Memoirs of the Life and Correspondence of Henry Reeve, C.B., D.C.L. Part 46

India is very quiet. The Russian scare of the spring has turned rather to our advantage, as I always prophesied it would, by bringing home to the natives their dependence on England for protection from foreign invasion.

_From Sir Henry Taylor_

_Bournemouth, July 14th_.--I have just read the excellent article in the 'Edinburgh Review' on my Autobiography; and as there is no amount of kindness on your part which I cannot believe in, I am disposed to think that it is you who have written it. [Footnote: It was written by Reeve.]

Whoever it is, I should like him to know that I am very thankful.

_From Sir Alfred Lyall_

_August 1st_--India is now perfectly quiet; but the new generation of hungry, ambitious, English-speaking natives are persuading themselves that they can have all the benefits of English rule without the burden of English officialism. If they are encouraged and supported by the English _Demos_, there will be confusion before long.

On August 14th Parliament was prorogued, with the clear understanding that the dissolution would follow. This, however, was put off for three months, during which time the country was turned upside down by the excitement of the electoral campaign and the unbridled license which many of the most distinguished candidates permitted themselves; rank Socialism, the abolition of property, 'three acres and a cow,' being freely spoken of by the irresponsible, and hinted at, in no obscure language, by some who had borne office in the Gladstone ministry. By a curious coincidence, the French elections were nearly synchronous with ours, and the results were keenly watched by one, at least, of Reeve's correspondents. But of all this excitement and agitation the Journal has no trace. The only entries of any interest are:--

Foxholes: very hot: no rain for two months.

_August 22nd_.--Excursion to Studland with the Denisons, Lord Canterbury, and Prothero.

_26th_.--To Malvern with Hopie; 27th, Worcester; 28th, Tewkesbury; 29th, Hereford Cathedral; then Boss, Monmouth, and Chepstow.

_September 1st_.--Chepstow Castle, Tintern Abbey, then to Clifton across the Severn. 2nd, rain, so returned to Foxholes.

_From the Comte de Paris_

18 _septembre_.--Je m'empresse de vous remercier de votre lettre du 15, qui m'est parvenue hier. Vous savez avec quel plaisir je recois toujours de vos nouvelles, avec quel interet je lis toujours vos appreciations sur la situation de nos deux pays. Malgre de bien grandes differences dans l'etat politique, qui sont tout a l'avantage du votre, et dans l'etat social, qui le sont peut-etre moins, ces deux situations ne sont pas sans a.n.a.logies.

Les moderes, de part et d'autre, comme vous le dites, semblent etre peu ecoutes, et cependant je suis persuade que leurs vues finiront par l'emporter des deux cotes du detroit, parce que, sous une surface agitee en apparence, aucune pa.s.sion violente ne bouillonne dans l'une ou l'autre des deux nations. Vous avez devant vous le grand inconnu de la nouvelle loi electorale; dangereux, parce que l'omnipotence de la Chambre des Communes, favorable au gouvernement parlementaire lorsque cette Chambre se recrutait exclusivement dans la haute cla.s.se et en avait l'esprit, pourra etre un instrument redoutable pour la liberte et pour toute l'organisation sociale le jour ou MM. Chamberlain, Parnell et Bradlaugh auront chacun un parti derriere eux. Heureus.e.m.e.nt pour vous, l'inst.i.tution monarchique vous permettra de traverser la crise qu'entrainera la modification de la composition et de l'esprit de la Chambre des Communes. Grace a cette inst.i.tution, l'esprit politique du pays pourra retablir l'equilibre entre les pouvoirs publics. En France, l'experience de la Republique democratique et pacifique s'est faite dans les conditions les plus favorables, et a echoue. Elle n'est ni conservatrice ni reformatrice. Tout en restant bourgeoise, elle est pardessus tout prodigue. Les cla.s.ses qui payent l'impot sont parfaitement edifiees sur son compte; celles qui nele payent pas, et qui votent cependant, sont frappees indirectement par l'appauvriss.e.m.e.nt national et commencent a s'etonner que la Republique, dont le nom les flatte encore, reponde si mal a leur attente. La Republique reste bourgeoise parce que le suffrage universel est trop defiant pour chercher des representants dans le sein de la cla.s.se la plus nombreuse.

Mais il n'est pas difficile dans les choix qu'il fait dans les rangs d'une cla.s.se plus elevee. Le niveau intellectuel et moral des a.s.semblees qu'il elit s'abaisse a chaque renouvellement. C'est un fait qu'il faudra accepter desormais comme inevitable, et dont il faudra tenir compte dans l'avenir.

