The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-15 00:00:00

undergraduate at Oxford at the same time, he was
occasionally so good as to write franks for me.
(Cheers ,and laughter.) It is just 23 years since I
commenced my public life. I think that when the
health of my son was given from the chair I heard
the band play " See the conquering hero comes !"
and that reminded me that when I was at Newark,
and when I got to the head of the column, as we
were marching from one part of the town to
other, the band always played "See the con-
quering hero comes ?" (Cheers and laughter.) The
flight of time is rapid, but to all of us is given a day
for work, and there is also given to us, I hope, a
time to rest. (Hear, hear.) I have lived in a
period of extraordinarily active political interest ;
and I have lived in a period the labours of which
have been attended with this inexpressible consola-
tion and delight, that we are able to think the in-
stitutions and fortunes of this country do not stand
worse at the present moment than they did at the
time when men of my age commenced their career
—(hear, hear)—but, on the contrary, that it has
been our privilege to see a process going forward
in which the throne has acquired a broader and
deeper foundation in the affections of the country ;
in which the laws have commended themselves
more and more to the request and attachment 3f the
people ; in which the various classes of the country
have come into closer union with one another ; in
which the wants of the great masses of our fellow-
countrymen have come to be better supplied than
they were in the time of our immediate fore-
fathers ; and in reference to which a man desirous
to advance the welfare of his kind, looking over the
broad surface of society, may thank God and say,
" Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity." Ido not mean to say
—for in this world we must be prepared at all times
to abate from our most sanguine anticipations, and
to allow for the existence of much that is defective
and much that is faulty—l do not say there will
not remain for those who have to follow us in the
career of public life abundant occupation in keep-
ing straight that which is straight already, and in
setting straight that which has gone awry. (Hear,
hear.) With the immense responsibility of this
empire, with the vast variety of interests concerned,
there is always scope for honest, intelligent, and able
men, whether they call themselves Liberals or Con-
servatives, to find a career and to find a space
for all their highest exertions in the service of the
country which we love and admire. (Cheers.)
But I am rejoiced to think, and you have re-
minded me of it this day in a manner most
lively and most gratifying, that there is one remain-
ing consolation for those who begin to count up the
years that are past, and to think that the years still
in the future may be few. It is this consolation, that
when we retire from the active scene of our exer-
tions we may be able to reflect that we have left be-
hind us others with regard to whom we feel a firm
confidence that they will honourably and devotedly
exert themselves in the service of their country, and
will deserve and win the confidence of their fellow-
countrymen. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Chairman, it is
a matter of the greatest thankfulness that that satis-
faction, too, has been given to me. It is not for me
to speak in this company of the qualities of my son.
I noticed the little gibes and jeers which werepassed
upon him during the Chester contest. I confess I
think, and he thinks so too, that they were all with-
in the fair licence allowed to Englishmen in elec-
tioneering times. (Hear, hear.) I believe one of those
jests bore reference to his infantile stature and want
of physical development. As far as regards that
one particular, what is called " ocular demonstra-
tion" is quite enough. I don't know whether he
could compete in size with every man in this room,
but I think that among the average of the parishion-
ers of Hawarden, or among the average of the in-
habitants of any other parish in the country, he
certainly would pass muster very well. (Cheers
and laughter.) With regard to his mental quali-
ties, and, what is even more than his mental quali-
ties, with regard to his character, and with regard
to the principles by which he means to be guided in
life, I will only tell you this, that, my son though
he be, I would have been no party in recommending- I
him to the favourable notice of the. citizens of Ches-
ter if I did not believe—nay, if, as his father, I had
not known—that if he became the object of their
selection he would not disgrace their choice. (Loud
cheers.) I have now to propose a toast—" The
Agricultural, Mineral, and Commercial Interests
of the parish of Hawarden," and this reminds me
that there is a vital difference of opinion between my
son and me upon aquestiou affecting those interests.
I would like to communicate this to you, if I could,
as a secret, but I am afraid there are reporters in the
room, and I have an apprehension lest they should
make it known beyond these walls. (A laugh.) You
know that among the incidents of the Chester con-

test an attack was made on my son to this effect—
that he was friendly to the building of a certain
bridge across the Dee, which the worthy and excel-
lent citizens of Chester believe to be adverse to their
interests. (A laugh.) And it is true, as far as lam
concerned, that I think it of the greatest importance,
to the whole of North Wales, which is a country
depending in a great degree on the immense variety
of its mineral products, that it should be placed in
the most direct and immediate contact with thegreat
commercial emporium in this part of the world, viz.,
Liverpool; and therefore I am anxious that there
should be one, two, three—l don't care how many
roads, by which the produce of this parish of Buck-
ley and elsewhere should go straight and cheap to
Liverpool, beeause my maxim is that you should buy
in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest. (A
laugh.) Upon this subject it appears to me that the
people of Chester have got what is called a twist."
(Renewed laughter.) Iknow of no other community
which has more entirely my respect, or for which I
feel a greater admiration, particularly since the last
general election—(a laugh)—but this Ido say, that
it is perfectly possible, as I am firmly persuaded, to
make a bridge over the Dee which should in no de-

gree damage the navigation, but which, on the con-
trary, so far from damaging the navigation, should
be attended with measures that would improve the
channel of the Dee, and thereby promote the pros-
perity of the people of Chester. However, lam bound
to say that my son is altogether bigoted to the inte-

rests of the city of Chester in this matter, and I am

fearful that, whatever happens—whatever we may
say to him with regard to the mineral prosperity
and wealth of Hawarden, and the agricultural wealth

of Hawarden—because I don't want to send the
minerals without likewise having the corn and stock
sent to the best market to be sold at the best price
—I am afraid, I say, that, do what we will, though
in every other respect his conduct may be satisfac-

tory, his vote will be guided by the feelings and in-
terests of the people of Chester. That is a painful
admission for me to make. (A laugh.) However,
let him vote as he will. If he vote wrong, I will
vote against him ; if he speak wrong And argue
wrong, I will speak and argue against him. (Re-
newed laughter.) We will endeavour that the right
shall prevail, and depend upon it, it will prevail.
Speaking more directly to the subject of the toast,
the right hon. gentleman referred to the develop-
resottof becamet heacquainted
various industries
with it. This enterprise
(he continued) tends to increase the wealth of
the eapilta:list and
the landowner, but it tends,
above al
toimprovfe the comfort and condition
of the great masses
men. Hear.) I believeuirt wisor nl
theking fellow-country-
(yt horlede
eoorafl our
minesyears
in
ago since the last coal miner of
this parish died. I referto old Joseph Edwards,wholn
some of you may perhaps have known, and whom I,
with my own ears, have heard describe the state of
the people at the commencement of the century. He
told me that at that period the wages even of the

mining population -were not more than 10s. per week,
and with those wages they had to feed themselves and
their families when the price of corn was 120 s. and
130 s. a quarter. What a change has since that time
taken place in the means.. of procuring subsistence on
the part of the great masses of our fellow-creatures !
During the time to which I more particularly refer—
the last 25 or 30 years—the average wages of this
parish have undergone' an increase of certainly not
less than 40 per cent. upon what they were at the
earlier period. What an adiVtion has been made to
the comforts of the working :.lasses—not to the
wealthy, not to those to whom it does not matter
whether they be a little n tore or less, but to those
whose means of sustainin4, life in decency, of clothing