The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-10-16 00:00:00

OCTOBER 16, WV). ww...—~~sc~•aa r. rr- .•.xsem - -n atv —- -. --!,' .--. ' 7ln+Atn . ~+vsß2e~c Well, then, this noble lord discovers that the House of Liras, which he had previously termed an Aegean s able, is per fectly clean, and it only requires a few Corinthian columns (of brass of course) (laughter) like-himself to make it perfect. (Cheers.) 1-lowdifferent his language will be; instead of the House of Lords being stigmatised as a useless house, he dis covers that it is the great bond of union between the re:twists and the eetiorse. ! 'ibis, gentlemen, would be the state of things it' such gentlemen were admitted into that honourable assembly. (Cheers.) But let such curses as alighted on Ma diah'e head, alight On such ministers as may introduce such • individuals into the II oustr'ef Lords. (Loud cheering.) Then it would not only.regairsia river, , but whole oceans to cleanse it. (Cheers.) -Vie whiile army will feel the compliment which has been paid them; but as to that which has been paid our selves, I sirell thank his lordship and yourselves for the manner in which it has been bestowed. But nothing wilt contribute so much to the peace and tranquillity of the country as the esta blishment. throughout the empire of conservative societies, and their annual assembly here and elsewhere in the maintenance of our liberties and laws. (Loud cheering.) . • Lord FRANCIS kleuterote said that he again rose to propose a toast. which it was impossible to pass by without accom patty ing..it with a few observations. (Hear, hear.) The toast which he inteuded-ttepropose to cad forth an expression of their senti ments. was otrestehich was paramotiut above all others. The • institutions which:'.it was the object of this meeting to support, were, in his opinion, secondary to others as time was to eternity. He knew that the audience before him feltsentiments similar to. his own, for the gentlemen of South. Lancashire had generally cc-operated to support the church of England and Ireland. They had seen the ministers of that church perform their holy office not with langour arising from possession, but struggling with dissent, he and they had seen them administer ing laboriously to the wants in the rise - and progress of a newly created population. The ministers of the church had perform ed their duty in a manner that it would be difficult to equal in any other profession. (Cheers.) A triteute, had recently been paid to them, which was exceedingly plea Sing to witness, by the operative conservative association, to which he should hereafter recur. Never was gratitude more cheerfully. expressed by per -sorts in that class of life, whomore particearly experienced the benefits of the clergy, than was on the occasion to which he alluded. Much good he knew was effected by individual exer tions,and none were more conspicuous in individual exertion than • the-clergy. He would ask gentlemen of-any profession, even as neighbours or ma g i strat e s, if the clergy were nut the most use ful, consoling, and charitable in society ? To sum up after all, he would ask whether eveu in the course of a lung and active life, the magistrate had been able to compete with the exertions of his honourable rival in the clerical profession? (Cheers.) Whether he hail been enabled to disseminate, to the saute ex-, tent, comfort, counsel, and consolation among his poorer neigh bours, and he ( Lord Francis) believed if .they cast their ac counts aright, whatever their means or their endeavours might have been,. they would have to say at the last that in compa rison with - them they had been.unprofitable servants. (Cheers.) If he recollected rightly, it was a clergyman of another estas blished church, 'dud one of its greatest ornaments, he meant. Dr. Chalmers, who had said that no nobleman of this country, whatever his munificence or his generosity, gave 'a propor tionate quantity of his income to charitable purposes with that, which his neighbour in the House of Lords , the spi rit ea l p eer, habitually bestowed. (Cheers,) This was the fact, and it showed that the system of charitable support and assistance to poorer neighbours pervaded every part of that church, froth the highest to the lowest. On this topic he would say no more than that these, were the men whom they were called upon to despoil. Tliis.was the institution in whose ruin,. by the intro, duction of the voluntary principle, they were called upon to assist, whose temporal ruin he meant, of other ruin he did not. suppose the church susceptible, for in ruin and desolation that church would survive, it was beyond the reach of the assaults of man. (Cheers.) Do what they might, they could not beat it to the dust. The ruin of her temporal interests they might effect s and of that ruin they were called upon to be, •if not the active assistants, the willing and consenting spectators. (Cheers.) This toast demanded from him no further com ment, as the institution to which it referred could hardly profit by auy eulogy of his. He begged to propose " The Esta blished Church of England and Ireland.'' The Rev. Mr. PARKINSON, in rising to acknowledge this toast, observed, that nothing could exceed the gratification lee felt in the announcement which hail been so eloquently pro posed and so enthusiastically received, except it might be . the Joy he experienced in being able to congratulate them upon the honour of their recent triumph.—(Cheers.) When they were last assembled together, they formed, be believed, a body of 700 men, not the least influential, not the worst informed members of South Lancashire, yet totally unrepresented in the British senate.—(Cheers.) They now stood together nearly 1,000 strong, as well if not better represented than any other portion.—(Much applause.) In this there was much matter of congratulation, but there was also, as they had foretold, a dark aide to the picture. When they last assembled they knew that clouds were hanging over the church, but they did not knOw that they were to burst with such fury, and from such a quarter as they had done. (Hear, hear.) They did not calculate that those who were conservatives by their oath and office should join for the purpose.of destroying one of the-hest institutions of the country. (Cheers.) They did not expect to see an unholy alliance between the very lowest individuals and the head of the empire to give to one party place and to the other power. (Great applause.) Yet such a contract had been made, and the destruction of the Irish church was the bond -of peace, thenceforth to unite together these two political Siamese twins. (Laughter and cheers.) It was desirable to know the ground of union on the part of the enemy, in order to know what ought to be the bond of union amongst them selves, and surely ',tithing could be a better or more clearly de fined union than that for defending the church of England and Ireland. (Loud cheers.) There were many points on which - conservatives might differ without division. Some might be . anxious about a corn law--some might be desirable of support ing the commercial, some the manufacturing, and some the trading interests, but we all should unite in defending the Irish church from spoliation and s destruction. .(Cheers.) It was quite certain that their opponents were united—on this point and on no other. Linking at - the government pape rs, the y would bee efforts making to reconcile the public mind to the idea of the destruction of the elan - eh in Ireland, and they all looked to some of the reasons 'urged in favour of such sa step ; flimsy they were indeed, but as the best, he would mention one or tune (Hear, bear.) As one of those, they wished to per suade-them-the-tate church in Ea:stand-an& the church iu Ire land stood on altogether different grounds, and therefore that the arguments for the destruction of the one-did not bear .at all WI the other; While,oneWas a nuisance the other was a blessing, and thus the church of England could be in no danger by the divi sion orthe annihilation in the other country. He begged to say that if they were to leave the high ground of duty and right and argue the question on the simple principle of expediency, the church of Ireland stoud on ten-fold better grounds than that of England. The church of England was so firmly established iu the hearts of the people,, its followers so numerous and so wealthy, that he verily believed, as their noble chairman bedsits served, that if the establishment were to he destroyed the next day, its ministers would be adequately paid and ' its followers as numerous, and perhaps more zealous than ever. But could they say the same of the church in Ireland ? How could they support two thousand_ ministers of - the gospel as sheep among the wolves—as light among darkness—as gentlemen among sa vages? (Vehement applause.) Let them pull down the estab lishment au Ireland, and they would soon destroy that of Eng land. The battle of the church of England was to be fought on Irish ground. (Hear, hear.) Another reason—if it could be called reason—a kind of discovery, for there-were discoveries now-a-days in morality as well as in railroads—(a laugh)— another reason was, that it was not necessary for a statesman to inquire as to what ought to be the established church, or to search into its truth. He was to count heads, not examine creeds. (Cheers.) And as soon as he discovered that church which had a numerical majority, that was to be the established church of such particular district. (cheat cheering.) If this' argu ment were worth anything, suppose the Irish to turn Turks, Lord John Russell and Mr. O'Connell wonel have to issue out from the Saracen's Head, of course across the channel, and de elare as Bonaparte had done before "there is no God but God, and Itlakeurnet is his prophet." (Chesni and latighter.) But they must use more- serious arguments. if expediency were right, then Jeroboam-was right in setting up the golden calves to prevent national defection.—(hear, hear, hear, and cheers.) Theta Ahab Was right in establishing the worship of Baal, when they were only left seven thousand of the Lord in lsrael.-- e (Applause.) -- But away with such cant, such flimsy sophistry, begotten on the abortion of ambition and infidelity.—(Cheers.) We trusted the day would never come when au English states man Would leave the truth out of his calculation, or when he slid so he might depend that the God of truth would soon desert him.—(Tutuultuous cheers.) But he had no tears for the safety of the church. Must of them 'night remember a passage iu the admirable novel of the Antiquary, " Bravo, Edie there can be no d tiger when the boy is ready to fight for his dish as the Lord is -for his land. And he said that the establishment was in no danger so long as the poorest peasant and the - Meatiest mechanic are ready to defend -theon.