La Republique est essentiellement prodigue parce que, toute la machine gouvernementale reposant sur l'election, les ministres sont obliges de donner aux deputes des places innombrables pour satisfaire la foule encore plus nombreuse de leurs agents electoraux, et de permettre des travaux, des depenses exageres dans chaque arrondiss.e.m.e.nt, ici pour favoriser le depute republicain, la pour nuire au depute conservateur. C'est par la qu'elle perira, parce que le mal est sans remede et s'aggrave chaque jour. Loi generale d'ailleurs. C'est par les finances que perissent les gouvernements definitivement cond.a.m.nes: temoin l'ancien regime. Cette mort-la est sans resurrection.

Le caractere nouveau de la periode electorale qui s'est ouverte pratiquement depuis quelques mois est le reveil des Conservateurs. Ils comprennent enfin qu'ils peuvent et doivent lutter pour defendre la societe menacee, les richesses nationales compromises. Ils apportent a cette lutte une ardeur tout a fait nouvelle. Depuis deux ans [Footnote: Since the death of the Comte de Chambord.] je me suis efforce de faire comprendre a nos amis que la politique avait sub les meemes transformations que la guerre; que, pour gagner la victoire sur le terrain politique, il ne fallait rien laisser au hasard, rien confier aux pet.i.tes coteries; qu'il fallait agir avec de gros bataillons, et que, pour les mouvoir il fallait un systeme de mobilisation aussi parfait que celui de l'armee allemande. Ces conseils ont ete suivis, et les monarchistes se sont prepares a entreprendre la lutte electorale avec une organisation de comites de departemeent, d'arrondiss.e.m.e.nt et de canton, appuyes le plus souvent sur des reunions plenieres qui marquent un grand changement dans la vie politique du parti conservateur. Cette organisation se perfectionnera dans les elections memes. Elle doit donner un jour, et par l'election et par l'action plus puissante encore de l'opinion publique, le pouvoir a ceux qui l'auront const.i.tuee et qui sauront s'en servir.

A la veille des elections... tandis que tous les autres partis faisaient faire leur programme par un pet.i.t comite parisien, craignant qu'une grande reunion ne trahit leurs divisions, les monarchistes ont envoye des quatre coins de la France des delegues qui, tous animes du meme esprit, ont adopte par acclamation le programme soumis a leur approbation. Je dois meme dire que nous avons tous ete frappes de leur extreme moderation. Pas une voix ne s'est elevee pour reclamer en faveur d'un ton plus aggressif. Le programme, retouche sur place par une commission de neuf membres, avait, vous le pensez bien, ete soigneus.e.m.e.nt prepare d'avance; toutes les expressions en avaient ete pesees. Aussi suis-je heureux qu'il ait eu l'approbation d'un aussi bon juge que vous.

21 _septembre_.--Depuis gue je vous al ecrit, j'ai lu le grand manifeste de M. Gladstone. De celui-la, on ne peut pas dire qu'il brille par la moderation. Il y a des phrases redoutables et effrayantes a l'adresse de la richesse et de la propriete, base de la societe. Jamais je n'aurais cru le Gladstone que j'ai connu capable de parler de la Chambre des pairs comme il le fait. Et cependant, une profonde modification dans la composition de la Chambre Haute ne sera-t-elle pas un jour le salut de la cause et des interets conservateurs en Angleterre? Si cette Chambre se retrempe au moins partiellement dans l'election, elle y trouvera, peut-etre, une force capable de lui a.s.surer dans le gouvernement une part au moins egale a celle de la Chambre des Communes, au moment ou celle-ci baissera en valeur morale proportionnellement a l'extension du suffrage....

En ce moment, il serait bien desirable, egalement en France et en Angleterre, de voir les moderes de nuances diverses se rapprocher, pour former un veritable parti conservateur: chez vous, anciens whigs et anciens tories; chez nous, les centres droits et les centres gauches. Mais c'est entre ceux qui sont le plus rapproches en politique que le souvenir des luttes pa.s.sees laisse les plus profondes rancunes.

