Take the question of colonial government.  Twenty years ago the government of our colonies was a huge job.  A small family party in each, in connexion with the Colonial Office, ruled our colonies.  We had then discontent, and, now and then, a little wholesome insurrection, especially in Canada.  The result was that we have given up the colonial policy which had hitherto been held sacred, and since that time not only have our colonies greatly advanced in wealth and material resources, but no parts of the Empire are more tranquil and loyal.

Take also the question of Protection.  Not thirty years ago, but twelve years ago, there was a great party in Parliament, led by a duke in one House and by the son and brother of a duke in the other, which declared that utter ruin must come, not only on the agricultural interest, but upon the manufactures and commerce of England, if we departed from our old theories upon this subject of Protection.  They told us that the labourer—­the unhappy labourer—­of whom it may be said in this country,

  Here landless labourers hopeless toil and strive,
  But taste no portion of the sweets they hive,—­

that the labourer was to be ruined; that is, that the paupers were to be pauperized.  These gentlemen were overthrown.  The plain, honest, common sense of the country swept away their cobweb theories, and they are gone.  What is the result?  From 1846 to 1857 we have received into this country of grain of all kinds, including flour, maize, or India corn—­all objects heretofore not of absolute prohibition, but which were intended to be prohibited until it was not safe for people to be starved any more—­not less than an amount equal in value to L224,000,000.  That is equal to L18,700,000 per annum on the average of twelve years.  During that period, too, your home growth has been stimulated to an enormous extent.  You have imported annually 200,000 tons of guano, and the result has been a proportionate increase in the productions of the soil, for 200,000 tons of guano will grow an equal weight and value of wheat.  With all this, agriculture was never more prosperous, while manufactures were never, at the same time, more extensively exported; and with all this the labourers, for whom the tears of the Protectionist were shed, have, according to the admission of the most violent of the class, never been in a better state since the beginning of the great French war.

One other revolution of opinion has been in regard to our criminal law.  I have lately been reading a book which I would advise every man to read—­the Life of Sir Samuel Romilly.  He tells us in simple language of the almost insuperable difficulties he had to contend with to persuade the Legislature of this country to abolish the punishment of death for stealing from a dwelling-house to the value of 5_s_., an offence which now is punished by a few weeks’ imprisonment.  Lords, bishops, and statesmen opposed these efforts year after year, and there have been