The Express.
London, England, 1859-10-31 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 31, 1859.

GRAND CONSSRVATIVE DEMONSTII4-

ZION AT LIVERPOOL.

BANQUET TO THE EARL OF DERBY AND
MEMBERS OF THE LATE CABINET.
LIVERPOOL, SATIAD \V.
The long-anticipated demonstration took place
this (Saturday) evening, in the Philharmonic Hall, Liver-
pool. About 600 persons, admitted by two-raises ticket.,
were seated at the tables, eight in number, which were laid
in the body of the hall. The boxes were entirely devoted to
ladies, the majority of whom displayed the local conservative
colours, red and blue. The galleries were densely crowded
by gentlemen (admitted after dinner), while the orchestra
was devoted to musicians, lady spectators, and reporters, for
which last named body the scoonomedetion provided was very
inferior, and the hospitality extended to them very different
from what the representatives of the London pease ate wont
to experience. Upon the tables were arranged vases filled
with the choicest Bowers, and Moms. Elkingten and Co., of
Liverpool, Birmingham, and London, had supplied some of
their most beautiful designs of plate, in the shape of epergnes,
candelabra, and other ornaments suited to each occasions.
The following is a list of the invited guests, who, with the
exception of General Peel, whose attendance was prevented
by the death of his sister-in•law, the late Sir R.
Peel's widow, and Lord Skeloterodade, who was un-
able to be present, sat at raised tables to the
right and left of the chairman (Mr. FRANCIS Snenn) :—the
Reel of Derby, the Earl of Malmesbury, the Earl of UM-
ton, the Earl of Hardwick*, the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord
Chelmsford, the Earl of Wilton, the Earl of Donoughmore
Lord Ravermwerth, Lord Kingedowa, the Right Hon. B.
Disraeli, M.P., Lord Stanley, M.P., General Peel, 2,1 P.,
Lord John Manners, M.P., Archdeacon Jones, the Right
Hon. Joseph Napier, The Marquis of Bath, Lord Skidmore-
dale, Lord Grey de Wilton, M.P., William J. Legit, Esq., ;
M.P., Seymour Fitzgerald, Esq., M.P., the High Sheriff,
Sir John Pakington, Bert., MY., Sir Hugh Calms, M.P.,
Sir Stafford Nortbcote, M.P., Hon. A. Egerton, M.P., Sir
W. H. G. Jolliffe, Bart., M.P., T. B. Horefall, Esq., M.P.,
Hon. F. Lygon, M.P.
On the arrival of the principal guests, and before the
dinner, they were conducted into the large refreshment room
of the hall, where an address, signed by 7,090 conservatives,
was presented to Lord Derby.
. ...

This address was got up on the occasion of Lord Derby's
resignation of oillest in June last, but its presentation was
delayed until the present banquet.
At the banquet itself the utmost enthusiasm reigned ; and
If vociferate applause and the waving of handkerchiefs from
the gallarisa, mid of table napkins from those who were orated
at the dinner table, which greeted each of the speakers as be
rose to address the assembly, and the ready, loud, and long-
goationed eheerleg with which every point beating on the
side of conservatism was mpooded to, be accepted as the
prods, a more decided runless then this demonstration has
rarely occurred. It is right to add that Lord Derby and Mr.
Dimwit came in for the largest rued of this kind of spproba-
ties", and of the two the riglit hon. member for Buckingham-
shire had rather the advantage.
There was a company of glee singers and a band of mu-
aicians engaged, but the duties imposed upon them were el•
tramely light, for after the National Anthem, which, as
Usual, followed the toast of the Queen, the only interruption
to the speeches was the sonorous voice of Mr. Harker, the
London toast-master, demanding order for the successive
speech.' and due honours to the touts.
The dinner over, and the health of her Majesty, the Prince
Consort, the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the royal family
having been given,
The CHATKWAN proposed the '.Bishop and Clergy of the
diocese," coupling the toast with the name of Archdeacon
Jonas, who appropriately acknowledged the compliment.
