PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Vol. 93.
NOVEMBER 12, 1887.
THE LETTER-BAG OF TOBY, M.P.
From a Home-sick Secretary.
ear Toby
I hope you will forgive my notbeing more precise as to my whereabouts.The fact is if I can getaway from London for a day or twowithout leaving my address, I amonly too glad to do so. I was atthe Cabinet Council on Thursday,afterwards ran down here, et j'yreste, at any rate over Sunday. Iam getting more and more tired ofLondon, and the office sardonicallycalled "Home." It has neverbeen a sweet resting-place, andof late has grown absolutelyintolerable. I used once to haveSunday to myself; but now, owingto the new-born church-going fervourof the Unemployed, Sunday isthe worst day of the week. Sowhen opportunity offers, as justnow, I cut the whole business and get me into the sweet seclusion of Surrey.
I see by the papers that I am about to resign office, and retire into that privatelife, upon which during the past twelve months I have looked back withincreasing affection. Perhaps the statement is true, and perhaps the Markisswould say it is "not authentic." We shall see. In the mean time, at thisdistance from Parliament Street, I get the advantage of perspective in regardingthe office of Home Secretary. Down here it seems odd enough that it shouldbe so much hankered after by men of various temperaments. H-nry J-m-swanted it at the time H-rc-rt secured it. It had a strange fascination forL-we, and I am disclosing no secret when I mention that my old friend andpatron, Gr-nd-lph, fancies it would suit him down to the ground. I only wishhe would try it. If I were certain that he would come in, it might have someeffect in hastening my decision on the question of resignation. Of courseGr-nd-lph and I remain on terms of friendliest regard. I am indebted to himfor a sudden promotion exceeding the hopes of the most sanguine politician.Still, I would like to see him at the Home Office, if only for a short six months.He is serenely confident he could grapple with the situation. Johnny Russellwas quite a nervous, modest person, compared with Gr-nd-lph. I should reallylike to see my old friend in my old chair.
The post, of course, has its attractions. It is no small thing to be principalSecretary of State, with a seat in the Cabinet, and an adequate salary. But,to tell the truth, dear Toby, the Home Secretary lives too near the People tohave an uninterruptedly pleasant time. He is too close to, and too frequentlyunder, the public eye. It is like working in a glass hive. A Foreign Secretarylabours in secret in the Samoan Islands, or some equally remote quarter, andmonths elapse before the publication of the Blue Book places his labour underthe criticism of the public. The Secretary for the Colonies works under similarconditions, whilst the First Lord of the Admiralty and the War Secretary,except upon rare occasions, have only their respective Services to deal with.
<