The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-05 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 5, 1884.

from any one of Which Anne Hathaway
might have popped out or bead, without anachro-
nism or breach of propriety. All these snug old
homes everywhere in England are, I believe, of the
Elizabethan period, it being only then that the word
•` comfort" and its meaning began to be known to
our vernacular.

This was the way Lord Palmerston was to come,
and this was the way he did come, ough I did
not wait to see his lordship enter, or the finan-
cial question was settled between him a d the stern
Spartan of the " pike." 41ace had to be secured
in front of the Shire-hall, where the statue stood
closely veiled, and where the great event of the
day, . namely, Lord Palmerston's inaugurating
speech, was to be delivered. Here an unpretending
platform had been hastily erected, with a boarded
avenue leading thereto from the Shire-hall, and
round it were assembled, under a burning sun and
in anxious expectation, all the great " county
people" of Herefordshire and Radnorshire, and from
various parts of Wales. There was no distinction of
party ; the Tories vied with/the Whigs in their anxiety
to do honour to the deceased, and nothing could
possibly be more gratifying than the total absence
of political acrimony by which the whole of the
proceedings were distinguished. A very large open
space took the form of a triangle, of which the
Shire-hall formed the base and the ancient church
of St. Mary one of the &idea, the other side having
• long row of small houses which streamed away up
to a junction with the central streets. Within the
triangle was the statue and the temporary rostrum,
and round both the militia, and the volunteers kept
guard—the latter with their band, which per-
formed vociferously at intervals during the day.
The cresmellated parapet of the old church was
studded with human faces, the neighbouring roofs
were covered with gazers, and below there was
packed a crowd, greater, as one of the speakers
stated, "than had ever been seen in Hereford."
The arrival of Lord Palmerston in the mayor's
carriage was the signal for the moat deafening
cheering, for which his lordship returned frequent
acknowledgments, after which the carriage pro-
ceeded slowly to the back entrance to the hall,
where its company was ea down, and some short
interval allowed for perso arra:Fits. The
speaking then commenced, which 'ye below,
but I think it better first to finish have to say
respecting the aspects of the ceremonial, and then
to let the more important oratory speak for itself.
There was, first, the reading of an address by the
town clerk on the steps of the Shire-hall, a ceremony
which kept Lord Palmerston standing there for •
considerable time, and obliged him to anticipate
his principal address in a short reply ; and then the
ascent to the platform, where this statesman of
eighty years was kept standing bare-headed under •
burning sun for upwards of a quarter of an hour,
whilst the Rev. Archer Clive made a long speech,
the only object of which seemed to be to anticipate
what would niore properly have come from Lord Pal-
merston himself. Mr. Clive with happy candour re-
minded his lordship that they bad come there not
to glorify the living, but to do honour to the dead,
and with equal frankness added that there was
only one man in that vest assembly who was
competent to describe the varied acquirements of
Sir George Lewis, and that was—not the distin-
guished guest who had been specially invited to
pronounce the inaugural oration—but the Bishop
of Hereford, who stood behind him. If, as some of
the journals had anticipated, Lord Palmerston had
contemplated .any allusion to "the astronomy of
the aacients," the ground was here cut from under
his feet, and I fancied I could observe that neither
with this nor with other portions of Mr. Clive's
speech was our venerable Premier particularly well
pleased. The hint seemed to annoy him very much,
' and he coughed • good deal, although when offered
a glass of water be brusquely put it away with his
hand. I hope lam not outstripping my function in
expressing my opinion that his lordship's intended
speech suffered from the malapropos preliminary
I observations of his reverend introducer, and had to
be mentally somewhat altered from the original in-
tention. The reader will, however, judge for him-
self, and it will be only necessary to add here that
those who were near enough to hear it cheered very
lustily, and those who were not accepted the judg-
ment and cheered with still greater vigour. The
whole proceedings were got through in half au hour,
and when they had concluded Lord Palmerston ad-
journed to the Palace for refreshment, and at a quar-
ter to three appeared on the rail way platform prepara-
tory to bis return to town. Here there was much—
perhaps too much—shaking of hands, one pertina-
cious little woman insisting on introducing her whole
regiment of early prodigies seriatim, and having
them shake hands with the Prime Minister ; and
others of the rougher sex crowding round in a way
which only Lord Palmerston's good humour could
have tolerated. I was informed that one indi-
vidual had the audacity to come to the carriage
window, seize his lordship's hand, and ask
"could his lordship tell him who was to win the
Leger," but I did not witness the assault my-
self, and must leave its authenticity in charitable
uncertainty. Taking the affair altogether there
can be no doubt but that the public feeling of
Hereford was fairly divided netween respect for
the memory of the deceased statesman and hearty
admiration of the varied qualities of his illus-
trious survivor.

