The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-20 00:00:00

EDINBURGH.

The death of the venerable Prime Minister became
known here on Wednesday afternoon, and created
a feeling of deep sorrow. In no part of her Majesty's
dominions was the name of Lord Palmerston more
honoured than north of the Tweed, where his visit
four yea'-s ago had secured for him a personal popu-
larity, in addition to the political confidence of the
public.

At a public dinner which took place in the even-

Mr. ADAM BLACK, late M.P. for Edinburgh, in
giving the toast of " the Scottish Clergy," craved
leave to preface it by a few words regarding the
melancholy intelligence which they had that evening
- heard. A great man, he said, has fallen in Britain
this day. Perhaps there is no one at this table who'
had so much intercourse with him as I have had the
honour to have. Though but a humble individual,
I was always treated by him with the greatest
kindness, and I had always the greatest confidence
in his intelligence, his sincere intentions, and his
excellent qualities. I have known him for nearly
ten years. I have seen him come into the House
of Commons at four o'cock in the day, and sit
down to attend to the business of the country,
remaining there, with the exception of an hour
for refreshment about 7 o'clock, till 2 or 3 in
the morning. I have seen him do so day after day,
night after night. How he was able to accomplish
all he had to do I never could understand. So mach
was his time occupied that he would require to have
risen almost immediately after he had gone to bed.
lie had to get up in the morning to receive
correspondence from all quarters and issue his
orders, and to receive deputations on all kinds of
subjects ; and this he did day after day without ever
showing the least anxiety or fretfulness. He received
every one who came to him with the best temper
and with the greatest kindness; and there was no
man possessed the confidence of all parties to a
greater degree than he did. (Applause.) He was
not only confided in by those on his own side, but
by the Opposition, who, I believe, had really more
confidence in him than in their own leaders—(laugh-
ter and applause)—for they knew he was so great
a patriot that not even for his own party would he
do that which was to be an injury to his coun-
try. (Hear, and applause.) The confidence his
friends had in him was such that, should there be a
doubt as to the vote they should give, they always
gave the benefit of that doubt to Lord Palmerston.
(Applause.) The chairman has said that there
might be some reflections on him for having changed
his opinions from time to time ; but, Lord Pal-
merston stood at the helm of public affairs, and if
the wind changed was he to go in the face of the
wind, or was he to tack about and save the vessel ?
(Hear, and laughter.) He never formed such strong
and obstinate opinions that nothing should make
him depart from them, and when circumstances
changed in such a way that it was absolutely neces-
sary for him to pursue a different course he changed
accordingly, but his object ever was to promote the
best interests of the country, and the country has
been indebted to, him not only for his good inten-
tions, but for the tact, good feeling, and practical
sense which he has always displayed. (Applause.)
He was not a man of distinguished oratorical
powers, but there was no man that had a more
sound practical sense of the course which ought to
be pursued, and often when the house seemed to
be going astray Lord Palmerston would get up and
state the whole circumstances of the case in such a
way that he would show that we were going wrong,
and put us all right. (Applause.) The country has
suffered a great loss—Parliament has suffered a
great loss. I believe they will be in great difficul-
ties as how they are to proceed. I trust they will
be so directed as to come to that which will be most
for the benefit of the country. Not only was Lord
Palmerston respected in this country, but I believe
that over all Europe the name of Palmerston was a
shield and a protection to every Englishman.