Year: 1868

The Premier of England addressed the electors
OF Buckinghamshite on October 2, and In his
address said:-l may, therefore, IN asking q
renewal of your political support take general
view of the conduct of affairs since the access
sion OF the conservative government to ofhce IN
1866.


The question OF Parliamentary reform had
then for long series OF years disauleted the
country and embarrassed and enfeebled success
sive ADMINISTRATIONS, which had failed to lead 1t
10 any happy concession. We were OF opinion
that this state of affairs should terminate, and
by a series of measures in the course of two
years we brought about a settlement of the
question, broad in its principles, large and
various IN its provisions, but, as we believe, in
unison with the character of the country, and
calculated to animate the spirit OF the c0mmu-
nifty and add strength and stability to the State.
The conduct of foreign affairs has Obtained the
sympathy and confidence of the various Courts
and powers, the Just influence of England
has been established, and it has been used Tor
the maintenance of peace ard the interests OF
civilization. The legacy oil insult and dithculty
which had been left us in Abyssinia could only
be successfully encountered by a responsibility
from which we did not shrink. The result of
the expedition to that country vindicaed the
honor OF the crown and the cause of humanity
and justice, and it obtained for her Majesty's
forces the admlriug respect of Europe. When
we acceded TO office the state of the navy was
one which occasoned serious anxiety. The
fortresses on which the late Ministry had ex-
pended millions were without artillery; the
British soldier was armed with inferior
weapons, ana the military service Oh tne
country so unpopular that If no change had
been devised we might have beeu driven
to the principle of a censcription. At
present it cannot be denied that the strength of
the navy is materially increased, the defenses of
the country much advanced, the soldiers admi
Iably armed and enlistments become so popular
that not only is the voted number of our forces
no longer in arrear, but many thousand veterans
who were about to claim their discharge have
remained in the army. Such great results have,
of course, not been obtained without an increase
OF our expenditure: but the expenditure has
been on objects of the first necessity, and while
1t has been betrayed without adding to our
taxation, II has entailed no burden on posterity.
Economy does not consist in the reck-
less reduction of estimates. On the
contrary, such a course must necessarily
tend to increase expenditure. There
can be no economy where there is no
efficiency. And to insure efficiency you must
be vigilant in administrative improvement.
Influenced by these views, her Maesty's govern
ment, by placing in the hands of a single lndi-
vidual q control over the expenditure of the
War Office, commenced a considerable reform
during the late session in the administration OF
the army, which will conduce to greater
economy and efficiency both IN peace and war.
Great public advantage may be anticipated from
this measure, and the different departments of
the State will be revised in the same spirit.
This revision will assist that retrenchment
which the pressing eXigencies OF the public
service have alone prevented.