The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-08 00:00:00

State Banquet at the Mansion House.

that great calamity. Happily, my Lord Mayor, not
by interfering uncalled for in the affairs of other
countries, but by tendering when asked for judici-
ous and wise and disinterested advice, it has been
the good fortune of her Majesty's present Ministers
to contribute, with the assistance of other neutral
Powers of the Continent, to ward off that great mis-
fortune, and to preserve to Europe and to the world
the blessing of peace. (Loud cheers.) You may rely
upon it that so long as her Majesty's present ad-
visers have the power of holding their places there
is no object to which their exertions will be more
strenuously, more perseveringly, more unceasingly,
more disinteresteyly devoted than to the mainten-
ance of peace—(cheers)—and of friendly relations
with all the powers of Europe. (Cheers.) We
are not a country which has anything to gain from
extension of dominion or from increase of territory.
Our interests are the interests of the world at
large. They are the interests of friendly rela-
tions throughout the world. They are those of
peaceful commerce and of amicable relations; and
these are the relations to the maintenance of
which, so long, at all events, as I have the
honour to hold office in her Majesty's Councils, my
attention will most strenuously be directed. My
Lord Mayor, I have had occasion to mention that
the barometer pointed at the beginning of the
Session to " Storm." I will not say that at present
there are no clouds in the political horizon, but I
think I may venture to say that if we have not
arrived at " Set Fair," at all events, the barometer
points more to "Fair" than to " Change." (Cheers.)
Returning from foreign to domestic affairs, I have
already stated the anxiety, the fear, I may almost
venture to say, with which we approached the
arduous task, presented to us, and as your lordship
has done me the honour to allude to me in connec-
tion with it, I may be permitted to say that
nothing but an imperative sense of duty,
nothing but an overwhelming sense of the
responsibility I felt to my Sovereign and country—
(cheers)—would have induced me at my age and
in my position to have again accepted the office of
First Minister. (Cheers.) But I felt that there
was a necessity laid on me. I felt there was a great
work to be done, and I felt that, however unworthy
I might be to be the instrument of doing that work,
there was no other person who possessed the means
of carrying to its successful issue that great work
which I saw to be necessary for the well-being of
the community. (Loud cheers.) My Lord Mayor,
this is not a time to discuss the merits of particular
measures, and yet, as your lordship has alluded to
that great question which has occupied during the
whole Session of Parliament the greatest portion of
the attention of the House of Commons and
rme iht
et en d_
ltaottsearyly
thofatt,heentoruinsge oof
nLoirtdsw,itlh
may
yealt)e appepr
bringing it to a successful result, we have been sions, with great anxiety as to the possibility of
en-
couraged by the manner in which Parliament re-
ceived our overtures, by the manner in which those
who did not altogether agree with us in political
opinion generally, cordially joined with us in endea-
vouring to coma to an arrangement, which bringing
adverse parties to unite in one course of action,
should once for all settle a question which while
unsettled tended to prevent any wholesome and
useful legislation in other respects, which it was of
the utmost importance to the country should be
settled. (Hear, hear.) My Lord Mayor, we have
made sacrifices, we have incurred taunts, we have
incurred obloquy, but I must honestly say that none
of these things move me—(cheers)—so long as 1
feel in my own conscience that I have in the
slightest degree contributed to effect a great object
on which the heart of this nation was set. (Cheers.)
I will not, my Lord Mayor, enter into the details of
that great question. 1 will only express a hope,
which I am sure will be shared by all those who are
present, and all who wish well to the institutions of
the country, whatever their opinions, as to the
hazard of the step we have taken, whatever may be
their anticipations, whatever their apprehensions, I
am sure in the mind of every loyal Englishman
there is this predominant feeling—that the liberal
franchise we have extended to the people of this
country may find that people worthy of its exercise
—(cheers)—and that as we have extended the rights
