The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-13 00:00:00

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DLVNER OF THE CHESHIRE WHIG CLUB.

On Alonday last. the anniversary dinner of the Whig Club sr
Cheshire, and the adjacent counties, took place at the Royal Hotel•
Chester (George Phillips, Esq. M.P. in the Chair, and JAI'
Em. M P. acting as Vice-Prerident.) The Chairman
was supported on his right by Earl Grosvenor and Sir John
Stanley, and on his left by Lord Crewe and Mr. Wilbraham.
There were also present other leading Members of the Club,
together with some gentlemen who attended u visiters on the oc..

The otnal loyal tout* ha ring been drunk,
The CHJOILMAX said he should now propose the memory of
a great man. who wu distinguished by the liberality of the prin.
eiples he had professed, by the powers of his mind, and the com-
prehensiveness of his reasoning, " The memory of Charles iaates ,
Fox."

This toast was drunk in golemn silence.

Lord Crewe'. health followed.

The VICZ.PRFSIDENT raid that from the accident of his be.
longing to a particular profession, it now devolved upon 11:m to
propose` " The Memory of Lord Erskine."
The toast was drunk in solemn silence.
The health of the Chairman having been given,
Mr. Penettes rose to return thanks. Since the time he had
attended this Meeting, three years ago, the spirit of liberty had
strongly manifested itself through every pert of the country, and
laflueaced even a Tory Administration. To this alone must be
attributed the improvement that bad taken place in our system of
commercial policy, and recognition of the Independent States of
South America. While they were ready to do justice to the
merits of Mt. Canning, Mr. Huskimon, Dlr. Robinson, and of the
other Members of the Cabinet who concurred in supporting the
liberal measures that had lately been adopted, it ought not to be
forgotten that those measures had long since been pressed on the
Government by the Whigs. (Applause.) The principles on which
they were founded were so interwoven with Whiggism as to be
inseparable from it. But then it had always been said by those
who were opposed to them, that ti:e adoption of 'such measures
would be dangerous to the Constitution, and that the Whigs
showed an irreverent disregard of the wisdom of our ancestors.
The result, however, proved to demonstration the fallacy of this
argument. He hailed with joy the recognition of the South Ame-
rican States, as the first gee towards freeing us from that
monstrous confederacy which had profanely called itself the "Holy
Alliance." (Cheerio.) If the same step had been taken long be-
fore, we should not now see the liberties of Continental Europe
trampled upon by three or four despots. It was impossible for
any man to travel over Europe without }Waring It said, to the
disgrace of the country, that our Governoront had Made common
cause with those who had formed an impious junction for the
sole purpose of destroying the genius of freedom. But how did the
rulers who had done so evince their gratitude to this country ?
By showing • jealousy of our commercial advantages, and • hatred
of our free institutions. They would reform England as they re-
form Piedmont, Naples, and Spain. After speaking of the ad.
vantages which would result from a Parliamentary Reform, he
proposed the health of a Nobleman who erase real lover of liberty.
a munificent supporter of the arts, And of the intellectual and
moral improvement of the people.--" Earl Grosvenor."
The toast called forth loud plaudits. •
Earl GROBVZNOII..-1 cannot but feel highly flattered by the
very kind manner in which my health has 'been given from
the Chair, and received by this most respectable assemblage. lam
the more pleased with this gratifying proof of your regard, when I
refer to the conduct uniformly Observed by the Members of the
Club, and to the great principles on which It has been established.
This is the fifth Anniversary Meeting of the Club, and we are
now in a very different situation from that in which we found our.
selves when it was first established. At, that time, if not a party
to the Holy Alliance. at least we made no attempt to counteract
the scandalous attacks that were made by the despotic powers of
Europe on the liberties of every independent State. There was to
man who looked at the conduct of the Government at that period,
but must hare been convinced that our Ministers countenanced the
infamous proceedings of the Holy Allies. Happily, however, for
the country, • great change has since taken place. I find it im-
possible to contemplate the Holy Alliance without indignation at
the baseness of the ingratitude that was shown to those States that
had so nobly supported the parties against the tyranny of France.
The moment the power of Bonaparte was destroyed, the great
Rulers of the Continent forgot nil the flattering promises they had
made, and formed an abominable coalition against freedom all
over the world. I congratulate you, however, Gentlemen, and the
country at large, that we no longer countenance their proceedings,
and have nothing to do with their wicked crusade. But, at the
same time, I cannot help saying, that this Cluh, and others of a
similar description, which speak the sense of the English people
03 the subject, are entitled to take some credit to themselves for
having encouraged the public spirit of the country, by which
alone this great change has been effected. His Lordship, in
conclusion, gave as a toast, " the health of their Vice-President,
and success to his efforts to reform the Court of Chancery."—
(Applause).
Mr. Witeeasts, in returning thanks, said he might have availed
himself of an excuse of some antiquity for not attending on the
lresent occasion. (We understand the Learned Gentleman had
ately got married); but he had not, however, dons so; as he did
not wish to desert the station he had been called upon to till. No
man could for a moment dare to state that the improvement which
had taken place id the condition of the country was to be attributed
to any other cause than the adoption of the most perfect part of our
free institutions. (Applause). It was quite obvious that Ministers
found themselves in a very easy position, reposing, in fact, on a
bed of roses ; for how else could the Noble and Learned Lord, who
held so prominent a station in the Cabinet, disengage himself from
the high duties of his office, and find time to superintend the edu-
cation of little boys, while, as • reward for their disinterested ac-
clamations, he obtained for them their much-admired object, a
holyday? (Laughter). Did this not prove that the country was
now in so happy anti prosperous a state, as not to need the anxious
superintendence of the most acute, most learned, and most re-
doubted person that could any where be found in it? But to what
was this owing? To nothing whatever but the cause he had before
stated. If the Right Hon. Gentleman who was at the head of the
Foreign Department maintained a position which gave him an
ascendancy in the Cabinet, it was not to be ascribed to the ma-
jorities in the House of Commons, hut to the dominance of public
opinion, and what was called the Opposition in Parliament. The
position he held was a strong proof of the manner in which the
Opposition acted with respect to Ministers. It the Right Hon.
Gentleman had gained populsri y, he owed it to his departure from
the course pursued by his predecessor. If his predecessor had lived
to eternity, he would have much more of the unqualified support of
the [louse of Commons. than the popular Secretary of the present
day, who had not gained half so ranch credit as his predecessor, for
what was termed the management of that House.
The Meeting passed oft' with a good deal of eclat, and the best
feeling prevailed on the occasion.

THE ARMY.

Detachment% belonging to the 12th, 23d, 43d, eattt, andlitti
Regiments of Infantry, disembarked from on board the Barest
transport, on the 9th inst. at Devonport, from Gibraltar.
Detachments of Invalids belonging to the 13th Regirnentof Light
Dragoons, the Od Battalion of the Royals, the 30th, 46th, 69th,
and 00. h Regiments of Foot. arrived on board the Portland, on ear
lltb inst. from Madras, and disembarked at Gravesend, on route
to Chatham.