeli Mr Gladstone commanded an attentive hearing in the House of Commons from the outset of his career. It was some four months after his entry within the portals of St-. Stephens that the voice that was destined to charm all hearers for six decades was first heard, and it may be noted that Mr Gladstones maiden speech, delivered on the ISth May, 1833, was in connection with the slavery question. In October of the following year the Melbourne Ministry fell, and on Sir Robert Peel forming a Cabinet Mr Gladstone, not yet 25 years of age, became Junior Lord of the Treasury, and had to go to his constituents for a renewal of confidence. Mr Handley, the second member, having retired, Mr Gladstone and Sergeant Wilde were returned unopposed. Mr Gladstone's address again breathed strong Conservatism, and a ■warning that there were some " among the servants of the King who did not scrapie to solicit the suffrages of their constituents with promises to act on the principles of Radicalism" ments, and other questions called popular," leading to " republicanism" and anarchy." In the following year Mr Gladstone was promoted to the post of Under-Secretary for the Colonies. But during the session the Ministry were defeated on Lord John Russell's motion- for a consideration of the temporalities of the Irish Church, which was opposed by Mr Gladstone on the grounds that it would tend to enfeeble and debase and then overthrow the principles upon which the Church establishment rested. After a further defeat on another branch of the same subject, the Ministry resigned, and we find Mr Gladstone in Opposition for a considerable period. " The rising hope of those stern and unbending Tories," as Lord Macaulay a few years later termed Mr Gladstone, wa3 in Opposition in deed as well as in name. He opposed a Ministerial scheme for dealing with Church rates in deference to the views of the Dissenters, a national education scheme intended to provide education for the Dissenters, a Bill to remove the civil disabilities of the Jews, and other measures of Justice which he in after years not only acknowledged as founded npon right, bub to which he gave a broader application. When the Liberal Ministry were defeated at the polls in IS-tl, Sir Robert peel again came into office, and conferred trpon Mr Gladstone the position of VicePresident of the Board of Trade: In that capacity, in 1842, he assisted his chief in carrying through an amendment of the Corn Laws in the direction of a sliding scale. But Mr Gladstone's great accomplishment—his first financial success—was the revision of the tariff, a work which 'was almost wholly •his work. By the mastery of detail which he displayed and his comprehension of the commercial interests of the country he at once demonstrated his capacity as a financier and practical statesman. Here was foreshadowed his conversion to the principles of Free Trade. At the opening of the session he resigned his post owing to the introduction

of a Bill by the Government increasing the t endowment of the Maynooth (Roman i Catholic) College, and he explained that he a did so to leave himself free to review, free C from bias, opinions he had expressed upon 0 the relations of the Church and-State. He, t however, supported the measure on the 1 ground that " those who paid the taxes of a i country had a right to share in the benefits 1 of its institutions." f THE XOMUfEE OF NEWCASTLE KO LOXGER. J Mr Gladstone had now become the most £ advanced Free Trader upon the Conservative ( side of the House, and upon the reconstruction of the Peel Cabinet in 1546, pledged to } the repeal of the Corn Laws, he became 1 Colonial Secretary. His acceptance of office ( iu a Ministry so pledged led to his retirement from the representation of Newark, ( the Duke of Newcastle, as an ardent Pro- , tectionist, withdrawing his patronage from ( Mr Gladstone, who remained without a seat ( during the session, and so missed the opportunity of aiding by his powerful eloquence ; in the completion of a reform of which he ( was regarded a3 the official pioneer. In the ; general election of 1847 Mr Gladstone was 1 returned as one of the members for Oxford 1 University, but not as a Minister, a Liberal Ministry under Sir John Russell being in office. His re-entry into Parliament saw ■ another departure from the pauhs pursued by him in his earlier days by supporting Sir : John Russell's motion for the admission of Jew 3 into Parliament. Mr Gladstone had prior to this ceased to be a member of the Conservative Party. The repeal of the Corn Laws and other measures not included in the tenets of the Tory faith had separated him and many others from the party, and they became known as Peelites —a body separated alike from Whigs and Tories. On the 29tli June, 1850, there occurred an event which not only deprived the nation of a great statesman, but led to the disintregation of the Middle Party—the death of Sir Robert Peel from an accident. Some members returned to the Conservative fold, but Mr Gladstone and others—restrained by Conservative traditions on the one hand and Liberal tendencies on the other —still held aloof from both the great opposing parties. Mr Gladstone at this time occupied the position of an independent member, trending towards Liberalism, and it was not for some three years that he became definitely allied to any party. Upon the fall of the Whig Ministry in the early part of 1852, Lord DCrby sought to recall the wanderer to the Conservative fold by offering Mr Gladstone a portfolio. But this was declined, and in the irony of events it was Mr Gladstone who brought about the defeat of the Derby Ministry. This he did by the fierce manner in which he attacked Disraeli's first Budget —a Budget which Macaulay at the time described as " a plan for taking money out of the pockets of people in towns and putting it into the pocket 3 of growers of malt." Speaking of the opening of the debate upon the Budget an eye-witness says:—" Gladstone, in the greatest speech he ever delivered, tore the whole remorselessly to pieces, scattering the shreds to the winds and overthrew the Derby Government.' 