The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-27 00:00:00

Mrs, Disraeli a Peeress.

Our contemporary the Morning Post is the
medium, to-day, of giving to the world the follow-
ing announcement :

Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously
pleased to confer a peerage on Mrs. Disraeli under the
title of Viscountess Beaconsfield, of Beaconsfield, in the
county of Bucks.

There is not a generous-hearted man throughout
the empire, we believe, who will do otherwise
than receive that announcement with a sense
of profound gratification, or who will fail to sym-
pathise to the full with the graceful terms in which
our contemporary therefore comments upon Mr.
Disraeli's non-acceptance of a peerage for himself,
the Prime Minister preferring graciously to
transfer the Coronet, won by his genius, to the
wife he has so often delighted to honour, and
whom the world will know henceforth under her
new title as the Viscountess Beaconsfield.

The announcement in another column, says the
Morning Post, cannot fail to be welcomed with the
sincerest satisfaction. It is the pleasure of the Queen
to confer upon a man of genius, who has undoubtedly
rendered service to his country, and has, by his
great capacity, won for himself the highest position
iu the conduct of public affairs, a signal mark of
her favour and appreciation.

It is no secret that in the bestowal of such re-
wards the receiver is previously consulted, and we
may therefore presume, without infringing the
limits of conventional propriety, that Mr. Dis-
raeli has declined a Peerage, preferring to battle
for fame and power in that great arena of the
Commons where his past triumphs have been
achieved, and where future victories may yet loot
before his vision.

But, while choosing to remain a Commoner, be
accepts the proffered coronet to place it on the
brow of a wife to whose qualities he has borne
public testimony, and to whose affectionate aid be
has acknowledged himself indebted for much of
his success in life. Oa Mrs. Disraeli, then, the
Queen confers a peerage, under the title of
countess Beaconsfield ; and none who have hearts
to sympathise with
,the pride a woman can knoW
in her husband's greatness but must feel their pulse
beat quicker as they think of the pleasure with
which the wife must accept what her hero has so
bravely won.
In the political conflict blows are freely ex-
changed, and for good reasons. This is not the
moment to recall attacks which we thought, and
still think, right and justified. But it is an oces"
sioa to do honour to a party champion. The party
may have been wrong—the champion we may
have helped to defeat. He is, indeed, about to
pass before Caviar nzoritorus. But the multitude
will reserve from the bitter end a combatant wh°
has shown so mnch science and pluck, and will
acclaim the bestowal of honour the more that it
falls, not on him who has came I it, but upon the
lady whom he has chosen to wear the wreath of past
and victorious combat.
Mr. Disraeli, whose career has often been marked
by tact, never did anything more graceful and syn'
pathetic than this surrender of honour to a woman
by a man who has indeed borne the burden of the
day.
On the occasion of the banquet in Edinburgh, in
October, 1867, Mr. Disraeli, then Chancellor of the
Exchequer, in returning thanks for the toast of
Mrs. Disraeli's health, said—" I do owe to that
lady all I think I have ever accomplished, because
she has supported ins by her counsel, and consoled
me by the sweetness of her mind and disposition.
You cannot please me more than by paying this
compliment to my wife."
It is therefore peculiarly appropriate that froth
the Fountain of Honour—which itself has deePli,
known and appreciated the value of wedded
affection—there should derive dignities and deco'
rations for the Lady whom her Knight chooses t°
exalt.

MR. GLADSTONE AiVD THE ELECTORS

OF GREENWICH.

Mr, Gladstone has issued the following addresi/
to his new constituents :
" TO THE ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF GREENWrIC°.
" Gentlemen,—lt has up to this day been la
duty to withhold any expression of my gratitude for
your generous, unasked, and I believe unparalleled
kindness, which at this important juncture 10
given me a most honourable seat in Parliament,'
Yesterday about one o'clock I became aware that
should probably be able to accept the trust Y°°
have tendered to me ; and I now lose no 01
in accepting it with my cordial and respectful
thanks. It was not, gentleman, any mere pro'
fessions of promises of mine which won fro
you this signal favour ; and it is not by profes,
sions or promises, but by my conduct in Part
lianient, that I humbly hope to show it has 0°
been unworthily bestowed.—l have the honour t°
remain, gentlemen, your most obliged and faith'
ful servant, " W. E. GLADSTONE."
Liverpool, Nov. 25, 1868.

Mr. Gladstone yesterday issued the follovii°s
address to the electors of South-West Lancashire'
" Gentleman—l return my most cordial tha7
to the 7,415 eloctors who supported me at the P°
and to the numerous and zealous friends who 1111/
fo ably acted on my behalf. It is to me a n3lltter
of lively satisfaction, which I can never lose, that i
.
received a large majority of votes within the '11.4
trict of Liverpool.—l have the honour to be, Sr°•:,
" W. E. GLaDsToNS.

TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION NS

WIGAN.

LOSS OF FIFTY-SEVEN LIVES,
WIGAN, Thursday Night:oo,
At half-past eight this morning an expl°° of
took place in the Arley Mine, at the colliery a,
John Scowcroft and Company (Limited),
1,00
ley-green, near Wigan. Fifty-seven lives 'isif
been lost, and ten other persons have been seri°
burned. At six o'clock the firemen made 013 the
spection, and reported that all was safe. 134,14,40
firemen have been killed. The workings extend "10
and west ; on the east side 150 men worked, sled;
on the west 60 or 70. All on the east side ese3Ptbe
nearly all on the west side were killed. 11°,V,,,er
explosion was caused is not known. Sever'llirthe
sons escaped with burns.' A few penetrateofico
choke damp, and one was restored by artl 10$
respiration, but 56 were suffocated, and 01° Orly
from his burns. The extremity of the sva,,,io'
ings was not reached till six hours after the Vag
sion. Fifty-four of the bodies lie in the svor t
near the pit. Mr. lligson, the Gavernuaell
spector, has been down the pit since noon.

2003
Lieut.-Col. Cobbe, from the 2d Battalion ga
t.
Regiment, has assumed command of the 14
talon at Aldershott, with the late Col. Cculioef
Barrack-Clerk Capt. J. Smith, from the War-19 con'
having joined the camp for employment jaell
nection with the new control system, is °c
the strength of the division. eaG
DUNVILLE and Co., Belfast, arc the 15% ta
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