The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-15 00:00:00

ing their willingness to serve their country—we have I
good reason to be proud of our volunteers. There
cannot be anything more honourable to rt e coun-
try than the manner in which that volun eer force
has been organised and the way in w ch it has
been kept up. It might have been tural in a
country like this, which has gone through periods
of distressing war, which waE at one time threat-
ened with invasion by what might have been over-
whelming forces, that it should have arisen in arms

if there had been a return of that immediate danger, '
but there was none such. There was, however, per-
vading the quiet and reasoning minds of the people
of this country a conviction that with due regard to
the amount of burden which it is proper to impose
on the subject, we could not, in a time of peace,
maintain a sufficient military force to be ready to
meet any sudden emergency to which a change in
our relations with foreign countries might expose
us. That deep, quiet, and settled convic-
tion led the men of this country to enrol
themselves in volunteer rifle corps, in order
that they might supply that deficiency, and
without putting the country to the expense of ma-
terially increasing our military establishments, pro-
vide a force which should be drilled, armed, equipped,
disciplined, and trained for action ; and which, with-
out being diverted from the industrial pursuits of
peace, should at the same time be ready to start
forth if war should arise. (Cheers.) It is a great
satisfaction to know that those military men who
have inspected, from time to time, the various volun-
teer corps in the country, amounting now from
150,000 to 160,000 men, have reported them to be

in a wonderful state of efficiency, and in many in-
stances perfectly fit to take the field to-morrow in
line with the regular forces of the army. It is also
Ipleasing to see in almost every town you go to,
especially where there are institutions for educa-
tion, little urchins 12 or 14 years old mounting
their uniform and muskets—the latter not per-
haps very well calculated to go off—(laughter)—
but sufficient to teach them drill, so that, when
men, they may be fit to supply the place of their
seniors. I am sure, therefore, you will cordially join
in the toast, " The Army, Navy, Militia, Yeomanry,
and Rifle Volunteers." (Cheers.)
Mr. T. G. BARING, M.P., returned thanks on be-
half of the volunteers, and Capt. FIELD for the
army. . .

The Bishop of WINCHESTER, in proposing the
health of Lord Palmerston, after a few preliminary
observations, remarked that the countenance and
support which the noble lord had that day given to
the training school would, he rejoiced to say, give it
that standing in the diocese which he believed it
deserved. He was not surprised at the support which
the noble lord had given to this institution when he
knew the European reputation the noble lord had
achieved for himself. In his early years his friend
was so trained by study and by practice that he had
now been enabled to attain the high position whicia
he occupied at present in England and in Europe—
he might even say in the world at large. It so hap-
pened that he (the Bishop of Winchester) was edu-
cated at the same university as the noble lord, and
he had the good fortune to belong to an association
of which his noble friend was also a member. He
might say that he had the misfortune to be the last
secretary of that association, but in virtue of his
privileges as secretary the records of the society
passed into his possession. Owing to those vicissi-
tudes to which all societies were subject, the smaller
society merged into a larger one, known very well
to the members of the University of Cambridge
under the name of "The Union." Before then there
existed " The Speculative Society," of which the
noble lord was a distinguished member. (Laughter
and cheers.) Among the records of that society he
found three propositions brought forward by Lord
Palmerston. (A laugh.) It was the custom of the
club for each member to propose a subject to be
discussed ; and, with the permission of the noble
lord, he would take the liberty of reading the
three propositions which were submitted to the
club by Lord Palmerston. The first was, " Whe-
ther it would be politic for the Portuguese Go-

vernment to transfer itself to the Brazils ?" (Great
laughter.) That was a proposition supported by
the noble lord, and entered on the minutes of the
club. The second proposition was no less remark-
able, viz., " Whether it is likely that Russia will
acquire such a degree of power as to endanger the
rest of Europe ?" The third proposition was,
" Whether the American colonies were justified in
asserting their independence ?" (Loud and pro-
tracted cheering.) Could there have been a better
training for the position which the noble lord now

occupied than the discussion of such subjects as

these P His noble friend had entered the contest
in a full state of preparation, with all his arguments
ready. Those were the opinions, or rather the
juvenile indiscretions, of the noble lord years ago,
and he trusted that he should be excused for re-
calling to his recollection that for those opinions
the society in connection with which they were
enumerated passed this brief resolution : " That the
thanks of this society be given to Lord Palmerston
for the dignity and ability with which he has sup-
ported the honour of the chair, and that the secre-
tary be requested to convey to Lord Palmerston the
regret of the members at his resignation." (Laugh-
ter and cheers.) In conclusion, he (the Bishop of
\
Winchester) beg to propose that the thanks of the
meeting be given to the noble lord, their chairman,
for the dignity and ability with which he had pre-
sided over their proceedings, and he rejoiced that
at this moment they had no reason to express regret
for the loss the country would sustain by his resig-
nation. (Loud cheers.)
The toast wasdrunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
Lord PALMERSTON, who rose amid great cheering,
said—l beg to return my most sincere thanks, in the
first place, for the kind manner in which my right
rec. friend has proposed my health, and also to you,
ladies and gentlemen, for the kind manner in which
you have been pleased to receive it. I feel the
more the kind reception I have met with, becaus e
I have received it from neighbours—l trust I may
say friends—who have an opportunity of know-
ing the course which I have pursued, and whose
eyes are sharp enough to enable them to judge
whether there were reasons why they should not
have received me as cordially as they have, and
whose cordial reception, therefore, is an indisput-
ableproof of the it affection and regard. My right
remember the society to which he rev. friend has referred to Cambridge recollections.
my memory goes beyond his.
ad-
verts
but
Union," which succeeded "The
He recollects "The
there was a society which merged I
Speculative," but .
Ithink
but which bore the very unin-
vitingin the Speculative, ,
Fustv' —(lau :hter)—a name
name of " The .
not given to it from any
want of ventilation, for
ventilation subjects in the
there were plenty of ven
course of our discussion; but we happened to have
among us a very able young man, who was at that
time a member of Trinity,
and, although a Trinity
the Latin name for
man, was fond of a pun. Now,
were a club he
a club is fustus, and because we
Avon me great
(
called us fusel. (Laughter.) It has ,
pleasure to be allowed to associate with you in so
worthy an object as that which has called us to-
gether to day. The education of the people is an
n not
object which ought to engage the attentio
but of
merely of statesmen, and of the legislature,
every man who is in the position to enable him to
assist in its promotion. It is impossible to over-
estimate the advantages which a nation derives from
the diffusion of education ; and although the upper
classes at all times have been able to take care of
themselves, yet we know that the lower and hum-
bler classes have it not in themselves, without assist-
ance from above, to cultivate those talents nature
has given to them, and to obtain that information
which will be useful to them in their career through
life. (Hear.) Now, there is one great difference be-
tween the present time and times long past. We
have able men in literature
and in every walk of
intellect that dignifies human nature ; but we have
Ino man with regard to whom we cannot find a
parallel—perhaps a superior—in former periods of
our history. But in
bright luminaries may have shone forth d
au spread
their light over the world, yet the region below
them was dark and unilluminated. The great im.
provement of modern times is the diffusion of light.
With that light comes warmth; with that warmth
comes a revifying power which gives animation to
the whole mass, and makes it stand high among