The next toast was "The Army and Navy," to which
The Earl of HARDWICK'S replied.
The health of the High Sheriff was next given, end Sir
ROBERT Grimm returned thanks.
The Ca•tfaman—My lords and gentlemen, when I look
around this magnificent assembly, and consider the cause
which ha. attracted it together, I find that words are quite in-
adequate to introduce the toast which it is my especial pur-
pose at the present moment to prepare, viz , the health of the
Earl of Derby, our great emmervative leader. (Great
cheering.) lam sure there is none hers who forgers the
period of anxiety at which be we. celled nee to take the
head of aff des ; and I am pure that there is none who doss
not feel the greatest amount of revert and gratitude towards
him for the skill and prudence with which his diplomacy was
applied, and for the power with which he exercised it.
(Cheers.) I can, having this day had the honour of pre-
senting an address from seven thousand and ninety conser-
vative', in that box which is now placed—for the better advan-
tage of your seeing it—upon the lower table; having had
the honour of preventing such an addrese, I can draw from
It the elements of hope. (Chaim.) But still I must lament
that party spirit overrules so often every process of generous
sentiment—every motive to generous action—and that that
incr.es which ought to have won for him a triumph from the
nariou, has, as in the case of Attendee for his justice, con-
demned him to depart from his authority. (Hear.) 1 know
not whether we ought to entertain any feeling of desks for
his return, beret'es that would imply that you should, at the
came titer, prepare for some dread crisis of difficulty, bemuse
we have never yet stn the noble lord called to power except
when there was some unexampled difficelty to he seiman-
treed. (Cheers.) But we know what has bees his sumer
upon every such oomaion, and therefore we look with hope
and with coandence to his return to power, and to his con-
dotting the affairs of the country in that manner which has
alw.ya made memorable the measures of the Derby 'Menials-
! Mauve.

T hie kind hadag been drunk and honoured with repeated
me& of amiss,
no Red of DBANT rove to return thanks. When the
iounend mimes which greeted him as moon as ha was upon
hls bp boil Y same degree 'Wadded, the noble earl warmly
oberbod liearasoblags for the honour, and, after sours allu-
des Is bad ocemervationi, prooaeded .—My lords and
oedema, I Imes watched with the deepest anxiety, and I
woes with the highest gratification, the gradual
P
sloe improvement in strength, in unity, and in everything
which conottass the political wer of the conservative party
for the last 14 years. (liter.) I wish to speak in that martubly
—es I have spoken upon all occasions—in no terms indioative
of anything but the highest reopect for the distinguiehed
genius, and for the personal character of that great states-
man, whom England bee lately bad to lament, the late Sir
Robert Peel. (Hear.) And if there were any occasion upon
which I could not speak in terms other than those which I
halo always used, it would be at • moment when • melan-
choly domestic calamity has prevented the attendance of his
nearest rebition. one of my meat valued colleagues in the late
government, and who gave ma most able and admirable noir
Lance in the management of that moot difficult department,
namely, the civil department of the army in this country.
