The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-26 00:00:00

Pinner.—Freehold Building Land.

MR. ANDW. HIND will SELL br AUCTION
shortly, 23 Acres of LAND, beautifully situa'e near
the village, and about a mile from the station. The plots
will contain from half an acre to two cres and upwards.
The estate is well wooded, and has a stream of water flowing
through it. Residents on this property will be entitled to
the privileges of Harrow School, and the occupant of each
house of the value f £lO per annum will receive a free first-
class railway ticket to London for thirteen years. Offices,
earner of Little Carter-lane, St. Paul's.

OLDRID GE'S BALM of COLUMBIA
stands unrivalled as a toilet requi,ite. It has been
established 40 years. and is the best and only certain remedy
ever discovered for preserving, strengthening, beautifying,
or re,toring, the Hair, Whiskers, or Moustaches, and pre-
venting them turning gray or fa 'inc.,: off.—Sold in bottles,
35.6 d., 65., and 11s. by C. and A. OLDRIDGE, 22, Welling..
ton-street, Strand, W .C. ; and all chemists and perfumers.
For Children's and Ladies' Hair it is most efficacious and
UAriValled.

MADAME TUSSAUD'S HISTORICAL
GALLERY; established 28 years at the Bazaar,
Baker-street,

NEW ADDITION. A full length portrait model of
DR. COUTY DE LA POMMERAIS, the Poisoner, taken
from the original photograph, by Mons. Trinquart, of Paris,
from life, is now added to the Chamber of Physiognomy.
Admittance, Is. ; Napoleon Rooms and Chamber of Horrors,
6d. extra.
Open from 11 in the morning till 10 at night.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray's-inn-road,
in the immediate vicinity of the Great Northern Rail-
way Terminus, King's-cross.
Patron—Her Most Gracious Majesty the QUEEN.
Vice-Patron—His Royal Highness the Prince of WALE S,K.G
President—li is Grace the Duke of BUCCLEUCH, K.G.
Treasurer—Edward Masterman, Esq.

The numerous and urgent appeals of the sick poor for ad-
mission compel the Committee to entreat the bounty of the
affluent and humane, as the medical officers are daily oblif,red
t ) treat as out-patients many distres-ing cases which. with
more adequate funds, they would gladly admit into the wards.
The premises of the Hospital are capable of containing 500
beds.
The Hospital is not endowed, but is wholly dependent on
voluntary contributions and legacies, which are received by
the Treasurer, Edward Masten-Ilan, Esq., Nicholas-lane; also
by Messrs. Coutts and Co. ; Drummond and Co. ; Herries and
Co. ; Ransom and Co. ; Prescott, Grote, and Co.- Smith,
Payne, and Co. ; G',.yn and Co. ; Jones Loyd and C 0..; Barclay
and Co. ; Denison and Co. ; W lliams, Deacon, and Co.;
Overend, Gurney, and Co. ; Nisbet and Co., Bernera-street ;
Masterman and Co. ; T. Barned and Co., Liverpool ; and at
the; Hospital, from 10 till 5.
STAISTORD SUITH Seaotary,

Colonel PATTEN rose and said—Colonel Ulifton, Mr Vice-
Chairman, and gentlemen, I have been requested by your
committee to take charge of the next toast which stands on
your list, and it is an all-important one—namely, " Success
to the Royal North Lancashire Agricultural Society."
(Applauss.) Now, gentlemen, I am sorry to say that,
owing to my long absence from the county in the transac-
tion of Parliamentary business and during a tour in the
south of England, I am much more competent to speak of

