GLADSTONE AT GREENWICH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 51, 13 January 1872, Page 2

GLADSTONE AT GREENWICH.

[From the Etteopean Mail.] On October 28 Mr Gladstone paid his long-promised visit to his constituents at Greenwich. In his opening remarks he excused himself from not visiting them before on the plea of public business. He then alluded to the charge which had been brought against the Government of having laid upon the table more measures than they could get through, and then coming to the question of the Liberal majority, said : —" Perhaps you will be surprised when I inform you that we are the first Liberal Government which has ever subsisted for three years with a large majority. Now in my time there have been three Liberal Governments with large majorities. One of them was the Government of Lord Grey, which had an enormous majority returned to sap port it in the month of December, 1831. It survived till 1833, but in May, 1834, it was broken by schism. In June, 1834, Lord Grey was put out, and in November, 1834, that Government was finally extinguished. Well, the next Government that had a large majority was the Government of Lord Palmerston, in the year 1857, when he appealed to the country, and the country returned a majority of about eighty to support him. That was in the month of May, 1857. In the month of February, 1858, the Government of Lord Palmerston was displaced by a vote of the House of Commons. Tn 1866 the Government of Lord Russell met Parliament with another large majority—a majority of 70, and before the end of that session the Government of Lord Russell came to be counted among the things that were. Now, gentlemen, I think that I have made good my assertion that we are the first Liberal Administration with a large majority which has survived the operation of three sessions, and we are here, in old English phrase, alive and kicking. I believe there is a pith in us yet; and the speech I make to you to-day is not our last dying speech and confession. Gentlemen, I mean to endeavor to place before you not my own case personally, but the case, as far as I can, of my colleagues also ; and this I will say, that as no minister ever had the honor to serve a sovereign more august and more beloved, so no minister ever had cause to feel deeper gratitude to a body of able, devoted, and harmonious colleagues." After speaking of the Irish legislation of the two past sessions, he pointed out what had been effected in the way of economy in the public expenditure, and justified the action of the Government as follows : —" But it is further said that our economies have been injurious to the public service. But at the present moment, when Europe has been confused and distracted, we have been able to reduce our peace establishments. In the first year we reduced our estimates, which our predecessors handed over to us. by two millions. In the second year we reduced them by two millions more, although circumstances compelled us, in some measure, to retrace our steps. We followed a system which was formerly a superstitition, but we found that we ought not to keep ships scattered over the whole of the world, whether they were wanted or not. and we therefore took effectual means to strengthen the forces of the country at home, available, if need should be, for the defence of our shores. And so the army has been conducted with increased efficiency and economy, and, as I believe, in accordance with the enlightened opinion of the country. It has been reformed upon a plan which does not involve any outrageous expenditure. We proceeded to withdraw our troops from those colonies which did not want them, particularly from New Zealand and Canada, while we increased those home forces which were necessary for the security of the country. I. pass now from the promises I made you in 1868, and on which it was my duty to dilate, to speak on three matters, which I will place in the order of their importance:—l. The abolition of purchase in the army ; 2, The education of the people; 3. The protection of the vote by ballot. In attacking purchase in the army we knew very well that we were attacking vast

