The Chancellor of the Exchequer,—whom it will need some practice
to connect with Mr. Lowe's name,—made an amusing speech at Fishmongers' Hall on Thursday, in replying to the toast of " The House of Commons." Nothing, he said, could be simpler than to justify panegyric on the present House of Commons. It had never been forgetful of its duty to the Crown, to the House of Lords, to its constituents, or itself. It is a body which stands before us absolutely pure and blameless. Its record is clear. Even of the Government it might be said that it had perpetrated no job ; shown no furious party spirit ; imposed no unpopular taxes ; got us into no foolish wars ; presented no discreditable spectacle of differences among its members. With regard to his own office, Mr. Lowe said, " You have only to wait a little time, and in a few days or weeks you will find, I have no doubt, an enormous surplus, a striking reduction of taxation,—in fact, a financial millennium beginning, which will, as a matter of course, go on increasing from year to year, until, weary of the task of doing good, I retire amid the blessings of you all, and the gratitude of a contented people."
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