The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-30 00:00:00

In responding to the toast of " Mr, Disraeli and
the House of Commons,"
Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE, Bart., M.P., who
was greeted with the most enthusiastic cheers,
again and again renewed, said,—Mr. President,
Vice President, and Gentlemen,—lt is no light
burden, I can assure you that any ono takes upon
himself, when he undertakes the task of responding
to "The House of Commons;" and, let me add,
that you will not make the task the easier, and my
friend Mr. Barnes has not made my task the easier,
by the warmth of the reception which you have so
kindly given to me, and by the contrast-whichyon
make me so painfully feel between my own merits
and those which your awn kindness has been so
good as to attribute to me. I can assure you that,
warm as my affections are for th© county of Devon
and the city of Exeter, and rejoicing as I do now
to stand before so large an assemblage of my Con-
servative fellow-citizens, I shall not be wanting in
the best endeavour I can make to express my grati
tude for the distinguished honour you have done me
in associating my name with the toast just pro-
posed—(hear)—and, gentlemen, if I have no other
excuse for intruding myself upon you, I have at least

this, that 1 was charged (as Mr. Barnes told yon)
with the commission to invite my friend and our
leader in the House of Commons, Mr. Disraeli, it
by possibility he could spare the time for a visit to
Devonshire in the Easter holidays to be present

this day. I executed that commission, and I have
now a note from Mr. Disraeli, a few words from
which I shall, perhaps, be allowed to read. (Ap-
plause.) It is a private note, but there is a passage
which, referring to this invitation, says, "It had
been my intention of responding more fully and
formally, but let me say, I am very sensible of the
honour they have done me. I must return to
Hughendon, which under any circumstances will
render my acceptance of the invitation impossible.
I have heard before of their great efforts and equal
hopes, the first cannot be too much praised, and the
latter I feel will be triumphant." (Loud applause.)
Mr. Disraeli is what his enemies call a sanguine
man—(laughter)—and what his friends call a man
of great courage, and there is no man who is better
justified than he is in anticipating the triumph of
the cause with which he is connected, for there is no

man who has done so much, who has fought so gal-
lantly, and under such difficult circumstances, to
bring that cause into that proud position in which
it at present stands. (Cheers.) I cannot forget
that five years ago, or a little less, when this Par-
liament had just been called together--a Parliament
called together under the auspices of the Conserva-
tive Government which he represented in the House
of Commons—its first act was to pats a vote of cen-
sure upon the Government, and to expel it from
office. (Hear, hear.) I remember well how gloomy
the prospects of the party then appeared, because
at that moment we were a beaten party, and saw
gathering against us all the strength, all the expe-
rience, all the weight of the House of Commons ex-
cept that which was to be found in our own imme
diate ranks. We saw men of different shades of
politics all banding together against us, and the
most formidable array of talent concentrated upon
the seats of the Treasury Bench that had ever
sat there since the earliest days, I sup-
pose, of the House of Commons, and it was
at that time the feeling of no inconsiderable
number of the members of the House of Commons
that the day of the Conservative party had gone by,
and that the section of it, at all events, which was
represented by Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli might
bid a long farewell to the position which they had
hoped to hold ; but, gentlemen, Mr. Disraeli is one
of those men who are so English that they know
not what it is to be beaten. (Hear, and applause.)
He took courage end rallied his forces—(hear, hear)
—and I think we may now turn back, and, looking
over the events of bygone years, say that he has
met his reward. (Loud cheers.) The difference
between the position which the Conservative party
holds in the House of Commons now from that which
it held five years ago is not to be measured merely
by the difference in its numbers. We have, it is
true, gained a certain number of seats, hut that is
far from representing the whole of the case. (Hear,
hear.) What we have most gained is in the tene
and the spirit which animate our party. (Hear,
and applause.) When questions of public impor-
tance are raised—when such questions for instance
as church rates and others are brought before the
House of Commons, we were in minorities of 60,
of 70, of 80, but,we determined not to consider our-
selves beaten. (Hear, and applause.) We rallied
to fight again and again, and to fight a losing game
—.to run a losing race—until at last we had con
verted it into a winning one. (Tremendous cheers.)
In proportion as the Conservative power in the
House of Commons has gained so has the Ministe-
rial power declined. I know nothing more remark •
able than the declension which has come over the
Ministerial party in the House of Commons since
the year 1859. (Hear, hear.) It is a subject upon
which it is impossible to speak without some feel-
ings of pain. It is impossible not to feel that there
have been losses which have been sustained, not by
the Ministerial party, but through them, and in
their ranks, by the whole country. (Hear.) It
was impossible not to feel that men have
been carried off ite the prime of life to
whom we all, of whatever party and whatever
sentiments we were supposed to be, looked with
pride and respect. (Hear, hear.) And it is impos-
sible not to feel, when we look at the manner in
which those places have been filled up, and when
we see that the seats on the Treasury bench for-
merly occupied by Mr. Sidney Herbert and Sir
George Cornewall Lewis are now occupied by men
of far inferior position and in whom we can repose
far less confidence—it is impossible, I say, but to
feel that in proportion as the Conservatives have
gained power so the Ministerial party have lost it.
(Hear.) They have lost, not only in the number of
their supporters, not only in the importance of those
who conduct their party and who manage their
debates for them, but they have lost also in some-
thing which is still more important—they have lost
in character. (Renewed cheers.) I feel, with Mr.
Barnes, that it is not for us to speak of the members
of the Government in their individual character.
Even with regard to the public characters of many
of them I would speak with the highest respect.
But when we look at the Government who now
occupies the Treasury bench in its corporate cha-
racter—when we consider how it is made up of men
who differ from each other on principles, on funda-
mental principles, and therefore neutralise each
other, and render it impossible for the Government
to act with firmness or decision, we see at cnee why
it is that the Government has lost character, and
why it has lost the confidence of the country as it
has done. (Cheers.) For what great subject is
there upon which we can venture to speak of the
policy of the Palmerstonian Government ? Is it
reform ? (Loud laughter.) We are all here
amongst friends, because otherwise reform is a word
which I understand it is not polite to mention in
their presence. (Renewed laughter.) But reform
was the great card of the liberal party—(hear, near)
—reform was the great battle-horse upon which

