The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-18 00:00:00

sent as a well-deserved tribute to a statesman who
has done much for his country, and succeeded in
extricating Parliament from a great difficulty which
had long perplexed it. The Hen. Mr. EGERTON,
M.P. for South Lancashire, presided in a very effi'
cient manner over the entertainment, and in pro•
posing the toast of the evening, the health of the Earl
of DERBY, the Prime Minister of England, he was
particularly felicitous in his expressions. Having
pointed out the significance of the numerous gather-
ing that day assembled, he declared that the Con-
servative party had every reason to be satisfied with
the conduct of business in the House of Lords, and
also upon the "brilliant manner in which the work
in the Lower House had been managed by Mr.
DISRAELI." We have no doubt whatever that the
statement of the Chairman was perfectly cor-
rect, when he said that if Lord DERBY'S
health had permitted him to address a meeting
of the working men of Manchester there would
have been a most numerous gathering. The
noble earl, on rising to respond, was received in
the most enthusiastic style, and throughout his
speech carried the feelings of the audience with him.
He expressed his gratitude for the splendid de-
monstration made to himself and his colleagues,
from whom he could not allow his name to be
separated, and without whose assistance ho could
not have achieved the success they then celebrated.
Referring to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he
said that he fully participated in the regret ex-
pressed in the " absence of one of those colleagues,
to whose tact, temper, and judgment it was mainly
owing that that arduous undertaking in which they
were engaged did not result, instead of a triumphant
success, in a disastrous failure ;" and further on
added that nothing could have brought the " great
undertaking" to a satisfactory termination but the
admirable temper and judgment with which the Re-
form Bill was carried through the house of Com-
mons by his right hon. friend. Although the occa-
sion that called them together was a political one,
the noble earl diverged for a moment to speak
of the cotton famine, allusion having been made by
the Chairman to the services he had rendered at that
trying period. He said that amid all the troubles
of that disastrous time he found one consolation,
which was to see how, in the midst of their suffer-
ings, the middle, the higher, and the lower classes
" all combined in one fellowship of feeling."
Upon only one occasion, during his long political
career, has Lord DERBY received a compliment
like that paid to him last night, and that was under
very different circumstances to the present. In
1859, at Liverpool, he was presented with an address
from 7,000 inhabitants of Liverpool and its neigh-
bourhood, and the object was to express their con-
fidence in the Minister who had just been defeated
in his attempt to carry a measure of reform through
Parliament. Under far happier circumstances did
the same Minister, with many of the same col-
leagues, appear, having at last succeeded in carry-
ing out their attempt, and settling a question of
great political controversy. Lord DERBY can hardly
be accused of exaggeration when he says that for
years and years the Liberal party have been talk-
ing about this matter, but unhappily they have
confined their efforts to talk, and have expressed
immense astonishment at the Conservative party
carrying a Reform Bill. The noble earl confessed
that he shared somewhat in that astonishment him-
self, on account of the difficulties with which they
had had to contend, but there was nothing surprising
in the fact that a Conservative Government should
have desired to carry a Reform Bill. Four Reform
Bills have been introduced during the last eight
years, two have emanated from the Conservatives
and two from the " great united Liberal party." On
the last occasion the Conservatives allowed their
opponents to bring their bill to a second reading, but
a very different course was pursued by these wor-
thies when the Conservative schemes were under
discussion. In 1859 the Bill was thrown out, and
again, in 18G7, Mr. GLADSTONE endeavoured to
prevent the second reading taking place; and it was
only in consequence of the action of the more inde-
pendent members of the Liberal party that his at-
tempt was unsuccessful. " Now," exclaims the
noble Premier very forcibly, "after these recitations
what ground is there for saying that the Conserva-
tives as a body have been opposed to a well-
considered, safe, and liberal measure of Reform ?"
There is no shilly-shallying in Lord DERBY'S
speeches, and he always goes straight to the point,
whether indifferent friends or insincere opponents
may be pleased or not. He says very truly that
there were some of the Conservative party who
would have been pleased if this question had
never been raised at all, and he may venture to say
that there " were not a few of the Liberal party
who would have been well satisfied to allow the
question of Reform to rest, and allow themselves to
maintain the reputation of being ardent supporters
of Reform, but being impeded in their cause by the
stupid, obstinate, bigoted Tories."