the agriculture of the southern part of this country than I
am, I believe, of my own county. But before I propose the
toast which I have in hand I beg to congratulate all the
members of this society, and all the agriculturists of Lan-
cashire, on their prospects as compared ,with those of that
part of the country from which I only yesterdayireturned.
(Hear.) One agriculturist feels for another, and if you
could witness the state of the agricultural prospects of the
Midland counties, and especially of the south and west,
you would have compassion for the agriculturists of
,those
parts of the country. It is really quite refreshing to meet,
on arriving here, instead of brown parched-up fields, a
green sward, upon which the cattle aro able to feed, while
in that part of the country which I have left farmers are
quite hard up for food, in some instances having to con-
sume,their autumn crops to keep their cattle alive, and to
drive them miles and miles for the purpose of obtaining
water. Gentlemen, it was really gratifying to me to find on
my arrival in the county such a different state of things es
that I have witnessed. I perhaps speak more from hearsay
than from what I have observed, except while travelling in
the train ; but I am told that here you have good crops, as
compared with the southern parts of England, ;and excel-
lent pastures, and I do believe that, as compared with the
south, the agriculturel prospects of this :county are most
prosperous. But that is not the object for which I rise.
I rise to perform a duty to you of stating what the cir-
cumstances of this society are in this year of 1864, I know
that it is always considered the duty of the person who
proposes this toast to speak of everything in the most
favourable light. I shall not do that. I shall try to give
you as clear and impartial a history of this society as the
information which I possess enables me to do. It is not
altogether favourable, but there are favourable circum-
stances, which I shall mention to you. Our meeting at
Lytham is mast appropriate, for in this district I believe we
can see more agricultural improvements within a small
space of ground than in almost any other part of the coun-
try. (Hear, hear.) Unfortunately, however, we are only
one portion of North Lancashire, and the feet that the east-
ern portion of this country is engaged to-day in holding a
similar meeting to our own has operated detrimentally to us
in some respects. This is one of the unfavourable circum-
stances we have had to contend with. I will now endeavour
to lay before you the favourable circumstances we have had
to contend with. I will now endeavour to lay before you
the favourable circumstances. I hold in my hand a state-
ment of the progress of this society during the years which
have elapsed since 1847, when it had its origin, up to the
present time. I will not go through the whole of the statis-
tics comprised in this statement. I think, perhaps, the best
way would be to show you what the progress of the society
has been, not throughout the country, but S 3 far as it re-
gards
the meetings which have been held at Lytham, of
which there have been three between 1847 and the present.
Through the kindness of my friend, Mr Fair, I hold in my
hand a regular detail of all the returns in connection with
the Lytham meetings. As regards the show we had in 1819,
we had 249 implements shown; in 1857, 235; and in 1864,
533—(applause) —a pretty good average, and a pretty good
improvement on the former meeting. In 1819 we had 49
cattle; in 1857, 107; and in 1861, 165. Of sheep we bad
132 in 1819, 106 in 1857, and 235 in 1861. (Applause.)
The totals are these—in 1849 we had 666 articles exhibited
for conip.ctition ; in 1857, 660 ; and in 1161, I,22s—(ap-
plause)—us nearly double as possible. But, perhaps, a
better critetiou of progress will be in the money receipts for
admission. In 1849 the receipts amounted to £l9 ;in 1857,
£138; and in 1861—I have just had the return placed in
my hands—£3l7. (Loud applause.) Gentlemen, I think
this is, perhaps, as favourable a comparison as could be
made between the different shows, at the same place,
in any part of England. But there are certain circum-
stances connected with this show to which I also wish to
call your attention, and, I think, evincing the favourable
progress which has been made, First of all, there has been
a much larger show of reaping machines—machines just
now becoming one of the first essentials of agricultural life.
I should be very sorry here, in advocating the interest of
the British farmer, to depreciate or injure the interest of
any other class of society; but I am bound, standing here
as I do to propose the toast I have named, to state what 1
believe is the fact with .regard to the labour market or the
district in which we are met. There is no doubt whatever

