The Sun. — London, England, 1823-09-15 00:00:00

DINNER TO MR. BROUURAM AT tiLASGOW. • Thursday being the day appointed for the public dinner for Mr. Brougham, about three o'clock the Stewards repairea to the Assembly Rooms. About the same time numbers of spectators began to assemble from all directions. $y five o'clock the street - in front of the hall was throngvl, to excess, every " window was tilled, and the tops of the adjoining Rouses were, crowded with spectators. The people continued neaczable and in grad spirits, and they repeatedly cheered the illustrious 'guests on their arrival. - The gentlemen began to take their seats in the ball about ten minutes before-four, and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards' the whole wcrc occu pied. Those, that remained afterwards were accommodated in aide room, Witt after dinner joined the comPany at n sideAable. At half.pastlive the noble Chairman, Lord Archibald Haiti'- . ton, accompanied by the Duke of Hamilton, Lord.Kinnaird, Lord Belhaven, Sir John Maxwell, Bart., the Hon. Admiral leming, and Messrs. Brougham and Deninan,, entered t h e Ilan, aid were received with the must enthusiastic cheering. The Chairman Walt supported on the right by the Duke of Ilatnilton, lend Kinnaird, and Mr. Denman, and on the left 1:y Mr. Brougham, Lord Belhaven, and the Hon. Admiral Fleming. , The Croupier, R. A. Oswald, of Auchencruive, was eupported by A. Spier*, Esq. of Elderslie ' A. SPiere, Air. Kennedy, ;if. P., Air. Maxwell, P. *iv* Esq., aad A. J. Hamilton', Esq. of Deleon. In addition to these there were seated at tour tables in the hall and hi the ante-room atiout, three hundred and sixty gentlemen. °iAfter The King," '1 he Duke ,of York And the Army," " The Doke of Clarence and the Navy," had been given from the Chair Lord Jl:flew tiaLD ant .1..r0x said he had now to give the hklth of the. Duke of Suisex, which ho was sure would be drank with Pet ulier pleasure by all preaent, as the Duke had t•lViatt himseli one of the limiest friends of those liberal principles which this Meeti o had assembled to commemorate. —(Three distinct rcounis of applause.) • The Chairman then 'gave, " The rest of the Royal Family, and may they never forget the principles that seated them on .'eßritish !throne." The next toast 'rile cause of liberty all over the , . . The ?Coble Cetettleteer said he had now to propose the health of .110..Brottglettne the occasion of the present Meeting. He hut} met with a reception worthy of his character, his fame, and him principles.--(Applause.)—lt was impossible not to con gratulate the.country on the change which has taken place in public sentiment. This meeting was assembled to congratu. I late Mr. Brouam on his character ad a professional men and a Stateeman. 'le was completely at a lois to know to which of the two citaracters to give a preference:--(Applause.)--'Phis was a Meeting worthy of such a guest, and he was sure his Mend would be flattered by the assembly before him. There was a time wlten it was hardly possible for twenty persona to meetwithoot being slandered as radicals, ara stigmatised as enemies to the prosperity of the country. He was happy to see • et) many men met who had the independence to think for them. eelyee ; and met to commemorate these principles which he had lahnurett'for twenty years to establish. Connected and imp. peru:d as he was wits: a family which might be a guarrantee that he Was animated with no othe.r , principles, than those of love .of his country, yet there were a great many both in this :town and neighbouriMod ••who considered him no - friend to his country, while opposed to the measures of any administration. lie was happy that his friend had had well tip opportunity of witnessing, the effects of his own laboore.--(APplattee.)—He did nut wish to say much respecting his friend, as he•was pre: sent. Anything he Could say woeld.be ; more than he wishes, less that* he deserves. He wee now before this city—and be. fare Europe, as an independent statesman and lawyer, This was the groundwork of lila fano,. Ile recalled to their minds a I,rretkt puttlic prosecutiten, which, for the honour and delicacy of the country', should never have been brought forward.—(Ap plsuee and hear 1): -.-At this time it would be improper to say any thing more at the prosecution itself. Mr. Brougham stood .untivalled in ability, zee', and r tirnincee.--(Applause.)— lie stood pre.eininent as a gentleman, a stateamen, and a lawyer. At a statesman what -public question had he declined ? is he had been a witness ha might enumerate some of his exertions - end talente, and he Might say of that individual, as WM said of air ancieat, that whatever he does, he does it in a manner us 'if he twee born for • that specific' purpose. Every merchant in hiSeereat commercial city.'t uul I recollect that he was the first that showed the intpolicy of the Orders in Council, and when the menufacturent were in dieteeee he brought witneeeee to the leer of the Houee of .Coininoite, and made their distreteing Tkey e 1 knew thy prominent part he took in the • eet:ert of the agricultural distress-•.-indeed they might run tee whole round, of every question that comes before the House of Communs--(otpplamie:) ',Could it then not be laudable to show their respect and atiiiiiralSon of a primp steadily• advancing in henour and fame. It was oisetingi like the present which jiavF value topic exertions and efficay to talents, Their -applause Omni:tied others to follow in the sante path. Great minds were, not animated by the love of filthy lucre, or of place er pension, but they were encouraged and animated by the countenance and approbation of meetings like this. he con. ' , eluded by giving " 3lr.'BrOugliarn." toast was, received with enthusiastic cheering which .lasted several minutes. When silence was Teetered, Mr. 11110 UtltiAm rose, and WAS received 'with loud and lang.contin tied cheering. When the applause had' subsided, ,he said, that he trusted they would accept of his warmest gra. titude for the, very handsome reception they had given him. Ile was almost overpowered with the honour they had done "?hiM, particularly in the way which they had received the men . tion of his name. lie would be still more overpowered if he thought the honour was conferred upon him from personal Motives ; but he Wei relieved from this emberrassinent when "he considered the groat and ilittetrious house to whom he owed his introduction—a houie loaded with honours in a very end -merit degree, who yet regarded its their proudest title their being ;considered ,the. staunch friends of the people.