LORD BEACONSFIELD ON THE WORKING CLASSES OF ENGLAND.
[To IRS Barron ov Tam "sin:or/mm.1 Sri,—In several articles that appeared in the Spectator after the General Election of this year, notably in those entitled "The Disparagement of England" (January 29th) and "The 'Feudal Screw' in the County Divisions" (February 5th), you paid high and well-deserved tribute to the independent spirit and patriotic instinct displayed by the majority of the electors of the labouring classes in the South of England. In the forthcoming struggle much will depend on the continued assertion of their wise and sound patriotism, and on their
ability to see through and reject the bribes and lies offered by vote-hunting and unscrupulous demagogues. In the hope that at this critical moment it may possess interest, I venture to ask you to publish a piece of political prophecy occurring in an unpublished letter written by Lord Beaconsfield to a colleague in December, 1880 :—" The only portion of the con- stituencies—in my opinion—who may be depended on—when affairs are ripe—are the English working classes, though their influence must be diminished by the Irish colonies."—I am,
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