The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-19 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 19, 1848.

But, my lord, you have, 1 think, very properly ex-
pressed that this was an occasion on which we might
be expected to make some allusion to the events pasting
throughout Europe. And I cannot forego this opportunity,
even though I may be infringing on the office deny noble
friend the Secretary for the Home Department, of upraising
my sense of the way in which he has succedeed in pre-
serving this country from the horr in of anarchy. (Cheers.)
We have felt, supported and aided as we were by the
greet mass, by the overwhelming majority of the in-
habitants of this neighbourhood, that there was
little to be feored from any attempt to violate order or
overthrow our institutions. And I trust and believe that
this Same s irit of loyalty and attachment to our institutions
will preserve that internal peace and tranquillity which less
fortunate nations have been deprived of. 1 think, my lord,
that we indeed owe thanks to providence for having been
able to preserve peace, both internal and external. My
noble friend, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, as you have
justly observed, appreciates u highly se any man teen do the
blessings of peace with the continent cf Europe. I trust
that peace will be maintained; and I must add, that it is
not only our wish that peace between this country and
foreign nations should be maintained, but that it is our
earnest wish to contribute, by all the means which the in-
fluence of this country can command, by all the councils
which impartiality and friendly real can suggest, to pre-
serve those blersings to other countries, and to secure their
continuance. (CM ere.) And, my lord. I may, perhaps, be
allowed to remark that the course which we are pursuing
at the present period affords a signal refutation of those
calumnies which have been constantly heaped upon this
country, as thing the country which, founding its prosperity
upon commercial red manufacturing pursuits, must there-
tore have a desire for the depreciation and almost degrade-
tion of those pursuits in other nations. Such has been the
prejudiced idea which has (teen entertained in prime foreign
nations with regard to England, and which has been care-
fully instilled into the minds of their people. But, whetever
may have been the notions generated by the spirit of come
menial rivalry in past ages, I will venture to say that, at the
present time, men of all political parties, of all pursuits, and
of all classes in England, ardently wish fur the prosperity of
foreign nations. (Hear, hear ) The eat six months have
given our neighbour. to see, even if we had no better motive
for wishing independe rice, richer., and prosperity to other •
nations—experieuce 11.119 chows us that there can he no dia.
turhance abroad, no injury to other nations, no
fears of insurrection or the commencement of war
amongst the nations of Europe, without this nation semi-
lively feeling, in its trade and commerce, the injury whch
arises from that apprehension and those disturbances (Hear.)
Therefore, if we had no better motive—which l main-
tain we have—than a wish for our own intereets, that alone
should induce us to use all the means in our power for the
maintenance of peace, the progress of rights, and of inter-
national friendship in Europe and in the world. (Cheers.)
1 trust, therefore, seeing that we have no selfish views in this
matter, that other nations will be ready to listen to our
advice, and that we may he enabled, at this great crisis is
European milkers, to contribute, as we have done in forme•
times, to allay arid remove hostilities, to preserve the inde.
dendence of nations, and to aid them in going through the
gnat difficulties of the present time without any serious
or formidable infringement of peaceful motions. (Hear,
hear.) You have said, my lord, meet truly, that the task
imposed upon ministers at present was one of more than
ordinary d flieulty ; but we have the consolation of knowing
that we are supported in it by all orders and ranks in this
united kingdom; we therefore endeavour to perform our
duty to the best of our ability, regarding any sacrifice 01
time, or health, or convenience, as due from us to our
country. (Cheeis )
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE —I rise at this moment to ask
you to drink a toast which must accord with ell your feel-
ings, and which ought not longer to he dela) cd— the health
of the Lord Mayor of London, and thanks to him for bin hos-
pitable entertainment. (Cheers.)
The Lout, MAYOR—I feel more than words can repress
the honour which you have done me. If I have done any-
thing to render the least service in my position as chief
magistrate, I may attribute much of its influent • to the as-
skance and confidence which I have derived from her Ma-
jesty's ministers ; and I particularly allude to the: minister
with whom I have had move In quent communication, by
virtue of the office ,which he so honnurably sustains,—the
Secretary of State for the Home Department. I may
also allude to • noble lord, who continues to render kind
assistance to the Cety of London, whenever it is asked and
needed ; I mean the Ein of Auckland, who is held in the
highest estimation by the citizens of London. (Cheers.)
The Lotto blavon then proposed, "The Marquis of
Lansdowne and the House of Lords." (Cheers.)
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE.—I tenure you, on beloilf,
not only of those memirers of the Howie of Lords who are
present, but also those who are absent, that in a period which
has been justly described as one of no common difficulty (ani
the year in which your lordship has been called to fill the
civic chair has been such) it will be the first ambition of that
body to discharge those duties, and to perform those func-
tions, and those functions only, which the constitution has
assigned to them. (Ilear, hear.)
The Lento !devote—l hove now the honour of proposing
" The health of Lord Palmerston and the members of the
House of Commons." (Cheers.)
Vi• Ct. PALMERSTON—I return you my most cordial thanks
for the double honour you have just bestowed on me —that of
drinking my health in this great and distinguished assembly,
Saud that of connecting my name with one of the most
noble public bodies that exists in the civilised world.
