POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
The Queen went again to the Dublin Exhibition yesterday ; and sub- sequently visited the Earl of Howth. She had been prevented, by the rain, from making an intended excursion to Powerseourt on Thursday. Her Majesty was to leave Dublin this evening. It appears that she pur- chased ten season-tickets for herself and suite, thus personally contri- buting to the pecuniary success of the Exhibition. Nothing has marred the felicity of the Royal visit but the weather ; and even that was brighter yesterday.
The Cutler's Company of Sheffield give an annual banquet on the in- auguration of their new Master. They attend church in the morning ; partake of luncheon, and dine together in the evening. This year Mr. Roebuck had promised to be present; and when the news of the railway collision at Hornsey reached Sheffield, great anxiety for his safety was manifested. All doubt was at an end when the favourite Member arrived in time to partake of the festivities of the day ; but he looked feeble, and bandages around his head gave some idea of the jeopardy he had been in.
The dinner-party mustered about three hundred strong. The toasts and speeches were very numerous ; the principal orators being Lord Ed- ward Howard, Lord Wharndiff, the Reverend T. Sale, Vicar of Sheffield, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Pete, and Mr. Roebuck. The speeches mainly turned on the great prosperity of the country. Mr. Denison observed that the West Riding is getting rich faster than at any former period ; it is one of the happiest families in the United Kingdom; - and while manufacturers are so prosperous their agricultural friends are throw- ing Op their caps for joy. Other permanent topics were—the improved relations between masters and men in the matter of strikes ; the French alliance ; the necessity of maintaining a defensive attitude towards foreign powers.
Early in the evening, a letter was read from Earl Fitzwilliam, in which the conduct of Russia in the late transactions was severely handled. Lard Fitzwilliam stated that he could not concur in Lord Pdmerston's opinion -that the Russians would evacuate the Principalities without a positive stipulation. A phrase in the letter, "The statue of Peace can only be worshiped in the temple of Honour," was loudly cheered.
Mr. Roebuck's speech was characterized by a Spartan conciseness and directness ; and was greatly applauded.
He began by a reference to his late illness; and asked his hearers to be silent, as he was weak. "Permit me also, asthis is the first opportunity I have had since the late long illness I have suffered, to return my thanks to my constituents for the kindness and generosity with which they have borne my. affliction. Not one remonstrance have I had on account of my absence from my duties. But great kindness and sympathy have been shown by my friends, from a conviction that I was absent not willingly, but in spite of myself." He joined in the general congratulations on prosperity. "But I beg you not to consider me like a Death's-head at a feast, if I warn you, though my friends have said that there is every prospect that this state of prosperity -will continue that still it may cease. It may cease from two causes,—from your own conduct, or from the conduct of parties abroad. In a time of pros- perity capital increases fast, and with its increase there is felt the difficulty of employing it. Thereupon ensues an increased degree of hardihood and recklessness on the part of those who possess it. We have always seen a time of great prosperity followed by adversity, because the recklessness I have spoken of has led to unfounded speculation, and that to ruin. These arc ominous warnings, and not agreeable, but they are honestly and sin- cerely given by me, and I hope will not fall on inattentive ears." Adversity may come from abroad. "I cannot look around me without participating lathe feeling of Lord Fitzwilliam, expressed in his letter. To be prepared for war is the best preservation of peace. I was present at the great Peace meeting the other day—the meeting of the fleet of England. Depend upon it, that meeting had more to do with the maintenance of peace than all the meetings you can collect of persons who profess to be the pro- moters of peace. The man who bears an injury tamely is he on whom all the bullies around him will fasten ; and if you give the world to understand that you will submit to insults and injuries, every bully in Europe will heap them upon you. But that day gave the world to understand that England was prepared ; and, believe me, it was a glorious sight, not merely because it showed our efficient means of defence, but the things which we saw marked—proudly marked—the wonderful power in men of pure intellect to govern matter. We saw a magnificent vessel marching against 'wind and tide without the semblance of motion but her progress onward. No propulsive power was seen, but, in the poet's phrase, she seemed to walk the waters like a thing of life,' and to dare the elements to stop her. That .great steam-fleet was the great curator of peace in Europe : and, depend upon it, it is no wise economy to cut down our means of defence. No man loves peace better than I i do, but peace to be obtained only by making other people respect you. They will not respect you if they do not fear you ; and England, to be respected, and maintain peace, must be feared. It is useless to blink the question ; it is idle to waive it. We are bound by the responsibilities of our position to act for you ; and, de- pend upon it, you will never find me hesitate to give means to defend peace by maintaining the Army and Navy. This may not be popular, but, de- pond npon it, is wise. If you are looking i to your own interests, you will lidep. to what I tell you, your for yo prosperity s dependent the conduct of wile; broad. We are told—I have heard it tonight—that our great ally on the present occasion is France : but do you suppose that France would have been our ally if she had believed that we would bear insult ? No—the inadt.would have been given ; if borne, it would have been repeated, and we should not have been a great people long. We are a great people, and we have the responsibilities of a great people. "On England, at the present time' are centered the hopes of liberty throughout the world. In this cornerof Europe liberty has now ha refuge and home. If England were broken down, Belgium would follow, Sardinia would be nothing; the despots of Europe would walk over the whole ; and liberty, freedom, and constitutional government would take refuge in that great Republic which emanated from you. But, having confidence in the spirit of our country, believing that you are what your ancestors were, I be- lieve in the future of England. I look to it as the great harbinger of civiliza- tion. The world looks to it for the benefit of mankind ; and depend upon it, that it requires you tO maintain the glory—though that i a hard word to use—the honour, and the liberties of England. If her liberties were broken down, Europe would be prostrate ; civilization would be hurled backward, instead of progressing ; and we should not be, what we are, worthy descend- ants of our great predecessors. "I told you I was weak, and I feel so. The few sentiments I have uttered have shaken me with emotion. It is not simulated, it is what I deeply feel. I will act on these principles, and in your name I will endeavour to main- tain the power, the honour, and the integrity of this great country."
Towards the close of the meeting, the Master Cutler, in his capacity as Mayor, combated the statement that Sheffield cutlery has degenerated of late in excellence. If some American manufacturers beat Sheffield, it is because some Sheffield men use bad steel, while the Americans use the beat. It is not in workmanship, but in the use of the best material, that the Americans excel.
Mr. Monereiff, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, addressed his consti- tuents at Leith on Thursday. The pith of his speech was an elaborate contradiction of the common assertion that Scotch business is neglected in the Imperial Parliament. All the bills he had introduced had passed into law—with one exception, the Edinburgh Annuity Tax Bill ; but that did not come within his department. The Leith constituency approved the Member's conduct.
The flourishing town of Bradford has been engaged this week in cele- brating by an appropriate musical festival the opening of St. George's Hall—a handsome building devoted to music. The performances began on Wednesday, with the oratorio of St. Paul; on Thursday the Messiah drew an immense audience. Mr. Costa acted as conductor ; the chorus- singers were supplied by the choral societies of the great Northern towns ; among the vocalists and orchestra were some of the best London artists. The town has been very gay, and the festival successful.
Sonic time ago, Mr. Lawson of Bath offered 10,000/. worth of scientific apparatus, on condition that a sufficient sum were subscribed, within a given time, to found a Midland Observatory at Nottingham. The time expires on the 1st of October ; and the Xottingham Guardian points out that 50001. is still wanting, and urges the claims of the project, so mag- nificently begun, on the attention of the wealthier classes. An Obser- vatory Committee sits at Nottingham—Mr. Alderman Birkin chairman ; and active efforts are made in Nottingham to increase its share of the subscription.
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