The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-07 00:00:00

PRICF id.
STAMPED sd.

his Majesty the King of the Belgians has just
made, I feel almost nervous in getting up to return
thanks for the very kind manner in which you
have proposed our healths. We feel it to be a
great honour to be received here on this occa-
sion. We are always happy to come here, and
under any circumstances feel grateful when
invited to partake of the Lord Mayor's hospitality.
But on this particular occasion I feel doubly happy
to be here to support you, my Lord Mayor, because
you have as your guests the King and Queen of the
Belgians. (Cheers.) Although I thank you for
the honour you have done me in asking me here as
a guest, I do not consider myself entirely a guest,
because I cannot forget I am a freeman of this city.
(Cheers.) The honour was conferred upon me three
years ago, and both the Princess and myself will
never forget the reception which was accorded us on
her arrival in England. (Loud cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR in proposing " The Army,
Navy, and Volunteers," remarked that the toast
had a peculiar interest, in the first place, because
there was a hope that at last the peace of Europe
might be established on a firm and sound basis, and
in the second place because he had the honour to
call upon the Duke of Edinburgh to return thanks
for the navy. His royal highness was one of their
fellow citizens, and bore the reputation of being a
true-hearted English sailor, whose devotion to his
Queen and country was never excelled. (Cheers.)
His Royal Highness the Duke of EDINBURGH I
thank you for the way in which you have received
the toast of the navy. You, my Lord Mayor, I
thank especially for the very kind manner in which
you have coupled my name with that service, in
which I am proud to have the honour of serving.
This toast has a special application in the city of
London. It is from this busy city that merchant
vessels sail all over the world, and it is one of the
special duties of her Majesty's men-of-war to de-
fend those ships wherever they may find them in
distress. You may therefore depend upon it that,
as one of your fellow-citizens, I shall always be
proud to be to the front, if necessity requires.
(Loud cheers.)
General Sir E. CUST responded for the army.
He said that if future wars were to be conducted
with the brevity of the present continental struggle
they would be confined to Reuter's telegrams.
(Laughter.)
Alderman ROSE spoke for the volunteers.
The LORD MAYOR proposed " Her Majesty's
Ministers." He believed that the new Government,
like their predecessors, had the best and truest in-
terests of their country at heart. With the toast he
had the greatest pleasure in associating the name of
Mr. Disraeli—a name which, he unhesitatingly
affirmed, was honoured and respected in this coun-
try. (Cheers.) He hoped the new Chancellor of
the Exchequer might be as successful as his prede-
cessor. (Laughter and cheers.) He could not wish
the right hon. gentleman a better wish than that in
the next seven years he might produce effects as
satisfactory to the country as the right hon. gentle-
man who had preceded him. (Cheers.)
Mr. DISRAELI—I beg to return you my thanks
on the part of her Majesty's Ministers for the great
honour you have done them. As I have only been a
Minister for a very few hours I am sure you will
not expect on this occasion an exposition of the
general policy of the new Administration. (A
laugh.) Indeed, if this dinner had taken place yes-
terday, the duty I am now discharging would have
fallen in all probability upon my predecessor ; and
I am sure the right hon. gentleman—whom, not-
withstanding our long and fierce encounters, I pre-
sume to call my right hon. friend—(cheers)—would
have done much justice to a theme which must
always be interesting to the subjects of her Majesty.
Indeed, under any circumstances, I could not pre-
tendon an occasion like the present to refer to any
party subject or political situation, but I hope I may
be permitted to say on the part of her Majesty's
present advisers, that they are animated by a sin-
cere desire to do their duty to their Sovereign and
their country, and I hope that by a policy prudent,
yet at the same time firm, by a policy temperate
in its general tone, yet decided when necessary
in its action, it may preserve in this country
prosperity and peace. (Cheers.) There is no country
more interested in those blessings than one which
is situated near to us, the amiable and accomplished
sovereigns of which have honoured us with their
presence this day. I trust that those blessings will
fall upon that country, for I am sure that every
Englishman is interested in the welfare of Belgium.
(Cheers.)

To the toast of " The House of Lords," proposed
by the Chairman, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Tal-
bot responded.

The King of the BELGIANS, in a complimentary
sentence, proposed the Lord Mayor's health, to
which the Lord Mayor replied.
The LORD MAYOR then gave " The House of
Commons." Notwithstanding there was no reason
to find fault with that august assembly, he trusted
he might be permitted to say that within the last
three weeks they had not been so busily occupied as
they usually were at this season of the year.
(Laughter.) He coupled with the toast the name
of the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone. (Loud
cheers.) He offered that gentleman a cordial and
hearty reception in the City of London, and he had
no hesitation in saying that history did not furnish
a brighter example of a loyal and patriotic subject
—or of an honest, independent, or faithful states-
man. (Renewed cheers.) No one who had watched
the right honourable gentleman's brilliant career
could refrain, whatever his political opinions might
be, from expressing his sense of the important ser-
vices he had rendered. Might Mr. Gladstone long
be spared to serve his country as faithfully and in-
dependently as he had hitherto done, and might he
long continue to be one of the brightest ornaments
of the House of Commons. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. GLADSTONE—I must not trust myself to dwell
upon the terms which the Lord Mayor has been
pleased to refer to my personal career, beyond the
tendering of my respectful gratitude, and the utter-
ance of the conviction that he has allowed his warmth
of expression to carry his estimate of me beyond the
bounds of justice, or even indulgence. Passing
from that subject to the House of Commons, I assure
the company that those who belong to the assembly
are a body eminently loyal to the Chamber in which
they sit, and there is no task more grateful to any
member of Parliament, in whatever quarter of the
house he may be found, than to be called upon to
express his acknowledgments, as one of those mem-
bers, for those tributes which it receives abundantly
in every assembly of our countrymen. (Cheers.)
Perhaps if 1 were to attempt to pronounce a giowoi
ing eulogy either upon the past or the
presentitte d to
the House of Commons, I might be
efface from my recollection, or at least tPone throw
emiltyaetlabol:t
is
the shade, an incident which occurred.not n wtlilt°e
necessary for
weeks ago. (A laugh.)
occurrence.
us to regard this or that particularns
is too closely
associated of the House of Commons y
But itis
associated with the character of country and its
all necessary
remarks
t it should be
to secure for
the history s
ub teoctin male
its mention the welcome always sure of receiv-
ing from an assembly of Englishmen. I must now
who is the leader of the house for the kind
thank the right hon. and distinguished gentleman
termsnear inme which he has been pleased to refer to me.
I assure him with intense satisfaction that I heartily
reciprocate the sentiments he has uttered. (Cheers.)
The country out of doors do us but justice when
they entertain the conviction, warranted by the
facts of the case, that amidst those conflicts
into which many of us enter, and become engaged
n from night to night, the ardour and eager-
ness with which they fight what they think re-
spectively are the battles of public interests, are not
to be taken as indicating that personal animosities
are perpetuated afterwards. (Cheers.) The House
of Commons has p,t all events the special claims upon