interests in their favorite strongholds, and I rejoice that in a single session we were able to carry out so formidable a work. It certainly has not been achieved without great cost. But the country has met us with cheerfulness, and we have attained with satisfaction the downfall of a great monopoly. And with respect to the alarmists, what have we seen ,;> For the first time on a large scale, we have made a great step in advance, by endeavoring to put a portion of our forces into mimic action in the open fields of Hampshire. The performance of these troops have been witnessed by most distinguished and enlightened foreign officers from every country in Europe, and the reports we have received have been most favorable. There is no justification, therefore, for the remarks which have gone abroad ; indeed, there is proof that our troops were never more able, if Providence should impose upon them the duty to defend their country, more worthy of their country, or more able to make the defence effectual. Nov; with regard to the War Ministry. There has been a fashion to scoff at Mr Cardwell, but whenever he is condemned I feel proud to share the condemnation. (From the crowd, " Now that is very honorable.") Nobody has done so much as Mr Cardwell has done for the reform and efficiency of the army, and he is eminently entitled to the approval and gratitude of the country. Then I may venture to allude to that which has scarcely been questioned by the most jealous critics—the Education Act. That great question has not been, and cannot be, solved all at once, in consequence of the differences of opinion which necessarily prevail in this free country. There must be indulgence, equality, a sacrifice of extreme opinions; but I would ask even those who are dissatisfied, whether there has not been a great step-in advance —a great stride in the path of real reform. One point was to trust as little as possible to the Central Government, and as much as they could to local influence and the feelings of the people. A most valuable act was passed by Mr Stansfeld last session bearing upon this point of local government, and he believed it would Le of immense benefit." After stating that he considered the Ballot Bill would certainly become law in the course of six or seven months, he remarked on what had recently been said in reference to abolishing the House of Lords, and said that, although they had not given a sufficient reason for not proceeding with this bill, he would think more than once before he would counsel the abolition of the hereditary principle. He believed that the people of England had a sneaking kindness for this hereditary principle. This had been apparent even in the recent negotiations called the " New Social Alliance," and although he believed that the mysterious and mystical part of that transaction would in process of time be still further elucidated, there was no question that Mr Scott Russell was in the very thick of it. Like a clergyman preaching first to one side of his congregation and then to the other, Mr Scott Russell had preached first to the peers and then to the people, the only difference being that he had preached from different texts. Seriously, however, he hoped that in reforming the House of Lords they would do nothing precipitate. Coming to the position of the working classes, the right hon gentleman pointed out the number of measures which had been passed during the last eighteen years, by which their condition had been much ameliorated. Among these were the measures affecting free trade, the remission of taxation, the abolition of the paper duty, the abolition of tests, and the passing of the Education Bill, and the exercise of the franchise, which, in the course of six or eight months, he trusted they would have protected by the ballot. Much, doubtless, remained to be done. He would be the last to deny this, and the first to accomplish the task. They could not expect the Legislature to deal with all these subjects. Let the Government labor to its uttermost, and the Legislature do all it could, still the great result must depend upon individual effort. He would not speculate upon the success of the " Seven Points," nor would ho say that their promoters were imposters, because thev were, no doubt, honest in their intentions, but they were quacks, and

he warned the people not to he deluded by their phantasms. There was no! doubt that the Government and the • country had a vast number of difficult ( problems to solve. How could they, suppress the deadly influence of strong drink ? Ho* could they secure to labor its due regard ? How could they make it apparent to the world that labor was honorable, and idleness contemptible ? Beneath the political surface lay these great questions, the solution of which depended upon the individual activity and efforts of the people. He trusted that the strength of the country and the means for its material prosperity would never be wanting, and ii was of the highest importance that these means should be used aright. In conclusion, the right honorable gentleman said he should, go back strengthened by the comfort, the kindness which had been shown to him. No motive could influence him more, or stimulate him to the discharge of his duty than the gratitude for the kindness with which they had borne with him as their representative. He should make it .his hope to show his gratitude, not by complimentary thanks or congratulatory phrases, but by a manful endeavor to do his duty. If they did their duty whether they were praised or blamed, whether they were condemned or aeq-uitted, they would be condemned or acquitted according as they had used the means placed-within their power. Let Englishmen use aright their energies and their faculties and this little island would stamp its name, and perpetuate its fame among the greatest nations of the world. At the conclusion of the right lion, gentleman's speech the cheering was loud and prolonged. Mr W. R. Jolly moved and Dr W. 0. Bennett seconded the following resolution : "That the electors of the borough of Greenwich most heartily welcome their distinguished member, the Bight Hon. W. E. Gladstone, and earnestly thank him for his services in the cause of liberty and progress." The resolution on being put to the vote was carried by an overwhelming majority, amidst deafening cheers. Mr Gladstone returned thanks, and proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, with which the proceedings concluded. The number of persons present on the Heath was calculated at 15,000, though some persons put the figures much higher. Mr Gladstone began to speak at a few minutes past three o'clock, and finished at a few minutes past five o'clock. The hustings at Blackheath were seven miles from Fleet street, yet in two hours after the right hon. gentleman concluded, the special edition of the evening papers was being sold in Fleet street, containing a verbatim report of his whole oration.