The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-09 00:00:00

IORD PALMERSTON AT SHEFFIELD.-
GRAND BANQUET.

SHEFFIELD, FRIDAY.
This evening the Mayor of Sheffield, John Brown,
Esq., gave a grand banquet in the Cutler's Hall.
There was a large and influential attendance, in-
cluding Lord Palmerston, J. A. Roebuck, Esq.,
M.P., G. Hadfield, Esq., M.P., Mr, S,;heriii Twenty -
man, London ; Mr. Alderman Gibbon, London ;
most of the principal mayors, and other leading
gentlemen in the country. The guests numbered
about 300. The reception given to Lord Palmer-
aten was most enthusiastic, and most of the interval
passed in the reception-room. His: lordship en-
tered freely into conversation with the gentlemen
present, and was in an excellent mood for
ernelting jokes, many of which were provocative
of much laughter. The banquet which was
provided by Mr. Meyer, of the Victoria Hotel,
included every delicacy of the season. After the
cloth was drawn the usual loyal and patriotic toasts
were duly honoured; the healths of the Dukes of
Norfolk and Wharncliffe were next heartily re-
sponded to.
His Lordship the MAYOR, amidst great cheering,
then proceeded to propose the health of the greatest
man thekingdom possessed—(applause)—the Right
Hon. Lard Palmerston. He did so on behalf of the
corporation of Sheffield and the town generally.
(Great cheers.) On this occasion, his lordship said,
he haC the company of not only the greatest man
in England but the greatest man in the world.
(Rear; hear.) Lord Palmerston accepted the in-
visitations of the mayor and corporation with the
greatest cordiality, and they were honoured with
the company of the man who was great in council,
and whose word must be respected. He would
only remind his hearers of the deep anxiety which
Lord Palmerston on all occasions manifested on be-
half Jf the interest of the country. He was always
ready to raise his voice in the interest of the
country, and he had, therefore, great pleasure in
calling on the company to drink the health of Lord
Palmerston. (Enthusiastic cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON, in reply, said it would require
more eloquence than fell to the lot of man to ex-
press the deep feelings he entertained for the
manner in which the company had received his
name, and also far the kind and cordial reception
he had met with, on his first entrance into the town.
He had on former occasions been invited to the
Cutlers' feast, 'but circumstances had unfortunately
prevented him from accepting the invitations. The
Mayor had on this occasion, however, selected a day
after the prorogation of Parliament, which, for-
tunately Par him (Lord Palmerston), enabled him to
accept the invitation, and he was now in Sheffield,
and fe7e grateful for the cordial reception he had
met with. He regarded his reception in Sheffield
as an, approval of a great and intelligent constitu-
ency-, and that approval was the more valuable,
beca use on one side of the chairman he saw his
fr'iand Mr. Roebuck, and on the other Mr. Hadfield,
t h e two representatives of Sheffield in the House of
C,ommons, He (Lord Palmerston) had a high value
'of the choice of Sheffield in two such representa-
tives. They were English in their feelings and
sentiments, and on that account he attached greater
weight to the opinions the people of Sheffield might
attach to his conduct, as one of her Majesty's Go-
vernment. Nothing could be more interesting to
those who were charged with the conduct of the
affairs of the country, than to visit those places of
:national industry, to see in the first place men, who,
by their industry, their energy, and their integrity,
had amassed large fortunes, which exposed them,
not to the jealousy of their neighbours, but obtained
for them the universal approbation of those by
whom they were surrounded, They saw in these
communities first of all men who had attained this
position, they thus saw men struggling in the course
destined, perhaps, some day to overtake those who
had gone before ; but they were all employed in the
most honourable pursuits, in amassing wealth,
which was not only wealth to them, but wealth,
honour, and prosperity to their country ; and not
least of all was gratifying to him to see those steady
and honest workmen, the strength and stamina of
the cotratry, specimens of that stubborn, manly, and
honourable class of Englishmen, who formed the
strength of the country, and made it the admiration
of all who came amongst us. (Cheers.) Some of
these, though now in the humblest walks of life, as
is the case in many manufacturing and commercial
cities, might be possessed of wealth, which they
would know how to employ. Such were the results
oc our free institutions ; they were also the results
of the general enlightenment which pervaded all
classes of the community, and they had in late years
been greatly increased by the practical application
of those principles of freedom in commerce and ex-
change which, though late in acquirement, had
been imparted in practice, and had contributed
much to the prosperity of the country. The mayor
had adverted to the general principles, which,
though not immediately connected with commercial
prosperity, were yet in reality connected with it—
fie meant those principles of providing for the de-
fence of the country—(cheers)—and engaging in
needless wars; not preparing for aggression, as our
neighbours—(hear)---not defiant tier insulting, but
ready to maintain our defences. That was a course
which every nation that respected itself ought to
follow, and surely a nation like this,which depended
upon the freedom of the seas, which lived and pros-
pered by bringing to its shores, from the remotest
parts of the world,all the products which supported
our trade and supplied our luxuries, ought to main-
tain its defences. A nation so situated was pecu-
liarly interested in its means of defence not only
far its honour, but for its commerce ; that principle
ougat, however, to be carried out with a due regard
to economy ; but economy consisted,not in keeping
our money in our pockets, but in spending it care-
fully and wisely,and in purchasing what was
wanted, and giving no more than it was worth,
that wasEno._
the principle which animated people of
'"liand although we all wished to pay as little
tax as Poßaible'they could pay wh at was necessary,
at the same is 10
see that it was properly applied. His
lordship then referred to the distress in Lancashire,
complimenting the
wouldperatives on their endurance ;
but thought all admit that Government was
wise in not attempting to
rieehteve that distress by
an interference in the American war; such an inter-
ference, he considered, would d
worse, and therefore the Government
make matters
advised her
Majesty to observe a strict and
must hope, said his and rigid d
neutrality in
that unhappy conflict. sa
an
lordship, that all evils will haae
d, and that
charitable feeling would yet prevail oil the
other
side of the Atlantic, and that another year
not see the deluge of blood which
.characterised the
present period. His lordship, after having again
thanked the company for their kind reception,
re-
burned his seat amid great applause.
EDWARD BRAMLEY, Esq., proposed "The Health
of the Borough Members ;" to which
Mr. ROEBUCR. replied. The hon. gentleman spoke
at considerable length, and with more than his uenal
'eloquence, on many topics. Referring to the civil
war in America, he said he had no doubt that Ame-
rica would be divided into two. He thought she
would be divided into five, and for ever cease to be
"United States." (Cheers.) An irresponsible
people, possessed of almost omnipotent power, was
not to be trusted. The conduct of the North in
endeavouring to re-unite the State of America was
an immoral proceeding, and totally incapable of
success. (No, and Yes.) They never ceula Le re--
united. (Cheers.) The present was 'a mere
waste of blood and treasure—it was' no war against
slavery, In the North the feeling against the black
In
11 `A'cis stronger than in the South, and to-morrow
if the Statna were re-united slavery would be more
strongly fi„d
than ever. (Hear.) He spoke of
the insolent overbearing conduct of the Americans,
remarking that we • had been wonderfully careful of
their sensitive feelings, but the brightest spot upon
the noble Premier's escutcheon was the bold, the
grand stand he took in the
name of the people of
England in the cause of America. (Cheers.) Ame-
rica would be better governed if divided,
and one
of the divided States would be able to bully the
whole world. We did not like to be bullied ; they
had tried it on us, and the noble lord bad
shown
them the result on one occasion. He (Mr. Roebuck)
now came to the moral of his tale. He looked to
the sufferings of the British people, and he entreated