The Journal notes:--

_October 12th_--Went to town for the Riel [Footnote: Louis Riel had stirred up a rebellion in Manitoba, had been captured, tried, and sentenced to death. He appealed, and the case thus came before the Judicial Committee. On October 22nd the appeal was dismissed, and on November 16th Riel was duly hanged at Regina.] case. Dined with Captain Bridge [Footnote: Now Rear-Admiral Bridge, lately commander-in-chief on the Australian station.] at the United Service Club.

_14th_.--Second part of 'Greville' published; 2,700 copies subscribed.

In comparison with the tremendous excitement caused by the publication of the first part of the Greville Memoirs, the second part attracted little notice, although large sales testified to the interest it raised. Reeve mentions 2,700 as the number of copies subscribed for: but the first edition of 4,000 was exhausted almost immediately, and a second large edition was sold out within a few months.

_To Lord Derby_

_Foxholes, October 28th_--I am much obliged to you for your note. We might elect three new members of The Club, because there remain two vacancies caused by the honorary list, besides the death of Houghton. I should very much like to see Edward Stanhope and Harry Holland in The Club. They are among the most rising men of the day--accomplished and agreeable--and their fathers were respectively two of our most faithful members. We should, I think, choose men from the younger generation, for many of us are frightfully old. It is more difficult to point out eligible men in the literary or scientific world. To say the truth, there is a remarkable dearth of distinguished authors. Violent politicians are objectionable.

I am very much gratified by what you say of the new volumes of Greville's Journals. Your estimate of their value exactly coincides with my own. I am happy to say that I have not yet heard that anyone is annoyed or offended.

I sent a copy to Henry Ponsonby, who laid it before the Queen, but I have not heard what sentence Her Majesty has pa.s.sed upon me.

There is a great deal of political noise, but very little light. In the south of England I think the Conservatives will carry a good many seats. If I were to venture on a prognostic, I should say that the opposition will have a majority in Great Britain, though by no means so large a one as the Radicals expect. The effect of this would be that the Irish can turn the scale, and I think Mr. Parnell would refuse, for the present, to turn out the present Government in order to bring in Mr. Gladstone. In that case, the existence of the present ministry may be prolonged for some time, but it would be on sufferance and by Irish support. On the other hand, if a Liberal Government were formed, it could only exist with the support of the Irish vote. Eventually, I hope, this anomalous state of things may bring the moderate men of both the British parties together, and throw both extremes into opposition. That, I am convinced, is the real wish of the country, and the obstacles to such a combination are chiefly personal.

I fancy the next parliaments will be very impracticable and probably shortlived.

_From the Comte de Paris_

22 _novembre._--Je vous remercie de ce que vous me dites a propos des Memoires de M. Greville. [Footnote: Sc. that there were pa.s.sages in it not complimentary to the Orleans family.]

Je comprends parfaitement que vous ne pouviez supprimer certains pa.s.sages dont vous ne voulez cependant pas a.s.sumer la solidarite. Ces pa.s.sages ne m'empecheront pas de lire avec interet la suite des oeuvres de cet observateur peu bien-veillant, mais fin et spirituel.

Ne croyez pas que je vous ecrive avec d'autre pensee que de faire part de mes vues a un etranger qui connait, comprend et aime la France.

On November 18th Parliament was dissolved by proclamation and the elections were held from the 23rd to December 18th. In the English towns, where the elections were first held, the Conservatives had a large majority, and it seemed as if they were going to sweep the board. In the counties, however, the 'three acres and a cow' was taken by the ignorant rustics, just admitted to the franchise, as a splendid reality, and their votes went strongly in favour of the Liberals, or rather--as it would be more correct to say--the Radicals. Mr. Gladstone had appealed to the country to give him a working majority. He had, in fact, a majority of eighty-four over the Conservatives; but the Irish, or so-called Nationalist, party numbered eighty-six; and as these were bound by their bond of union to oppose the Government, whatever it was, they had to be counted with the Conservatives as soon as the Conservative Government had fallen. And the comparison of the numbers showed that it must fall as soon as Parliament met. As Reeve had forecast, neither party could form an effective administration without the support of the Nationalists, a position which seemed for the moment to render them the arbiters of the nation's destiny.

_From Count Vitzthum_

Paris, December 1st.

Dear Mr. Reeve,--Many thanks for your kind letter. You will find me here in my winter quarters until the end of May, then from June to the end of October at Baden-Baden, where we have built a villa. I would always be happy to see you and talk over old times.

