my memories of eighty years-第53章

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onditions　in　England　and　international　ones　with　this　country；　which　were　quite　new　to　us。

Mr。　Chamberlain　was　a　guest　on　the　Teutonic　at　the　famous　review　of　the　British　navy　celebrating　Queen　Victoria's　jubilee；　where　I　had　the　pleasure　of　again　meeting　him。　　He　had　recently　married　Miss　Endicott；　the　charming　daughter　of　our　secretary　of　war；　and　everybody　appreciated　that　it　was　a　British　statesman's　honeymoon。

He　gave　me　a　dinner　in　London；　at　which　were　present　a　large　company；　and　two　subjects　came　under　very　acute　discussion。　　There　had　been　a　recent　marriage　in　high　English　society；　where　there　were　wonderful　pedigree　and　relationships　on　both　sides；　but　no　money。　　It　finally　developed；　however；　that　under　family　settlements　the　young　couple　might　have　fifteen　hundred　pounds　a　year；　or　seven　thousand　five　hundred　dollars。　　The　decision　was　unanimous　that　they　could　get　along　very　well　and　maintain　their　position　on　this　sum　and　be　able　to　reciprocate　reasonably　the　attentions　they　would　receive。　　Nothing　could　better　illustrate　the　terrific　increase　in　the　cost　of　living　than　the　contrast　between　then　and　now。

Some　one　of　the　guests　at　the　dinner　said　that　the　Americans　by　the　introduction　of　slang　were　ruining　the　English　language。　Mr。　James　Russell　Lowell　had　come　evidently　prepared　for　this　controversy。　　He　said　that　American　slang　was　the　common　language　of　that　part　of　England　from　which　the　Pilgrims　sailed；　and　that　it　had　been　preserved　in　certain　parts　of　the　United　States；　notably　northern　New　England。　　He　then　produced　an　old　book；　a　sort　of　dictionary　of　that　period；　and　proved　his　case。　　It　was　a　surprise　to　everybody　to　know　that　American　slang　was　really　classic　English；　and　still　spoken　in　the　remoter　parts　of　Massachusetts　and　New　Hampshire；　though　no　longer　in　use　in　England。

The　period　of　Mr。　Gladstone's　reign　as　prime　minister　was　one　of　the　most　interesting　for　an　American　visitor　who　had　the　privilege　of　knowing　him　and　the　eminent　men　who　formed　his　Cabinet。　　The　ladies　of　the　Cabinet　entertained　lavishly　and　superbly。　　A　great　favorite　at　these　social　gatherings　was　Miss　Margot　Tennant；　afterwards　Mrs。　Asquith。　　Her　youth；　her　wit；　her　originality　and　audacity　made　every　function　a　success　which　was　graced　by　her　presence。

The　bitterness　towards　Mr。　Gladstone　of　the　opposition　party　surpassed　anything　I　have　met　in　American　politics；　except　during　the　Civil　War。　　At　dinners　and　receptions　given　me　by　my　friends　of　the　Tory　party　I　was　supposed　as　an　American　to　be　friendly　to　Mr。　Gladstone　and　Home　Rule。　　I　do　not　know　whether　this　was　the　reason　or　whether　it　was　usual；　but　on　such　occasions　the　denunciation　of　Mr。　Gladstone　as　a　traitor　and　the　hope　of　living　to　see　him　executed　was　very　frequent。

I　remember　one　important　public　man　who　was　largely　interested　and　a　good　deal　of　a　power　in　Canadian　and　American　railroads。　He　asked　a　friend　of　mine　to　arrange　for　me　to　meet　him。　　I　found　him　a　most　agreeable　man　and　very　accurately　informed　on　the　railway　situation　in　Canada　and　the　United　States。　　He　was　preparing　for　a　visit；　and　so　wanted　me　to　fill　any　gaps　there　might　be　in　his　knowledge　of　the　situation。

Apropos　of　the　political　situation　at　the　time；　he　suddenly　asked　me　what　was　the　attitude　of　the　people　of　the　United　States　towards　Mr。　Gladstone　and　his　Home　Rule　bill。　　I　told　him　they　were　practically　unanimous　in　favor　of　the　bill；　and　that　Mr。　Gladstone　was　the　most　popular　Englishman　in　the　United　States。　　He　at　once　flew　into　a　violent　rage；　the　rarest　thing　in　the　world　for　an　Englishman；　and　lost　control　of　his　temper　to　such　a　degree　that　I　thought　the　easiest　way　to　dam　the　flood　of　his　denunciation　was　to　plead　another　engagement　and　retire　from　the　field。　　I　met　him　frequently　afterwards；　especially　when　he　came　to　the　United　States；　but　carefully　avoided　his　pet　animosity。

One　year；　in　the　height　of　the　crisis　of　Mr。　Gladstone's　effort　to　pass　the　Home　Rule　bill；　a　member　of　his　Cabinet　said　to　me：　〃We　of　the　Cabinet　are　by　no　means　unanimous　in　believing　in　Mr。　Gladstone's　effort；　but　he　is　the　greatest　power　in　our　country。　The　people　implicitly　believe　in　him　and　we　are　helping　all　we　can。〃

