New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS
srR ROBERT PEEL
sxxrx OF SIR ROBERT PEEL BY. y. G: Montague.
International Statesmen Series. 16mo, PIP.
COS. Philadelphia: J. b. LppincoH Co.

ezxrx OF SIR ROBERT PEEL BY y. C. Montague.
international Statesmen Series. lomos PIP
eos. Philadelphia; j. b. Lppinco@ Co.
The cazeer OF Sir Robert Peel must always
excite special interest and stimulate specula-
zion, for reasons which are applicable to scarcely
any other statesman, ancient or modern. The
personal aspects Of the man are indeed almost
commonplace. he had nothing Of that ailuring
quality called magnetism On the contrary, his
external manner was so awkward as to produce
the appearance OF frigdity which repeIed
advances, and, being taken for pride, sowed
resentment. No public man so handicapped by an
unfortunate manner ever controlled FESTIVE and
but half-satsfed party, or held it in so complete
and military discipline But though Sir Robert
peers skill In administration and in party leader
shin is inconfestable and remarkable it is not
for his successes In this direction that he is best
known, nor &s 1t his talent for management which
atsracts and holds the Lively interest Of the poti-
cal student The truth lie that Sir Robert has
ever been source CT perplexity to several kinds
of mentality. His career opens up the most
dificult and obscure problems in political ethics,
and this is why more studies Of his life have
been made than Of almost any statesman OF this
century.
s The popularity Of his hfe-work is that ne
always carried measures TO the principles Oh wmch
both he and his party were formally opposed;
that as q rule he compelled his party against
their will to support such measures; that ne
actually led the stern and unloading Tories" up
to the threshold, not merely of Liberalism, but
of Radicalisn, and that in all these extraordinary
movements the apparent good falth OF the ieao"r
(. was such as to absolve him Of the suspicion oil
seIf-;nterest which must almost inevitably have
attached to any other man in the same circum-
stances.
Peel was an example of the influence OF heredly
unon an OMEN and ductile intelligence He came
Of Tory stock. There was no such designation
AZ Conservative in his fathers time de was
reared in the straightest sect Of Tories, ana
adouted their creed as so many men adopt the
views of their parents and relatives, wlthout
iuously into the grounds of the faith taken on
trust But his mind was too alert ana penetraO
ing 20 rest long contented with this periunooory
arrangement Nature had made him progressiSD
and a reformer Circumstances made him lory
roli,icisn. And all his life was an encounter
between these warning influences, enolng eAon
time In the triumph Of his inherent raocausu'
because that was the side supported py al Hs
oatural inclnations Parallels have been 1mas1h0u
between Peel and Gladstone, but they arc
essentially fanciful and unreal No Two m eL
could be less alike than these, save ~
externals Both executed more than one WIZ
face both showed a certain dmcuity IN "pp.
hending how their conduct appeared 10 inc wv
SIDE world; both seemed slow to perceive the
significance and extent of changes of frulhon
,vb,ch IN the rest of the world appeared radlcal
"a sta,tl,no ,But there the resemblance always
superfcial-ends. Peeps was far less suD',e
and a far more stable intelligence than Giad-
..oue's It was less quick and dexterous, more
sluggish and obtuse poorer in expedients e&pia-
nations and as hostile critics would say eVasiVe
and xapersubtle distinctions But comparisons Oh
the kind are more than odious; they are COIL
fusing and misleading as rule
Sir Robert Peel was learning and broadening
throughout his long political career, but ne ied
n party which did neither the one nor the otner'
Cautiously enough the source Of the marvellous
eonf1dence so long reposed in him by his follow
ave and especially the landed interest was that
mart az his nature which was least expressive
~ his strongest tendencies. outwardly be was
the incarnation of conservatism, respectabihty-
what Matthew Arnold called Philistinism. Cold,
solemn. Stiff emiuently practical and averse from
demonstratiyeness he produced the impression
OF A thorough man of business cautious, conserva-
tive. prudent and well informed All this ne
certainly was; in fact more capable MINISTER
as regards the routine business Of office, never
lived. But he was much more than man OF
business; he was born revolutionist forever
planning change, and forcing it upon those who fol
lowed him. Catholic Emancipation, Criminal Law,
Penal Administration, Parliamentary Reform,
Re neal of the Corn Laws--what events to inscriee
upon the mortuary banner of great Tory
statesmani II Peel has failed to receive the credit
due to his work 10 is because circumstances inter
fered to obscure his services: nay, more, to give
TO those services, in certain lights, the appear
ance of acts of treason to his party. Nor is this
all Of the misfortune from which his name and
memory suffer. The same untoward circum-
stances which compelled born reformer to play
the part Of a Tory leader caused every one Of
his progressive measures to be viewed as lgnoble
concession TO the pressure Of the opposition and
crafty adoption Of opposition issues.
The most singular phenomenon in PeePs career
Is his own Interpretation Of his course. AT this
day no one would venture to accuse him Of un-
worthy motives or to question his entire probity.
II must be coreeded that he was high-minded
and perfectly unselfsh statesman, who only sought
70 serve his country, and neither regarded nor
s could accept any rewards for what he did. Little
indeed was the sole gift in the power of the
Grown to bestow upon him. He was very rich,
of good middle-class family, and without per-
sonal ambition. But how did he succeed in
convincing himself that it was right for
him to retain the leadership of the
Conservative party at the same time
that no was committing that party TO course
radically at variance with its most cherished
traditions and its strongest pnnciplesa This Is
one Of the questions which have been discussed e.
often since bis death, and which have so deep
and fresh ga interest for politicians Had Peel
been an egotist. the difficulty would vanish, but
he was singularly altruisdc Yet he must have
realized that no imperative necessity existed fol
the execution OF the reforms be proposed by hi,
hand, much less By the votes Of his party, which
did not believe in them. He must have seer
that the natural and legitimate course was to lei
the Wings tale power and carry out the pro
sfsnme they had arranged and which involved
an application Of their theories Of legislation and
= rnyernment He could not have deceived himselt