The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-21 00:00:00

HE NATIONAL

Price Half-a-Crown.

STRUGGLE.-

1. An Appeal to Men of Business and Common Sense, with an
exposition of the present Election Law, and suggestions for securing
Honest Representatives in the place of Unprincipled Politicians. In
four parts.-
"The vote of yesterday will be hailed with exultation in every
Despotic Court where the greatness cf this Country is envied ; but it
will find no response in the hearts of English people, who know
what their present Minister is—what he has done—what he alms
at - and to what men his fall may leave the conduct of the Nation's
affairs."—The Times, sth March, 1857.

London : Robert Itardwicke, 26, Duke-street, Piccadilly.

MINISTERIAL BANQ PET AT THE
MANSION _HOUSE.

Last night the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress enter-
tained her Majesty's Ministers and a brilliant and numerous
company of the corps diplomatique and the members of both
Houses of Parliament at a splendid banquet at the Man-
sion-house. The occasion derived unusual importance from
the impending dissolution, and it was anticipated that the
Premier would avail himself of his visit to the city to ex-
plain the grounds of the approaching appeal to the coun-
try. This expectation, a 4 the report of the proceedings
will show, was not wholly disappointed.
The guests began to arrive at half-past six, but the din-
ner did not commence till seven.

Lord and Lady Palmerston were greeted on their arrival
with enthusiastic applause. The company included his
Excellency Feruk Bhin (the Persian Plenipotentiary) and
suit, who have just arrive' in London, and whose Oriental
aspect and picturesque appointments made them objects of
peculiar interest. _ _

Among the other guests were the French Ambassador,
the Turkish Ambassador and Madame Musurus, the Bel-
gian Minister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Bavarian
Minister, the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Greek Minister and
Madame Tricoupi, Count Bernstorff, Baron Rothschild,
Count Apponyi, Count de Vitzthum, Don Gonzales Bravo,
Maintim Khao, the Lord Chancellor, Lady Eardley, Earl
and Countess Granville, Earl of Harrowby and Miss Wort-
ley, the Lord Bishop (London, the Right Hon. Sir Geo.
Grey and Lady Grey, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon,
Lord Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady
Theresa Lewis and Miss Lister, the Right Hon. Sir Charles
Wood Rai La ly Mary Wood, the Right Hon. Mr. and Mrs.
Vernon Smith and Miss Thellusen, the Duke of Argyll, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, the Marquis of Breadilbane, Lord
Stanley of Alderley and the Hon. Miss Stanley, the Right
Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Talbot Baines, the Right Hon. Sir
Benjamin Hall, M.P., &c.
The musical arrangements were under the direction of
Mr. Bath, assisted by Mr. Alfred Gilbert, Mrs. Clara
Hepworth, Miss Cole, Mr. Wiltby Cooper, Mr. Seymour,
and Mr. Lawler.

Covers were laid in the Egyptian Hall for 300, and the
dinner was served by Messrs. Ring and Brymer.
The loving cup having circulated, the healths of her
Majesty the Queen, Prince Albert, Albert Prince of
Wales, and the rest of the Royal family were severally
given from the chair, and received with the usual manifes•
tations of loyalty.
The L'IRD MAYOR then rose and said—The next toast
which I shall have the honour of introducing to your notice
is one which will be received with the most grateful and
cordial feelings. It is to those brave soldiers and sailors
who have so nobly fought the battles of our country, and
shed their best blood for the purpose of upholding the
honour of the British flag in every part of the world.
(Cheers.) We are this evening honoured with the company
of many distinguished haloes of both services who are en-
titled to our warmest thanks, and it affords me the greatest
pleasure to propose their health. With this sentiment I
shall connect Lord Panmure and the army, and Sir Charles
Wood with the navy. (Cheers.)
Sir W. F. WILLIAMS, in returning thanks for the army,
referred to the unwise reduction which had been made in
those subsidiary establishments upon which the strength of
our army depended before the late war, and expressed his
satisfaction that, under the auspices of the present Com-
mander-in-Chief, and of the noble lord at the head of the
War Department, these important branches of the service
were being restored to efficiency and vigour. There was
great danger in carrying retrenchment too far, for, unless
well prepared for defence, a wealthy country like ours,
with a population of 30,‘ 00,000, would at all times find
its safety menaced, its peace endangered, and its honour
threatened.

