In a former chapter of this volume I gave my reminiscences of some celebrities in Great Britain sixty years ago.  In the present chapter I group together several distinguished persons whom I met during subsequent visits.  The first time I ever saw Mr. Gladstone was in August, 1857, when Lord Kinnaird kindly took me into the House of Commons, and pointed out to me from a side gallery the most prominent celebrities.  A tall, finely formed man, in a clear resonant voice, addressed the House for a few moments.  “That is Gladstone,” whispered Lord Kinnaird.  Mr. Gladstone had already won fame as a great financier in the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer; but was at this time out of office, occupying an independent position.  He was already beginning to break loose from Toryism, and ere long became the most brilliant and powerful leader that the British Liberal party has ever followed.  As an orator he is ranked next to Bright; as a party manager, he was always a match for Disraeli, and as a statesman he has won the foremost place in British annals during the last half century.

In June, 1872, I happened to be in London at the time of the great excitement over the famous “Alabama difficulty.”  The Court of Arbitration was sitting at Geneva; things were not going smoothly, and there was danger of a rupture with the United States.  At an anniversary meeting at Exeter Hall I had made a speech in which I spoke of the cordial feeling of my countrymen, and their desire to avoid a conflict with the mother country.  It was suggested to me that I should call on Mr. Gladstone, who was then Premier; and my friend, Dr. Newman Hall,—­who had always had a warm personal attachment to Gladstone,—­accompanied me.  The Premier then occupied a stately mansion in Carlton House Terrace, next to the Duke of York’s column.  We found him in his private sitting room with a cup of coffee before him and a morning newspaper in his hand.  Fifteen years had made a great change in his appearance.  He had become stouter and broader shouldered.  His thin hair was turned gray, and his large eyes and magnificent brow reminded me of Daniel Webster.  He received me cordially, and we spent half an hour in conversation about the difficulties that seemed to be obstructing an amicable settlement of the Alabama controversy.  Mr. Gladstone appeared to be puzzled about a recent belligerent speech delivered by Mr. Charles Sumner in our Senate chamber, and I was glad to give him a hint or two in regard to some of our eloquent Senator’s idiosyncrasies.  What impressed me most in Gladstone’s free, earnest talk was its solemn and thoroughly Christian tone—­he was longing for peace on principle.  On my telling him playfully that the time which belonged to the British Empire was too precious for further talk, he said:  “Come and breakfast with me to-morrow morning, and we will finish our conversation.”  The next morning Dr. Hall and myself presented ourselves at ten o’clock in Mr. Gladstone’s parlor.