The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-02-01 00:00:00

ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF
THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

Wednesday laat being the ilat anniveraary of the set-
tlement of the Australian ('olonic-a a dinner took place at
the Alb Hotel, Alderagate-street, to celebrate the
event. The chair was occupied by Mr. Henry Moor, late
Member of the Legislative Councils of New South Walea
and Victoria, the Vice-Chairman being Sir W. Montague
Manning, L.1..1).. reapecting New South Wale.; Mr.
James A. Youl, Taamania ; Mr. E. P. S. Sturt, Victoria,
Mr. E. Stephen!, Smith Auatralia ; and Mr. Jamesi E.
Fitzgerald, New Zealand.
The list of guesta included the Right Hon. Sir E. G.
E. L Bulwer Litton. Sir J. Packington, the Earl of
Carnarvon, Lord Alfred Churchill. Ml'., Mr. 'Lowland
Hill, Sir James Stirling, Colonel Gawler, Mr. .1. 11.
Smith, Commissary-General, Mr. Wilcox. M.P., Mr.
Gainlner, Adiniral Sir George Lambert, Mr. Duncan
-
Dunbar, Mr. Samuel Morley, Mr. James Spicer, Mr.
Janie]. Allan, Mr. Henry Sewell, and Captain Galton.
A g the colonists present were—Sir 11. Watson
Parker, the Rev. Dr. Lillie, R. Kennoile, Meters. Et-
ward Wibion, Robert Brooks, G. A. Ansley, Gideon
Lang, T. W. Smart, 11. Mercer, I). Unocal, Philip
Jones, P. T. Smith, T. S. Mort, C. Newton, George Rec.,
J. Leviek, and F. Piper.
There were nearly 21.10 gentlemen present in all.
After dinner the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were
proposed (tom the chair and enthusiastically received by
the compaily.. . . .

T11111111;3 Caving been returned on the part of the anny
by Colonel thawler, and J. Pakington having
responded for the sister service. .
The Chairman theta gave the health of the Secretary
of State for the Colonies and the rest of her Majesty's
Minkters.

