MR GLADSTONE'S ATTITUDE.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 147, 4 May 1877, Page 6

MR GLADSTONE'S ATTITUDE.

According to New York papers received . by the San Francisco mail, Mr Gladstone's attitude on the Eastern question "is susceptible of an amusing explanation. A telegram from Paris, dated January 26, says : — " A strange story appeared yesterday in the Republique Francaise, the organ of M. Gambetta and the Republican Left. Its correspondent gives a scandal in which the reputation of Mr Gladstone is involved, and pretends to account for the position he has taken in the Eastern question by saying he is amonreux. The eminent statesman is represented to be in the hands of a Russian Princess of great beauty, who was charged with the delicate task of weaving her toils about a statesman of 60 years. The journal in question states that Mr Gladstone is now the object of possible gossip, the grand dame Busse in question having boasted of her success, and stated that she had a number of compromising letters. It is certain that the lady, who is separated from her husband, an aide-de-camp of the Grand Duke Nicholas, has been for a year or more past one of the diplomatic agents of Prince Gortschakoff in London. Mr Gladstone has been extremely assiduous in his attentions to her, and it is now said that it is owing to her influence that he has turned against the Turks after having fought for them in 1854. Between the two there | have certainly been frequent exchange of letters, ancl the report is that the lady has some which do more honour to his heart than Ins prudence. The report first appeared in a journal of Sheffield, and the reply to it was not a little embarrassed, but contained a sort of denial. Whether or not there has been an indiscretion on the 'part of Mr Gladstone is more than one can learn from the correspondence. It is insinuated, but not directly affirmed. But now that the story has appeared, the enemies of Mr Gladstone will believe that he wanted to drive the Turks out of Europe by the instigation of this Russian Circe, and that his remarkable change of policy was due to her sweet 'influence. Let me say here that the lady is as spirituelle as she is "beautiful, and is one of those strange beings who seem born to profit by the weakness of men. v Aux grands liommcs les grands foiblesses,' says Prudhomme, and it is upon this principle that the wily Gortschakoff works when he sends out the ' most beautiful women of the country as diplomatic agents." ;