1 ogees them was between my family and the family of the
late Sir George Cormwall Lewis • most intimate intercourse.
Therefore ea every ground, both public and private, it is
most gratifying to me to attend here this day and take pert
in the cienencey, which is not only interesting to all them
who admire*. public and private virtues of the late Sir
G. Cornewall Lewis, but is alike creditable so the tows of
Hereford, which thus recognises his diatieguished services.
4 I ' thank you for the compliment you have paid me,
the invitation you have kindly given me. Obese)
. demise Otrex then proceeded to my that, as
emonittee of gentlemen who had raised the
the late lamented Sir George Contemn Lewis he
bed requested to mak Lord Palmerstos to be presoak
at the esremany of inauguration, and be had to thank his lord-
ship for the reedy assent which he bad given to the request
made to him on the subject. It bad been the object of the
subscribers to the statue to provide for their departed friend
a monument from materials the most imperishable that the ,
quarries and mines of this country could offer. They had
endeavoured to see that it should be, like !Jimmie unpre-
tending. They had not requested his lordship to sanction the
noe=tad statement of lying epitaph'. for theyhad placed
os the hoe of the stator but what any person present
could say was the truth, and noting bet the truth. The
rev. gentleman having referred to the inscriptions on the
base of the natne, said that they were borne oat by the
obanister of the late Sir G. C. Lewis as • statesmen and II
scholar. After referring in flowing terms to the peat qua.
Sties of Sir George Lewis no both capacities, the rev. gen-
tleman begged that Lord Patina:non would give the mom
MT &redeem that the statue should be unveiled.
This was Immediately done, the bead of the volansie
asps performing during the ceremony a slow march. The
figure Is • exact »promenades of the ormeased slates-
ma, sad the is • miry striking me.
Lord PALKMerOIII, amid load cheering, then delivered
the following address :—" Mr. Clive and patlesiee,—l
musk beforal make any observations upon the amnion cre
which we are here all assembled, first of all thank you from
the bottom of my heart for the kind sod flattering reception
which I have nosived from the people of Hereford. I know
fall well that the crowd and multitude of people—cif fame
which I now see before me—ere met here for an object
which Ma also brought me ammo; you, as my friend Mr.
Clive has said, not so much, not, indeed, connected with the
tin s& lint to do merited hoeour to them we have lost.
And, indeed, you must all feel that there has Wein
arisen an ocessios on which it would be more blooming
for the *nem of a great and enlightened community, Ilke
the people of the city of Hereford, to assemble and do
homer le the memory of one of their departed members,
The grist'a of eslebrating, by houotus conferred, the dia.
uieked services of men coped in the came of their
country is one which has been followed by all civilised
satires, sad in all historical time, and it is founded on two
principles equally deserving of pre/Aloe and respect. In
xi the $ place, t is an expression grateful and apesable 1
to from whom it poceeds, of their pereeen nisch-
public respect for the parsons in whose memory
honour is onferred. Such acts teed to invigorate
in living those feelings of affection and regard
which are the most ennobling sentiments that can
animate the heart of man. (Cheers.) In the next
place, the nature of such acts is that, by holding out to the
living generation, and to those that may succeed, the hope
that time who reader during their lifetime zeal and dials-
finished services to their country, will, by memorial rained
to perpetuate their memory, live in the recollection and
esteem of their countrymen for cesturies to come. (Cheers.)
