The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-11 00:00:00

.N/M.RESS.-- MONDAY

material interests. and by every moral feeling which can
unite nations. (Chews.) I think, therefore, that if toy
noble friend Lord Derby bail been present, though lie
toialtt expressed in cruder and happier terms the
situation •st the country whose destinies, with the stusetiou
of het Majesty, be is called upon to regulate, he would
have offered to your consideration views with respect to
our relatious with regard both to Elmo* and to America
which, upon. the whole, might ho considered as musk, !
tot). Ido not think issyselt that our domestic position is
sat'sfactory. Her Majesty's ministers, with the
eobl. ~ett..rous aid of a patriotic parliament, Lave
i Len since we met last session in this hall, to settle a
,lueFtoa which it was of the greatest importance to the
state should be brought to a settlement. (Cheers.) If
asete.al this question would have been a source of
earedc of feebleness to the countri, of
emba•t.oisment to the crown, making parliament ridi-
lous aud contemptible in the eyes of Europe, it for
fifteen year.. we should have gone on insisting that the
leerier of the redistribution of power in the state was
tectiutty to be settled, and that England was incompetent
to irr:n; shout that settlement. Her Jlajestya govern-
:rent. ailed and assisted by a patriotic parliament, have
introduced and carried a measure with thatobject. (Cheers.)
I belief myself that it is one which will establish concord
cia-sea, that the nation accepts it as afavourable
result. and that history win consecrate its consequences.
(Cheers.) I have ventured to touch upon these points of
interest with respect to the position of the government,
thoech I wished much that they hod been placed before
yes: .ee :tidy by the prime minister. It was my duty,
huwever. to aNatire you when we met upon this ciocasion
tl.at our relations with foreign powers were of • satisfac•
tory kind. and that we feel complete confidence in the
alien end condition of the country. (Cheers.) The right
hen. gentleman concluded by proposing " The Health of
the Lord Mayor."
The Low, MATOII briefly acknowledged the compliment,
and proposes the " Health of the late Lord Mayor."
Alderman Sir THOMAM GABRIEL, Bart., who was heartily
cheered, returned thanks, and acknowledged on the part
of the corporation of the City of London the ready recog-
Lition of the services rendered by the City of London
daring his year of office, which had putt expired.
The hint. MAIOE next proposed " The House of Lords,"
which responded to by
Tire Earl of -MA tateaseite, who referred to the venerable
character o' the House of Peers, and stated that it was
almost coeval with the corporation of the City of London.
The House of Peers bad seen dynasties pass away and
many ref ointions ; but now, in the year 1867, its repre-
sentatives were met at that hospitable table to reciprocate
comp:M.enta with the representatives of the greatest city
in the world. (Cheers.) 'Without any desire to exaggerate
the merits of the body to which be belonged, he claimed
that thrill; a long course of historical renown they bad
always performed their duty, and had known how to
ae-
uoarmoate themselves to the times. They bad always per-
forated their functions as a check on the other estates of
the realm,but at the same time always knew how to identify
themselves with the wishes of the people when those
wishes were right, and should with wisdom and prudence
as.. can heti into effect. During the last cession, after watch-
iirg, the current a public opinion, they had become con-
winced of the necessity of settling the question of retorts,
and had ther,fore confirmed by their legislative sanction
:he wishes of the nation. Such he hoped would ever be
the conduct and policy of that great branch of the legisla-
ture. (rheera. _ _

The 'Lo:ro bLxlcot next proposed "The Judges,' for
U'tich Lord Chief Justice BovILL briefly replied.
The next tacit was " The House of COMMOaI."

The toast was responded to by
Lord Firms-Lev, who was much cheered. He said—l have
:teat pleasure iu returning thanks on behalf of the Howse
of Commons. It is a duty.,which has often devolved upon
me before, and not unfrequently in this very hall. There
is no place where that toast could be more appropriately
given than here, for the connexion between the
City of Loudon and the House of Commons is full of histo-
rical remini.cences, and there are no members who speak
with more weight and authority in the house than those
who are sent there by the City of London, since, whatever
their politics, they are the representatives of the greatest
commercial community that has ever existed since the
world began. (Cheers.) Upon a subject so familiar as the
House of Commons, it is hardly passible to speak without
saying either something which may he regarded as a
paradox. or something in the shape of a mere commonplace.
But as the tendency of the present time is rather to depre-
ciate than unduly to exalt anything which is familiar to
this country, I may adl attention to one or two points in
which it seems to use that the English parliament differs, as
I believe, from every other legislative assembly of a similar
diameter in the world. In the first place, we are the only
unpaid legislative body in the world ; there is no country
in the world except England in which you will find many
hundreds of wealthy men who will submit to the annoyance
of a popular contest with no other hope than that of being
able to give to the public a certain amount of gratuitous
labour. You may say they give themselves this trouble
from personal vanity or ambition, and that may be, hut
I am of opinion that even such a motive, since it prompts
men to serve in the parliament of a free country,
is • virtue rather than • failing. (Hear, heir.) Then,
again, I do not believe there is another legislative
ody in the world, not even the American or a colonial
congress, which gets through a hfth part of the business
trausacwil by the British House of Commons. We may he
etarge.l with attempting too much, and I have sometimes
thought this myself, hut with whatever faults we may be
fairly charged, ft cannot be asserted that we are wanting
iu industry and good will. (Hear, hear.) There is one
thing more that I must say for the House of Commons. I
do not believe that any similar body shows the same
amount of justice and fair play to those who address it.
No doubt party proceedings exist, and sometimes party
feeling runs high, but there is one thing which invariably
overrides party feeling, and that is the existence of an
honest confidence in the good intentions of the indivi•
duals of the assembly. (Ches:rs.)
- .

