The Premier at the Guildhall.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2809, 14 February 1878, Page 2

The Premier at the Guildhall.

The following speech was delivered by Lord Beaconsfieid at the Banquet at the Guildhall on November 9 :—

My Lord Mayor,—-Your Lordship hag reminded us of something that occurred and was said a year ago in this hall. I may remind you that since I had the honour of addressing your predecessor in the chair of that high position which" you now fill, other things bare happened besides those to which your Lordship has alluded. There has fallen upon this Empi re the greatest calamity that, perhaps, can happen to any country. In the most populated province of Her Majesty's dominions there has occurred a famine, which in itself is one of the most terrible visitations on record, but which, if if had not been for the providential recurrence to the bounty of Nature, must hare become unprecedented. The energy and the firmness of the Viceroy of the Queen in India has supplied succor to suffering millions; but the power of a Government in administering relief under such circumstances is necessarily limited. There is a limit to administrative efficiency and to systematized skill. There are conditions upon which a Goverment can feed a nation which cannot be departed from. If departed from they only uring confusion, possibly malversation, certain failure; and whatever may be the will and the power of the Government— and the will of the Government in the present instance could' not be exceeded, and its power 'has never been limitedstill there are individuals—nay, there are classes, nay, there are districts—which cannot be reached by the hand of Government. Under these circumstances it is (he hand of private charity—charity, blessing and blessed—that can operate the beneficent results. (Cheers.) We have seen „ a most signal instance recently.in this country of sympathy with our fellow-subjects in"a distant land (cheers); and lam sure that your predecessor in the high office you now fill will always remember with pride that he was the chosen trustee of the British Empire and the honoured fiduciary of. -a splendid example of national sympathy. (Ch»ers). My Lord Mayor, if I turn from the appalling picture which India would present to us to the quarter of the globe in which we dwell, I cannot say that the prospect is more encouraging. If there be a greater calamity to human nature than famine it is that of an exterminating war.^ (Loud cheers.) When I had the honour of last addressing you, Europe was on the eve of making the last and the supreme effort to prevent that war. That effort failed. No sooner had war been declined than Her Majesty's Government felt it their duty to announce at once, in language which could not be mistaken, the policy which under the circumstances they adopted. That was not a policy framed for the occasion and merely because war was declared. It was a policy which from the opportunities which had been afforded to us for a considerable time we had deeply considered., That policy was unanimously adopted; that policy we have unanimously maintained; and from that policy we have never swerved. What, then, was that, policy P llt was the policy of a conditional neutrality. (Cheers.) Under the circumstances of the case we did not believe that it was for the honor or interest of England j>r_ Turkey that we «hould<tak« any part in the impending contest; bat while we enforced the neutrality which we were prepared to observe, we declared at the same time that that neutrality must cease if British interests were assailed or menaced. (Loud Cheers.) Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends of'every country save their own (cheers and a laugh), have denounced' this poliejTas selfish. My Lord Mayor; it is as selfish as patriotism. (Cheers.) But it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government—a policy which they adopted from the first and which they have all along main. tamed. They believe it is their dutj to protect British interests abroad, and it is a policy which they believe the people r( this country hare sanctioned :and adopted. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, there may have been many reasons which may have induced us to adopt that policy; but there was one, and a principal one, to which I will refer. I believe the policy of neutrality on the part of this country was not more for the benefit of England than it was for the benefit of Turkey. For some years it has been a dogma of diplomacy that Turkey was a phrase and not a fact—that its Government was a phantom, that its people was effete, and that it was used merely as a means bj | statesmen to maintain a fictitious balance ; of power and secure the peace of Europe. If that were the case, a repetition, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, of what occurred in the Crimea would hare been the greatest error,. If a people-is effete and a Government is a mere fiction, why the sooner that is proved in the eyes of the civiliz3d world the better. (Cheers.) -Well, you know what proof has been given upon these subjects during the last year. (Cheers.) You have listened to the modest and interesting speech of the representative of the Sultan this evening (cheers), and you must have felt while he was speaking that his Government and his country hare shown that vigor and that resource which shall prove that they have a right to be recognised among the Sovereign Powers of Europe. (Cheers;) ;The,independence of Turkey was a subject qf ridicule a year ago. The independence of Turkey whatever may be the fortunes of war —and war changes like the moon— the independence of Turkey is not doubted now. (Cheers.) It has been proved by. half a million of warriors, who have devoted their lives to their country without pay and without reward. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, you may ask me fairly on an occasion like the present, or expect me without inquiry to tell you, what is the prospect of peace in the present state of affairs. That is a subject which interests every one, I may now say, in every quarter of the globe. (Cheers.) I do not take that desponding view which some do upon such subjects invariably. _ I am encouraged not to take a desponding view because I remember what has been the conduct on principal occasions of the great and chief belligerents in this, poa : test. I cannot forget that thj? Emperor of Bussia, with a magnanimity characteristic of , his truly elevated charae* ter, announced on the eve of commencing this .war that his only object Was to secure the safety and happiness of the Christian subjects of the Porte (cheers and laughter); and that he pledged bis Imperial word of honour on one occasion that he sought no increase of territory. (Cheers). I cannot forget that His High" ness the Sultan has declared in the most

