The sun., 1905-08-20

Court that Sir Colin Blackburn's charge
did not represent the deliberate judgment
OF hs colleague. Mr.. Justice Blackburn
contented himself with accepting the sole
responsibility for his address to the Grand
Jury and the matter dropped. Mr.. Eyre
was not further molested, except by civil
action for damages, which failed. But
though he lived to be an old man. he was
never again employed In the service Of the
Crown.
II 10 we'll known that the Conservatives.
having taken Office after the defeat OF the
Russell Gladstone Government. undertook.
in 1887, under Lord Derby as Premier and
Mr.. Disraeli as Chancellor OF the Ex-
che ,uer and leader OF the House.. to
settle the question OF electoral reform by
a policy Of Thorough" 1t was announced
by the Prime Minister that the Government
bill would provide for household suffrage
in boroughs subject to the conditions OF
two years residence and the personal pay
ment Of rates. There would also be educa-
tional, professional and property franchises,
with q dual vote. The county franchise
would he reduced from rental qualifica-
ton Of ESQ to rating qualification OF ELS.
Lord Derby added that II this bill were re-
jected the Government would dissolve
Parliament, an effective threat. because 1t
meant that every member who should vote
against the Ministerial bill would subject
himself, II he succeeded. to fine OF some
hundred pounds. Subsequently, owing
to amendments offered by Liberals and ac-
oepted by the Government, the measure
was made to embody still more radical
concessions. OF Lord Derby's two main
safeguards a two years residence and per-
sonal rating, one was given up and the other
transformed into a farce; for, although
every borough voter would be personally
rated, 80 would every resident in a borough,
which was household suffrage pure and
simple, without restriction or modification.
Under the circumstances Bernal Osborne
was justified in describing tho Chancellor
OF the Exchequer as the greatest Radical
in the House. Our author recalls that the
fury Of MIR. Lowe almost exceeded his very
considerable powers Of speech. He im-
plored the gentlemen OF England. with
their ancestry behind them and their pos
terity before them,' to save the Consti-
tuition from the hands OF q multitude
struggling with want and discomfort.
Mr.. Disraeli remained passive and imper-
turbable, satisfied that in Lord Derby's
phrase, he had "dished the Wings or,
to Use another simie current at the time,
caught the Wings bathing and run away
with their clothes" Nothing. OF course,
could prevent the bill from becoming a
law after Mr. Gladstone and Mr.. John Bright,
while criticizing some OF its provisions,
made up their minds to allow it to be read
q second time without a division.
1t devolved, OF cour rse, upon Lord Derby
to push the measure through the House Of
Lords, and HIS influence availed for the
purpose althou gh he frankly acknowledged
that he was taking leap in the dark
1t was Of course, impossible for either OF
the Conservative leaders to lay claim to
consistency. They could not deny that
in 1895 they had opposed and destroyed
reform bill mt ch more conservative than
their own. or that in 1857 they abandoned
safeguard after safeguard which they had
pronounced essential to the welfare OF the
State. Mr.. Paul cites Mr.. Disraeli's own
account of the matter. which was given
with chara cteristic humor at Conserva-
he said at Edinburgh. ito prepare the mind
Of the country and to ducate-if 1t be not
arrogant TO Use such phrase-to edu cate
our party In the course Of the same
amusing speech Mr. Disraeli enter aimed his
hearers at the expense Of the Edinburgh and
Quarterly Rerieus. He compared them with
the boots Of the Blue Belt and the chamber
maid Of the Red Lion, who embrace and
are quite in accord" in denouncing the
action OF the Conservative party. From
the Edinburgh, then the organ Of fossilized
Whiggery, he could not have expected
much support. The article on "Conserva
tive Surrender in the Quarterly was more
serious attack because 1t appeared in the
reco gnizcd mouthpiece Of Conservatism,
and suggested in every page the forcible
st yle OF a late colleague in the Conservative
Government, Lord CranbCrne, later to be
better known as The Marquis OF Salisbury.
1t was in Tie following words that the re-
viewer described the action and the fate
OF those vino. like himself, had helped to
turn the Liberal Government out and to
PIT tlo Conservative Government in: TO
de .eut q proposal which they feared might
ultimately result in universal suffrage they
o,,sted Mr.. Gladstone from power; and
when they greeted that victory with tu-
multu3us applause no presentiment crossed
single mind OF the utter ruin Of their
hopes and their cause, which by that victory
they had accomplished. The most ma
lignant assault on Disraeli at this time
appeared in Shooting Niagara. diatribe
which Mr.. Paul describes az an example
Of great man writing his best about things
which he does not understand. -Carlyle's
somber and satiric eloquence was always
apt to he unnecessarily vituperative in
tone; and when he came to treat Of politics
he clothed himself with cursing as with a
garment"
w.
The author allots a chapter to the dis
establishment OF the Anglican Church In
Ireland by Mr. Gladstone in 1869. We