The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22

reduinB one OF tnom' quite charnuiB
but. oh, 1t might be from a grandfather
Doubtless, also. association with the Suth.
erland connection gradually modified Lord
Lorne's political opinions. His allegtanoe
TO Sir Robert Peel, indeed, remained un-
shaken up to that statesman's death, but
his original ,antipathy to the Wings melted
away under personal intercourse with
Lord Morpeth, Lord John Russell and Lord
Lansdowne. or Lord John in particular
he bears witness that "a more charming
companion In private society could not be
found
SO far as hta political career was con-
cerned, the young man who presently was
TO be Duke Of Argyll labored under the
disadvantage Of never having had an OPP
p~ortunity Of entering the Hous Of Commons.
He has never ceased. he said, to regret ths
loss Of the experience, for although It
could not have extended over three sessions,
because. In April, 1897, he succeeded 10
his fathers peerage, yet even dyriug 30
short a period he would have made many
personal friends Of his own age and
acquired a knowledge Of men which nothing
else could supply. The Dukes comment
on the matter IL: 1T Is not generally OBJ
served how very large a number Of the
peers have been members Of the House
Of Commons for a longer or q shorter time,
and what an effect this has on the silent
and automatic causes which smooth the
working Of our old Constitution. There
Is no truth In the passionate nonsense which
Gladstone once used when he spoke OF
peers as living up in a balloon They
mingle with all other classes Of eocietys
they belong to the same political parties,
they stand often on the same platforms;
they read the same newspaperu, and the
line between peer and oommoner Is invisible
and im~perceptible In all the business 70.
lations Of life -.
The Duke addas Il speak Of the House
Of Commons simply a. an assembly Of men
which 1t isof importance for every politician
to belong TO-. even for q time, however short,
that he may know Its members as widely
as he can. This was Q loss 10 me which I
have felt through life.' 4s.., !,
During the three years which elapsed
between Lord Lorne's attainment Of his
majority and his accession to the dukedom
Of Argyll. British politics were revolution
ICED by the repeal Of tho Corn laws. When
the smoke Of the great battle had passed
away 1t was patent that the old traditional
parties had been shattered. Ostensibly, in
deed, the Wings remained. but they had adj
vanoed far from the position occupied by
Earl Grey. A Protectionist rump Of the
old Tory party still survived also, but even
this rump was presently to abjure It's eco.
nomio principles. Meanwhile a Few party
had arisen, which for the moment WAS
called Peelite, but which o came to be
recognized az the Liberal Conservative
party. inheriting all that was best In the
traditions Of Toryism and yet responsive
to a new impulse to yield to evidence or to
arguments in favor OF all, real reform.
It was a party which seemed to be founded
on the words uttered by Peel in his memor.
able speech on the Address. made on January
20, 1s4o. whether holding a public station
or placed in a private one. I will assert the
privilege Of yielding to the force OF srgu.
ment and conviction, and OF acting on the
results of enlarged experience This party,
though at the time Of our authors entrance
int o the House Of Lords IL had been elected
from Office and was not numerous, was In q
position Of effective power. holding the bal.
anoe het ween other parties for the moment
and destined, apparently, to grow III num-
hsrs and IN weight II included a M tbe nan.
hsrs ~ Feal.s Cabinet who had anv rra.,
ah;;tv vith The s;no,e syo.ntion -
sta NAV and o,,ts;dsthe circle ~ az.
M;n;stes n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a cod 49,
man ~ high p~oaition and prest sh,iti..
such "A Lord Francis Edrerton (aftsrvard
Earl Of Ellesmere,. Lord Ashley aftervard
Earl ~ sba~ftssbury, and Lord Ma on
10 ytervard Earl Stanbope,. the b;stori.n
70 a narty thus constituted the a,ytbor ~
his autobiography seemed to belons -
natura h tendency To eclect,ci.ro ~ ~.
op;nions which had arisen ont ~ M. 80
sducation and environment. was rsAsc,aa
In this new political group and he oavs ~ ~
al, his sy~mpath;es.
II Il at this point IN bis narrat,v. ,h.. s,s
author. who did not take up The nen a.
sho,Id be remembered. until ,so, !n.
10 free his mind Of his personai' b,,t 49,
somewhat Meteorological. oninion ~ p.nt.
min Disraeli. As ALI the world Lno~s =
was in the stormy time when the old Tor
party suffered shipwreok that Disraaii
80 49, nuin8
IN fhA IhNKa m UnEN IT ----l--