The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-31 00:00:00

THE BANQUET.

In the evening a magnificent banquet was given to Vis-
count Palmerston, in the City-hall. Corers were laid for
upwards of 900. The decorations were of the most elabo •
rate character, and the general arrangements gave entire
satisfaction to the very numerous assemblage. At a few
minutes after 6 the distinguished statesman entered the
hall, amid universal acclamation, and was conducted by
the Lord Provost to the platform, on which tables were
placed for the principal guests. The Lord Provost presided,
having on his right Viscount Palmerston, Lord Blantyre,
Lord Dunfermline, Mr. Cowper, Sir J. Gibson Craig, Sir E.
Colebrooke, M.P., Principal Barclay, the Dean of the
Faculty; and on the left the Duke of Argyll, the Lord
Advocate, M.P., Mr. Kinnaird, Admiral Hope, Mr. Finlay,
M,P., Sir James Forgusson, M.P., Sir J. Campbell, Sir A.,
Orr, Mr. Crum-Ewing, M.P., Sir James Anderson, Air.
Merry, M.P., &c. The vice-presidents were Mr. Dalglisit,
M.P., and Mr. Buchanan, M.P.
The dinner was most creditable to the purveyors.
After grace, the LORD PnovosT -proposed the usual loyal
toasts of "Her Majesty the Queen," "The Prince and
Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family,"
which were received with all the honours.

