NATIONAL DEFENCE.
London, 8th November 1862. Stit—In speaking of the inefficient state of our national defences, I find that the partisans both of the Russell and Derby Administrations are always anxious to throw the blame on the so-called economists and the people ; thus following the usual course of incompetent men, to take refuge in falsehood, and.ascribe to others the results of their own delinquencies. If either Lord John Russell or Lord Derby had stated what they knew to be true, that there is considerable danger to this country, owing to its defenceless condition, in the present critical state of Europe, and had proposed an efficient augmenta- tion and improvement in the land and sea forces of the country, both the Parliament and people would have responded to their demandswith alacrity ; but when both of these party-leaders, miscalled statesmen, rise in their re- spective places in Parliament, and, trusting. to punillseimity rather than to preparation, inform the country that there is no danger, and deprecate the wrath of the supposed enemy by denouncing the truth-speaking portion of the press, do they expect that the Parliament and people are to insult them by exhibiting doubts of their truth and honesty, and force money upon them for the purpose of averting dangers which they declare to be non-existent ? I, Sir, am one of the maligned economists; and my idea of economy is .to se- cure our property for our own use, instead of accumulating it for the benefit of our enemies. If the army and navy are to be of any use, they should be of sufficient force to guarantee the national independence ; if they be not sufficient for this purpose, the sooner they are disbanded, and the money saved, the better. All men have their faults, and the economists are not exempt from this human condition ; but their faults are light in comparison with those of men whose presumption leads them to take charge of the affairs of the nation without possessing either the capacity or spirit for a fit per- formance of their duties. If any disaster happen to England, let the re- sponsibility rest and the penalty fall upon the real delinquents, the incom- petent place-seekers who have the monstrous presumption to call themselves statesmen !
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