—(Applause.) lie believed that their opponents had played a - false card and hurled a stone whist would descend on their heads. (Cheers and a laugh.) The country was not. yet ripe fur the obstruction of an hereditary peerage, or her ancient and epititual faith. (Renewed cheers.) She knew how to value the'blessiug of an established religion, of a standard of scriptus rel troth, and seriptut al morality of faith without fanaticism, and liberty without licentiousness, and'nothing earthly" would induce tier to sacrifice that religion on the altar of political 'exPedieney. (Loud and protracted . cheering.) He looked foi ward (Ur brighter days for the church, and he 'relieved moreover that the torch which - hadibeen lighted throughout the laud by the faggots . that consumed the martyred bones of Cranmer, 'Ridley, and Latimer would; according to their own prophecy, never be ex tinguished, (Renewed cheering.) She thanlieel them once More iu the - name of th 6 united chart); of England aud.lreland for the honour that had been done to him and his rev. biethren. Lord. EGERTON then gave the "Lord-Lieutenant of the county," which was drank with loud cheers, Glee—" With a jolly full bottle." ..• Lird. FliAacts EGEETON' again ruse. In proposing the least which stood next upon his list, he felt it necessary, iu justice to the occasion which tied brought them together—in justice to those who heard him—and in justice to himself, to accompany it with some observations The toast he had to propose was " Success to the South Lancashire Conservative Association." (Rapturous applause.) Of the end and objects of that iustitu . tion he deemed it unnecessary to say a word. That end was maintenance of the constitution they had inherited from their thiefathers, and the liberty Which it secured to them. (Cheers.) But he knew that good objects might be sought by objectionable meat's; and with regard to the Means which they had adopted, for the defence of all they held dear, he, held them to be a Icei tiniate object for discussion. He was one of those who thought that political association required political justification, and the generation of power—for that, after all, is the object of po litical association—is not rashly to be adventured in politics any more than in physics. (Hear. hear) 1 'say they are not In be adventured rashly, or without due guarantees for the li mits within which they'shall work. So far, I agree with a no ble friend of mine, whose opinion on any subject I consider with the respect due to his acknowledged talents, and to my own appreciation, obtained by long private and public 'acquain tances of the integrity and principle which I believe to gavern everv'motion, public or otherwise, of Lord Stanley. (Cheers.) And it I differ from that noble friend of mine—if, indeed, I still 'do differ from him, it is in. this: that I do not look in vain for the justification of our welfares, (I-Tear, hear.) I find it in all the successive events of the few eventful years lately passed, and in every shifting scene of that drama, in which since the curtain drew up for the appearance of Lord Grey upon the stage, that noble lord has acted, as his talents enabled him to act, so Much more conspicuous than the part that has fallen to the lot of most of bis fellows. On this subject, willing to make large concessions for the sake of my argument. and that alone, Willing to attribute to those who acted with him that integrity which he knight say he knew governed his actious,—williug, to admie that no-base motive of political ambition, or vengeance tor long political exclusion, mingled in the connsels of the fram -Bearsand-promoters of the reform bill—willing, for the sake of his argument, that that measure, whatever its merits, was neres ry—that its necessity was furred, if they would, by too long eitistence, infatuated opposition, or any other cause to which they might attribute it—still, on the practical operation of that measure, and the events succeeding it, lie founded the justitiei lion of that society, and his own conduct, in meeting there the Members of the South Lancashire Conservative Assoeiatied. (,Enthusiastic elteering.) •• Lie had said he wou:d'uot stop to t uuside r the merits of that great measure of ella - ng-::--or; as ^7 , some called it, of revolution which had passed. It would be but an idle selijeet' of irquirv, whether lie, or those who thought with him were just;tied in iinsoking every sneer, submitting to every sacrifice, ratifor than join in promoting it, and sharing in the temporary popularity which was ra he obtained by junction with those which supported it. (Cheers.) This, at 7 least, ap peared to be now certain, that the tune •was passed when any of those who had advocated that measure could attribute to it that character of finality which he, in his place in parliament, heard Lord Althorp ascribe to it. 110 had ventured, indeed, at that moment, to doubt the.noble lord's power tai stamp it with that character, (a laugh,) and when that noble lord had sail he was prepared to stop where he then had placed himself, he certainly ventured to think that thei noble lord Was acting like tho mo narch who, in derision of his fawning courtiers, placed himself in front of the flowing tide, and said, "Thus far shalt thou go and no further,". (Lend cheers.) This, however. might safely he said; that a process was going on, the object of which was to familiarize, to debauch the public mind, (great applause,) to prepare the waylor the separation of every link of long attach ment existing iu the national mind towards its institution—to debauch it from its attachment to those privilNses and liberties which they'had inherited from their ancestorsto he repeated, the public mind with charges so extensive that a few years ago would have been considered as the contemplatipus .of insanity, and the ravings of adiseased imagination (Cheers.) If they wanted proof of this, k he reserred them to the list of inotioce,Ahe bill of fare prep4reci for the declaration, - and the amusement of the House of Commons, which was shortly to meet. (Much cheering and laughter.) They would find there measures proposed—not, he knew, with the view of their being carried the next session —but with the view of familiarising the minds of the people with the atrocious principles which they involved. (Wear, hear, and much applause.) The object was that those motions, and those which he lacked the time, as they, he was sure, most lack the . patience, to enumerate. (Cheers.) This was the process going on; by this system they were assailed, and against this danger they were standing upon their defence. (Great applause.) Were they to look to the prerogatives of a limited monarchy, or to the virtues or other qualities of him who sat upon the throne? The'abstract theory of our constitution had told them that the king could do no wrong. They had learnt, from recent experience, the sterner lesson, that the king could do no right, if the support of some adventitioes - aid were not afforded to those foundations uppn which the throne was based. (Loud cheers.) Were they, then, to look to the House of Peers? If they could look to -the. wisdom, the courage,' the virtae, and the fidelity of others,.they might well look to the House of Peers. (Cheers.) But the fact was—they could not deny it—that the House of Peers must look to them for existence. (Hear, hear, and sheers.) Some there . _were in that assembly who were con nected With:the peers; but the mass of those who were there were the coimnons of England. (Much applause.) They were the English commons, and in the house which represented those commons they must seek to have their feelings, their opi nions, and their attachments—he was ashamed to say at pre sent they,hail none of them duly.represented. (Cheers.) This was the means of defence they were called upon to adopt. They felt bound by every tie which bound them to their common country so to do. Let them .remember that_when the posses sion of privilege was concerned, however rightful that possession, the tendency of long Confirmed usage and security was natu rally to inddee over confidence. (Hear.) All this must be thrown off. Mutual exertion alone could ensure success; they must struggle shoulder to shoulder—they must - know the ele ments of their strength—they must know its anieunt, and when they knew that it was too weak for the contest, it might then be time for the reign of anarchy to begin. (Immense applause.) Perhaps, 'the greatest man this country ever produced—he meant in the disquisitions of philosophy, quoted in a work re cently published ; and which recommends itself to perusal, al though the memorials of one calling himself a whig—he meant the" Lite of Sir James Mackintosh "—a work worthy the study of every gentleman there—and every gentleman there, he knew, loved his country,—(lond cheers)—this worthy man, to a friend, observed—" On this theatre of life, God and angels alone are permitted to be lookers on." If ever there was a time which illustrated the truth of that maxim, it was the time in which he then stood before them. Loucicheers.) •If, indeed, the con test which he averred to be then raging were one such as the history of this country and most civilized countries sometimes knew —struggles whether the official power and honours of the crown should abide in one succession of great names rathlir than another—the white rose, and the red ribbons, and the yellow keys should devolve to one great family or be stuck on the pockets of another—(loud cheers and laughter) —he, for one, confessed he should be tempted, by every consideration of his propensities, his tastes, and his domestic affections, to usurp the prerogative of the angel, and be a looker on: (Cheers and laughter.) He fur one now felt that that was not permitted him. (Cheers.) Oa the general merits of the reform bill he had said he should not speak, and he would keep his word.. But on one particular clause of that bill he would rest the justificatton of the efforts of that society. (Hear, aud applause.) The object of ,that bill might be a great one. He trusted it would be found as conducive to the prosperity of the kingdom-as it had been promised to be; but at least" this he knew, that if peace were an evil,: that clause had given them the blessing of perennial and national strife. (Much cheer ing.) If a blister—a periodical blister, not unaccompanied with blood-letting, be a trifort, a blessing, an emollient, the registration clauses of that bill supplied it. (Reiterated ap plause.) They were reeking froM the strife; they knew it by experience—he knew it but by theory; their hearts were heat ing from the conflict, the sweat of battle was upon their brow, and they could consequently understand him when lie said that those clauses of the' bill deserved the thanks of the community and of that society, upon one condition, which the poet had:put into the month of a sorcerer in the case of a spell to summon a reluctant demon— Si bene de vobis cirilia bella mereatur. —Wear, hear, and loud applause.) If that were so of civil war and shire, and