The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-20
Peel and HaScOuSt.

Peel and HaScOust.
pRHTTy EXCHANGE OF COMPLIMENTS BE-
TWEEN TWO ENGLISH STATESMEN.
u.ondon Echo, May II
To aid him in his candidature Mr.. Hall,
the Conservative candidate Tor tue CITY OF
Oxford, who seeks to prevent the reelection
OF Sir w. v. Harcourt upon bis appoint
ment as Home Secretary, invoked the SER
vices OF the present Sir Robert Peel. Re-
plying to the obsei yations OF the Barone',
the Home Secretary opined that the
sort Of language in which he IN
duleed was not suitable to the taste
of oxford. However, Sir William Har-
court proceeded to say that he was not
aware that be had any special right 10 com
plain Of the abuse OF Sir Robert Peel be-
cause he shared it pretty equally with far
more eminent persons than he 1.-THE Home
Secretary could possibly pretend to be. Sir
Robert Peel, on the platform at Oxford the
preceding night, had said II he had him Qhe
speaker) on the platform he would "crum-
pie him up like a piece OF paper" Laugh
ter.l "Bnt," added the speaker, "for Inc
last twelve years there was a place
where he might have enjoyed that
opportunity, and that was the House
of Commons, but he never made the at
tempt. [Cheers.1 For a great many years
| have sat sometimes on the same side,
sometimes on the opposite side to Sir X.
Peel. 1t requires a man with a more reten-
tive memory than / have 10 count how
many times sir X. Peel has changed his
side.v TCheers, laughter, and a cry, "Let
him have it hot.p1 "There never was a
man who began life with such splendid
chances as the present Sir II. Peel. He in
herited the great birthright OF an honored
name, and like the Prodigal in the parable,
he has d~issipated the inheritance OF bls
father loud cheers] - aud with all
those chances in political lie. what
has he done with them. and what
has become OF him? With all his
ability and eloquence, he stands In a
| position in which no man and no party
| win trust him. (Cheers.l He has lost that
seat at Tamwortb which bis father and his
grandfather before him occupied With honor
aud advantage 10 the country for more than
one hundred years. Loud c%leers.] And
this Is the man who has come down 10 at
tack nv seat at Oxford. [Groans.l lie has
alternately viliied and fawned upon both
psrties in the State, and both parties nave
equally condemned his opposition and bis
support" (Cheers.] The Home Secretary,
in continuing, said everything that money
and beer the TWO Conservative forces
could do was being done to turn the pollti-
cal Judgment OF the people OF Oxford. lie,
however, confidently left the honor and
reputation OF the city OF oxford In The
hands. OF those who returned him at the
general election. Enthusiastic and hearty
cheering for Sir W. Harcourt closed the
meeting.
SIR ROBERT PEEL REPLIES.
To the Editor Of the Times:
Sir,-I am sure, from a spirit OF fairness.
and having given unusual prominence to
the unrestricted character OF Sir William
| H~arcourt's inyective, you will not deny NE
the opportunity OF saying a few words i IN
reply.
| omit all reference to the harsh and un-
fair structures OF q personal nature in which
he has INDUCED at my expense. such
| structures are hardly within the scope OF
political warfare, particularly in the mouth
OF one occupying so high a position as
| Home Secretary.
What | refer to is the following, which
appears in the Times OF to-day Sir William
Harcourt said she (Sir r. PEEL has alter
nateIy vilifed and fawned upon both par
ties in the State, aud both parties have
| equally condemned his opposition and bis
support"
So far from there being any foundation
| whatever for such a statement, the exact
| reverse Is the fact.
/ served in both OF Lord Palmerston's adj
| ministrations, and held office as Secretary
for Ireland (for, l believe, a longer time
| than any OF my predecessors, with W eX-
| ceptions) until Lord Palmerston's lamented
death.
Upon Lord Russell succeeding Lord Pal.
| merston as Prime Minister, |, in company
| with all the other ministers, rendered my
resignation, upon which Lord Russell
wrote to me q most kind letter intimating
his desire to make a change as regarded the
Irish Secretaryship, but Offering me the
post OF Chancellor OF the Ducby not in
the Cabinet, but, he added. on the steps OF
the Cabinet. This l respectfully declined.
Lord Russell then wrote to me and pro-
posed to recommend her Msjesty TO confer
upon me the titles Of Baron and Viscount,
which ! also declined. Upon the fall OF Lord
Russelfs Administration, Lord Derby
wrote to me and offered me tho post OF
Chancellor Of the Duchy, not in the Cabi-
net. Ireplied by declining the offer. Lord
Derby then wrote and offered 10 me the
post Of Chief Commissioner Of Works,
with a seat in the Cabinet. which | also de-
clined, adding that l had received such kind
and considerate treatment from Lord Russell
that j could not bring myself, Immediately
after the fall OF bis Administration, TO take
part in a Government to which he would
be opposed.
i have throughout, upon public grounds,
supported Lord Beaconsdeld's Administra.
ton, with the one exception as regards the
affairs in South Africa.
think this statement, with which | have
reluctantly troubled you, sufficiently dis
poses OF Sir w. Harcourt upon the points
specially referred to. lam, sir, your obedi-
ent servant, ROBERT PEEL,
Whitehall, May Z.
A New England journalist married a
aItx oh -. 49,.