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LONDON LETTER. I

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LONDON LETTER. Specially Wired. By Our Own Correspondent. -.J.- 7 LONDON, Wednesday. t paid a visit to-day to a well-known leader in the political world in London. Her talk was all about Lord Iddesleigh, who was one of her oldest and most intimate personal friends. He was to dine with her this evening, and then she expected to hear all about the recent differences of opinion between himself and Lord Salisbury. Indeed, while I was present she sept down to ask if any note had come from him. I left her house at six o'clock, and as I drove through the streets my eye was caught by the black letters on the placards of the evening papers announcing that Lord Iddesleigh A,as dead. The news will bring a shock to the whole political world. There are many more important man, but there was scarcely one who had so large a cumber of personal friends and personal admirers, irrespec- tive of political differences. I have seen him in Parliament for a great many years, and I never remember a single occasion on which he did not seek to act the part both of gentleman and patriot. The sadness of the event will no doubt be greatly increased by the circumstances which im- mediately preceded it. I was astounded to lind the bitterness of feeling which his supercession had created in the Conservative party. There are many Conservatives who were yesterday and to- day declaring that his dismissal had done the Government more mischief even than the resigna- tion of Lord Kandolph Churchill. A prominent Conservative gentleman of my acquaintance de- scribed the Ministry as "foundering in port," and all because of the bitterness of feeling which the latest blunder of the Marquis of Salisbury had created. The other CGIUZBU3 uf yuur paper will contain long notices of the deceased statesman. Sunicett for me here to say that he was a man who did less than justice to himself in his public utterances. He was dull and pM-y in bLsspeechss, and yet in private he was known as an excellent story teller, and still more as au utterer of excellent epigrams anJ of delightful jokes. Of couice it would ba unfair to hold any- body responsible for tho death of Lord Iddesleigh, but in politics people are not very reasonable, and his sudden taking oft will be partially attributed to the worries and annoyances which be suffered during the last few days. D ven the fact that he was about to visit the Marquis of Salisbury to discuss the unpleasant rela- tions that had arisen between them will, doubt- less, strike the public mind, and accentuate tragically the manner in which ha had been treated. Up to the present I don't know to what the doctors ascribe his death, but for years past it was notorious that he had a weak heartland the voyage be took some years ago with Mr W. H. Smith was caused by an excessive weakness of that organ. When he returned from this voyage I heard from an intimate friend of his that be was not so much benefitted as his family could desire, and be was still in a very poor state of health. Even the repose of the House of Lords did not save him. Probably the disease had gMe too far for that. The great topic of discussion during the day has been the speoch of Prince Bismarck. The gloomy view he takes of the immediate future will not be any surprise to your readers, as I was able, many weeks ago, to give you an account of a conversation which a German journa- listic friend of mine bad with Prince Bis- marck's son. I fitid considerable difference of opinion here in different circles as to what the speech really portends. The city, as you will doubtless be told by yam- financial writer?, has taken the address very calmly, regarding the language as oratorical exaggeration intended to puslithrough an unpopular military list. Tiie verdict of the city is certamly very important. There are many men to whom an outbreak of war would be as disastrous now as it was in 1270, when men starting in the morning with fortunes cf £80,060 were paupers by the afternoon. On the other hand, in high political circles here the opinion prevailed that the speech was so violently provocative in the hope of excit- ing France to war, as one keen politician ex- pressed it—that it looked very much as if Prince Bismarck was trailing the tail of his coat asking somebody to tread on it. The movement in favour of Lord Randolph Churchill is on the increase. To-day again the papers contain extracts of more than one speech by members of the Tory party who speak more favourably of Lord Randolph than was the fashion a couple of weeks ago. I find that there is a good deal more sympathy for him in private among the Tories than tiods expression in public. He hss succeeded in convincing a good many people that there is a great deal more in his ubjections to the administration of the spending department than was at first believed. Then beyond