DEATH OF MR GLADSTONE.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 291, 21 May 1898, Page 2

DEATH OF MR GLADSTONE.

FAREWELLS AT HAWARDEN. TOUCHING SCENES. (BY ELKCTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT). London, May 18. During bis sleep to-day Mr Gladstone was heard to whisper the opening words of the Lord's Prayer and some words in French. The members of his household, together with his servants atHawarden, yesterday took their farewells, and several touching scenes occurred. Later. Mr Gladstone is now unconscious, and his hands are in a comatose condition. May 19. Mr Gladstone died at five o'clock to-day. The Government propose to accord Mr Gladstone a public funeral, and also to erect a monument, following the precedent in the cases of Chatham aud Pitt. At public gatherings yesterday Sir W. V. Harcourt, the Duke of Devonshire, and Mr Chamberlain made speeches, deploring the passing away of the greatest Englishman. The Prince of Wales sent a pathetic telegram of sympathy to the family. M. Faure, the French President, and other political leaders on the Continent, made repeated inquiries as to the aged statesman's condition. World-wide sympathy was ex» pressed with the sufferer. The House of Commons adjourned for a day on the motion of Mr Balfour, seconded by Sir W. Harcourt. "Sydney, May 19. With reference to Mr Gladstone's breathing, it is known to medical men as the oheyue strokes of respiration, and is observed in the later stages of some diseases of the heart. It consists of a regular series of rapid inspirations, increasing regularly until the acme is reached, when respiration becomes slower and slower, finally ceasing altogether. -(Received May 20, 12.39 p.m.) LAST MOMENTS. London, May 19. Dr. Dobie states that a final change in Mr Gladstone's condition was noted at two o'clock this morning, when his pulse fell, and breathing became laboured. Mrs Gladstone remained at his bedside throughout the night, holding her husband's hands. He died in perfect peace. All the members of the family were present in the bed-chamber. Mr Gladstone had a habit of sleeping with his hands clasped on his breast, and in this position he died. The Queen sent a touching message to Mrs Gladstone. PRESS OPINIONS. Sydney, May 20. The morning papers publish lengthy notices and eulogistic leaders on Mr Gladstone's career. The Herald says .'—Looking at the broad generalities in his career and character we but echo the verdict of public opinion throughout the Empire when we say that these will continue to present for us, and those who come after, the finest standards of highly developed citizenship and enlightened statesmenship. The Telegraph says :—No life better spent, or more worthy of honour or more honoured, can be told of in the long list of those who have done so much for the making of England withe advancement of humanity. The greatest of all great English Statesmen is dead. Leading American newspapers publish tributes, and refer to his death as the world's loss. MESSAGE FROM THE COLONIES. Sydney, May 20. Mr Reid, in the joint names of Australian Premiers, yesterday morning sent the following message to Mr Gladstone, which it is believed reached him shortly before he died:—"We have watched your illness with deep anxiety. We fear to intrude at such a time, but feel most strongly moved to offer you a tribute of esteem from the Australian people and to express their united gratitude for your long and illustrious labours in the cause of constitutional liberty within the British Empire, and in the cause of humanity among all nations. There was no time to communicate with Mr Seddon, his name therefore was not iucluded. COLONIAL EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY. (by telegraph—pkkss association). Wellington, Last Night. His Excellency the Governor, at the request of the Premier, has sent a cablegram to Mrs Gladstone, expressing the colony's sense of the loss by the death of her husband. The Mayor of Wellington cabled as follows to Mrs Gladstone : " Citizens tender their sincere sympathy." Chkistchurch, Last Night. The Christchurch Cathedral bell was tolled last night when the news of Mr Gladstone's deatk was received. One stroke was given for each year of his age. Expressions of regret and sympathy are general. The Right Hon. William Ewart Gladscone, P. 0., was the fourth son of the late Sir John Gladstone, Burt., of Fasque, County Kincardine, N. 8., and was born there on 29th December, 1809. He was eduoafed at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated, taking u double first-class iu 1831. He was returned to Parliament in the Conservative interest in December, 1832, for Newark. In December, 1834, he was appointed by Sir Robert Peel as junior Lord of the Treasury, aud in February, 1835, Under-Secretary for Colonial Affairs. He was in opposition till 1841, when again under Sit Robert Peel he accepted office as vice-Presidcnt of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint, and was sworn-in as a member of the Privy Council. The revision of the tariff in 1842 was almost entirely the result of his industry aud energy In January, 1846, Mr Gladstone resigned his seat, but in 1847 he was elected for the University of Oxford, and was again elected after asevere contest in July, 1851. Iu the " Coalition " Ministry under the

