The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-04 00:00:00

The Right Hon. B. DISRAELI, on rising to res-
pond, was greeted with loud and prolonged applause,
On its cessation, the right hon. gentleman said :
Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,—Nothing can be more
gratifying to the House of Commons than that they
should be remembered at meetings of their country-
men like the present, in the spirit and in the man-
ner which you have shown to day. But, gentle-
men, I regret that the House of Commons has been
associated to-day with the name of one who is
indeed a stranger among you, and that it is not re-
presented on this occasion by some member con-
nected with the county, who might more legiti-
mately express the :feelings which I am sure the
House of Commons entertains on these occasions.
(Applause.) The House of Commons, gentlemen,
has two great functions to perform at the present
day. It has to contribute in a great degree to
the transaction of public business. It has also
another function, equally important, and that
is to express public opinion. Now, with
regard to the transaction of public business, I will
venture to say that there is no public assembly in
the world that transacts half the business which the
House of Commons does, and does it so efficiently—
(cheers)—while, on the other hand, looking to its
other great function—namely, the expression of
opinion, I am coneinced that. I am not exaggerating
when I say that there is no possible public griev-
ance, no shade of public sentiment, which is not
brought before that house, and which: is not there
legitimately discussed. (Renewed cheers.) And
I think, gentlemen, that the complaints that have
been made against the House of Commons of late
years really have arisen from a misconception
among the constituencies as to the two great func-
tions which distinguish the nature and character of
the House of Commons. When it has expressed
opinion, some, who have thought that it ought only
to transact business, say it wastes its time iu mak-
ing speeches. When it only transacts business, and
does not sufficiently discuss questions which greatly
interest the public, then we are told that it no
longer possesses the confidence of the people of
England. But the truth is that it transacts its busi-
ness efficiently, because, at the same time,:it faith-
fully represents opinian ; and it represents opinion
faithfully because this country, itself a practical
country, knows that thelse who are members of the
House of Commoi.lis are competent at the same time
to attend to 'Ciae interests of the country in detail.
(Apntene.) It is by the combination of these two
qualities, and by the performance and accomplish-
ment of these two important functions, that the
House of Commons has obtained the confidence and
respect of the people, and it can only be by faith-
fully adhering to the same line that that confidence
and affection can be maintained. (Cheers.) Gen-
tlemen, it is very true that for the last century
and a half the public business of this country
in Parliament, in both houses, has been
conducted on the principles of party, and
I am convinced myself that it is owing to the
principles of party that Parliament has become so
powerful in this country. (Hear, hear, and applause.)
For what would be 500 or 600 men if they were not
connected by feelings of public principle and pri-
vate honour—if they were not thus bound together,
what would be 500 or 600 men in comparison to an
organised and powerful Ministry, but a mob, which
would be distinguished only by their timidity and,
perhaps, by their corruption ? (Applause.) It is very
true that there may have been moments when the
spirit of party has led both parties in the State to
do things which they-might have regretted ; but this
will say for both parties in this country, that when
the interests of this empire, and especially when the
honour of the nation is concerned—(loud cheers)—
there is no longer party spirit ; there is no longer
personal complication, and the leading men on all
sides, whoever may be the servants of the Queen, are
animated only by one feeling, and propose to them-
selves only one object—to maintain the greatness and
the glory of their common country. (Renewed and
loud applause.) Gentlemen, although I have been
properly reminded by the hon.. gentleman who so
eloquently introduced this toast that I am a stranger
among you, I cannot, since you have thought proper
to associate my name with this toast, altogether for.
get the cause of my being in this hall to-day, (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) Although I am, unfortunately,
a stranger to the people of Durham, I am not a
stranger to that eminent man whose virtues and
whose public services you have this day commemo.
rated in so interesting and signal a manner.
(Cheers.) For more than a quarter of a century I
was bound to the late Lord Londonderry by the ties
of a most intimate and devoted friendship. I knew
him well. I am fain to believe that I rightly appre-
ciated the qualities of his mind and character. He
was the most energetic individual that I ever was ac-
quainted with. But there was this characteristic of
the late Lord Londonderry—that he combined
the greatest energy of character with a singular
softness of heart. (Cheers.) He was, above all men,
a faithful friend. (Hear.) It has sometimes been
said that he, as all other public characters, was oc-
casionally deficient in that judgment which is
necessary to a perfect character ; but this must be
eaid of Lord Londonderry—that he succeeded in
everything which he undertook; and where I find
general and signal success I am not prepared to
admit that there has been a deficiency of judgment.
(Applause.) As a soldier, no one will deny his emi-
nence at one of the most important crisis of modern
times; in an age celebrated for its cavalry com-
manders, in the age which produced Murat and
Anglesea, Charles Stewart was second to no one.
But, though he was a noble and successful soldier,
he was an extremely able and adroit diplomatist.
The valuable records of the important age of the
Revolutionary War, which are now regularly un-
fol.ding their secrets to the generation of which wo
are members, only bring forth evidence of the great
abilities of the late Lord Londonderry. In the work
of Sir Robert Wilson, one of his opponents in poli-
tics, which has recently been published, we find
very frequent, abounding, and indubitable evidence
of the great services which Lord Londonderry, then
Lord Stewart, accomplished for his country, many
of which until that publication were unknown.
(Loud cheers) His services, when he was at the
head-quarters of the King of Sweden, have taken
their place in history as human efforts which con-
siderably contributed.to the great result which
crowned that long revolutionary war. (Renewed
applause.) What his character was in private
life, how he dealt with his great affluence of for•
tune—which he partly inherited, and which he
otherwise, in a still more interesting manner,
e cquired—you, who sit in this hall, are better to judge than myself.
(Cheers.) Having

