The Express. — 1867-10-31 (London, England)

DIIRAEL/ AT EDINBURGH.  The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Times rya, undertook a work of considerable difficulty at Edinburgh in endeavouring to persuade his hearers that the English Reform Act was • very good measure and was thoroughly the design and execution of the conservative party. It is • question which may be discussed, and probably will be discussed to the end of time, who really carried the bill. The conservatives claim it ; so do the liberals ; but, as the former remained masters of the field, the pretensions of the latter must be of a mere speculative character. It must be observed, however, that the great majority of the half-million now to be admitted are by no means such as the conservatives look to with hope. The agricultural labourers are left outside, and the small boroughs, supposing they remain, may not show much gratitude to their conservative saviours. The increase of the county representation is • lean equivocal conservative gain ; but when we consider the mixed character of the counties subdivided and the lowering of the county franchise, our old tories will sigh to think how small the gain and how doubtful. The real conservative triumph is that the constitution has now been placed on the firm basis of the rate-paying class. From the indiscreet sallies of hostile and captious writers Mr. Disraeli escapes by showing that an opposite course would have committed his party to a living suicide and inaction, and the world, which will always spare a little worship for snoop's, will probably be of his mind on the point. The feeling with which Mr. Disraeli has been received in Edinburgh, if analysed into its several elements, would, the Daily News thinks, probably be found to consist in about equal proportions of curiosity, amusement, and such admiration as is compatible with the predominance of the other two sentiments. He is the hero of a revolutionary epic aa strange as he ever wrote. Now they have seen him, the citizens of Edinburgh probably persuade themselves that they know him ; but the riddle of the Sphynx is not so easily solved. Like the hero of the " Strange Story " of a distinguished brother novelist and late colleague of his own, Mr. Disraeli has the power of projecting phantasm. of himself in such moods as he chooses to adopt—phantasms which hold commerce with his auditors and are mistaken for Ids real selL The entertain. went was perfectly sueoessful, and portions of his address sufficiently amusing. To the true character of the charge against him he professes to be utterly blind. As there are men born without • mus'eal sense, so there men to whom nature has denied an ethical sense. The life of the speech was in his picture of the two Quarterlies ; his hit at his coadjutors and muter, of the Reform League ; his tribute to the "Albertans movement," which will not be a bad letter of introduction to Balmoral, and the compliment to the Scotch character. His narrative of the reform question was as ingenious • piece of fiction as ever proceeded from the author's fertile imagination. For the rest, if by persuading his party that the tortes are the traditional reformers of England he can make them liberals, we at least have no cause to resent the beneficent fraud. The Post sees about Mr. Disraeli's recent utterances • cynical contempt for the understanding and memory of those who have the pleasure of listening to him, which in its way is splendid. Shall we agree to accept the account that, although apparently anxious to prevent a large and comprehensive enfranchisement, the leaders of the tortes were really working towards it all the time, unknown to,and in opposition to, their own followers ? It remains to be seen how long such audacity and effrontery will be endured as the governing principles of English statesmen. To the Herald, Mr. Disraeli's vindication appears about as perfect both in form and substance as any political exhibition it can remember, and the Standard reckons the speech one of the happiest efforts of the brilliant and incisive eloquence of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer is so consummate • master.  The Star considers it on the whole a fortunate thing that Mr. Disraeli was leader of the House of Commons last session. It is always, we suppose, accounted a very lucky thing for a besieging party when the governor of the beleaguered fortress is willing to surrender his flag and his garrison for a little personal consideration. In one sense, too, that sort of governor may be considered a much more dexterous and sensible fellow than the chivalrous zealot who holds out, is defeated, and gets nothing. But, after all, we are still not educated enough in the Disraeli school to give our homage to success of his kind.  The Tel;9rap4 asks ;hat can be better than that Mr. Disraeli and his apprentices should stand, as at present, behind the counter of the state, rubbing their hands in submission to each will and demand of public opinion, prepared to " execute the order with the utmost promptitude and in accordance with those principles of business for which our well•known establishment has ever," &0., The only remark to make upon this new division of la. boor, where the opposition dictates and the government complies, is that so agreeable a compact must may last while the beneficiaries arc obedient.