The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-12 00:00:00

MERCHANT TAYLO-RS' COMPANY.

The annual banquet of the members of this com-
pany was given in Merchant Taylors' Hall yester-
day evening. There was a large attendance of dis-
tinguished guests, and the character so long held by
the company for the magnificence of its entertain-
.

ments was well sustained.
The chair was filled by the Master of the Com-
pany, Mr. George Parbury.
After dinner the MASTER proposed the toast of
" Church and Queen," which was warmly received.
The MASTER next gave "The Royal Family of
En,7,land," and in doing so stated that the company
had the honour to include among its honorary mem-
bers the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh,
the Duke of Cambridge, and the Crown Prince of

Prussia. (Cheers.)
The " Army, Navy, and Volunteers" was next
given by the MASTER, and the toast was responded
to by the Earl of CARDIGAN on behalf of the army
and volunteers, and by Admiral WALCOTT on be-

half of the navy.
The MASTER then proposed " The health of the
president and Senior Fellows of St. John's Col-
lege," remarking that the president and two of the
senior fellows of that college had been kind enough
to come to London to examine the boys in the Mer-
chant Taylors' School.
The Rev. Dr. WYNTER, president of St. John's
College, responded to the toast. He said the Mer-
chant Taylors' School was founded by a merchant
tailor, who, having no sons of his own, investedlarge
property in establishing the institution which an-
nually sent so many scholars to St. John's. It was
to the scholars so sent that the College of St. John's
was mainly indebted for the position it held, and
he trusted that the high character of the school
would long continue to be maintained. (Cheers.)
The MASTER next proposed " The health of the
Marquis of Salisbury, and the other Honorary
Members of Merchant Taylors' Company." (Cheers.)

The Marquis of SALISBURY briefly acknowledged
the toast.

The MASTER said it was his duty to propose a
toast which unfortunately they had not had
the opportunity of drinking in that room for many
years. It would therefore be received with greater
satisfaction by the company, and he had no hesita-
tion in saying that it would be a gratification to his
successors in office to be able to give the same toast
for many years to come. (Cheers.) The toast was
" The health of her Majesty's Ministers." (Loud
and prolonged cheering.) He was delighted to find
that the estimation he had formed of the manner
in which the toast would be received had not
been disappointed. They were honoured that
evening by the presence of the leading Minister
in the House of Commons. (Loud cheers.) No one
who had watched the career of the right hon. gentle-
man for years could ever have done otherwise than
admire the consummate ability he had always dis-

played in the conduct of the country within the
Rouse of Commons. (Cheers.) The right hon.
gentleman had recently during the short period be
had held office, succeeded in bringing very nearly to
a conclusion a most important measure. (Cheers.)

His predecessors had tried for nearly half a genera-
tion, but had not been able to achieve so much as
the right hon. gentleman had accomplished in one
short session. With the toast of her Majesty's
Ministers he begged to couple the name of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. (Loud cheers.)

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, who was
received with enthusiastic cheers, said—l beg, on
behalf of her Majesty's Ministers, to express our
warmest feelings of gratitude for the honour you
have done them. Next to the favour of their Sove-
reign they most appreciate the approbation of their
fellow• subjects, and that approbation can never be
offered to them under circumstances more agreeable
than the present, in a hall memorable for its politi-

cal and parliamentary history. You have just heard
an allusion which I should not have ventured to have
made—because I am unwilling to say anything that
may lead to political controversy—to an important

measure which is now before the House of Commons,
and with which I am is some degree identified.

(Cheers.) With regard to the subject to which that
measure relates, I can say it is one which has for a
number of years perplexed and interested the coun-

try, but. hitherto no attempt at a solution of the
difficulties eonnectcd with it has recommended itself

to public approbation. Hitherto, by praising
a certain section of the working-classes in a
manner which I think is scarcely consistent with
our national dignity, by declaring that a limited
portion of them are skilled mechanics, by
overloading them with epithets from which
good taste will sometimes' recoil, an effort
has been made to establish a body which,
bad the attempt been successful, would have domi-
nated over a portion of the middle class. It ap-
peared to us that this was a policy which was dan-
gerous, and might be most disastrous, and to all such
efforts we have offered the most undeviating oppo-
sition. (Cheers.) Called upon ourselves to deal
with this question, we have endeavoured to take a
larger view of it. We have endeavoured to look
upon it as one which we might not merely look
upon as the means of diminishing the influence of a
rival party, but as a means rather of establishing
some system that might conduce to the permanent
content and greatness of the nation. (Cheers.) We
have sometimes been asked how we, who opposed
the measure which was brought forward last year,
and which in some respects was limited in its cha-
racter, can now introduce and uphold a measure
much wider and more comprehensive in its arrange-
ments. It appears to me that the answer to this
is extremely easy, and one that is not only consis-
tent with our sense of duty, but with the truth of
the circumstances that surround us. We looked
upon the measure of last year as a party measure,
and as one which, if carried, would have seriously
injured, if not destroyed, that Conservative party
with which this country is so intimately connected,
while at the same time it would not have satisfied
the requirements of the State. (Cheers.) We be-
lieve that the measure which we have brought for-
ward is one which will not injure the Conservative
party, but which will satisfy the requirements of the
State. (Cheers.) We have endeavoured to build
our measure on a broad and deep foundation, and
we must err in our estimate of the character of the
English people if the consequences are such as some
persons, with perhaps too limited and protracted a
view, foretell. When I hear of the danger that is
apprehended to the institutions cf this country, I
wish to inquire what institution will be endangered.
Is it the monarchy of England ? Can we believe
that the great body of the population of the country
are hostile to the monarchy of England? For my own
part I believe that in these days of splendour, when
large bodies of her Majesty's subjects, covered with
stars and ribbons, assembled round her, she is not
regarded by subjects more devoted than those she
descries among the toiling millions of the country.
It is, then, the Parliament of England that is in no
danger? We have heard it asked, What is all this
astation about ? The answer is that it is but a
de-
sire on the part of the people of this country to be-
come more intimately acquainted with one of the
Houses of Parliament—the House of Commons. Let
me remind you that at the present day, although the
House of Commons is about to undergo a great
change, the change is not occasioned by any feeling
of discontent with the constitution or the conduct
of that house, but, on the contrary, it arises from a
certain degree of estimation, and even of admiration,
in which the House of Commons is held, and it is
the desire of a great portion of the people to be more
intimately connected with it. (Cheers.) As far as
the other house is concerned, he must, indeed, be
much mistaken in the character of the English
people who thinks that an assembly consisting of
men who are the greatest proprietors of the country,
and many of them men of great lineage, will not
always command the respect of a country influenced
as much by tradition as England is. But the only
criticism of the House of Lords one ever hears from
the multitude is a regret that they are not more
active in public affairs. Then as to the Church of
England, is that in danger from the course we have
taken ? It is not for me to criticise the conduct of
the House of Commons ; my relations with that
house are of a nature so intimate and cordial that I
should shrink from such a task; but I may, I think,
safely expras a belief that when the new House of

