. Life and public services of Hon. Wm. E. Gladstone . ady become well known as a scholar in this special depart-ment ; we have not hitherto traced his literary course, reservingthat for another time, when our pages shall be free from therush and whirl of political action. The Ionian Islands had been erected in the year 1800 into theEepublic of the Seven United Islands ; in 1815, they were placedunder the Protectorate of Great Britain; a few years later hadcome the assertion of the independence of Greece, finally ac- 182 The Patmerston Ministry. knowledged by the Powers, and forced upon Turkey.
. Life and public services of Hon. Wm. E. Gladstone . ady become well known as a scholar in this special depart-ment ; we have not hitherto traced his literary course, reservingthat for another time, when our pages shall be free from therush and whirl of political action. The Ionian Islands had been erected in the year 1800 into theEepublic of the Seven United Islands ; in 1815, they were placedunder the Protectorate of Great Britain; a few years later hadcome the assertion of the independence of Greece, finally ac- 182 The Patmerston Ministry. knowledged by the Powers, and forced upon Turkey. For manyyears after the achievement of this condition, the Ionians hadlooked longingly upon the country to which they naturally be-longed by race, tradition and geographical position; but theyhad no cause for formal complaint, and were not strong enoughto assert themselves by force. They could only await the actionof England. That the sympathy of England was on the side of popular libertywas well understood and needed no formal proof. A weak power,. Lord John Manners. or a feeble people struggling to be free, can always depend uponthe active support of the masses of the people everywhere. Foryears the Ionians had been dissatisfied and earnestly striving tobetter their condition. The popular constitution which had been given them aboutten years before this time did not do away with this desireto be united to Greece; it only enabled the people to expresstheir wish in a manner which would command more attentionin England, because it was intensely respectable; the protestof a legislature is or may be worth listening to, while thewish of the people expressed by themselves directly, is not The Palmerston Ministry. 183 to be regarded, lest it lead to revolution. And now press, leg-islature and people had but one voice, and with that were cry-ing out for freedom. Were they not free? asked the British Government. Theyhad a constitution which guaranteed their rights, as the Englishhad t
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