Earl of Aberdeen in December, 1852, Mr Gladstone was appointed Chancellor of

the Exchequer, in which office his thorough knowledge of finance proved of the greatest assistance to the Ministry. He also occupied the same position for a short time in the re-coQstructed Minis-

try under Lord Palmerston prior to his resignation in 1855, and in June, 1859, he resumed the same office under Lord Palmerston. In July, 1861, he was solicited to become a candidate for South Lancashire in the Liberal interest, but refused to forsake his former constituents. Having been rejected by the University of Oxford at the general election in 1865, Mr Gladstone was returned,

being third on the poll, for South Lanca shire, and on the death of Lord Palmerston in 1865 he became leader of the House of Commons, retaining the Chancellorship of the Exchequer in Lord Russell's second administration. Being defeated in committee on the Reform Bill (June 18), Mr Gladstone and his colleagues resigned in 1860. At the general election of 1868, Mr Gladstone, after a fierce contest, was defeated for South-west Lancashire, but this did not exclude him from the House of Commons, as in anticipation of such a result the electors of Greenwich had returned him as one of the members for th. t Borough. On the resignation of Mr Disraeli's Ministry in 186 S Mr Gladstone succeeded that statesman as First Lord of the Treasury. The principal eveuts of his administration were the passing of the Irish Church Disestablishment Act 1869, Irish Land Act IS7O, Elementary Education Act 1870, the Ballot Act 1872, and the Judicature Act 187!-!. On his defeat over the University Education (Ireland) Bill on March 11, 1873, Mr Gladstone resigned, but after Mr Dis raeli's refusal to take office, reconstructed the Ministry (March 16). After the general elections in 1874 (when votes for the first time were taken by secret ballot), which proved disastrous to the Liberal Party, Mr Gladstone resigned and Mr Disraeli became Prime Minister, and during the session of 1874 he was rarely seen in the House. On January 13, 1875, Mr Gladstone, then 65 years of age, announced his intention to retire from the leadership of the Liberal party, and soon after-' wards the Marquis of Hartington was chosen as their leader in the House of Commons. On March 9, 1878, he announced that he could only represent Greenwich until the next general election, at which he was returned as member for Midlothian, his electoral campaign having been a long succession of enthusiastic receptions and unwearied speechmaking in condemnation of the policy of the Conservative Government. In April 1880, he consented to form a Cabinet in succession to the Beaconsfield Ministry, his aim being to conciliate and represent the different sections of the Liberal majority. Mr Gladstone himself superadded the duties of Ghaucellor of the Exchequer to those of the First Lord of the Treasury, but resigned the former to Mr Childers in 1883. The history of Mr Gladstone's second Ministry may be summed up in three words—lreland, Egypt, Franchise, though of course large numbers of other important matters were under discussion. On June 9, 1885, Mr Gladstone was overthrown by a vote on the Budget, and Lord Salisbury came into power ; but when at the general election in November, 1885, the Liberals were returned with numbers almost exactly equal to those of the Tories and Parnellites combined, Mr Gladstone soon returned 'to office, but the announcement of his intention to introduce a Home Rule measure for Ireland broke up the Liberal party. Mr Gladstone introduced his Home Rule Bill in a long and powerful speech on April Bth, 1886, and on June 9th the second reading was rejected by a majority of 30. He appealed to the country, but the Conservatives and Unionist Liberals were returned by an overwhelming majority, and. Lord Salisbury became Prime Minister for the second time - August 3rd, 1886. On December 29th, 1889, Mr Gladstone celebrated his eightieth birthday, and received congratulations from all parts of the world. On March 3rd, 1890, he deliverer! what was considered one of his finest orations in Parliament, the subject being " The Parncll Commission." He was returned at the general election in !892, though by a much reduced majority, and in August, on the fall of the Conservative Government, became Premier for the fourth time. On April 6th, 1893, he moved the second read ng of the Home Rule Bill, and subsequently he superintended the progress of the Bill with unparallelled vigour and patience. In April a lunatic made a strange attempt on his life, though the assault was not personal. In the latter part of 1893 Parliament met in hia absence, and in February, 1894, the Premier announced his intention of retiring from Ministerial life. He resigned his position shortly afterwards and was succeeded by Lord Rosebery. "Failure of hearing and eyesight were alleged as the proximate cause of Mr Gladstone's retirement, and on May 24,1894, an operation for cataract in the right eye was successfully performed.. Shortly afterwards Mr Gladstone retired from his seat in Parliament as member for Midlothian and did not seek reelection. His late years Wt;re spent in adding to his library (the Demiol) aud in important literary work, which, notwithstanding his busy political life, he had always devoted considerable time to, some of Ins most noteworthy writings being "The State in its Relations with the "Church," "Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age," " Ecce Homo," an article on "Ritualism," "Lessons in Massacre," " Gleanings of Past Years," aud a poetical translation of the " Odes of Horace." For some time past the state of Mr Gladstone's health has occasioned £reat alarm, and the end has been looked for. Now that he has gone, the nation with one accord will grieve for one who was " a man among men," and a landmark in the history of the Victorian era.