On the 29th of January, 1833, at the age of twenty-four, Gladstone entered upon his memorable parliamentary career, during the ministry of Lord Grey; and his maiden speech—­fluent, modest, and earnest—­was in the course of the debate on the proposed abolition of slavery in the British colonies.  It was in reply to an attack made upon the management of his father’s estates in the treatment of slaves in Demerara.  He deprecated cruelty and slavery alike, but maintained that emancipation should be gradual and after due preparation; and, insisting also that slaves were private property, he demanded that the interests of planters should be duly regarded if emancipation should take place.  This was in accordance with justice as viewed by enlightened Englishmen generally.  Negro emancipation was soon after decreed.  All negroes born after August 1,1834, as well as those then six years of age were to be free; and the remainder were, after a kind of apprenticeship of six years, to be set at liberty.  The sum of L20,000,000 was provided by law as a compensation to the slave-owners,—­one of the noblest acts which Parliament ever passed, and one of which the English nation has never ceased to boast.

Among other measures to which the reform Parliament gave its attention in 1833 was that relating to the temporalities of the Irish Church, by which the number of bishops was reduced from twenty-two to twelve, with a corresponding reduction of their salaries.  An annual tax was also imposed on all livings above L300, to be appropriated to the augmentation of small benefices.  Mr. Gladstone was too conservative to approve of this measure, and he made a speech against it.

In 1834 the reform ministry went out of power, having failed to carry everything before them as they had anticipated, and not having produced that general prosperity which they had promised.  The people were still discontented, trade still languished, and pauperism increased rather than diminished.

Under the new Tory ministry, headed by Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Gladstone became a junior lord of the Treasury.  His great abilities were already recognized, and the premier wanted his services, as Pitt wanted those of Canning before he was known to fame.  Shortly after Parliament assembled, in February, 1835, Mr. Gladstone was made under-secretary for the Colonies,—­a very young man for such an office.  But the Tory ministry was short-lived, and the Whigs soon returned to power under Lord Melbourne.  During this administration, until the death of William IV. in 1837, there was no display of power or eloquence in Parliament by the member for Newark of sufficient importance to be here noted, except perhaps his opposition to a bill for the re-arrangement of church-rates.  As a Conservative and a High Churchman, Gladstone stood aloof from those who would lay unhallowed hands on the sacred ark of ecclesiasticism.  And here, at least, he has always been consistent with himself.  From first to last