Commons assembles, renovated by constituencies
from a new class, the Church of England wilt
be in no more danger than at the present mo-!
ment. If the profession and propagation of the
doctrine of the Church of England, assisted by
unrivalled education, by varied intelligence, and
vast wealth, can fail to exercise a due influence
among the population, the fault must, in my
opinion, be with the pastors and not with the
Church. Well, then, I may ask, is there any one
who believes that the military and naval services will
suffer from a change in the House of Commons ?
For my part I think that future Chancellors of the
Exchequer will rather feel a difficulty in restraining
the desire of the people to support and assist in the
development of those great services. (Hear, hear.)
What, then, is the danger ? lam told, in the same
breath, that great danger may be apprehended from
changes which the new constituencies will enforce
on the system of taxation—that the taxation will be
thrown on property, and that we shall return to
the old protective system. But I say the two pro-
positions destroy each other. It is impossible you
can return to the old protective system and at the
same time throw the whole burden of taxation on
property. (Cheers.) As the master of this com-
pany has referred to thesubject, I may be permitted
to say that in my opinion none of these dangers are
to be apprehended by the measure now before the
House of Commons, a measure which we hope will
be carried by theunanimous consent of Parliament,
and which we believe will add strength to the State.
There is but one othet point on which I will touch
before. I sit down, and that has reference to an opi-
nion often promulgated at the present day, that the
Conservative party is always to do nothing—that
their great mission is to act as a drag on the pro-
gress of the country. I havealways protested against
such a state of things, and am glad to say that, with
others, I have contributed, I hope, to its utter ex-
tirpation. (Cheers.) I believe nothing is more im-
portant for the country than that there should be
between the two great parties of the State a gener-
ous and politic competition in the fulfilment of those
duties, and the execution of those works which are
necessary, in the progress of time, for the nation's
greatness. lam sure that if the Conservative party
act on the dogma to which I have referred, and
which no doubt would be extremely convenient
to our opponents, the end would be the
decreptitude of the party. But the youth, the
genius, the energy of the nation will never
travel down a system so narrow. These were not
the opinions of the Tory party in better days ; they
were not the opinions of Mr. Pitt, who was not con-
tent to be the drag-chain of a party. He felt it his
duty to originate those great changes and to advo-
cate those great measures which never were followed
without adding to the strength and glory of the na-
tion. They were not the opinions of the great states-
man of the reign of Queen Anne, on whom Mr. Pitt
moulded his conduct, whose commercial and poli-
tical opinions he adopted, and whose very style of
eloquence he imitated; and I cannot believe there is
any reason to suppose that the course he pursued,
and which, unfortunately, for the last 30 years the
Tory party have abandoned, was otherwise than a
safe and sound one. (Cheers.) It is said we are on
the verge of a great democratic change. My lords
and gentlemen, believe me the elements of democracy
do not exist in England. (Cheers.) England is a
country of classes, and the change impending in the
country will only make those classes more united,
more content, more complete, and more cordial.
(Cheers.) We are warned of the example of Ame-
rica, and against entering upon the course pursued
by the United States. I say there is no similarity in
the position of the United Kingdom and the United
States. The United States were colonies, and they
are still colonies, because communities do not cease
to be colonies because they have independence.
They have settlements of democracy in America—
they have unbounded possession of land, and they
have no traditions. We, on the contrary, have a
very limited portion of land, and a vast, numerous,
artificial, and complicated state of society, entirely
governed and sustained by its traditionary influences.
Therefore I heave no fear of England. This is indeed
a cold expression. I believe that the nation, after a
prolonged period of pondering on its present state,
and feeling that there should be some great change
in its political power, has resolved on the course
that ought to be pursued, and although I hope I am
as sensible to the feeling of patriotism as any man
in this country, yet, filling the position I hold,
I am proud and happy that the conduct of
that great change, which I believe will add to
the greatness and glory of our country, has fallen
to the Tory party. (Loud cheers.)

Sir S. NORTIICOTE returned thanks for the House
of Commons, which was subsequently given by the
MASTER.

" The health of Mr. Adams, the American Min-
ister," was also given and responded to.
" The health of the Master " was proposed by the
Marquis of SALISBURY and briefly acknowledged ;
and after several other toasts, in " The
Clergy," " The Masters of the School," &c., the
proceedings were brought to a termination.