GLADSTONIAN HOME RULE.
[To ma Eorros or THE " SPECTATOR.1 Sin,—In the Spectator of April 8th " Inquirer " asked for the authority from which " An Australian " was quoting when (in a letter which appeared in the Spectator of March 25th) he attributed to Mr. Gladstone the following words- " the descendants of the convicts in Tasmania."
Your readers would naturally expect to see a reply to this question, and I am sure you would not refuse it a place in your columns.
If "An Australian" is really an Australian, he must be aware of what is indeed common knowledge—namely, that nothing is more detested by the people of those regions than any allusion to a supposed hereditary taint derived from the days of transportation. The suggestion, therefore, that Mr. Gladstone wantonly offended this sentiment is particularly odious, and should either be justified or withdrawn.
I observe that "An Australian" further described the sup- posed utterance as " a bit of characteristic Gladstonese " (an expression apparently picked np from some literary dust- heap).
It is curious that some people seem to imagine that to dis- parage Mr. Gladstone's qualities and attainments is a sort of mark of intellectual superiority, whereas it is probably more often a sign of a sort of would-be cynicism or of a desire to be considered fashionable. Persons of more mature judgment will not consider that disagreement with some of Mr. Glad- stone's opinions on certain questions is any reason for not admiring the greatness of the man.—I am, Sir, &o., ONLOOKER.
[" An Australian " is not only an Australian but is now in Australia. We have no doubt that when he sees his quotation challenged he will reply. We must, however, wait for some weeks, if not months, before we can expect any communication from him.—En. Spectator.]
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