if those who used their strenuous ex ertions to bring about so happy a state deserved well of their country, then did the framets of those registration clauses de serve their warmest thanks and acquiescence. (Loud cheers.) .But be they what they might, they were the law, and be was speaking-to those who obeyed the raw. (Renewed cheers.) It was this alone which made it impossible for them to fight the battle of their dear, their own 1 )6 vileg,es, without combination, without constant communication. Every man should know with whom he had cononuimication. (Cheers.) ft was nonsense • to disguise - it : men must tic open; they liSust n'ot leave it to the isuleted exertions of individuals to protect their own interests. Wear s hear.) For himself; he could confidently say, though he was one whom they might consider had interests to protect, he shoot() neglect those interests. did he not know that others would join to the strife in which he, as a unit, would be worse than useless. (Cheers.) These were the reasons which made conservative associations necessary. There was no use abusing them-s-there was [louse arguing against them—(cheer's)—they were the inevitable consequence of that very measure to which he had alluded. (Cheers.) . They could nut have avoided theta Haley -had been so disposed. ( Hear, hear.) They were the necessary fruits of that measure in which his noble friend had as sistec4 because, as he knew he felt convinced, the country would profit by it. (Loud applause.) He had taken the liberty to say that with all their loyalty, and with all timely sense of the conduct and character or the peers, they must nut look to them for 'assistance against what they had to dread. ( Hear, hear.) Would any one tell him to look to the sworn assurance of the crown for the national happiness, honour, and security? (Cheers, and shouts of " No, no.") The House of Peers was one of the principal objects of attack. bile knew many mem bers of the government were connected with that house, and he might be asked, as, in fact, he had been asked, " Do you think that the son of the Duke of Bedford will assist in the demolition of the House of Peers !" And still more cogently he might be asked, whether the Lord Melbourne of 1625, a man whom he had followed unequally in debate against the reform bill in .all its parts—for whom he had a great regard, as every one must have by spending only five minutes in his company —the most atractive man, in short, that ever he knew —he might be-asked, would a man like that, coupled with the fulluwers of a statesman whom many there present might have beard en the Exchange of Liverpool—he meant Mr. Canning —muscat to such a treasure? Would they not attend to the call for protection and support? He did not know, if they ap plied to his personal friends, as many of them were, what would be the answer; but he believed that if they lived in the palace of truth, and everybody was obliged to return a true answer to everything that might be asked of him—he believed the re sponse would be something to the following effect :—" We see the danger to which you advert; it concerns ourselves; and we would gladly avert it: but we see another of much greater nag nitude and importance. In our opinion, we are the only peo ple fit to govern this country, (some of them, he verily believed, conscientiously thought so,) and the first duty we have to per form is to prolong the tenure of our official duties by every moans in our power. (Roars of laughter.) Now we cannot protract that tenure by the realization of all our promises, or one-tenth, or even one-hundredth part .of the promises we came under when talking irresponsibly and in a friendly man ner to the country while in oppusition. (Cheers.) It is impos sible: we are obliged to rely .not on popular improvements; those we should have had great pleasure of affording, if we. could—(he gave them full credit for their sincerity of inten tion) —but we cannot do it: we must do it by popular expedi ents; and if you wish our support—if you want a coalition — you must obtain the advantage of the popularity we have ac quired—(be would not say hovv)—Lyou must contribute to the popular stock of these expedients—not come and oppose the little defects of our measures; you must nqt turn the criticising eyes of another house upon our designs, per dispel the Oran, toms we have toiled to create: Wo to them that do so! We will not protect them from the consequences of the commotion which their conduct, will inevitably produce. (Cheers.) For example, whet labour has it• cost us—what toil, what favour, what money, whet . eommissions—(cheers and laughter)—for some burnt edit of corporations have existed, dud many defects of time, and the small abuses consequent to exclusive privileges had crept in among them; but what labour we had to convince and excite,an iguorant and unfeeling public to a sense of the _grievances they ought to have suffered. (Great cheering.)— But then come the peers, and our measures—(be would not say how far calculated to remove the soil)—are rejected, and so that one great object, to which all measures ought to have reference and are accordingly directedthe securings of our official ex istence—are defeated." (Much cheering and laughter.) Arid by whom was this down ?. By a body of men famous since the revolution—he presumed of 1.688i-stor ignorance and habitual dependence! (Hear, hear, and ironical cheers.) That cha racter had been stamped upon them to all,posteritv—stamped on them by the judgment of one of whom he would speak with unabated respect for his advanced age, and the great ser vices he had rendered as a landlord and cultivator of a large property in the county of Norfolk. To him the country would be ever grateful for having turned to another subject that intellect and experienee theretofore limited to- the estimating cattle—(a laugh)—and proceeded with all the abilities so ac quired to gauge` the independence and estimate the virtue of the House of Isisds—(loud cheers)—and the result of his thirty long years' experience was the verdict that no man otherwise than dependent bad been admitted to that body. (Much laughter.) Till he heard that, fro m suc h au th or i t y - he had cer tainly not been aware of it, and it must follow that those whd had been added to that assembly by the present government were neither more nor less than component parts of that mass of servility. (Reiterated cheering and laughter.) "To that busty," said they, " so ignorant and. dependent as you see, we will give support yet a while—if we cap; but upon one condi tion: you roust emerge from that cloud of darkness and ig norence into which you have hitherto walked—yeti must quit' the trammels of ,selisgovernment, the fetters of free discussion — . you must think as we think, walk were we bid you, and you ll never want A champion and protector as long as whig ministry remains in power." (Roars of laughter and applause.) Now, he believed they were not prepared to give up what they considered an integral part of the constitution. (" No, no, never l") He advised them, then, not to rely on the aid of his Majesty's ministers. (Laughter and exclamations of "Oh, no !") If they could get it, well and good ; but let them nat leave it—let them not trust it. Let them trust to their efforts —let them associatethemselves—let them register their votes. (Loud cheers:) ,tteAd not say, register for this administration 9 , r that —not to bripg yr' pre maim and oust another—not for any jchser,eriy presiit l st if intSfitting by the assistance'of those who were. in nower- 7 not, %.,14c - Ct Lord John Russell or to bring in Sir llohest P t pel,',..fitif„,lO support the. constitutional monarchy which th4,.lied ; inh er ited froni their fathers, and were bound to leave toilioi,i.Oildreri--(rapturous applause)—to resist the in troduction•.tiii s early introduction . , bra pure and unmixed de the rain of the altar and the throue. it, .14,.11110 . ...,.3 , 44b , . ( Tremendous e:)eering.) Lie gave them-- Me South Lan- Con set native Association." Nothing could exceed the effect produced by the speech of the oob.le chairman. The ironical parts.were given with a cool ness of sarcasm which told wonderfully upon the audience, and kept them. as will be seen by the indications interspersed, in an ecstasy of laughter and excitement throughout. • Lord FRANCIS Eiaette.osetheri rose and said that it was for tunate for him that the toast he was going to propose required less comment than the last, for the memory of the services of the noble lord on his right to the association would be sufficient if he (Lord Francis Egerton) was not speaking to the immedi ate friends and neighbours of the noble lord, with whose virtues; both public and private, they were well acquainted. The toast he wished to propose to them was—" The health of the Earl of Wilton, president at their last anniversary." The toast was enthusiastically drank amid loud cheers. The Earl of WILTON, in return for the compliment, rose and was received with loud cheers. He said that it was always with feelings of much pleasure that he had on every public occasion met the gentlemen connected with this division of the county and its neighbourhood, and it was with feelings of gratitude he had to say it had ever been his tot to obtain from those gentle men feelings of respect—on no occasion could he meet them with more infinite pleasure than upon the anniversary of the establishment of this great and important association, over which he had the honour to preside last year. Great and important. he thought was that meeting of last year when he looked round and saw the consequences that had resulted from it. (Cheers.) Not only in the county of Lancaster had conservative associa tions started up and strengthened theinselles, but he was proud to say they had spread themselves to nearly every county in England. (Cheers.) The example of forming associations of a legal, loyal, peaceable, and well-regulated nature for the de fence of our rights and liberties, civil and religious, was first set in this county, and had diffused itself far and wide in arrest ing that storm which last year threatened, and he believed still continued to threaten us. (Cheers.) He might say this when he said that never in any session of parliament were sentiments 'inure revolutionary. uttered than in that which had just gone to its account. (Cheers.) Never had opinions been broached more subversive of law and more entangled with intrigue, under the clap-trap name of reform, to undermine all our institutions in church arid slate, than in this last session. (hear.) lie hoped they would all bear witness that he had never made use of expressions ill-timed in reflection upon the characters of others, but he felt it impossible to sit still and see the govern ment of this country act and go hand in hand with such a mats as Mr. O'Connell. "If any doubts existed in their minds of the character of the existing administration, they would be dissi pated