The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-03-06
Premier Beniamin Disraeli.
From the N. o. Times Feb. 81. 1874.

e Inc granOIaCIler OIL benjamin DlSrapll
was a Venetian merchant of Jewish cx-
traction. He left Il large fortune to his
son, Isaac, who, born in 1866, near Lon
don, and dying in 1848, devoted his life
to literature, and, as the author Of
in 1890, "Calamities of Authors" in
1872" "Quarrels of Authors, in 1914,
Amenities of Literature in 1871, has
ever justly been aprime favorite in all
libraries and with all readers.
Isaac Disraeli's distinguished son
who now, for the fifth time, is Il of
the Queens chief advisers in the Gov
eminent of Great Britain, and for the
second time the Premier-was born in
London in 1905. In his twenty-first
year-in 1896-he commenced a brilliant
literary career, by the publication of
I" Vivian Grey" a novel of the aristo-
cratic fashionable life of the day, the
success of which was immediate. 1t
was followed by "The Young Duke"
"Venitia," Henrietta Temple" Con
tarini Fleming" "Tancred,n "Won-
drous Tale Of sAlroy." =" Islander, "
"Coningsby," "Sybil,' "Ixion in
Heaven" the Internal Marriage" and,
of late, by "LOthair.n
Undoubtedly a large portion of the
uccess Of Disraeh's literary ventures
was due, especially in England, to what
newspaper men would technically call,
their sensational" character. The in
.cisive, epigrammatic s~tyle-pOinted
with wit and glowing with imagery
was used with the skill of a master, to
sketch the prominent men of the day
statesmen, warriors, authors, artists,
bellies, mobiles, bankers. Their masks
were taken off; their privacy, invaded;
and Disraeli, to use q modern press
phrase, " interviewed" them, to the in
tense satisfaction of the eager public.
and deftly intercalated into his political
novels, that swarmed with the wire
workers Of the day and SO this literary
politician, or political literateur, dex-
terously managed the English novel
and its wide circulation with audaciOus
power and great effect to advance his
general plans and his personal influence.
Fresh from his first literary triumphs
Disraeli set ont in 1929 IN an Eastern
tour. He spent the winter in Constan-
tinOple, and thences went to Syria,
Egypt and Nubia, accommodating ample
stores of facts and fancy, that gave Il
richer and more splendid cOloring to
his subsequent works. He returned
home in 1881 in the midst of an exciting
political contest. His own views were
then extremely Radical. He determined
to enter political life, but was defeated
in a contest for Il seat for Parliament,
in 1881. ..+
That very year, his eminent opponent,
Gladstone, graduated at Oxford
with the highest hOnors in classics and
mathematics; entered Parliament in
1882 under the auspices of the Tory
He gradually became estranged
from them, however, and to such an ex-
tent as finally to become the leader of
the Liberal party. This decided change
in this great mans political opinions,
be more pointedly illustrated
by the fact that, in 1888, he pub
a powerful Tory argument in
of the closest union between
after, in 1868, he advocated in Parlia-
ably, the disestablishment of the Epis-
cOpal Church of Ireland-a measure in
he was opposed by Disraeli and
the Tories, but which, after imminent
danger of defeat, Gladstone carried in
1869. .H.,a
In 1885, Disraeli-nOw as decided q
Tory as in 1881 he had been a Liberal or
Radical-ran for Parliament for Taun-
ton, and was again defeated. His Jew
ish descent, his extreme dandyism, his
novel writing, and, above all, his pie
bianism, told strongly against him with
the naughty, p%rejudiced, a~ristOcratic
party to which he had hooked his for
tune. But there was no ~gainsaying the
young mans powerful intellect, won
tact, unfagging energy and in
dOmitable perseverance; and, so, i'll
1887, he entered the House of Commons
rs the representative of the Tories of
....s
The merciless ridicule that over
his p~retentious maiden speech
would have silenced for aver almost
any other2man. But Disraeli was made
Of sterner stuff, and his exclamation
g | will sit down now, but the time will
when you must listen to me-"
showed a man fully el~f-conscious of his
own great strength and resources, and
determined to commandment to be
This exclamation was prophetic. In
L841, when he exchanged his seat from
Maidstone for Shrewsbury, he was al
ready recognized as the leader of the
Young England" party-the new Con-
'ervatives, occupyinga middle ground
between the ultra Tories and the ultra
but leaning rather to the former.
The most successful exhibition of his
as a debater took place in 1916
md 1916, when Sir Robert Peel sudden
v became o convert to the policy of
Tree trade in grain. Disraeli, who had
supported Peel, now, with Lord Stanley !
since Lord Derby, and Lord George
.entick, turned upon him; and the
polish and yehemenee of
OisraelIs scarcasm reminded the House
IF the palmy days of Sheridan, Canning |
md Brougham.
After Lord George Bentick's death in
I848, Disraeli, with Stanley, became the |
eader of the Young England" or
'PrOtectionistn party. In March, 1864, |
after RusselPs defeat, Lord Derby
q ministry, in which Disraeli
WAS Chancellor of the Exchequer, This
was of short duration, however,
'esigning in December, 1852, because of
jle Parliament refusing to support it's
financial measures. Disraeli remained
the Conservative opposition until
1853, when, on PalmerstOn's defeat.
Derby again became Prime Minister
md Disraeli was again the Chancellor
Of the Exchequer. In March, 1859, he
presented an electoral reform bill to
Parliament, which was rejected. Lord
Derby was unpopular, because, in the
question, he had shown himself
favorable to Austria; and, finally, in
5he summer of 1859, by a combination
IF the Liberals, the friends of Sir
Robert Peel, and the disciples Of the
Manchester school, the Derby Disraeli
administration was compelled to re-
,ign, being succeeded by Palmerston
md Gladstone. i
In the spring of 1866, Russell and
Gladstone introduced an electoral re-