DISRAELI'S MAIDEN SPEECH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3586, 29 March 1886, Page 4

DISRAELI'S MAIDEN SPEECH.

Tho St. James' Gazette has the following with reference to the portion of tho recentlypublishcd letters of Lord BeaconsOeld -which refers to his first speech m Parliament : — " The time will come," were the words with which, as is well known, Disraeli four or five years later ended that famous maiden speech to which tho House of Commons refused to listen. Of that speech, so often described by his biographers and critics, ho himself gives an account: — "December, 8, 1837- — I made my maiden epeeoh last night, rising very late after O'Connell, but at tho request of my party and tho full sunction of Sir Bobert Peel. As I wish to give you an exact idea of what occurred, I state at once that my debut was a failure, so far that I could not succeed m paining an opportunity of saying what I intended ; but the failure was not occasioned by my breaking down or any incompctency on my part, but from tho physical powers of my adversaries. I can give you no idea how bitter, how factious, how unfair they were. It was like my first debut at Aylesbury, and perhaps m that sense m:iy bo auspicious of ultimate triumph m the same scene. I fought through all with undaunted pluck and unruffled temper, made occasionally gool isolated hits wlien there was silence, and finished with spirit when I found a formal display was ineffectual. Sly party backed me well, and no one with more zeal and kindness than Peel, cheering mo repeatedly, which is not his custom. Tho uproar was all organised by tho Hurt* and tho Repealers. They formed a compact body near the bar of the House, and seemed determined to set me down, but that they did not do. I havo given )on a most impartial account, stated indeed against myself. In the lobby at tho division, Chnndos, who was not near me while speaking, came up and congratulated me. 1 replied that I thought there was no cause for congiatulations, and muttered, ' Failure !' 'J.o such thing,' said Chandos, 'you are quite wrong. I have just seen Peel, and I said to him, ' Now tell me exactly what you think of D.' Peel replied, ' Some of my party were disappointed, and talk of failure : I say just the reverse. He did all that lie could do under the circumstances. 1 say anything but failure; ho must make his iv;u .' Tlio Government and their retainers beh-.ved well. The Attor-ney-General, to whom I never spoke m my life, came up to me m tliu lobby and spoke to me with great cordiality. He said, 'Now Air Disraeli, could you just tell me how you finished one sentence m your speech ; we aro anxious to know — In one hand the keys of St. Peter, and m the other ? 'In the other the cap of liberty, Sir John.' He smiled, and suid, 'A pood picture.' I replied, 'But your friends will not allow me to liininh my pictures.' ' I assure you,' he said, ' there was the liveliest desire lo hear you from us. It was a party at the bar, over whom we had no control ; but you have nothing to bo afraid of.' Now I have told you all. — Yours, D., m very good spirits."