The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-31 00:00:00

Mr. Grant Duff at Elgin.

Oa Thursday Mr Grant Duff, M.P., gave his
annual address at Elgin. There was a very large
attendance.
Oct the motion of Mr ALLAN, corn merchant,
Bailie Urquhart was called to the chair.
Upon the Dano•German question Mr GRANT
DUFF repeated his well known views, sympathetic
with the guilt Liberal party of Germany. This led
him to otpress the belief that the principle we had
seen applied—that of nationalities—would lead :c
still greater changes in the map of Europe. Por-
tugal wLu!d in all likelihood be in some way united
with Spain, and Prussia would incorporate the
smaller German Powers. He did not altogether
admire the doctrines of nationality, holding it of
more consequence that people should be well go-
verned than the question by whom they should be
governed. Still, the working of the principle must
be considered inevitable, nor did he think they
shoald:regret it, considering what it had done in
Italy and was likely to do for Germany and Scan-
dinivia. It was an advantage that the flank of
Germany should be protected against France. Al-
luding casually to the Garibaldi demonstration, he

sold there was more in it than appeared :—'

"I do

not think the extraordinary enthusiaexa which was
exhibited is at all sufficiently explained by referring

either to the noble character of the person who
was the object of it, or to the exceptional exploits
which he had performed. These of course had their
share ; but there was more in it than that. I think
it ought to remind even Conservative statesmen
of the same troths which 1848 proclaimed so
loudly, namely, that under the surface of European,
nay, even of English, politics there are vague
aspirations and desires working which it is well not
entirely to ignore. The crowds in the streets of
London that day made me think of those striking
words of Mr Carlyle in his Litter-day pamphlet—
" Democracy sure enough is here; one knows not
how long it will keep hidden underground even in
Russia; and here is England, though we object to
it resolutely in thn fnrm of atrost barrioadoa and in-
surrectionary pikes, and decidedly will not open
doors to it on those terms, the tramp of its million

feet is on all streets and thoroughfares, the sound of
its bewildered thousandfold voice is in all its writ-
ings and speakings, in all thinking and modes and

activities of men ; the soul that does not now with

hope or terror discern it is not the one we ad-
dress on this occasion." There are politicians, and
Liberal politicians too, who seem to forget that there
ever was a year 1848, or, if they don't quite forget
it, they think that many of its most characteristic
events were mere accidents, and ay mptoms of mighty
forces working below our feet. That is not my view.
That is not the impression which I brought bac k
some months ago, even from the country in Europe
which is generally supposed to be that in which the
popular element is least active. The hon. gentle-
man then expi eased himself in favour of a non-

intervention policy, pointing out that if we had
suecseded after an arduous war with Russia, we
would have injured ourselves by strengthening the
reactionary and barbarous party in Russia. Nor
were they so strong in Europe as formerly, owing
to the spread of railways enabling European Powers
more easily to move their troops. We were more
a Cosmopolitan Power, and he referred to what
a native Indian had said to him, that another out-
break like the mutiny of 1857 might not be so far
off, the Hindoo and Mahomedan communities being
willing to seza our first European difficulty to
shake off our power. But, he said, " Tnere are two
English influences at this moment which are doing
more to conquer for us that mighty empire than
could all Armstrong's guns and all Whitworth's
guns, aye, and against which all Blakeley's guns
cannot protect her. The one is the spectacle of what
free trade has done for us, and the other is the book

by Dr. Gneist, of Berlin, upon our institutions.. "
_ _

The hon. gentleman proceeded to note with satin.

faotion Lord Stanley's remarks on the Eastern ques-
tion, and to take a favourable view of the Franco-
Italian treaty. lie did not think either. Austria
or Spain was likely to interfere with the Pope;
Spain especially, owing to the prevalent utter want
of faith which had been eaten oat by the Inquisi
tion, was likely to prove a poor support. In con-
clusion, although, without more energetic popular
opinion, necessary in this country to carry any great
measure, reform and many other questions might be

!sr off, yet there were several minor reforms which

he thought might be reached, and which he had

often urged—namely, improvement of the diplo
matic service, reorganisation of public schools,

emancipation of the universities, reform of chari-
tatla foundations, and reform of the law, with a

view to its eventual codification.

MANSION-HOUSE.—On Tuesday next the chair-
man (Mr T. Burrower) and members of the General Pur-
poses Committee and the aldermen and deputies of the
several wards will be entertained by the Lord Mayor at a
banquet in the Egyptian-hall, and on Friday a converse-
:done will be given by the Lord Mayor in the same place.
A large number of invitations have been issued.—My Tress.
THE SCOTCH STREAMS.—A constant drizzling
rain which prevailed all Thursday and Friday has
again swollen the Tweed and Teviot, so as to put angling
for a day or two entirely out of the question. On Friday
afternoon the rivers were rapidly increasing in volume. In
Perthshire the weather since Wednesday week has been
very disagreeable. Rain has fallen heavily almost daily
and has in a great measure suspended out-door labour. All
the rivers and streams, which have been remarkably low
during the whole summer, have been in a high state of
flood for a week past. The salmon spawning tributaries
of the Tay have not presented such a stock of fish at this
season for a long series of years. In consequence of the
flooded state of the rivers, salmon have got easily to the
spawning grounds in the upper waters, where they may
now be seen literally swarming. The abundance of salmon
may be inferred from the fact that in the course of two
hours two gentlemen saw upwards of 200 fish leap ono of
the dam-dykes on the Earn a few days ago. The rivers are
well protected by large bodies of watchers ; and at any rat e
it is impossible for poachers to do much mischief at present,
owing to the swollen state of the streams.—Scotsman.
LIFEBOAT DEMONSTRATION AT BOSTON. —A
grand demonstration took place at Boston, on the 21th inst.,
on tho occasion of the naming of the Herber. Ingram life.
boat. Tho mayor of the town, Mr M. Staniland, M.P.,
Mr J. 11. Thomas, J.P., and the volunteers, with their
band, took an active part in the proceedings. The cost of
the lifeboat was subseribcd by the fiiends of the late Mr
Herbert Ingram, M.P. for Boston---his widow and children
contributing liberally to the fund.