when they knew that within the last few days that man (Mr. O'Connell) had been received at the table and at the pa lace of the representative of their King, whose brother but the day before he had most basely abused, to - whom he had made use of expressions that ought to pet him out of the pale of Society, (Loud cheers, and cries of 4 ' . Shame, shame" !) It was impossible to witness such circumstances as these with out deprecatiug them. The itinerant missionary, in his travels lately through this kingdom, had had the audacity to.attsek and attempt to degrade that portion. of the. legislature to which he (the noble lord) had the honour .to belong. . With all that per son's sagacity it was astonishing to him that he should have been led into such an error. It was difficult at all times to reply to the dictator of a selfish and degraded mind, and also to defeat the motives of the designing ; but whatever Mr. O'Connell had chosen to state was known to be untrue. If be might judge from the feelings of the ceuetry, and the dense population of the county with which he was more particularly acquainted, a fair criterion he would say was given that the spirit of attachment and . good feeling which has been a link between all classes of society still existed.. That good under standing, he was proud to saw, still was prevalent towards those whose birth, education, or talent had raised them to a higher station in society (cheers.) He thought they would agree. with him that / the current of public opinion ran in favour of the House of Peers. He (the noble lord) would ask why it did so. Why, happily for the independence of the coun try, a love of fair dealing had always characterized the acts of the House of Peers, despite of the popular clamours during the last session of parliament. (Cheers.) The people of England could not be blinded to the fact, that in the House of Peers there was legal talent, and statesman-like experience which was not to be found in the other legislative body. They were well aware that the independence of the House of Peers, in a great measure, arose from the fact that they had greater oppor tunities of judging for themselves. 'When their duties in par liament had concluded, the peers returned to their houses to live in social intercourse with those around them, to mix with their neighbours, and diffuse amongst. them that which educa tion had taught them to diffuse. They also attended to the wants of the poor, and he believed the House of Peers were en titled to that tneed of respect which no man of honest disposi tion, he thought. would refuse to concede to them. (Loud cheers.) He had to apologise for occupying their time so long in speaking of a branch of the legislature with which he was himself connected, but the unfounded attacks that had been made by Mr. O'Connell, in conjunction with the government newspapers, could not be too forciffly repelled. It was highly gratifying to him to see the meeting they had that day wit nessed, and he knew he was addressing an assembly, not more remarkable for its numbers than for its character and independence of which it was composed. He would impress upon each person present not to sit down with the opinion that the country would survive the -attacks that hail been made upon it, but each to be alive, and eager again to see that day dawn upon the country when the hopes of England's unnatural children should be laid low. (Loud cheering.) He hoped that the institutions which constituted the glory arid freedom of the country would not be shaken ; and the time was nat far distant when an indignant people would see the nieces city of throwing off the yoke of a weak and compromising, go vernment, and not suffer them to fill up their catalogue of de linquencies by heaping insult upon insult upon their country. (Cheers.). He thought that the time was not far distant, what-. ever might be the different shades of political opinion, when that statesman whose integrity and whose industry had raised him to that high station wince he had held but for a short time would be recalled for the benefit of the nation and his own honour. (Loud cheeri.) 'The noble earl concluded by eel.- gisiug the noble chairman, of whom he might say that the con stituency of South Lancashire could not have chosen a repre sentative whose honesty and integrity, whose abilities, whose commercial relations in the country and highly cultivated mind rendered him peculiarly adapted to fill the situation. He was confident elaeet tlaair 40.10 reresentatiee would e ein..fiarehering. his own commercial, political, and religious views, be acting in Concert with .his constituents, and that they would not repent of the choice they had made. The noble lord concluded by proposing the. health of 'Lord Francis Egei ton. Lord FRANCIS EGERTON then rose amidst vehement and long-continued cheering, and said, Gentlemen it is impossible for me, however other • occasions will call upon me to ad dress you, not to take this occasion of thanking you for the manner in which von have drank my health. I estimate this c,iinpiiment most hi lily, because it convinces me, that not only on this occasion, tart - on other occasions in the execution of those duties which you have entrusted to my care in oerliainent, you have overlooked those deficiencies and rewarded me with your friendship, whiA is the best reward I could receive. You sent me to parliament . under circumstances which enabled me to support the minister, not for any power which he could bestow, but because you thought his system of govern ment was the best adapted to the best interests of the country. (Cheers.) I did my best to give him my support with the mem bers of England. We were however overborne by an infusion from Scotland and Ireland—we were overborne, but it was not on that account I should be led to relinquish those arduous and onerous duties which you have imposed upon me. In other circumstances, had the power of that great minister been con solidated, I should have been disposed to think that my mi nistry had been accomplished. (No, no.) Such, however, was not my good fortune, and I feel it my duty to continue by him, and / feel that I shall reap from you that approbation which will add fresh stimulants towards the performance of my duty. (Cheers.) I will not trouble you further than to return you my toad acknowledgments for the manner in .which you have thank my health. (Loud cheers.) The noble lord then said, with your permission, gentlemen, I shall call upon Mr. • Fitchett of Warrington, for a song. Mr. Fitchett immediately complied with the noble chairman's request, and sung the fol lowing sung, which was loudly cheered throughout:— SONG, ON THE OPENING OF THE SOUTH LANCASHIRE CONSERVATIVE HALL, AT NEWTON, ON THE STH ocTO/111R, 1835. TUNE —Death of Abercrombie. 'Mid peril's dark hour, o'er Lancastria's wide plain, Whete commerce, with science and arts in her train, Hails the muses and graces, her suns, firm and good, First in phalanx of emulous union stood, In support of; their king, their religion, and laws, These rush'd to assert THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE. Chorus—ln support, &C. -- From this parent stock, ever Britain now grows The tree, not confin'd to the scene where it rose, But alike thro' our empire its far-spieuding shade Sheds the dew of its shelter,—its health-giving aid; For whate'er genial soil its kind influence draws, There flourishes too THIS CONSERVATIVE CAUSE. Chorus—For whate'er, &c. Assembled, behold ! as by magical call, Wittily canopied spell of this palace-rais'd hall, (Pleas d loyalty's temple,) in brotherly baud, The virtue, intelligence, wealth of the land; True friends, who their country to shield never pause, But whose.watch-word is Still THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE. Chorus—True friends, &c. Presence here of her best—her high-born—her grac'd peers, Combin'd heart and hand, the proud festival cheers: Her merchants ; like princes, crowd too to the deck, Nor in tempests will yield the state vessel a wreck : Honest industry's piitrons, whom unity draws, Prove the people's best guard THE cONSERVATIVII CAUSE. Chorus—Honest industry's, &c. tier sons here Lancastria arrays not alone; But her beauty a witchery claims of its own, Where the soul, as it brightens the heavenly face, Shows a model of goodness, that hallows its grace : While the fair, who prize worth, deign their valued applause, Their smile shall still breSS THE CONSERVATIVE CACSR. Chorus—While the fair, &c. Oh, England—our country! illustiions name! — Oh, nation of heroes,—of virtue.—and fame ! No faction shall wound thee! Tho' dangers beset, Thy sons are still Britons, and true to thee vet : Brutal clamour's base rage thy rous'd lion o'erawes, Fur his voice still protects THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE. Chorus—Brutal clamour's, &c. The pride of this'day the glad signal shall be, • That Britannia shalt still he united and free: • Thousand beasts, new-inspied, the same courage shall warm, And the flag of Old England shall beam o'er th storm; For our heritage—homes ; monarch, altars, and laws,-- Eternal shall IiVe.THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE. Chorus—For our heritage, &c. Lord FRANCIS EGERTON again rose and said, gentlemen, I have a toast to propose to you, upon which a single comment would be ill bestowed. I give you the health of " The Duke of Wellington." (This toast was received, as might have been anticipated, with the most vehement and continued cheering, iu giving which' the whole assembly stood up, and when " one cheer more" was called for, it was g iven in such 'a manner as would have endangered the safety ofa less substantial building.) Mr. WALTON then sung, iu the most tasteful manner, " The British Grenadier." Alr. T. B. HMISFA LI. said that the next toast was one which could not with propriety emanate from the chair, and the duty of proposing it had been assigned to him. Before doing so, however, he would beg, in addition to the congratulations which had been already offered on their great accession of numbers since their last. meeting, to offer his congratulations on behold ing in that noble fabric, in which they were then for the first time assembled, a substantial evidence of the demi minatiou of the men of Lancashire to uphold 'to the last those sound con stitutional principles which they all admired end loved—( cheery) —principles which he was convinced, with their noble chairman, were rapidly spreading not unit' in that county, but in every town and county throughout the .land. He was convinced that those principles were now set in, and set in with a correut which all ;he radicals of England could not stem h. ers) - even TIE I,i' - k'T T izi) . .ooi, STAN 6 Aiia though they he aided by the popish allies of the present govern ment—(cheers)--and supported by all the zeal, and all the talent, and all the influence of that noble lord who represented the northern division of this county, of