The pageant of Parliament, vol. 1 of 2MacDonagh, Michael
History
The pageant of Parliament, vol. 1 of 2
MacDonagh, Michael
Great Britain. Parliament
As an illustration of the treatment a candidate had to expect at the
hustings, and of the style of speaking which was thought appropriate
to the occasion, listen to Disraeli addressing the Buckinghamshire
electors at Aylesbury. Received with a cry of “You look rather
white,” he thus retorted: “I can tell you that it is at least not
the white feather I show. [Laughter and cheers, mixed with howling.]
If any member of the melodious company of owls [loud laughter]
wishes to address you after me, I hope that you will give him a
fair hearing. [Interruption.] I can tell the honourable gentleman
who makes this interruption that if it were possible for him to
express the slightest common sense in decent language, I should be
ready to hear him. In the meantime I must say, from the symptoms of
intelligence which he has presented to us to-day, I hope he is not
one whom I number amongst my supporters.” (Cheers and laughter.)
Disraeli, still directing his attention to his opponents, further
said: “Your most brilliant argument is a groan, and your happiest
repartee a hiss.” A voice then exclaimed: “Speak quick, speak quick!”
for he was a slow speaker, and he retorted: “It is very easy for you
to speak quick, when you only utter a stupid monosyllable; but when I
speak I must measure my words. [Loud cheers and laughter]. I have to
open your great thick head. [Laughter]. What I speak is to enlighten
you. If I bawl like you, you will leave this place as ignorant as you
entered it.” (Cheers and laughter.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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