"From 1836, down to last year, there is no proof of the Government having any confidence in the duration of peace, or possessing increased security against war"

This quote by Richard Cobden is referring to the period of time between 1836 and the year prior to when he made the statement. He is suggesting that throughout this time, the government had not taken any actions to guarantee that peace would be maintained or that the country would be better safeguarded against war. This recommends that the government was not taking the essential safety measures to guarantee the security of the country, which they were not positive in the ability to maintain peace. This might be due to a lack of resources, or an absence of understanding of the prospective dangers that might arise. It is likewise possible that the government was not taking the required actions to ensure that the country was adequately gotten ready for any prospective conflict. Whatever the reason, it is clear that the federal government was not taking the required steps to make sure the safety of the nation during this amount of time.