The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-11-03 00:00:00

TO THE sucroßs OF THE COUNTY OF
DORAT.

yhave on four previous occasions done
me the honour of sending me to Parliament as
your Representative ; and in soliciting for the fifth time
the suffrages of an enlarged constituenoy, I do so with
the more confidence, in consequence of a well founded
hope that you have approved of the mune that I have
hitherto pursued.
I have always given an independent but consistent
support to the Conservative pert'', bemuse I hold it to
be the safer, and far the more practleal of the two. It may
not talk so loudly; but it gets through more business,
and turns its work out better than its opponents, and
this I believe the *metre to be aware of. Moreover
the members of this party bayonet fished for popularity
by clamouring for ill-oonsidered changes • but have
waited until the proper moment arrived, and then have
succeeded in bringing before Parliament, in • practical
1. shape, reforms of which their opponeets have only
talked. I may point notably to the Reform Bill of the
last two Sessions, by which so many of you are now
called upon to exercise the Franchise forth. first time.
Tbe Conservative Government has not only suosesded
In settling this absorbing cpseetion,bal it hes Owed, in a
eetsparaUvely abort time. oh. Foreign relations of Siut
country upon a sound and intelligible footing, based
on the confidence with which it bas inspired foreign
cabinets, by convincing them of its loyalty and straight.
forwardness, free from warp and bias, and from the
slightest taint of intrigue. I look upon such a character
for honesty as this to be of no light importance in the
present aspect of affeirs, and one that behoves the
Fdeetors to weigh well before they risk the less of it.
The Conseivative Government has been taunted with
extravagance (a charge easily made), and increase of
Estimates has been condemned in the lump by persons
who knew that such an emulation (no matter how
founded) is likely to tell on the eve of a General
Election; but can this be fairly said of it? It is notorious
that a cheep Government is not always the most
economical in the end; and that list-simony, at the .
expense of efficiency, is often • poor saving. Popularity
may be temporarily earned by such a policy; but if
establishments me to be reduced so low that they are
inadequate to supply the purpowes for whisk they were
intended, let those who are theadvoestes for such a policy
wept the responsibility. I am an advocate for economy
but not at all hazards. Recollect the Crimean War, and
our short-comings on that memorable occasion.
In my opinion the industry, ability, statesmenship,
and specially the control of temper displayed by Mr.
Disraeli upon many notable cmcsmisns, contrast favour.
ably with the qualifications possemod by any other man
that is a member of the present Parliament, or •
candidate for a mat iu the next. I shall, therefore, give
him, in the event of your returuing ma, my willing and
independent support; bemuse I feel that under the
present difficult circumstances of the country, the
measures iotroduoed by him promise to be of a sounder
and more practical nature than those of any other
political lea ter which the times have yet produced.
own that I look with jealousy and distrust upon the
league of a host at believers in many different political
creeds combined under the leadership of Mr. Gladstone
on one point, and one only, which may be shortly charac-
terised as the policy 4 subversion.
Great and extrsvaaant bids for popularity have been
made, and will be made, under this head ;but I appeato
the experience of the lest thirty years, and oak whether,
reasonable man oan say that any of them have been
carried out?
Mr. Gladstone's Resolutions in the matter of the Irish
Church Establishment were eminently unpractical. He
failed to point out what he intended to do with the
resenues, and his proposition for • sort of clerical torture
which might last over the next forty years, was a fancy
which he would be glad to forget were his hands upon
the reins of office. . . .

The proposal vu intended to serve a temporary
purpose, and, having failed, deserves no fu rthe r attention.
The endowment of the Irish Church, however, 1.. quite
another matter, and one which ought not to be made
the touchstone of party. lam well aware of the
difficulties which surround it, and I hold that the man
who approaches it, pledged beforehand to a particular
course of action, has given hostages to party after a
fashion that will probably interfere with the decision to
which his better judgment may hereafter point.
If ever there were • subject to be approached without
party bias, and handled upon large and um.
prehensive principles, it is this one, which now bids
fair to be treated as a party watch-cry, and misguided
accordingly.
If you return we to Parliament I pledge myself to
consider the subject in all its bearings, and! think that
I. • cause Ishii& you would wish your represestativ• to
follow. _
. . . -

I have addressed you at some length, becalms I wish
to place before you the situation in all Da significance.
It is no use to deny that • crisis has cooarred, and that
a great political ethane., has taken plea) which is full of
meaning. For my own part I look to the future with
confidence. I expect that the " subversive party" will
receive a check. I calculate upon the sound good
sense of the country, and I think the Electore will have
co difficulty in deciding who their true friends are.
The capability of carrying important measures through
Parliament, able conduct of the Foreign relations of this
country, prudent forethought in keeping up its Defenoes,
and great experience in dealing with Parlament, are
qualifications of no light practical value ; and I maintain
that they are possessed in • remarkable manner by Her
Majesty's present advisers. On this ground I shall
support them should you, ss I trust, return me once
more to Parliament.