they mounted to run their tilt against Lord
Derby's Government. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
What has become of the great battle-horse
now ? Why it hes been turned out to grass.
(Roars of laughter.) If its services should be
again found useful it may, perhaps, be taken up
again. But at present all he has to do is to " rest
and be thankful." (Continued laughter.) There
is their Church policy. (Hear.) Will any one tell
113 what the Church policy of the present adminis-
tration is ? It seems to be summed up in this—that
they think something ought to be done, but what it
Is they do not know. (Loud cheers and laughter.)
['hey have nothing themselves to propose, and
when questions of difficulty are pre-posed by others
we find one minister voting and speaking one way,
another minister voting and speaking another way,
a third conveniently absent, and a fourth pairing
with somebody who is ill at Florence—(applause
and great laughter) ; and yet never was there a time
in which Church policy and the questions—the great
questions—in reference to the connection of the
Church and the State deserved more anxious con-
sideration than now—(hear, hear) ; and never, I
will venture to say, was there a time at which a
ministry possessed the advantages which the pre-
sent ministry possessed. Never has a ministry had
a fairer or better opportunity of coming forward
end proposing a satisfa7tory settlement of question,
which it is dangerous to leave unsolved. Meer, and
applause.) When we, by the energy of our party
and at the beck of our leader, had succeeded in con-
verting a majority of 70 to a majority in our favour,
by the casting vote of the Speaker, then was the
time when the Government, if it was really inte-
rested—and it ought to have been—in settling the
great question of church rates, which so vitally
affects the connection between Church and State ;
then was the time when the Government might
have come forward with some well-considered, well-
planned, and moderate mess are for the settlement
of the difficulty—(hear, hear) ; the best of their own
supporters were anxious it should be done—(hear);
the beet of their own supporters were urging a set-
tlement of some kind, and such an opportunity pro-
bably as no Government had ever had before was
offered to them, but it was thrown aside because
they knew not how to avail themselves of it.
(Hear, hear, and applause.) Weil, gentlemen,
such is the position in which they stand with regard
to domestic matters ; but perhaps it may be said we
did not think very much of their domestic policy.
(Laughter.) We did not think much of their sin-
cerity about reform, and we never had a great
opinion of them as Churchmen—(loud laughter)—
but there was one subject upon which they were
truly great—(ironical cheers)—there was one point
on which they were always able to take the advan-
tage of us, and that was their foreign policy.
(Laughter and ironical cheers.) It was their foreign
policy which was flaunted in our faces at every turn.
When we ventured to criticise their policy in
domestic affairs we were told that they were, of all
men, the only men who could at once maintain the
honour of this country and settle the affairs of the
world. (Laughter.) They were possessed, if you
wou d believe them and their organs, of a marvellous
secret, of a patent invention, by which they were to
settle the affairs of Europe without any expenditure
of blood or of treasure on the part of England.
(Hear, hear, and renewed cheers.) They were in
the happy position of possessing what we may con-
sider the universal medicine of England's moral
influence—(laughter)—and never was there a patent
medicine of Mr. Holloway's that was more puffed or
more vaunted than this moral influence of which
they were so proud. (Coutinued laughter.) Testi-
monials came from every part of the world as to its
uthity. (Renewed laughter.) The great cause was
Italy. We know what they did for Italy—(hoar,
bear)—we know it was they who gave to Victor
Emmanuel Lombardy and the Duchies—(continued
cheers)—wo know it was they who gave to him
Naples and Sicily—(oh, oh)—and if he had not
yet got Rome and Venice, all that was neces-
