BEECHER ON GLADSTONE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2292, 19 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

BEECHER ON GLADSTONE.

AMERICA'S GREAT PREACHER IMPRESSED BY ENGLAND'S GREAT STATESMAN. Since my visit to England in 1863 to make the series of popular addresses on the subject of the North, I have never expected to return, though I have been repeatedly and from various sources solicited to do so. The work that I found on hand at home was quite sufficient. I had no special need of vacations. I have not the luck, which most ministers have, of haivng bronchitis or dyspepsia or liver complaint, and so a quiet vacation on my farm has been all that I needed. Even this spring I had been urged again, vehemently, to make a visit, and resolutely refused to do so. It is not nee ssary to say what it was that whirled me about in less than a day On June 19th I took passage on the good ship Etruria, of the Cunard line, and on the next Srturday night landed in Liverpool. By II o'clock I was ensconced in the Northwestern Hotel. The voyage was as pleasant as any voyage could be to me. My opinions on the subject of the ocean are pretty well known, and I do not need to repeat them. Ido not see any use in the ocean, except to solidify it. Learning on my arrival iu Liverpool, that Mr Gladstone was to speak on Monday, I concluded to wait over and enjoy the opportunity of seeinsr and hearing him. I accordingly secured tickets for the platform at Hengler's Circus, a building capable of holding several thousand persons. The meeting was to be in the afternoon. A sort of invisible excitement seemed to pervade the whole city of Liverpool, in that Gladstone was to make a speech, the last of his campaign speeches. When I drew near to the building the streets were filled with scattering bauds, growing thicker as one approached the circus. But with some difficulty, under the convoy of a policeman, I effected an entrance in the rear and was admitted to the stage. Presuming upon my sympathy with Mr Gladstone, the audience soon recognised me and gave some hospitable cheers. At the request of the committee, however, I repaired to an anteroom in order to meet Mr Gladstone. Prompt to the hour he appeared, together with Mrs Gladstone and a few ladies of his party. He bore the marks of the campaign through which he had gone, and his voice was quite husky. He had wrapped around him a sort of tippet to protect his neck and throat. Mrs Gladstone seemed to have him in special charge, and. like a mother nurse, watched over him and chocked any person that wanted to talk with him, for fear that it would hurt his voice. She also sat near him during his address, and he frequently turned to her, either because of some suggestion that she might havs made or from the familiar habit of courteous deference to her.

The storm of applause when he ascended upou the platform could hardly be surpassed. The roar and cheers rolled lea',' and loud, and it was with great difficulty, and after some considerable lapse of time, that the audience was reduced to anything like generous silence. I sat iu the front row on the platform, where, by turning toward him, I had a full view of the great orator. His voice showed much use of open-air speaking, yet, while its finer qualities were obscured, it was resonant, and one could easily see that i f was a voice emiuently adapted to the b»-t purposes of oratory. He held his audience for an hour o* more with perfect control; he charmed them ; he filled th'im with an overflowing enchusi'ism. r. times the applause burst out into an uncontrollable stream, which refused to be dsimm-d up, or checked even. I was not capable of judging of many of the themes introduced ; I had not the local knowledge He seemed, however, to touch all the strings necessary to ba affected, and he left the impression on my mind that he would invincible. There were very many shades of humour in his speech, but its predominant characteristic was that if profound conviction on deep moral grounds. Whatever in his discourse may have played upon tho surface of things, he seemed most to be stirred when the underlying elements of morality came in for discussion. There were not ad cuptandum allusions ; there was nothing of the element of combative attack. The scope of his knowledge and the minuteness of his information was remarkable. If it be the object of an orator to convince, it may be said that on this occasion he exhibited himself to be a master iu oratory.

Taking the address as a whole, and comparing it with the elaborate, efforts of such an American as Daniel Webster, or with some of the old Greek orators, it could scarcely be said to have the form and finish that applies to many of the master-pieces of eloquence. Judging of its effect upon myself, a stranger, a foreiguer, one not well versed in the details which he discussed, I found myself nevertheless glowing with the syuipaty of the audience and in full admiration of this remarkable man. Whatever may be the issue of the great question upon which he has expended his genius, which he regards as his last great life's work—the emancipation of Irelond—there can be no doubt that Gladstone is pre-eminently the central figure in the politics of Great Britain, and that he also is or has been a leading figure in the affairs of all Europe.

His versatility is proverbial. His knowledge of classical languages and of modern languages, which is not so profound or so minute as that of many other men, is, nevertheless, remarkable. There are few subjects which interest thinking men today about which he cannot wisely and instructively discourse. His memory is something prodigious; his command of material very striking; his accuracy in statement marvellous, He impresses one as a far-seeing and comprehensive statesman void of the arts of politicians, in deep earnest, aud with strong moral convictions.

Mr Gladstone senilis to be a man, I should say. of about, 5 feet 10 inches in height, tie is active, supple, aud erect;

capable of enduring great fatigue, quite elastic in spirits, genial ap4 social. His head is said to be a Webst.jian head, but in my judgement it will hardly bear that comparison. The lines upon his face are strong ; his features are large, and, being nearly bald, the impression of the height of his forehead is apt to be exaggerated. A strong nose, a mouth fine, but very firm, the chin only moderately full. Altogether a striking head and physiognomy. I met him subsequently at his own dweliing in London at breakfast. He was very simple and unpretentious in his manner; grave and very dignified, yet familiar. I cannot say that he is a good conversationalist, but he is an excellent talker. Although there were several gentlemen present, pretty much all the discourse fell from his lips. Mr Gladstone has not escaped very bitter detraction. The hatred of him on some sides is intense, and even malignant. Even his personal morality has not escaped virulent criticism- It is probable that no statesman for the last hundred years has been subjected to greater abuse and vinductive misrepresentations. To me he seemed like a great man seeking 1 great ends by very noble measures and from pure motives. Whatever may be the outcome of the present struggle, I thiuk it beyond all controversy that when the rights of Ireland are acknowledged and established, all men will see that the redeeming measures must be traced back to the wisdom of William E. Gladstone. Henry Ward Beecuer. Brooklyn, November 10th.