Lord Matures speech to the North Durham Reform Association has

attracted a good deal of attention,—in consequence, no doubt, of the position which the speaker lately held, as the presumed leader of the earnest and practical Reformers. Some of the Ministerial news- papers award it unqualified approbation ; but all is not praise from Downing Street. It will be seen, for example, by the following article from the Morning Advertiser, a paper which has a large circulation among the middle classes of the metropolis, that Lord DURHAM has given great offence by discouraging agitation in behalf of the Ministry. We see the Advertiser only once a week, (to wit, on the Saturday mornings,) but it strikes us that it was not formerly so zealous a friend to the Movement as it is unquestionably to-day. " The people of this country have often bad cause of bitter complaint with regard to the conduct pursued by some of those who affected the greatest seal for their interests. The popular cause, in other words, has much more fre- quently and more seriously suffered in the house of pretended friends, than it has from the hostility of avowed enemies. But of all the thrusts ever made- whether purposely or not, we stop not now to inquire-at that mend cause,

the Speech of Lord Dm ham, to "Lich we again invite the attentinn of the coon. tei, sous*, if het noon:awl by the application of a timely antidote, have been reductive of the greatest inivehief.

" With some men it may be a question whether Lord Durham meant that his speech should be attended with those disastrous results to the progress and meta& triumph of Reform principles, which, if not promptly counteracted, it was to well calculated to produce. We care not whether such were or were not tie intentions. Practically the thing is the same, whichever view of the case be adopted. If he did mean to damage the popular cause, by his Anti- Reform speech, than we eay, let him, as his reward. encounter the indignation of a betrayed and insulted country If he did not mean to aim a deadly thrust at the great principle', for the triumph of which Reformers have co long and so earnestly laboured, then, we say, that his judgment is so deplorably at fault that no further confidence can be reposed in him. Lord Durham inust—for there is no alternative—make his choice between treachery to the People of England, and so utter and deplorable a want of discretion as to do the work of the Torie, infieitely more effectually than they could do it for themselves. " We trust that no one will go away with the impression, that in the mis- chievous rubbish which the noble Eerl talked about not preesing his opinions on the nation, cramming Liberal measures down the throats of the people, and so forth, he was expressing the sentiments of the Ministry. A more unfounded notion could not be entettained. Lord Melbourne is a man of too much sense, and is far too honest and consistent in his capacity a. a Minister of the Crown, to hold any sentiment of the kind, or to sanction it in the members of his Ad. ministration. On this point we are not left to mere speculation. Lord Mel- bourne's entire career as Prime Minister has been at direct variance with the principles inculcated by Lord Durham in the speech in question. He has on all fitting occasions isuptessed on Reformers the propriety and necessity of pressing their grievances on the Legislature and the country. We do not speak without boiik o hen we say that it has been repeatedly the source of much re- gret to the head cf Ler :Nlajesty'e Government that the people have not agi- tated and petitioned more, or' as Lord Durham would say, adopted the cramming system to a great extent in favour of those great principles of Reform which

the exigencies of the country and the spirit of the age detnand. Had there been more of the ' pressing principle' than there has been, that would have strengthened the hands of the Melbourne Administration, and enabled its head to carry many measures of importance which have only been introduced into Parliament to meet with certain defeat.

"Lord Melbourne is a man who understands his own position and the genius of the English people too well to concur in any thing so childieli ar..I unstates- manlike al the absurdities and masked Toryistn to which Lord Durham gave utterance on the late occasion. Nor is Lord Melbourne peculiar in this respect among the members of his Government. We will not answer for all of them —that would be undertaking too much for any body of men ; but we du most confidently say, on behalf of a large majority, that they utterly repudiate the non.cramming notions of Lord Durham. • • • • " But, perhaps, we may be told that though Lord Durham has declared his hostility to the cramming system, he nevertheless avows his attachment to certain important principles which are not yet carried, and therefore is to be still ranked among Reformers. We hold a directly opposite opinion. The distinction in question is purely theoretical ; it is not practical. If he keeps his opinions to himself, where is the difference practically between that and his basing no opinions at all ? How does he suppose are the great principles he professes to hold to be carried into effect, if they are to be shut up in his own Yeast? Why, if all Refoi :nets wee to adopt his views, and not press their principles on the adoption if the eountty, they night as well sh p over to the ranks of the Tories at once. A complete extinguisher would, in the supposed case, he put on all further refocus. The progress of political improvement

would he at once anti for ever etriested. rd Durliage . household suffrage, triennial Parliament., arid vote by ballot, would be (Lowed to live iind die in his own breast, and Toryism would leigit rampant and unmolested till the crack of doom."--Iforaing Advertiser.