The fall in cotton to the extent of a penny a pound
has somewhat cooled the ardour of several of the
gentlemen on the Liverpool Exchange who took
part in the' great indignation meeting" which was
held on the receipt of thg news of the seizure of the
Confederate Commissioners. Perhaps some of the
speculators thought that if they could get up a war
panic the price of cotton would also go up. In this,
however, they were mistaken. Cautious men saw
that if war was declared by this country the Federal
Government could not long maintain the blockade
of the Southern ports, and in that case there would
be a plentiful supply of cotton. Prices, therefore,
went down ; but under the influence of more pacific
anticipations part of the fall has now been recovered.
A shrewd observer of men and things remarked the
other day that there were men on 'Change who
would for their own selfish purposes like a declara-
tion of war every day. We, have the best authority
for stating that it is the opinion of a very influen-
tial:American now in this c►.ountry, and a gentleman
who is well acquainted .with the feeling of his
countrymen, that the Federal Government will re-
pudiate the conduct of the captain of the San
Jacinto, and make the necessary apology and resti-
tution. Until we learn the result of the appeal to
the American Government, it would be well to allow
the first feelings of indignation to subside, and wait
patiently the issue.
It has been stated in some papers that Lieutenant
Fairfax, who boarded the Trent, behaved in a rude
and unbecoming manner whilst in the discharge of
what even he must have considered a very dis-
agreeable task. We are glad to be able, on the
authority of a lady member of the family of one of
the Commissioners, to contradict this statement. We
are assured that the lieutenant, in carrying out the
orders of his commander, behaved with the utmost
courtesy, and personally conducted himself like an
officer and a gentleman,

VIE AMERICAN DIFFICUL2Y.

THE HON. R. H. DUTTON, M.P.

At the annual root show of the Botley and South
Hants Farmers' Club on Monday, in the Market-
hall of Botley, the Hon. R. H. DUTTON, replying
for the county members, touched upon the late out-
rage committed upon the British flag by an Ameri-
can war-ship, and said :—However much we might
have regretted the American internal disruption,
how much more must we regret now to see the
Northern States embroiling themselves with an
European Power. This country had agreed to be
perfectly neutral in respect to the American civil
war, and had so conducted her affairs since the
differences began ; but yet, in the Northern States,
for some time, there had been an evident wish to
pick a quarrel with the mother ecuntry. It was
only the other day we were wondering how we
should treat the affair of the Nashville Confederate
steamer, which had come into Southampton after
taking a Federal prize ; and while orders on this
affair were still pending, came the startling event
of one of our own vessels being boarded by a ship
carrying the flag of the Federal Government. The
first great question was, would our jurists decide
this to be a hostile act, or not? He at first cer-
tainly thought it must be an act of aggressive
character ; and now there was no difference of
opinion, as both the Government and the great
jurists who advised the country all considered the
act as an aggressive one. He was very glad to see
the Government, of which Lord Palmerston was
the head, acting so promptly, Though he was not
exactly a supporter of the Premier he did not think
the country could be in safer hands. (Hear.) He
thought no Government could have lasted one week
after meeting the Parliament if they had not taken
the course just adopted by her Majesty's Ministers.
(Hear.) There was no taxpayer in this country
who would refuse to pay his share of any extra
cost to carry that demand of restitution out.
(Hear.) Then, how would our demand be met
in America, thought they ? He doubted if there
would not be some hesitation in giving up these
men, and then instant war would ensue. It would
not, however, prove, if it came, a costly war for us.
Happily for us, and unhappily for America, the
navy of England was never in a better condition,
and if it did attack them it would make a perfect
havoc of their carrying trade, which was to them
of immense importance, as they did all their own
coasting trade, with their own bottoms, from the
whole of the American lines to California, and they
could not employ foreign shipping. It will then be
but a matter of a few weeks for the English vessels
to cripple their whole strength. America had many
great commercial towns on her coasts, but they pos-
sessed, none of them, any fortification whatever
that could withstand even the onslaught of our very
old-fashioned three-deckers. If these things be con-
sidered in America they must be mad to rush into
war ; but he was afraid that country was not ruled
at present by its wisest men. Their chairman had
said just now that monarchical Governments were
on their trial, but it certainly seemed that demo-
cratical Governments were on their trial.