and liberties of the people we may have extended
also the security and strength of the institutions of
the country. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, you
must not suppose that this session, much as its atten-
tion has been given to the great measure of the
representation of the people in Parliament, has been
wholly barren of fruits of a different character. We
have not allowed our attention to be exclusively de-
voted to that subject, however engrossing and im-
portant it has been. We have succeeded in an object
which has been anxiously looked for by successsive
Governments in consolidating our various North
American provinces, and we have by that means
given, I believe, additional strength to those pro-
vinces—we have given them additional security,
and promoted their loyalty and attachment to the
British throne ; and in extending to them the full
aprivileens,ge
po
ef
ocpi tl iez:
othheaveenjioiyi mtleinet gor
ef a tthe
set
porightsssi
hol
ef
degree consolidated their power, and knit them to us
by the most enduring tie of mutual interest and
affection. (Cheers.) We have not neglected the
duties which we owe, more especially to the poorer
class of our fellow-subjects, and it is a great satis-
faction to me that even in the course of this • • session
we have been able to introduce and carry through
measures which will tend greatly to improve the
condition of those who most require our support and
assistance—namely, the poor population of the City
of London. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, I trust
that the question, the great and overwhelming ques-
tion of Parliamentary Reform, being put aside, and
having been the means of terminating for a very
considerable period of time any agitation for future
changes, Parliament will feel itself at liberty to de-
vote its attention—l answer for it that the Govern-
ment will devote its most sedulous attention—to the
introduction of various social, moral, and industrial
reforms, from which its attention has been diverted
by other subjects of a more interesting and exciting
character. (Cheers.) Apart from the political
course in which the Government have been engaged
this has not been an uneventful year. In the first
place it has witnessed that great gathering of all the
Sovereigns, and I may almost say all the nation; of
the earth at the great International Exhibition of
Paris, and whatever may be said, and whatever may
have been the fallacy on former occasions of the
promise of general peace following on these exhibi-
tions, I cannot but believe that exhibitions of this
description are calculated to create mutual friendly
feeling and respect—to prevent the spirit of rivalry
between different countries degenerating into hosti-
lity, by tending to stimulate the exertions of all to
wholesome competition as the best guarantee of
future excellence. (Cheers.) The past year has
also been remarkable for the return visit of a some-
what numerous band of Belgian Volunteers.
(Cheers.) A powerful army practically invaded
this country and was received with open arms by
those whom they invaded. (Cheers and a laugh.)
We did honour by that reception to a nation free
and independent like ourselves, who enjoy the
benefits and blessings of free government, and whose
population, like ours, arc all banded together for the
purpose of defence, not defiance—(cheers)—having
come forward in friendly rivalry to show each what
they could do in defending the homes and firesides
of their' country, should any enemy be daring
euoegh to make the attack. (Cheers.) We have
further had the satisfaction to receive two most
illustrious potentates—the one, though not a Sove-
reign, yet the quasi-independent ruler of a country
with which we are connected by the closest ties
of interest—(cheers) —a country which is the high-
way between Europe and Asia—a country which
was the mother and nurse of the earliest civilisation
—a country blessed with almost unparalleled ferti-
lity, and only wanting the blessing of good govern-
ment to raise it to the highest position among the
nations of the world. (Cheers.) We have had the
ruler of that country—an intelligent and far-seeing
prince, who is well disposed to consider and make
the most of the natural advantages which belong to
his favoured country, and I think that it is of no
slight importance that he should himself in person
have become acquainted with the character, the
institutions, and habits of this country, connected,
as it is, with his own by so many ties—(cheers)—

