The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-04 00:00:00

Lord and Lady Palmerston at Toweester,

Yesterday the interesting ceremony of cutting the first
sod of a new line of railway, to which considerable local im-
portance attaches, was performed by Lady Palmerston in a
field lying within a short distance of Towcester, in North-
amptonshire. The lino in question is to commence at the
Blisworth station of the London and North-Western Rail-
way, and running powers have been obtained by the pro-
moters over the Banbury line, as far as Towcester. rhence
it will branch off to Greenman, and proceed via Bradden
and Woodford to Fenny Compton, where a junction will be
effected with the Oxford and Birmingham system of the
Great Western Railway. From that point the intended
line proceeds via Kyneton to Stratford-on-Avon, and there
facilities will be gained for communication either with
Worcester, Hereford, and South Wales, or, on the other
hand, with Glocestor and Bristol. The total length of the
projected line is 32 miles and a few chains—the estimated
oost £300,000. The steepest gradient is 1 in 80, said to be
capable of reduction without adding materially to the ex-
pense, and in the whole of the line there will be no curve
under half a mile, and but a single viaduct. From these
particulars, it will appear that the contemplated work is of
a character naturally exciting interest in the district, apart
from the belief entertained in some quarters that it may
ultimately be found expedient to extend the line through
Northampton to Bedford, and thus form a junction with the
Midland Railway. In a public and general point of view,
the proceedings yesterday acquired their principal impor-
tance from the fact that Lady Palmerston, owning consider •
able property in the neighbourhood, was induced to give
them the eclat of her presence and participation. A special
train, consisting of 12 or 15 carriages, was in readiness at
the Easton-square terminus to conduct the distinguished
party as far as Blisworth, from which point the remaining
distance of five miles had to be traversed by road. A few
minutes before 12 Lord and Lady Palmerston arrived at
Euston-square. Sir C. P. Raley, chairman of the line, the
secretary, Mr Banks and other gentlemen were in attend-
ance, as were also the parliamentary agents to this company,
Messrs Manning and Walker, who by a curious coincidence
acted in a similar capacity in the case of the Andover and
Redbridge Railway, where Lord Palmerston on tho last oc-
casion that he took part in a ceremony of the kind showed
himself such an expert With the spade and wheelbarrow.
The run to Blisworth occupied an hour and a half. On
reaching that station the occupants of the special train, to
the number of about 40, took their places in the carriages
provided for their accommodation, and proceeded in the
direction of Towcaster. With the view of making ample
provision for the expected influx of newspaper representa-
tives, and apparently of insuring that as strangers they
should not suppose they had been overlooked, a large Omni-
bus and an open fly were covered with labels of the election
placard size and type announcing that these were reserved
for "Gentlemen of the Press." This mark of attention, as
it was no doubt intended to be, altogether failed in its ob-
ject, for the vehicles were studiously avoided till nearly all
the rest had driven away, when a party mainly composed of
ladies boldly ignored the notification, took their seats in de-
fiance of it, and smiled back pleasantly upon those who at
various points of the route hailed their progress with cheers.
The district through which the cortege passed was purely
agricultural,but such efforts as the local resources permitted,
in flags and triumphal arches, were duly put forth, especi-
ally in the main street of Towcester, and Lord and Lady
Palmerston were loudly cheered. On arriving at the point
where the sod was to be turned the arrangements for the first
and only time during the day proved unequal to the occa-
sion. A space had boon roped out for the performance of the
ceremony, and if this had been preserved every one could
have seen what was going on to advanuage. Unfortunately
the police was either too few in number to preserve this area,
or else some misconception of orders occurred, and the re-
sult was that something like a demonstration of physical
farce was necessary to gain admittance to the inner circle,
from which ladies were practically excluded. The local
volunteer corps, a no body of men, abandoning for the
moment their character of guard of honour, tried hard to
assist in keeping the line ; but on this point it is sufficient
to say that rifle barrels and rifle butts in the hands of
amateur policemen are uncouth substance', and that their
exertions, laudable in themselves, are attended with draw-
backs, not to say bumps. When as many of the distin-
guished party as circumstances would permit had been
assembled within the enclosure, Lady Palmerston was con-
ducted by Sir C. P. Roney to the point where the first sod
of the East and West J unction Railway was to be raised.
This bad elreedy been marked out, and Lady Palmerston,