(Chien ) I would thank you in the come of the
House of Commons for the honour you have done them
in drinking their health on this occasion did I not feel there
is that brotherhood caking between that great assembly
of freemen and
,the great corporate body of the city which
must convince you that the members of the House of Com-
mons cannot hut be grateful for the compliment paid them
by a body reprosenong the commerce of the kingdom.
Commerce and freedom go hand in hand, and are mutually
dependent on each other ; it is natural, therefore, that this
great comm• reel' city, whose interests depend upon the free-
dom of which the Rouge of Commons is peculiarly the
guardian. should not forget, in the social and convivial
moment, to do due honour to the Commerce House of Par-
liament. (Heir, hear.) If there is any period at which
more than another Englishmen ought to be sensible of the
great blessings which the House of Commons, as part of the
parliament of this country, confers upon them, the present
time is perhaps not the least remarkable of any. We see
around us the nations of Europe that have long been deprived
of those blessings of freedom which we poses. and which we
hardly value sufficiently, lercaue they have been handed down.
to utilises inheritance from our remote ancestors,—we see the
nations which hare et t enjoyed those blessings now struggling
through the greatest uifficulties, and affronting the most ap-
palling dangers, in order to obtain powession of the freedom
we enjoy, and to fulfil an ambition which perhaps might I e
described as almost the ordinary ambition of men. (Hear.)
And therefore I say this is a moment at which every Eng•
lishman must peculiarly value those inestimable institutions
which have secured us the benefits of internal peace when
the nations around us are plunged in confusion and disturb-
luxe. Your lordship has been pleased to advert kindly,
and with a due estimateeof the feeling,' by which I am ani-
mated, to the particular office which I have the honour to
hie I can assure you, my lord, that it has been, and will
be, my constant study, in discharging the duties which be-
long to that office, not merely to enuarour to the utm :at of
my abilities to maintain and preserve for this country the
blessings of peace, but, as my noble friend Lord John Rus-
sell has said, it shall be my endeavour to preserve that bless-
ing to other countries, and in every part of the world to which
our influence may be permitted to extenden every case ire which
our advice may either be aczepted or solicited, to endeavour
to preserve to those countries that blessing, or to restore it, if,
by sat unfortunate c ,mbination of circumstance", they have
been for a moment plunged into the horrors of war. It is a
satisfactory illustration of that which your lordship so well
pointed out—the connexion between peace and the progress
of civilisation—that those attempts which are now convul-ing
Europe from one end to the other, although, in former
periods, when the triumphs of civilisation were less than
now, they would probably have produced a universal war,
have, hitherto at least, only partially disturbe4 tranquillity
in different portions of Europe. (Hear.) I most fervently
hope that that partial disturbance may only be temporary,
and that we may soon see tranquillity restored, and that the
progressive change which is taking place among the different
nations of Europe may pare to its consummation without
any disturbance of the general peace of the world. (Cheers.)
His lordship concluded by proposing "The health of the Lady
Ma ores." (Cheers.)
The Loan MAYOR proposed "The Church and the Bishop
of Norwich."
The Bishop of NORWICH in acknowledgment expressed
his hope that the clergy would always maintain that high
position which they had hitherto held in the estimation of
the people of England. As long as the church did its duty
zealously and devotedly it would always enjoy the respect
which was its due, and which would be recured be the
learning, talents', and devotion of its members. (Hear.)
The LORD MAYOR next proposed "The health of Sir G.
Grey." (Cheers.)
Sir G. G ItET-1 beg to vete', n you my most sincere thanks
for the very unex, eeted honour which you nave conferred
upon me. Your lordship has alluded to recent events which
have occurred throughout the continent of Europe, and to '
the late cautionary measures taken in this country—not, I
may say, to prevent the occurrence of similar events here,
but rather as precautionary measures. These measures have
testified to the unshaken, Hem, and ardent loyalty of
the people to the government and to the sovereign of
this kingdom, and to their equally warm and ardent
attachment to the great principles of the British con-
stitution,
to the maintenance of which they have shown
themselves devoted, and devoted to its defence, believing it
to he especially fitted for the unimpaired maintenance of the
rights and liberties of the great body of the people of this
country. (Cheers.) Your lordship has alluded to the
intercourse which it has been my good fortune to maintain
with yourself during the last few eventful months. Allow
me to take this opportunity of saying, that while it has been
my gratifying duty in the House of Commons to bear testi-
mony to the success which, under Providence, has attended
the measures taken by government for the maintenance M.
public order and tranquillity, that success was in a great de-
gree owing to the very valuable aid which was promptly and
efficiently rendered by your lordship and by the authorities
of this great city, and to the feelings of loyalty and love of
order which animated the inhabitants generally. (Hear.)
I am glad of the opportunity of expressing this sentiment,
which I deeply feel, of tendering my thaake
to your lordship, and through you to the cid- ,
sane of the metropolis at large, for the decided
part which they took in testifying their loyalty to the throne,
their attachment to the great principles of the British
constitution, and their determination to uphold the supre-
macy of the law. (Cheers.)
The neat toast was " The Magistrates of the City," which
Ald. Thompson, M.P., briefly acknowledged.
Mr. Baron Routh, in responding to the toast of "The
Judges," said he was inspired with confidence that the spirit
of disorder which had passed ores different countries would