A memorial, addressed to Lord Palmerston, signed already by several
Radical Members, is in circulation for the purpose of obtaining further signatures. It points out that the happy state of our foreign relations would justify a considerable reduction of our warlike expenditure.
" We would also invite attention to the civil and miscellaneous expendi- ture of the country, which has for many }Tars been in course of rapid and extrao-dinary increase, until it has reached an amount which loudly demands revision and retrenchment.
" We are convinced that retrenchment will prove the truest policy of the Government as the only method of meeting the financial exigencies of the State, satisfying the expectations of Parliament, conciliating the good opinion of the commercial and monied interests, allaying the dissatisfaction of the taxpayers, and preventing the loud outcry which would inevitably arise in case of another unfavourable harvest or any check to the public prosperity. "We are compelled to say that we should view an expenditure for the coming year approaching that of the current year with great regret and disapprobation'; and we believe that that would be the feeling of our con- stituents, and of the country at large. " We have, therefore, thought it right to offer these suggestions in a friendly spirit to your lordship, and we trust they may not be thought un- worthy to receive the serious consideration of the Government." Among the names of those who have signed the memorial are those of Sir James Duke, Mr. R. W. Crawford, Mr. Baines, Mr. Buxton, Mr. Crossley, Mr. S. Gurney, Mr. R. Hanbury, Mr. Pilkingtun, Sir J. Shelley, Colonel Sykes, and Mr. J. A. Turner.
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