Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-30
AND ENGLAND.
Banquet TO ReVerdy Johnson i'm LIV-
erpOOl-SEeeehes by MIR. Johnson,
lord Stanley and Mr.. Gladstone.
On Thursdav avanin0 Iasf NJ Revnrdv

one hundred gentlemen sat at the tables
among whom were several representatives
of the United States press. The usual
toasts of the Queen of England, the Pre-.
sident of the United States, the royal fam.
lily, the clergy of all denominations, the
army and navy, were proposed and re-
spOnded to. The Chair, after few words,
gave the health Of Reverdy johnson.
Mr.. johnson returned thanks for him
self and his country. He said be had
| been received everywhere with enthusiasm,
and having been warned that he would
| not be so received, he was more than dis
| appointed, he was overwhelmed with to-
kens of regard. He knew that the wis
| dom and patriotism of the people Of Liver
| pool would cause them to forget the late
past, and look with confidence to the fl-
ture. He was told that persons would at
tend whom he ought not to meet; who. had
aided the South. His reply was that such
a meeting was most gratifying to him, be-
cause it gave an assurance TO the people of
America, to the government and to him
self, that former differences had been for
gotten, and now the heart of Liverpool,
like that of all England. has but one feel
ing-of warm regard to the United States.
When / remember the war through which
our government passed unharmed, % far
as its unity is concerned, am satisfied
that you will see that the Union still stands
on foundation never to be shaken. How
ever some Of you may have differed as to
the result of the war, l thought knew,
and low realize il, that here we could find
friends as sincere as anywhere in the
realm. Our fathers made a nation. We
have shown our will and ability 10 main
tain it as long as Providence will suffer
human society to endure.
Mr.. johnson then complimeuted the
American Chamber of Commerce on its
history of usefulness, and dilated on the
expansion of Liverpoors commerce with
America, which so much conduceJ to The
prosperity of the English lsboring men.
They are partly fed by the United States,
and Of their industry America shares the
fruits, because of this close connection.
Nothing but absolute insanity on the part
of either nation can involve US in a con.
tlict. This | say for the future, not the
present, for nothing is further from ny
thoughts than that | should be insane, or
that the government, that is, turning to
Lord Stanley, or that which may be,
turning to Mr.. Gladstone, shall be so
Which ever party may prevail, peace will
be in no peril az long as Lord Stanley rep
resents the foreign relations Of England.
Peace is beyond the possibility of doubt.
We have discarded the mysteries of diplo-
macy, frankly said what We wanted, asked
nothing not right TO ask, and | may say,
40 far as we have gone, that all has gone
merrily, and we have every reason to think
all will go so to the end. What has been
done, or left TO be done, leave you to
guess. In the language of Lord Coke, let
this little taste suffice.
We expect to remain under the govern
ment We now enjoy. You expect to remain
under that which you enjey. They differ
but in form. The foundation Of each are
the same as those principles which are es-
sential to the preservation Of liberty, the
CREST rights guaranteed by mdgHz chartd,
the personal security afforded by the great
writ Of hd6eds corpus, and all protected by
the right of trial by jury. This should
satisfy us that throughout all time, if We
are true TO ourselves, our respective gov
ETuulSHl5 Will last may III q tAl-AN
be interrupted in their actual operations
there may be some error in some portion
of the structures of each but that we will
correct; we will be able to remove the
nuisance without defiling the shrine. |
speak it with ali due confidence with which
men can speak, that to the end we will re-
main in unity. The unity of my govern
ment is now established the unity, fyOurs
has never been threatened, and God grant
it NAV never be. | conclude, therefore, in
the words Of an American poet:
While the manners and the arts
That mould the nations soul.
Still cling around our hearts,
Between, let ocean oil.
Our Joint commission breaking With the sun,
Yet from either beach,
The voice of blood shall reach,
More audible than speech,i
We are one
Mr.. johnson was heard throughout with
frequent and happy applause, and was We
hemently cheered at the close.
SPEECH OF LORD STANLEY.
To the toast, "Her Msiesiy's Ministers"
Lord Stanley said;
accept my warmest thanks for the high
honor you have paid me personally and
lny colleagues carrying on the executive
business of the country. | assure you the
value of the compliment is not diminished
by the fact that it is on this occasion and
in this room necessarily Invested of all
partisan significance. We have all of us
seen, fancy, within the last few weeks,
| aud shall have in the few weeks coming,
rough party politics. Indeed, if every
| body were to speak their minds earnestly,
| dare say many would say they have had
already more than they care for. The
general principles on which the external
| relations of the country are carried on no
| longer fall within the limit of political
| discussion. II is the settled principle Of
England to respect scrupulously the rights
| of every nation, the weakest as well as the
strongest, as scrrpulously as we maintain
| our own; to study to preserve in the hrst
instance the peace of England, and next 10
| that, as far as lies in our power, the peace
| of Europe and the civilized world to seek
| no narrow, no selfish, no exclusive object,
| but TO consider that even our material IN
teresls are indissOlubly connected With
those neighboriDg nations who are at once
| our neighbors and cur customers and IN
/ points of honor not too hastily or Impetu-
ously resent any real or imagined wrong,
| but rather TO willingly submit 20 the dis
passionate arbitration of some competent
tribunal whatever claims we think we may
| have upon otherp or the claims others may
| think they have upon US. These are gen
eraI rules of conduct which are equally &C
cepted by both great political parties diVi'
ding this country, which are equally GER
tain 10 be carried out by the Foreign Oi-
fee. whether that department remains IN
nv hands or passes into those Of the fol-
lowers and colleague Of the eminent states
man who is entertained with me a. your
guest tonight.
greatest question, the claims arising out
Of the late war, / am not in position TO
saw ANYTHING more than that we have on
both sides approached the subject with an
earnest desire to find satisfactory solutioni
and think there is on both sides, l VIII
not say a confident expectation, but a
very decided hope that solution may not
be very far of. ! am not going to make
VOC a speech on the nature of the relations
that ought to exist between the two cOun-
tries. say nothing of our common
language, literature and origin, which are
all true, but lack the charm Of novelty.
We may at this time of day take them Tor
granted. This also l take for grantsc,
that, az civilized men, on both sides OF the
Atlantic, it is our duty, as friends, as kins-
n,en, it is the will OF an enormous ma,
iority TO be friends. As two commercial
I hFraU ma