The Express.
London, England, 1868-11-26 00:00:00

THE EAST LOTHIAN ELECTION.

Tun return of Lord Ewno in East Lothian can
bear only one signification. It shows that even
in Liberal and enlightened Scotland there are
county oonstituencies which need the protection

of the ballot to enable them to discharge their
political duties and enjoy their political rights
without interference, and secure from the moral
intimidation of the owners of the soil. No one
who has the slightest acquaintance with
Haddingtonshire can pretend to doubt that
the majority of the electors would have preferred
to send to Parliament a representative of serious
and sincere convictions, and whose public charac-
ter and conduct would command the respect and
the confidence of the House and the country,
rather than a supercilious egotist wrapped up
in a self-conceit which would be amusing
enough on any other scene than that
of a national legislative assembly. Men who
pretend to explain the result of this contest
by the " personal popularity " of the successful
candidate, confound the contemptuous indulgence
which -,ornctiines accompanies coxcombry with the
regard and respect which are the recompense of
consistency and sincerity in the career of a public
man. Such regard and such respect were justly
due to Lord Ex.cno's rival candidate, Lord
WILL►Arr HAY. He would not only have repre-
sented ably and faithfully the constituents of
East Lothian on local questions, but would
have contributed a thoughtful intelligence and a
ripe experience in the public service to the die-
cussion of imperial—and more particularly of
Indian—politics. But the territorial influence was
LOO strong for him; and it was the influence of
his own house, and of his own paternal home that
cast him out. There is, perhaps, a certain
dramatic grandeur in the Roman austerity which
condemns a son in order that a father's principles
may triumph. But it has also a more vulgar and
prosaic aspect where an Rum° is the hero of the
episode. No doubt there has been no such pres-
sure of territorial influence in East Lothian as we
have seen daily exerted of late in English counties.
Scottish farmers are not tenants at will. But
there is a subtler and more secret form
of intimidation which a good landlord
worthy of all personal esteem may exercise
without opening his lips or moving a finger,
when his feelings and opinions are known to be
engaged on one side, and that not the side of the
popular candidate. One feet is enough to explain
Lord ELeno's victory. He never addressed a
single public meeting of his constituents before the
nomination day. But he canvassed the electors
by a house to house visitation, He flattered himself
that his noble presence, his good looks, and
his winning manners secured him an irresistible
ascendancy. Many of the electors who voted for him

- • -.•t'.;%

THE

•

t -
could tell another tale. however, as we %aro got
Lord Et MO book wo must try to makeShohselb of
him and there is somo comfort in knowing that
hia wings are clipped, and that he may flo, what
n mains of them, and crow his oyes out of his hood
without disturbing anybody's peace. His " here-

„
” ditary instincts" will hardly succeed in discover-
ing • new Cave, and if he has not the deoeney to
take his seat on the Tory side of the House, he
mill be alone in hie glory and his self-importance
in the midst of Mr. @Latino/nee liberal majority.
If indeed he will be content to amuse himself with
his own wit during the dinner hour, and to dedi-
cate big graver moments to the diminution of small
arms, he will be tolerably ornamental, possibly
men useful, and certainly harmless, and be may
be permitted to mistake political obscurity and
insignificance for personal popularity and inde-
pendence.