Mr. Disraeli was retained on Thursday, and made a speech
to his constituents, in which he almost admitted a complete defeat. It was an apologetic review of his administration. He quoted this election as proof that nothing was to be dreaded from house- hold suffrage ; pleaded the hardship of admiring Lord Stanley's policy, while refusing to credit Lord Stanley's party with it ; declared that heavy expenditure was caused and justified by advancing civilization, refusing to pledge himself to a " cheap " Government, though he wished for an economical one ; spoke in a manly and sensible way about intervention as sometimes a duty ; attributed all the evils of Ireland to the over-population diminished by the famine, to want of variety in life, to " a damp climate and a melancholy ocean ;" told a man who called for " three cheers for the famine" that men often cheered for worse things ; feared calamities from disestablishment ; called the realm a " real though limited monarchy ;" asserted that he ruled " by the favour of the Queen," and in words of some pathos and entire truth pleaded that he had never thirsted for place from interested reasons, and had always valued the approval of his countrymen. There was a vein of sadness in the speech almost touching, but no new arguments, and no promises.
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