The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-11 00:00:00

to be thankful for. We have a contented people. We have
not, as other nations have, the word " Revolution " often
murmured menacingly in their ears. We have a contented
and a prosperous people ; and therefore, under Providence.
I think wo cught to "rest, and be thankful." (Cheers.)
One of the great features of these meetings of late years has
been that almost the whole interest of the public has beua
concentrated upon foreign affairs ; and this must naturally be
so, because, in these days, the facilities of locomotion are so
great, the ramifications of commerce and correspondence
are so extensive, that we are not, as we were a few years
ago, separate nations, with scarcely any connection with one
another, end only having rivalries one with another; but
we form as it were members of one family, and it is impos-
sible even for the smallest members of that European family
to be affocted by any public event, without that effect being
felt and reflected here and there in a very important degree ;
and, therefore, it is that of late years the interest felt by
the English public in foreign affairs had been a very deep
and a very earnest one. (Hear, hear.) And I hope I may
be permitted from the interest which I have always taken
in these matters to refer to one or two questions which are
prominent before the public, and with regard to which the
very gravest consequences may follow to this country, and
be felt by every individual now present. (Hear, hear.) One
of these questions is the condition of Poland, On this sub-
ject there has been a very constant expression of opinion.
I regret to differ from many of my political friends who
think that it was not right and that it was not discreet on
the part of this country to take the course which they
did, and to interfere with expressions of sympathy in fa-
vour of the Polish race. lam not of that opinion, and I
believe it is contrary to that high and generous sentiment
which is always the motive and dictating principle of Eng-
lish policy. I believe that perhaps the method and form of
interference was not the wisest that could have been
adopted ; but after Parliament had Expressed itself in the
the strongst way on the subject, after repeated public meet-
ings had been held, and after there had been a general con-
currence in the indignation felt at the way in which the
Polish people were being treated, I think it would have
been an undignified, a cowardly, and an un-English course
if England had not made use of the whole weight of her
moral force for the purpose of obtaining for that people
the justice to which treaties had entitled him. (Cheers.) I
perfectly admit that it was not a question upon which this
country could go to war. I regret at the same time the
way in which the question was treated, because the result
has been this, that high-handed wrong and injustice have
come off victorious, and, in the Lace of violated treaties and
outraged faith, the great Powers of Europe that interfered
in the cause of justice and humanity have been obliged
to retreat from the position which they occupied, with
humiliation, if not almost with insult. (Hear, hear.)
At the same time, the course pursued by the Govern-
ment is not to be judged by its results. I think it would'
have been an un-English course, an undignified course, in-
consistent with the character we have long maintained, if
this country had not raised her voice in favour of a people
suffering as they were, and in whose favour we were bound
to interfere by treaty. (Hear.) There is one other subject
which is of deep interest to us, because out of it I believe it
perfectly possible that war may grow, and' I am certain of
this, that there is no society of Englishmen to whom I could
address myself to whom the question of peace or war would
not possess greater interest than any question that I might
put before them, for we are a peace-loving people—we be-
lieve any war not required by the interest and honour of
the country is an unjust war—and therefore we cannot but
feel a deep interest in any question that may lead to a rup-
ture of our peaceful relations with any part of Europe.
(Hear.) Pending the marriage of the Prince of Wales I
took the opportunity of expressing a strong opinion with
reference to a question which was raising itself into great
importance relative to certain regulations affecting the de-
pendencies of Denmark. I will not enter fully into that
question, because in the first place it requires considerable
study; and, in the next place, because it is a very irksome
one. It has been said that no one ever understood the ques-
tion which is known by the name of the Schleswig• Holstein
question ; that the only person who got nearly to understand
it was a German professor, and that it had driven him mad.
(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) I will not go into the details of
that question ; but this I will say, that with regard to it I
think the course pursued by our Government was a consis-
tent, a manly, and a decided one. (Hear, hear.) It is of
great importance to this country that a Protestant, a liberal,
a constitution state should in its full force, with all its
means and resources, exist in the Baltic. I believe it to be
of the very greatest importance to England to maintain the
independence of Denmark. What do we find at the present
moment ? There are questions of long date between this
country and Denmark with which I will not attempt to
puzzle you or drive you mad. The course announced by
Lord Palmerston at the end of the session was a decided one,
for in reply to a question which I put to him, his lordship
declared that it was the bounden duty of this country to
uphold the independence of Germany as against the great
German Powers, and he concluded his speech by saying that
if they pursued the course which he was sorry to see they
were adopting, the German Powers would find that they had
not to deal with Denmark alone, but that there were other
and greater Powers than Denmark with which the question
was to be settled. At the present time, owing to the death
of the late King of Denmark, other questions have arisen,
and I must express as openly as I can my deep regret at
seeing that the great German Powers are pursuing a course
which,• to my mind, is utterly dishonest, for which no
excuse can be found, and making their adherence to a
solemn treaty dependent upon conditions which never at
any time formed any part of that treaty at all. (Hear,
hear.) Therefore I do hope and trust that the part taken by
our Government—l care not 4ether by the present Go-
vernment or any other—l hope, whatever party may be in
power, that they will consider it the decided policy of this
country to uphold at all hazards the independence and inte-
grity of Denmark, and resist an aggression which is alike
unjust in its objects and dangerous in its termination.
(Cheers.) It may be true that our lot has fallen into dark
and troublous times. It may be that in every part of Europe