that if there is any part of England in which it is of essen-
tial
consequence that our harvest should bo gathered in
with the greatest speed, it is the district in which we are
now placed. Our climate is not Italian—it is not one upon
which we can rely. We are subjected, more perhaps than
any other part of England, to a variety of climate, and it
behoves us, as regards our harvests, to get them in with
the greatest possible speed. But it so happens that at the
present moment the labour market is rising against the
farmer. Not only are the prices of labour rising, but there
is a difficulty in getting labour; the d faculty was, in fact,
increasing, and if it had not been for the splendid weather
we have had, I believe that farmers would have experienced
considerable difficulty in getting in their crops. It was
stated to me to-day, by a person well qualified to judge,
that the expense of getting in a harvest now, as compared
with what it was some years ago, was very great indeed.
Some years ago I was told the crop of hay might have
been got in for about 8s per statute acre, whereas now the
price is about 14s per acre. But lam delighted—l think
we shall all bo delighted—to hear that the labourers of this
country are participating in the advantages of higher
wages. I do not believe anybody will grudge the la-
bouring classes of this country higher wages, but it is
a very dangerous look-out for farmers, supposing the
weather is unsettled, and they should be called upon to
get in their crops speedily. (Hear.) Well, then, I say,
it becomes an absolute necessity to see if you cannot
get in your crops more speedily than heretofore. The
most important exhibitions you have at such meetings as
this is that of the mowing and reaping machines, which
ultimately you will have to rely upon in order to get your
crops in properly. (Applause.) Ido not, gentlemen, pro-
foss to be a great mechanician ; but I could not help observ•
ing yesterday, at the trial of implements, that the machines
were much easier for the horses than some years ago, and I
do believe that some of those machines you have seen to-
day—l will not single out any particular one—ought to
cause the farmer to be on the lookout, and to avail himself
of whatever improvements he may observe. (Hear, hear.)
There is another thing which has struck me in the show to
day, and I say it with great deference to those who under-
stand farming--and that was that the greatest increase has
taken place with regard to sheep. Everybody knows sheep
cannot prosper unless land is well drained, and unless care
is taken to prevent the ordinary complaints to which they
are liable. I believe a few years ago there were scarcely
any sheep in the county of Lancaster. Our state in this re-
spect at present is a double proof of the progress made and
the benefit derived. The increase of our sheep shows, first of
all, is a great improvement in the agriculture of this county,
and, secondly, we are gratified by it, because at the pre-
sent, when wool can secure a good market, no animal pays
so well. As, however, time is advancing, and train time
near, I will avoid descanting on one or two other subjects
which I think are well worthy the consideration of agri-
cultural meetings like this. The other day Lord Stanley
made a speech as to leases. There is a great deal to be
said on both sides, but it deserves the attention of agricul-
turists ; and it behoves landlords as well as tenants to see
whether any improvements in that respect can be made in
this country. I am one of those who believe that leases
are very good, under certain circumstances, and I believe
there are circumstances under which they do not apply;
but I believe that whenever a tenant wishes to have a lease,
and shows his capacity for working a farm, that it is to
the interest both of himself and his landlord to have one.
(Hear, hear.) I think the few words I have uttered to you
show that this society is making progress. I cannot help
observing that there are a number of local societies in this
district daily increasing. Ido not, however, feel the least
envy of those societies; I believe they are all doing good in
their generation; but I think that all of ycs who are mem-
bers of such societies would do a practical service by taking
care that, while those local societies are looked after, this
society is not left in the lurch; because I believe it is the
means of bringing before you improvements in various ways,
which it is impossible for a local society to dot, (Hear.)

them in Parliament; and he thought that during that
lengthy period no person, whether rich or poor, had been
so respected as Colonel Patten. They had not only to look
at him as their representative in Parliament, but they were
to take into account that when his services were required
he left his own fireside to defend the hearths and homes of
the people of this country. With regard to the Marquis
of Hartington, they did not know so much of him as of his
colleague; but he had now been their representative for a
considerable number of years, and they had fouad him both
able and willing to perform those duties which were re-
quired from gentlemen representing that important part of
the county in Parliament. They might consider them-
selves fortunate in having as member Dr the Northern
Division of Lancaster a gentleman for their representative
who held such a high position in the Government as Lord
Hartington did. He then submitted tko toast, which was
received with acclamation,

The Marquis of HARTINGTON then rcse, along with Col.
Patten, to respond, He said—As Col. Patten has already
addressed you once this evening, and as ye have been save-
' ral times informed that a number of gentlemen present are
still anxious to leave by the early train, Col, Patten has re-
quested me to respond to this toast, and to return you his
for the very kind and cordial
in which ahys my own,ouhave been pleased to receive this toast.
thanks,
Gentlemen,
manner as w
I really cannot undertake to return thanks to
you on behalf of Col. Patten. The vice-president has stated
in terms not at all exaggerated the high sense of gratitude
which you all must entertain towards Col. Patten, for
the long and unwearied services which he has rendered as
your representative in the House of Commons, It is quite
needless for me to say anything on that point, further than
was said by your worthy vice-president this evening, Gen-
tlemen, I am quite aware that what fell from the vice-pre-
sident was perfectly true, and that you do not see near so
much of me as you do of my hon. colleague. Gentlemen, it
is true that for some years I have now load the honour of
tinual contact, have prevented me
beingrepresenting
ti ()nut
0,
sbut
ccl iorscou masnt ad nceoens
espe-
cially with the agricultural portion of my constituents, as I
could have wished for and could have hoped for—and there-
fore I still feel—though I regret to feel—that I am very
nearly a stranger to a very large part of my constituents.
Gentlemen, the vice-president has referred to the fact that
I a short time ago accepted a post in one of the offices con-
nected with the Administration of the country. Gentle-
men, I hope and trust that that step on my part has met
with—if not the entire concurrence—at least the general
approval of the constituency which I have the honour to
represent. (Applause.) lam quite aware that it is !m-
-possible for me, having accepted the office which I have
accepted, to attend so closely as I should wish to do to the
county business which I ought to attend to, and to the local
interests which it is my duty to support. Gentlemen, when
a gentleman becomes a member of Parliament, it seems to
me that the duties which he has to perform may be classified
under two heads, His highest duty, no doubt, is to take
part in the deliberations of Parliament, to give his mind to
if he does not take part in the discussion of great political
questions which are brought before the house for discussion

