The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-10-20 00:00:00

TO THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF THE
BOROUGH OF WEYMOUTH AND
MELO° MHE REGIS.

Oinvrcress,—
MHE tune is fast approaching when the
honourable trust you so kindly reposed in me, by
returning rue as your Representative to the House of
Commons, will be nein placed in your hands. I hope
that my conduct while there has been such as to meet
your approval, and to obtain for me • renewal of your
confidence, by permitting me to have the honour of
representing yon in the new Parlian3ent.
From the time I entered the House of Commons I
have honestly and coneistently followed out the
principles I professed when I first sought your suffrages,
and that will, I trust, be • guarantee for my future
course. I was returned by you to support Liberal
principles in that assembly. I have always done so.
My votes, given on all the great pablie questions which
have been before the Legislature, will boor witness to
my fidelity to those principles.
The great question of Reform has absorbed much of
the time and attention of the House, and the Act
passed to last seinen, moulded, as it was a large extent,
by the Liberal party, has secured a considerable access
of popular power, with • corresponding increase to the
strength of the Constitution. Some of the objection-
able features of the Bill, however, still remain to be
improved in the future Parliament, when I trust the
vexation and trouble occasioned to the Compound
Householder, will be removed, and Electors protected
from intimidation by the rote by Ballot.
I have voted for the abolition of Compulsory Church
Rates, and rejoice that this (emitted source of discord no
longer exist.; and I anticipate with confidence that
unity will be found where religious strife has before
existed.

I have voted for the Abolition of the ILesh in the
Army, • punishment which I believe degrades and
brutalises without any reformatory influence : I trust
that this, together with the additional interest shown in
our soldiers, will raise the moral tone of our army and
place that branch of our public defame in • yet higher
state of efficiency. .

The condition of Ireland is a subject of the gravest
consideration. The chronic discontent of the people
has caused exceptional measures to be taken for the
public safety, and .11 thoughtful minds have been con-
sidering how to meet the evil. One fruitful source of
discontent being • Protestant Church establishment,
with the population mostly Roman Catholic, the
present Government proposed to give them religious
equality by "levelling up' the Roman Catholic priest.
hood, and establishing • University for that body alone;
bet this has been abandoned, end an appeal is now
made to di.establish the existing Church, instead of
endowing all others. I feel the time haa arrived when
this should be done, not simply because • source of
irritation would be removed from the Roman Catholic
population, bet because I feel that for the interests of
religion, the Protestant Church should appear before
that people without the strong rejudiees (catered hi
their minds against her truths, by the position of
antagonism In which ahe is made to appear to them.
The Members of the Proteetant Church of Ireland
are numerically small In comparison with the Roman
Catholic population, yet they represent the bulk of the
property is that country; and I believe they have too
much love for their Church to allow it to decoy for
went of support, especially when we me those who
have but little property, with credit to themselves,
sustaining their religious institutions. To think other-
wise would be • libel on them and a scandal to our
faith; and by her dia-establishaent, I believe, instead
of there being no increase in the number of her members
for years in proportion to the population, she would
receive an impetus for usefulness wlatth would soon
manifest itself.

The subject of Education newt of necessity seriously
occupy the attention of the new Parliament It ia one
of the most imperative of our accts.] duties, and though
grave diffieulties may surround the method of its
extension, yet I hope the time is not far distant, when
every child bora in this kingdom shall possess, at least,
the rudiments of education, without any violation of
Its religious principles.
The finances of our country will challenge closer
scrutiny than they have yet received, and everything
which a true seonomy might suggest be carried into
practice. Our army and navy mist be kept in thorough
efficiency, but recent informatico 'hews that the pitUio
money is waded to an extent Ittiniarined by those who
have not given attention to the subject. The time I.
believe is not remote, when under the auspices of
another Government, the &Haim of our country will be
both honourably and economic:oily conducted.
I hoped to have seen you efore %hie, but am no.
fortunately detained in Loader by sever, indisposition.
At the earliest moment my ohyakian thinks I may
travel, I shall do myself the pimento of coming amongst
you. I remain,
Your most obedient tad faithful Servant,
lIENEY EDWARDS.
Dated August 3rd, 1868.
53, Berkeisyequare, London