—(Great up. latuete)—The next cause of his warm reception, was his hav . ing 'followed' in the track of 'that great man, Mr. Fox; that • otatesman, who stood •forth at all times the champion of li berty,, and the able advocate of all that was useful for the rope ; who never lifted hie voice in vain, but When he lifted it tar 'the rights of the people. lie might next attribute his , reception to the change which had taken place in public opi- Pion. it was, indeed, a mighty change—lie might alma say i. revolution. Upon tide subject he could sp eak whit eon& • edenee, as 'he bad been a wiuieas. It was now nearly twenty years since he had resided for nay time in this country ; and it was more than fifteen years since ne had remained in it longer • than a few days at a time. During his present rapid tour he 'lad been highly gratified with the change which had taken place in the politic sentiment, especially in that which had occurred in this great and enlightened city, • lie weil remembered the last public fleeting shish he had attended in Scotland, it was in 1794. lie did not think there was more than one individual of tit,: present numerous assent ' faly who attended. on that occasion. Mr. Gibson would remem. .ber, and be a voucher of the. circumstance. Ile would be ex. eused for mentioning bis name ; for a more independent person and apright Whigetid not exist.- (Applause.)—'she Meeting in question was upon a subject of the first importance. Its object was to petition against the Gagging Bills. There were thousands reesembled on the occasion, and the Meeting was as }easeful as. it was numerous ; and yet the late henry Erskine WM deprived of his phtee at the heakl of the law, because lie presumed to address a Meeting of his fellow-countrymen, who bed met to remonstrate, as it WAS their right and duty to do, `against being gagged and tree tett like skives.—(Great applatete.) .113 mliguld like to Nee - the man who would now attempt any such perseatetion•ageinet. a ny individual who was independent enattgie'.4o uppose bad measures at home, or raise hls voice tsrps4uirt the vile and tletestaide proceeding* of tyrants abroad. tleieseeellear, l)—Ile should like now to see tile wretched erea usee's who abused petronege, and diegeaved • power—the Mini. were end the secopliante ut Minieters ; courtiers, end the slave' bt terartiere lawyers, cod tfL• creatures of buyers ; and all the other veretehee w ,vAtiiitt by the prostitution of justice—and the Ministers of the Crown, sided by the Crown inielf, who .a std de re to hike at either penalty or inhildhiberit for the free expoeselea of opireou in Scotiand.—(tlicene)— He ithould not liJco to See any man visited with penalties of any sort for oppos ing and branding curt UptiOn. Ile would dare the highest officer lw to winsper a threat now, similar to that which was Itigrma in the case of Mr. Ersleitie, a num wlat conferred honour on tee: profession, but reaped none from it, who was deprived ej Lie dig dignity because he had opposed the tyrannical proceed ings °idle Government. lie had not undertaken his present tour merely to see the beautiful anti romantic country ; it was not to see the hills and tufted battlements, for thew were ad strikittg three hundred years ago, when they were the dens of freebootere, anti, what WAS more, were thA property of petty tyrants who formed A pretty true reeeinblanee to the members of the Holy Alliance.. They were just as picturesque while their slopite were covered by naked starving eavages mut petty tyrante, who shared their r ev e nues, with tile licentious priest's.. —There WAS now a wide difference in the condition Bath of the people and of the priesthood. In Scotland there was a clergy egetally remaved from the dependence of poverty, or the luxury mad indolence of overgrown wealth, instead of the priests in Other Out:tries whoseeined rather to shear than tend their flocks. Thu Sc-Its were a people morel, educated, and cautious. They wok a lung while toenalie , up their, minds in :matters so difficult :ate the edits or St4te t but, once made tip, they were immoveable ae the mks, and kept steadily to their purpose with tempers smooth and unrittiled as their lakes.—(Great applause.)—Tho ilioatiou* family to which he had referred stood earth aeall tirtiee Lie! guardians of the liberties of the country ; and their exertione were pre.etninent in perilotte fifties, like the present, 14.."0..cr assailed by th,:l.icenl,iottsnesi of :he peopla 07 the power of the Crown, or menaced by a host of legal despots who had dared to exert themselves against the five Constitution of the country. He considered Scotland as the most interesting por tion of the civilized world ; and would leave it with feelings of gratitude and thankfulness, proud ,to observe that the cause of liberty had achieved a triumph which could never be lost. In proof of the great change, he would appeal to a constant friend of freedom. He would appeal to Lord Kinnaird e plio had been bred at this University; for the greatness of the change, and the rapid spread of liberal opinfons. He would ap to him freedom to in crease so fast as it had done in this country." 'The 'doctiinelfief freedom were infectious. If the Scots continued to propagate them among themselves with that steadiness and agility pecu liar to their character, England and Ireland would catch the , flame of Reform. It would spread from kingdom to kingdom, and be productive of the most glorious effects. The cause of Deeform, which was at one time all but desperate, was every day gaining ground. Ile had just one word more to say. lie im plored them all, as it was their bounden duty, as far as their milk in life and liberties would permit, 'to promote their con scientious opinions with that candour anti firmness which were the best guarantees of success.—(Great applause.)—He begged leave to give " the independenee and prosperity of this great itommercial city." professer 111Y1-11E.—I rice with much diffidence to propose the following toast, though I ant very sure that it will meet With the cordial approbation of every one present, I Mean - a reform of the representation orthe people. I fear thepresent moment Is somewhat inauspicions;for the proposal'of this senti ment, while we are In the presence of representativei of our country ; illustrioUs by their tank, their wealth, their talents, their virtue, and their eloquence, which have all been exerted to secure and save us from bad government. I would! not, therefore, at the present moment have propoeed this toast, did I not know that calmer reflection will lead you te ley aside any ideas of my pointing at them, as I wish solely to impress on you the importanmand necessity of a thorough and substantial ref form in oar representation. We have reason to rejoice that we are so united to preserve the rights of our country ; the friends of libertyhmong our representatives are but few, and therefore We have great rerson anxiously to wish for the means of filling the House of Connuone with' those independent representatives. --(Hear !) A reform is anxiously