—to take part in framing the policy of this country, as it
bears not only upon cromestic questions, but also upon the
policy of Europe. He is to take part—and every member of
Parliament is important in this sense—in all questions of
high political importance such as these. That, no doubt,
gentlemen, is the first and greatest part of the duty of a
member of Parliament, a duty which he owes not only
to the nation, but to the whole of the vast empire,
which is more or less indirectly governed by this coun
try, and is under British sway. Then, gentlemen, a member
of Parliament has another duty also to perform—a duty
which he owes more particularly to his own constituents.
In all cases where the interests of the district which a mem-
ber represents are concerned, I hold there is no more fit-
ting person to whom a constituent can go for aid, counsel,
and assistance, than the gentleman whom they have selected
to represent them in Parliament. If there is any grievance
wanting redress, any project of public utility to be carried
out, it is to their member—and 1 think it ought to be to their
member—that the constituents should go for advice and
assistance, and, If neret.,ary, for Li. support in the House
of Corn mons. (Applause.) That part of the duty of a mem-
ber of Parliament I feel that I have probably, since toy ac-
cession to office, neglected, but it is a consolation to me to
know that ii you were tl take out from all the members at
present sitting iu the House of Commons ono member in
whom you have more confidence than another for conduct-
ing all special or local business, it is my hon. colleague;
and it is therefore with less hesitation that I have bean en-
abled to accept an office which prevents me from attending
so closely to the county business as I should otherwise have
wished to do. Now, gentlemen, we are not here to defend our
conduct in Parliament, or to give an account of our votes or
our speeches in the house. Whatever may bo your opinion of
the conduct of your representatives in Parliament—whether
you are satisfied with our conduct or dissatisfied with what
we have done—the time cannot be far distant, and it is pro-
bably very near, when you will have an opportunity of ex-
pressing in the most unmistakeable terms what the opinion
of your representatives has been. This Parliament has at-
tained an age which very few of modern days have reached ;
it is impossible that its duration should continue above
another session; and at the end of that session your mem-
bers will have to ask you to give in the clearest manner an
expression of your opinion as to whether you aro satisfied
with our conduct in the present Parliament. But there is one
observation which I would wish to make—and 1 trust that I
shall not be deemed to be trespassing on the limits of our
rules—before I leave this part of the subject. I believe I
am addressing for the most part farmers, or at any rate gen-
tlemen connected with the land. I have very little doubt
that if that be the case there is a great probability that those
whom I am now addressing are inclined to think that the
present Parliament, containing as it does a majority of gen-
tlemen professing what are called Liberal principle,—that
the present Government, which professes to be based upon
those same principles, have been somewhat unmindful of
the interests of the land as compared with the manufactur-
ing and commercial interests.
Gentlemen, if that be your
confidently, venture to think
. I believe that, even supposing
otmbly,o
there was a majority of gentlemen in the House of Com-
mons whose interests are more bound up with commerce
and manufacture than with land, still I believe that the
land would have no reason to complain. I believe now that
not only the wisest and the best of the representatives of the
great interests of the country, but almost all who have
othpainti in, is I
an humbly,
erroneous though
one.
taken the trouble to think at all upon such subjects, have
come to the conclusion that class legislation, even if, it
were possible, would be not ouiY unjust and inequitable,
but that it would be a mistake. I believe that the mem-
bers of this House of Commons are firmly and truly con-
vinced that the only way in Which one class of interests
in this country can be made prosperous is to make the
whole prosperous, and that it Would be vain, and worse
than vain, to attempt to build up the prosperity of one
interest of this country at the expense of,
and by inflict-
ing injustice upon, another class. (Applause.) Gentle-
men, we have all the same interests at heart, whether we
be farmers, merchants, or manufacturers. We have all the
same great interests, and the leading features of our inte-
rests are the same. We want, in the first place, peace ; in
the second place, we want peace and the security that that
peace will continue. We want to feel Bo strong that it will
not be in the power of any foreign nation to disturb the
peace which
we are now enjoying, Gentlemen, I believe
that the possession of a firnasecu.rity of peace, joined with
a just administration of the law, is about all that any inte-
rest in this country wishes for; their only wish, in addition
to that, is to be let alone. But now) unfortunately, there
comes the difficulty which divides us. It is easy enough
to be at peace, but, in order that we may feel strong and
secure in that peace, it is necessary that we should keep up
those large establishments which we all know to our cost
are so expensive. There is the navy, which absorbs so large
a portion of our income ; and there is the army (that branch
of our Government with which I am connected), which
am sorry to say absorbs a still larger share. Gentlemen, I
do not believe there are any of you who would wish to dry
any of those services, to stint them, or to diminish their
efficiency ; but it is, unfortunately, when we come to pay
for them that the differences between the classes arise, and
it is then that agricultural interests and the commercial in-
terests think that they are hardly treated in comparison one
with another. That appears to me to be the great object
which the House of Commons has in these days to keep in
view. I do not think that at this time there are any very
great legislative enactments required ; all that we have to
do is to labour conscientiously and diligently, to distribute
the taxation of the country and the burdens of the coun-
try, which we all agree somebody has to bear, fairly and
equitably amoeg the different interests. Now, sir, I believe
this, the House of Comrnons,however it might be constituted,
is prepared to do. I believe that no subject has Leen de-
bated in this House of Commons with more care ; and
although party spirit will, of course—and I think not inju-
eously—mingle itself with all our deliberations and in all
our discussions, still I think that no subjects have been more
fairly debated than subjects which affect the interests and
the taxation of this country. I believe, although the agri-
cultural interest may think it has been neglected, that the
House of Commons,whether it be elected by tenant farmers,
large landowners, or by large towns to represent the com-
mercial interests, wish so to legislate as to make the prop,

