The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-09-02 00:00:00

THE GUEST FAMILY.

P.,Ve nlcgrnat says :

Th. Mail recently devoted nearly a column
le me Bing -aphical Facts uf the Guest Family,"
whirl; 'iv, rei doubt, greatly intererting to all those
wk... prophetic eves 600 in Mr. Arthur Guest the
inert member for Cardiff. It must be of vast
importance to the feelings and ammsr propre of his
l'emetrative support •rs to learn thot he hes bine
hlowl tuning in hi. veins through his mother's
familr convations, and that all his brothers who are
reamed bare done their duty to their maternal
socestry by forming alliance, among the highent
brioches of our arietocracv. It appears, too, from
the melon,' drawn 114 of the family connections,
tkat the troouvrie honourable gentleman's aistera have
nothing in the way of matrimony which would
raise the eyebrow. of any of the sandidate'a noble
'Mabel, although the greatest honour imported into
the Nadir by the gentle balite seems to bay, been
that hon Why the amiable wife of the Liberal and
Pi:ht Minion able Knight, Her Majesty's Ambamador
at Constantinople. We aro told by our contemporary
that the father of 6, Conservative candidate for
rudiffwo. t,e late Sir Josiah John (Tnest, Baronet,
formerly M.P. for Honiton and Merthyr Tydfil' so
that haring Area ly eat in Parliament for a short
rem*, having been the son of • former usember of the
Legislature, and being so intimately conneeted with
.‘o teeny aristocratic and noble families, the pallier
okra it Mr. Arthur Guest, of Boodle's, ete, • c. moat
hsear appear in the estimation of his Conservative
Mead. asperlative, and calculated by their mare
enumeration to overwhelm the hon, member for
Pembroke, should he have the temerity to Teuton to
set up his claims In rivalry to those of the gentlemen
who has en many funeues for the honourable position
which be ha. bets eribeited to ocenpy. Mr. Reed, we
Wire, Is neither the sae nor the Madsen of an,
'Ode houe. ; his brothers have not that we know of,
i'voled alliance, with obi and sriatteratic families
""ened ha history; nor have we ever Lull in our
aew.pepert that any relative of Mr. Reed has con-
hribotej tun% Ohara,' the improvement of ally
timeeenghlare thu leada to his own property. PO"
Mn. Bead man rely as something other than these
brilliant aelii.v.menta In the way of family and friends,
linannely enjoyed in the masa recital by our Coe.
servatwe touit.taporaev before ire can vectors to won,
!".*ch lens bele` to win. 'lke favour of thou eistremelY
to:bleed and iliatingul.hed gentl.men, the Ooneerva.
voter, of the Cardiff dietriet We shall. there
Lose, lest'. to Mr. Reel to Announce hie claims in hi.
. nes fashion when the tun+ o. me. ; and we have no
• tools hut the c noitituemey wit be able to appreciate
tape value whatever iortitri the Liberal ran.
&date sty tiemuce in the way of credentials. Hot
Foteroperary. In his eagerness to light up the
district with the effulgent lustre of aristocra' lc name,
mein. to hews io 'Hooked the little fact thot the late
temected father of 114. Guest WM • mon who bad no
•inh to gentle blood on lg. side, for we hear nothing
•I his birth, eilecatios, or parentage ; nor arc
informed how many prcaded the
Pl'4 Sir J. .T. finest ; nor bow that the late
easaatt, having risen from a vary tattauble position
est liantli..l win .if toil, erusweed ststdi stealth an
I. he &Mr to place himself in the happy p isseaaton of
„rai1...4 , m.o. and other valu .1,1, properties. *Ai
"'nag M., *wad be two several constituencies la
hOD•nrilil• imetimi of a Member of Perlialment in
'The bare tc minaret, mul haring, moreover, oven
law* alai.' action to the Ger eminent of the day by the
I•ll4The in Which he peet.itcsail hia legialative and
huh gotta duties when hi. otryoorenvities arrived. that
~•11tronatcw was the reward if., tiradons Majesty '
"''"'zhillt to a.nf.ir upon Itiin. The lcd tewonet, to
:!'?••ntto hli • alerted hi,. late ompursd idles... in
sunrodine neighbourhood in the direotioe
lateral politics ; for we are told on reliable authority
that the borough of Poole was always glad to receive
9ir John's *mistime in the selection and return of at '
Itta!S tete of its then in•tnliars, and thst ore always • I
lii, me of the nleartin 4 ineasorim of elderly
I.ilwrats at Poole to voi,l to mind how the eintahlo
t!t'ir F4.esi..lt• (now f.silr Charlotte sehrieberl ever•
.."'"'t the enriali'e privilege cutv.w.in4 for her late
lindiserl'a 1 iersla;mml how th it on one occasion she
tsst,,nza of the Leal ninqn4l.4, wastylppo..,ll to lot
01..n,1 to *everts hi. al-elasio.. to Lamellar, on,l,
i_"„mirie.i hint L. WilhOUt V•11•W VO•tit•. grime.
