The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-05
DisrAoM and the English oonserv.-

I tives.
/ foreign newspaper informs us that some
3 of the friends OF Mr.. Disraei are pro-
> posing to present him with a Every
J valuable testimonial" Before Mr. Glad
} stone retired from his Office it was in
, tended to make him the subject of similar
courtesy. 1t is not known whether Mr. Dis
raeli will accept the proposed gift or not. Al
the same time it lis curious to observe that the
English journals in announcing this fact make
no comment upon the propriety of the offer.
! In other words, while it was looked upon as a
8. 'rious political scandal for the President OF
tho, United States, when he was General of the
Arm, and before he became President, to ac-
eept to-. present of house and other valu-
able pros 'erty for his services during the war,
in England it is not thought unbecoming for
the Prime M mister, who controls the patron
age and reson rces of great kingdom, to be
under pecuniarS obligations to party followers
But this matt. n only leads us to consider
many other rumo RS recently circulated to
the effect that Di 'raeli proposes to retire
from public life. Il has been in i'll health
for some time. He complains of bronchitis
and other ailments He is said to fret
under the care of ofic ial business His
management of the House o. Commons during
this session has been marked with blunders
which from so consummate aN'naster of politi-
cal tact can oDly indicate falling off of his
natural powers. Furthermore, ~lMr Disraeli
is now an old man. His life hasSbeen one of
excitement and labor. He is older than Mr..
Gladstone his rival, who retired AtheX other
day from sheer desire to find rest. Mr.. Dis
raeli now occupies the position for wlrich he
has given all the years of long and laborious
life. He will not resign the prize until COM
PEELED to do SO by infrmity and years. 1t is
in obedience to these memorable demands, if
we may accept the statements of the English
press that he proposes to surrender the Min
istry of England and the leadership of the
tory party.
The retirement of Mr.. Disraeli from public
affairs will take out of this generation one of
its most interesting and conspicuous charac-
ters. AS to the effect upon the party it is
difficult to prophecy Mr. Disraeli has held
the tories together since the death of Lord
Derby, in spite of many adverse influences.
He was never thoroughly at home with the
leaders of that rich, aristocratic and exclusive
organization. A plebeian from an alien race,
without natural sympathy with the institu-
tions of England or the English character
it seemed to be the irony of politics that he
should be called upon to lead party which
represented the proudest traditions of the
English name His predecessor, the Earl of |
Derby, was representative of one of the
Oldest and noblest houses in the realm. High
noblemen, dukes and earls, descendants of
men who had come over to England with the
Conqueror and fought in the wars of the |
Roses, and who had given counsel to Eliza
both, did not kindly accept the leadership of |
man whose ancestors were at that time !
straying in the Southern lands under religious |
and social ostracism. Mr.. Disraeh has held |
his power at the head of the tory party by the |
sheer force of intellect, and the question |
arises whether his successor will WELD equal |
influence
Who will succeed Disraeli, and what will
come after him? Gossip points to many
statesmen We are told the Duke of Rich
mond, the leader of the tory party in the |
House of Lords, may be an available chief
The Duke of Richmond is little more than a
name, and is the leader of the tory lords be- |
cause of his name The Earl Of Derby prob
ably stands at the head of the tory party, not
only from his rank, but from his acquire
ments and experience and the general conf |
dence felt In his capacity by the English peo-
pie Whether Lord Derby is conservative |
enough for the tory party is a problem. |
Next to Lord Derby we have the Marquis
of Salisbury, man of high gifts, who |
mutinied under Mr.. DisraeIi's general |
ship before, who came into the new |
rebuked by his chief and who has never
failed to express his Indifference and almost |
contempt for the leadership of Mr.. Disraell.
The Marquis Of Salisbury is fitted by intellect |
and experience and rank to lead the tory party; |
but his opinions are too advanced on many !
questions to make HIM q serviceable states
man. Time may temper these views, as it has |
tempered those of others-of Mr.. Disraei, |
who began the career of conservative by |
the expression of extreme radical ideas and
OF Gladstone, who was once stern, unbend-
ing tory. In the House of Commons it is
difficult to know who will succeed Mr.. Dis
raeli. Sir Stafford Northcote has been re-
garded, until the last session, as moderate,
sale man. In the recent financial debates ne
has shown unusual capacity. Mr.. Claiborne
Hardy has also much power with the House.
There are other rising men in the Cabinet who /
are winning distinction from day to day, but
there is no one man who is competent to take
the place of the aillng leader and to thor
oughly succeed him not only in the allegiance !
of the party but in the confidence of the Eng
ish people.
SOME PEOPLE would persist in celebrating |
the national anniversary yesterday instead of |