lifting it with a silver spade, deposited it in a light wheel-
barrow, ornamented very tastefully with silver, and bearing
an inscription stating it to be the gift of Mr T. 8,. Cromp-
ton, the contractor to the line. It was suggested to her
ladyship that the ceremony could hardly be looked upon as
completed until the sod had been removed some distance,
whereupon Lady Palmerston took up the wheelbarrow and
propelled it steadily to the end of a long plank amid the warm
applause of the spectators. Having accomplished her task,
Lady PALMERSTON said—l thaAr you very kindly for
the flattering manner iu which you have received me to-day,
and I trust that the works now commenced will be found
useful, and for the advantage of Northampton and its neigh-
bourhood.

The three cheers given for LadyPalmeston were promptly
followed by three others for the noble lord himself.
Lord PALMERSTON, in returning his acknowledgmenls,
expressed the great pleasure which he and Lady Palmerston
felt in presiding a, the commencement cf a work which
promised to be of so beneficial a character. Irrespective of
other considerations it was, he said, a good social example
for ladies in high position to show that they could sometimes
take to digging the soil. He trusted that the crop in this
instance would be more permanent and more solid in its
yield than agricultural operations occasionally were.
The proceedings in this quarter having terminated, the
distinguished visitors assembled at this point, and other
invited guests of the company adjourned to a large marquee,
where lunch was set for about 250. Sir C. P. Roney pre-
sided, Lady Palmerston sitting to the right of the chairman
and Lord Palmerston on his left. Lord Lyveden, the Earl
of Pomfret, Lord Fitzroy, M.P., and Mr Knightley, M.P.,
were also among those occupying seats at the principal table.
The usual loyal toasts having been given and cordially
responded to,
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing " Prosperity to the East
and West Junction Railway," described the course which
would be followed by the railway, and said it was a curious
fact that, although sanctioned in 1864, the line was origi-
nally conceived and warmly advocated by the late Robert
Stephenson. It would prove of the deepest importance to
Northamptonshire, the mineral wealth of which had only
been recently discovered. One of the first consequences
which might be expected to fallow from it was the estab-
lishment of extensive ironworks, to be worked according to
the most improved and economical processes, regarding
which other counties had been compelled to buy their expe-
rience. In that county they possessed ironstone in abun-
dance, and with the facilities which this new line would
open up to them of procuring coal on moderate terms at the
same time that it procured their access to good markets, he
believed they ought to be able to make iron cheaper than
any other part of the empire. He invited the company to
couple with the toast the name of a lady deeply interested in
the welfare of the county, and who that day had so grace-
fully, and yet in so businesslike a manner, turned the first
sod of their undertaking. (Cheers.) Lady Palmerston,
moreover, in all their Parliamentary contests, and especially
at a moment of unexpected difficulty, had strengthened the
hands of the directors in every possible manner ; to no one,
therefore, could their thanks be more justly due.
The toast having been received with the greatest en-

