The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-04-18 00:00:00

DINNIR TO CELEBII.4te

TILE RETUKN OF MN. WHITDREAID.
• .
Yesterday the return of Mr. IVkithreall, for
!Middlesex, was celebrated at the Mermaid Tavern.
at Ilackney. At few o'clock the great room of
that house was nearly filled with a very respectable
company. Shortly after that hour Nit.. Whitbread,
accompanied by Mr. Shaw Lefrvre, Mr. Ellice.
Mr. llohhonse, and several of the Stewards, entered
the roam, and was received with the mast cordial
espre,sious of public affection. The entire com-
p:my stnoil up as he approached, and the room rang
with the greet:llgs cif his numerous and enthusiastic
friend,.
Mr. Sit ‘w LEFEVRE took the chair, and the
company consisting of from three to four hundred
persons. sat 'lawn to /1111 el►gant dinner. Immedi-
ately after the cloth was removed the Chairman
gave—
', The King—may he ever remember the principles which
placed his family on the throne."—(Greed applause.)
The next toast was— _

" The Queen, and the rest of the Royal Family."
It would be difficult to give a just idea of the
manner in which this toast was received. It was
bailed with the most ardent enthusiasm by the en-
tire company, and drunk with three times three.
The CHAIRMAN, its proposing the health of Mr.
Whitbread, said, that he hoped he might he per-
mitted to make • few observations on the issue of
the late contest for Middlesex—on the issue of bat-
tle so nobly fought, and of a victory so nobly won.—
(Applause.)—lt was a splendid triumph to the
electors of Middlesex. It proved that the same
principles which guided their ancestors, which amiss
mated them 111 1688 in a manly and successful oppo-
sition to the most unconstitutional measures which
ever disgraced their country—it proved that the same
spirit still remained unsubslued 111)(1 1111Impairril in
Etsg:and. 'rite result of the Middlesex contest was,
iii another point of view, most honourable to the
electors—it 'Mewed that they had the good sense to
dimnguisli their real friends, whilst they retained a
crateful sense of past services. In returning Mr.
Whitbread they paid the most honourable tribute to
his illustrious father. Of that great patriot Ist
could not .peak in adequate terms--

