he finally entered the house of commons in 1857 as member of parliament for northamptonshire north, at the end of the year, having made several unsuccessful attempts previously. he was a secretary to the treasury from 1866 to 1868, in the ministry of the 14th earl of derby. he was then appointed to the exchequer when disraeli took office. by repute, when he presented his one and only budget speech to parliament he discovered that he had left the ministerial "red box" containing it at home. this is said to be the start of the tradition that, when a chancellor leaves for the house of commons on budget day, he shows the assembled crowd the box by holding it aloft.