hoped for, as the only means of maintaining those rights which we possess. They might express their opinion, but they will have very little influence in reducing that atomises sop Position they meet with from Ministers, who fill the House with creatures of their own.. The only way to meet. this is occasionally to place those in whom we confide us the Lower House: Rut how rarely can we expect to place in that situation those on' whom we can rely. I would propose to qualify die toast I mean to .give by one word, that is, that the reform may be iethstatitial, that it may go to the root of the abuses which are the occasion of filling the House of Commons, as it has been, by the placemen and pensioners of the Crown; that the. right of election may pass into the hands of those who ought to possess it, such as would give rank wealth. and talents their due influence. A true and substan tial reform would give to all what they ought to have, a right of .election no less us name titan in substance, such as would have effects of the most beneficial' tendency, with injustice to none, and justice to all. I hive only to add, may the reform be a speedy one, with no unneccessary dclary, and no paltry evasions. I conclude by giving the toast, " A substantial and speedy reform." Admiral Feteuxei gave the health of a Nobleman, whose feelings, in favour of the people, were unequalled by any other public character of the day, and who was too well known in tine country and throughout Europe to snake it necessary for him 'to say any more than give the "Duke of Hamilton. "— (Immense applause.) The Duke of !Lem tr,TO te returned thanks for the very flat tering manner in which his name had been mentioned, and his health drank by so numerous and respectable a Meeting. He deeply felt the compliment, and would always be anxious to merit their good opinion. lie would willingly avail himself of this Opportunity to add his mite of praise to Mr. Brougham but of Ida virtues and talents he was inadequate to speak. lie would not express how much lie felt satisfied by his name being connected with the principles and rights of the pe ople, for which they do well to contend; for he was fully convinced that there was no security in any country for the lives, liberties, anti property of mankind, but from the establishment of that essential branch of all good good government, a proper represents. tion of the people. lie cordially wished that the people would succeed in obtaining . Reform. It was gatifying to him to fi nd that the liberal politteel principles, which he had originally and constantly mahrtaincd, bad gradually gained ground in this country, and were now so generally disseminated. He regret. ted that while the principles of liberty were advancing among the, people of this country, the Government should so conduct its fOreign ail:tirs to bring discredit on its ancient reputation, anti to lessen its proper influence among the states of Europe. Great liritain no longer retained the, estimation which she for merly enjoyed abroad. She, had ceased to be the arbitress of the' destinies of nations, to be the support of the feeble against : the strong, to be the general champion of freedom. Had the people possessed moreiberty at home, the character of the na tion would have stood much higher abroad. Ile felt himself so overpowered by the feelings excited by his reception from the Meeting, that he begged them to interpret for him those senti ments for which his former political conduct would procure him credit; but which he felt hithself quite unable adequately to express.—( Very marked approbation.) Atter the Trial by Jury, and Lord Erskine, had been drank with three times three, , The CHAIRMAN said he would propose the health of an' imlividual equally distinguished for the noble principles which characterized his Learned Friend, with whom he was passing through the country,—(Applauto,—and of whom it would be unnecessary to say any thing respecting his habits, as all who knew him would not only value him for his great talents, but for a most unassuming deportment; for he never seems to be sensible of his own merit, of which no other is insensible but himself. The circumstance of his representing the large anti populous town of Nottingham was a proof of the estimation in which he was held. Ile was elected into an office, the nature and importance of which was little known in this part of the country, that of Common Serjeant of the City of Londone-an honour which was entirely owing to the free suffrages of his fellow-citizens. Toast—" The health of Mr. Denman," with three times three.--( A great burst of applause.) Ayr, De et etAene-From the kindness of my Noble Friend, I am afraid that he has engaged in a conspiracy against a quality which he has attributed to me, for he has put my modesty to a severe trial. Others will receive a similar honour with the consciousness of greater desert, but by none will it be more highly prized. I know that I owe this honour to the inainte , Ounce of sentiments and principles similar to those which ani mate thislleeting, anti on Which the safety and prosperity of this country entirely depend. I. might, perhaps, claim some merit for constantly attending to Scottish questions. The Important question of Reform acquired great strength from the temperate Manner in which it had been introduced by the Reverend and Learned Professor (Afyine), which showed it was not an idle topic of mere violent declamation, but the settled and sober' wish of - every intelligent person its the land. He thought Reform was gaining ' ground from the high authority with which it was now supported. The ability, the calmness, the temperance with whic h that great and important question was "advocated by the distinguished friends around him, was grati fying to the feelings of every-honest and enlightened charac ter. Their undeviating attachment and splendid talents gave time most cheering prospects of success. Their patriotic and enlightened exertions could not fail to have the most happy in fluence, in one part of the Professor's speech he seemed to fear that the Members of the Lower House then in the Meet tine- would think that they were attacked,,and that that body could not need Reform which embraced such-Members ; but be appealed to the Meeting present that those who know that House best had the worst opinion of it. To be sure, when he contrasted the liberty which the people of England enjoyed as -compared with Scotland, the scale preponderated much in fa vour of the sister kingdom, for he though the iniquity of the Scottit.h borough system could not be surpassed in any coon. try ; but, Weed, even if the iniquity of it could be surpassed, he might say that the manner in which the counties were managed was yet more ridiculous and absurd. lie hoped, however, that by the exertions of Lord A. Hamilton and others, that in time the Member for Nottingham will sit by and shake bends with the Member for the city of Glee. gow.