MR GLADSTONE’S NATIONALITY.
TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I scarcely imagine that anyone in the Colony or elsewhere acquainted with the life of Mr Gladstone will doubt that he is a Scotsman — one of those men who, as George Barnett Smith says in his splendid biography of the illustrious statesman, “have sprung from the ranks of that powerful order which has justly been regarded as the backbone of England namely, the middle classes.” Mr Gladstone is a true Scotsman, with all the sympathies of an Englishman — using the word in its broadest and best significance; indeed, with a nature eminently cosmopolitan. Being as yet but a comparative stranger on your hospitable shores, I do not know what correspondence you may have had on the subject of Mr Gladstone’s birth and ancestry. Considering the facilities there are by which people of the present day can acquire information of all kinds, political and otherwise, I should say that there ought to be little ignorance on the above subject; but as some may not have taken the trouble to read and others may not have had the opportunity, perhaps you will give me a brief amount of space to state as shortly as possible one or two facts concerning Mr Gladstone’s nationality. The author to whom I have already referred says the chief stock of the Gladstones were originally settled in the parish of Liberton, in the upper ward of Clydesdale, but subsequently a branch settled in the town of Biggar, in Lanarkshire. The estates of Arthnrshiel and of Gladstones in Clydesdale were held by a branch of the family through whom Mr Gladstone traces his descent.
“Evidence exists of the former estate being held by William Gladstone early in the sixteenth century, and there are references to descendants of his in legal documents executed in 1023 and 1041 respectively. Some time before the year 1080 the estate of Arthurshiel was sold by John Gladstones to James Brown, of Edmonstoun. At Biggar, William Gladstones, son of the laird just named, pursued the business of a maltster, and died in 1728. He left three sons and one daughter. Of the sons, John, born in 1693 or 1694, followed the occupation of his father in the town of Biggar. Being successful in business he acquired a small property, to which he retired, dying in the year 1756. This John Gladstones had a large family, consisting of five sons and six daughters. The third son, John, took the patrimony of Mid-Toftcombs, and marrying, received with his wife, Christian Taverner, a dowry amounting to 7,000 marks — a not inconsiderable sum at that period. The fourth son of this marriage was Thomas Gladstone, grandfather of the statesman, who was born at Mid-Toftcombs on the 3rd of June, 1732, and lived until the year of William Ewart Gladstone’s birth, dying at the ripe age of seventy-seven. Thomas Gladstone, having early left the parental roof, became a corn merchant in Leith, and married Helen, the daughter of Walter Neilson, of Springfield. Their union was very prolific, and of sixteen children born to them no fewer than twelve grow up to maturity. Thomas Gladstone’s aptitude for business was so great, and he was so enterprising, that, notwithstanding numerous claims upon him, he was able to make some provision for all his sons in adoption of their various trades or callings.”
John Gladstone, oldest son of this numerous family, was horn at Leith, and afterwards, through the exercise of splendid business capabilities, became a member of the enterprising firm of Corrie, Gladstone, and Bradshaw, Liverpool merchants. It is unnecessary to give any particulars of the vigorous way in which the affairs of the firm were pushed forward by the father of the statesman; but, as years rolled on, the transactions of the house widened until it had ramifications in the four quarters of the globe. He became a fast friend of Canning, sat in the House of Commons for nine years for various constituencies, and was created a baronet by Sir Robert Peel in 1845. Sir John, who had no issue by his first marriage, married as his second wife Ann Robertson, daughter of Mr Andrew Robertson, of Stornaway.
Such were the parents of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, who truly says that he has not a drop of other than Scottish blood in his veins. He has frequently taken occasion to tell the people of Scotland of his Scottish descent. So far back as 1865, when thanking the Parliamentary Reform Union in the Glasgow Town Hall for an address, he said: “If Scotland is not ashamed of her sons, her sons are not ashamed of Scotland; and the memory of parents to whom I owe my being combines with various other considerations to make me glad and thank ful to remember that the blood which runs in my veins is exclusively Scotch.” In the memorable Midlothian campaign of 1880 he again embraced the opportunity of telling his constituents and the world that every particle of blood flowing in his veins is Scotch. He is naturally proud of being able to make the declaration, for, as our friend “Glencorse” says in his letter, he has once more assured the people of Edinburgh, while gathered round the historic Market Cross, that Scotland is the land to which alone his blood belongs.
Scotland is justly proud of a statesman who is Scotch in the sense of being descended from truly Scotch parents; who is English, as perhaps the greatest of living Englishmen; but who is world-wide in his sympathies, in his love of freedom, of justice, and the advancement of everything that is good, and great, and noble. — I am, etc., James Jardine. Dunedin, January 26. -Evening Star, 28/1/1886.
In another column appears an announcement of the death of Mr James Jardine, late chief reporter of the ‘Echo’ newspaper, London. The duties of that office, especially the reporting of the debates in the House of Commons, proved too great a strain for Mr Jardine’s constitution, and acting under medical advice he came to the Colony a few months ago by the ship Wellington. On the voyage out his health improved somewhat, but while on a visit recently to the Glenore district, where he had some friends, he caught a severe cold, and this morning he expired from congestion of the lungs and valvular disease of the heart. Mr Jardine joined the staff of the Dumfries ‘Standard’ when he was eighteen, and for six years he acted as sub-editor of the Sunderland ‘Echo.’ The ability displayed by him led to his appointment on the London ‘Echo,’ and during his connection with that newspaper he gave the greatest satisfaction to his employers. -Evening Star, 17/4/1886.
IN MEMORIAM.
JAMES JARDINE.*
He came to us as a stranger lone, From a far off clime.
With a winning smile on his fair young face, In our inmost hearts soon he found a place;
Like the sweet refrain of some touching song, We seemed to have known and loved him long
In some far off time.
Little we thought that the churchyard sod on his gentle breast
Would so soon be laid; but we know not now
Why the gifted and young should be taken; nor how
So far from the dear ones who loved him so well, He should fade like a flower — alas! no one can tell,
But God knows best.
I may not touch on the tender chords, Of a mother's love,
Or the deep dull pain which a young wife feels, In the first dark days when the reason reels,
When their darling one no more returns. And their heart with a nameless anguish burns;
But they'll meet above.
'Neath the Southern Cross in earth's kindly breast, He was gently laid.
There he sleepeth his last long dreamless sleep, But his memory green in our hearts we'll keep,
And cherish it long like a precious flower, From some evergreen amaranthine bower —
Never to fade.
Hamish. Milton, May, 1886.
*Mr Jardine visited this Colony for the benefit of his health some months ago. He stayed for awhile with Mr McCaw, at Glenore, where he contracted a serious cold, of which he subsequently died in Dunedin. Mr Jardine was chief reporter on the London 'Echo.' -Bruce Herald, 7/5/1866.
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