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

I um, Gentlemen.
Your devoted Servant,
HENRY °MIRO STURT.
Criobel, October 12, 186$.

TO THE ELECTORs OF THE COUNTY OF

DORSET.

GEMINI:24,
IT BEG respectfully to inform you that I
intend again offering myself as • Candidate for
your suffrages at the approaching Election.
The proceedings of the Parliament now about to be
dissolved have been of more than usual importance.
Measures effecting great changes in the governing power
of the country have been passed, if not with the
hearty co-operation, at least with the general concur.
mince, of all parties. They were, I freely admit, of a
more extensive character than I had previously con-
sidered desirable; but the difficulty of finding any
resting place abort of that which Ime been established,
and • strong sense of the damage which must accrue
to the State from • mutat ant agitation for further changes,
led we to believe that on the whole Her Majesty's
Government were right in proposing those regulations
for the representation of the people which, with some
alterations, have now become law. _

The new Parliament will have matters of 00 leis
weight and magnitude to deal with.
Questions affecting the connection of the Church and
State have always, and that most justly, called forth
the strongest espression of opinion and feeling from all
daises of the community. Whatever may be the effect
on the Roman Catholic population of Ireland, it cannot
be denied that the abol:tion of the Irish Branch of the
National Churches by law established will be a severe
injury and discouragement to the Protestant inhabitants
of that part of the Kingdom. On that account, and
because the change would be a contradiction to some at
least of the principles on which the National Church
rests in England. I shall oppose to the utmost all such
measures of subversion.
In this, as in other matters o grave political
importance, I believe that the action of the present
Government will be more in acoordance with the true
interest., of the country than any that can be substituted
for it.

Under its guidance the position of England, In
regard to the Continental Powers, as well as in its
important relations to the great Transatlantic Republic,
baa been materially raised. The services by land and
sea have been advaneed in efficiency; and, if this result
has not been attained without some increase of expendi-
ture, it is fair to observe that no additional taxation
has been incurred in consequence, and that the legitimate
question for discussion is whether the cost has been
greater than the value of the improvements in the two
great branches of national defence.

My efforts will be directed, ax in fanner Parliaments,
to moist any attempts to increue, by additional burdens,
the taxation exclusively of real propetty, to remove from
it all such charges as are rather of general than special
obligation, and to enlarge the basis of asseseraents as
far as may be consistent with the preservation of local
management.

Oa the grounds above mentioned, if I hare the honour,
U I confidently trust, to be Nona eluded, as your
ropresentatire in the House of Commons, I propose to
give the present Ministry an independent bat cordial
support.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen.
Your obedient and faithful Servant.
JOHN FLOYEH.
Stalford,COctober 14, 1868.