The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-07-10 00:00:00

THE SPEAKERS AT THE TRINITY
HOUSE.

The banquet at the Trinity House last Saturday
night was attended by a great many distinguished men
and some very clever speakers, but the speaking was
not of a sort to require much notice. The Prince of
Wales presided, in the absence of his brother the Duke
of Edinburgh, and proposed the usual toasts from the
chair. Mr. Cardwell WAR the first of the Ministers to
rise, and he was followed by Mr. Childers. Then came
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who responded for
the House of Commons. He bespoke the sympathy
of the company for the House of Commons as a suffer-
ing body. "I dare say," said Mr. Lowe, "some of
you may have seen a poet reading the first criticism of
his work in some review, and you have watched
the expression of his countenance, as he perused
the candid criticism. Some of you may have
seen a painter standing unknown to those around
him at the Exhibition of the Academy, and
hearing the not very flattering comments that
are made on his picture; or you may have seen a
clergyman listening to observations on his sermon
more candid than polite ; and in this position the
House of Commons is just placed at this moment. We
had flattered ourselves that we had dune a great work.
We traced a broad and clear outline—we laid in what
we believed to be neutral tints. We took infinite pains
and labour with our performance, and satisfied our-
selves with its thoroughly artistic character. But now
we are subjected to an excruciating ordeal. We see
our performance reviewed by no friendly eyes, criti-
cised, altered, and remodelled according to the notions
of our critics. The neutral tints disappear and give
place to the most violent lights and shades. The
clear and definite outline we had drawn be.
comes blurred and indistinct—all sorts of, I will not
say tricks and experiments,are tried on our performance
and we are compelled to stand by our arms folded, to
watch this excruciating process without being allowed
to interpose a word. That is no doubt a painful
position for the House of Commons to be in; but the
darkest night is nearest the dawn, and we console our-
selves with the reflection that after these alterations
have been made in our performance it will return to us,
and we shall have to give it the final touch, and we

are not without hope that we may be enabled to reform
what has been blurred, to restore the outline, and
make the picture, if not exactly the same Sc bsfore,
yet so much the same at least as satisfactory in all
points of view. That such may be the result of this
very remarkable production I have no doubt you will
join with me in anticipating."
Mr. Disraeli's speech, in reply to "The Honorary
Brethren" (which hardly exceeds twenty lines) was
spoken at Mr. Lowe. Addressing the deputy-master,
Sir Frederick Arrow, the right hon. gentleman said :
" Perhaps, Sir, in the execution of some of your duties
you may at times experience cares and anxieties not
leas than those which the Chancellor of the Exchequer
has with so much tact and taste recalled to our recol-
lection, and sure I am you will feel this—whatever
may be your public duties—you may encounter them
successfully with the temper and forbearance which
generally in public affairs meet their due reward ; and
you will feel sure in the transactions of public life that
there is no wise rule that it is more sedulously our duty
to observe than this—that it is unwise to introduce
difficult subjects upon which men may differ when it is
unnecessary to obtrude them ou public notice."
Mr. Gladstone's remarks in response to the toast of
the Queen's Ministers were certainly not open to Mr.
Disraeli's criticism. The Premier confined himself to
such safe topics as the good deeds of the Trinity House,
and only wished for himself and his colleagues that they
might be as happy as the years or weeks run round—
for (he added) the existence of a Government may often
be measured by weeks as well as years— in escaping
criticism and acquiring confidence as had been the ex-
cellent and distinguished men entrusted with the con-
duct of the affairs of this iniwrtant corporation. Mr.
Bright, too, though he spoke at some length, confined
himself pretty much to expatiating on the greatness of
British commerce, and extolling beacons, buoys, light-
, houses, and lifeboats.