The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-01 00:00:00

TEE SCOTTISH HOSPITAL

Yesterday being St. Andrew's day, the patrons of the
Scottish Hospital celebrated their 199th anniversary. The
cir .lunastance of the chairman of the evening being the
veteran statesman, the head of the Government, added to
tae inherent claims of the institution, attracted a very large
muster of the friends of this national institution, the largo
hall being completely tilled.
The hall was decorated with the banners of the various
Scotch clans, and the pipers of her Majesty and of the
Highland Society were also in attendance to give a local
colour to the scene,
Upon Lord Paluaerston's entrance, headed by the pipers,
and accompanied by the Duke of Agyll, the Earl of Leven,
Lord Campbell, and Sir IL Murchison, the noble Premier
was received with the greatest enthusiasm. Among the
other guests present were Archdeacon Sinclair, Sir J. 11.
Maxwell, Sir W. Stirling, Sir W. Fraser, M.P., Gen. Sir
J. Love, Alderman Lusk, Mr. Maclean, Dr. 'Webster, and
Professor Fergusson, &c,
Upon the withdrawal of the cloth,

Lord PAIMERSTON rose and said, the first toast which it
was his duty to propose was an expression of the sentiment
which lay deepest in the heart of every subject of her Ma-
jesty—he meant " The health of her Majesty the Queen."
(Cheers.) They had the happiness to live under the mild
and gentle sway.Of one of the most enlightened, kindest
hearted, and most constitutional Sovereigns that ever ruled
in any country, or at any time, and therefore he could con-
fidently rely upon a cordial welcome to the toast which he
proposed.

The toast having been enthusiastically honoured,
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing "The health of the Prince
and Princess of Wales," reminded the company that the
Prince had received a part of his education in Edinburgh,
and so discreet had his Royal Highness been that, although
Oxford and Cambridge had also shared the honours of seats
of his instruction, no one had been able to extract from him
to which place he owed most. (Hear, and laughter.)
The toast was duly honoured, as was also that of " Prince
Alfred and the rest of the Royal Family."
The noble CHAIRMAN then rose to propose " The Army,
Navy, and Volunteers." He said—lt is satisfactory to know
that these three branches of our defence are in the best pos-
sible condition. I believe the army and the navy never were
in a greater state of efficiency, considering their limited
numbers. The officers are more instructed and intelligent
than at any former period. The men, both of the army and
of the navy, have had their comforts and wants better at-
tended to than at any former time, the questions of their
wants and comforts having occupied the attention of the
country, the Parliament, and the Government. There is
no better security for peace—which is, after all, and which
ought to be, the great object of every nation---(cheers)—
there is no better security for peace than a perfect state of
defence. (Cheers.) The nation at large ought to be able
with confidence to pronounce your motto none one impure
lacessit. (Loud cheers.) It does not follow that strong
national defences indicate hostile intentions towards other
countries, but they do enable this country to be peaceful
and friendly towards other nations, and to meet occasional
affronts with becoming dignity—(cheers)—while scrupu-
lously abstaining from giving just cause of offence to
others. We have recently added to our defensive forces
the Volunteers—a most admirable institution—(cheers)—
and one which I trust has taken a firm and permanent root
among the establishments of the country. (Cheers.) That
force now amounts, I believe, to something like 170,000 men,
and I was talking the other day to Col. M'Murdo, the in-
spector of that force, and he spoke in the highest terms of
its general efficiency. Scotland has a right to take a deep
interest in these services, because Scotland has borne her
full and honourable share in the production of distinguished
officers and brave and gallant men. (Cheers.) That is ad-
mitted by all the world. I remember during the Crimean
war a paper published in Paris contained a picture of a High-
land sentry standing with his heels resting on the brink
of an abrupt precipice, and the motto underneath was
" Fearnothing for him ; he never goes back." ( Loud cheers.)
It would be a long catalogue to remind you of the distin-
guished officers of the army and navy whose exploits stand
recorded in the history of this country; but I may be per-
mitted, perhaps, not to recall to :your minds, because no one
can have forgotten them, but to repeat the names of one or
two of those whom we have recently lost. I may mention I
the glorious Lord Clyde (cheers), who combined the longest
period of distinguished service and the most brilliant ex-
ploits with the most unassuming modesty. (Cheers.) It is
needless to remind you of the two great naval commanders
lost to this country within the last few years, Lord Dun-
donald and Charley Napier. (Loud cheers.) The last I had
the honour of calling my personal friend, and it so hap-
pened that I had officially more opportunities than often
falls to the lot of a Minister to watch his career, to estimate
his merits, and to know the value of the services which he
rendered, not only to this country, but to Europe at large.
(Cheers.) That brilliant action of his against the Portu-
guese squadron secured the liberties of Portugal, and his
achievements in Syria enabled us in one season to accom-
plish results which at the commencement were deemed to
be almost impossible. Therefore I say that Scotland,
having her full share of glory in our military and naval
annals, I am sure you will drink with enthusiasm the
" Array, Navy, and Volunteers.
The toast having been duly honoured, General Sir J.
LOVE returned thanks for the army, Sir J. H. AuxiorELl.
for the navy, and Lord CAMPBELL for the Volunteers.
The Noble CHAIRMAN next proposed the toast of " Pros,
perity to the Scottish Hospital," which, he said, was a
most admirable institution, recommended not only by the
benefits it conferred, but by the antiquity of its origin. He
believed that its charter dated two centuries back, but
its real origin was still more remote. The inatita_
tion had the merit of being aty pe of Scottish nation-
ality. That nationality differed in a remarkable way
from the nationality of many other countries. There
were some countries in which the people showeduthenigr
spirit of nationality by hating, by abusing, and by in
jri
all who did not belong to themselves; but the nationality
of Scotchmen was evinced in a totally different manner.
Scotchmen showed their nationality by loving each other--
(cheers and laughter), by helping each other, and by being
kind and useful to each other, and therefore he said that
their nationality was of a peculiar character—one highly to
be praised, and which ho hoped would be long kept up for
the honour of the country. (Cheers.) This institution was
founded upon that principle, and it was a valuable applica-
tion of the principle. There were many charities and bene-
factions which were bestowed upon persons who might pos-
sibly do well without them, or who, receiving them, might
be destroyed, or degraded, or led away by the largess from
employing their natural abilities or qualities to support them-
selves without aid from others. (Cheers.) This charity
tended to no such result. Its gifts to individuals were
small in amount, bat they were judiciously administered
when men were struggling in the turbulent waters of ad-
versity, when to them, as to men between sinking and
swimming, a slight suppart would be a means of rescue.
(Cheers.) The liberality of this institution was extended
to those who were borne down by temporary sickness, to
those who were almost overwhelmed by accidental calami.
ties, RIM whose natural resources were insufficient to meet
particular emergenciencss. It also aided those who, having
failed to maintain themselves in this country by their own
efforts, were anxious to return to the land of their birth.
There could not be a better application of a generous libe-
rality. A Scotchman was not e man who was in the habit
of leaning upon other people. He was brought up with ideas
of industry and self-reliance, but no man was exempt from
the vicissitudes of life, and therefore the temporary relief
afforded by this institution effected an immense amount of
good among those who really needed such assistance.
‘, 'The Duke of ARGYLL proposed " The Health of the
Chairman," whose notion of recreation, he said, seemed to
consist in hard work, and who having passed a considerable
portion of nis educational career in Scotland had not failed
to do justice to the instruction ho had
.received in that
country.
The toast was drunk with the utmost enthusiasm.