The toast having been duly honored,
Sir E. B. Lytton ruse and saiil,—Mr. Chairman and
gentlemen, on my esti part, and on that of my col-
leagues, Her Majesty's Ministers, I have to return you
our best thanks for the !diluent which you have
paid to Us. My right lion. friend Sir J. Pakington hu
njerrel, with much courtesy towards myself, to the
post which I now hold in the service of the Crown, and
which he himself ouce ffiled with so much popularity
and talent. (Hear, hear.) It is, indeed, a imst of
aaaaa erase responsibility ; and if its duties are conscien-
tiously discharged it is one that involves incessant
labour. Its powers are as varied as the different parts
of that vast 1101111113011 which it surveys. Every colony
front the greatest to the least—from the little island of
Lahuan to the great province of Canada or Vic-
toria—has a right to expect from the Hume Govern-
ment the 11104 careful solicitude for its interests—the
most affectionate anxiety for its progress. But you,
the colonists of Australia, may well elicit sympathy and
respect front the breast of the coldest of statesmen. It
is now exactly 71 years ago that the first colony of
Australia, New South Wales, was founded. Why, that
space of time is just the life of a single man who attains
to the verge of old age. In the comparatively brief
period to which the clays of any obscure pe mint in 0110
of our re to villages may extend Austra:ia had added
to the sway of Queen Victoria in ire th 111 LiA1.1,0,10 of
British subjects, of freemen born to exert a powerfol
influence on the future destinies of the world. The
reetOlllo of that young dependency somewhat exceeds
1:5,000,000 sterling, its imports amounting to r 27.111110.000
and RA exports to between 1:11,0i10,001.1 and £2:1,01X1,000.
These statistics are, 1 know, within the mark, because
they were furnished a year or more ago. But, while
her material development has been so great and vs
startling, what has been the growth of Australia ill all
that can dignify and 5-noble man '1 In place of that
miserable penal settlement with which the early history
of New Mouth Wales began you now see thriving
co 11111 l unities of citizens, valuing the highest standard of
Morality, to the utmost degree enjoying rational
liberty, and proving by their loyalty and goostorder how
well they understand its blessings. ((heers.) Anil
with that extent of liberty there is no part even of the
Old World in which there is so iles•p an appreciat' of
that kind of aristocracy without which I believe no
society can flourish. I mean not the aristocracy of
intellect alone, but the aristocracy of civilized manners
—the aristocracy of elevated character. (Hear, hear.)
To education in its higher forms you have given a wise
encouragement. Your university llf Sydneyliail already
received a Royal charter ; mid the sister institution at
Melbourne is, I trust, about to obtain the same boon.
These charters will give equal validity throughout every
part of Her Majesty's dim li ll ions to the degrees accorded
by these colonial tTniversities in arts, in medicine, and
in law to that which belongs to the corresponding degrees
conferred by the ancient and august (emulations Of
I liford aim,! Cambridge. (Cheers.) hi. neat to
Tasmania, which partly from its isulatml pesi•
thin, partly from its smaller extent of avail-
able land, and partly from the absence of
gold discoveries there Mut perhaps not achieved
the same dazzling progress as some of the
sister colonies, slid you will still find that it has just
passed • noble Act of its local Legislature endowing no
fewer than eight scholarships at PLIUM a year each for the
support of Tasmanian scholars at the Ciiiveraities of
this country. ((heers). Vliile, therefore, you have
offered an inviting asylum and ample means_ of sub.
sistence to the working chimes at home, you have shown
your quick perception of the great fact that communities
rise in the social scale not by the amount of their
impulation alone, but also by those generous notions and
that intellectual advanci ment which conic with educa-
tion *nil culture. A g the vari 111 l s virtues which
Australia has derived from England, I ask you to take
with you that grand feature csllcti the English gentle-
limn (bear, beam ; and I believe that as long as Aus-
tralia lasts the manliness and the gentleness of the
gentlemen of England will he fostered on her soil. The
reason why this identity, not of interest only, but of
character, exists between Australia mid England appears
to me to be this : —The first British settlers of A merle&
were refugees, who tied f this country before she had
acquired fir herself civil and religious liberty. We C.lll,
long therefore ui
istiicislnieti.riiLtasberi.ealsarekblho.i
y...tg.cii:ton
:0!
einl i.ryong
all t
tthe iroanibutte,ial
hat, great
Powers of the world the one whirls is most halite to
capricious fluctuations in its frietilly affinities to us.
Whereas you, the colt Mats of Australia, took with you
when you went forth no hitter or angry recullectiosis.
You did not carry with you associati 111 l s of the reign of
the Stuarts, hut a tender affection for a free country and
a because is the t gu";
eno,re. .(
tgi.nct:lr7felt,)
beause
log how much Australia proved her sympathy in the
glory and in the distresses of the titer • try during
the Crimean war. I cal 1111 l t recalling that Irian
Australia came a mini little skeet of 1:151
as a contribution for the relief of our sufferers
front that contest. A Minder token of generosity mid
patriotism was called forth on the part of Australia tn
behalf of the sufTerers from the Indian mutiny. These
things make its feel that, tl gli oceans divide no, we
have all English hearts, .11131 that the sceptre of qui•eii
N'ictoria is an electric roil which unites in kindred sym-
pathy the extremities of our glorious empire. (('heers.)
Hie time may come when tlit•se new colonies of ours will
be great States and nations, when they will hind it easier
to raise armies among them than they now Mel it to
raise a police —when, instead of that single armed
Kummer for which the colony of Victoria 110 W IN/ nobly
)lays, she will have in her harbours forests of 1111144, 33113
,in her waters a navy Of 111-1. OWII. It may SO Ilappell
in that distant day that England may be in danger. It
I may SO happen that the great Powers of Ha Europe
may Non rise up against the venerable tiarent of nisny
free commonwealths. If that day should arrive. I
believe that her children will and be unmindful of the
tie which binds them to the dear mother country
(cheers); and that to her rescue, across the wide ocean.
vessels will come thick and fast, among which there
will be heard but one voice,—" While Australia taste
England shall not iwrinli." (Renewed cheers.) With
! that hope and belief, gentlemen. I now give you the
toast which has been placed in nly hands— viz., "The
! Anniversary of the Foundation of the Australian Colo-
nies.
The toast was ree•ived with much enthusiasm, and
was eloquently respundesl to by Sir 'W. Manning.
Mr. .1, E. Fitzgerald then propeusl "The Houses of
Immix and Commons of England, which was briefly
acknowledged by the Earl of Carnarvon on the part of
the Peers, anti by Lord A. Churchill on the part of the
Commons.
The sentiment " Our Fatherland" was next given by
Mr. E. Wilson, and was followed by "The Governors
an I Parliaments of the Australian Colonies," besides
iseveralyb plinientary nature. The
The dinner was provided by the Messrs. Staples, and
I fully sustained the high reputation of their establish-
inrket'uri ataaplauterelhyouwr.m
mut. Mr. Harker &Med as toastmaster with his usual
I nicieney.