thusiasm,
Lord and Lady Palmerston both rose in acknowledgment
of the compliment, Lord Palmerston said—l, am requested
by Lady Palmerston to tell you how sensible she is of the
kindness you have displayed towards her. She has made
one speech to-day, and, like the celebrated orator, " Single
Speech Hamilton," who also made a very good speech—
(cheers and laughter)—she ought not to be called on for a
second the same day. But lam sure you may rely on the
sincerity of the interest which Lady Palmerston takes in
this railway, because her interests are bound up and identi-
fied with yours. (Cheers.) She is a Northamptonshire
lady, and she came here to-day not as a stranger, to pro-
mote an undertaking upon general principles of material
advantage, but as one of yourselves, to help forward an
enterprise that has, for all a mutual interest. (Cheers).
Sir C. P. HONEY then proposed " The Health of Viscount
Palmerston," entering at some length into the many claims
which his Lordship possessed on the regard—he might say
the affection—of Englishmen. As showing the magnitude
of the railway operations in which his Lordship that day
evinced so practical an interest, the chairman stated that
there were at present 12,000 miles of railway constructed
and running in the United Kingdom ; the capital employed
in these and their concomitants amounted to £400,000,000,
and the annual income derived from railways was some-
thing like £34,000,000, of which £16,000,000 only were
appropriated to working expenses, The debt of the State
was £300,000,000, and the interest paid upon it was
£18,C00,000, while its working expenses amounted to no
lees than £.6,000,000 yearly. The railways had to pay
something like £1,000,000 a year for rates and taxes, and
an additional £500,000 to Government for the privilege of
carrying passengers. And even then they could net
proceed to divide their profits till those extremely polite
but very firm gentlemen the lacomc-Tax Convoissi,ners
saved them the trouble of making further contributions
by deducting the amounts betorehand. (Laughter.) In-
dependently of the enormous number of persons deriving
incomes from railway profits, it was estimated that
they employed 100,000 men, which, at the usual proper-
, tions of population, would give a total of 800,000 souls de-
pendent for their living upon the railway interest. Though
occasional faults might and did occur, he asserted confi-
dently that there was not a better organised, more obedient,
or more respectful class in the country than the railway ser-
vants. (Cheers.)
The health of the Premier having been drunk with all the
honours, _ .

Lord F ALMERSTON, who on rising to respond was most
cordially received, said—l am really unable to find words
adequately to express my thankfulness for the kind manner
in which you have proposed my health, and the way it has
been received by the company. There cannot be a higher
reward or a greater satisfaction to men engaged in public
life than to find that they have acquired by the performance
of their duty the goodwill and esteem of their fellow coun-
trymen. (Hear.) You were pleased to say, sir, that on a re.
cent occasion I expressed the value which I attached to op-
portunities of mixing with the commercial classes of this
country; but on the present occasion that satisfaction is
doubled, because here I see around me not simply those
who represent the commercial, but also those who are deeply
identiled with the agricultural classes. (Hear, hear.) The
great Lord Bacon said that a bird cannot fly with one
wing; and in like manner a country cannot safely repose
upon one interest. (Hear, hear.) The prosperity of the
country must depend on the combined exertions of those
engaged in manufactures, in commerce, and in agriculture.
(Applause.) I know that in the district in which I am now
speaking agriculture prospers to as great an extent as I
trust the instance of commercial industry with which we
are now concerned will also prosper. It is impossible
to overrate the importance of railways to any country,
I must, however, be permitted to say that our worthy
chairman dealt, I think, rather hardly:with the Government
in the enthusiasm by which he was excited in favour cf rail-
ways—because when he contrasted the annual expenditure
of railways with that of the nation at large, ho forgot to
compare the police of railway companies with that army and
navy—(much laughter and cheering)—of which this coun-
try can boast, of which you have just drunk the health so
enthusiastically, and without which expensive but highly
valuable safeguards—l cannot call them luxuries, for in
reality they are necessaries—this country could not enjoy
that internal security, wanting which the railway capital
would be of very little use. (Cheers and laughter.) And there-
fore our worthy chairman, when he apEears to grudge the
contributions which railways annually make to the public re-
venue, should remember it is the public revenue which pro-
duces that security at home through which the great develop-
ment of railway industry has been made profitable to the
undertakers and beneficial to the country at large. I
say that it is impossible to overrate the value of railway
establishments and the effect which they have exercised on
the prosperity of a manufacturing nation like this. The
prosperity of our manufactures depends on our being able
to command markets. Those markets can be :only com-
manded by cheapness and quality. What is it that regu-
lates the price of commodities in the market? It ie, first,
the cost of production; next, the cost of carriage to the
place where the articles are to be sold, and thirdly, the in.
terest of the capital employed. The cost of production has
of late years been immensely diminished by the great de-
velopment
cf mechanical contrivances—yet I am happy to
think that the wages of the men employed in working that
machinery have not diminished, but are as good as at any
former period. Their condition meanwhile has been im-
proved by the greater cheapness of all those articles which
in former ages never were within the reach of the working
classes. Therefore while the things they produce can be
supplied at a cheaper rate, the reward of their labour and
the means of indulgence which that reward will command
have increased by comparison within any former period.
(Hear.) And this great diminution in the market price
has not been unattended with a cheapening of transport.
Why, let any man take a goods train of the present day,
carrying, I will not say how many tons of commodities,
the
at
a rapid pace from a seat of manufactures in one part of
island to the nearest pert of embarkation, and compare
that with the old broad-wheeled wagg'l7(laugliter)
with its six horses, all with docked tails,wincing in agony
at the bite of the flies, and in vain seeking relief from the,
little bit of net that covered them, while the driver walked
beside them, sometimes taking the advantage of a pony.
The abolition of this lowest of all conveyances necessarily
exercised a great influence upon the price of commodities.
If any man will compare the present facilities for convey-
ing manufactures to market with. those which existed be-
fore railways were invented, he w. ill see what an enormous
• ' stimulus they have given to the industrial prosperity of the
land. Neither ought we to forget the social advantages which
railways have conferred. They have rendered this island
1
as regards facilities of communication between man and man
, almost one gnat Capital. In former times many were born

