The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-25
The pouth OF Lord Derby.

Lord Derby, then Mr.. Stanley, was eluca-
ted ut Eaton and Oxford, and when only
twenty-five years old was elected TO tile
| House OF Commons as member for Stock
bridge. High position and family influence
doubtless obtained for hip so early dis
tinction; but what he won as q Stanley he
knew how to retain rs man. His maiden
speech was no; made until three years after
his election, and IN the course OF the same
session lie exhibited readiness, aptitude
and ability worthy of All experienced deba-
ter. 1t is worthy of remark that his second
speech i'm the House was Oil the subject Of
the Irish Church, question which caused
his resignation as Colonial Secretary in 1893,
which occupied his declining years, and
whose solution was finally accomplished by
his political opponents only few months
ago.
| Mr.. Stanley commenced his official life us
Under Secretary for the Colonies, and was
subsequently nominated to the then arduous
post Of Chief Secretary for Ireland. Upon
his appointment lie, according to practice,
resigned his sent in the House and went be-
fore his constituents ior reelection. At
Preston he was defeated, but was soon after
W ,rd returned for Windsor, and was engaged
in those single-handed conflicts with O'Con-
nel and Sheil, which for years excited Par
lament and alarmed the country. While
the Reform bill WAS under discussion I'm
1892, Mr.. Staniey's singular genius for de-
butte was exercised with effect i'm defence of
its provisions; and about the same time lie
carried q ministerial measure for National
E !ucation in Ireland. a year later he
carried the bill for emancipating the West
India slaves, having for that purpose be-
come Colonial Secretary and n member of
the Cabinet. Disappearing of Lord Mel
bournc's project for still further reducing
his seat in the Cabinet, and remained in the
ranks Of the opposition until 1Sil, when he
accepted the seals of the Colonial office. In
1874, he was elevated to the peerage, with the
title of Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe, and
when the repeal of the corn laws was deter
mined on, Lord Stanley retired from the Cabi-
net, and soon after appeared as the head OF
the Protectionist opposition. In 1851 Lord
Stanley. succeeded his father as fourteenth
Earl Derby, and in 1852 became Prime Min
lister. In the same year his eldest son. Lord
Stanley, was appointed Under Secretary OF
State for Foreign Aflhirs The financial
plans OF his Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Mr.. Disracli, were condemned by the coun-
try, and in difference to vote of the House
Of Commons, Lord Derby rendered his resig-
nation and resumed the position of leader of
the opposition Lord Derby declined to ac-
cept the premiership in 1855, but form.d his
second administration in 1858. The Reform
bill, introduced by Il. Derby ministry, was
rejected by the House. Parliament was
dissolved, but the new elections gave the
ministers no increased strength und In 1859
they resigned. Lord Stanley the eldest son
OF Earl Derby, safe Mt this time in the Cabinet
| as Secretary of State for India. The second
administration Of Lord Russell fell in June,
| 1865. and in 1867 Lord Derby, for the third
time, became Prime Minister. On the 25th
| February OF the following year Earl Derby,
whose health had for some time been intirm,
resigned tho premiership into the hands of
MIR. Disraeii. The Reform BILL the great
feature OF Earl Derby's administration, was
introduced by Mr. Disracli in March, 1867.
Its provisions were decidedly more liberal
than those OF the Russell Gladstone bill of
the preceding year, and it WAS received
with considerable favor and ultimately
passed. The whole management OF the mea-
sure was entrusted to Mr.. Disraeli; for Earl
Derby was too strongly bound to the old
Conservative party TO- take any very active
part I'm it. The Disraeli ministry was for
mally attacked by Mr. Gladstone in March,
1868, when he introduced resolution for
the disestablshment OF the Irish Church.
This resolution was steadfastly opposed by
the Conservative party, but 1t passed the
House in April and led to the resignation OF
Mr. Dlsraeli aud his colleagues In the fol-
lowing December. In the debates last
spring on the Gladstone bill to disestablish
the Irish Church, Earl Derby took no con-
spicuous part. but tho whole OF his influence
wns steadily thrown against the passage OF
the bill
1t was not ONLY as statesman that Earl
Derby won for himself lasting reputation.
AS classical scholar he had few eoua,,
and his translation OF the Iliad In blarA verse,
published in 1866. is highly rr,lsed by the
most competent critics. Dit. Gladstone, the
present Prime Minister, Ia one OF tho frat
Crock scholars OF the day. These great
men, leading the cohorts OF the opposition
or conducting the government OF mighty
nation, were deep students as well as mas
ters Of statecraft. With them the power
to witch over and control the destinies Of
an empire went hand in hand with
scholarship which raised martial Rome and
luxurious Greece from the dust OF ages,
and made their heroes to live and breathe,
while Bismarck worked and planned, and
Napoleon formed anew the tangled web OF