."
.17 hi,h-ne.llhi,. to. ire/ rarri and taking ho,
•,mu decoration her lanesei. Pin,""i it wi'h her
• twniair bawl, to ht. vershiria vrt., (Al
.!1,11/-0101. if Poole any that the sosetjesu or in ';'tea.
'°°i allaim,la he had c.opatitted banter Os. towthro
..,r never known fo way', after, Mr.
ITisest r•oli4.calr retain hi. in thee. wird... a.,
9.141 itiatrica. we abotild be
""i thi°l, Ulm Vinton V moro than half wo.
?on. is 5114110 Mr. TIVIA to retire t, lortVi more
larourahle quit ehesa would he m•t by one id his
Chnlc w 'WSS Lot by so brilliant a
'Platy of family anerontielogo.ernil fascinating raj der.
,ca. We are informed, however, etset her ladyship
will mehahly have another appnetnittlitf 9," entering
41 Pates' urea, as her peweect
pokes of ae the *ming eoneervative
t*Poole. ne Waders Mail then goes on to

tell ne how Mr. Arthur Guest Yens • oat for
POOle at the general election of 1868. We are in
-
twined by our coutemporary how Mr. Waring, one of
the 01,1 mem bee., had promised all kinds of good things to
the l'o b acct...., but that after an exciting contest
Mr. Arthur (..; UROG woo the seat by • majority of 60
votes. Mr. Warier wee wail known to hi, old
csin.titu.utr as a g I,ioarel. and. although
he had 1.0: ,-ea coonectel with any brilliant
peramal achievements ha hit previous Parli onen•
teary career, yet he had always given his 'Glee in
favour of evrry progreeeive movement, without mak-
ing a viitus of Me politic 1 ration. He was, and we
believe I-, alwaye rea ly to *import meaaures of
truly Liberal character. without referettoe to the men
who bring them forward. No one ',oil,' •ly In leoe
that be hail belied his political profeoionsasamember
of the lower house ; but at the eeimeal election in
that year Poole hot one of Its member., tlar -ugh the
re-arrengement of seats. and the senior member, the
late Mr. Henry Denby Seymour, retired from Peelle-
went., menden There was thus left before the
constituency Mr. Waring only. Suddenly it occurred
to some of the Conservative light. of the Dorartabire
borough that it would be • good thing to solicit Sir
Ivor Guest, the lord of the manor, to c one forward
and take hie place a• the member for Poole. No
questions worst. be askedss to his political person.
eine, and several 0.1 the old Liberal elector., under
the idea that the young baronet would diaptay the
name colours. had ',e'en worn by his respected father,
joined in requesting him to take the seat, for it was
auppolled that there would have been no contest had
the young gentleman consented to be pnt in ',wins-
ti m. But Sir Ivor had not made up hi. mint to
assume Parliamentary honours at that time, andeo
declined the proffered dignity. Ile, however, pot.
mittol his brother Arthur to time befole the Oise:ors
as his substitute. The constituency then bsc sine
uneasy. There were the Conaereetivee, to a man.