(Hear. hear.) But, gentlemen, lam not toying anything
disrespectful to the memory of • statesman with whom I had
the honour of many years of personal friendship, and, I be-
lieve, reciprocal Mesas, it I say that the counts which, at the
(gore of 1845, was taken: by the late Sir Robert Peel com•
pletely and entirely, for tha moment, shattered the conserva-
tive party in this country. (Hear.) lam now able to state
• fact which I believe is sot known to half • donee indivi-
dash in this country. Upon ths failure of Lord John Hus-
e* endsavJur to form • government, I wrote crinfidentielly
to the most eminent man of the country—to the late Duke of
Wellington--• warm and cordial admirer and supporter of
Sir Robert Pool, and a man who had prominently stood for
many, many yaws the Emmet man of the world in the eye•
of his country—(here)—l wrote to consult him as to the
position of the coassreatlirs party, and the best mons of
reducing that union which had been so lattientably dig-
severed. I received • long letter front the Duke of Welling-
toe—which I need hardly say that I have kept, and deeply
value—in which he explained to me his own position, and in
which he patted that, having accepted, under the abortive
attempt of Lord John Rimed to form a government, the
dative of the neutral position of Connoander-ineChief of her
Majesty'. force*, h. considered that he had f• r ever broken
of hie politicol connexim with any party. He intimated hia
concurrence in the opinion which I had ventured to expme,
that the alienation of the conservative party Irom Sir Hobert
Peel was not a mere temporary feeling, but that it was on-
gossible that he should ever again plant himself at their
Led with a prospect if *access; and the Duke of Wel-
lington, I will not ray entreated, but I will toy he
exhorted me, as a wetter of duty to my sovereign
and to my country, to throw aside all doubts and
all heaitation, and to mourne at once the leadership of that
great conservative party, whose edema., and who.. power
he deemed to bit essential to the well-being of the country
and all its inatitutiocs—shear)—and he almost implored roc,
if her Majesty should at any time commend mit to attempt to
form an administrates, not to be discouraged by any diffi-
...

cultism, caws these which should rib/Atari; be iiisopesable,
but to *artifice all other feelings to the derive of serving my
sovereign. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, for fourteen years I hew
aodeavuured to act la the spirit el that wise and patriotic
advice, coming from that eminent man—(cheers)—
azd I bare been rewarded by seeing the conservative parry,
Dot only in parliament thermals' fa aniebera and in union,
but spreadiag their roots deeply into the fselinge and the
heart of the country, and forming, as oar opponents are
compelled to acknowledge and declare—sad in doing en
their fears rather magnify the position—that we we
seteally at this moment sr the head of a parltanomitery low
I:2;4(Cheers.) And I have men it added, with a rim-
y awes of the painful contrast between the two
idea—and the advantage thus obtained is doubled by the fact
—that it a majority of a united party. (Chews.) Gentle-
man, you may perhaps ask me—end his a lair ousatits on
the part of thew before whom I appear—to juvtify the roam
which I have pursued, and I am prepared to speak to you
with the most satire and absolute frankness. Yon will

perhaps ark ne what is the use which I dodos to make of
that greatly toorm•sd parliamentary strength, and that all
but emptily in the House of Commons. Perhaps, gentle-
men, I shalt drappoint the expectations and the desires of
some of the more enthusiastic., and probably of moat of the
younger members of this amentbly, when I lay that I have
no desire for the immediate overthrow of the present admi-
nistration. (Hear, bear.) I should hold the same language
were I to conceive that a momentary party steamer*
might be so gained; but there are considered...es higher
than those of party, only so cousidered—there are oon-
sideratioas of that which fa for the public advantage,
for the advantage of the sovereign, for the strength
of the countrry in the eye. of foreign nations, and fur the
streagth of parliament, and the respect due to parliament in
this country. All thaw oonsiderations:niffitate against • suo-
cession of ephemeral goverumente at:qui/in office by • NUS
possible majority, liable at any moment to be displaced by
the caprice of Wolf) few dolma voles In the House of Com-
teon•—(keer),—and exposing the crown and the country to
a perpetual change of person. and of principles, which
renders all steady legislation impossible, and which, whether
foe internal respect, or for external power, waling 'beheads
and weakens the power of the government of thie country.
(Cherie.) Bat, gentlemen, as ft appears to me, that policy
which is dictated by • due consideration of the interests of
the country at large is the policy which is also dictated by
the Interests, well considered, of the party to which I have
the honour to belong—(hear)—it cannot be fur the advantage
or 1119 interest of that party that for • short time I ehould be
prematurely called upon to form • government, without suffi-
cient strength to maintain it spinet all attacks and against
all combicatione. (Hear, bear.) What is required is the
effort of the country Itself—(beer)—the effort of the con-
servative stmegth of the wminty, to prepare foe future seems;
w oonoiclor that every man Me a duty to perform sad a
cease to sustain--(hesr)—that It is by the combination of
small effort, that vast walls are to be produced—(hmar,
bear)--ad not to compel as. or say who may repearest the
ecneervatire party at the time, whim the moment shall have
arrived, not to compel them to accept an office which they
eanaot be confident of holding, confident, at least, of holding
es long as honestly aad fairly.they discharge the duties which
they owe to their sovereign sad their country. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, your worthy chairman has spoken of the period
of difficulty and of anxiety at which we succeeded to office.