" Ile was a man. take hint fir all in all,
We shall nut look upon his tile again"—(app/aese.)
Nearly and drolly cousieoril with the family of
w hich hr was once the delight and pride. it would
perhaps be right for hint to restrain his feelings—
but, as an Englishman, as one of the people over
whose rights lie watched with a gliardian care, he
ought be per mitt, d to pay the humble tribute
of respect and admiration to departed virtue.
ilpplouse. I—The electors of Middlesex had Ito-
voureil him in hie grave—they honoured the memory
of the faller in the person of the son. (.4pplaidse.)
They reposed in him a generous confidence—a
confidence an nobly reposed could never he abused;
a pledge so honourably given he knew could never
be betrayed. —(Applarare.l—As to the contest,
even if the result were different. even if instead of
having triumphed they hail faded, still the result
of the contest would have been emineutly is to
the country ; that contest gave an opportunity
tlie• great body of the electors to declare their
ryinions as to the expediency of a thorough
reliant in l'arliament.—( Load oppluuse.J-.-'l'hr
'Ube cry cf reform was rained under the fiery rain-
parts of corruption.—(4ppiause.)—The enemies
of freedom could not shot (heir ears against it ; the
inmost recesses of their chambers echoed the un-
welcome cry. They dare not assert that Reform
was tint the anxious wish of the people. The mo.le
I•y which the enemies or the country attempted tool'.
pose the quest ion of Reform, appeared to him extreore
&nary. They urged nn argument against it, they
contented themselves with abusitag those who sup.
ported it. Instead of 'answering their argutneinsolie
enemies of the people hranderl the Reformers as
Atheists and Revolutionists. Did they deserve the
imputation? ; the poorest amongst (hell) 11.1411
something to call his own—the pooreat Reformer had
is home, a wile and children that he loved, and whom
hr was 1111X101111 to litoiret. They Were out Revolu-
tionists; they did not attempt to intrefere with or to
question the rightful preroplisra of the King, or the
privilege of the Peers; they only harked for a reform
in the Conindons—a reform in that I louse to which
430 Members were returned by less than three limes
mired aristocrats—(4pplasse. j—We have, said he,
" a King whom we serve, a God whom we adore".-s
( Applause I—btst we have a country that we love
—(Great applause )—a conutry that deserves the
warmest efforts of all her sons, and it never
more stood in nerd of thEin than iii the present
times of d.l6eulty and of danger. —(Load applause.)
—The Chairman concluded by giving
" The health of S.inoet Charles Whitbread, Esq. and a
ihoroush tom in the COMMUIIII hi Wise or Parliaturiit."—
This toast was drunk with the musing apptauir.
After silence was restored Mr. WitiinnQAm rose.
He regretted the feelisigs of embarrassment ui•iler
winch lie laboured—but however lie might fail iu
bit expressions, lie hoped they wool,' attend to the
Sentiments, owl not tiiiirrel. with the language.
He stood le-fore them for the first time oilier the
electidos ; he saw the friends around him who were
the first to call him forth, and most active and suc-
cessful iu isisuritig the manly'''. it was to them
the pride and the congratulation of that triumph
belonged Ime only cattle forward u private lollies.
dual to do Ins best iir the arduous struggle. Ile
a as seiisi We that he owed his return to 1111 merit of
his Owls ; yet they would peplos' him fur say mg that
lie felt great pride as being a prison selected to bear a
chief loot in an uloriows• otrorgle.—(dpploase. )
Ile hoped dist lit. coofithoiCt they reposed iii inn
WINII,II. hot lw Thri would be soon aide
to r r themselves...4lw, would soon have au
opeortianny of judging wlirthrr be was the same
person, lioldiierg the italUIC principles, as their Iltriars
aeinatier, thst lie profrasril to be whets he stood the
ctuadidide fur their teffrage.--(Apploarr.)—The
manoter in which they brought him into Parliament
gave bins an rsautple of virtue and of independs
tore which he would be ashamed not tie
the word rr independence"
he would make an observation—it was a very
bachuied word; they had heard it much use.l cud
aboard,. Many pentotis wrot into rarliatnent pro-
fearing independence, and the wily body they proved
themselves iiirlependerit of was their own conetis
"ionte.—(applusese.)—'lliere was in the House of
Commons a party which called itself independent.
Without saying that it wadi not sot he would di.

dar►, that, after the manner in which he rr►t re.
turned by the electors of Middlesex—after the ice.
nerotto support which he had receiveria-after the
honourable confidence reposed in him by the peo-
ple, he world nut lend himself to any party whatever.
'He did not stand there to calumniate that party,
but he could not call himself an independent oasis
if be joined that party or any party, rave the party
or the people.—(elpp/owse.)—The may party to
which he belonged was the party of the 'people—
(Applostsej—the only thing of which he was not
independent was their good wishes.—(opplaage.)—
Oa the question of reform he would say a word or
two. Siuce the close of the last election, many
persons had told him that he had gone too far,
whilst (Abets had told him that lie had not gone
far enough in the avowal of his political opinions ;
but he would take • line of his own. lie could
truly say, that during the late contest he had never
uttered a sentiment that he did not feel—he never
made use of a word for electiosirering purposes—
he never said or did arty thing, either through fear
or to please any our.—lopplanse.j—He had con-
sidered all that he had said, mid all that he hail
promised, and he now declared that he did toot
utter one word that he would wish to recal, Nod
that he did not snake one promise that hr wish-
ed to retract.—(Great and vehement applanse.)—
They had heard much lately of libel. A friend of
his, who stood near hint (Mr. llobhouae) was pu-
nished for • libel, without being convicted, or evert
tried.—(Applaase, and cries of " Shame!")—But
there were libellers of another devcriptiiiii. The
foulest libels for instance were directed against
him and his fliendr. The crime of perjury was
imputed to his friends. He was not for inflicting
punishment without trial; but he hoped the foul
libeller would be tried, and if convicted, would be
(opplouse.)—The libel did not stop there
—it was also inmost:sled that his Honourable and
worthy colleague, Mr. ilyng, had told • direct
falsehood—they knew how base that -imputation
wig—they knew how clearly it was refuted—the
odious libel only recoiled on its authors, and they
felt disgraced.—(opplowse.)—The greatest triumph
at the last memorable contest was that its the
conduct of the great holy of the electors, their
enemies found nothing to blame. They bad acted
throughout from the most generous of all motives ;
they hail returned hint upon the purest of all prin-
ciples—he hail but one course to take—that was, to
devote himself to the service of his country—(4p-
plousei.—The lion. Gentleman concluded a very
tloluent speech, by returning thanks tor• the ho-
nour conferred on him that evening, uud by pro-

iimPtog—
" The Independent Electors of the Comity of Middlesex."
—(Applestes)
-- • • - •