sary to ensure his gaining those desirable po-s-
-sessicns was that the people of England should
stand firm by the present Government, and keep
Lord Palmerston and Lord Russell in office till
he got them, (Roars of laughter.) The moral
influence of England at first went up into the
air like a bubble, and in the sunshine it re-
flected all the colours of the rainbow, but, un-
fortunately of late the bubble has burst, and we find
ourselves in rather an unpleasant position with re-
gard to continental affairs. (Hear, hear.) The moral
influence of England was tried in the settlement of
the affairs of Poland and Denmark, and the result
is that the name of England is at this moment a
bye-word and a reproach among foreign nations.
(Hear, and cheers.) That is what we have gained
by the use of the moral influence of England—
(applause)—and that is the point upon which the
Government will have to answer to the country.
(Hear, and cheers.) Now, observe the way in which
they disguise the question that is raised and the
false issue upon which their organs put the ques•
tion. (Hear, hear.) They say that those who
object to the manner in which they have introduced
the name of England into these contests that have
been going on, that th.ose who fied fault with them
for the disgrace which we say they have brought
upon that name, are the advocates of war, and that
they are the opponents of the peaceful policy of the
Government. Never was an issue joined so falsely,
never was there a case in which there was a more
dishonest attempt to evade the real question at
issue. (Hear, and applause.) What we blamed
them for was not for having kept the peace, not for
having endeavoured to bring these matters to a
pacific settlement—(hear)—but we blamed them for
two things. We blamed them because they so mis-
managed their diplomatic relations with the coun-
tries of Europe, and allowed a question which ought
to have been, and which might have been settled by
peaceful and diplomatic means, to come to an open
rupture which they ought to have prevented—
(applause)—and we blamed them for having made
use of bold language, and loud language, and
threatening language, without any occasion to
do so, or without any intention of following it up.
(Cheers.) It is that discrepancy, the employment
of threatening language, which they knew
they were not prepared to follew up, which
has brought us into the position in which we
not stand. (Hear, hear, and loud applause.) You
know it is impossible that these matters can at pre-
sent be discussed is Parliament as the country
might have wished they should be, because we are
all anxious that these foreign affairs should be
brought to the best and most peaceful settlement of
which they could admit. (Hear, hear.) But so
long as there is hope, the slightest hope, even at
this the eleventh hour, of a peaceful settlement being
in any way brought about, we are unwilling on our
part to disturb it by provoking a debate or intro-
ducing any new complications. (Hear, hear.) But
the time will come, whether in the form of a debate
in the House of Commons or not I do not know, but
it will certainly come, when upon the hustings of
England, and before the electoral tribunals of Eng,
land, the Government will have to render an ac•
count of the way in which they have thrown away
the influence of England, and for heving brought
her name into disrepute amongst the nations of
the world—(loud cheers)—and, gentlemen, speak-
ing for the Conservative party, I will venture to
say that we care not how soon the time may come.
(Hear, hear, and enthusiastic applause.) We know
that it cannot be longer off than next year; it is
probable it may be even this year—(hear)—but
whenever it does come I feel sure the Conservative
people of this country will rally round their stan-
dard—that there will be no flinching, uo disunion,
no personal jealousies that will be allowed to stand
in the way—(cheers)—and if the results of the
general election should be such as the results of the
recent elections have latterly given us some reason
to hope, you will then see that the Conservative
party la this country will be placed in $ position

