DISRAELI TEMPTED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 508, 16 September 1857, Page 3

DISRAELI TEMPTED.

[From the ' Spectator.'] The two Conservative Members for the county of Buckingham make a practice oi diniuiC once every year at the farmers' ordinary, Newport Pagneil, and there delivering speeches. The ceremony for the present year was performed on the 20th of May. Mr. Dii Pre, the senior Member, contented himself with a few words, but Mr. Disraeli expanded his remarks into a manifesto. Before he came to his two great topics—ihe coming Reform Bill and Church-rates —he told a personal anecdote with rhetorical amplification. " Last night, or I may say this morning, for it was nearly two o'clock, when the House of Commons

was breaking up, a very great personage invited me to call upon him to confer with him on a subject of deep moment; and I told him that it was not in my power to wait upon him as Icould havewished,because I had to meet my constituents, with whom I was to have the honour of dining at a fanners' ordinary at Newport Pagneil ; upon which that great personage observed, ' Good God! what can you say to them ?' (Laughter'). Gentlemen, this is the solution of the inquiry cf that eminent personage. I have kept my engagement to meet a body of my constituents; and I am now about to do that which, in the opinion of one of the most experienced judges of such matters, is regarded as probably the most

difficult task that could fall to the lot of any man. Now, that great personage, although he has received all that the favour of the Sovereign and the confidence of the people could bestow upon him in his distinguished career, and although he has also been a County Member, never had the honour of representing the county of Bucks. (Hear, hear, and a laugh). That I believe is the only honour he has never achieved. If he had ever been a Member for this county, he would have known that itjs not difficult at any time to address a b"ody of men who from their habits, and the traditions they have inherited from their forefathers, have always taken an interest in political questions ard in the Government of the country." The fanners of Buckinghamshire are charmed with their Member — the Member for Bucks. Faithful to them, he is not uncourted elsewhere. Invited to share the councils of the very highest in the land, he prefers to consult with those who attend the farmers' ordinary at Newport Pagnell. He appreciates them; can they refuse .to appreciate him? Just before his last con-

ference with those unsophisticated statesmen, he had encountered and overcome a trying temptation. As the House of Commons broke up, he received a cunning invitation from kt a great personage,"' " a very great personage, who has received all the honour that the favour of the Sovereign and the confidence of the people could bestow upon him in his distinguished career;'' that very great personage, said Mr. Disraeli, " invited me to call upon him to confer with him on a subject of deep moment; and I told him that it was not in my power to wait upon him, as I could have wished, because I had to meet my constituents, with whom I have the honour of" dining at a farmers' ordinary at Newport Pagnell." Courted by the chief of her

Majesty's Privy Council, Mr. Disraeli did not waver in his fealty to the farmers' ordinary. But that very great personage, clever as he, is, did not appreciate the fanners of Bucks; for he exclaimed, " Good God ! what can you have to say to them ?" So that the very great personage felt the mortification, though he could not comprehend tVe nature of the converse between the spirit, of an epoch and top-boots. But then, lie has not attained one of the high honours of the state—" he has never had the honour of representing' the county of Bucks." Though Palmerston is at the top of the state, he Is still below that level. But what could he the purpose of that mysterious conference, negotiated at two o'clock in the morning? With what new honours was Disraeli to be tempted, in the hope of inveigling him from his party? Was the right, honourable representative of Bucks to be offered that Viscounty of Lambeth which has gone begging, and which might aptly reward the new Conservative agitator for Parliamentary Reform. Or was a'high post in a popular Government opened to him? Sir George Cornewall Lewis is but a plodding financier, with no skill in rendering a budget picturesque or throwing a halo round the Income-tax. Was the Member for Bucks to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Palmerston Cabinet? His historic lore could exemplify the achievement of more probable combinations. Indeed, he most evidently contemplates a more striking union. Most men are High Church, or Low Church, or neither: Mr. Disraeli is alt. He admires the Low Church for checking priestly domination, and the

High Church for checking the spread of latitudinarianism ; but himself prefers the •'via media." Of the broadest church, though not latitudiuoiH, he placidly walks the way of political life in "high l-.»ws," prepared t<i aid reform <>v Tory principles, to settle church-rates on Church principles: thus he is the very man to bring CatholicProtestantism to bear upon finance as Chancellor of the Exchequer in a LiberalConservative Cabinet; humbly consenting to sit under Lord Palmersion as his diocesan in that spiritual office.