The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-07 00:00:00

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EP.RICE 4D. STAMPED bD•

And I trust that if peace shall continue in Europe —which
I hope and believe it will—the principle of freedom of com-
mercial intercourse is destined to take a groat and rapid
development; and that we shall find even those countries
which we have least ho ped to adopt it, tardily perhaps'
but surely, imitate our example. (Hear, hear.) It is how-
ever, amusing sometimes to see tho manner in which those
who found their practice upon different principles deal
with those of a contrary school. It was the cry in Germany
when England follaWed the restrictive system that Eng-
land, by its prohibitions and duties, wanted to ruin Ger-
many—that we wished to sell without buying—a problem
somewhat difficult to realise—(laughter)—that we wished
to inundate the continent with our manufactures, and to
take nothing in return—a most generous and disintereted
course, if it had been pursued—(applause)—and that our
restrictive system was, in short, to be the ruin of conti-
nental industry. Well, but now a different, an opposite
complaint is made. They say, " See the deep designs of
those perfidious Englishmen. (Laughter.) They have abo-
lished all their restrictions ; they have (Aar corn to come in
they buy our corn out of our mouths, and the consumption •
of foreign corn in England is rasing the price of every
article of life upon the continent." (Lau glitet.) Well, gen-
tlemen, I say that whatever Governm oat shall hencefor-
ward rule the destinies of this country, they must found
their policy upon the principle of freedom of trade, and
they must endeavour, by example, by argument, and by
all other means, to induce other countries to adopt it in
their tarn. (Hear.) You have pleased, Mr. Mayor, and
those who have honoured me by addresses, to observe upon
the difficulty of the period at which the present Govern-
ment'undertook the chive of public affairs. No doubt,
gentlemen, that was a period which appeared to be one of
considerable difficulty. It was my lot to be called upon by
my Sovereign to form an .A dminietration, in consequence
of various circumstances which rendered other cotnbina-