We prefer the tune of the commentary which appeared in the True Sun some days ago.

" Lord DUI11.1111 ilLIM been for some years past hailed as the bead of a section of Reformers whose views go beyond those of the present Cebinet, yet stip short

of tile full nigeoure of justice advocated by the Reilical.. Lord Durham's policy has been refitted to es something tangible, something ollielt must satisfy all who are not vi.ionsiies or entigusiests. To Lord Durham all thee Liberieh have ntteehed theniselves who, unable to deny the preposterous eitsurditice and the utter inefficiencies of the Rsform Act, are yet unable to dispense with aristo. cratic leadership, mid unwilling to threw themselves frankly upon tl:e people of the empire. Such has been the couro: meant by the 0 Durham policy. Such for three years has been the use mule of Lord Durham's name. Great was the check given to these Reformers by his Lordshie'e well.known

letter to Mr. Russell llowlby, previnnely to the late electione. Many were the Durharnites " who then found it necessary to review their pull. tical creed, and say what are we? Anxiously did many inquiri: g Liberals say to themselves, " What is the Durham policy? h it en be di-rieeuisliell front that of the Whigs? Are we to find no resting-place for our pehtical notions

between Ministerial inaction and uncompromising Radicalism Awl we sus- pect that since the publication of that Liter, very few vigorous Reformers have been anxious to be designated " Duthamites."

"Lord Durham's late speech has solved all these difficulties. Those who by mistake :nay hereafter adopt him as a popular leader, will have none but them- selves to blame if they are disappointed. Upon the supremacy of the aristo- cratic classes in this kingdom, Lord Durham has taken his stand. We confess that we have no feelings of disappointment to overcome. We never looked fiw any other result. Neither do we perceive any signs amongst the people that they are prepared to shake off the aristocratic yoke and strive for the pos- session of self-government.

"Our immediate prospect of improved government, then, must be founded upon the grace of the aristocracy ; and we can only hope that the adminis. trators of government will be selected from the most intelligent aristocrats. "Much of this will depend upon chance and Court intrigue; the efforts of the People themselves will avail little. Their time is gone by.. For seven years they have cast their own political destinies. And they have cast them in moulds of the most indefinite character. Let them prepare themselves for action of a more decided kind in future. In the mean time, let the nation make the best of the position in which it has been placed by its own feebleness. " Under these impressions, we may turn to Lord Durham's speech with satis- faction. There is always something in the tone of his addresses which earns more or lea of sympathy. He is outspoken, courageous, and direct. He tells the people of North Durham boldly that a " responsible House of Lords is an absurdity and a moral impossibility. He adverts almost reproachfully to their defeat at the late county election, and promises " that if he lives it shall never happen again." But Lord Durham's is not the language of the popular leader of a tree people He is the high-souled feudal superior, generous in purpose, fearless and energetic in advancing in his own way that which he believes to he the best interests of a dependent people. He would expend his fortune to protect his countrymen against the rapacity of his Tory fellow aristocrats ; but he would hazard his life to defend his order from responeibility to the community. Much such a speech as that of Lord Durham might have been made by a baron of old, who, on returning from the Holy Land, found his V3SIMIS overborne and oppressed by neighbouring chieftains, more selfish and tyrannical than himself.

