The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 704 pages of information about The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902).

The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 704 pages of information about The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902).

[73] A short time after this speech was delivered, Mr. D’Israeli commented upon it with great severity, and made it the ground work of one of his most bitter attacks on Sir Robert Peel, in the course of which he made use of the celebrated phrase, “organized hypocrisy.”  “Dissolve if you please,” said Mr. D’Israeli, “the Parliament you have betrayed, and appeal to the people, who, I believe, mistrust you.  For me there remains this at least—­the opportunity of expressing thus publicly my belief, that a Conservative Government is an organised hypocrisy.”  It was Sir Robert Peel who had set aside the word “Tory” for that of “Conservative,”—­hence the point.  Sir Robert, who was neither quick nor brilliant at repartee, rose and replied with dignity, yet with the style and manner of one who felt keenly the arrows of his adversary, steeped, as they were, in gall.  His closing observations were telling:—­“When I proposed the Tariff of 1842, and when the charge which the honorable member now repeats was made against me, I find the honorable gentleman got up in his place, and stated, that ’that charge had been made without due examination of the facts of the case, and that the conduct pursued by the right honourable baronet was in exact, permanent, and perfect consistency with the principles of free trade as laid down by Mr. Pitt.  His [Sir R. Peel’s] reason for saying this much was to refute the accusation brought against the Government, that they had put forward their present views in order to get into power.’  These sentiments I find attributed to Mr. D’Israeli.  I do not know whether they are of sufficient importance to mention them in the House; but this I know, that I then held in the same estimation the panegyric with which I now regard the attack.”

[74] Memoirs by Sir Robert Peel, part 3, page 113.

[75] Sir Robert Peel’s Memoirs, part 3, page 119.

[76] Ibid.

[77] Memoirs, part 3, page 121.

[78] Quarterly Review, Sept. 1846

[79] Memoirs, part 3, page 131.

[80] Sir R. Peel’s Memoirs, part 3, page 132.

[81] Ib. 134.

[82] Memoirs, part 3, page 158.

[83] It is a great pity we have not this Mem. before us.  It was returned to Lord Stanley at his request, and Sir Robert says he kept no copy of it.

[84] Memoirs, part iii, p. 181.

[85] Memoirs, part 3, page 185.

[86] “You will have heard the termination, of our attempt to form, a government.  All our plans were frustrated by Lord Grey.”  T.B. (Lord) Macaulay’s letter to J.F.  M’Farlane, 22nd Dec., 1845.

[87] Sir R. Peel, in his Memoirs, part 3, p. 259.

CHAPTER IV.

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The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.