I have just finished reading the third volume of Greville's Memoirs and have been very much struck by your notes, without which some pa.s.sages would not have been intelligible. Old Greville was a portrait-painter rather in Rembrandt's style. In putting together all he says of Palmerston, Peel, and the Duke of Wellington, very remarkable full-length portraits would come out. He seems rather partial for John Russell.

My little book makes more noise in Germany than I expected. W. Oncken, the celebrated historian of Austria and Prussia in 1813, will review it for the 'Allgemeine Zeitung,' and the Vienna press has been unexpectedly favourable. An English friend of mine wants to translate it. I think it would be 'love's labour lost;' for everybody who cares for such trifles and photographs taken on the spot understands German nowadays in England, and will prefer the original. Still, if you thought it worth your while to send a short notice to the 'Times,' it would be a favour. My old friend Delane is no more, else I should have asked him. Cotta writes me that he has secured the English copyright, and sent some copies to the princ.i.p.al Reviews and the 'Times.' Believe me, very faithfully yours,

VITZTHUM.

_From the Comte de Paris_

Chateau d'Eu, 9 decembre.

Mon cher Monsieur Reeve,--Un de mes amis va partir pour la Belgique. Je tiens a en profiter pour lui confier une lettre a votre adresse, qu'il mettra a la poste chez nos voisins. En effet, je connais par experience I'indiscretion dont la poste francaise a pris la mauvaise habitude sous l'Empire, habitude qu'elle n'a pas perdue sous la Republique. J'ai hate de vous remercier de votre lettre du lr qui m'a vivement interesse. J'ai ete un peu confus d'apprendre l'usage que vous aviez fait de la mienne, car je l'avais ecrite au courant de la plume, et uniquement pour me donner le plaisir de causer avec vous. Mais, puisque vous l'avez trouvee bonne a montrer, je m'en rapporte a votre amitie, et j'espere qu'elle n'a pas ete trop indulgente. Je suis d'ailleurs fort heureux d'avoir quelquefois, par votre intermediaire, des relations avec Lord Salisbury, pour le caractere et le talent duquel j'ai toujours eu une si haute estime, et que j'aime d'ailleurs toujours a considerer comme mon proche voisin de campagne.

The success of the Conservatives in the towns, their defeat in the country, is the very opposite of what is taking place here; so that we foreigners must exercise great reserve in giving an opinion on the political situation created in England by these last elections. It is, however, evident that there, as everywhere else, the old parties are in process of disintegration, and that, in a new social state, in presence of new problems, a new distribution of parties is called for. In the history of all nations there are periods when the need of political progress renders it necessary for the reformers to remain long in power; and if from time to time they yield it to their adversaries, it should only be for long enough to recover breath in climbing the long ascent. On the other hand, there are also periods when the wearied people long for repose; when progress no longer aims at completeness, but at change; when reforms are mere Utopian fancies or appeals to evil pa.s.sions; and when the partisans of the _status quo_ ought to have the direction of affairs for as long a time as possible.

I believe that we are now entering on one of these periods. But it becomes the duty of the Conservatives to defend existing inst.i.tutions by taking the initiative in such modifications as may be necessary. This is what, with a true political insight, they have always done in England. The vote of the counties does not affect the justice of your appreciation of the general character of the elections. It is not a return to the old Tory party, but rather the condemnation of the Radical programme; and from this point of view they have an international importance which nothing can weaken. All the same, this vote of the counties seems to me to render absolutely necessary the modification of parties which the complete success of the Ministry would have postponed. After the redistribution of seats, there is need of a redistribution of persons and of political groupings. Either Parliament will be controlled by the Irish Nationalists, and Ireland by Mr.

Parnell, or, in opposition to the Nationalists and the Radicals, there will be formed a Government which will be Conservative in its respect for the great social inst.i.tutions, in its antagonism to the levelling and centralising spirit, and withal Liberal in the manner in which it will handle the agrarian question.

Judging by what I see here, where over three millions of rural proprietors are 'a tower of strength' for the Conservatives, I am persuaded that in England also the Conservatives have no greater interest--after the defeat of the socialist and revolutionary plans of Mr. Chamberlain--than to work vigorously at the formation of a numerous cla.s.s of small landowners.

_Mutatis mutandis_, we have here also the corresponding phenomenon of the transformation of parties. We are unquestionably entering on a period of la.s.situde. The Conservatives have gained one hundred and twenty seats at the last elections, for four princ.i.p.al reasons, all of which spring from the faults of their adversaries.

1. The Tonkin expedition.

2. The waste of the national and munic.i.p.al finances.