formal manner that lie is prepared to secure all those changes which will give to the Christian subjects of the Porte that safety and that welfaro which the Emperor of Eussia desires; and therefore when I have these two statements of such

high authority, made in a manner so solemn, aad so earnest by the two Sovereigns who are at this njoment in collision and in contest, I think I hare a right to say that peace ought not to be nn impossible achievement. (Cheers.) But then it is said there is a difficulty which prevents the Emperor of ltussia and the Sultan of Turkey, though they are entirely ngrecd on every subject, from bringing about this peace which is desired. It is said that the military prestige of ltussia demands the continuance of this war. Well, my Lord Mayor, there are different opinions upon the subject of military prestige. In my opinion military prestige does net depend upon a single victory either way. A single victory may depend upon chance and fortune. It may even, with the ablest commanders, depend upon transient circumstances which may not again arise. But the real foundation of military prestige is when a great country and a powerful Government can command the military services of a nation brave, determined, and disciplined. (Cheers.) And whatever may have been the accidents of the present war either way, no one can surely say of the Russian soldier that he has not proved himself an enduring, a disciplined, and a most courageous one. There have been feats of valor performed by him even in defeat which rarely have been equalled--as, forj^xample, when he scaled the fortifications of Plevna. (Cheers;) Therefore I cannot understand that under any

circumstances the military prestige of Eussia has been' injured/ "Sou will- say to me, "But hare you really no hope ? Can you not encourage the citizens of London on this occasion by giving them any hope of the restoration of peace between these two great Powers ?" I would say in answer lo such, a question as was said by a wise and witty gentleman of tlie eighteenth century to a friend who came to him telling him of his troubles, and saying that he had no hopeHorace Walpole said; "Try a little patience." (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor, with respect to the war, Her Majesty's Government have both hope and patience. (Cheers.) And I trust that the time may not be far distent when, with the rest of the Powers of Europe, we may contribute to a settlement which will not only secure that peace, but also the indeSendence of Europe. (Cheers.) My Lord Tayor, I trust when Her -Majesty's Ministers, whoever they may be, address your successor, or perhaps yourself, next year, the brilliancy of your historic festival will not be marred by speeches from Ministers who can only talk of famine and of slaughter. I trust that on that occasion they will be able to treat on domestic subjects of a more interesting character. I would take refuge in them myself, but I cannot assure you Lordship that Her Majesty's Government are cenfinced that there is any great revival of trade, and I cannot pretend that we hare been compensated tqr the depression of trade by the exuberance of the harvest. But, my Lord Mayor, all the same, I am not one of those who altogether disapprove the position of public affairs at .home. I am encouraged in that by reading the indictment which has been .made against Hey: Majesty's Government within the last few days by one who is our legitimate critic and orthodox foe, the Leader of Her

Majesty's Opposition. (Cheers*) I find the only charge Lord Hartinglon makes against the Government is that it mates erery class comfortable. (Cheers and a laugh.) My Lord Mayor, I remember— " I think t hare heard of a time—when a Government was accused of harassing < every class (cheers); and I_ must really leave it to the nation to decide by what Party they will be governed—whether by a Government which harassed them or by ; one which made every class comfortable; (Cheers, and a laugh.) My Lord Mayor; I cannot but feel that there is one great Bource of satisfaction, for Englishmen at this moment — I will say at this • critical moment. We know not what 1 four - and - twenty hours may produce .of anxiety in Europe ; but it is, I say, a subject of great satisfaction that the ;^people of this country are contented, (Cheers.) You cannot get six men to meet together to pretend to discuss a political grievance. (Cheers.) The people of this country, who always had some political existence, who always appre-: ciated their social position, have year by year become more educated, more thoughtful, more acquainted with public affairs. They have contrasted their position with that of other nations ; they have felt the great differences that exist between the two, and have arrived at the not very wonderful. conclusion that these differences are in their favour. It cannot be denied that the people of this country for 200 yjears have been in the possession and enjoyment of personal rights which are hot possessed by any other country (cheers); I will repeat what I have said in this hail before, not enjoyed even by the nobility of many other countries. (Cheers.) Ifecan*. not be denied that the great mass of the population of this country, besides their ancient personal rights, have during the last half century acquired political privileges, which, as some have thought, were too profusely offered to them, but which in my mind were offered with a wisegenerosity, and of .wh.ich they have phown fljemselves entirely worthy. (Cheers.) They are proad of their personal privileges and their political rights ; and they-are proud also, of belonging to an Empire which they know has been created by the energy of their forefathers through illustrious ages, "and which they are resolved to uphold and to hand down to their posterity. (Cheers.) My Lord Mayor I beg to thank you on the parfc of my colleagues and myself for the honour you have done us in drinking our healths, an honour I can assure you we all appreciate. (Cheers.) The noble Lord concluded, amid loud cheers, by proposing the health of the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor returned thanks.