whom their noble chair- Man had spoken in terms of the highest praise, and which . he believed they would all agree was not unmerited. But he could not forget that that noble lord had thought proper a short time ago to make, what he humbly conceived they would adjudge to be, not only a most injudicious but a most uncalled for attack tin conservative associations in general—an attack which he would do that noble lord the justice to believe had been made from an ignorance of the design of such associations, from an ignorance of their mode of operation, and from an utter igno rance of the benefits which. had resulted from them. (Cheers.) But he must say, notwithstanding the great respect which he entertained for that noble lord, he did think it ill became bun to be one of the foremost to attack conservative associations, when it waa„,yfell known that it was that very goverment of which he *as himself*. member which was the indirect, if not the direct, means of culling them into existence—it was that very govern ment of which he was nfinself a member which first raised, then fostered and - matured. those political unions, against the inroads and operations of which these associations were but formed as necessary harriers of defence. (Loud cheers.) Tue letter, however, in which that attack was made having been so ably and so satisfactorily answered by a gentleman who he believed was present in that room, he ought perhaps to apologise for having alluded to it. He would, however, beg to claim the pri vilege, asa member of that association, which the present oppor tunity qilbrded him, of adverting for a moment to a few of the events which had occurred since their last great meeting, which was held at Liverpool in November last. And he would ask, was there a single individual who was present at that meeting who could ever forget the expression of unbounded joy and gratitude to our beloved monarch which burst from every heart —which was echoed and re-echoed by the assembled thousands at the mere announcement of the fact that the Melbourne ad ministration had then ceased to exist. (Cheers.) In vain (lid the radical supporters of the government assign reason after reason for this noble act of our most gracious King—in vain did their dastardly cowardice, with unblushing effrontery, assail our beloved Queen. (Cheers.) The people of England well knew that it was the spirit of George the 'I hind (loud cheers) which animated the bosom of his illustrious son, when with the one hand he dismissed—[Here Mr. H. accidentally struck his hand against one of the tamps of the chandelier, which fell to the ground, and caused some amusement for the moment.] Mr. Borstal! continued, when with the one band be dismissed the Melbourne ministry, and with the other called to his councils that great man, whose honours had ,just been sung, and whose name deservedly commanded respect not only in England, but in every court in Europe. (Hear, and cheers.) It was, as they well knew. during the tempo rail, absence of Sir Robeit Peel that the Duke of Wellington tool( upon himself the whole responsibility of the government. It was on the return of Sir Robert that the first reformed parlia ment wart dissolved:and then (said Mr. H.) commenced the great straggle for their constitution, then was it that they wiped away that deep stain_ which Tested, upon them, in having re turned a Melyneux' and a Wood to parfidineet as their repre sentatives—then was it• that they had the proud satisfaction of being represented by their noble chairman and his honourable colleague—(cheers)—then was it that so many counties, in coinmou with their own, so nobly did their duty. There was Berkshire, and Derbyshire, and Norfolk, and Suffolk, and Essex, (cries of "Shropshire,") and Shropshire, and others, too numerous to mention, not, however, forgetting; the :sub sequent triumph of sue men of Devon, (cheers.) who, with the eves of England fixed upon them, hurled the fell leader of our church's foes from that usurped pinnacle of ambition where the whirlwind of parliamentary reform had momentarily placed him. (Continued cheering.) Still (said Mr. H.) their victory was not complete—the conservatives were yet in a minority in the House of Commons, and Sir • Robert Peel had well told them that they must regaiu their ascendanry there. Mr. Can ning had also said, " Give the reformers a House of Commons, constituted as they wish, and the peerage aud the throne might endure for a day, Out would be swept away with the first angry vote of such an House of Commons." (Cheers.) He would not detain them by any lengthened reference to the brief ca reer of Sir Robert Peel; suffice it to say, that after a short, a stormy, and a factious opposition, he resigned untarntshed— he resigned untarnished into the hands of his sovereign that trust which had been so recently confided to him. Then was fulfilled the prediction of Sir James Graham, that if the people of England permitted that administration to fall, there would be no medium between it and a death's bead and cress-bones administration. (Loud cheers.) The refuse of the whig , s again 'forced themselves into honour, or rather, as it had been observed that evening, into place, for the power it was well kilOWll wits in.other hands, even in the hands of that man who haul not only nominated the Attorney and Solicitor-General for Ireland, but bad his veto on the appointment of the Lord Lieutenant also. It had (said Mr. II.) been a matter of surprise to some how O'Con nell and the Melbourne administration could by possibility be brought to unite; for of ell the men, and they were nut a few, of whom O'Donnell had spoken in the blackest and the grossest terms, there are none whom he has treated with such sovereign and utter contempt as those whom he justly termed the base and treacherous Whigs. For his own part he could not have conceived that men could have been found so totally lost to every principle of self-respect as to place themselves in the de graded and humiliating position in which his majesty's minis ters now stood with regard to O'Connell. It was perfectly curi ous to look at the humiliating policy of the whigs, and to observe on the other hand O'Connell's conduct towards them. How he tampered with them whets he chose—how he bambuo zled them when he pleased—how he made them his abject tools, aud theu spurned them from him He cast off the Whigs, as a huntsman his pack; For he knew when he pleased he could whistle them back. (Continued cheering.) The refuse of the whigs being again in power under the patronage of O'Connell, they proceeded to bring before parliament two most important measures--the corporation reform bill and the Irish chinch bill. The former of these being now the law of the land, he would not further allude to it than to express his confident hope, that every gen tleman whom he had the honour to address would use his ut most endeavours to make it work for the best. With regard to the Irish church bill, however, he dare hardly trust himself to speak.• He must, indeed, confess that it was a matter of sur prise to. him, notwithstanding their friend O'Conueli's character of the whigs, to see the persevering pertinacity with which they c1t114 . r.. to \tilt was termed the appropriation clause. In vain wieit iirsiVed tli- - Robert reel, awl that, too, from their own commissioners' report, that there would be naprptos to appropriate—in vain was it proved to .them that arcane of the Irish church had been grossly exaggerated, 'd that, were the winks fund equally divided, there would not be more than £lBO per annum for each clergyman, leaving those penni less who bad not 50 protestantsonder their charge—in vain were they told that, if they would abandon that dishonest clause, they' would be supported in- the abolition of pluralities, of non residence, of sinecures, and of every thing that was really bad in the system. All would not du. Their cry was still the horse leech cry, " give—give—give—the surplus—the surplus—the surplus,' and he firmly believed with no other object than to practise a dishonest, a time-serving, a place-keeping delusion on the Irish people. (Cheers.) And yet, gentlemen, when the Irish protestants meet to expose these fallacies--when they meet to defend themselves and their church froui the foul calumnies which were cast upon them, were they to be told that they were carried away with an unnecessary warmth and zeal ? Before they acquiesced iu the truth of such a charge— before they condemned their Irish brethren, he would entreat them to place / themselves in their position, surrounded, as it were, with every danger winch could possibly await either their families or themselves—he would ask them to imagine the un hallowed invader on the very threshold of their temples—he would ask those who come from the retirement of the various parts of this county to cast their eves upon those sacred altars at which their fathers hese knelt and worshipped—to look at their own, their native village spires, and to say, if they were pre pared to see them given up to the popish invader, or would they nut rather see them laid prostrate on the ground. (Cheers.) Such were the feelings of their Irish brethren,—let the people of England then, instead of joining in their condemnation. put forth every energy, and fight side by side with them in resisting that unhallowed and unjust attack which was now being made upon them—an attack in which was leagued not only the in fidel and the papist, but, to their shame be it spoken, the very government of the country. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) It was often asked what was it which hail led to that melan choly state of things in the sister laud? He answered it was the black and withering touch of expediency' which had done the injury—it was that unprincipled system of legislation which had led on from step to step, until it had reached that fearful abandonment of all principle, which could sanction the adoption bylkhe House of Commons of the bill for the spoliation of the Irish church, which, but for the timely aid of the peers of Eng land, would now have been the law of the land. It was the system of expediency which induced them to repeal the test act, whereby, as a nation, they renounced the principle of a national church. It was that which induced them to pass that unhallowed bill, commonly called the Roman catholic relief bill, whereby, as a nation, they renounced protestantism, and they were noun called upon to admit the jews, and they would then renounce our ch:istianity altogether. How delusively were we told, by the advocates of the popish press, admit hut this Roman catholics, and you will restore peace and prosperity to Ireland. But he confidently asked where was the peace — where was the happiness—where the prosperity they were thus delusively promised ? Let them show them if they could; but if they failed to do so, us fail they assuredly must, then they had a right to call for the fulfilment of that pledge which the Duke of Wellington, the then prime minister of England, gave, that if the bill failed in effecting these objects, he would be the first mail to come down to the House of Lords and move for its total repeal. He knew this was a proposition at which the radical would sneer and the infidel would scoff; but it .was one which sooner or later he .was convinced the country would be compelled to adopt. Who' was it, he would ask, who were foremost in their attack on the protestant church? who .but those very inen who had entered the House of Com mons by means of this bill, and though bound by an oath to do writhing to the injury of the protestant church, were doing all in their power to effect its overthrow. (Cheers.) To further these designs would be their determined effort both in England and Ireland. But if they wanted to make Ireland a happy laud, if they wanted to make her peasants a happy . people— they must send the pure uninutilated word of the living God— (cheers)—uot those mutilated—God-dishonouring—(cheers)— those God-dishonouring extracts which were put forth by the tuitional board, and which the papist and the sociniau would agree to circulate, because evelything was excluded which would militate against their doctrines, but should send them the pure unadulterated word, which would strike at the very foun dations of popery and sociu anism, and would tell the people, in opposition to the present ssitein of goveruMent, " Remove net the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set up"—(loud cheers)—which would tell the people in opposition to the pre sent system of govermnent " to fear God, to honour the King , and to meddle not with them that are given to change." (Loud cheers.) These (said Mr. H:) are scriptural—these are con servative principles. (Cheers.) I have dwelt so long on this subject that time would fail me were Ito attempt even to trace the outlives of foreign policy. England, though greatly hum bled, and sinking fast in the scale of nations, still stands, in spite of whirs misrule, the foremost nation in the world. Look (said Mr. H.) at any nation on the lace of the globe—look at America, that boasted land of liberty, where, even now, man .bangs his fellow man without either judge or jury—look at Spain, torn by civil discord from one end of the country to the indeed ruling at France, where the king of the people is ruling with a despotism and a tyranny ten times more severe thau was ever thought of by the government of Charles X., and for which of these countries would they change their native land ?—and yet he firmly believed that if the people of Eng land consented to support the present government our beloved country would rapidly sink from being the highest to be the lowest nation in the world. (Hear, hear, and loud cheering.) We, however, told that were the King again to dismiss his present ministers, there would be difficulty in forming an efficient cabi net—but he would put it to every reflecting mind to say whether the wheels of the gueeinment had nut better stand still than be guided by an unsteady hand. He confessed when he looked at the position into which the present men have brought the coun try, it reminded him of the unfortunate situation in which he last saw the bons saalteagate of their noble eh ,irman. He, like their beloved monarch, was placed in a situation of ironic corn -parative difficulty. Nut many weeks had elapsed since in pass ing through inie of the iodine streets of Liverpool, be saw a private cariiage drawn to one tide of the road, pretty well covered with iuud and dirt and bearing evident signs of having '~11~ilOtB['.Y~'1`5~1+1~4i~^~"Y~ R~~AI~Y? narrowly escaped being , overturned-. He approached the car riage, and saw comfortably seated one of the representatives of this division of the county, and upon inquiry found that he had, by his decision and firmness, prevented the overthrow of his carriage, because when he found that the reins were held by an unsteady hand, he dismissed the drunkeumountebank from the box, and said it was better to let the wheels of his chariot standstill than be guided by such hands as those; so he woad rather see the wheels of the government stand still than be entrusted to their present guides, assured that in due time an efficient driver would be room!. (Loud cheers.) Badly, however, as the reins were at present held, that man must be politically blind indeed who did not see the way already passing for the admission of O'Con nell into greater power than he even now possessed. He trusted it wanted but that topstone to complete the building, when the British lion would be roused from his lair, would shake his tail, his mane, and set. his tail in opposition to that popish power which is now rampant in the House of Commons. ( Loud cheers.) lie had trespassed so long on their attention with these general observations that he felt glad that the toast which he had the honour to propose would require no comment from him, as they were ill equally able to appreciate its merits. Mr. Horsfall then proposed " The Health of the Members for the Southern Division of the County," which was received with the most enthusiastic cheers. The Honourable BOOTLE WILBR AHA M, M. P. then rose amidst immense cheering, and said, gentlemen, my noble col league in the chair has requested me to return thanks for the honour done to both of us, and, gentlemen, I feel how unequal I am to express what I would wish to utter to you upon this occasion. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, last year I did not anticipate the pros perous re-action which has since taken place, and which has conferred upon me the honour of being your representative. (Cheers.) That was an honour which 1 feel I OWC to no merit of my own, but to the , reciprocity of sentiment which I feel with those gentlemen whom I have the honour to address. (Cheers.) Isentiemen, when I went up to town to perform my dudes, I made no pledge but - that of attention ; that, I have done my ntmost to redeem, and have voted for every bill which seemed conducive to the interests of the country. (Cheers.) To Sir Robert Peel, while he continued at the heal of the ad ministration-, I gave the whole of my humble support, which. I continued afterwards when out of Office, when he attempted to introduce amendments into the uweisures of the present govern ment. (Cheers.) In doing so I feel conscious that I did that which was much for the advantage of the constitution, and should the measures of Sir Robert Peel ever be permitted to become the law of the land. I am convinced they will exercise a healing effect upon- the divisions of the country, (cheers,) in short, I think Sir Robert Peel to be the pilot %alio cart weather the storm. With, respect to the interests of the county, I have forwarded them to the best of my power. And, gentlemen, may I here he permitted to. say.eliat I think it necessary for the to enter into no defence of my conduct, seeing that I was cheered in the middle of the session,by the flattering letter which you were pleased to address to me. (Cheers.) It gave me most sin cere gratification, and wade me zealous in my endeavours to do that which was the most consistent With toy feelings. (Cheers.) . I may also-say that those who have perusea the 41ebat's in par liament will not find my name iu them, because I felt that what I had to say was best left iu abler hatids; and iu giving a silent vote, I should be doing the best fir my country. (Cheers.) I flatter myself that you have been satisfied pith me, awl that is the reward I look tor, therefore I shall de all I can fir the for warding of your interests. Before I sit down, al how Inc to con gratulate this society upon its cheering prospects. (Cheers.) I beg to thank you all fur the kindness with which you have received toe. (Loud cheers.) Lord"Fneects EGERTON next proposed the health of Lord Lyndhurst and the House of Peers. (Loud cheers and three times three.) Lord SK kiLMERSOA en returned thanks. The noble lord spoke in such a low tone of voice, and the place appointed tor the re porters being at so great a distance front the chair, that we are unable to give but a meagre sketch of it. We certainly do hope that at the next meeting the accommodations far reporters will be better attended to. His lordship then said, the noble lord near me, my noble friend who ought, as - he is first in rauk and eonse quence, to answer this toast, has entrusted to me that duty, having already had a :rood deal to do iu the proceedings of this evening. It may he in the recollection of many gentlemen who were pre sent at the last meeting of this association, that the setae duty devolved • pelt me in reply wilds toast. It may he in the recol lection of those gentlemen who will condescend to remember what I said, that in alluding to the House of Commons I stated that the future prosperity of the House of Commons would de pend upon the support it met with from associations such as these. (Cheers.) 1 ant not before my constituents, but. I feel it my duty to state what has beets done in the House of 'Lords in the last session. Many and foolish, and mischievous were the hills sent up from the house of Commons. (Hear hear.) Every species of folly was interspersed iu those bills, which were sent up without having been discussed at ell, but passed through the house at a late hour of the night when all respectable peo ple, fatigued with the duties of the day, had retired. (Hear.) But the chief of these bills were the municipal reform, and the Irish church bills. The municipal reform bill required many amendments which could not be made but by persons accus tomed to legal techuicalities, and well versed in the intricacies of law. Thet duty was undertaken by Lord Lyndhurst, a per son of great ability and sagacity. It was no desire of the noble lord to put himself forward before the other peers, but he under took it with great reluctance, and his assent was hailed with joy by all those who were present at the meeting. The municipal reform bill, I need hardly tell you, was a of rubbery of the property which the freeman had received front his forefathers, and which he had fondly hoped would descend to his posterity. That bill of pains and penalties (cheers) which would have turned men out of their offices against whom no imputatitm had been brought, would have been passed in its first odious had it not been fir the House of Lords. (Cheers.) The House of Lords materially improved the bill by their amendments, het there is still no doubt that it is a most dangerous bill. (Cheers and Hear.) With respect to the Irish church bill, the onus of the rejection of it has been attempted to be cast upon the House of Lords, I deny the charge. (Cheers.) It passed all the clauses to the appropriation clause without a dissenting voice. ';hat was the clause through which Sir Robert Peel was ()bilged to retire from office, and when we came to it, we struck the clause out. The ministers would not accept the bill because