The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-12 00:00:00

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mixed character of the assembly which I address,
by the presence of many from whom I differ in their
political opinions, but for whom I entertain sincere
regard and friendship; and above all by the pre-
sence of the illustrious Prince who has this day
honoured us by his compary and membership ; for
although no man can take a greater interest than
his royal highness in the affairs of this country, yet
from his high position he stands above, and must
at all times be kept separate from, all political coe-
neetions and all party considerations. Yet so much
I think I may say on the present occasion without
hurting the feelings of any one, that there are topics
on which in the present day there are no differ-
ences of opinion. Indeed, upon most of the political
topics the differences which separate us are differ-
ences rather of degree than of principle ; and while
we are all—some faster and some slower. some more
,cautiously and some more eagerly—anxious to im-
prove and amend the institutions of our country,
we ere all, with the exception indeed of a compara-
tively insignificant fraction, disposed to rest every
improvement and every adaptation to the spirit of
the age upon our old, honoured, and valued institu-
tions. (Cheers.) It may be that some of these
valued institutions are at present unavailable for
the purpose for which they were origina ly in-
tended. God be praised that these companies are no
longer called upon to perform those valuable ser-
vices; and to discharge those important functions
by which in earlier and less happy days they ren-
dered great benefit co the country. (Hear, hear.)
There is no need now for the guilds of London to
stand up to defend the privileges of the people
against the encroachments of the Crown. There is
no need now for the interference of the guilds of'
London as the guardians of our infant commerce,
no need for the nursing, if I may venture to whisper ,
the word, the protecting—(laughter;—and if I may
also add, the monopolising, of the trade and com-
merce of the country. (Cheers and laughter.) That
infant commerce has now outgrown the necessity of
being sustained by means of nursing—(hear, hear)
—and whether to assist the commerce of the coun-
try or to resist the encroachments of the Crown,
guilds are no longer required, or indeed able, to
perform the ancient functions by which they for-
merly rendered such great service to the country.
(Cheers.) indeed, I may say that unless it be the
Goldsmiths' Company, there is now no one company
in London which has any real practical connection
with the duties of the trade which they originally,
represented. Yet I do not believe the most ram-
pant utilitarian would propose or suggest to any one
the idea of dispensing with the great and valuable
guilds, although their original functions may not
now be performed by them ; feeling, as all must
do, that if they do not now discharge those func-
tions, they perform others hardly less valuable, and,
moreover, that they remain as a standing monu-
ment of the honour which this country has always
paid to its commercial interests—a proof of the vast
extent of prosperity which those interests have at-
tained, and a proof also that those who are connected
with those interests have not merely known how to
make their own fortunes by successful industry,
but have nobly and generously expended the riches
which they have acquired. (Cheers.) Amid the
alterations made in the superstructure the buttress
may no longer be required, yet the buttress remains
not less an ornament to the building—an ornament
which antiquity has reflected upon modern times.
',Cheers). There is no man, however high his sta-
tion may be, however distinguished may be his
position—l will not except even the illustrious
Prince who has this day done us the honour of be-
coming a member of this company—who may not
well be proud of being associated with a company
so distinguished as the present ; a company which
is distinguished, not only by its splendid hospitality
—a hospitality which is not merely a vain show, or
an empty profession, but which serves the practical
purpose of bringing together in social intercourse
classes of the community which might otherwise see
little of each other—but, far more than that, a com-
pany which knows how to make such a noble and
generous use of its wealth, which subscribes so
liberally to the charities of this country, and which
has done so much by its example and its means to
maintain and uphold in this land the great funda-
mental cause of moral and religious education.
(Cheers.) In the name of the honorary members of
this company, including, I am perfectly confident,
the illustrious Prince himself, who has this day been
enrolled, I may say that we feel it the highest
honour to be associated with a body so distinguished
as that which I have the honour to address ; and
that we are deeply grateful for the invitation to be
present this day, and for the kind manner in which
the toast has been proposed and received. (Cheers.)
The next toast was the" House of Lords."
The Duke of RICHMOND returned thanks.

The Prince of WALES said—l have now the
pleasure to propose a toast, which I am sure re-
quires no remark, it is "Prosperity to the Merchant
Taylors' Company," coupled with the name of the
Master.

The MASTER-WARDEN returned thanks.
The next toast was " The Colonies of Great
Britain," coupled with the name of the Duke of
Newcastle.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE, in responding, said he
was glad that the colonies had not been overlooked
on that occasion. They were, he believed, actuated
by a feeling of thorough loyalty towards the
throne, and he declared there was not one of them
that did not desire to remain attached to this coun-
try as long as possible and to adopt its institutions.
It was remarkable that events had recently occurred
in two of those colonies which those who had de-
voted attention to them would a short time ago
have believed to be impossible. One of them had
by its voiee of the legislature already adopted
universal suffrage; and the other, one of the Aus-
tralian group, had already taken steps for the same
purpose. These appeared to him sure indications
that the loyalty of the colonies to the Crown of
England was based on a thorough conviction that
by adopting the institutions of this country they
would best promote their own happiness.
The next toast was " The Judges of England," for
which Lord Chief Justice ERLE returned thanks.
This was succeeded by "The Merchant Taylors'
School," for which the head master, the Rev. Dr.
HESSEY, responded.
The next toast was " The House of Commons,"
coupled with the name of Mr. Disraeli.
i 1
1
r. h
in responding, said he could
that the House of Commons
did not look upon compliments of that kind on
assure DIeSR ssEeLmi,bly
such occasions as mere matters of routine, but
accepted them as expressions of respect and
sympathy consecrated by generations which had
preceded them, and hallowed by the
history
of an ancient nation. Corporations were
not the least inconsiderable
securities they
possessed for that public liberty which was perhaps
the peculiar privilege of this country. They per-
mitted the aggregate of individual
sentiment to as-
sume, when it was necessary, the
massive and ma-
jestic form of public o • pinion, which controlled and
regulated the course of public affairs, They
indeed in times of trouble and perplexity something
around which men might rally. But .11 it must be more
gratifying than usual to the
House of Commons to
have
had its health pledged in the presence of such
illustrious guests. The Prince of Wales, however
exalted his position, was, it should be recollected, a
Member of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) He had taken
his hereditary seat in the senate of this country :
there he had learnt the course and conduct of legis-
lation, and there, if imperious duty prompted him,
he might legitimately express his opinion by his
voice. His Royal Highness had that day taken up
the freedom of the company, but the country recol-
lected that he had before, in the House of Lords,
taken up the freedom of his country. These public
circumstances were to the people of England a
source of proud satisfaction. The people looked upon
them as a guarantee for the future welfare of Eng-
land, they looked upon them as a source of proud
satisfaction to the illustrious Prince himself, and as
the best security for the happiness of the country.
(Cheers.)
The last toast wE s " The Visitors," for which Lord
STANLEY returned thanks.
The band of the Coldstreams, under their leader
Mr. Godfrey, played an excellent selection during
the dinner; and a selection of vocal music was after-
wards performed under the direction of Mr. Donald
King, who was ably assisted. Mr. Harker
offi-
ciated as toastmaster.