| Show GLAD GLADS STONES SPEECH THE press telegrams a few days ago contained the synopsis of a speech made in the house of commons march I 1 by mr gladstone it was upon the address in reply to the queens speech at the opening of the present session and was quite lengthy of course the veteran statesman while nominally attacking the govern governments menta position at all points apostrophized the question nearest his hid heart home rule for ireland and made it the burden of his theme he doubtless realizes that in the natural order of things he cannot look lok for his lease of life to be greatly extended and wants to crown his work with the consummation of the purpose which he has had in view for so many years yean past and to permit other subjects subject a to engross or even occupy a considerable portion of his attention now would be to diminish his labors and effectiveness ti veness in the desired direction it is not perhaps putting it too strongly to pronounce the effort a masterpiece any synopsis furnishes at best beat but an imperfect presentation sen tation of a prolonged oratorical and argumentative effort but even the synopsis in this instance is fervid earnest systematic and analytical ly between the lines we seem to read the words omitted and catch something of the oratory orators impetuosity and force it must have been even greater than we conceive it to be by such methods when such a newspaper as the london jondon I telegraph notably conservative and independent in its utterances says of it that it was historical that gladstone was on the warpath karpath war path and his attack on the liberal unionists was tremendous it also says that there was the great force of invective and sarcasm of the great tn master during the speech joseph chamberlain well known in and connected with this country by marriage smiled nervously and glanced furiously at gladstone the peroration was spoken in the character of a prophecy telling of the wrath to come with resonance of voice and flashing eles eyes and it seemed 11 says the telegraphy like another isaiah crying woe to the high places of jerusalem his last words gave signs of the coming dawn he finished his speech amidst a tempest of cheers this in a man pad eighty years of age can only be regarded as a most wonderful performance physically mentally and otherwise those of his opponents who have counting strongly on the decrepitude which usually attends such advanced years keeping gladstone practically out of the fight henceforth must have experienced something like an awakening after a long and dreamy sleep it doubtless seemed to them as though the grand old man was undergoing reu uv venation or that a special heritage ageos of his early vigor had been bequeathed by providence in order that the later statesmen might have some relish of what their predecessors had to undergo time and again it was certainly au an and the differences in the astonishment was made manifest on one side by the prolonged and deafening cheers and on the other by blank dismay it was undeniably the case that it was a complete triumph for mr gladstone and his supporters and no better evidence of this can be had than the fact that the only response made was brief ineffectual and without demonstrations of approval the juncture considering the turn affairs have taken before the carneil commission was a most happy one for the home rulers Buler and sand was improved to the fullest extent |