—Wrest applause.)—He now observed his lion. Friend (Air. T. F. Kennedy, M. P.) for the first time at the opposite side of the table, who had made such exertions to introduce into Scotland the Trull by Jury in proper form. A measure in which he had partly failed and partly succeeded. Although his excel. lent Bill of last Session had been lost, he trusted that he would persevere till it was triuniphant. _ Without the Trial by Jury, neither life nor property could be safe, anti it was the best educatiop for freemen to enable them to elect their own representatives. He fully , ' eoneurred in every sentiment of the list of toasts put into the hands of the Chairman, which formed an excellent system of principles, expressed with great force and discrimination. The Chief M agistrate and his" family are 'duly honoured, at becomes the friends of well rep hated freedom, and those principles maintained which unseated one family and placed another on the throne. There is also the cause of liberty now reviving in Greece, and I trust not ex piring in Spain, and yet, I hope. it revives In Italy and Portu gal.- (Very gree'. applause.)—All these questions of the liberty of foreign states intimately interested the people of th is coun try--nay, as long its one means of oppression exists in the con. stitution of this country, no safety remains for any individual. The Ministers offered lately to take credit for some improve ment in their system of Government—that they administered the Wes with greater mildness, and would be called a tax-re. pealing ministry. But the people know them and ditteetst them. What bare they done but reluctantly and tardily fol lowed the councils of the Opposition? and among those who laboured to put them - right, there were none more distinguish ed than my friend Mr. Brougham, of whom they were bung ling imitators and backward pupils. it was right that they should, as they were desired to do, reform the currency, but they should in the same proportion have taken off the taxes. They did the first but not the last. They have restored the value of the currency, and increased the taxes, and produced the greatest distress among the merchants and manufacturers, and deprived the people of employment by - ruining their mas tera. • rhis - brought on. misery among the working people— among whom, we have it now, on their own confesston, that they were the makers of the mischief by means of the spies which they maintained. • Yet the laws which they made on such pretences still stood unrepealed, the ready instruments of oppression and most wanton tyranny, a stain upon the coun try, and a fatal precedent for any bad 111iuister. Nay, contrary to the ancient usages of Britain, there is not a foreigner in the country, though he have lived in it 50 . years, who is not at the mercy of the .Ministers on any suggestions from the Holy Alli ance•—(Applause.)--Is not Ireland still governed by a most detestable Insurrection Act, although she begged hist Session on her knees, at the bar of the Commons, for an inquiry into her manifold grievances? lie begged to conclude by proposing as a toast on the deputation from the Chair—" The indepen. dente of the Bar of Scotland--a body , of men distinguished by knowledge, fi rmness of character, and love of liberty." d om . / aheymmasz,. Esq. of Kirkton, Advocate, returned thanks for the Bar. He felt strongly what had been said ; much of which fell to his share to witness. The Scotish Advo cates had the old fashioned idea that Government must be con ducted by military' despotism, corruption, or reform,.and they chose to prefer refusal. He well remembered the period when Henry Erskine was supported by only 30 members. Now he Was delighted to see the Independent Advocates amount to thrice that number. He bore testimony to the great amendment in the liberality of the sentiments of the people of Glasgow, com p_ared with what they tbrtnerly were, when they used to enter the city as it' going into a desart, where every friend of liberty was branded as a stirrer up of sedition. Ile hoped to see Glas gow the second city . in the empire for liberality of sentiment, as she was already so in every other respect. Ile begged to pro pose h toast, " The man who dares to be honest in the worst of times." BROUGHAX.-..." I have been kindly permitted to pro pose a toast which has no other relation to this meeting than that of cause and effect. T,e liberty of the press was the grandinstrUment of public instruction, the guardian of public liberty, and the best security of the throne. The great change in public feeling must be owin to the great improvement in the state of the press. When I first knew Scotland the press was in a very inferior condition ; but now the newspapers of Edinburgh and Glasgow, nay, even of some small inconsider. able towns, are conducted with a knowledge, liberality, and literary talent which will - .bear competition with the more celebrated Journels of the capital.--eminent as these un questionably are. The high respectability of the persons con cerned in these Journals is the surest guarantee for the pro. per use of that most powerful engine a gpod or evil—so use. ful in entertaining the higher ranks, and in forming the cha. racer's, and enlightening the minds of even the humbler classes. Ile trusted that they would long continue to avoid time-serving on time one hand, and violence on the other. But how detestable is the nuisance of the press when it is prostituted to the purposes of private slander, and rancorous and personal abuse, to which no good cause needs to resort, which every good cause disdains--and which makes a bad cause still more filthy and abominable. " The Liberty of the Press."--(Shouts of fervent applause.) .. • Mr. Lawr.tss.—l have come from Ireland for the express purpose of participating in the present entertainment. I have the honour to be the proprietor of a press in that port of the country—a free and independent press • and I appeal to the world, with an anxiety becoming my honour, if I have not dune my utmost in exposing bad government. After some compliments to the talents and public conduct of Mr. Brougham, and a recital of the grievances of Ireland, and apologising for his occasional supineness under the present system, he profered his aid, should Mr. B. require it, in furnishing evidence of the mode of administering' justice in Ireland. Mr. WALL/ter:, of ts.elly, prueounced an animated eulogium on Mr. Hume, for his fearless and indefatigable exposure of abuse in the public expenditure. Ills name was connected with every inquiry for the improvement of the general administration of allairs. " Mr. home, and a speedy termination of all wasteful ex. penditure of the public money."