tions for the moment impossible. I called to my assistance
friends whose public opinions I knew to be in accordance
' with my own, and upon whose zeal and ability I could con-
! fidently rely. If our endeavours in the public service have
been successful, it lies been owing to the ability, to the zeal,
to the untiring and indefatigable labours of those respected
colleagues. It has been owing to the generous confidence
and undeviating support we have received from our Sove-
reign. (Cheers.) It has been owing to the spirit, the manly
spirit, of the people of this country; aye, and let me say,
not less than to any other, to the manly spirit and courage
of those classes who might been supposed to be swayed
more than others by pecuniary considerations—l wean the
,mercantile or manufacturing classes of this kingdom ; for
.a mare noble example of,public spirit, a better proof of the
suppression of all other feelings than a love for the honour,
the dignity, and the rights of the country never was exhi-
bited than was displayed by the mercantile, the commer-
cial, or the manufacturing classes of this country during
the last war. (Hear.) Our success was owing also to that
which never fails—the heroic bravery of our sailors and
our soldiers—(cheers)—ready to endure all sufferings, and
to faCe and encounter all dangers, sure to conquer all diffi-
culties, whether. arising from the strife of the elements, or
whether flow the antagonism of nations. It was owing to
the faithful co-operation of our allies. (Cheers.) It was
owing to the justice of our cause; and certainly, gentle-
men, there never was a greater example of the rapid reverse
which is sure, sooner or later—in this case it was sooner—
to accompany wrong than the events and results of the last
• war. (Rear.) Well, gentlemen, we are now at peace, and
I hope that that peace may be lasting. Its duration must
depend upon the honour and fidelity with which its condi-
tions are fulfilled. (Cheers.) I trust that that Power
which brought upon itself the hostility, either active or
mom', of all Europe, by a forgetfulness of international
sights and duties—l trust that • that Power, having con-
cluded a treaty, will observe that treaty and fulfil it with
faithfulness, and then no doubt peace will be of lortg du-
ration. (Cheers.) It will, of course, be the object of her
Majesty's Governments-4 won't say to employ their com-
parative leisure, but to occupy themselves during the peace
with those improvements which all human arrangsurents
are necessarily capable of receiving. Progressive improve-
ment is the law of our nature. It is that which alone enno-
bles the individual, which tends tq raise him in the scale of
society; and it is that which enables nations to fulfil the
destination for which their social and political institutions
were formed. We know that in all progressive improve-
mews we may reckon upon the cordial co-operation of the
intelligence of the country. (Hear.) We know that though
sometimes there may be partial interests that may conflict
with general improvement, such is the nature of things, and
that we must bear with those momentary impediments, be-
cause they cannot be prevented ; but we know that gradual
improvement must go on. And the observation of public
affairs must, teach mankind not to be too jealous 'of time,
and to be content with that steady and gradual advance
which alone is possible in a free country liktethis. Nations
which are governed by ukases and edicts may complain of
their Governments if everything is not done at once which
they may think ought to be accomplished; but, fortunately,
in this country, improvements must be the result of a gene-
' ral concurrence ; all prejudices must be overcome, all
counter opinions must be reconciled; and, • though time
racy be required for operating improvements, §et those im-
• provernents, when made, are founded upon general convic-
tion, and carry with them the feelings and opinions of the
mass of the nation, and therbfore they are 'ltinre pernia-
nen t and valuable than improvements more hastilyresolved
upon. ' (Cheers.) We aro often reproached in Parliament
with having done but little in the course of a session.
Well, gentlemen, if every session were to produce you a
small number of useful laws, I think you would not have
any good reason to complain of your representatives. (Hear.)
Those laws and improvements which are gradual are gene-
rally better considered and more effectual, and therefore it
is no real reproach to the Legislature of the country that
a small number of improvements are made in eack session
of the Legislature. (Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, it has ,
been observed—and I am much flattered by the observation
—that in the course of my administration of the foreign i
affairs of the country, I was careful of the interests of hr
Majesty's subjects in foreign parts. In that respect I
have felt that I was only the organ of the British nation. I
felt that any Government that did not extend the strong
arm of protection to all those' who are in the right, in any
part of the world, would not be the faithful organs of the
people whom they were appointed to govern ; and there is
this to be remarked about that—that the difficulties that
may arise in regard to the protection of individuals from
wrong are difficulties which generally arise in weak and
small States. Larger Powers are above these things. The
men who govern them have a regard for the honteurof their
country; they are men whose personal feelings teach them
to discern right and wrong; and, therefore, with the larger
Powers—either of Europe or the United States—we have
little difficulty in protecting subjects, because there we lind
a sense of right and wrong that, when applied, to, is sure to
obtain-justice and redress. It is among smaller atates,
where, from various cirhamstances which I don't with now*.
to go into, the principles of right and wrong are net quite ,
so steadily kept in view—(laughter)—it is there that we
are most frequently called upon to interfere. And then
when we do interfere people say "Ah I yell attack the
weak." Why, those countries abuse their weakness; they
make their weakness the pretence for doing evil, trusting
that you will overlook their delinquencies merely because
you are able to obtain redress for yourselves. (Hear, and
applause.) Well, gentlemen, there is one topic that has
been adverted to which is one of the greatest public inte-
rest, snore peculiarly belonging to this district,but throe h
this district most important to the interests of th-
at large—l mean the supply of the raw material wh" !‘„
the foundlition of so vast a national industry. (Appian
It is perfectly true that there is a great evil in dependineb
for that supply upon one source alone, and more especially
upon a source which, from many causes, is likely not only
to fluctuate, but to diminish, because we know that the
progressive development of national industry in the
United States tends from time to time to increase the
quantity of their own produce which they work up,
and which, therefore, cannot come to be worked up -in
this country. There are many sources to which attention
has been directed. There is India, which has been ads
verted to • and I can Bemire you, gentlemen, that the talent
tion of Government: and the attention of the India Boari4
has been sedulously directed to removing those obstacle,
which have for a long period prevented the supply whieh is
abundant in the interior from reachingthe coast, and from
coming to this country. No efforts shall be omitted which
can properly be made for the purpose of pee g
t
channels by which that supply may fly to this country.
he
There is another source, which is not of the sense magni-
tude, but yet is not altogether to be despised—the source
which is afforded by the western coast of Africa. lam
happy to say that the efforts which her Majesty's Govereis
went, and which different Govern meats—for there has been
no difference in regard to this—for the efforts which suc-
cessive Governments for a long period of time have made
for the suppression of that aboulleable crime, the slave
trade, have been to a great degree successful. Tho trade
with the Brazils has almost entirely ceased, and the trade
to Cuba has greatly diminished. The trade to Brazil used
to take 60,000 or 70,000 unhappy beings every ye se to be
victims of slavery in that country. And the result has
been, as you all know, a vast development of legal trade
with the western coast of Africa—ea vast development of
the palm-oil trade and the trade in ground-nut and; other
produce; and I cannot but hope that cotton, which is the
indigenous growth of that country, and which I believe is ,
of very good quality, may also come in for its share in sup-
plying the industry of this country. But a matter of such
importance as the endeavonring to enlarge the sources of
supply cannot, I assure you, fail to occupy the serious and
continued attention of her Majesty's Government. Well,
gentlemen, among the different things which seem to me
peculiarly to do honour to this great community is the at-
tention which you pay to the improvement of those who
are unable themselves to contribute much to their own ins .;
provement —I mean by the diffnsien of knowledge among
the working classes. There cannot be a more honourable
devotion of time—there cannot be a more proper applica-
tion of wealth—there cannot be anything which more
ennobles the community which ooeupies itself iu steal "pur-
suits than the placing within the reach of the lower classe'ri•
means of instruction which oan only be accumulated to-
gether by the employment of wealth and by the occupa-
zion of leisure. In this great city it is a source of pride
to seethat while you are amassing fortunes by industry,
that while you are raising the character of the country by
the magnitude of your undertakinge and by the acidities.
you aro making to the national resources, you are not un-
mindful of the cultivation of the intellect of those whom
you.employ ; that you do not look upon them merely as
machines who are to produce so much profit to yourselves,
but you view them as rational beings, whose intellect it
is your duty to improve ; and that vast sums art expended
and great, exertions aro made to raise them in the scale of
society, and raise them also in their own self-respect, by
tincicliregasenien and their in-
telligence their knowledge, their happiness,
(Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I beg again to say
that it has afforded me the greatest pride to find myself
received as I have been by such a great community as that
which I have now the honour to address • for I eel iir-
suaded that my colleagues, as well as myself,
will derive
the greatest satisfaction from finding that our exertions in
the public service have obtained for us the approbation of.
40 distinguished a body of the community. I may say that
oieetingsofthis sort are among the bright sunshiny periods
of public life, and I am sure that the satisfaction which I
have experienced will be shared equally by my colleagues.
In their name, as well as my own, I beg again to return you
my sincerest and most heartfelt thankb for the honour you