5 Another writer says that " from this debate may be said to date that actual and formal political antagonism between Lord Beaconsfield and Mr Gladstone''' which extended over the remaining years of the former's life. Upon Lord Aberdeen forming a Ministry Mr Gladstone, was viewed as the only possible Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to that office he succeeded in what was viewed as a coalition Ministry. The new Ministers having to seek re-election as the penalty of taking office, Mr Gladstone again appealed to his Alma Mater to return him. But his Liberal tendencies were not pleasing to Conservative Oxford, and a bitter tight resnlted in his re election by a small majority—" the square fitted into the round hole." Then came Mr Gladstone's duty to deliver HIS FIRST BtTCGRT SPEECH, and a masterful speech it was It provided firss for a reduction or the national debt, and then for a remission of taxation by an extension of the principle of Free Trade. In it he inaugurated the doctrine known as " elasticity of revenue," which is safely calculated upon to presently make good deficiencies immediately accruing upon reduction of taxation. In 1553 the experiment was rovel, but under it 3 extended application British trade and commerce, to quote the words of an authoritative writer, *' have advanced fcy leaps aud bounds." Describing the tcene on the occasion, one writer says: " The House, crowded in every par?, • listened with rap' attention for the five hours during which the sp-aker pmred 1 forth a flood of oratory which made arithmetic easy and lent a erace to statistics • hitherto undreamt of." But the scheme 1 which first astounded and then pleased and • satisfied the people was destined not to reach fruition. In the East the storm was ! b ewing, and before long Mr Gladstone was ' called upon to find the Hinds for the prosecution of the Crimean war. He did this by proposing the bold policy of meeting the ex- ■ pensta ot the war a3 they occurred by means . of fresh taxation. Mr Disraeli, in opposi- ; tion, deprecated fresh taxation and advo- ; catcd borrowing. " The former," wrot3 ' Piince Albert, "is manly, statesmanlike, ■ and honest ; the latter is convenient, • cowardly, and perhaps popul ir." The 1 people of the nation, however, rose to the exigencies of a grive ard great occasion. '• hey approved of the proposal of the Chan- ■ cellor of the Exchequer, and heroically and > patriotically consented to make sacrifices to : save posterity from burdens entailed by the i war. It would take too much of our space : to detail all the events of tie succeeding years. Suffice it to say that the disastrous ; bungling of the war and the defection of i Lord John Russell at a critical moment led to the downfall of the coalition Ministry. To both sides of the House the Queen appealed for advisers, but each failed to fulfil ! the task, and th*: - berdeen Cabinet was re- ; constructed under i-ord Palmerston, Mr . Gladstone again becoming Chancellor of the I Fxcheqmr fomewjat against his wish owing to the exclusion of some of his Peelits - friend?, but in deference to their wish. He 1 did not long remain in office. The three Peelits members were not ccmfortable in a ! Cabinet dominated by the preponderating , 'A hiss, ani the? took an early opportunity , 0 f resigning. It was shortly after this that ; Mr Gladstone's popularity received its first ) check, when in Alay, 1850, he besought the > Commons to conclude a happy and honorj peace, snd not continue tlie war for ths mere sake of military success. For a long ' time Mr Gladstone continued a private . member unattached to any party. It was 3 during this period that he may be said to l have become allied with the Liberal Party, » though he on occasions gave a little friendly I help to the Conservative Government, j ACROSS THE BOEDER. F It was in 1859 that Mr Gladstone became - a Liberal in name, as well as in sentiment. ' When t.ord Palmerston was called upon to ' form his stcond Ministry Mr Gladstone ac--3 cepted office as Chancellor of the Kxchc quer. : The act of complete allegiance to the Liberal ; cause was not pleasing to his Oxforci Univer--1 sity constituents, but hi 3 eminence secured 5 for him a continuation of support and he i obtained re-elt ction. Here it may be men- » tioned that at a subsequent period Mr Glad- ! stone, replying to Disraeli's taunts of inconl sistency, frankly admitted that he had been . driven into the Liberal ranks " by no arbif trary act, but by the slow and resistless I forces of conviction." For seven years Mr l Gladstone held office in this Liberal Ministry f over six under Lord Palmerston. and the I remainder, after Palmerston's death, under - Earl Russell, and as Leader of the