The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-05-11

For the sake of truth we sign our names.
ROBERT W. WILCOX,
| JAMES X. BooTH,
ROBERT n. BOYD.
TEE death of the Earl of Beaconsfeld is a pa-
tional calamity to Great Britain. The Gladstone
Government is none too firm, and there seems
every probability of the Conservative party being
called TO power at any time; but now when they
come, they will miss that old and experienced
leader, whose reputation was not only European,
but extended to every part of the civilized world.
Benjamin Disraeli was born in London in 1906.
His father who was a regular bookworm and well
known by his "Curiosites of Literature" the
Life and Reign of Charles the First" and
several other works, had attained to no great
eminence in his adopted country, so that his son
had no adyentitious aids to give him start in
life. He originally intended for the legal pro-
fesson, and served for some time in an attorneys
Office. His first efforts in literature were some
articles which he contributed to daily Tory news
paper called the Representative. This was in 1926
1t was not till two years later, 1928, that his first
novel, "Vivian Grey" appeared. The work. which
paints the career of young man of talent ambi-
tious of political fame, created great sensation
In 1929 Mr.. Disraeli travelled on the continent of
4@AADEcf anu NlSlAbu 1dSl DaCh WIN
him mental material which he afterwards made
of to give that brilliant cooring to his works
in which he always delighted He returned in 81
but during his wanderings he found time to write
two novels, " Contarini Fleming and " The Young
Duke" On his return to England the celebrated
Reform Bill was agitating the minds of the whole
country, and Mr.. Disraeli made several efforts to
enter the House of Commons. He was defeated
at Wycombe CID and Marylebone c33) at the
latter election he avowed himself friend to
triennial Parliaments and vote by ballot" Having
for the time failed to get foothold upon the
political ladder, he again turned to literature and
produced "Alroy" and the Rise of Islander
In 1885 he came forward in the Conservative in
terest for the borough of Taunton, and called
forth vigorous correspondence between himself
and 0'Connels son, a large portion of which ap-
peared in the newspapers. Mr.. Disraeli was de-
feated, but in a letter to O'Connel upon the sub
ject he said, 1 have deep conviction that the
hour is at hand when / shall be more successful
before the repeal of the Union. Rest assured that
confident in a good cause, and in some energies
which have not been altogether unimproyed. will
seize the first opportunity of inAicting upon you
a castigation which will at the same time make
you remember and repent the insults that you
have lavished on Benjamin Disraeli.n In 1896 he
published Henrietta Temple and in 1887 ''Ve-
1etia." In the same year he achieved the great
object of his ambition, and was returned as Con-
servative for the borough of Maidstone. His
maiden speech, as is well known, was failure
and it was this occasion that he made the cele-
brated remark 4" The time will come when YOU
lciH hear me-" By 1899 be had made good his
words, had obtained the attention of the House.
and was the acknowledged leader of what was
known as the Young England Party" Any one
who has looked over the older numbers of Punch
will remember caricatures of him under that
name In the same year he married the widow of
Mr.. Wyndham Lewis lady of considerable for
tune, which gave him the means required by
man in public life. To his wife he was very de-
voted, and he dedicated one of his novels to her.
speaking of her as "psrfect wife, The severe
attacks which Disraeli made upon Sir Robert Peel
established his parliamentary reputation, and in
1913 he was an acknowledged leader of the Con-
servative party. He first took Office under Lord
Derby's administration in 1852, when he occupied
the position of Chancellor of the Fxchequer. but
went out with the Ministry in December of the
same year In 1858 he once more occupied the
same Office retaining it till June of 1859, when
Lord Derby's cabinet resigned. From this date
till 1867 he was the acknowledged leader of the
Opposition in the Lower House. In that year he
again took his old post of Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, and in 1863 upon the resignation of Lord
Derby, he became Prime Minister, but was obliged
to resign early in December While he was lead
ing the Opposition against tho Gladstone Govern
ment he found time TO return to the path of
literature, and gave to the world Lothair.r a
novel, perhaps better still, satire, which had
an immense sale. His last work had been pub
hshed in 1852. He refused peerage for himself.
but accepted for his wife, who was created
Countess of Beaconsield. In 1874 he became
Prime Minister second time, and retained the
position till 1880. During these six years he re-
stored the prestige of England by a brilliant and
firm policy. His diplomatic skill was displayed at
the Berlin Congress- where he proved himself a
match for the great Chancellor himself. Had he
renamed in Office, the troubles in Ireland would
have been, ere this, most probably solved The
checkmate given to Russia by bringing 10000
troops from India, was one of the most brilliant
strokes of brilliant administration and the pur-
chase of the Suez Canal shares was another mas
ter stroke. Since his retirement from Office Lord
Beaconsfeld has given more novel, book
widely read at this present moment. He leaves
besides quantity of manuscripts, which will be |
published in ten years time. In a short article it
is impossible to give more than bare outline of /
the life of this grest man. His genius is ac-
knowledged even by his opponents
By the death of Lord Beaconsfeld the British /
Empire loses not only one ot her greatest states
men. but also one of her most brilliant writers It
Is difficult for contemporaries to form q correct 4
Judgment. but we certainly think that fifty years /
hence, when the history of the latter half of this
century viii be written, the very highest praise |