| Show AM THE TWO STATESMEN two eminent englishmen W E gladstone and john bright have declined invitations to visit the united I 1 tates states on the occasion of the celebration of adoption day or the day on which the federal constitution of the united states was formally ratified the cause of the declination should not be understood as unwillingness on heir be with us and participate in the rejoicings rejo icings on that memo memorable ra occasion but merely indicates that the present is a momentous period in the history of their own country and each conceives it to be his duty to remain at his bis post at least until the clouds roll by tuis tais much in common but in all other respects the scope of action and the actuating tua ting motives of the men seem as wide apart as are the antipodes gladstone took great pains in his reply to set out not only his friendship for this country and sympathy for its institutions but showed at some length why he he had reason to entertain the warmest of feeling toward us why a land consecrated to human liberty should be endeared to him and having such sentiments as his guide how impracticable it would be for him to desert his post now when he is battling in a similar cauce besides he was not dispo disposed sedon on behalf of juose for whom he is contending to weaken his bis strength or d dissipate any of his limited opportunities by giving the opposition cause for indulging in political jealousies because ehause of his visit and misconstruing his motives when he is not present to daf defend end them the reply of mr bright is somewhat more curt much more inore businesslike business like and altogether diffusing an air ol 01 of greater caution and regard for himself the sincerity ot of his f friendly professions for the united states and its peo ile will hardly be questioned would not lot probably have been if he had made no reply to the invitation at all ail still there here seems to be struggling for a place and appearance between the lines a suppressed objection to something bin we have lately done are doing or have in contemplation it is like the hospitality of a man who mak makes e s all callers welcome but is displeased at something one of them has done and the effort to treat him no different f from regp the other becomes a little labored he is really in a general sense as friendly as ever for all that there are we think two and perhaps three causes for mr Brig brights lits asperity of feeling if such it way may be one of them is because of the ex pre miers attitude on the irish question wherein he be and his former colleague are painfully at variance and have almost ceased to be friends and his invitation vi folio wing that of mr gladstone with the understanding that it might not nave been sent at all but for that gent geni lemans inability to attend reason would seem to be the unanimous sympathy of the american people for the cause of home rule in ireland if this biag of the case is the correct one and do not all deductions based upon his bis words and actions of late bear it out it presents an element of strangeness which it will be hard to explain away mr bright is far advanced in years is in fact at that stage of life arien one must look to tile the preservation ot what laurels he be has won in the past rather than seek to gather fresn ones from the future his life has been an illustrious one such suca a career as few ever aver att attain ain to by the force of personal effort and honest achievement he has placed himself in indelibly d elibay upon record as the friend of 0 f human liberty and human pro grebs in all saye an affectionate allegiance for a titled ruler because she governs the laud of his nativity and hit his destiny he is a republican a commoner a humanitarian as well as a statesman of profound abill ability t y and far reaching consequence why it will be asked is he not only opposed to popular government in one of the empires provinces but against we toe adoption ot such mea measures bures af a would laise a prost prostrate ale people from out the ashes where the heredia hereditary ary curse of has placed them for three centuries why does he sever the friendship of f his longtime long time ally when the latter is consecrating what little remains to him of ii life fe to the sacred end of undoing the wrongs to which his government has been committed so BO long and why does he sulk in his bis tent when a cordial bid is beni beat him to visit his dis kinsmen beyond the sea those who see eye to eye with his compatriot on the great and all absorbing question of ireland for the irish these are the questions that a great many people will ponder over and it is hard to that some of them at least will see in such deportment as that we have mentioned the possible thi third rd reason the trail of the green eyed serpent over it all we hope those who take a different view of the case and do not concur in the conclusion last las t suggested are altogether t the others would doubtless be elart to know that they are mistaken |