14,7

T.-

vvi,.,;:.
and lived and died in a country village. tbertiteitanktilett...,;Airk
ing whether London was not paved,, ass( iiie.id;;,o,4g4l,.- 1;..6.4
Now there is hardly a village within res tediabla,diitanceiris# , 5.=.! 4
the metropolis which at some time or '.. thein'prola4.'isic,: li.*:
\itet )
the occasion of some great national exbib. on lies eitije...e,,4''.e.7e
tributed sightseers from the provinces, 'I ' 4e'rerice licieLte"..
, tween the two periods may be exemplified in Ail wad,- S .
Formerly when a gentleman asked a friend in London to
come down to him in the country, the friend came with
things to last him for a fortnight or three weeks, and took
perhaps a week on the journey. Now, if ono gentleman
meets another, say in St. James's-street, he says "I shall
have some good shooting next week. Will you come to me
and spend a few days ?" His friend replies "Oh, by all
means. I shall be charmed. What is the station nearest
your house ?" The first speaker rejoin, " Why, lam not
very well, off at present in regard to railway communication
—the nearest station is 16 miles from my house. But it is
a good road. You will get a nice fly, and you can come
very well." Upon this the invited ;;nest er.ys " Did you
say it was Tuesday you asked me for?" (Much laughter
and sche_ring,) "Yes," says the country gentleman, " I
think you told me you were free." " The fact is," answers
the friend, " I have a very bad memory, and new I think
of it I am very sorry, but I have a particular engagement
for that day -some other time I :hall be happy to go to you."
And so, away he goes, and offers hireeett as a visitor to some
other friend, who hes got a station within en e or two miles
of his house. (Leughter.) The occasion which has called
us together to-day is one which is big-I:Ay int„ resting. We
are assisting at the first step towards the ceestruction of a
railway, which we are told, and with truth, will be of great
advantage to the whole of this neighbourhood. There are
mineral resources in the district which only require develop-
ment, but which do require an easy mode cf conveying the
commodity to market. I am convinced that, when this rail-
road is finished, every man in the district will have reason
to rejoice at the proceedings of today. Having again
thanked the company for the cordiality of their reception,
the noble lord resumed his seat amid general cheering.
The CnAinmlN next proposed the healths of the county
members, Mr. Knightley and Colonel Cartwright, referring
to the valuable support which they had given to the bill
while it was under the consideration of Parliament.
Mr KNIGIETLEY, M.P., in acknowledging the compli-
ment, felt that he was entitled to some little credit for the
support which he had given the measure on public grounds ;
for as the line would not pass near his property he should
not derive a shilling benefit from it, and did not mind con-
fessing that a sportsman and enthusiastic follower of the
chase he regarded the projected railway as an unmitigatedpany
nuisance. (Laughter.) He congratulated the company
upon the success with which the proceedings had passed
off, and particularly upon the presence of guests so distin-
guished as Lord and Lady Palmerston, whom they desired,
if possible, to see oftener in that part of the country. Some-
how or other the country always drew a great distinction
between Lord Palmerston and the rest of the Ministry.
(Hear, hear.) Whenever a good measure was brought
forward—and a great many good measures had been intro-
duced by the Government—it was always put down to the
credit of the noble lord. Whenever anything went
wrong, and in that establishment as well as in others
mishaps would from time to time occur, the particular
" kettle of fish "—(much laughter, in which Lord
Palmerston very heartily joined) was always attributed
to the cooking of ono of his scullions. " Scullions" was
not the word he intended to use ; he meant to say one
of the noble lord's colleagues. A game of "chuck-farthing"
was perpetually going on, in which if "heads " :came
down the noble viscount won, and if "tails" descended it
was his colleagues who lost. (Renewed laughter.) Not
that any unfair play could be charged against the noble
lord at the head of the Government; on the contrary, he
invariably deprecated anything like a distinction being
mane. The country, however, was not to be shaken in its
opinion. Somehow or other it always determined to give
Lord Palmerston all the halfpence, and to give his col-
leagues all the kicks. (Much laughter and cheering.)
The health of the contractor, Mr T. H. Crampton, by
whom telegraphic communication was first laid down be-
tween England and France; the healths of the visitors,
coupled with the names of the Mayors of Northampton
and Stratford-on-Avon, and the toast of " The Ladies,"
were next given and duly honoured; after which Lord
Palmerston proposed in complimentary terms the health
of the Chairman, Sir C. P. Roney, and the company soon
afterwards separated, a large proportion of those present
returning to town by the special train. _