—(This toast was extremely well received.) Mr. MaxwEt.r, 111. P., rose amidet greet applause. He said he meant to propose the health of the Noble 14orti who had taken the Chair, for lie thought him peculiarly well entitled to the approbation of the citizens of Glasgow. It was difficult fur him to say all he wished, as lie would thereby trespass on their precious time, for he felt he could easily speak an hour with no other subject of iliseourse•than the excellent totalities of the Noble Lord, He had often had occasion to notice the interest lie displayed in the prosperity of the County of Lanark, and more especially in that of the city of Glasgow. His rank and splendid talents' had placed him among the first Members in the House of Commons, and he hoped this ►great Meeting would show that they were fully sensible of his valuable and extraordinary exertions. lt.-was unnecessary to attempt to de monstrate what they all knew, namely, that he had been on every Occasion the constant and Steady, supporter of the cause of the meanest mechanic, as well as of' the richest and most dignified individual.. From this fact might be gathered the purity of the Noble Lord's principles, as he acted in these cases for men from whom he could never expect any sort of reward. It must be truly gratifying to every lover of liberty to see such a man as Mr. Brougham among them, and hear the high opinion he had formed of the improvement in the po litical opinions of our countrymen ; and lie hoped that learned individual would rightly appreciate the applause he was re. ceiving, springing as it did from' pure and disinterested nmo. t i ns .. He begged, without farther preface . to propose the health their Noble Chairman Lord Archibald llamiltOn, which having been drank with great applause, Lord A. 11.mwrow, in returning thanks, said that he never felt a prouder moment than when he received the coun tenance of the present Meeting. He might safely retort the compliments which had been paid to him by the Ilon. Gen. Boman who had proposed his health, but he would be unworthy p or an the o l e lla th en place e e hsetaoteccumpietd, if he did not feel that the principal was correct. lie had never swerved either in good or bad times from his principles, and whether they had rendered him popular or unpopular at die time was a matter of indifference to Inns, and he now saw time proud con. summation of the line of conduct he had adopted. 111 r. Max. well had mentioned that he was an advocate for the poor as well as the rich, and this lie was proud to confess ; It was the doctrine of the Constitution that he should be so. In Scotland he took c u n a t y p o a net inure than one in 300 persons had a vote. He avowed that on all occasions, in the a ff airs of of Glasgow in particular.— If at tiny time he had not the good fortune to concur in opinion frtunla Lanark , interest, ald tie city with those to whom lie owed his election, lie was sure that no one would whisper that he voted from any view to his own per. annul advantage. I have always made it a special part of my duty to attend to the welfare of those who could not, flarm ob vious causes, attend to their own interests. T. F. Keeler.vy 11. P. proposed the health a gallant friend connected with that branch of time service which was always justly considered as 'the most constitutional defence of our country, a person equally distinguished for his duties in his profession, and those which lie owed to the public as a most active and independent politician. " Admiral Fleming and the Independent Freeholders of Lanarkshire." Admiral FLEetimeu—l shall not attempt ,to express my thanks for the great honour done me in connecting my name with the independent freeholders of Lanarkshire, as I ton totally inadequate to the task of giving vent in suitable terms to my feelings on one topic, by the respect I have for the quarter from wh ence i t ca me. I cannot avoid to say, that I hope Mr. Kennedy, who has brought in a Bill, the most im portant of any measure since the union, will not fail to perse vere in his excellent measure for rendering Juries independent. --(Much applause.) The health of Lord Kinnaird, and the gentlemen of Perth. shire, was proposed by the CHAIRMAN. lie had long known Lord K., who had lived for many years abroad, and he had no doubt retained those liberal principles in politics which he had asserted in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In one thing he had pro ve d this, because lie had the honour to be "Pen"' from the soil of France, by the present ruler of that country—as not worthy of France, but certainly France was not worthy of hitn..((great u pplause.)—This act was no more than justice, for . he ought nut to live in such a country under such a government. Lord Knestar nn was ta ken by surprise in being thus called upon, and felt th a t any t hing concerning him was too unimpor tant for the attention of such a Meeting ; but lie felt it neces sary to thank them for coupling his name with so very respect able a body as the eee t tre of Perthshire. But there was one sub ject on which he liad been asked to propose a toast, " The cause of Spain," a cause t h at warmed his heart ; and his Noble Friend had truly told them it was also the cause of Britain —though important as it was, he lamented that it appeared to be somewhat less d ear to t h e people of this country than it was sonic months ago; Some excused themselves for their apathy by asserting_ that the Spaniards - hail done nothing. Have they indeed d one not hi ng ? Have they not been attacked in sidiously anti suddenly and in an unprepared state, by the numerous and well appointed armies of France,--artistes which, too base to restore the liberty of their own country, are base enough to console themselves for the loss of their own liberty, by , endeavouring forcibly to reduce the Spaniards to the sane slavery with themselves. Some affect to despair of Spain, reduced as she is, to defend Cadiz, the last hold of her liberty. If to-morrow should announce the fall of Cadiz, and the cruel Inquisition, the imbecile Ferdinand, and the Ultra Regency of Madrid be restored, I should not despair of Spain—that cradle of future heroes. The crown, it is said, never dies; shall the cause of liberty and the people not be equally immortal ? It is one of the misfortunes of our own country, that persons are affraid to utter their opinions from a terror of being in a minority, and despairing of exciting popular and just feer. ings among the majority. But it is not by the enlightened mi nority that such feelings have ever been propagated till their ul timate triumph ? Why despair ? How long was it before this nation shook off the Stuart family? Did not the Stuarts twice put down British liberty ? and did not liberty, after various vicissi tudes, expel the Stuarts ? He was glad to see