Sir C. WOOD—My Lord Mayor, my Lords, Ladies, and
Gentlemen,—lt is with great pride and pleasure that I find
myself called upon to return thanks for the navy. It is
with pride that I find nay name associated with that noble
profession over which I have the honour in some measure
to preside. And never do I feel that pride and pleasure
greater than within these walls, where at all times and on
all occasions the services of the navy are so justly and so
liberally appreciated. (Cheers.) I will not refer to the
events of the late war, but to that service in which
the navy in peace, no less than in war, is employed
—namely, the protection of the commerce of this em-
pire. That is the bond which connects the navy more
especially with this great city, the centre and focus of our
trade. It is our boast that there is no part of the
globe so distant that our trade does not extend to it,
and it is our pride likewise that wherever that trade
extends it finds the protection of the navy, under which it
flourishes and expands. (Cheers.) Now, it is in the
protection of our trade that the navy has been engaged in
those hostilities which have formed the great subject of de-
bate for some weeks past. It is in the vindication of the
outraged merchant flag of England—in the maintenance of
those immunities without which our commerce cannot
exist—that the navy has been called upon to act in the
waters of China—(cheers)-----and I am proud to wiy that the
navy has there displayed its usual skill and valour. (Con-
tinued cheering.) I gladly embrace this public opportunity
of expressing my opinion that, in spite of some assertions
to the contrary, which I utterly disbelieve, the navy has
likewise displayed that other quality for which the British
sailor is no less distinguished than for his bravery—l mean
his humanity. (Cheers.) I have seen with indignation the
statement that unnecessary cruelty has been shown towards
an unoffending people. I utterly disbelieve that a4cusatiun.
I believe that no hostilities have been committed except
against those bearing arms against us, and for purposes
necessarily connected with the defence of the position we
hold. I know the utmost pains were taken to spare the in-
habitants of Canton—thatofficerswerelanded to warn them
to remove with their property from the scone of operations
—and that when the Chinese soldiers were deserted by their
own officers and left to perish they were rescued from a
watery grave by British sailors. (Loud cheers.) My lord,
I hope I may be forgiven for speaking warmly ou this sub-
ject, because I feel strongly the unjustifiable and calumnious
imputations which have been cast upon the navy. That ser-
vice has at all times been distinguished alkie for bravery and
humanity, and I believe that it has on this occasion in no
respect fallen short of the high character which it has en.
joyed. (Loud cheers.)
The LORD MAY said —We are this day honoured with
the presence of the Prime Minister of this country, and we
the citizens of London fee Lit a proud privilege to have the
opportunity of assembling ambassadors, noblemen, and
the great commercial interests of the country in this hall.
(Hear, hoar.) The occasion upon which we have met is
to express the confidence we have in the nobleman at the
head of her Majesty's Government, who has upon so many
occasions in times of great difficulty nobly stood forward,
weathered the storm, and brought affairs to a successful
issue. (Cheers.) lam sure I shall ho supported when I
assert—Woe be to England when our brave soldiers and
sailors are not thoroughly supported by the Government
when unexpectedly called on to take decisive measures on
any great emergency. The noble Premier is about to ap-
peal to the nation to express its opinion on the course he
has adopted, and every lover of his country looks with con-
fidence to the result. I therefore propose to you " The
Health of Viscount Palmerston, and may he long be spared
to guide the councils of our laud." (Loud and prolonged
cheering.)
Lord PALMERSTON, who war received with loud cheers,
said—My Lord Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen, often as it
has been our good fortune to partake of the splendid hos-
pitslities of tho City of London, I may certainly say that
it never fell to the lot of any Administration to receive
those testimonies of courtesy and goodwill upon a more
important and interesting occasion than the present.
We are not deceiving ourselves, ialy Lord Mayor, when we
interpret the manner in which you have been pleased to
propose our health as a renewal of that expression of con-
fidence and goodwill towards her Majesty's Ministers which
I had the honour of receiving not many days ago from
your lordship, as evidencing the feelings and opinions of
the citizens of this great metropolis. (Cheers.) We were
not long ago, se is well known, placed in a minority in the
House of Commons upon a question which involved a cen-
sure upon her Majesty's Government. I know very well
that some of those who honoured us with their general
support, viewing that question merely as a simple expres-
sion of judgment on a particular transaction which had
taken place at the antipodes some months before, persuaded
themsalvea that in giving their rotes against the Govern-
ment they were not pronouncing a censure up the Adminis-
tration ; and sonic of those hon. gentlemen assured me—
au convinced with great sincerity—that they did not
intend by the votes they gave to withdraw from the Go-
vernment the general confidence they had hitherto ex.