The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-10 00:00:00

/ .

to obtain and to deserve the good opinion of their fel-
low-countrymen. (Loud cheers.)
(
The LORD MAYOR next gave " The House of Com-
mons," coupling with it the name of Lord J. Russell,
who, he said, had secured universal respect from his
advocacy of every measure of public improvement.
Lord J. RUSSELL said, that whatever view the House
of Commons might take of any question in the first in-
stance, they invariably pursued that course which they
believed would be most conducive to the public welfare,
and this circumstance he attributed to the practice of free
discussion. The Lord Mayor had alluded in the course
of his observations, to the inquiry now in progress with
regard to the corporation of London. As a represen-
tative of the city of London, he (Lord J. Russell had
been proud to find, when the inquiry was first proposed,
that, instead of shrinking from it, the corporation openly
and manfully courted inquiry. (Hear, and cheers),
and he felt sure they would in the same spirit lend
their aid to the full prosecution of that inquiry. (Hear,
hear.) If there were abuses,F he hoped they would be
corrected ; lif reforms were need, he hoped they would be
made ; but he thought they should proceed upon the
principle on which the corporation was founded—the
free election by the citizens of their own magistrates.
Lord PALMERSTON observed, that if the distinguished
guest of the Lord Mayor, the representative of the
United States of America, our., cousins, he (Lord Pal-
merston) might almost say our brothers on the other
side of the Atlantic, with whom he trusted we should
always maintain the most friendly and intimate rela-
tions—(cheers)—if that distinguished man had been im-
pressed by the magnificence of that banquet, he could
not fail to have been struck by the galaxy of beauty
which surrounded him on every side. (Cheers) He
(Lord Palmerston) would say with confidence—and with-
out meaning offence to the representative of any other
country—that that beauty could not be exceeded by any
nation of the earth. (Cheers and laughter.) He was
sure the gentlemen present would cordially join drinking
" The Health of the Lady Mayoress and the Ladies."
The LORD MAYOR returned thanks, and gave "The
Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench, and the
Judges." . . -

Lord CAMPBELL, in acknowledging the toast, observed,
that some persons had talked as if the result of the
present commission of inquiry into the corporation of
London would be the abolition of that corporation. He
hoped, however, that no such result would follow, but
that in the reign of Albert the Tenth the monarch would
be invited to receive the loyal hospitalities of the city of
London. (Cheers and laughter.) If the corporation
were to be removed at one fell swoop, he thought a great
sensation would be created among the Courts of Europe
than would be caused by any other political event—(a
laugh)—for when they heard that the office of Lord
Mayor. was abolished, they would believe that a revolu-
tion had indeed commenced. (Cheers and laughter.) He
would remind his noble friend (Lord J. Russell) that
when the general measure of corporation reform was
proposed, he (Lord Campbell) wished to include the
corporation of London, for he believed that to reform
whatever abuses existed would be true Conservatism.
(Hear, and cheers.) Such reform ought, however, to
be cautious, safe, and gradual. lie had been glad to
learn that before the.: commission of inquiry was ap-
pointed the corporation had themselves offered every
facility for the investigation—(cheers), and he trusted
the result would be, not to destroy the corporation, but
to place it upon a more firm and satisfactory basis.
The Loan MAYOR, gave the health of
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff WIRE, who, in returning
thanks, expressed his determination, while upholding
the privileges of the city as far as he could, to advocate
whatever reforms were requisite and in conformity with
the spirit of the age. (Cheers.)
Several other toasts were proposed, and the company
then retired to the drawing-room, where coffee and other
refreshments were provided,