The first serious accident which has befallen the American
steamers running to and from this port occurred this morn-
ing. The City of New York, after a splendid passage from
New York, struck upon Daunt's Rock as she was entering
the harbour, and great fears are entertained that she will be-
come a total wreck. Fortunately, the accident has not been
attended by loss of life. The ship ran right on the centre of
the ridge of rocks and remained firmly seated on it, so that
no immediate danger to the passengers rose. The weather
was exceedingly favourable. Had the ship struck on one of
the ledges of the rock, there is every reason to believe that
the mishap would have been fraught with the most lament-
able consequences. The particulars of the unfortunate oc-
currence are these :—The ship had an extraordinary fine
passage across. .Her average rate of speed was up to 300
miles a day ; before 2 o'clock this morning she sighted the
harbour, and, as the weather was exceedingly clear, she
was kept going at the rate of 14 miles an hour as she ap-
proached it. The moon was shining brightly at the time,
the wind was north-west—that is, blowing off the land, and
it is stated that Captain. Kennedy, in order to keep the wind-
ward of the rock, in coming in, took the inner passage, the
breadth of which is about three-quarters of a mile. All was
going on fairly when at 2 40 or so the ship run with a loud
crash right upon the centre of Daunt's Rock. The concus-
sion shook all the passengers who had retired to sleep. It
is described as resembling a per:es of shocks, and the ship
seemed literally to drive over ledge after ledge as impelled
at almost full speed she dashed upon the rock, The water
rushed into her compartments in immense volumes, and
in a very short time it had risen to the level of the sea. A
scene of the greatest confusion ensued; the passengers,
some half dressed, others as they had risen from sleep,
rushed about not knowing the extent of their danger, but
thinking from the terrible shock t hat the ship received that
she would go down on the instant. All attempts to move
her in any way were out of the question, for in a few minutes
after she struck the water had put out the engine fires, and
was still rising. The only thing that could be done was to
put out the boats and obtain assistance from shore. A num-
ber of blue lights were thrown up, and signal guns were fired
incessantly. Aid from shore did not, however, reach the
vessel until about half-past 4 o'clock. About 20 minutes to
3 o'clock the tug boat, which meets the steamer to receive
the mails and passengers, left Queenstown, the City of New
York having been at that time signalled, and proceeded out
as far as Roche's Point. It waited there for some time,
until some of the ship's signal guns were heard, and then,
surmising that an accident must have occurred, the tug boat
proceeded. On getting a little further out, the City of New
York was found fairly placed upon the rock, with her head
turned towards Queenstown; within about ten feet of the
Daunt's Rock Buoy. The tug boat was immediately got
alongside, and, under the direction of Captain Kennedy,
the mails and as many of the passengers as possible
were put on board. There were 78 nrd.i. and 75
steerage passengers on board the ship, besides the crew,
which numbers about 120 men. Intelligence of the
accident was immediately despatched to Queenstown, and
steps were promptly taken to render all the aid which
could be given. The Admiral of the port was com-
municated with, and he at once sent out her Majesty's
ships Advice and Magpie. The Jackal!, the Cunard Com •
pany's tender the Arran Castle, the Brunel, and the Robert
Bruce, tug boats, also proceeded out. The passengers' lug-
gage was got out as soon as possible, and put on board the
tugs, and steps were taken to lighten the ship by removing
as much of the cargo as could be come at. These operations
are being continued up to the present. It was dead ebb
when the ship struck. The tide now passing, and it is not
known what the effect of this will be on the ship. It is
feared that she may lurch over into the Jeep water at the
other side, in that case, being iron built, she would be com-
pletely lost. The steamers named above are still by her.
DAUNT'S ROCK, Noon.
The City of New York is in the same position. The Ad-
miralty and Cunard Company's are operating with other
tugs in lightening her. The foremast is uninjured, and rests
upon a part of the rock. The injury is reported to be amid-
ships, where the rock has penetrated through her staiboard
bunkers. She fills with the flood tide to her main deck,
Wind now blowing fresh.

ROCHE'S POINT, 1 35 p.m.

The City of New York is now stripped of her top-
gallantmasts and yards, wizen topsailyard, with fore-
topsail. Two of her Majesty's gunboats, in addition to
those already in attendance, have arrived at the scene of
the disaster.

S 30 p.m.

The City of New York will doubtieFs become a total
wreck. Much of her cargo will be saved if the weather con-
tinues fine, but in a damaged state. Her cargo is chiefly
cotton.