We meet all remember • most remarkable Instance of the
way is which this feeling operated to stimulate men to
peat metered's. History records that when the great
Nelms was about to engage in his first famous battle, be
said he was going for a coronet or Westminster Abbey
—that hi to say, that he was conscious that what
1 le was about to do would secure for him respect and
distinction during his life if he survived, or,
if the end was different, such posthumous honours as the
country might afford. You are now assembled to confer '
I pretlismons honour upon • great and distinguished states-
man, who by the inscrutable decrees of Provides°. has been
celled away from us prematurely, and at a women when, is
the full vigour of his age, we might have expected from him
a left and useful continuance of public duty. (Cheerio.) All
you 0•8 now do is that which we are assembled to perform'
—to commemorate, by • lasting memorial, the respect and
esteem which his oosteisponries felt for him, sad to hold
out to future ape se instructing and inspiring example,
to induce them to follow in that career which
he so honourably and usefully filled. (Cheers.) There
has seldom been any man in • great public career who
so entitled himself to the esteem and admiration of
his fellow-countrymen as the late Sir George Lewis. I may
say that the whole 'Mice part of hie life was devoted in use '
way or another to the service of hie country. During the
latter peeled of his life he filled some of the most arduous
and inporinet °Mose at the state. He was, as my friend
Mr. Clive has observed, at one time Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. He managed, dories the Crimean wier—a period
of great anxiety and difficulty—the coments of the country ;
sod it is perfectly true that there never was • &mom minis-
tor who acquired and retained, to • pester degree than Sir
George Lewis, the confidence of all that commercial comma-
city who are so much interested in the accurate and efficient
discharge of the dirties of • finance minister. He then took
charge of the national affairs of the country as Secretary of
State for the Home Department. and there, in that perpetual 1
intercourse which be had with the nobility, the goitre, the
corporations, and the different communities connected with I
oar national affairs, he oscillated their esteem and acquired
their confidence; and so with great public advastap he
performed the duties of that important °Mos. (Cheers.)
A vacancy happened, unfortunately, by as event much to
be deplored, in the office of Minster for the War De-
Ml:ment, and Sir G. Lewis—not according to his own
nation, bemuse he would have preferred to remain
is the offlos which he occupied, but at the earnest requset
of myself and other members of the government, under-
took the arduous duties of War Minister of the coon-
Sy. Those duties he admirably performed, and I can-
not charge myself with the belief that, however heavy the
performance of three duties, it did tend in any dopes to
shorten his valuable life. In all those great and important
public offices be performed his duties in a 11111120111 f which
attracted the respect, esteem and approbation of all who
were connected with those several departments, and he
showed a versatility of talent which perhaps few men in
an equal degree pommel. (Hear, hear.) In hie pasha-
mastery labours he was an able and eldest debater ; be
stood up manfully against all opponents in his defence of
his own opinions. but with • calmness sod forbeerance, sod
ceases. of logical argument, which, although be convinced
many who bad differed from him previously in opinion, and
although be confuted his political integoeista, yet he never,
vireo in the warmth of debate, media personal political enemy.
(Cheers.) All those who know in any sphere of life bow
much the passions are apt to be excited by finding opinions
Merest° renown supported by able antagonists, bow much
our passim. are apt to be excited. and how much
the human mind is impatient of contradiction, must know
what • fund of good nature, what • fund of calm forbearance,
what • feed of intellectual reasoning, there must have been
in that mind which could pow through debates in the
Hems of Commas* night after night and year after year,
repelluig attacks on some occasions, urging minims on
others, and yet, although distinguished as an able speaker in
that house, never, by any lapse, or yielding to any
impulse, converting a political antagonist into • permed
enemy. (Cheers.) But not only was Sir George Lewis die-
tingumbed as • public man, but, as was well ebserved by
Mr. Clive, he contrived in a war which excited, not only
admiration, but astonishment to those who knew him—he
contrived while be was engaged, almost all the earlier part
of his life, is public duties of greater or less importance, all
requiring a greet devotion of time—he contrived to
acquire a more varied and more extensive and
deeper knowledge of all kinds than had often
fallen to the lot even of them who have nothing
alas to do hut to devote their minds to its an.
clangors. He was our of the mat learned men in private
life, as well as one of the moat active in public duties.
(Hear.) As has bees stated. there is one here who can
bear testimony to that, which, however great it was, how-
ever great was his acquisition of knowledge, there was with
all that, such unpretending singleton. and simplicity. a
mind and no unneceseary display, that a man might
have posed hours in his society, and unless the con-
venation turned by itself upon subjects with which
he was mach better acquainted than most of
those with whom he came in contact, they would
have been ignorant, and might liars gone sway
without knowing mything of that vast store of
knowledge which he had heaped up in his active and most
todustrious wiled. (Hear.) But that knowledge was sot
merely useful, as all intellectual acquisitions are, but the
habit of mind which the acquisition of knowledge WO him
enabled him better to perform those public' dulled with
which from time to time he was charged. The great
quality—l say, the leading quality—of hie mind wee thirst-
ing algae truth. His great object was to manna truth.
