Sir Albert Rollit, who took the chair at the Nottingham
Con- ference of Conservative Associations, made a good speech in favour of the more progressive action of the party to which he belonged; but it is rather a pity, we think, at the present time to refer this progressive aspect of Conservatism to the historical influence of Lord Beaconsfield's democratic Toryism, rather than to the results which have flowed from the extension of the suffrage both in town and country, results which are not very well expressed by any title which includes thehwbrd " Tory " at all. As a matter of fact, Lord Beaconsfield did not " educate " his party, but blew it into the air by his Suffrage Bill and the new party le a party founded on popular feeling, and cinite out of accord with the party which ura Beaconsfield fancied that he was forming and inspiring in " Coningsby " and "Sybil." There is in the popular, party which now follows Lord Salisbury a great deal more of old Liberalism than of Mr. Disraeli's transcendental democracy. Sir Albert Rollit, however, in spite of his Disraeli-worship, made an admirable speech, and was happy in one of his epigrams, when he remarked that Ireland was prospering now that the possession of capital there is no longer a capital offence.
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