The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎601r] (92/239)

THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE.
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age when the successful lawyer, savant, or merchant, enters the
political nursery, they are found fully equipped to administer the
highest offices of State. Furthermore, their presence in politics
is disinterested. If one excludes the laudable ambition to serve
one’s country by becoming a great statesman, a scion of the old
nobility has nothing to gain by adopting a political career. Least
of all Lord Lansdowne. Called to the House of Lords on the
attainment of his majority he succeeded to an ancient title and
great wealth, his Irish property alone totalling to more than one
hundred and twenty thousand acres with a rent-roll of £32,000
per annum. In his twenty-fourth year he was appointed a Lord
of the Treasury in Mr. Gladstone’s second administration. His
speech introducing his first measure, the Newspapers, &c., Bill, a
complicated scheme of reform, gave an earnest of his remarkable
sagacity. Having served an apprenticeship of three years in the
National Counting House, representing it in the Upper Chamber
during that period, he was appointed Under-Secretary for War,
and he assisted Mr. Cardwell to administer the Army until the
Liberal debacle of 1874. For the next six years he was a specta
tor rather than a combatant in the political arena ; but wffien Mr.
Gladstone returned to office in 1880 Lord Lansdowne accepted
the Under-Secretaryship for India under the Marquis of Hart-
ington. An Under-Secretary is at best a subordinate official.
Though his advice and assistance may have been invaluable, it is
his official chief who gains the kudos of every departmental
success. The services of a capable Under-Secretary, however,
are rarely forgotten. In due season promotion comes to the
meritorious.
It came to Lord Lansdowne in 1883 when he accepted the
Governor-Generalship of Canada. In appointing him Mr.
Gladstone did a generous act, for it must not be forgotten Lord
Lansdowne had denounced the proposed precipitate abandonment
of Candahar. In 1881 he and the late Duke of Argyll furnished
instances of patriotism triumphing over party when they seceded
from the Liberal Government, rather than be parties to the Irish
Land Bill proposed by their chief.
Lord Lansdowne s opposition to the Land Bill drew on him
bitter personal attacks in the Irish Nationalist Press. A recru
descence of abuse broke out on his appointment to Canada, and he
was promised the uncompromising hostility of the Irish in the
Dominion. It was stated that he had received many letters
threatening him with personal violence. Dynamite plots, too,
were mooted, in consequence of which extra precautions were
taken to ensure the safety of H.M. ships in Canadian waters. 1
(1) Times, October 26th, 1883.