they thought it would be rejected by the commons. What will take place next session remains to he seen, but he assured the House of Lords will act conformaley with its past conduct. (Cheers.) You, gentlemen, have doue your duty nobly, uud I hope the House of Lords has pot been behindheud with vou. (No, and cheers.) . We must remember, as leis been said by our noble president, that the House of Lords is a small body, and posses sing small physical force, but so long as it is supported by the voice of the public, as I firmly believe it is at the present mo ment, and 1 ant coufideut it will be more so every day—su lung will it be enabled to resist the attempts of bad ministers. (Cheers.) I conclude, geutlemen, by hoping that we shall be better supported in the commons during the next session then we latterly have been. (Loud cheers.) Sir Ricisean Betwee, Bart. then said, gentlemen, I will give you a toast, which I thiuk you will drink with no less en thusiasm than you have displayed towards us this evening. It requites no continent or I should be incompetent to the task. I give you, gentlemen. "The health of Sir Hilbert Peel, and the Conservative Members of the House of Commons." This toast, like that of the Duke of Welliusstan, was drank with the most enthusiastic and extravagant applause. Lord Cote, M. P. nisei() return thanks, and said, gentle men, in the name of the Conservative Members of the House of Commons, I beg to return vou our thanks for the manner iu which you have drank our health. (Cheers.) We have en deavoured to support Sir Robert Peel in oilier), thnuelt ineffec tually, but I hope you will not think a our fault that he is not so at present. (Cheers.) If he comes into office again, we will du all in our power to keep him in. (Cheers.) Glee —" Hail smiling morn." Lord FRANCIS EGERTON next addressed the assembly and said, the toast which I have now to propose is one which as given me an advantage over my noble friend on my right (Earl Wilton) who presided over your meeting last .yezr, (and I am sure he will concede it to me) for the societies which I have the honour to propose to you, were not in existence last year. I propose Ito von " The Operative Conservative Associations throughout the kingdom." (Cheers.) These societies, gen tlemen, consist of men of intelligence who justly consider them selves best enabled by this means, to preserve their laws, liber ties, and religion. (Cheers ) They consider their interests clearly identified with ours. They are thus enabled to infuse virtuous opinions into the minds of their fellow men. I can see in caing upon you to pay them the warmest expressions of your applause and approbation I shall not call upon you in ruin (Reiterated applause and cheering-) Mr. LorsoDEN, an operative cotton-spinner, of Manchester, whom we understood to be in the receipt of only twenty-five shillings a week, then returned thanks in the following speech, which we consider an honour to his head and heart. My noble lord and gentlemen, I rise with feeling of diffidence, because I . feel my inability to acknowledge in befitting terms, the flat tering, manner in which the toast has been given by the noble chairman and the assembly present. (Cheers.) I only wish the task of doing so had fallen into more competent hands that could have responded to it in the same manner in which it has been given.' (Cheers.) When I look around me iu this splen did edifice and ass the number of individuals who have here to testify their loyalty and religion, (immense cheering,) when I look at the great portion of wealth and respectability con gregated within its wells, (great cheering,) and when I took at the great condescension and kindness which has admitted ns to he the humble recipients of this evening's entertainment, 1 fe'el sentiments of no ordinary class flowing in my mind. (Loud cheers.) But it may be said you are interested in the spread of conservative associations throughout the kingdom. I know, gentlemen, you are deeply interested; but is not the poor man deeply interested ?—(clieers)—is not the operative deeply interested, though not to so large an amount? (Cheers.) Though we have not large spacious mansions or-a broad estate to risk, would we reit, in the event of a national calamity, or, as some have it. " three glorious days," (loud and long-con tinued cheering,) have we not homes as dear to us as the noble mansions of the great? (Cheers.) Our interets, then, and yours are the sante and inseparable, (cheers.) so inter twined are they that the wealth of the rich cannot be withdrawn without taking with it the comforts of the poor, (cheers,) neither can the labours of the poor be dispensed with without diminishing the comforts of the rich. (Loud cheers.) Being, then, alike interested, we are alike called upon to consider seri ously questions of common intetest to both. (Cheers.) In de fending their interests, we defend our own. My lords and gentlemen, if I am not. trespassing too much on your time, (" no," and cheers,) I am sure the members of the operative con servative associations Which have been commenced and which are now going on in as great a state of perfection as can be well expected, considering since they have been commenced; I urn sure they will hear of the honour which has been conferred evil' them with gratitude which will never be erased from their heat is until memory ceases to act its part. They will acknowledge that they have been highly complimented by the praises which they have received from such a 'loyal assembly as I pow see be fore me, and the character which you have thus stamped upon them will go forth, and tend to produce among this class a greater number of good 'men and good citizens. (Cheers.) When we Came forward to establish these associations we considered the signs of the times as an ample apology, and we considered sse were doing so in obedience to that loyal exhortatioc which we heard was delivered from the throne. calling upon us to oppose the attempts of those who would sow the seeds of discord thrungh out the land.—(Tremendous cheering.) We thus came forward to form a Conservative Association among that class of society so long the dupes of unprincipled agitators.—(Bravo! tumult one cheering.) The principles of which are based upon the word of God—the words of inspiration—honour all men, love the brotherhood, tear God and honour the Kiug.—(Cheeriest.) This we consider to be the whole duty of every conservative. and upon this rests the foundation and superstructure of con servative principles. That fear towards God, which begets love towards his holy acme, word, and cause, and which enables us to preserve and maintain inviolate these holy ordinances, which he himself has ordained and established for our instruc tion in righteousness in this world, and whirls are the only means by which we can ever hope to obtain eternal happiness in the world to coins. The church being the only means by which these ordinances could be'd4epensed to the people. The tegislaturcof former times thought fit to unite it ro the state, in order that it might have power to protect it from its enemies. The numerous martyrs who have fallen' victims to their zeal in upholding the church, men of whom this world was not worthy, and so far for that very faith which he now, we are told, must bo given up to its adversaries. (Hear, hear.) We know that those who come to the holy ordinances, as admi nistered b our church, will find such 'gleams of living waters ' : , . , flowing fronther in her beautifol liturgy, wbich will lead them ctrt to that great fouutam of which whoever drinks svilnuever thirst, and thus spring-no to everlasting life— :In our societyei my lord,. we take the Gospel fur our guide, which teaches us one duty to our tititsr _and. aft those in authority ince us. respect to the House ni Peers, we consider - it an institution innispeusible to our country's welfare. ("Bears bear, " , and cheers.) That there sheald be a distinct branch of the legisla tore for the support of •the , church and her property, 'and that they should prevent , the •mischief wnich might ensue from a conflict between the People and the crown. .As to the repre sentatives in the House 'of Commons, we wish coo to send there- to parliament enfettered and uncontrolled. We wish theineto have that right of speech and action which should be the grand characteristic of a British !louse pf Commous. (Cheers.) We are desirous that you should keep aloof Ingo the inimical influe euce of party within, and to pay ne attention to Orator the pon palace without. We wish you to exercise your knowledge mid judgment in parliament in. the execution of those duties with which we have intrusted you. We wish you to preserve s not to destory—to strengthen, not weakens—the matchless ceustitution in our country both in church and state. What time or cir cumstance has rendered necessary for a reform, we wish to have reformed in the true sense of reformation, that is in removing the evil and preserving the good. •(Cheers.) These are the principles of the Operative Conservative Association. With respect to the constitution in church and state the best means we use to accomplish this is the obtaining of loyal pamphlets,, the printing of conservative speeches, and epre - iding them as much as possible amongst our fellow-men. (Cheers.) By that. means we prevent, the spread of those seditious publications with which the press is daily teeming. By such means we hope to infuse into the poor a taste for good reading, and in a .short, time our little leaven will leaven the whole mass. (Cheers.) He concluded a lengthy speech, for which we regret we have not room, amid loud cheering, by thanking the noble lord and the! gentlemen present, for the patience with which they had heard him. [Mr. Longden, we understand, is a. member of the Church of England.] Lord FRANCIS EGERTON then rose and gave the Earl of Eldon, and the Conservative Bar, winch was received with. the most enthusiastic plaudits. . Law, Esq., lose to reply to the toast, and said that as a member of the Conservative Bar, lie felt proud in being.ohe (doled in the toast, and felt great pleasure in responding to it. However, after the extraordinary powers of eloquence they had that day heard from their high-born chairman down to the humble but the not less respectable individual who had just ads dressed them, he had scarcely any thing to urge that had not been touched upou and powerfully expressed, cud it was grati fying to observe the same interest, and the same elequence made use of in the same cause by two persons so.•renrote ILL rank. As a 'trendier of the bar he might not be able to do jus tice to the merits of Lord Eldon in so eminent a degree ae they deserved, or so well, probably, as many of the sante profession present; but, probably, he had this advantage, he could speak. of that venerablened intelligent lawyer and statesman's tran scendent merits from experience, .duting the time his lordship bad so long and so rantently discharged the duties of the most important Alice that his Majesty tenth" canter on a suleject.