Com- > mons. it is unnecessary to detail all the 5 liberal measures with which Mr Gladstone's J name was associated in those seven years, I Suffice it to say that each year saw some - new evidence of the advancing mind no i longer shackled by Conservative notions - imbibed in youth under the shadow of the ; great name of Canning. His first Liberal , Budget, delivered immediately after his - installation, was mainly devoted to produc- ; ing financial equilibrium. But in the followfc iug year, ISGO—a year made memorable aa I a new departure iu British commerce and - manufactures by tho conclusion of a treaty ; of commerce with France," a fruitful tree 1 which Mr Cobden and Kapoleon 111. planted » and Mr Gladstone watered"—there was S taken tho first step towards.the emancipa--5 tion of mankind from the bondage of ignorF ance, and for the wide diffusion of knowledge r leadin" to power. This was the proposal, to 1 repeal°the Paper Duty and the abolition of ; the impressed stamp on newspapers. After ; a bitter resistance led by Mr Disraeli, the ' proposals passed the House of Commons; • but the I o ds, despite the loudly expressed [ wish of the country and the acknowledged : right of the Commons to control all financial l matters, rejected the Bill. Lord Palmers ton,

the Prime Minister by. a series of resolutions, ... induced the House to enter a mild protest g against this of. its rights j.but.Mr a Gladstone, while supporting the propositions 2 of his chief, was not disposed, to submit t tamely. He denounced the conduct of the.; e Lords as " the most, gigantic and t invasion of the' rights of the Commons which" E has occurred in modern times," and reserved. ] to himself "an entire freedom to adopt any 1 mode of vindicating the rights'of the Com- ] mons which may have the smallest chance of success." In the. following session Mr Gladstone showed that, to the bold statesman, there existed a means of "vindicating the rights of the Commons." Instead of dealing with the subject in a separate Bill, he embodied it; and the whole.of his financial proposals in a single measure. The House of Lords, having no power to amend 1 a , " money Bill" was, therefore, placed in the , the position of either sanctioning the repeal ( of th« Paper Duty, or of accepting the responsibility of rejecting the Bill altogether and so disorganising the finances of the country. Ater.a-fierce discussion, the Com- ' mons sanctioned the course proposed, and the Lords bowed to the inevitable. From the time of the repeal of the Paper Duty may.be dated the growth of the newspaper Press of the country, the establishment of literature within the reach of the commoner people, and the spread of intelligence among the people. In 1863 »-r Gladstone gave further proof of his conversion to political and religious freedom by according support to the Nonconformist Burial Bill, and in the following vear he caused Oxford to shudder by his advocacy of the extension of the franchise among6t the working classes. The sessioa of 1565 saw the completion of the rift that had been steadily extending between the University and its distinguished representative, Mr Gladstone having admitted that it was the duty of the Government to give their early attention to the position of the Established Church in Ireland. In the general election which took place a few months later Oxford sacrificed upon the alt«r of party "a representative who combined the very hightesfc qualifications, moral and intellectual, for an academical seat." TUB MAN OF THE PffOPLE. " Henceforth,"said the Times commenting upon the result, " Mr Gladstone will belong to the country, but no longer to tbe University." The Times added tbe r e prophetic words: " Those Oxford influences and traditions which have so deeply colored his views, arid so greatly interfered with his better judgment, must gradually lose their hold on him.'' Mr Gladstone secured a seat for Lancashire, and in the following autumn, on the reconstruction of the Cabinet by Earl Russell, consequent upon the death of _ ord Palmerston, he became leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons —a position of responsibility he held, with a short interval, for nearly thirty years. Bub he was not destined to lead the Commons long on that occasion, for in the session of 1566 the Liberal Ministry, which had re" urned from the country with a substantial majority, were defeated on a Reform Bill evolved by Karl Russell, the veteran statesman who hod played a prominent part in connection with the Reform Bill of 1832. 'JThis measure, which was described as " resembling a harlequin's jacket, according a i-hred of frarchise here and a pitch of it there," pleiied no one, and the Ministry fell. A Conservative Government came into power, but the force of public opinion compelled them to deal with the reform question, and the measure—mangled and remiuided in Committee in obedience to the demand of Mr Gladstone—emerged a Libaral triumph The following year (186S) Mr Dis'aeli became Premier, Lord Derby haviDg resigned, but his reign was of short duration, in the session of that year Mr Gladstone moved a series of resolutions for the disestablishment of th« Irish Church. These were carried, and members were seat to the country, with the result th .t the Liberals were returned with an overwhelming majority. Mr '.Gladstone was defeated at South Lancashire, but returned for Greenwich, and when Parliament