The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-11 00:00:00

The noble lord again rose, and proposed the
"Health of the Lord Mayor," a toast which he said
he was sure they would drink with perfect satisfac-
tion. (Cheers.) It is, added the noble lord, a great
and valuable privilege which the people of this
country enjoy in being able to elect their own mu-
nicipal officers. There are countries in which those
officers are appointed by the Crown. That is no ad-
vantage to the Crown, but it is a great detriment
to the nation. (Cheers.) The people are deprived in
the first place of the exercise of their free choice,
and, in the next place, they have not the opportu-
nity to the same degree of manifesting their ap-
proval of the conduct of their municipal chiefs.
You, the citizens of London, have availed yourselves
of the powers conferred upon you, and have re-
corded your approval of the conduct of the Lord
Mayor during his period of office now elapsed by
electing him again—(cheers)—by asking him again
to undergo the labours, the fatigues, and the re-
sponsibilities of the high office which you have
conferred upon him now for the second time. Under
any circumstances it would be a great honour to be
so marked out by the choice of the citizens; but I
may mention, to the honour of the Lord Mayor,
that it is now 30 years since a similar honour was
conferred upon one of your body. I therefore hope
that you will concur with me in drinking " The
Health of the Lord Mayor," and I have no cloubt
you will drink it with all the honours that can ac-
company such a toast. (Cheers.)

The toast was drunk with loud cheers.
The LORD MAYOR briefly returned thanks, and
proposed " The House of Lords," associating the
toast with the name of the Marquis of Salisbury.
The noble Marquis having responded by a few
appropriate words,
The LORD MAYOR gave "The Judges," to whose
learning, ability, and impartiality iu the admini-
stration of the law he paid a well-deserved tribute.
The toast was acknowledged by Chief Justice
Erle.

The next was " The House of Commons," coupled
with the name of Sir George Grey, Bait.

Sir GEORGE GREY, in reply, said—On behalf of
myself and the other members of the House of Com-
mons present, I beg to return you our sincere thanks
for the honour you have done us, and at the same
time I acknowledge my grateful sense of the great
honour conferred upon myself personally by having
my name associated with such a toast. It is a dis-
tinction worthy of any man's ambition to be one of
that great representative assembly, which is iden-
tified with the highest interests of the country—an
assembly to whose firm stand on behalf of the
principles of liberty, in times less fortunate than
those in which we now live, we are indebted for
the foundation of that constitution which it is our
pride and happiness to possess. I trust that the
House of Commons will ever continue to act, in its
own sphere and in harmony with the other branches
of the legislature, as the watchful and enlightened
guardian of the interests of this great nation.
(Cheers.) There is a great and serious responsi-
bility resting on every member of flat house, and
as much now as at any former period of our history,
for there never was a time when the influence of
the House of Commons was more widely diffused.
It has been well said by one of our great orators
that the pulse of Europe beats with the tone of
the English House of Commons, and of that
we have had frequent proofs. (Hear, hear.)
When I stand here to return thanks for
this toast, I cannot but have some melancholy
and painful reflections when I think of the
losses which the House of Commons has sustained
in its ranks since the last gathering in this hall.
My noble friend the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, after representing the City of London with
distinguished ability for many years, has now passed
as he is well entitled to do, after half a century of
labour in the House of Commons, to another sphere
of less laborious duties. May he long live to render
in that other branch of the legislature valuable and
honourable services to his country ! (Hear, hear.)
But there are other men whose names 1 cannot men-
tion without regret, and whose loss we all mourn—
men who were in the foremost ranks of the house,
and over whom the grave has recently closed. Ido
not speak of them as being connected with any
party, but as men who once conferred honour and
dignity on the House of Commons, and by their
talents, experience, and eloquence gave strength to
its deliberations and decisions. They are gone from
the scenes of their labours arid their responsibilities;
but it is a consolation, while mourning over the past,
to look around on this occasion and See many who
still worthily represent the House of Commons, and
who, by their ability and patriotism, still claim from
the country respect for the character•, influence, and
authority of that assembly. (Hear, hear.) I could
wish nothing better for the House of Commons than ,
that among the younger members many may arise
who will emulate the example of those who have
recently passed away, devote their talents and lives
to the public service of their country, and thus
hand doWn the name of the British House of Com-
mons undimmed and unimpaired to those who are
to come after them. (Cheers.)
" The Health of the Sheriffs of London and Mid-
dlesex" was the next toast given.
Mr. Sheriff COCKERELL briefly replied.
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, in proposing " The
Health of the Lady Mayoress," said—lt needs no
comment upon my part, as the toast is sure to be
accepted in that hearty manner in which the health
of the ladies is always received in a society of Eng-
lishmen. Allusion has been made to the fact of
the Lord Mayor entering upon his second year
of office. That does not apply, however, to the
Lady Mayoress, who accepts office this day ; but I
sincerely and confidently believe that she will prove
as worthy and hospitable a Lady Mayoress as her
sister has been during the last year. That she will
be as charming and agreeable there can be no
doubt ; and you will, I am confident, drink her
health with all the honours due to so worthy and
estimable a lady. (Cheers.)
The toast was enthusiastically responded to by
the whole company.
The LORD MAYOR, in reply, said the Lady
i Mayoress wished him to say that she would lay to
her heart what had been expressed, and endeavour
to emulate the example set to her by her sister.
(Cheers.)
Several other toasts having been drunk, includ-
ing the "Bar of England," acknowledged by the
Queen's Advocate ; the 'lAldertnen and, Common