the great improve mentin liberal feeling since he last was in Scotland; and from this he augured a similar improvement in other countries. Hy pocrisy is the homage paid by vice to virtue; and the HolyAl- Bence, and 1 fear some intilguers in this country, hypocritically pretend to act with impartial neutrality between France and Sp ain—nay, when Parliament last met, a portion of the Ministry affected anintention to protect Spain. But although some of my Hon. Friends were rather too much disposed to give credit to the unexpected bursts of patriotic and liberal feeling which came from the suspicious source of the accustomed defenders of the grossest of our domestic abuses, perhaps they were will ing to hope for something favourable to Spain. It was fifteen years since-he had addressed an audience of his countrymen, and he might claim some indulgence. The toast his Lordship proposed was—" The cause of Spain," which was drank with plaudits. Mr. DEN MAN • then rose and stated his conviction that the cause of all the misery of Ireland was concisely expressed in the sentiment which he was about to propose He did not mean to dwell on. Catholic Emancipation—that question which had divided the Senate and the people, by which the people had been often artfully and basely infuriated for the most vio lent and sordid purposes; but lie was fully convinced, that without that great act of justice to the Catholics of Ireland, the Union was a deception and a curse, and it was better that it should be repealed than emancipation be withheld. In be. half of emancipation I have the opinion of the greatest men this nationhae produced-.4)f Fox—of Grattan—of Whitbread and Romilly—and I shall add, their fellow-labourer, my friend, 31r. Brougham. " The downful of that monopoly of political privileges in Ireland, which converts religion into an engine of oppression." The CriatnmAx then gave the health of Mr. Oewahl the Croupier. • The character of that gentleman was so well known in Glasgow, that he felt it tobe unnecessary to say any thing in his praise. He had always been an active and zealous advo cate for the cause of liberty. Mr. OSWALD shortly returned thanks. Admiral FLEW ma rose to propose the health of Mr. Max well, and the Independent Freeholders of the County of Ken. trew, which he did amidst great manifestations of applause. Mr. MAXWELL would be short in returning thanks t'or self, •but he begged to say a few words for his constitu en ts of the County of Rentrew, who, he believed, were the first persons who had sent a Whig Member to the House of Commons. lie had come to the present Meeting to congratulate their tribute of applause - to Mr. Brougham for his public conduct, and they would have been very ill pleased with him had lie not thane so, Lord A. HAMILTON next proposed a toast whichhe was sure would be drunk with the most cordial satisfaction—that of the health of Lord Belhaven, a Nobleman distinguished for the same liberal sentiments that pervaded the Meeting, and he regretted that lie bad not proposed it before. The late Lord, his honour able father e liad left him a legacy of fair and' unsullied fame, which his son promised to surpass. Redid not wish to say any thing that- would tend in the least to diminish the merits of the dead, more particularly of the late Lord Belhaven, who was his particular friend, and he would therefore only say, that the fame of the son at least equalled that of the father. The health of Lord Belhaven was drank with great applause. Lord DE L itAvr N . said he could assure the Meeting he was fully sensible of the honour they had done him, and he was sure they would believe him when lie stated that the manner in which his health had been drank, had in a great degree de prived him of the power of giving proper vent to his feelings. lie rejoiced sincerely to see so large a meeting assembled to do honour to the great and splendid talents of his friend Mr. Brougham, and still more to his independent principles. At such ,a late hour lie could not detain them, but would returnhis sineerc thanks for the honour they had done hiin. Air. Graham, of Whitehill, after some masterly remarks on the merits of Mr. Clarkson, gave " The universal abolition cf the Slave Trade. The Cum amaze next proposed the health of his Mend Mr. Kennedy. His Hill for altering the mode of appointing Scot. tish Juries was lost in is very curious manner. After passing the House of Commons, it was thrown out of the House or Lords, owing to a single expression from Lord Melville, that no particular practical - evil existed in the present system. If the Scottish 3lenihers be true to themselves, they will not be contented till they have some practical henfit, and still higher, an acknowledged defect in the law remedied. Mr. Kennedy has laudably persevered; 'and the voice of the people raised in support of the measure will have some effect. Ile felt warm upon the subject of Jury Trials, and was surprised to see the Lord Advocate, a law officer of the Crown, oppose the Bill, and treat it lightly ; on the ground, forsooth, that it would be troublesome to the country gentlemen.—(A laugh.)—.He trusted that the country gentlemen would not think of any trouble to attend on these occasions, and he hoped Mr. Kennedy would persevere till he got his Bill passed.— (Applause.) Mr. KF.I.INEDY, M.P., said the applause they had given to the partial introduction of his name, had given him more em barrassment than he felt in the prosecution of the object which had commanded their approbation. During three Sessions he persevered in bringing ibrwanl his Bill, and in one of them it was his fortune to get an alteration made in the law, and by perseverance, he hoped the object would be eventually attained. If he could have any sentiment of pride beyond that resulting from a conscientious discharge of his duty, it was greatly en. hanced by their applause. The English lawyers did not be lieve that the case was so deplorable till the details were laid before them. lie meant to persevere; and, encouraged by the sanction of their approbation, he found he had in this case done his duty. Mr. Sontag, of Culcreugh, passed a handsome eulogium on Mr. Gibson for having detected and exposed a system of pri vate and public slander. Mr. Gilmore was happy to have that opportunity of return ing the expressions of his warmest applause to Mr. Brougham, and to his worthy friend and fellow.labourer in the same cause, Mr. Denman, than whom a more upright and independent man did not exist. They had been all delighted with the eloquence and talents of those gentlemen ; but they had all seen men pos sessed of talents and eloquence—they had seen men who, while they dped honey from their lips, carried poison in their hearts.