and with which it is the interest of both the one and
the other that we should maintain the most un-
limited amount of friendship. (Cheers.) But we
have had a still more extraordinary visitor. We
have had a visit unprecedented in the course of
history, for from the first the Sultan of Turkey has
had such exclusive prejudices, which bound him and
his countrymen in an iron grasp, as compelled them
to forbear mixing with the people of the West, and
becoming acquainted with the habits, manners, and
customs of more civilised nations. For the first

time the piesent Sultan has had the courage---and it
requires 110 small amount of courage—(cheers)—to
break through all the prejudices of religion and of
fanaticism. (Cheers.) lie has had the courage to
come over to the West and see with his own eyes
and hear with his own ears—to observe for himself
—and he is a Prince of no little observation, char-
acter, and activity—(cheers)—to see in what re-
spects this country and other nations in Europe are
advanced in civilisation over that which he rules ;
and I have the happiness of knowing he has re-
turned to his own empire deeply impressed not only
with the power but with the happiness of this coun-
try—(cheers)—deeply impressed with beneficial
results which flow from our free institutions, and,
above all, impressed, as I know him to have been,
with the spectacle he has seen here of the perfect
union and harmony among all the various classes
differing in religion and every other particular un-
der the influence of a beneficent and liberal Go-
vernment. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, I feel as
confident as I can be of anything that the lesson will
not be lost on his Imperial Majesty ; and I look for-
ward with the greatest confidence not only to his
acceleration of those improvements in the internal
administration of his own country, which he per-
sonally has long been anxious to promote, but to
the increased activity and vigilance in carrying out
the benevolent and friendly views I know he enter-
tains towards his subjects of all denominations,
which have hitherto been thwarted by subordinates,
brit I hope his Imperial Majesty will now see the
necessity of exercising a personal vigilance and su-
perintendence,olsita,r tbnootn yw,
lalnedx
eurncii os
en
aapnol among f aulll
iculf suseeisi cwe
iilul
and that the lessons of English civi-
lialiosactotbitioenntiry intimately connected with us by various
ties. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, in all the various
occurrences to which I have adverted—in the visit
Great
eb reception,
exreehppi
tbri
represented
eo,nnttehidne
which
s reception,o
oyourun
themP aagrhonourinsfi ione now:
you
gave here on the partof
to
coun-
try the
lordship ei
n
the city to the Belgian
Volunteers—in the hospitality you extended to the
Viceroy of Egypt, and •in your reception, also un-
paralleled on the part of any of your predecessors,
of the Sultan—the first
Sultan who ever visited the
Western shores—'t r has been your lordship's good
fortune to take no • ' inconsiderable part. (Cheers.)
Your lordship has referred to the gratifying task
which was imposed on me by her Majesty of
recognising in your lordship's person her
Majesty's sense of the manner in which
you discharged the arduous duties that devolved
on you in your present office—(cheers)--and I will
say that I never discharged a duty which was more
gratifying to my own feelings than when I was
authorised by her Majesty's command to announce
to your lordship her sense of the manner in which
you have discharged your duty by the honours you
have received. (Loud cheers.) I am happy also
that it does so happen that the secondary honours
which her Majesty was pleased to confer on those
who have been associated with you in the govern-
ment of this city have fallen to no unworthy hands.
(Cheers.) The name of Waterloo itself is hardly
more known than the name of Alderman Waterlow.
(A, laugh.) If to the success of the former we trace
so many benefits conferred on the world at large, so
I believe to the latter, although on a proportionally
limited scale, may be referred some of the most
philanthropic practical efforts which have ever been
made to improve the dwellings and condition of the
yet
labouring classes. (Cheers.) Although the name o
inf
as an -
Lycett may not be so generally known,
habitant of the co:111.y of Lancaster, I cannot but
recollect with deep gratitude that iv,: was, a distin-