assembled it found him installed as ! Prime Minister " personally more powerful than any who had held the reins of State since the palmiest days of Sir Robert Peel." Then commenced THE GOLDEN AGO OF LTEEEAL,ISM."j ! The disestablishment of the Irish Church s was promptly dealt with by Mr Gladstone ; with a master hand, his treatment of tbe : question being admitted upon all sides to , display a marvellous grasp of detail, 'fhe : measure, which excited more angry control versy than any since the Heform Bill, was, - to quote the Annual Register, " carried s through its various stages in the face of a i united and powerful opposition, mainly by I the resolute will and unflinching energy of > the Prime Minister." In the following j session Mr Gladstone carried the Irish Land i Hill, followed by the Elementary Education • Bill; while IS7I saw the abolition of purr chase in the army, which Mr Gladstone - effected by Royal Warrant, to tbe consterna--3 tion of its opponents, after the Lords had - refused to piss a Bi'.l dealing with the sab- - jecfc. It is impossible with our limited i space to detail all the great measures passed , during the long period which Mr Gladstone , held the reins of State. Foremost among i tha number was the BalloS Bill, and the j irony of Fate was fully exemplified iu the . fict that when the first general election was - held in 1574 under tbe secret voting svs'em I the Ministry who hid conferred this boon, j upon the people were defeated, A Con--3 servative Government came into power, and 3 Mr Gladstone formally retired from the r active leadership of the I iberal Party after 3 the close of the session. But his retirement f was nominal rather than actual, for he was 1 still the foremost of the fighters for Liberal . principles and liberty. LATER YEAES; • When the world was horrified in 1876 by the Bulgarian massacres, no voice through- £ out the land so eloquently as Mr Gladstone's 2 demanded justice for the people subjected to I '! urkish atrocities, and throughout the 1 whole of that trying period he was the fore--3 most man in the discussion of the Eastern 2 Question. The impression he then made 1 upon the country was reflected in the result • of the general election of 1860, when the \ Liberals were again installed in power with P a substantial majority, Mr Gladstone forming his secoad Cabinet. For a little over B five years the Ministry held office, and did some good work; but it was a troublous e time, owiDg to the disturbed state of Ire-. = land. In May, 1885, the Ministry were dee feated on one of the resolutions of the 3 Budget, the Parnellites seizing the oppor--3 tunity of avenging the coercion policy pur- ' sued in Ireland by combining their forces with the Conservatives. .. Lord Salisbury's first Cabinet succeeded, but it was. shortlived, and in February, 1886, Mr Gladstone e again became Prime Minster. It was then • that he formally espoused the cause of the 0 Irish. On the Bth April he moved the in- - troduction of tbe Home Rule Bill, but.be- • fore the second reading cime on it was 1 apparent that the Liberals were hopelessiy - divided upon the subject. '1 he measure waß 1 defeated, and on appeal tbe country endorsed e the decision of the House. Mr Gladstone - resigned, and L">rd Salisbury formed his - second Ministry. ■ The election of 1892, " however, gave Mr. Gladstone a majority of 1 about 40 in favor of Home Rule, and the - session of 1593 saw him, as Prime Minister s for the fourth time, again introducing a r Home Rule Bill. It is of such recent history 7 how the Bill was brought through the Com--2 mons, after a, great and memorable fight, and r then rejected by the Lords by an over- - whelming majorihy, that we need not enter 2 into details. The long, arduous, and worthy 3 political career of the greatest of Great • Britain's great statesmen, was soon after 3 this virtually brought to a close. In March, ' 1894, tbe country was grieved to learn that 3 Mr Gladstone's health was showing signs of 2 failure under the mighty strain to which it 1 had been subjected. As a consequence the a seals of office were delivered to the Queen, - who repeated the offer made in 1874 to rai-e - her oldest servant to the Peerage—an honor a which was declined. Mr Gladstone's mantle 1 fell upon the shoulders .of Lord f and from thenceforward the House' of e Commons saw" little more of Ihe man who 1 had been one of its most conspicuous adorn - s ments for half .a century. But.his voice was -1 not yet hushed, nor his vigor , entirely lost," - "as was evidenced by his eloquent' appeals on e behalf of the oppressed and outraged sub--0 jects of the Sultan in Armenia and in Crete, f ' We have given^bubaid imperfect outline of r the rema-kable career" of one who has been a e long,, faithful, and ungrudging servant of ; the people. " Neve • has a long life beVn mgre" 1 nobly spent, and never has any man done 1 so 1 much for humanity- as William ' Ewart 1 Gladstone—greatest, purest, loftiest pham- , pion of Liberty,

- -In 1839 Mr Gladstone married- Catherine, sister of the] ate Sir Stephen Glynne, M.P., and of the late Lady Lyttelton ; and on July 25, 1889, Mr and Mrs Gladstone celebrated their • goldenwedding,' -- Of the eldest sat. in r Parliament, for some .time as. member for' East' Worcestershire ; the second, the Rev. Stephen-Gladstone, is Rector of Ha warden ; and the third, Mr Herbert Gladstone, has sat, since 1880, for Leeds.