He was not impatiestor contradiction ; be was not impatient
of difference of opinion—his object was by comparing his 1
Mese so precisely with those of others, whether living or dead,
whether in convenatioe or in books—his great object was to It
get at truth, and to ascertain the correctness or incorrect.
ceesoL opinions. (Cheers.) That quality he
11 in a greater degree than almost anybody whom I
7aZithe good fortune to meet. It was that quality
which endeared him as • public man to those with whom
be had entered into communion. But in his private rata..
time of life there wage warmth of heart—there was mirth- )
nem of affection—there was • total unselfishness of feeling i
—which rendered him dear to all his friends, and which
made him most valuable to all his family connections, and
which inspired in those who came near hint in private life,
in the exchange of domestic intercourse -inspired feelings
more deep then these which could be felt by any of
those who are now assembled to do honour to his memory,
It is, therefore, I say, quite • becoming act on the part of
1 the people of this city sad county to have erected to his
1 roamer, the statue which we have sow usnivared,. and i
which, bong the work of our of the most distinguished
artists at the guest day, dim give as emirate a rwissatianos I
as pourable of the features of him in whose honour it is plaosd
in your city. I truntheetheee I am now addressing. aadthose

Having arrived at the Shire-ball, Lord Palmerston
was received with loud cheering. Amongst those in the
immediate vicinity of the statue were the Lord Bishop of
Hereford, Lord and Lady Say and Bele, Earl Somers, Lady
Emily Foley, Lady Lansdale, Lieut.-Colonel Fields. the
Rev. A. Clive and Mrs. Clive, Colonel Clifford, M.P.:kc.
The noble Premier was cocducted by the Mayor and the
members of the Common Council into the Shire tall. On
reaching the steps of the building,
The TOWN CLINK read the following address to Lord
Palmerston :

"My Lord,—We, the mayor. alderman, and citizens of
the city of Hereford, desire to express the gratibcation we
feel at the homes *waisted upon us by your lordship.
prestos in our Reelect city, and gladly avail our.
selves of this opportunity to acknowledge the
debt of gratitude we owe to your lordship in
having for so many years aided our beloved Sovereign
by your wire and prudent counsel ia maintainirs the high
position which she holds among the nations of the world.
Permit us also to sprees our admiration of that exalted
feeling which has prompted your lordship to appropriate a
portion of your valuable time towards paying • just tribute
of respect to the memory of the late Sir George Cornwall
Lewis, whose Ices we all so greatly deplore, and :who 'edit.
lonely devoted talents of no common order to the service
of his country. We refrain from dilating upon the merits
of this eminent statesman, being well aware that he long
enjoyed the regard and friendship of your lordship. We
shall ever esteem it an honour that his name stands re-
corded amongst the chief stewards of this ancient
city, sod magratalate ourselves that, under your
kind auspices, the inhabitants of the city and
scantyof Hereford will this day dedicate
• suitable testfroisial to his memory. We fervently'
hope that you may long be spared to participate is the
councils of this nation, and see our tnuch.loved country
inertias in prosperity under the administration and govern.
meat of her most gracious Majesty. Given under Oaf '
Corporate Common Seal, the 3rd day of September, 1861.
Lord Psturanron, in reply, said Mr. Meyer and
gentlemen of the Corporation of the city of Hereford, I beg
to thank you most sincerely for the address you have been
kind enough to preset to me, and 1 assure you you have
conferred upon me intuits estialeetioo in affording me an
opportunity of being present no such an occasion as
we base met to celebrate this day And with regard to
what you have been pleased to say with respect to my
public service', I can oaly assure lon that the highest
remuneratioa any man engaged in public life can hope to meet
with is the approbation and I:middens of his fellow-
Stises. It is, indeed, most gratifying tome to be snored
by the people of the city of Hereford sod neighbourhood—
persons entitled to form, from their intimate knowledge, •
sight opinion with regard to the conduct of those who are
celled upon to administer the public affaire—that the various
dells I have discharged in the service of my country have
sot with your approbation. I can assure you that I feel
psiycularly interested in the ceremony in hamar of •
rimed whose lam we all deplore, and because of
the great vales we all stash to the invaluable
lervieep rtedered to this country by the let* Sir Gawp
Cionswall Lewis. I bad the harpists of sojoying hip
private friendship, indeed, I may sty I had the hereditary
I eight to his friendship, because I
.hed the good fortune of
enjoying the frisodship of hie distinguithed father, and be-