The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-27

yesterday in the reading Of their report.
British Refsrn Msveneut.
In to-day's issue we publish . letter from
our special correspondent giving full details Of
the great reform demonstration on the 18th
and the proceedings in the House Of Commons
on the same evening The information 1t con-
veys, though rendered somewhat old by our
cable kilograms, is still full Of interest as
giving the impressions Of an intelligent spec
tator amid the scenes described.
Our correspondent, it will be observed, is
not deeply convinced of the sincerity Of Mr..
Disraeli or Of the party with whom he acts in
the course Of apparent concession on which
they have entered II Is impossible, indeed, for
an intelligent observer to come to any other
conclusion. Disraeli, the world has long been
convinced, is more able than honest, more
cunning than consistent-in all things infinitely
more skilled as q theoretical than as practi-
cal statesman. At the same time we cannot
divest ourselves Of the thought that but for
his commanding ability neither in 1859 nor
now could the tory party have been induced
to listen to proposals ofreform. Disraeli is Of
and yet not Of the party with which he acts.
He is a tory rather by adoption than convic-
ton, by deliberate purpose rather than by
unconscious training. The FIRST colors he ex-
hibited when seeking place in Parliame mt
were those Of the radicals. It is difficult to
believe that he adopted other color for
any higher or nobler purpose than
to win q position. It is equally
difficult to believe that he adheres to those
oolors for any higher or nobler purpose than
to maintain the proud position he has won.
He is not unwilling to serve the party who
have honoted him and who acknowledge his
leadership. We can hardly conceive him
guilty of betraying them. He sees, and sees
clearly-more clearly than any Of the heredi-
tary aristocracy who compose his rank and
fle-that concession is necessary that nothing
else can save the nobility from utter ruin and
II is his object to make that concession in such
shape as shall render 1t ~ little injurious,
or rather as highly advantageous, to his party
as possible. 1t has ever been the opinion Of
the tories that the Reform bill of 1882 was .
bill too exclusively in the interest Of the wings
Rightly or wrongly, this is . conviction in
which Disraeli processes to share. We can con-
ceive to ourselves the advice which he has uni
formly given to bis friends:-You cannot resist
this powerful current of reform. Resistance,
in fact, is ruin. You must yield If you would
save yourselves. Let us, therefore, make con-
cesslons; but let US make them in such form,
let us so manipulate the franchise by balanc-
ing the votes Of the rural population with the
votes in the towns and cities, and by otherwise
introducing the conservative element, that the
concessions shall actually prove to our advan-
tsge. This is the game which Disraeli wishes
to play, and to which his aristocratic friends
have become party. He played it in 1859
and lost. He plays II this time more
cautiously, but whether with greater sue
cess we must wait to see. There is
one man who knows Disraeli's game and
who greedily watches his every move. Mr..
Gladstone, who trampled on Disraeli's last re-
form bantling with merciless severity, Il little
likely to be more tender with this one. The
discussion Of the resolutions will occupy the
House, in all likelihood, for . considerable
number ofnights. The real tug of war will come
ct the close Whether the debate will result
in vote Of want OF confidence and . return Of
the liberals TO power, or whether, by grudg-
ingly yielding what ID demanded, Ministers
will be able to retain their seats and proceed
with the settlement Of the question, we shall
not venture 10 predict
One thing u manifest to ALTO tories and
TO liberals alike-that the spirit Of the people
is reused and that II must not be tri6ed with.
The terrific scenes which were Witnessed In
1889 in France, and the disastrous results
which then followed the outbreak Of outraged
popular feeling, a. well Is the causes which
led to them, are not yet forgotten in England.
Whether q popular privilege or a. . demo-
cratic right, Parliamentary reform must and
viii be granted. II Disraeli's artfhl schemes
do not succeed. the best thing for Lord Derby
and hs friends to do in the circumstances will
be to initiate the conduct Of the defunct Post
master General Of Germany, the illustrious
Prince Of Thum and Taxis-bow to stern ne
csssity, make the best bargain possible and
retire, thankful that worse has not befallen
them.
Ths Internal Revcnue System and Its Abuses. i
The committee appointed by Congress in
last to inquire into any frauds
or evasions Of the payment Of the internal
reveaue duties on distilled spirits, tobacco and
cigars have made their report They deal
pretty generally with the question, but do not
appear to have given any detailed facts which
might lead TO specific result They state, for
ovornv,1o that In Nav vorI~ pu~.L,-. -