In BMW rapids, I be
that at the present moment, the
difficulties of the present government are folly as great, and
their anxieties as great as there to which we were heirs. (Hear.)
I taw nothieg but what I hear from the public organs of in-
telligence, but I am much mistaken if our foreign relations at
the present moment are upon as eatiefactory a footing, and
ate as generally amicable, as they were a few months ;once.
(Hear, bier.) The present government have difficulties to
coatend with, in the position of what i. called the Italise
question, M which I hope and tenet they will be steady. la
their purpose not to entangle themselves in the negotiations
daisy congress. (Cheers.) They have difficulties in China;
they have difficulties upon the carat of Africa, seriously
threatening us, unless • decided tone be taken, and unless this
country is disposed to maintain right.. which are absolutely
essential to our welfare. They see threatened with deals
ties in the North Pacific, when our Transatlantic Meares,
if I may use the familiar expression, appear to be
"trying it on." (Laughter.) 'limy are threatened with
difficulties in various quarters, but they are not difficulties
which may not be surmounted by a mixture of firmness, of
good temper, but at the same time of a determination
to maintain the rights and the honour of this country.
(Cheers.) They have, on the other hand, great advan-
tages in their Leone ; they preside over the destinies of
• elation which never at any time was so abounding is
material resources, in wealth sad in prosperity, as it is at the
proem moment. They preside over • nation in which com-
merce is prosperous sad active almost beyond precedent, and
at the same time, a. I believe, free from all undue specula-
tion. (Hear, hear.) They preside over a country in which
labour is abundantly employed, and the population lege-
zanily contented. They have the conscionstwes that within
the last—ll will not say how many—but within the last
certain number of months,the militaryand the navel resources
of this country have been greatly improved; that if the na-
tional defences are not altogether what we desire them to be,
that our great fortifications of Gibraltar and of Malta have:re-
ceived from the labour. of the late government—(hear,
bear)—an amount of reinforcement which has placed

e -
then in • far better position of defence than they
had been in for the last twenty rare, and they know that
they preside over the destinies of • country the population of
whither@ keenly alive to the necessity of maintaining the ne-
tone' protection in which the military ardour has been again
awakened—(hear)—ln which private and personal efforts will
net be spared for the vindicate& of their country's honour.
(Hear, beer.) And they may feel named of this, that while
the errantry and while parliament will not readily forgive that
asialease who waked, or handy sheen embroil this country
fa aa unnecessary war, they will, without regard of party, or
without regard of any other coosiderations than thou. effect-
* the national interests, bring forward the whole weight of
public opinion of all partite, bring forward the inexhaustible
resource" of this country to support of any minister in whose
hands the honour and dignity of the country should be
threatened, and who should steadily set himself to mitt,
from whatever quarter it may proceed, any attack upon the
independence, the honour, or the interests of this kingdom.