The noble lord took a very fair and unprejudiced
view of the course pursued by the late Government,
and gave it as his opinion that the late Government
made a mistake in the tone they took with the House
of Commons. They thought they could drive the
House into :sanctioning a measure it did not approve.
" I know the House of Commons pretty well,"
observed the noble earl; "I had twenty-two years
experience of it, and I have watched its proceed-
ings since then, and I know that is a
body easily led by those in whom it has
confidence, but it is a body which will
not be driven by any person." Without consult-
ing the feelings of the House the late Government
brought their bill forward in an incomplete manner,
and then declared that by it they must stand or fall,
that they cut off all chance of retreat ; and, appro-

priately suggests the noble earl, "By so doing I
must say that they cut off all chance of success."
Lord DERBY explained the difficulties and respon-
sibilities under which he accepted office, and he
offered a well-merited tribute of thanks to the Con-
servative party for the confidence which they reposed
in her MAJESTY'S Ministers, and the coneutrence
they gave in the " largo amd extensive measure"
they felt it to be their duty to propose. In speaking
of the probable result of this measure, Lord DERBY
referred to his own expression concerning it--a "leap
in the dark." This some candid friends have de-
signated as an " imprudent" remark ; but the noble
earl declares that ho thought this was a case in
which " boldness was safety ;" and, pursuing this
theme, he spoke with the greatest confidence of the
trustworthiness of those recently admitted to the fran-
chise. The experience he met with in the time of
the cotton famine of the many and excellent qua-
lities of the working classes led him to form such an
opinion of "their intelligence, reasonablenes sound
sense, and absence from personal and social preju-
dice, as to believe that they could without danger be
entrusted with that share in the representation of
their country which the recent Act has largely en-
trusted to their hands."

Concerning Trades' Unions Lord DERBY spoke
very sensibly, and gave some excellent advice to
those concerned; and he claimed the right not to be
misunderstood, for forty-three years ago ho was
a member of the house of Commons which first
succeeded in carrying the abolition of those laws
which made it illegal for workmen to agree and
combine together not to work under a certain

Vi‘

amount of wages. If confined to their avowed ob-
jects of 7 esisting oppression, Lord DERBY did not
call tra des' unions illegal or illegitimate, but they
go be' fond their limits when they seek to prevent
others from working, and to intimidate them from
doitdg so. " For my own part," observed the noble
earl, "looking to the public and private interests of
the members, I cannot for the life of me under-
stand how English workmen, entitled to make the
most of their own industry and science, can submit
to the tyranny under which they are groaning."
Without the least fear of being accused of exaggera-
tion, we would say that better advice thin that
here tendered by Lord DERBY could not be given is
a period of emergency like this occasioned by the
complications of these Trades' Unions. It is
worthy language for a statesman to use to his fellow-
countrymen—it is a solemn truth which the Minister
of a great country tells to those in whose interests
he is so intimately concerned. flow far more
patriotic than the sensation style in which certain
politicians have spoken of late, and made capital
for themselves out of the prejudices and passions of
their auditory. ,The noble earl concluded his
interesting speech by remarking that he had no
present intention of resigning office, as had been
asserted in some quarters, but that whenever
he did retire he trusted that he should
in no respect have " forfeited the confidence,
the good opinion, and the esteem of the great and
influential party, never more great and influential
than it is at the present moment, which it has been
his honour to lead for so many years."
Lord STANLEY made a few observations, which
met with general approval. He said he looked
without alarm at what the House of Commons had
done with respect to Reform, and added some very
just remarks about the national tendencies of Eng-
land being opposed to levelling ideas. " What
Englishmen ask for is an open career and the power
to rise." Respecting foreign affairs, the noble lord
said that, so far as our interests are concerned, they
stand on a firm footing. The sky is not free from
clouds on the continent, but a " nee(jless war" does
not seem imminent. Regarding Abyssinia, Lord
STANLEY regrets the necessity of war, but the cost
of the expedition has been greatly magnified by
reports on the subject. In most appropriate lan-
guage the noble lord explained the reasons that
had influenced the Government, and in a
few weeks he declared that they would
ask Parliament and the country if they had acted
rightly, and " without fear and doubt await the
answer of the English people." For many reasons
the affair of yesterday at Manchester is a satisfac-
tory one, and the Government cannot but feel their
hopes revived by the declarations they have met
with of confidence and regard. We are glad that
Manchester has spoken out, and that in the great
stronghold of the doctrines of Free Trade homage
and honour should have been paid to the Minister
who has done more even than that which was
achieved through the exertions of those days when
the League flourished. We think that the country
cannot but benefit by judging things fairly, and
seeing events clearly, in their full meaning and real
significance. Since a Conservative Government
has conferred upon the people the benefits of a
Reform Bill it is just that they should be duly
recognised as benefactors, and that their light
should not be hid under a bushel, but shine forth
in splendour in the promise and hope of the better
day of progress that has dawned upon us.

Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE is always worth listen

ing to, and even when he touches upon the hack-
neyed subject of representative reform he is cer-
tain to command attention. Ile has just taken
advantage of the opportunity afforded him by a

local anniversary to express his views on the matter
very fully to his constituents. What the results of

the measure might ultimately be, it was, he said,
impossible to fortell, but he believed for his part
that all which ha I been done was for the best.
There were many questions of great national
importance, such as questions connected with
Irish affairs, with no relations between em-
ployer and employed, and others of a similar
character, which it was absolutely necessary should
be dealt with by a strong Government, but which
were compelled to be laid aside because the stum-
bling-block of reform prevented the existence of a
strong Government. It was a difficulty in the way
of every successive Administration, who, from being
compelled to temporise with that, found itself
obliged to temporise in everything else. Lord
DERBY'S Cabinet, on accepting office, had two
alternatives before them. Either they might
have attempted to satisfy the House and the
country that the question ought to be laid
at rest for a time, or they must have dealt with
it in a comprehensive spirit. Lord DERBY'S Go-
vernment having decided on the latter course felt
that it was not a question to b 3 " nibbled at."
Had they attempted to do so they would have been
inflicting a great injury on the Conservative in-
terest. By this interest Sir S. NORTIICOTE explained
that he did mean simply the political party in the
Commons, but the large body of mon throughout
the country, who, on the whole, desire to keep
England as it is ; who wish to adapt our institutions
to the circumstances of the times without a great
radical revolution. Sir STAFFORD NoRTIICOTE
himself is no inapt representative of this class. lie
is liberal and enlightened in many of his views, and
is a s taunch Free-trader, but at the same time he
is averse to hasty and violent changes. lie belongs
to a class of politicians who, if they existed at all
in the last century, were to be numbered by units,
but who are now a large and influential body,
checking by the mohration of their views the ex-
travagance of more extreme politicians.
Sir STAFFORD NORTIICOTE, in the course of his
address, spoke very strongly on electoral corrup-
tion. "If there is one danger," ho said, "to which
England is exposed from the representative system,
I believe it is the danger of the prevalence of
electoral corruption." It is, as he justly observed,
of the highest importance that in revising our re-
presentative system we should endeavour, as far as
possible, to put a check upon this great evil. If
the time should come when the mere influence of
money will be the chief thing that governs elec-
tions it will be a serious evil, and the present is
the time to guard against it. Sir S. NORTIICOTE
was chairman of the select committee which last
session considered this subject and shaped the
bill, and he is, therefore, well acquainted with
the practical difficulties of the question. He has
not yet made up his mind to the only tree and
effectual remedy, but we are not without hope
that further consideration and experience will lead
him to accept, without doubt or reservation, the
grand panacea of the Ballot.

BAS-RELIEFS AS SIGNS.—The stranger in London
is greatly struck with some of these picturesque specimens
of the modeller's art. There is the Bull and Mouth at St.
Martin's-le-Grand, on the façade of the Queen's Hotel, once
the Bull and Mouth Inn. This curious relief represents
a large mouth and upper part of the faco foreshortened,
with a bull standing across it. This grotesque sign affords
one of the most curious examples of the manner in which
phrases have become corrupted in this country. Origi-
nally the sign represented the Boulogne Mouth, otherwise,
the entrance to Boulogne harbour, which seaport town was
captured by Henry VIII. ; but in less than a hundred
years, we are told, the original meaning became changed
into the absurd it ure that we see at St. Altkrtin't3-le-r.;',rand.
—Once a Week.