Political Campaigns 



" The Report of the Assistant Commissioner in Agriculture 

 goes to show that the Lincolnshire custom is most b eneficial to 

 the agricultural tenant. The Bill ought to have been submitted 

 to the various chambers of Agriculture before it was introduced 

 — I beg to second the amendment." 



I had been invited by my sister-in-law, who was in town 

 for the season, to go with her to the House of Commons to 

 hear my brother speak, he having secured us seats in the 

 Ladies' Gallery. Imagine our disappointment when he came 

 up to the gallery, excited and radiant, having said his say. He 

 thought we had been there, and in fact had only just finished 

 his speech when we arrived. We were told, however, by 

 several members that he had made a very telling speech, and 

 created an excellent impression in the House, and that great 

 things were expected of a man who could hold the attention 

 of members with no perceptible effort, and would evidently 

 only speak on matters that had been well considered by him 

 in detail, and of which he had personal and special knowledge. 



It is really astonishing what testimony I have found amongst 

 his private papers of his value as a loyal member of the Party 

 to which he belonged, and the conscientious manner in which he 

 discharged such duties as fell to his lot during the few months 

 that he was a Member of Parliament and entitled to write M.P. 

 after his name. One letter from an exceptionally well-informed 

 and influential member of the Conservative Party gives us a 

 partial clue to my brother's non-success in the election in 1895. 

 It is written from Downing Street, and after expressing infinite 

 regret over the other's defeat, goes on to say, " I am afraid, 

 while you were attending to your duties in the House of 

 Commons, your opponent in Brigg was making the running. 

 I have to thank you for your kind attention in the House. No 

 party could have had a more loyal and constant supporter. 



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