-(Applause.) —They had seen men possessed of talents and eloquence abandoning the best interests of society, but they were not met there to celebrate the talents and eloquence of any men, but rather the use they had made of them. They could not be all eloquent, but they were enable to be honest and conscientious..--(Great applause.)—He thanked Mr. Speirs, ,who was one of his earliest friends, whose public conduct had been highly honourable to himself and useful for the country, for giving him this opportunity of' expressing his gratitude to 'Mr. Brougham. Professor Pat ANs rose to propose the health of a gentleman, not for his being the fearless advocate of liberty nt home, not for his intrepidity by assailing the foes of liberty abroad, but for his exertions fin the difflision of education among the poor. In the British House of Commons, with all its faults, there were more sound practical knowledge, more talents, more eloquence, than there ever was in the classic pages of Greece, or in the Roman Senate. He wished to call their attention to that evil which lies at the root of all society, the want of education. —lt would be needles's, before such a Meeting, or in any assemblage of Scotsmen, who were themselves the best proofs of the blessings of education, to dilate upon its blessings, parti cularly in the presence of their illustrious guests. The only way to secure peace and prosperity was to lay the foundations of instruction broad and deep in the minds of youth. Mr. Brougham, after having witnessed the blessings oleduca. don in this country, had zealously laboured to diffuse it among the English, and give a p ro p er di rect i on to t h e c h ar i ty of donors, and coupled it with parochial instruction. lie was at loss which most to admire, the greatness and meg. nitude of the design, or the minuten ess o f th e d e t a ils. If this plan had formerly been carted into effect, the projector would undoubtedly have been considered one of the great. eat benefactors which the world had ever seen. These are the public acts, by which M r . Brougham is the champion of' the dearest interests of Brit a i n; and these are the claims by which he had rendered himself the object of public esteem. He was proud to give vent to these feelings, and lie should have been to blame had he lost this opportunity of tracing the steps of an .old school.fellow to fame and public usefulness.— (Applause.}—" He gave Mr. Brougham and the Education of the Poor," which was drank with great applause. Mr. Baouattnat said he could not help expressing his hope, that the important object which his friend had anticipated, in language better than he could do, would soon be brought about. lower class of society were the most useful, because the most numerous, and it is of great importance that they should be educated. The measure had been hitherto prevented from being carried into effect by the difference of opinion that pre. veiled between the High-Church party and the preiudices of dissenters. He hoped that each of the parties would Sae some of the advicewhich was regularly given in the cause of reform each to yield a little, and if they did not f o ll ow t h e same t rac k, they might at least take the same branch of the road. He would tie. tam them no longer than to give them a toast, which had just been put into his hands to propose--" A speedy dissolution of the miscalled Holy Alliance.' Mr. Doti oLae—The tout which I have been deputed to pro pose, is one which is so interesting to ourselves, and'so eminent ly honourable to our every way distinguished Chairman, that it cannot but obtain the greatest attention, even after the very eloquent addresses which have- delighted this Meeting; com posed as it chie fl y is of Glasgow Burgesses. In the present state of nos-representation, or rather mil-representation of the Scottish Boroughs.the interests of the inhabitants are entirely unprotected. When thegeeat question was some time ago . agitated for raising the price of the poor man's bread, and for excluding by the dearness of the labourer's subsistence, the produce of our manufacturing industry from the foreign mar ket, it was left. to our excellent County Representative, aided by the efforts of this illustrious brother e 'pee nobile fratrutni ; contrary to. the interests of . the land which the one directly represented; - and of :which the - other -wise - so large a pro- a: prietor ; to consider the poor man's case, and to oppose that cruel principle of legislation - which would enrich the rich by impoverishing the - poor. By the zealous and un- corainerable industry of the Noble Lord and MS asadtittres' in three. separate Parliamentary Committee on Borough Reform the abuses of that system are 'now familiar as. household words to every one, in a country were all can. read. Every man in the nation now knows that Scotland originally possessed freely-elected Borough Councils, the Trial by Jury . in Civil Causes, and a County Representation-founded on that • Basis of land, from which, as Lord Therlow says, it has en tirely slipped, as well as many other free Saxon institutions. But when, from rivalry of England, Scotland• allied herself to France, her Kings imported tromthat-conntry French insti- , totione and maxims of Government—the Parliament House without a Jury, and exchanged the freedom of her boroughs for self election. The whole i?olitical Constitution of Scot land became tainted with this Freud/ atom, contracted by too intimate an - .intercourse with despotic France; • her tair face is blotted with Rotten_ Boroughs and the or of *public voice and political utterance corrupted and - ae, stroyed.—(Much laughter' nd cheering.)-.-In sonic cities,: en e !urged by trade and industry, the respectable persons who dis diarge the unpopular duties of a self-elected magistracy would willingly receive their powers from the flee suffrages of thei r . fellow-citizens—in the smaller places the only traffic is in the liberties of their country.—lf such a depraved systesi is nut te be speedily reformed, it were far better that the boroughs should be at once disfranchised, than that they xliould continue to vitiate the Legislature by sending-Members who, with one or.. two exceptions, that can easily be explained have always sys tematically supported every proposition' of the Minister of the day. The burgesses of Scotland have their eyes fixed on • their faithful inflexible champion, and trust he will not be discouraged by the hypocritical appointment, by :he consent of the Minister, of the last ComMittee, by which every thing which the former Committees had voted to be proved-awes voted to be untrue ;' but that encouraged by what may fairly be termed his triumph last Session on the question of County Representation ? he wilt persevere in exposing to the Representatives of Eng lana the Scottish Borough System, by which they are daily outvoted and neutralized. Need I say more ; need I lieu soda anything , to induce you to hail with enthusiasm the wish ahat Lord A. Hamilton may, live to recover the long lost rights of the Scottish Burgesses.