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

EXETER, Wednesday.
The nomination of a candidate in the mom of the
late lamented Mr Edwd. Divett took place this day
in the Guildhall. The High Sheriff, Mr. R. T.
Head, presided. The hall was crowded to excess,
and among those present were Ltldy Rolle, Sir J.
T. Coleridge, Sir S.Northcote, M.P., Mr. Kti:cw
the lion. Mr. Trufusis, M.P., and Sir L.
Palk, M.P.

The lisuis.l formalities having been gone through,
Courtenay propsed Mr.E. A. SANDERS,
buiker, and Eyxonded by Sir S. NOraIiCOTE, M.P.
The hon. baronet's speach was mainly devoted to a
criticism of Mr. Coleridge's former addresses, and
accused the Liberal party of baring a design
against the national Church, which it was the
epecial policy of the Cf,nservalises to uphold.
Mr. Coleridge was proposed by Mr. 111iLror.D,
banker, and seconded by Mr. H. .NORIIINGTON,
merchant.

Lord COURTENAY addressed the assembly amid
great uproar and cheering from his friends. Ho said
he was proud to say that he was a Conservative,
after the fashion of Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli,
and after the fashion of Sir Stafford Northcote. Oa
matters of foreign policy, and on points connected
with the Church, the policy of the Conservative
party met with his warmest approbation. (A voice.
—" And no progression.") His lordship then pro-
ceeded to criticize the policy of the present Govern-
ment with respect to Denmark, and said that the
result of the foreign policy of the Government had
been to leave the country without a singly ally in
Europe. (Laughter.) It appeared to him that they
had bullied the weak and trucklled to the strong.
(Renewed laughter and cheers.) With respect to
church-rates, he was opposed to their unconditional
abolition, but in favour of a compromise, similar to
that which was indicated in the Lords' Report, to
the effect that if anybody conscientiously objected
to pay church-rates he should be exempted from
payment thereof. (Cheers.) He was totally opposed
to the ballot and to the Permissive Bill. With
reference to the latter, he had been threatened
with the loss of many votes, but ho could not help
it, for he believed that if it were impossible to make
people religious by act of Parliament, so also was it
Equally impossible to make men sober by the same
means. (Cheers.)
Mr COLERIDGE was enthusiastically cheered on rising,
and in some very pungent remarks alluded to the county
influence which was brought to bear against him. North
and South Devon wore represented there by the Hon. C. R.
Trefusis and by Sir L. Palk and Mr Kekewich. There
was also Sir S. Northcote, who tried to get in for South
Devon, but he could not, and he could quite understand
why the hon. baronet had come in from Pynes to take part
in the noble lord's election, seeing that he once sat for
Dudley at the nomination of a noble lord, and now sat for
Stamford at the nomination of a noble marquis. (Laughter
and cheers.) Having expressed similar views to those in
his address with reference to church rates, the hon. and
learned gentleman protested against the interests of the
national Church being made a question for party squabbles
instead of seeking to make that Church a broad and wide
Church. (Cheers.) He ventured to say that the Conser-
vative party would live to rue the day when they handed