---- (Loud cheers.) . Asa lawyer, the Earl of Eldon had the good opinion even of his adversaries, although sortie years agn there were pessons who had r isen to till judicial offices, who said . he was cautions in giving his opinions, which was the greatest charge they ever could bring against him. The meeting would probably think its be did, that the charge of being considerate before judgment was a most singular one; but it was an accue sation that they certainly could not retort on his accusers or his successor.. (Cheers.) As a politician as well He a judge, Lord Eldon stood pre-eminent, and he claimed fur hint as a, member of that administration, of which he was a member, tho same praise as had been bestowed upon its premier, the Duke of Wellington. It was the Earl of Eldest in that administra tion who chiefly enabled the Duke of Wellington to perfonn those miracles, which enabled him at an eventful period to, ensure the safety of his country. (Cheers.) It was that tory administration, so much reviled by the radicals and the whigs, that insured the independence of Europe, as well as that of the country (hear); and yet this, they must almost blush to re member, was fiercely and ungener o u s ly o pp ose d .. L or d Eld on had shared with the Duke of Wellington in the turmoils of the state, and it was right that he should share with him in his triumph. There wee a particular (reality that endeared Lord Eldon to his country; it was that be commenced his political career at an early period, an ornament to human intellect, and during the whole of that career he h a d n ever swerve d a hair's breadth from the principles he at first embraced, and had so long fearlessly and independently maintained, (Cheers.) He was a man who never deceived, or Shirked the considera tion of a question because it was an incumbrance. It was Lord Eldon's devoted attachment to a constitutional monarchy, and those principles. which they all alike entertained, that had, procured the testimonies of applause so generally conceded to him. Amongst these testimonies, he could not receive more heartfelt pleasure than in knowing the honour that had beets conferred upon hint by a bode of men so respectable as those. he (Mr. Law) had the pride to meet that day for the first time in his life. Lord FRANCIS EGERTON then rose and said that he begged to give the healths of the gentlemen to whom they were green"- indebted for their assistance this evening.—" The Vice-Prem e dents.,' • Bowser SHARP. Esq., one of the vice-presidents, in reply said he had been selected to speak to tl.e honour just conferred, which lie was happy to do, hut, at the saute time, thought that the duty would have devolved with more propriety on these. whose exertions to ensure the prosperity of the society had been greater than he could lay claim to. He would not, however; yield to any one mina rod wishes towards the associatiou, and he *was proud to witness that the vice-presidents had given satisfac tion to such an assembly as he SaW berme him. The committee's arraneements for the either had been excellent, and rendered the services of the vice-presidents so light that they might merely be said to be nominal. Had the duties, however, been wore arduous they would have been as cheerfully fulfilled. Witeers.) With regard to the association itself it was cheering to observe the enthusiasm in the cause that had been displayed during the evening. It was to this spirit of the members that the associan in owed its strength, and he hoped they would per severe, as their devotion to the cause was required to stem that revolutionary torrent which had threatened to overwhelm them. The objects of the association had been misrepresented and calUmniated, by all that envy and malice could suggest; but it was all in vain, as they saw the triumph of conservative asso ciations throngheut the. country, nod they might congratulate themselves on their progress. They must not, however, take the entire merits of success to themselves, as there were man• warm friends and supporters of their glorious cause who were not amongst them ' • but who cordially co- o p era t e d w i t h theta with as much zeal as themselves, and to this co-operation was mainly owing the great increase in their number s . • (Cheers.) They _had violent opponents to contend with, who were ready to dispute every inch of ground with them in the event (if another struggle; and it could not be too strongly impressed on the conservative party that it was necessary individually to exert themselves. Mr. Sharp concluded his address, which we but imperfectly heard, by again returning thanks' for the honour conferred on the vice-presidents. Lord FRANCIS it,GERION then proposed—" The Conservative Associations of North Lancashire and the adjoining counties." Lord St( ELMIIKRSDALE, as the president of the North Lanca shire Association, returned thanks, and concluded his speech, which the great length of these proceedings prevents us trout givi6g, by proposing the last toast—" May this meeting, and every succeeding anniversary, extend and promote conservative principles and union " The CHAIRMAN then, it being a few minutes past eleven, left the chair, and was followed by a large potion of the company. A train of carriages, specially engaged for that purpose, was in waiting to take the Liverpool section of the company back. It was near twelve, however, before the party could be cedlected together, and owing to frequent stoppages, did not arrive at the Edge-hill station until one o'clock this morning. We ate sorry to state that, owing to the boisterous weather that has prevailed for the gr eat e r part of the past m o nth, t h e peo . ple engaged in the herring fishing in Lochfine, and the other fishing grounds on the west coast and the Highland isles, have been pr.vented from prosecuting the fishing in one of th e very best fishing months of the season. —Glagoty Chronicle. We are sorry lo learn that the farmers in the Lower Ward of Renfrewshire have suffered severely from the inclemency of the weather. In Lilinalcolm parish the grain cut presents a lemma-. able appearance; it is growing in the sheaf, and a great deal of it will be totally useless if the weather does not take up—what is uncut has been also greatly injured. Round Port Glasgow,, Greenock, Gourock, and Innerkip, the crops present the seine dismal aspect, A SNUG FAMILY FAItTY.—In a cellar in Bolton, divided in-. to three compartments, and rented by some natives from the " Emerald Isle," at a shilling atd ninepence per week, may be seen the following snug family party :—A father and mother, daughter and niece, a son and six lodgers (the latter paving from 6d to 9d per week), three donkeys, two pigs, nine fowls, and sundry rats and dogs. N.B. The birds and beasts lodge gratis.--7Bolion Chronicle. The Plymouth .fourna/ states, that at the dinner given by the Plymouth RoyalNeval Club totbe Earl of Mintoand the Board of Admiralty on Saturday, the toast of his majesty's ministers was drunk in solemn silence, whilst the toasts - of "Lord Hill and the army," and the " Duke of Wellington and the heroes of the Peninsula," were received with the most enthusiastic cheering,. The Journal observes, "We are not aware of a simi lar instance where a party of British naval Officers received in solemn silence the health of his majesty's responsible advisers when one of them was present; and a few minutes after made the room re-echo on hearing the health proposed of the hear; and front of the opposition, us the Duke of Wellington undoubtedly' _ . 'Tim Column svost Reenem•llme.—Already are the liberals beginning to find fault with their darling child—the corporations reform act. The Leeds Mercury and other whiff; journals have discovered "a serious flaw" in Lord John Itassell's pet —viz , that the act requires that every person in order to be. quditisol . as a burgess, shall have been an inhabitant householder," as well as a rate-payer, fur three years. The act requires, that in dividuals shall be strictly" householders," and that they shall have been so three years. to enable them to vote, and this will. strike off great numbers of persons possessing all the qualifica tions of property, but living with patents or as lodgers, trout even voting for the town-council. ELFCTLON tie Mavons.—Doubtshaving arisen whether, under the Municipel Reform Act. borough Mayors elected, but not. sworn into office prior to the passing of the act, should assume the office at the usual period, or the magistrates of the pieced-• ing rear he continued until the month of May, the opinion of the law officers of the clown has been taken, and they have ex pressed their decided opinion that the Mayor elected before the passing of the art ought to be swore in and to serve.. A great nublic accommodation has been through the influence of Sir George Drinkwater. by %illicit an additional portion of burial ground is nailed to Kirk Itraddan church-yard. This is a very important convenience, the want of which has been tong severely felt by the inhabitant s of Douglas, and will therefore be hailed with generel satisfacti o n.—T o this subject we have been in the habit of calling the public attention for many miniths e ast. p.p..stsTiNG Or THE WHA ow.— When struck with threw harpoon the whale dives perpendimdark, and the quantity of they sometimes take out in a perpendicular discent Senresby considers a good measure of the depth. this rule they have been kilowatt, descend a mile, bearing, consequently, a pressure of one ton and a quarter on every square inch, which, multiplied by :he extent of surfnee et' the animal, vary ing in length from sixty to two hundred feet, and of propot tiouate width, gives an atHOUHt. :ilnu.st incredible--720 AX) tens I. To e. WILT, OP THE tars Coanierr.—After some coil troversY in the Ecclesiastical Court, the will of roe la'u Wm. Cobbeti has at length been proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. cud the circlets of the deceased sworn to be under the value 4£1,500. In the first. instance a citation had been issued at the suit of a creditor, to call upon William Cribhett.. the son and side executor, either to accept or refuse probate of the will of his father, and be has agreed to admivister to the ef fect:., which are to the a mo unt above stated. There are no spe cific legacies, but the testator bequeaths the copyright of his works, and all his other property to his eldest•son, Cobliett, and desires' to be buried Dries his father and mother, iii the churchyard of Farnham, Surrey. Tho will is dated the Mt December, 1813. Samuel A plin, who for upwards of half a century has perform.. ed the perilous task of oiling the vane on the summit oft he spire. of Salisbury cathedral, has, owing to age end.ia6rinity, reline quished his high office. He was proverbially caved atbialistattyy " the Head of the Church," hunt being so often et Ito tot. • ,