guished member of that Mansion-house Committee
which showed such munificent liberality in reliev-
ing the distresses and administering to the wants of
the distressed in the inanufacturing districts.
(Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, in my own name and
in the name of my colleagues, I beg again to return
you our grateful thanks for the honour you have
done us—to assure you that whether our tenure of
power be longer or shorter, our most anxious desire
will be, by the course we may adopt, at all events to
merit the goodwill and confidence of our country-
men, and more especially of this great city. (Cheers.)
Before sitting down I trust I may be permitted to
propose the hea
• lth of the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, Sir Thomas Gabriel, Bart. (Loud and
continued cheering.)
The toast was drunk with loud cheers.
The LORD Mayon, having briefly responded,
proceeded to say— The next toast I have to give is
" The House of Commons"—(cheers)—that House
which has done such good national service, and
will figure so nobly in the page of history—that
House, the present constitution of which is so well
understood, but the future position and constitution
of which form the engrossing problem of the day.
(Cheers.) The House of Commons, constituted as
at present, has been before us for 35 years; and
although it will soon have eapassd away, we shall
be able with pride to refer to t as the finest
legislative body in the world—(cheers)— the most
representative body, embracing the first talents in
the country—a body in which the voice and opinion
of the people have always been heard and attended
to, and through which the
people of England have
attained more fully to the position of governing
themselves than has been the good fortune of any
other nation. (Cheers.) No one can compare
the present state of this country with its condition
30 years ago without being astonished at the pro-
gress which has been made in civil and religious
liberty, in the social and moral improvement of the
people, and the enormous increase of the national
wealth and prosperity. (Cheers.) We cannot
suppose that any particular class has failed to par-
ticipate in this general advancement, but must
recognise as its consequence a decided improvement
in intelligence in all classes, and an increasing
de-
sire to be represented in the Government of the
country. (Cheers.) By the patriotic conduct of
the present House of Commons this national ad-
vance and universal improvement has been brought
about, and we must regret that, in order to give
scope for that increasing desire on the part of the
people to participate more directly in political
power, it should be necessary for that house to
immolate itself—(cheers and a laugh)—and give
place to one differently
elected. (Cheers.) Ad-
mitting the necessity of the case, the difficulty has
been to find a high priest to perform the sacrifice—
(loud cheers and laughter)—one gifted with talents
of the highest order (cheers) ; with discernment
capable of rightly estimating the vast difficulties he
has to contend with, and the determination to over-
come them (cheers) ; with shrewdness and tact,
with vigour and grasp of mind, to draw together
the discordant elements which must be worked upon
and combined on such an occasion. (Cheers.) A
statesman willing to dedicate all these rare quali-
ties to the. service of his country—regardless of the
loss of political associations, and possibly even of
private friendshiPs—lookine.a for his reward only in
the conviction of having saved his country, and the
reliance that posterity will class hitu among her
patriots—(cheers)—such
an one has been found in
the right lion. the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
(Cheers.) Magnificently has he performed his task
—richly may he be rewarded. (Loud cheers.) I
beg to give you " The House of Commons, coupled
with the name of the Right Hon. the Chancellor of
the Exchequer."
The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.
The CHANCELLOR, of the Ex cifEcluEn on rising
was most cordially received. He said—My Lord
Mayor, I thank you very much on the part of the
House of Commons for the honour you have done
them in remembering them to-day. Our relations
—those, at least, between the House of Commons
and the City of London—are so ancient and so
numerous that I need not remind you that this is
not the first occasion on which you have drunk their
health iu meetings like the present, and you may

