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Ten years’ experience in constitutional government has not been unattended by some noteworthy results, but much still remains to be done in the way of so guiding and educating public opinion as to render it a help and assistance to the conduct of the affairs of the State. To speak frankly, it has for some years been a source of profound regret to me to observe a tendency on the part of the existing political parties to be betrayed into words and deeds which are at variance with the principles laid down in the Constitution, which indicate a proneness to sacrifice national for private interests, and which, moreover, are antagonistic to the fundamental national policy decided upon by His Imperial Majesty at the time of the glorious Restoration in unison with the requirements of the progress achieved. The lamentable consequence is, that the conduct of these parties leaves much to be desired in regard to the maintenance of the honour and good name of the empire abroad and to the acquirement of the confidence and trust of the people at home. Being now called upon to gather together men of similar views with myself, and to submit to the candid consideration of the public a general statement of the lines of policy which I intend to pursue in common with my friends, I avail myself of the present opportunity of briefly setting forth some of the principles which, in my opinion, ought to guide the actions of a political party.

The appointment or dismissal of Cabinet Ministers appertains, under the Constitution, to the prerogatives of the Sovereign, who consequently retains absolute freedom to select his advisers from whatever quarters he deems proper, be it from among political parties or from circles outside those parties. When once Ministers have been appointed and invested with their