it will be the least felt by the resources of the nation and
the wealth of the nation. Gentlemen, lam sure that such
has been the object of this House of Commons, and whether
it has succeeded or not I cannot tell ; but, as I said before,
you will have the opportunity in a short time of expressing
in the most unmistakeable manner your opinions on this
,point; and I for one shall approach my constituents in per-
fect confidence, feeling that if I have failed in satisfying
their wishes, I have at least acted up to the best of my abi-
lity. (Hear, hear.) I will not go on to speak on subjects
about which many of you are acquainted much better than
myself ; but it seems to me that although my hon. and gal-
lant colleague has put the best face he could upon it, it is
pretty generally admitted that this has not been one of the
most successful shows which the society has ever had.
Gentlemen, I will not go about to find the cause of this fall-
ing off, if there is any falling off. I think it is much better
we should hear if it is so. But, whatever it is, whether the
number of small societies which now compete with this one,
or whether any other cause, still I think we ought to set
ourselves resolutely to find out the cause, and, if possible, to
remedy it. I admit that I should think it a great misfortune
if anything should impair the efficiency and power of good
which this society possesses. I believe already it has done
a large amount of good in this county, and although I am
quite ready to admit that the small societies are very useful
in their way, still I think this society is capable of doing
a vast deal more good than the small ones in the way of
advancing the agricultural interests and energies of the
district. Look only to one subject mentioned this evening,
and that is the scarcity of labour. The scarcity of labour
is not the only difficulty which farmers are likely to have
to contend with in future years. Labour is certain to be
scarce, and prices of produce certain to continue low. It
is therefore quite evident that if the farmer is to make a
profit at all, he must make it by keeping down his expenses
as low as possible. The most important subject in mo-
dern farming appears t 3 me to be the use of improved
machines in the tillage of land. No small society can bring
together the number of agricultural machines that can be
effected by a large and powerful society like this. That
seems to me to be one of the most important parts of these
exhibitions, and it does seem to me that it will be a very
great misfortune if this society, which has done so much
good, is allowed to fall into a state of inefficiency. I am
sorry that I have detained you so long, and that we have
been so hurried this evening, but I am glad to have had
this opportunity of meeting so many of my friends, whom
for a long time I have not had the pleasure of meeting. I
am greatly obliged for the cordial manner in which you
have received me, and the patience with which you have
listened to me, and I hope that so long a time may not
elapse before we have the pleasuro of meeting each other
again. (Loud applause.)