Year: 1868




Come what may said Mr. DisIaeli TO a
political acquaintance toward the close ol a
memorable debate in 1859, history must record
Chat was twice Chancellor Of the ENcheqner.'
This was said in anticipation Of tic vote OF
the House of Commons which few hours amer
dismissed Mr. DisIaeli from office; and 1t was
his proud consolation for expected defeat
Doubtless he finds at present the same sort OF
consolation in looking back upon the greater
honors he has lately won. Come what may,
history must record that lac was three times
Chancellor of the Exchequer and once Prime
Minister. Only those lwho study closely the
organization of English political life can under
stand the nature f-the triumph over dinicul-
ties which Is represented by the elevation of
man of no family TO the place Of Primo Minis
ter. Had Mr.. Dsraeli a soul far lofuer and
more d;snterested than he has hc might well
indulge n personal pride IN the recollection OF
his trumphs. 81 cease to live says Goethcs
Egmont, but have lived


There is something. however, we cannot help
thinking which sustaus Mr. Disraeli in his
fall beside the consolation of memory. The
address in which he explains to his party the
reason Of his resignation of Office shows that
he has no idea Of giving up the game he has
played so unscrupulously aud so successfully.
There were reasons why ho could not hope,
for the present, to bid against Gladstone for
popular favor. He could not just yet attempt
to accomplish the same apdaciQDs Change 81
front with regard to the lIis4 Church Which
he effected SO completely ID the case Of the
Reform bill. lie could 6ot bring his party at
this hour, up to The pitch Of sacrificing tbe
Irish Chpeh, His bold over some Of the
styicter members of the patty was terribly
shaken by tue evepts of last year 0pe more
| such victory aud he must have been gqdone
Already sort Of pllen secession WAS forming
itself in his own Ministry in anticipation Of his
venturng Oh some surrender Of trqs-blge Tory
principle. faction was silently gathering iseV
round Gathome Hardy. who had proclaimed
that come what might he would pail bis Pro-
testant Ascendency colors to the mast. Then
there were the powerful seceders of last year
the Marquis of Salisbury the Earl of Carnar-
Won, and Cen Peel-prepared to resist with
uttermost force any 3ttempt to compromise
with the spirit Of religious equality. No, the
thing could mot be done. 1t must have boep
very tempting TO Disraei One bold coup
| " Nt'W', Vic udllhb uuuVuINNIH'nb tnut tiic uuO'
liton Of the Irish Church had all along been
the dream and the hope of the Conservative
! party-and where would Gladstone and Bright
be tbep7 But il COULD not 10 done. Disraeli
must in his heart have rhged against the slow
aud stolid men of prnciple-the Hardys and
such like-who could not appreciate the splen-
did chance before them, and wond rather
stick to what they called their principles than
execute the most brilliant maneuver with the
utmost certainty Of success Unluckily, too
| he had tried the .No-Popery cry himself
he had tried TO kindlc the fire which
would not light, and he had only burned his
own Gngers in the futile effort. So, surveying
the situation calmly, lac saw nothing left for
him but to go out of Office and educate his
party in the way of religious equality. The
| comipg year is full Of chances. Gladstone bas