New-York tribune., 1910-12-18

George W. Smalley.)
try precedents and traditions have
they still have. but nobody knows for
how long-the force of law. and some
times more than the force of law.
OF the three other Speakers about
whom I wish to say something / will
take Mr.. Arthur Peel. now viscount
Peel, first He succeeded Sir Henry
Brand, and there is curiou, story
about the ~ in which he came to
succeed him. He was the son of the
great Sir Robert Peel. the idol and ideal
o. Mr. Gladstone's political life. He had
been twenty years in the House. vet
had won no particular distinction in de-
pate or otherwise. He seldom II ever.
spoke But Mr.. Gladstone-for the choice
of candidate for Speaker rests In the
first instance with the Prime Minister
OF the oay-said to his colleagues that
ne should like to make the proposal to
Mr. Peel If only as a compliment to his
father He was told that Mr.. Peel would
not accept
Never mind. I wish he should have
the chance to accept"
So the proposal was made and. to the
surprise Of Mr.. Peers friends. was nc
cepted- The House is not Obliged to
choose the candidate presented to it by
the Prime Minister, but Mr. Gladstone's
authority was still very great in 1884.
and his nominee was elected unan,-
mously Mr.. Peel had then to address
the House. He spoke with an eloouence
nobody expected; with dignity. and in
that House of Commons tone which is
supposed TO be attainable only by long
practice The House was delighted. and
from the day he took the chair. in 1884,
down to 1885, when he retired, he ruled
wisely and well.
often saw Mr.. Peel. All Speakers.
for the reason / gave above, are inpres
slVe- 1t is not too much to say of this
one that his air was majestic Like a
King upon his Throne" once heard an
experienced observer say but in truth
the number Of kings who upon good
testimony are kingly in their demeanor
is not unlimited, and the number to
whom you would apply the word ma
jestic is smaller still. The most striking
scene [ can remember was that in
which tunult arose in Committee: in
suits were flung across the floor of the
House, the two sides roared at each
other, blows were exchanged, the Chair
man was powerless and the Speaker was
sent for. AS he was seen emerging from
the space behind the Chair the House
grew still: the passions which had rent
the air subsided; order reigned before a
word had fallen from those grave Iips
The mere presence Of the Speaker suf-
feed 1t was triumph Of personality
far more than of Official position.
A tall, erect. strong featured and
strong natured man. The first Sir Rob-
ert Peel was cotton spinner, from whom
came the great fortune which the great
Sir Robert used greatly, now. by descent
to a last eldest son, pretty much squan-
dered- The Speaker was the youngest
son of the Prime Minister The doctrine
of heredity is no longer a favorite doc
trine with the men who have possession
Of the platform. 1t seems useless,
Lord Peel owes any debt to either of
flS dnceStoTS-or TO winch. tie Is quite
capable of standing alone.
He is a great orator. 1t was not
merely the one speech on his election
TO the Speakersflip which proved it. A
frequent orator he is not. but whenever
he has spoken it has been in the grand
manner He belongs to the school of
which Mr.. Gladstone was the most il
lustrious example: not the greatest
school. but one of the greatest When
Mr.. Disraeli described Mr. Gladstone as
intoxicated with the exuberance of his
in that unfriendly sentence. But Lord
Peel, who has the sonoreus eloquence of
Mr. Gladstone, has never had the fluent
facility of speech and the unrestrained
brought that orator to disaster If l were
asked TO choose among all the speeches
I have heard one which had every great
quality of oratory in the least compass,
I should choose Lord PeeI's speech at
the dinner Of farewell to Mr.. Wadding-
ton. on his retirement from the French
Embassy to London which he had long
honorably filled. He said everything that
needed to be said, said it with finish,
with distinction. with rhetorical power,
with a vibratory emotion which held a
brilliant company brea thless-and his
speech was just six minutes long
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