—(Vehement applause.) Lord A. HAIM-TOW at that late hour of the night mild not enter upon this important subject; but though he had failed in obtaining redress for his body of citizens, yet he shouldXtevec regret Isis labours for the praise he had got from that Meeting. , lie should be ill qualified for the discharge of his Parliamentary duties, if he considered success as the criterion of ioteg- , rity, or the uprightness of his motives. They would recollect when he firsebrought the subject before the House of Com mons. lie was told that he had made out no case —that.there was no practical evil in the system, as the fashionable mini sterial phrase of the day is—(a laugh) ; but, after a long und painful investigation, he hadhroughtforward a greater case. of corruption-than ever existed before, either in or out of Parlia ment. Ile would appeal 'to the common faellid of the meeting, if it was not a vise of law against will—or justice against 'nee justice—of the few against the many. A Magistrate had it in his power to manage the affairs of a borough, not as it suited the interests of the public, bitt as it suited tne - views of those - by whom he Was nothinated. Up to this hour, if a man squandered the funds, or seized upon the comMore.good of a borough, he eilia tained the sanction of his colleagues ‘_ , l tl i i e e w la as iv s h .en ad ai n b o k t o n f r t en be ie d d u a n ' e_ and were they to be told that there was no practical evil in such a system n e l t a t t i l s i me this I s t. t t ( , Li c a r n r e i d e a s t t h a o a P f t P , t , i l a i us o :4 l r o c , all ga ma s ters on.,,) i o v f th he e ti d h e e to c il o s ro at menced his labours, most of the borough Magistrates were re formers, but. such was the fatality of all those who oppose ea_ form in this country that, as they learned it would give more satisfaction at head-quarters, they got all their petitions with.. drawn. After three Sessious, in which he was ably supported by his friends, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Maxwell and others, they made out a case of unquestionable corruption. There was indeed a supeetiuity of it—(A laugh),.-it was sce great, so Obvious, they wanted nothing said upon the subject in de tail, and they refused to examine the very documents :that. had been ordered by themselves, and after wading through an accumulated mass of filth, the measure was abandoned ; and if there be any one thing in his . Parliamentary conduct. which he valued himself for above another, it was for going through this Herculean load of corruption. They heard the story of the ancient nation who made their 'slaves drunk to de ter their children from the vice of drunkennees These papers. might have a shnilar effect ; they had 'only to open the book, and see what sort of' a system was advocated. It there be any class of persons more deserving of attention, or dome collateral benefit, it was the popul a tion o f th e Scottish bordughs.—(4- plause, and hear, hear .!)- As lie before said, he would not ex tract any merit fo r himself, but from the honesty of his mo tives or the goodness of his cause. Bno u Han said the worthy Chairman had allowed him to take another opportunity of addressing them, and it would be the last time. He meant to ask them tO drink the health of one who was always et his post and always struggling in the cause of liberty—lie meant Sir F. Burdett.--(Applause.)—On some "subjects thellon. Bart. and he had differed—conaciene tiously differed—but it was always face to face—fairly and honourably as it became free-born men, and had consequently caused a better understanding, anti an increase of respect on hie part, and he hoped, nay he believed, it was mutual—and a more candid intimacy between them. There was not a man to be found who was more enthusiastic in the cause of liberty ; and he meant to couple along with hint Mr. Hobhouse, a most ac tomplished scholar, and extensively informed raan, who con stantly combated in the same noble cause by the' side of his worthy colleague. Igive along with the representatives, the worthy Electors of Westminster, who have done themielves great honour by electing free of expexice or even of c anvass . He then gave " Sir Francis Burdett, and the independent Electors of Westminster." • Mr. M'lastxx returned his warmest thanks for introducing the name of his worthy representative. It was a plain proof of the good sense and penetration of Mr. Brougham. He had had the honour of being represented for ti abort time by the late lamented Sir Samuel Homily ; but alas ! it was but a short time. 'Sir Samuel had a book which he was very anxious to have published. He ordered him to take it-to a friend, and Instruct him to prepare it for the prese t adding at the same time, " If he has not time to do it, take it to -Mr. Br oug h am . who has time for every thing, and he will do it." If he had never said more than this, this saying would last to eternity. This brought him to his worthy friend Mr. Denman, on whom he passed an eulogium, stating, that the Common Council had made him Common Serjeant, but they ought to have made him Recorder. Lord KIS atelllD would not like to propose a toast without embracing the University. They all recollected Sir James Mackintosh,--and the University had done honour in electing this illustrious Senator to be their Lord Rector. Out of re. sped for alma mater, and for the University, he would - give the memory of Professors Millar and Young, whi c h was drunk in silence. Lord A. HAMILTON then gare the health of the company, and good night. Mr. BnOUGITAM begged leave to join in the toast with sea timents of gratitude and respect for every individual present. His Lordship then left the Chair amidst the most enthusi astic cheering, and along with the other distinguiihed guests left the Hall. The most flattering mark of attention that could be paid to the distinguished strangers was, that the company broke up st the same time that Lord A. Hamilton left the Chair. Tun PLANET Mcitcunr.--,The proximity of this Planet to the Sun renders it an object but seldom to be seen throughout the year ; and when it is in aphello, or at its greatest dis tance from the sun, through the mists which ge nerally prevail near the horizon, a telescope must be used i n or d er t o ma k e a distinct clear observation. A fi ne o pp or t un ity, h o wever of observin g it w ill b e o ff ere d to t h e lovers of as tronomy, by its c on j unc ti on w ith Spica Virginis, which will t a k e pl ace on t h e even ing of the 19th instant, wh en M ercury w ill b e on ly 3 min. south of the sta r , an d t h ey may b ot h b e s e en together, in the west, soon after sun-set, should the , weather prove favourable.