the political horizon is troubled and menacing, and no man
can tell what, within a few weeks, may be the aspect of
Europe—no man can tell what part this country may be
called upon to take. But still I do believe that we here in
England may look forward to the future, not only with
hope, but with confidence. (Cheers.) It is not only because
we possess a Sovereign whom we esteem and admire ; it is
not only that we live under a Constitution that we value
and venerate ; it is not only that among us—and this is
particularly important in times like these—there is a love cf
peace from the highest and beat of motives and of reasons ;
it is not only that we have no lust for increase of terri-
torial power, for England is great enough and her terri-
tory is extensive enough, and we have not, by all these
factitious means that are necessary perhaps to other Powers
attempted to spread the influence and dignity of our coun-
try—it is not only for these reasons that wa may look
forward with hope and confidence to the future, but,
above all, for this reason, that we aro a united pooPle•
(Cheers.) It is not in this country (and lam sure Lir
other country can say it)—it is not in this country
sI
N
you could enter a single society to discuss a Iria.
of high importance, affecting her internal I :V'
tion, without fear of offending either the
man
nveernx--
ment or the people, Here, thank God, every.
uiiear ot
presses his opinion freely and openly,
without fear
our object,
inter-
ference. Wo have no tear of revolution. Ire
to-day in
peaceful
we all combine together. We are met
lteter_ion with the land
times. We see hers those whose "and always will be, the
that sturdy class—has always been,
pith and strength of Englanrd'rissge7
,lirrh,vc, here the tninisters of our
tness. (Cheers.) We
n whose intelligence has
ei.'t.e—rde of this country over all the
have here those whose
spread the commerce an
world. (Hear, hear.)
hero
re
who administer the just;
religion,—we have efrhoose represented here, who ,differingceol
We hope other countries, have not ongl
the laud.
•tf of character—the English
from the nobility a
of race, but u°bill Y we are met togather,
And here , not merely be-
cause
(Cheers.) .al and agreeable assembly, but it is a soot yl because we
believe that w© are promoting d all g that Which is for
one an
benefit of the district in which
We r
the lives and for the
benefit of the country generally. (Cheers.) Let the object
philanthropic object —let it be
be a P a charitable object—let
it be for some society or movement that shall have for its
end the social improvement or the moral advancement of
only
gentleman,
the people, and again you will find there will not be a class
in the country, from the highest to the lowest, which will
not be represented, and which will not do their utmost to
promote, as far as they can, public
And as longthe good. (Cheers.)
remains, though and long may
as this spirit remains in the country—thank
God it has always been the distinguishing mark of the
country,
otherit c on
countriestinue t o bemsaoy suffer, !
—soelro,ngthaosutghhe
spirit
iNove disorganized
devastate other lands, though their society may
by convulsions and revolutions, I am sure
of this, that, strong in the united spirit of the people, Eng-
land will always maintain her position among the nations
of the world; and, whatever may happen to other countries
we may look forward to the future, feeling sure that, under
the blessing of that Providence which has so long favoured
us and distinguished us, we shall continue t ) hold that
place among the nations which we have hitherto held, andl
which we still desire to retain.
(The hon. gentleman
resumed his seat amid loud and prolonged
ch"raingerwards
Several other toasts of a local character were ft
given.

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