Regarding the matter simply in its own light, without bringing to bear upon it the experience of the last half-century, Mr.Ratler would have thought his party strong enough to defy Mr.Daubeny utterly in such an attempt.

The ordinary politician, looking at Mr.Daubeny's position as leader of the Conservative party, as a statesman depending on the support of the Church, as a Minister appointed to his present place for the express object of defending all that was left of old, and dear, and venerable in the Constitution, would have declared that Mr.Daubeny was committing political suicide, as to which future history would record a verdict of probably not temporary insanity.

And when the speech was a week old this was said in many a respectable household through the country.

Many a squire, many a parson, many a farmer was grieved for Mr.Daubeny when the words had been explained to him, who did not for a moment think that the words could be portentous as to the great Conservative party.

But Mr.Ratler remembered Catholic emancipation, had himself been in the House when the Corn Laws were repealed, and had been nearly broken-hearted when household suffrage had become the law of the land while a Conservative Cabinet and a Conservative Government were in possession of dominion in Israel.
Mr.Bonteen was disposed to think that the trick was beyond the conjuring power even of Mr.Daubeny.