A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator', 21 November 1868—Mr. Disraeli was returned on Thursday, and made a speech to his constituents, in which he almost ad- mitted a complete defeat. It was an apologetic review of his administration. He quoted this elec- tion as proof that nothing was to be dreaded from household suffrage; pleaded the hardship of ad- miring Lord Stanley's policy, while refusing to credit Lord Stanley's party with it; declared that heavy expenditure was caused and justified by advancing civilisation, 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 in- terested reasons, and had always valued the appro- val of his countrymen. There was a vein of sadness in the speech almost touching, but no new argu- ments, and no promises.
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