Few people, out of England at least, will be found to deny-that the most urgently needed reform in the country, is the reform of the administration itself, For years the Government has acted practically as if no topic of public interest or national good was to be found, save the constant alteration of old customs and old ways. Amidst troubles and turmoils on all sides, midst growing States, and increasing military preparations, the Government of England has year after year exercised its ingenuity, not in taking measures to increase the influence of the country abroad, or its safety at Home, but in searching round for some imaginary grievance which it could convert into a party cry. It is noteworthy that while, in all previous epochs, 2 Government has waited: to redress a grievance till some grievance could be pointed out to it, in the present, the first note of imaginary evils comes not from the country, or from those classes whom the existence of the evil might render discontented, but from the Government itself. It seems to be a new theory of government, not only that it should relieve, so far as lay as in its power, the difficulties under which its nationals might labour, but that beyond this, it should point out what those difficulties are. The speeches of Mr. Lowe and Mr. Forster seem to indicate, if we are to construe them as genuine representatives of the present Government, that this is the role which the present administration of England is desirous of appearing to.play. We say appearing, because few men outside England can really doubt that those speeches wore really put forward tentatively, in order to feel the public pulse as to what election ery would be most profitable for the administration in its next appeal, now not far distant, to the country. Perhaps it was the evident flatness with which the line of action then suggested fell on the general body of public opinion, perhaps it was the genuine outpouring of the ministers' own feelings, but. certain it is, that Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen's lecture at the Deal and Walmer Institute, on the relations between the mother country and the Colonies, displayed a very different aspect of ministerial responsibility from the late utterances of other members of the Government. Not altogether with-Cut reason; the present party in-political power have been accused of being i different to the, welfare of the Colonies. That cordial union that should exist between a mother-country and its dependencies, was held to be a thing of no moment, Human sympathy was nothing in the scale when weighed against the diture of a few hundred thousands sterling; and the blood and sinew of the country was allowed sullenly to depart, and range itself, for all that liberal statesmen cared, under the banners. a hostile or what might become a hostile state, Even if emigrants proceeded to the British colonies, they found the relations with the Home country so involved, that in a few years, however determined had been their loyalty in the first instance, they were themselves forced to fall in with the tide of those who chafed at the evident indifference with which all subjects of interest to colonists were treated at Home. The grievance might be a sentimental one, and in many cases was in reality little more, but sentimental grief vances sometimes lead to prolonged estrangement, and of all sentimental grievances, that of indifference is themest difficult to get over. We could forgive the Home Government much, did Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen's lecture really express the opinions of the Cabinet. We have little doubt that it did express his own feelings and convictions, but Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen is but one amongst many, and that one a subordinate. The conduct of the Government towards the colonies should never be made a party question. It is one of those topics which should be placed on a higher platform. As a party question, to be bandied about in election addresses, (now that the hustings are no more,) it is eminently calculated to engender that: ill-feeling which it should be the aim of Government to afford no occasion for. As a rale, Colonies take little thought of Home party cries; they are willing to leave these to those more immediately concerned, but they do object to be made the sport of every amateur politic ian from John O'Groat to Cape Clear.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.