The Washington herald., 1912-11-24
Court Gossip of Britishers
Prominent in Public Affairs

The long and distinguished career OF q
great Eenglishman was closed by the
death OF viscount Peel. Speaker Of the
House Of Commons. from 1854 10 1896, and
by general consent one Of the. ablest In
cumbents OF that responsible office. Lord
Peel was in his eighty-third year. He
had been in feeble health for the past
few Yeats. but took occasional carriage
drives near his Bedfordshire home. The
Lodge. in Sandy. It was on April s,
1895. that Mr.. Peel. delivered his fare
well address in the house when resigning
the Speakers chair. During his cearller
period of ONCE he had come Into violent
collision with the Nationalist members
almost every day. The Irish Nationalist
members had no ill-feellng toward him.
/ This tribute is the more memorable and
striking because rendered. by great
Irishman. who, In the House Of Com
mons, took part in those collisions which
could not but leave some bitterness be-
hind. Mr.. Justin Mccarthy, in his de-
scription OF the character Of Speaker
Peel. fresh from the scene of parlia-
mentary strife, was but anticipating the
verdict that will be pronounced now
that he is dead and the heat Of conflict
has long since died.
Arthur Wellesley Peel was born in 1879
the NTH and youngest son OF the great
Sir Robert Peel. The year of his birth
is associated with one OF his fathers
greatest reforms, the Catholic Emanci-
patton Act. His career was marked out
both by. family desire and natural ircli-
nation, and as soon as the gates of Eton
and Balliol had closed upon him he en-
tered upon that career which his father
had pursued with such magnificent re-
suits TO his native country. ..
In 1853 he made his first attempt to en-
ter Parliament, but was rejected. I'm
successful at Coventry, he captured the
affections OF Warwick two. years later
and held the constituency for thirty
years. until his elevation to the peerage
on his retirement in 1896. Three years
after his entrance into the House of
Commons he became parliamentary sec
retary to the poor law board, and in
1871 secretary to the Board Of Trade. a
post which he occupied until 1873, when
he transferred his services to the treas
ury as patronage secretary. On the re-
turn OF the Liberals to power in 1880
he was given the office OF under secre-
tary to the home department. During
all this time he was known as a man
having a marvellous knowledge and firm
grasp Of the forms OF constitutional pro-
cedure, but he had made no speech that
seemed TO mark him out for the fulfill
ment Of the responsible place of Speaker
OF the House OF Commons.
Even his own friends could not have
said from actual knowledge whether he
was gifted or not with any OF his fathers
parliamentary eloquence. He had one
brother at least in the house who pos
sessed no such gift. Therefore. 1t was
q surprise when, after the election to the
Speakers chair Mr.. Peel delivered a
speech, which was one of the most re-
markable and one of the most eloCaent
addresses which delighted the British
House OF Commons in our time.
Elected Speaker in 1884. on the retire
ment Of Sir Henry Brand. Mr.. Peel was
thrice reelected. twice in 1886 and again
in 1882, holding the ONCE in four Parlia
ments and under fve administrations.
Like his predecessor, Speaker Peel had
to pass through the stormy times when
new rules were invented and interpreted
amid violent passions and the constant
challenge OF organized obstruction Yet
Mr.. Gladstone was able to say Of him
that he was the most dignified Occupant
Of the chair he had known. and Mr.. Bal
greatest Of many generations past"
The scene in the house on April IS. 1885,
when Mr.. Peel delivered his farewell
speech is remembered by the participants
as one OF the most memorable ever wit
messed within its walls. His final speech
was worthy OF his first. Standing i'm
passive. gestureless. in his stately Of
fetal robes. with his finely chiseled fea-
ture and the mien Of the typical Roman
Senator. Speaker Peel took farewell OF
his Comrades in words which flowed in
fiawless order and in slow and unbroken
dignity.
Mr.. Peel retired 10 the upper house
with his pension of c4.OOO a year. but
not to rest. He became chairman. in the
following year, of royal commission on
licensing laws. For two years he labored
but his report did not meet with the full
approval Of his colleagues, Lord Peel de-
Clining to put their alternative draft to
the vote. The Peel report. which differ
ed in many points from the majority re-
port, recommended a large reduction in
the number of saloons. 1t became a text