The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-13
Benja min Disraeii, Earl OF Besesns-
0eld.

mons and 60 into the House Of Lords as the
Earl of Beaconsficld is confirmed. Mr.
Disraeli, at the prorogation of the present
session, will close career which the Lon
don Times aptly describes as that of the
greatest member of Parliament that ever
lived. He will retain the Premiership and
give the leadership Of the House 70 a states
man well known in America Ia connection
with the Alabama Treaty Sir Stafford North
cote. He will take his title from n little
town in Bucks, which he has represented IN
the House Of Commons for more than
generation. II was the title which the
Queen conferred upon his wife, when, with
n chivalric devotion to that true-hearted and
noble woman, he pushed the coronet from his
own brow and encircled hers. The Niscount-
ess Of Beaconsfield has passed away, and
as the Earl of Beaconsfeld Mr.. Disracli
takes his seat in the House of Lords. His
selection of this title is, therefore. in some
respects n tribute to the memory OF n woman
whose courage and virtue Influenced his
career and whose name will live with that
of the worthiest of her sex. Mr.. Disraeli Is
ON old man, and it has been seen during the
present session of Parliament that the cares
of government, md more especially the
leadership Of the House of Commons, were
too much for his years and strength. He
therefore surrenders his turbulent and ex-
acting Office to younger men and seeks the
honored repose of the peerage.
The retirement of Mr.. Disraeli from the
&c - ov,I x~,,~ Ia. x.,l
make profound impression throughout the
English-speaking world. In n generation of
remarkable men-a generation which has
known Peel, Palmerston, Lord Russell,
Gladstone, Golden and Bright-he has
shown himself to be the most remarkable Of
them all. It would be idle to compare Mr.
Disraeli with the illustrious men who have
shared with him or challenged his leader
ship of the House. There are few points Of
comparison. Peel came from rich, middle
class family, the class which has created the
wealth and greatness of modern England
He was on English gentleman always, and
the sturdy John Bull English character re-
joiced in his elevation and sustained him in
his whole career. Palmerston came from q
noble family, which lifted him into public
life rs soon as he left the university
He had oil the advantages of wealth.
rank and station. Lord Russell was a cadet
of one of the great whig houses in the
kingdom-houses almost royal in their power
and dignity. He was forced into prominence
as soon as he entered manhood, just as the
representative Of another great whig house
the present Marquis of darlington finds
himself leader of the liberal party because
he is the son of the Duke of Devonshire.
Gladstone, like Peel, came from the middle
class, and had its support and sympathy.
In addition he has wonderful gifts rs an
orator-gifts which have been excelled by
none of his contemporaries. Exalted genius.
blameless character and social caste gave
Gladstone the impulse of success at the out
set of his career-an impulse which carried
him to the highest Office in the realm and
secures him one of the most envinble posi-
tons among English statesmen.
Mr.. Disraeli began life with none of these
advantages. He did not have even those of
university education, which go so far in On
race, blood, and we may almost say in re-
ligion. His father was a quiet, plodding
literary man, with q faculty for culling
anecdotes and criticisms, which he pub
lished in books. His ancestors were
Hebrews, who had wandered into the Medi-
terranean countries, and from thence to Eng
land to escape the hereditary oppression of
their race The very name Disraeli was
selected as an expression of devotion to
Israel's God for having carried them through
so many tribulations. He had slender
fortune His tastes were those Of ro-
mancer his reputation at the outset that Of
a dandy. His books were artificial, senti-
mental, what we should be apt to call
gushing" carnations of the Byron
school, There was nothing English
about them or about his character. He was
regarded as one of the curled darlings of
Lady Blessington's drawing room. Those
who look at picture of Disrneli, as published
in the Blessington and Count 'Orsay days,
will see an effeminate, gorgeous, rather loud
Young gentleman, who might hope, if his
career was not arrested to become popular
second class fashionable novelist, or, if he
chose public life, an attache of some en-
bassy Mt n Continental court. Even when
he went into politics he was uncertain
whether to be q radical or n conservative.
His entrance into the House Of Commons
was amid the jeers and contempt of the
members. When he arose 10 speak he was
laughed down, md when he challenged
O'Connel's attitude as the leader of the
him only worthy Of contemptuous sheer us
descendant from the impenitent thief who
died on the Cross.
Yet in spite of all these disadvantages
! this fantastic Young Hebrew adyenturer Ms