Tao remaining toasts were The Aldermen of London,"
respondod to by the senior alderman ; " The liar of
KrwLuill," responded to by the Attorney.fleneral ; and
"The La,:y Mayoress," proposed by the Lord Chancellor.
The company then retired to the reception room, where
coffee was served, and shortly afterward, separated.

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.—
On Saturday evening the Association of Tradesmen held
their ninth anniversary dinner at Willie's Booms in cele-
bration of the birthday of his raps' highness the
Prince of Wales. Mr. J. W. 'lemon, of Old Bond-street,
was in the chair, and among the gentlemen present, about
120 in ntimeer, were Messrs. H. Melton (hon. secretary),
Jay, Nichelay, Aylen, H. Holmes(of Derby ),and J. Hooper.
The toasts of the evening were of course the healths of the
Prime and Princess of Wales, which were proposed by
the chairman in brief but appropriate terms, and conlially
' responded to by the company. In proposing the health of
the Prince Mr. Benson referred especially to the interest
which Lis royal highness exhibit, in the national "ports
and pastinearan allusion which called forth loud and
genera! applause ; and in recommending the toast of " The
Princess of Wales." he did not omit to notice the womanly
fortitude with which that illustrious lady has borne the
sufferings occasioned by her severe and protracted illness,
or forget to express on the part of those whom he repre-
sented their warn, participation in the general satiefaction
which has been occasioned by her royal highness's restora-
tion to health. Another toast, and one special to the oc-
casion, was" Lieutenant-General Sir W. Knotty', K.C.8.,
and the gentlemen of H.R.H.'s Household," and in pro-
, posing it, the chairman hors testimony to the courtesy and
attentir a with which the gallant general and his saber-
; dinates treated all those who hail occasion to do business
with them. The applause with which the remark was re-
ceived and the cordiality with which the toast was drunk
proved the concurrence of all present in this acknowleitg-
meat. The other toast* were " The Queen," " The
Army, Navy, and Volunteers" (responded to by Captain
Jay, of the Hon. Artillery Company); "The Chairman,"
"The Honorary Secretary," "The Press," "The Drama,"
"The Visitors," "The Ladies," and " The Stewards."
The musical arrangements were under the direction of
Mr. Theodore Dinh:, who was assisted by Madame
Talbot Cherer, Miss Julia Derby and Dir. G. T. Carter.
Among the delicacies which had been provided for
the occasion were saute haunches of venison which had
been presented by the Prince of Wales. From an early
hour the bells of the church of the royal pariah of St.
Martin"-in-the-fields, and other London parishes, rang out
merry reale. and the royal standard was hoisted at the
Tower, the government offices, and other public places.
The illuminations in honour of the event were on a more
extensive scale than usual, and some Mt those at the clubs
in Pall-mall and its neighbourhood, and in St. James's-
street, Bond-street, and Waterloo-place, were very bril-
liant. At Windsor the bells were rung id salutes fired
es usual. The royal purveyors and tradesmen of the town
decked the fronts of their shops, places of business, nail
houses with trophies of deg', among which the Prince of
Wales's feathers and the Danish colours appeared con-
spienomi.
DEPARTURE OF MIL DICKENS FOR AHEItICA.—
On Saturday last Sir. Charles Dickens sailed from Liver-
, pool for the United States. Mr. Dickens left London on
Friday by the ten o'clock express train for Liverpool,
being a4.Anupanied to Easton station by a host of friends
desirous of bidding him " God speed " and as reroir. The
directors of the London and North Western Company paid
Mr. Dickens and party the compliment of placing at their
disposal one of the royal saloon carriages. Mr. Dickens
was accompanied to Liverpool by two of his daughters
Miss hlotarth, Mr. Wilkie Collins, Mr. Charles Collin;
this sou-in-lan Mr. Wills, Mr. Edmund Yates, Mr. Arthur
Chopp and Mr. Charles Kent. The party arrived at
Liverpool about three p.m., and drove at once to the
Adelpid Hotel, where apartments had been engaged for
them. On Saturday morning tho whole party left the
George's lending...tage at eight o'clock, in the steam.
tender, and shortly afterwards Mr. Dickens was on board
the Cunard mail steamer Cuba, commanded by Captain
Stone. Owing to the early hour at which the Cuba
started, and the fact that her departure bad been an-
noun.ed ha newspaper paragraphs to take place at noon,
there was tai crowd beyond such ss is pthered on the
landing-stage on similar occasions. The mails were put on
board the Cuba at 8.30 a.m., and at nine o'clock the noble
steamer Nailed gently down the river en route for Boston,
amidst hearty cheers and affectionate farewell demon-
strut. 'lli. The Cuba is expected to arrive at Boston in
about ten days, and, so far as at present arranged, Mr.
Dickens will remain on the other aide of the Atlantic until
May next.

*parting inttlitgratt.

THE SHREwsBURY AUTUMN MEETING.