" The influent,: of his family and his wealth is all which in his view stands be. tween the people of North Durham and Tory ascendancy. The followiog passage in Lord Durham's speech proves that he altogether overlooks the power of popular exertion. " Can I doubt those who stood by me in 1815? M'hen the Administration of the day and the wholepower of the Church were united against me—when you had to contend with the influence of the Bishop of the diocese, and when every difficulty was plead in your way, you stood by me, and enabled me to come in triumphantly." And he then goes on to say, they " had no such opposition to contend against in the late contest." Why, that very opposition formed the People's strength. They had then before them their only avowed enemies. They had at their head ono of the most powerful of the aristocracy, who they firmly believed was leading them to the attainment of popular self-government. Not so at the last election. No Reformer could then tell whom to attack. The blow aimed at the enemy might, if delivered with too much force, have destroyed at the same time a professing friend. An impression hail gone abroad that the Liberal aristocracy carried on a regulated warfare against their party opponents, whilst no measure was kept with those who demanded securities on behalf of the people. Ilene* arose the apathy of the county electors. This was one great cause of the Tory triumph. Lord Durham truly said of the people of Durham, " If they see those who stand at their head prepared to lead them to battle, he for one would not question their willingness to follow into the conflict, or entertain a doubt as to the result." So say we of the People of England. Let but their high-born leaders lead them to the fight, and they will scarcely stop to scrutinize the motives of those leaders. Our complaint against the Ministers is, that neither as a mere political faction, nor as popular leaders of the nation, have they shown that energetic directness of purpose which commands success.

" Lord Durham may eventually prove the leader of the Liberal aristocracy; and could we discharge from our minds all recollection of fiwiner failures of similar hopes, we might say, he will be the most vigorous we have yet seen. And as he has declared himself distinctly in favour of the Ballot and an hien. tification of the Municipal with the Parliamentary sufftage, we shall hail with pleasure any shifting of political personages or any change of party tactics which again may bting Lord Durham into the Ministry. With a desire to look on the brightest side of our national prospect, we note this eentiment—".1 shall be much disappointed," says his Lordship, " if you do not, in the ensuing session of Parliament, see them (the Ministers) pursue a coutee that will secure to them the respect, the esteem, and confidence of all classes of Reformers, be their opinions what they may." We trust Lord Durham may prove a true pro. phet ; we shall rejoice fally as much as himself at the accomplishment of his prediction, although we shall have no share in his disappointment if it fails. " We believe that Lord Durham is a sincere advucate for good government of the people of this kingdom, although he is afraid to intrust them with self.go. vernment ; but if we before wanted such a conviction, his opinion on education would have gone far to have insured it. When hie Lordship says, " If I were disposed to urge any thing more than another, it would be the establishinent of system of national instructian for the people ; for without a fair and liberal education, neither those who are above nor those who are below you in worldly station can rightly understand or fitly discharge their political duties," he speaks a sentiment which will meet with a response from every enlightened mind in the country."— Tr tie Sun.

The subjoined article from the Glasgow Argus will carry much weight. as 11 testimony from Scotland, the scene of Lord DURHAM'S triumph in 1531, when he assumed the championship of a thoroughly popular and toot very slow political progress, iii opposition to the cautious counsels of Lord BROUGHAM.

