The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-08 00:00:00

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tors as on the present occasion, but that many of
those who were winners that'. day would also be
winners then. (Cheers.) He concluded by wish•

ing them all a happy new year.
Three hearty cheers were then given for Lord
and Lady Palmerston, his lordship remarking that
he hoped the " cheer" the labourers had had tat
day had been as good as the cheers they had jaA
given him.
This part of the day's proceedings then termi-
nated. Later in the afternoon the members of the
association dined together at the White Horse Inn,
Romsey. Lord Palmerston was to have presided
here also, but he was unexpectedly telegraphed for
from Osborne, and Mr. T. W. Henderson, of Roke,
took the chair in his absence. Among the guests

were the Hon. R, H. Dutton, M,P., Mr. C. L. Lor-
dan (Mayor of Romsey), the Rev. E. L. Berthon,
the vicar, the Hon. and Rev. C. A. Harris, the Rev.
W. H. Empson, and others. After the usual pre.
lirninary toasts,
The CHAIRMAN proposed "The health of the
county members," which was co: dially received.
Mr. Durrort, M.P., in responding, said the short
period during which he had been in Parliament had
been characterised as an unexciting one, but it had
nevertheless witnessed two general elections and
two reform bills. (A laugh.) It was perfectly
true that neither of those reform bills was carried,
but the present Ministry came into office pledged
to carry one, and perhaps they might yet introduce
another, although he could not speak with any cer-
tainty as to that. (A laugh.) If the last session
had not been very eventful the next hardly promised
to be much more so, for he had heard a great man
remark that he thonght a prize ought now to he
offered to the person who should introduce
any important measure into Parliament. (A laugh.)
Having read the speeches made by public men in
the course of the autumn, he was glad to find the
cause of the poor man in such very good hands, be-
cause not only did the noble lord, to whom they had

3Bhlistened
ndht s
aht
followed
nt da s
he hr yea , d
vt aa
by
care of the poor man, but
l
ysoos
et
hspoken
he
stisnhi
tohwni
.sa
was to
at
evomo
kuberee,
rpa
for
eye on the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (A laugh.)
He begged to congratulate that society on its tiro-
sperity and success. It was called a Labourers'En.-
couragement Society, but, at the same time, a so-
ciety for stimulating those who had it in their
Rower to encourage the labourers, because the value
of their institution did not lie so much in the trifling
pecuniary rewards it bestowed as in the general
spirit of emulation which it diffused throughout the
district. No class of men were more deserving of
sympathy and support than the agricultural pea-
santry ; and the farmers and their families had it
in their power to confer, at a small inconvenience
land sacrifice to themselves, an immense amount of
!benefit and comfort upon that humble but merito-
rious class. Much attention had been devoted last
session to the subject of education, and yet the
question had, after all, been left pretty much as it
stood before. He had somewhat changed his opinion
as to the education which ought to be given to their
labourers. He did not now think it necessary that
it should be of as high a character as he had once sup-
posed. The child of the peasant had to earn his
!bread at an early age, and they must look to the
!evening schools to continue and complete his moral
land intellectual training.
The "Health of the bishop and clergy of the dio-
cess" was then given, and acknowledged by the Hon.
and Rev. C. S. Harris, and the remaining toasts
were of a purely local character.