GLADSTONE FOR LIBERALISM

Temuka Leader, Issue 804, 22 December 1881, Page 3

GLADSTONE FOR LIBERALISM

In the course of a recent speech Mr Gladstone said “ While I accord onr political opponents full credit for a conscientious desii -1 ' »o maintain the glory of this country. I will say that if there is to he a controversy upon the subject, if v?e arc called to descend into the arena and to argue the matter here nr elsewhere, I sav that it is Liberal and not Conservative policy which has made England respected (cheers), and lias made the British Empire strong. Whv, if the old policy of governing the colonies in Downing street had been maintained, where would these colonies now have been ? By this time groups of independent States. The Liberal liolicv freelv granted to the colonists, in despite of Tory censure, the very same right that we claim for ourselves in the management of onr affairs ; and the consequence is, that the inhabitants of those colonies are closely and cordially attached to the name and the throne of this country, arid if, perhaps, the day of difficulty and danger should arise—which God forbid —perhaps from their affection we may obtain assistance and advantage that compulsion never would have wrung from them ; and we may find that all portions of the. British Empire have one common heart beating, and are equally devoted to the honor and the interests of their own country. And so it is with regard to foreign countries. V r e believe, and are sure that the way to make England great in ; the estimation of foreign countries is to ]pfc it be known by every one of them that England desires above all things to be just, and will not seek to impose upon them any laws of action or any principles for the interpretation of their conduct except those to which she herself submits. (Hear, hear.) And, lastly, as regards policy at home, I do think and must say— though some things are to be tolerated and endrred in politics, it is good for us all to tolerate and endure them (cheers) —yet there are some things which,when I hear them,are rather too much (laughter) ; and I think it a little too much when I hear described the great power of England, the industry of England, the trade of England, tlm wealth of England, the population of England, and when it is said that to all these matters the Liberals are perfectly indifferent, and that the only hope of maintaining them depends upon having a Conservative Government, (Laughter and cheers.) Well,

1 won’t take you ag'fin across the seas, j but I-ask you wind are the proceedings j Which have made these countries great | and strong at burn-, have increased your j population, multiplied your wealth, improved your moral condition, and spread j education ? To whom arc these things duo? (“ To the Liberals,” “To Claclstone.”) Eo, to greater and better men tlian you see before you. (“ No,” am! cheers.) Who introduced and carried the Reform Act of 1832 ? Unless I have read history topsy turvy, that was j not the act of the Tories. (Laughter.) It is true that Tory statemens carried Homan Catholic Emancipation ; hut they carried it by Liberal votes in despite of tho Tories. (Cheers and laughter.) It is true that a Tory statesman repealed the Corn Lav..? ; but

for repealing them he was himsell banished—expelled, from the lory milks, and other Tories of a different creed and of a different kidney took Ids pmee, renounced his aid mart reviled his name. \ hose are the 'Tories that now by

continuous succession—uot Tories o' the Sir Robert Peel and Duke of Wellington stamp.— (cheers,) but, as I have said, of another origin and creed altogether—these arc the Tories that

now demand vour support. The cruel Criminal Code of England was abolished that was the work of Liberals and not of Tories. The scheme of national education was conceived and established -—that was the work of Liberals rather than of Tolies. 'You may go through the whole list of the beneficent laws by which it is that we have become, instead of disunited and comparatively feeble, an united and a strong community, and you will find that more than nine-tenths of those laws ha ve been passed by the Liberal party (cheers), and that as to the other tenth where it has been [.assert by Tories it has generally been passed by Tories who, on account of passing them, were disowned by the other lories. (Laughter and cheorg. ) And so I say that, while we are opp osed to Imperialism wo are devoted to .the Empire (cheers), and we are now in government, as your agents, will to the best and utmost and

latest, of our power —while studying peace with all tho world, while endeavoring to persuade men into tho observance of the laws of justice ami .equality—never forget wbal is due to tLev dignity of the throne of Queen A ictona, mid neither in

east nor west, neither in noith uoi south, shall it be said truly ot us that the concessions which we make are concessions wrung from fear, or shall there be a doubt of our determination tu .ho best of our ability to maintain the laws at home and the dignity of tho Empire throughout tho world, (Loud cheering.;-