sdiciting the favour of the Canford interest—the very
men who hail for generations hese couteuding agaiort
such interest at illegitimate when introduced lot,
borough politlco. I here were al, • few effete old
Liberate following the came lead. %%that mull ho the
meaning ,if the new combinetion Were the lion and
lamb mount to lie down together in reality Anxiety
was manifest among the rank anti fila of the Littoral
party, while congratulation. 'teemed to pa. quickly
and earnestly between the CelliefelViefte. Prevetatly
ibeaddressesof the rival candbletes were inn., sod it
then appeared that Mr. Arthur Guestwas to contest the
borough ass true liberal, only be could not bear the
Mead the itoonclastic nrojec:of Mr. Gla lawns, anent
the Irieh Church. 'rm. accounted to a certair. extent
for the Conservative so.xiety to eupport hie candida-
ture. They were ready to sacrifice ell smaller aims
AO long am the " glorious constitution in Church and
State" was not prejudiced. Mr. Great canvassed the
elector* as an independent liberal, whore only
(milt to find with bit leader was that he
was not sound on the Irish Church question.
Mr. Waring RSA a Liberal pure and simple.
The et suit it was non difficult to foresee. Every Con-
servative gave Ids voice to Mr. Gant. many Church-
men amongst the Liberal' followed them, and all the
Canford influence was thrown in favour of
Canford'e mester'a brother. It is an nl,l tale how
Mr. Arthur Guest IMMI by A majority of 60, and how
he manifested his Liberall.m by taking his *eat in the
Commons House on the Conservative side, end mi.a
religiously recorded his vote., in proper order in that
direction throughout the duration of that Parliament.
After the settlement of the Irish Church Question
cams the dissolution of 1874, and this tender.
cone kneed Liberal hail 4, meet his constitoentm macs
more. But mark the change. Mr. Guest now
a leaner§ his claim, es a Conservative, after having
been duly educated by a five years' schooling. The
result of the election was that 51r. Waring was
returned by • majority of 125 in the Liberal intere.t,
and Mr. Arthur Guest was—a Consery *Live , late M.P.
for Poole. The defeat was too great for the stomach
of the late hon. member and his aristocratic connec-
tion, so a petition was filed stains Mr. Waring.
This alleged all winner of illegalities against Mr.
Waring and his supporter', and after • trial before
Mr. Jnallee Grove, hi. lordship gave judgment that
Mr. Warine mut retire from his hard-won seat.
Mr. Arthur Guest, however, did not even claim the
position he had previously striven for, and the judge,
to show his menea of the character of what he termed
" a tilting petition," ordered each party to pay his
own coot'. Great was the jubilation of the Conserv.
Urea at Mr. Waring'a defeat, but equally crest warn
their chagrin at learning that Mr. Arthur Guest was
no nearer his ambition than before. A new election
was ordered, and Mr. Arthur Guest wan not forth-
ruining Ai the Conservative candidate. What was to
he elmm he the party under the circumstances! But
hel, was litho: prepared in is quatter they had little
hope I for. Sir Ivor Guest himaelf stepped forward
anti took up the parable c onmeneed by his brother.
The worthy young baronet loul reoently allied himself
in marriage to the ducal hon. of Marlborough. and
now as far from d-clining the onerous duties ,1
legialetive life, seemed "ray WO anxious to avail himself
of the preetort opportunity. As Mr. Wising, through
a technical rendering of the law, VIAA incompe-
petent to sit during the .remainder of the j resent
Parliament, the Liberals were placed at • great
dienlvantace, and had to seek a canal late fr nu afar.
The lii.. ;. Ashl tat w. invite I, almost at the lat..•t
moment, and 11l most gallantly fought aga:nst all the
Couservative and Canford powers combined. The
remit wart a narrow majority for Ashley, and a
cruehing defeat for Guest. Glamorganahire and
Briatol have also decided that • Conservative Guest
I. not aocepteble to them and we do not think,
albeit the 11AUle of the late Sir John, the Liberal and
haril.svorkiog, still commands respect in South Wales,
that his young r inn Arthur, in alliance with COA-
serrative., will meet with mere support in Cardiff
than he did amongst the electors of Poole. or than
did Ilia brother the baronet amongst this elector' of
Bristol, and in year.' gone by amongst the sturdy
freeholders of Glamorganahirs.