THE PREMIER' FIRST SPEECH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 366, 20 June 1874, Page 3

THE PREMIER' FIRST SPEECH.

It is well-known that the Right Hon. Benjamin Disraeli, now for tlie pecond time premier of England, was pronounced to be an utter failure upon the occasion of his first addressing tho House of Commons on the 7th December, 1837. He then, when laughed down, predicted that the day would come when they should hear him, and every one knows that predic'ion has been fulfilled In the. view of this it is interesting to read the report of that first speech as it appears in the following mornings papers; If is as folio wb :—ln: — In the course of another irregular and noisy debate on the legality of the Irish election petition fund Mr B. Disraeli (following Mr. O'Connell) made his first speech in Parliament. He contended that the subscribers to the Spottiswoode fund were men anxious to work out the Reform Act, by putting an end to the sytem of borough-mongering, which in a different shape prevailed more extensively than ever. The mortified feelings of these individuals should be taken into consideration, before the inquiry was instituted. (Here Mr. Disreali experienced much interruption, andrepearedly implored the House to grant him a hearing). He bad something to say in vindication of Her Majesty's Government, and wished the House would give him five minutes : " I stand here to night,- Sir, not formally, but in some degree virtual, the representative of a considerable number of members of Parliament — (Bursts of Laughter.) Now, why smile F (Continued laughter.) " Why envy me ? (Here the laughter became long and general.) Why Bhould not I have a tale to unfold tonigh r P (Roars of laughter.) Do you forget that band of 158 members — tho3e ingenious and inexperienced youths,\to whose unsophisticated minds the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in whose tones of whining pathos (Excessive laughter, and loud cries of ' Question !) Now a considerable misconception exists in tbe minds of many members on this side of the House as to the conduct of Her Majesty's Government with respect to these elections, and I wish to remove it. I will not twit the noble lord opposite with opinions which are not ascribable to him, or to his more immediate supporters, and which were expressed by the more popular section of his party some months buck. About that time, Sir, when the bell of our cathedral announced the death of the monarch — (laughter) — we all read then, Sir, — (groan*, and cries of c Oh!') — we all then read (Laughter, and great interruption.) I know nothing ■which to me is more delightful than to show courtesy to a new member, particularly if he happens to appeal to me from the party opposed to myself. (Hear, hear.) At that time, we read that it was the death-knell of Toryism; that the doom of that party was sealed ; that their funeral obsequies were about to beconsummated. We were told that, with the dissolution of that much-vilified Parliament which the right honourable baronet had called together, the hopes that and prospects of the Tories would be thrown for ever to the winds ; and that the affairs were again to be brought exactly to what they were at the period when the hurried Mr. Hudson rushed into the chambers of the Vatican." (Great laughter.) If hon. gentlomen thought this fair, he would submit. He would not do so to others, that was all. (Lmghter.) Nothing was so easy as to laugh. He wished before he sat down, to show the House clearly their position When they remembered that in spite of tho honourable member for Dublin (O'Connell) and his well disciplined band of patriots, their was a little shyness exhibited by former supporters of Her Majesty's Government : when they recoli'cted the " new loves " and the " old loves " in which so much pa*sion and recrimination wss mixed up between the noble Tityrus of the Treasury .Bench and the learned Daphne of Li*koard (Charles Buller) — (loud lnughter) — notwithstading the amantium iroe had resulted, as he had always expected, in the amorisredintegratio — (renewed janghter) — notwithstanding that political duels had been fought, in which more than one shot had been interchanged, but in which recourse was had to the secure arbifratment of blauk cartridges — (laughter) — notwithstanding emancipated Ireland and enslaved England, the noble lord might waive in one hand the keys of St Peter and in the other (The shouts that followed drowned the conclusion of the sentence.) Let them see the philosophical prejudice of men. He would certainly gladly hear a cheer, even though it came from the lips of a political op. ponent He was not at all snrprised at the reception which he had experienced. He had began several times many things, and he had often sneceeded at last. He would sit down now, but the time would come when they would hear him.