all doubt his progressive policy is seen by the Tories to be the one possible line of tactics that will succeed with the present democracy. He still adhercp, I understand, to his intention of opening the session with a. tremendous defence of his position, and I have already pointed out to you the effect that such a speech will have upon the eitna'tiun. From conversations I have had within the past few days, I am more than ever convinced of the irretrievable damage Lord Salisbury has done himself. Tories now talk ot him going round with his cap in hand begging for support from all quarters of the world, and they reflect that if Lord Randolph had been at the bead of affairs, be would not have adopted such tactics. He would have had the courage to go on with his own party and risk the consequences. The decision of Mr Goschen to stand for Liverpool was not altogether arrived at voluntarily. I believe there is no doubt he would himself have preferred to stand for Oxford University, but whon the matter was looked into, difficulties arose. Of these, the principal was' the suspicion among the county clergymen, v-ho form the majority of the constituency, that he was not altogether sound upon the question of the Church. I believe Mr Goschen does not intcnd to take a rery active part in the contest himself. The office on which be has entered is usually' rather light in its work, but wo are approaching the financial year, and. accordingly, Mr Gosciieu has to attend very closely to business. The Lord Chief Justice of Ireland has at last •ned. His continuance in cffice was little less thm a public scandal. For many months past he has been so deaf, and also so stupid, as not to have the least idea of what was going on in his urt A case of assault and battery he was constantly imagining to be one of breach of promise of marriage, and he was in this way con- stantly affording amusement to his colleagues and to the public. The Liberals should make an earnest demand that the number of judges in Ireland should be reduced, and that no new appointments should be made. Already the bench of that country is over-manned to a very great extent, and if Mr Goschen be only half sconomically inclined as Lord R. Churchill, the opportunity will be seized to relieve the imperial exchequer. of ona of its many unnecessary burdens. A good story comes to me about Wilson Barrett io America. While be was playing -C,Iauclian"iu Boston, a six-year-old boy, who had been taking a small part in the play, approached the star during an intermission, and said, Say, Mr Barrett, do all these people come to the theatre just to see yon! Doat some of them come to see me!" Mr Barrett's answer is not recordo-d. I ,Sir it. r,. Grant Duff will soon be among ns Again. He (Ines not seem, in spita of his great abilities" to !JYe jrt a nntvarsnliy favourable ;rn.4aiu«t ,\Lidn»s. The Pioneer lecently ■eviewing his career, useii the remarkably forcible • llilllllfiTL- pLraaoIugy "that his heil was paved with good intentions." The Bombay Gazclite finds fault with this phrase as dealing roughly, not only with Sir M. E. Grant Duff, but also with the familiar proverb. To say that "his hell was paved with good intentions," says that paper, "is to refuse a locus penilenUct to a man who is the more deserving of one, inasmuch as according to his enemies he has so much to repent of. The old saying reads best in its old form, and is moreover fairer to the reprobate. Sir M. E. Grant Duff may have paved a downward path with good intentions but be has not reached his place of destination, and it is premature for the Pioneer, unless it has special information on the subject, to tell us about the pavement thereof. LATKR. The further particulars I have rtcoived of the circumstances attending the death of Lord Iddesleigh increase its tragic features. It is now known that lie had spent the time in his office in tearing up papers connected with his department. The universal impression is that this meant a firm resolve to reject the entreaties which it is known Lord Salisbury meant to use towards him in order to induce his return to office, and thereby heal up a dangerous split in the party. Tho in- terview to which Lord Iddesleigh was g'jing, and which Lord Salisbury was expecting, must have been looked forward to by Luth with a certain degree of painful agitation. Lord Salisbury had to explain awny au act of gross dis- courtesy to an old friend, and Lord Iddesleigh liad to prove that there was a point beyond which even his patient euduraues of undeserved slights would not go.* The effect of this sudden inter- vention of the fell sergeant Death must have been very great on Lord Salisbury, whose nerves are not of the strongest, and, from the indications I have already seen, has done much to increase the already deep bitterness of feeling which exists in poor Lord Iddssleigh's family towards the Prime Minister.

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