A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator', 5 December /868—Mr. Disraeli has not been deceived by the hurrahs of his county supporters. He knows that even were his Cabinet not divided on the Irish Church he is hopelessly beaten, and has resolved to avoid a struggle in which victory was impossible. Accord- ingly, he repaired to Windsor on Wednesday to tender his resignation, and on the same evening issued a circular to his supporters declaring the resolution at which the Ministry had arrived. The Government had, he said in this manifesto, believed that the country would not sanction the disestablishrnent of the Church, that they had therefore advised an appeal to the new constitu- encies, but that "Although the general election has elicited, in the decision of numerous and vast constituencies, an expression of feeling which, in a remarkable degree, has justified their anticipa- tions, and which, in dealing with the question in controversy, no wise statesman would disregard, it is now clear that the present Administration can- not expect to command the confidence' of the newly-elected House of Commons." Therefore, the Ministry have felt it due to their own honour and the policy they support not to retain office unnecessarily for a day, and have resigned, but "they remain convinced that the proposition of Mr. Gladstone is wrong in principle, probably impracticable in conduct, and if practicable, would be disastrous in its effects." They will therefore offer to his policy an uncompromising resistance.
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