over the Church to one party, and that the decadent party
in the Church. (Cheers.) Ho confessed his inability. to
understand the views of Lord Courtenay on the subject of
church rates. As to the ballot he had previously wished it
to be tried, because he thought it would do no harm ; but
this election had convinced him of the great necessity for
the ballot. (Cheers.) When he came among them to can•
vass the city he had no idea that in 1804 protection would
be necessary for the maintenance and delivery of a man's
private opinions. (Sear.) He should have thought it
impossible had not evidence come under hie own eyes, and
therefore he now not only believed that the ballot would be
no harm, but it would be a great good.
(Cheers.) Many
electors had said that they would give their hearts to vote
for him, but could not. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and
learned gentleman pointed to the obstructive policy of the
Tory party during the last 30 years, and to the great mea-
snres of the Liberal party, Which had tended so much to
promote the happiness, comfort,
and prosperity of the
people. But now their opponents, with characteristic gene-
rosity, when all there things were passed adopted them into
the great Ileu'lt itielprograniree. He cancel upon them to support
Liberal part y by returning him to Parliament on
the following day. (Chem )
The thew of bends wile then !Ann. when about three to
hold up in favour
of Mr Coleridge.
I be limit Suenrrr declared the show of hands to -ue in
'even: of Mr Coleridge, and the announcement was received
with ent Irisiast io cheers.
Lie S,VICDARS demanded a Don on behalf of Lord Courte-
nay, which v. as fixed for to-dc.ty (Thursday.)

[ADVERTISEMENT.]-110110Way'S Ointment and Pills,—
Indisputable Remedies for Bad Legs, Old Wounds, Sores,
and Ulcers.—lt used according to the directions given with
them, there is no wound, bad leg, ulcerous sore, er bad
breast, however obstinate or long standing, but will yield
to their healing and curative properties. Numbers of per-
sons who havo been patients in several of the large hospi-
tals, and under the care of eminent surgeons, Without de-
riving the slightest benefit, have been thoroughly cured by
Holloway's ointment and pills, For glandular swellings,
tumours, scurvy, and diseases of the skin there is no medi-
cine that can be need with so good an effect. In foot, in
the worst forms of disease depeidri! 111xiu the condition
of the bleed these medicines are irresistible,

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining.
. THIS EVENING, BORN TO GOOD LUCK. Paddy
O'Rafferty, Mr. Dominick Murray.
After which, THE STREETS OF LONDON. Messrs.
▪ Vining, J. W. Ray, D. Fi her. D. Murray, J. Nelson, H.
Forre,ter. H. Mellon ; Mrs. Henry Itia/Stoll, MESS Emma
Barnett, and 3liss F.nny Gwynne.

-N HIV THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.-
Sole Prooriator and Manager. M. B. 'Webster.
THIS EVENING, THE FLOWERS OF
Stuart THE FOREST.
Messrs. J. L. Toole, P. Bedfor Eillington, , Stephen-
on ,Komar; Miss Woolgar, Miss K. Kelly. and Mrs. Bil-
7ington.
At 11, ONE TOUCH OF NATURE. Penholder, Mr.
Benjamin Webster ; Constance, Miss H. Simms.
Tu conclude with, by desire, I I ON PARLE FRANrAIS :
Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. Billington, Mrs. Lewis, Miss Kelly,
and Miss `zeaman,