" In his speech to the Durham Reform Association, Lord Durham pleads hard that he has not changed since the Glasgow Festival. It is not for us to contradict him ; but we shrewdly suspect, were he to visit us again, be would be more coolly received by those who then pressed forward most eagerly to welcome him, arid mead be warmly welcomed by many who stood aloof, or even threw cehl water on the whole affair. His language is the same now as then ; but it strikes us thcre is a dilircnce in the spirit. "Lou Durham owed his welcome in Glasgow to his speech at the Grey Festival in Edinburgh. That speech was not marked by greater liberality of principle than was avowed by others of the arietoeratical section of Reformers. Its excellence was, that it seemed to indicate nerve and determination to act up to the bill extent of the speaker's views. Lord Brougham, then looked upon as one of chose who had it in his power to do, intimated an inclination to stop. Lord Dam-ham, then looked upon as not having the power, rebuked his pusilla• ultuity. Now Lord Durham has it in his power to do something: is be as re.olute as ellen he merely played the part of critic on him who hail? " el/i tli it I ask for," says his Loreship, ' is free and fair discussion.' And lie repeated, with emphasis, the declaration in his letter to Mr. Bowlby- . However negotiable to the principle of household suffrage, vote by ballot, and nig:nide( Patleanients, which he had repeatedly stated in his place in Par- liament, psi be never cuuld, autl never would, consent to force them upon the con,ideration of any one.' Really this is being too considerate. If Lord Duo haul believes, i lie points be refers to essential, he is bound, as tt public man, to press them ' upon the consideration' of our rulers. Knowing how large and increasing a body of the Reformers hold them to be essential, he is bound to press them ' upon the consideration' of our rulers. It is Lord Durham's duty, and the duty of every true Reformer, to postpone the trial of his own pet remedy to the trial of that which the freely and fairly expressed opinion of the majority of Reformers is for trying first ; but it is sacrificing the cause to false delicacy to refrain from urging measures, to which a large body of the public are attached, upon men in office, for fear he should be called dogmatical. There is a yielding here, when brought to the test, of which there was no iudication in the speech at the Grey Festival. In keeping anth this more courtier-like tone, is his Lordship's dircovery, that if the Minis. terial majority has melted down from 150 to 30 or 40, the times are much altered—he does not apprehend that a great majority is necessary to the exist. once of a Government,' le.c. Does Lord Durham mean that the practical reforms—the attainment of which was the great reason for reforming the elec- tive systetn—are even begun yet? Will the House of Lords concede to ahm:11 majority of the Commons what it denied to an overwhelming one? Will the Peers be the more inclined to yield, that they have—not Lord John Russell but Lord Durham running, openmouthed and breathless, to protest against any organic reform ' of the House of Louis? Oh, no; this is not the Lord Durham of the Grey Festival or of Glasgow Green. Ile may tell us that his words are the Caine; we reply, that there is not the same heart in them. HIS btu rtliness has abated at the very moment when it could be practically useful. We would not be understood to class Lord Durham among that class cf miserables who ' cry peace, peace, when there is no peace.' Even.in the speech upon which we have been so freely commenting, we find a weight of thought and eloquence of tournure far beyond their reach. We do not ques- tion in the slightest degree his honour or his patriotism. His remarks on National Education and the No. Popery cry are alike true and beautiful. But we begin to doubt his statesmanship ; for we find him foe more trammelled by the litdeness of his caste than we could possibly have imagined. He can ma/re no objection to Mr. Liddell upon hie claim to beconat the tereseutattv.4 of

ess North Durham, founded on that of family. Ile is the son of as excellent,

honourable, and respectable a nobleman as any one I know ; and so far, therefore, as his clams arose on that account they are indisputable.' His Lordship seems inclined to rest his own claims in like manner upon birth and the Sovereign's favour. He enlarges upon 'the memory of his an- cestors,' and his feeling of regard for the natives of that county with which his ancestors have been connected from time immemorial ; and also upon his being loaded with the honours of his Sovereign.' Resting upon these two props, he takes upon him to patronize Lord Melbourne in a way that is somewhat of the lordliest. 'My belief is—my confidence in Lord Melbourne is such—that you may safely and freely trust him. I am not a member of his Administration ; I speak independently.. I am in the service of the Crown, but not a member of Government.' This is somewhat too much in the style of a Queen's friend, viho can do the Minister a good or ill turn—in the vein of Warwick the king. maker. Lord Durham's vehement declarations of loyalty to his order are quite in keeping with sentiments like these. It is lamentable to see so strong and ac- complished a mind as Lord Durham's dazzled and blinded by the mere orna- mental part of the constitution. Unless he make an effort and shake himself free of the delusion, he never can be for his country what his admirers have fondly expected. Our reform is not to be worked out in the spirit of a gentle- manmsher."— Glasgow Argus, Oct. 25.

Mr. WEIR, the writer of the above, and publicly known as the editor of the Glasgow Argus, adds to his accomplishments as a scholar and politician, the gift of oratory : he acted a prominent part at the Glasgow Festival ; and has from that time to the present been one of the stanchest adherents of the "Durham policy" as then promulgated, and, though not a flatterer, an admirer of Lord DURHAM, ever ready to do him justice. This voice from the North should have the force of a warning. Our Glasgow contemporary alludes to Lord DURHAM'S patronage of the Premier. But Lord DURHAM is not a Minister-maker. The assiduous Lord MELBOURNE is believed to have superseded him at Court. His former intimacy with the Royal ladies of the Hou-e of Kent has not given him political influence. MELBOURNE may say of him as War.roLE said of PULTENEY, " I have turned the key of the closet" on the Earl of DURHAM.