remember that this is. by no means the first time I
have bad the high distinction of representing their

gratitude, as Ido now. I can say freely of this
distinction that it is not a mere ceremony. (Cheers.)
I know it is cordially offered, and I am sure it is

cordially received, and if even ten times repeated it
still will please. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, you
have referred to circumstances which will, I hope,
soon operate a change in the constitution of the
House of Commons ; but it is a very remarkable
and, I think, a consoling circumstance that the
changes which I trust are impending, though their
dettitty is not yet concluded, are not occasioned from
any want of confidence in the people of this countr3
in the House of Commons. The desire for those

changes has originated not from any belief that the
House of Commons does not represent fully the
people of this country, but from a desire in the
country to share the proud privileges which they
possess, and on the part of a great portion of the
population of this country in this age of progress
to make those who are in the possession of power

aware that there are others who are desirous of

sharing it, because they believe they are worthy of
participating in its exercise. (Cheers.) My Lord
Mayor, as you have allud9d to this subject, we are
able now, in the mouth of August, to take a more
general view of what has occurred with reference to
this great question than some mouths ago any of us

were able to do. We may congratulate the coun-
try that not only in Parliament but in the commu-

nity generally there has been a great spirit of
candour and calmness in considering this question,
not, I believe, paralleled on any other occasion

under similar circumstances. No doubt there has

been during the struggle that has occurred some
acerbity of opposition. Some sharp things have
been said, and some sharp things have been done
(a laugh) ; but I think the general conclusion
arrived at is that the change which has been
brought about has been brought about because it
was approved by the calm conviction of the coun-
try. (Cheers.) Nor ought we to be surprised,
my Lord Mayor, that some expressions of disappro-

bation have been used. I think we must all know

that when you attempt to disturb a monopoly you
can hardly expect to accomplish your object with-
out creating some noise and some tumult. I have
seen in my time several monopolies terminated, and
recently I have seen the termination of the mono-
poly of Liberalism. (Cheers and a laugh.) Nor
are we to be surprised that when certain persons
believed that they had an hereditary right, when-
ever it was necessary to renovate the institutions of
their country, they should be somewhat displeased
that any other persons should presume to interfere
with those changes which I hope in the spirit of
true patriotism they believed the requirements of
the State rendered necessary. But lam sure that
when the hubbub has subsided—when the shrieks
and screams which were heard some time ago, and
which have already subsided into sobs and sighs,
shall be entirely appeased—nothing more terrible
will be discovered to have occurred than that the
Tory party has resumed its natural functions in the
government of the country. (Cheers.) For, my
Lord Mayor, what is the Tory party unless it re-
presents national feeling ? (Renewed cheers.) If
it do not represent national feeling, Toryism is
nothing. It does not depend upon hereditary co-
teries of exclusive nobles ; it does not attempt
power by attracting to itself the spurious force
which may accidentally arise from advocating cos-
mopolitan principles or talking cosmopolitan jar-
gon. (A laugh.) The Tory party is nothing un-
less it represent and uphold the institutions of the
country. (Cheers.) For what are the institutions
of the country ? They are entirely in theory, and
ought to be entirely, as I am glad to see they are
likely to be, in practice, the embodiment of the na-
tional necessities and the only security for popular
privileges. (Cheers.) Well, then, I cannot help
believing that because my Lord Derby and his col-
leagues have taken a happy opportunity to enlarge
the privileges of the people of England we have not
done anything but strengthen the institutions of this
country, the essence of whose force is that they re-
present the interests and guard the rights of the
people. (Cheers.) Therefore, my Lord Mayor, I
hope that on the part of the House of Commons,
when if it be my lot, as I trust it may, to return
thanks in this hall on the part of that institution—
not reformed, but renovated by the legislation which
I trust is on the eve of passing—l hope that when it
devolves upon me to attempt to perform that high
duty your lordship will then agree with us in the con-
viction which now animates us, that the measure
which we have brought forward, and which I believe
by general concurrence of the country, as with the
general concurrence of Parliament, will be passed,
has been such as has added strength to the State and
spirit to the community. My Lord Mayor, on the
part of the House of Commons_not a condemned
House of Commons, but a House of Commons that
has frankly and generously offered to the people of
this country a share in the privileges of which they
are proud, and of which they have availed them-
selves for the general benefit—l thank you for the
honour you have conferred upon them. (Cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR then gave in succession " The
City Magistrates," associating with the toast the
names of Alderman Sidney, and the " Sheriffs of
London and Middlesex," a compliment which was
acknowledged by Sir Sydney Waterlow.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH, in graceful terms,
then proposed the " I health of the Lady Mayoress,"
which was drunk with every mark of respect ;
afterwards the company retired from the banqueting
hall to the saloon and the state drawing-rooms,_
where tea and coffee were served, and then took
their departure about 11 o'clock.