The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-03 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1868.

The address of the Premier to the electors of the
county of Buckingham will be sure to attract inte-
rest and attention for many reasons, and it is cer-
tainly one worthy of the occasion, for it is imbued
with a spirit worthy of a statesman, and is most
comprehensive in its treatment of subjects of im-
portance. The time which has fussed since Mr.
DISRAELI last sought the support of the Bucking-
hamshire electors has been indeed a most eventful
one, and it has seen more than the ordinary changes
which might be expected to occur in public and
political incidents. In the first place, the right hon.
gentleman naturally makes reference to the high
trust which her MAJESTY has reposed in him since
the period referred to. Having enjoyed the " en-
tire and unbroken confidence" of the Earl of DERBY
for twenty years, during which long period they
worked together in uninterrupted harmony, ho was
well acquainted with his policy, and this he has
constantly pursued. Although the Earl of DERBY
was at the head of the Government when the Reform
Act was passed, the main credit of that work was
due to Mr. DISRAELI, and in any sense it appro-
priately forms a portion of his address. So much
has been done in one way and another to arrest
public attention that already the Reform Bill, which
was chiefly considered a year and a half ago, has
become a thing of the past ; but still looked at criti-
cally it is the one thing needful in the arrangement
of the new Parliament, and certainly but for its
agency that assembly could not have been called
into existence. The electors must not be unmind-
ful
of this, and both new and old should reflect that
many material advantages have been conferred upon
them by the measure so lately made law. As Mr.
DISRAELI ably put it, the question had for a long
series of years disquieted the country, and embar-
rassed and enfeebled successive Administrations.
The Conservatives believed, when they came into
power, that a termination should be put to this state
of affairs, and they contrived to bring about a set-
tlement of the question by introducing a measure
alike broad in its principles and large in its pro-
visions. Foreign affairs is a subject that the
chief of the Administration :can well refer to with
pride and satisfaction, and for the conduct of this
department of the State alone the Ministry deserve
the confidence of the country. The influence of
England In foreign lands had greatly deteriorated
during the ill-starred presidency of Earl RUSSELL
at the Foreign-office, but by judicious management
and a firm demeanour Lard STANLEY has contrived
re-establish our waning power, and in a great
degree to renew the lustre of ancient dap. " The
legacy of insult and difficulty" are not exaggerated
terms in which to speak of the Abyssinian difficulty
as it was when the late Ministry retired from office.
'The result of the expedition which was sent to that
country, however, was mo-t fortunate. and while it
vindicated the honour of the Crown, it obtained for
the furces of the country the " admiring respect"
of Europe.

The question of expenditure has been so much
discussed of late that especial reference is made to it
here, and certainly we find a most satisfactory ex-
planation of matters to which so many false inter-
pretations have been given of late. " When we
succeeded to office," remarks the Premier, " the