(Cheers.) Above ail, gentlemen, the preset government
have this great advantage over their predecessors, that they
will not have to contend with an opposition which will
descend to any factious combinatious—(cheers)—from men of
opposing principles for the purpose of ejecting them from
office, without respect to the coosideration of the country, or
the probability of their being enabled permanently to main-
tain their p.eition. (Chafe.) It may be that the present
government may fall by their own internal dissensions—
(" hen," and laughter)—indeed, looking to the composites
of that government, I con feel no great confidence that suck
may not unhappily be the case—(a litugb)—end honestly end
sincerely 1 say that I desire that those differences may be
made up. Among the members of the government, sad
among those who support them, there ere men who in their
hearts are as sincerely conservative as those whom I have the
honour to address—(cheersand laughter)—tbereare others who
moat unwillingly follow a power which they feel to be too
strong for them ; and there is another party, I verily believe,
who are the loudest in clameuring for those measures, and
setting themselves at the head of that motion which they feel
them...lees unable to runt, but •ho would deeply end
siucerely deprecate the very success of their own 'chewed of
legislation. (Cheers.) Gestlamen, this is not the time or
the opportunity for me to enter upon the consideration of
individual questions; but I will say, in all sincerity of heart,
that I earnestly desire that her Majesty's present government
may be enabled to bring forward such a bill of parliamentary
reform es may be palely supported by the greet body of the
conmevatives of this country. (Rear, hear.) I think it is of
the highest importance that that questiou should be finally
and speedily disposed of. (Beer, beer.) If the government
of which I was • member undertook to attempt the eetiln
meat of that question, it was Dot became we deemed that it
was in itself called for by imperative necessity, but that
having been repeatedly promised In speeches from the
throne and in declaration' °imitates's:ire felt that it was oldie
most vital consequence that it should not be long left in
suspense, and we honestly and fairly endeavoured to Infra-
duce a measure which might conciliate various opinions, end
settle the question by the adoption of our measure by mode-
rate men of all parties. (Hear, hear.) How that attempt
failed you all know ; into the details of that measure I am
not about now to enter. We certainly couridered that the
extesisiun of the franchise to the amount of introducing the
principle of uniformity between the county and the borough
was a principle which, while it largely increased the consti-
tuency, was likely to eatialy the claims of justice, and at
the maps time hold out the best hope-1 will not arty of a
finsl, but at all events of • durable settlement of the ques-
tion. (Hear, hear.) But the Hams of Commons repudiated
that principle ; sod I fancy that, in whatever measure
may be brought forward, some reduction of the borough
franchise will be introduced by the goverment. I eat nut
prepared to say that no such reduction may be admitted
without danger, but I do say that it is • question beetre
the adoption of which it is twonsary that the erestest cir-
cumspection and the greatest care should be exemia. ed, and
the most minute calculations entered lute, as to the practical
effect of the amount of the reduction which may so be made.
(Hear, hear.) lam not jealous, the conservatives are not
jealous of the Interest of the lower and of the working chines.
(Hear, hear.) I desire to see their interests folly rd fairly '
Represented ; but I confine to you, if l look to the revelations
of Gloucester and of Wekefield, sad of other planes—(hear)
—I doubt whether any great extenrion of the atuatittoney
would not tend largely to extend that corruption which is the
bane of our electoral ayetem. (Beer.) And if I look to the
manner in which even the most intelligent of the workniea
in some of the labouring elegem have been misled by false
and delusive advisers, I think it is at least a subject for
points consideration how far, in the interest of those deem
themselves, it would be desirable to give • preponderating
power to the voices of those largely numerically
superior who, pursuing what they vainly believe
to be their own interests, would, in point of fact, if legislation
depended upon their yoked, probably Introduce annures
which would be absolutely suicidal and fatal to their own in-
terest. (Hear, bear.) I say, gentlemen, therefore, that
while • reform bill introduced by the pressed government
shall meet with so factious conservative uppositien, I hold it
to be the duty of soy ministry who are responsible to their
Sovereign and to their country not to be led away by mere
popular clamour upon • subject which may be of such vital
importance, but before they propose • minims to parliament
to seriously consider the effect of their proposed legislation;
and all I can say is, God grant that toe government may
have the wisdom and the prudence to introduce each
mammas se will meet with the sanction end pus with
the approbation of a netted parliament, whether con-
ger-naives or. ae they call themselves, liberals. (Cherry.)
Gentlemen, before I pit down, them is one subject more,
and one of some delicacy, but 0110 upon which I should
desire to say a few words, because the greatest possible tuie-
representatous have been made with regard to the conduct of
the late government upon this question. Among other in-
ventions which were introduced to calumniate the policy and
to produce prejudice against the late administration, was one
that they bad entered into a corrupt alliance with the Roman
Whelk' body of this country, for the purpose of obtaining