Lord PALMERSTON, in reply, said—l beg most sincerely
and from the bottom of my heart to thank you for the cordial
manner in which you have received the toast. I can assure
you it has given me very great pleasure to have had the
honour of presiding on the present occasion. It would indeed
be the height of ingratitude on my part if I were not to take
a most lively interest in all that concerns the welfare of
Scotland and Scotchmen, for I am deeply indebted to Scot-
land. I passed three years of my youth in studying at the
University of Edinburgh, and I will frankly own, without
disparagement to any other seat of learning at which 1 had,
from peculiar circumstances, the fortune to reside, that I
enjoyed greater advantages in the acquirement of useful
knowledge and sound principles during my three years' re-
sidence in Edinburgh than I possessed at any oth©r place.
(Cheers.) I had there the advantage of association with
llugald Stewart, with Playfair, with Gregory, and all the
other distinguished men who then gave instruction to youth
in Edinburgh, and which advantage I could not have en-
joyed elsewhere. (Cheers.) Therefore I feel a deep interest
in Scotland, from gratitude to the country and io its people.
In all things there is poetry and there is prose. My learned
friend near me, Sir R. Murchison, i
will tell you in prose that
a part of Scotland has within the historic period risengreatly
in the world—in some places to the extent of 2d or 30 feel
higher than it was, But it is quite certain that Scotland
eptiopnoeottl: poetry
risen higher in the world in other ways besides geolo-
and
gp ircoaslel y .
OBnou totth3e.orue is
s a
great poe difference
s gives a d between i
Scot-
laud that is by no means flattering—
" great
" Land of brown heath and shaggy wood,
" Land of the mountain and the flood."
And then he goes on to talk of the rugged strand, Which
does not form a very pleasant picture. But in pioso it
appears your brown heaths swarm with grouse—atear,
laughter)—your glo
sans are teeming with deer, and your
' and
floods are alive with lmou. (Cheers,) All these are sources
of wealth to the owners.ot the heaths, the me •
the floods, But regarding Scotland purely Untains, and
would say that it is a country remarkable t prosaically, I
intelligence of its people, for the high state f
scientific
or the educated
culture there practised, tor the great pros o agri
nufaeturing industry, and for its successfulprosperity of its ma-
terprise. (Cheers.) Therefore I say that "ulinercial en-
in the world otherwise than by mere Scotland has risen
and it is entitled not only to the love geological elevation,
who reside in that country, but and affection of those
respect and esteem of the ' civilised
also stands high in the
thanking the company for
drinking
lord sat down amid long and ' his health, the noble
The SECRETARY announced that
cheering.
evening amounted to nearly la '
)oatothe subscriptions of the
toasts, the company separatea:" j , and after some other

SECOND EDITION.

'oUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 o'CLocK.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.

CRACOW, Nov. 30.—The Polish leader Bosak
attacked the town of Opatow, in Radom,
two days back, driving out the Russians and
seizing 6,000 roubles which were in the public
Treasury. The Dziennik, ,in referring to the nume-
rous banisments to Siberia without trial, represents
them as measures of precaution.