It　is　well　known　that　one　after　another　broke　away　from　him　in　time。　　The　same　Cabinet　minister　continued：　　〃Mr。　Gladstone　has　gone　to　the　extreme　limit　in　concessions　made　in　his　Home　Rule　bill；　and　he　can　carry　the　English；　Scotch；　and　Welsh　members。　But　every　time　the　Irish　seem　to　be　satisfied；　they　make　a　new　demand　and　a　greater　one。　　Unless　this　stops　and　the　present　bill　is　accepted；　the　whole　scheme　will　break　down。　　Many　of　the　Irish　members　are　supported　by　contributions　from　America。　　Their　occupation　is　politics。　　If　Home　Rule　should　be　adopted　the　serious　people　of　Ireland；　whose　economic　interests　are　at　stake；　might　come　to　the　front　and　take　all　representative　offices　themselves。　We　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　enough　of　the　Irish　members　to　defeat　the　bill　do　not　want　Home　Rule　on　any　conditions。　I　know　it　is　a　custom　when　you　arrive　home　every　year　that　your　friends　meet　you　down　the　Bay　and　give　you　a　reception。　　Then　you　give　an　interview　of　your　impressions　over　here；　and　that　interview　is　printed　as　widely　in　this　country　as　in　the　United　States。　　Now　I　wish　you　would　do　this：　　At　the　reception　put　in　your　own　way　what　I　have　told　you；　and　especially　emphasize　that　Mr。　Gladstone　is　imperilling　his　political　career　and　whole　future　for　the　sake　of　what　he　believes　would　be　justice　to　Ireland。　　He　cannot　go　any　further　and　hold　his　English；　Scotch；　and　Welsh　constituencies。　He　believes　that　he　can　pass　the　present　bill　and　start　Ireland　on　a　career　of　Home　Rule　if　he　can　receive　the　support　of　the　Irish　members。　　The　Americans　who　believe　in　Mr。　Gladstone　and　are　all　honest　Home　Rulers　will　think　this　is　an　indirect　message　from　himself；　and　it　would　be　if　it　were　prudent　for　Mr。　Gladstone　to　send　the　message。〃

On　my　return　to　New　York　I　did　as　requested。　　The　story　was　published　and　commented　on　everywhere；　and　whether　it　was　due　to　American　insistence　or　not；　I　do　not　know；　but　shortly　after　Mr。　Gladstone　succeeded　in　carrying　his　Home　Rule　bill　through　the　House　of　Commons；　but　it　was　defeated　by　the　Conservatives　in　the　House　of　Lords。

His　Irish　policy　is　a　tribute　to　Mr。　Gladstone's　judgment　and　foresight；　because　in　the　light　and　conditions　of　to…day　it　is　perfectly　plain　that　if　the　Gladstone　measure　had　been　adopted　at　that　time；　the　Irish　question　would　not　now　be　the　most　difficult　and　dangerous　in　British　politics。

I　had　many　talks　with　Mr。　Parnell　and　made　many　speeches　in　his　behalf　and　later　for　Mr。　Redmond。　　I　asked　him　on　one　occasion　if　the　Irish　desired　complete　independence　and　the　formation　of　an　independent　government。　　He　answered：　　〃No；　we　want　Home　Rule；　but　to　retain　our　connection　in　a　way　with　the　British　Empire。　The　military；　naval；　and　civil　service　of　the　British　Empire　gives　great　opportunities　for　our　young　men。　　Ireland　in　proportion　to　its　population　is　more　largely　represented　in　these　departments　of　the　British　Government　than　either　England；　Scotland；　or　Wales。〃

Incidental　to　the　division　in　Mr。　Gladstone's　Cabinet；　which　had　not　at　this　time　broken　out；　was　the　great　vogue　which　a　story　of　mine　had。　　I　was　dining　with　Earl　Spencer。　　He　had　been　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland　and　was　very　popular。　　His　wife　especially　had　been　as　great　a　success　as　the　vice…regent。　　He　was　called　the　Red　Earl　because　of　his　flowing　auburn　beard。　　He　was　a　very　serious　man；　devoted　to　the　public　service　and　exceedingly　capable。　He　almost　adored　Gladstone　and　grieved　over　the　growing　opposition　in　the　Cabinet。

The　guests　at　the　dinner　were　all　GIadstonians　and　lamenting　these　differences　and　full　of　apprehension　they　might　result　in　a　split　in　the　party。　　The　earl　asked　me　if　we　ever　had　such　conditions　in　the　United　States。　　I　answered：　　〃Yes。〃　　Mr。　Blaine；　at　that　time　at　the　head　of　President　Harrison's　Cabinet　as　secretary　of　state；　had　very　serious　differences　with　his　chief；　and　the　people　wondered　why　he　remained。　　Mr。　Blaine　told　me　this　story　apropos　of　the　situation：　　The　author　of　a　play　invited　a　frie