The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-27 00:00:00

with an intensity of interest, and its success hailed
with as lively sympathy, as if they had only left
your shores, with all the Rein of a recent parting
still fresh in your recollection—thus showing that
under no possible circumstances will the British
soldier cease to be an object of sympathy to friends
at home; and this will be a great encouragement
and incentive to active exertion and patient endur-
ance to the 78th, and soldiers in general, in any
difficulty which may yet arise. (Cheers.) And now
allow me to say ene word more before sitting down.
The 78th cannot but feel that in the succession
of entertainments and manifestations which have
been accorded to them since their retail: to this
country, a sort of undue prominence appears to
have been given to them over their comrades of
other arms, and regiments who served ith
them in the same operations, and who, in com-
mon with them, endeavoured to do their duty. The
78th are fully conscious that this is owing to the
peculiar circumstances in which they have been
placed. A national regiment returning after a long
period to Scotland, going first to the country whose
name they bear—Ross-shire Buffs—then coming to
the capital of Scotland, they hare, as it were, Ulen
into the arms of their friends—(hear, and cheers)_
and they are fully conscious that the distinction
with which they have been received is to be attri-
buted, not to any superior merit of theirs, but to
that warmth of feeling, that generosity of senti-
ment, that largeness of heart which has ever cha-
racterised the people of Scotland in general, and
the inhabitants of Edinburgh in particular. In the
name of my brother officers of the 78th Regiment,
I beg to return our most sincere thanks for the
honour you have done us. (Cheers.)
Sergeant-Major Pococx next replied on behalf
of the non-commissioned officers and privates. He
said—My Lord Provost, ladies, and gentlemen,—ln
the name of the non-commissioned officers and men
of the 78th Highlanders I return you our most sin-
cere, most grateful thanks for the great honour you
have this day conferred upon us. (Cheers.) I assure
you we feel deeply sensible of the undeserved kind.
ness—(cries of " no, no ")—which has everywhere
been bestowed upon us, and well indeed have we
been rewarded for all our toils and labours in distant
lands by the hearty welcome that has been ex-
tended to us on our return—(cheers)—which show
us that we have not been forgotten by our friends
at home, and that our deeds, unworthy as they are,
have been appreciated by our countrymen. (Cheers.)
We must not take all the credit to ourselves for our
successes in the field. To those who reared us and
instilled into our minds the principles of obedi-
ence, courage, and discipline—(loud cheers)—to
the women of Scotland be all the honour which
is due to a mother for the success of her son.
(Cheers.) You have shown that you approve of
what we have done, and I hope if ever the oppor-
tunity should arise we shall have the honour of
showing, in the defence of our fatherland, that
your confidence has not been misplaced. (Cheers.)
In looking around there seems to me to be the only
one thing wanting to make your kind reception of
us here to-day complete, and that is the presence of
one who has shared with us most nobly the fatigues
and dangers of war—whose foot has led us to vic-
tory, and whose image is enshrined beneath those
ribands which adorn the breasts of many here—l
mean Outram—(laud cheers)—that he should now
be sharing our honours with us as he has often par-
taken our toils. May he soon return to his hon-
oured mother to receive that soldier's welcome
which Scotland this day extends to her returning
sons. Accept, then, my lord provost, ladies, and
gentlemen, the thanks, the most sincere gratitude,
of all the members of the Ross-shire Buffs for your
kind reception of us to-day. (Cheers.)
Several other toasts followed, and the festive
proceedings were kept up till a late hour.