The Life and Speeches of the Marquis of Salisbury (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... I observe that when Lord Granville was here, he said it filled him with surprise that a Government, which he was pleased to say was able and, to some extent, competent, should have so little ambition to connect their names with any great act of legislation. Now that reproach of Lord Granville seemed to me to throw a flood of light upon the conduct of the past Administration. I never could understand why they went about disturbing everything, and offending everybody, setting class against class, making as many walls for their own heads to run against as they cculd, and doing all that they could to divide a previously harmonious community. But now I understand it all, If it was necessary that each member of the Ministry should connect his name with some great act of legislation, it is obvious that that could not be done without very materially disturbing the unfortunate persons who were to be the subjects of that act of legislation. Of course it is easy by doing such things as disestablishing churches, and descending so low as to threaten public-houses, by attacking those two ends of the scale, and almost everything between them, it is very easy to make a name; but that is not the object which we have set before ourselves in undertaking the work of legislation. By the close of the year it was clear that the Turkish resistance had been beaten down by the overwhelming forces of Russia, assisted as she was by contingents from the Principalities. Plevna, after a dauntless resistance, capitulated in December, and in Asia as in Europe the progress of the invading troops could no longer be checked. Under these circumstances the Porte appealed to the mediation of the European powers, who, however, refused to interfere. In England the course of the war was watched...