The LORD PROVOST, on rising to propose the toast of the
evening, said, it was now his privilege to propose with all
the honours the toast of their distinguished guest Viscount
Palmerston. (Enthusiastic cheers.) Ten years had nearly
elapsed since, his lordship being on a hurried visit to
Scotland on (Alicia' duty, the opportunity was embraced by
the then municipal authorities of the city to confer on him
the highest gift they could bestow on the greatest and best
of the land, and since that period they had said, as was said
years ago by a late distinguished statesman, even in opposi-
tion, speaking of the House of Commons in reference to the
noble lord, "We are proud of him." (Cheers.) So they
also were proud to claim him as a citizen of this important
community—(loud cheers)—and hailed with high satis-
faction the opportunity offered by his recent election to
the Lord Rectorship of their ancient University of
evincing in a public manner some idea of the high esteem
in which he is universally held, in consideration of his long
and faithful services to the Crown and country,' as well as
of his personal and private worth. (Continued cheering.)
He spoke not only his own sentiments and theirs, but also
the sentiments of tens of thousands in that city, when they
said they rejoiced to see the neble lerd among them to-night
participating in a public demonstration of respect and ad-
miration. After nearly three score years in the arena of
public life, and in almost every department of the Govern-
ment service, the noble viscount still displayed extraordi-
na,-; freshness and ardour, and was ready as ever to do gopd
serseeo to his Queen and country. (Cheers.) To this no
country' could show a parallel. He prayed Geld the no} )e
lord might long be spared to them. (Cheers.) What lid
...12Aailytik .A6ll4,yeteenier's experience during the long p :
orlott
of -his pubri-C iife, and what could he tell of great (vet .i.
which had taken place during it•—of fallen dynasties and
kingdoms of new creation; of the strifes in which our
country has been involved and come out victorious ; of our
wars, French and Peninsular, American, Russian, Indian,
and Chinese ; and, more dreadful, our Indian mutiny I
But, passing from events to men, what could our noble
guest tell of the great ones who for the last 60 years had
ruled the desfnies of Europe I Had he not been in close
contact with those eminent statesmen of the last and begin-
ning of the present century who roused the energies of our
country against the ferocious promoters and the spirit of
the French revolution, and brought us safely and victori-
ously through all the troubles which followed ? Could he
not tell of the great statesmen and warriors who in his early
time had passed away ; how their successors, at least many,
had in his time attained the pinnacle of fame and had also
passed away, until now the noble lord was left almost with-
out a compeer of his early days? (Cheers) And what
was the grand result? They saw the noble Premier at
the head of a Government at peace with all the nations of
Europe, and that honourably—(cheers)—for if there was
one feature of the noble lord's character more prominent
than another, it was firm determination to vindicate the
honour of Great Britain in the face of foreign Governments.
(Loud cheers.) Hence, while England was respected by all
the world, the noble lord was " a terror to evil-doers" when-
ever such an one appeared on the political horizon. With
the exception of one branch of industry which was suffer-
ing, but not from any fault of ours, we were in a prosperous
and flourishing condition. Let us, therefore, congratulate
I our noble guest on all this, and, while giving him a true
Scotch welcome, wish him yet many years of prosperity and
happiness, with the hearty thanks of a grateful nation.
(Loud cheers.) He would therefore ask them to drink
with all enthusiasm "The Health and long life of their dis-
tinguished and esteemed guest, Viscount Palmerston."
The toast was received with the utmost enthusiasm, and
followed by the " Fine Old English Gentleman."
Viscount PALMERSTON, in rising to acknowledge the
toast, was received with repeated rounds of applause. Ilis
lordship said,—My Lord Provost, my Lord Duke, and gen-
tlemen, it would be but adopting the usual forms of expres-
sion to say that it would be impossible for me to find words
adequate to express the feelings which the cordial and kind
rsception which I have met in Glasgow, and more especially
within these walls, must produce upon my mind. It is well
known that Scotchmen have warm hearts. It is well known
that when they like they like to some good purpose—(a
laugh)—and I think when I look around at this august and
distinguished assembly, when I know how it is composed, I
may without vanity think that the greeting which I have
received to-day is an indication of personal goodwill.
(Cheers.) It sometimes happens to a man engaged in public
life to be received with acclamation and kindness by a select
number of those who happen to be of the same political
party with himself, and upon these occasions something
must be deducted from the expressions of applause which he
may receive—something must be transferred from himself
to the political cause which at the moment he may re-
present ; and, however gratifying the reception may
be, he cannot take it personally to himself. Upon
the present occasion I know that there are within these
walls men of every shade of political opinion as well as a
most distinguished collection of men eminent in the various
careers and professions of life ; but, knowing as I do that
there are many in this hall who differ from each other, and
possibly from me, on many of those questions which have
agitated the political world, I think I may receive with more
gratitude the kind reception you have given me, because I
am warranted in ascribing it to an indulgent and personal
regard. (Cheers.) It is indeed natural a generous people
should view with kindly regard any man who, they believe,
has through many years of public life, whether they may
altogether have agreed with him or not, exerted whatever
talents or abilities Nature may have bestowed on him, what-
ever opportunities he may have had of rendering public
service, employing those faculties and making use of those
opportunities, to the best of his conscience and ability, tor
the benefit and good of our country, (Cheers.) Gentlemen,
undoubtedly there can be no occasion more gratifying to the
feelings of public men than when, retiring from the imme-
diate conflict of public life, during intervals of comparative
repose, they are privileged to have intercourse with their
fellow countrymen, and have the happiness, as I trust I
have this evening, of finding among those whom, as my
Lord Provost has mentioned, I am entitled to consider my
fellow-citizens, also kind and indulgent friends. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, the city of Glasgow is indeed a most remark-
able centre of intellect, of industry and commerce, that may
be considered a sample of the British empire. For hero
we have that instruction which enlightens the mind, and
which prepares men for the pursuits in life for which they
may be destined. We possess everything that trains young
men to be useful and ornamental to their country, and we
have, on the other hand, examples of the most success-
ful application of genius to the purposes of industry
and commerce. We have examples of that wealth,
that prosperity, that happiness, which are create 1 by
the intelligence of men devoted to the welfare an
dln-
dustry of our country. (Cheers.) It was within this city
that that great man, Adam Smith, first inculcated those doc-
trines of political economy which at that time were coldly
received by many, much combated by more, denounced as
unsound and unfounded by the great majority of mankind,
1 conflicting as they did with the vested interests and long