Mr. WHITBREAD again rose. He said that he
regretted the almenceof his Hon. Colleague; but he
could assure them that nothing but urgent business
would have prevented Inin (ruin Wending on that
occasion. Going into Parliament for the first time,
soothing gave him greater satisfaction than standing
as he did the Colleague of so independent a man us
Mr. Byng. After paying some very auiussted com-
pliments to that Gentleman, he proposed—

" The health of Mr. Byog," with three times three.

This toast was teceived with great applause.
The Rev. Doctor DRAPER said he was sorry Mr.
Bylig was not present to return them thanks with
that sincerity which he always felt. It was thirty
years ego since he witnessed the first return of Mr.
Bysig for their county—slid • more worthy and
ussiforni character was not during that time pre-
sented to the people. Fle defied any man to single
out an instance where Mr. Bysig had ever acted or
voted against the good of his country.— Ppplause.)
—lndependent of business, there might, he said,
be a possible reason for his absence on the present
occasion. 'Chen- enemies had charged him with •
coalition which did not exist, sod which, if it had
existed, would be to his credit. That coalition
however slid Hot exist. Mr. Bysig had told them
sincerely and truly that no coalition did exist, lend
hail lie appeared amongst them that eve ii iJJ g his
cal .iaturr would bring it forward as a proof of
a coaliiiim. He hoped and believed that the Re-
preseeit•tives of Middlesex, so lung divided and
opposed, would meet together to celebrate tile coins
muss trtuiuph, The Rev. Gentleman then went
into the question of Reform. which he declared
the only means of restoring the happiness of the
countrj„ and the only tine POUrte of real and
practical liberty. Could they for a moment doubt
of the necessity of Reform. when they recollect-
ed how Nletnbers iii that House were handled—
alien it was ascertained that certain Gristle.
men, like the late Mr. George Rose, were there I
to ascertain their price, to keep them together, and
to being them forward to vote—(LaiegAter end esp.
plause.) —The voice of the people was declared sin
favour of rtfor ;in their Metropolitan County, out
of eight Members five were decidedly in favour of it.
A glorious example was held out by the Electors of
Wrsitniuster, of Nliddlrsex, and a great majority of
the Citizens of London, though unhappily too many
of them slut not dare to avow their real sentiments.
This decided conduct, it was hoped, would give
the tone to the kingdom at large; a was hoped too
that the essiressioni of the county round the
Court, would bring bock Ministers to some
rrcol-
lectioH, and would at least milord some good to
ilie ',reside, if slot all they askell.—,"upplamse.)—
, Oppose-II to the question of Reform, the late Ad-
dress of Mr. Cooping was a curious document.—
Mr. C/11111114: was the most sensible mats amongst
all the Aliiiisters : if any thing at all bordering on
reason could be urged for them. Mr. Canning
was able to do it. lie hail talked of times when
tyranny existed more than at present : it might
be PO. but that furnished no argument against
Reform, or against Universal Suffrage; lie did
not speak for 1 opuiarity, but there was one &n-
-astiness of c plete liberty, and that was enlivened
suffrage. Lt saying this, he by no means meant to
speak the opinions of Mr. Byng, he knew that that
Gentleinan, in common with toasty enlightened mod
massy independent Gentlemen. were opposed to that
principle, but he considered that it was the true
and lawful right of the people of England. After
some very eloquent observations on this head, the
Rev Gentleman sat down amid the applause of the
r . •

•
The next toast given wee—
" Sir Francis Burdett, John Cam Hubbonat, and the Is.
dependent Electors of Westminster." •
Mr. Houttousa rote to return thanks. He frit,
he mid, embarrassed itt retuning them thauks;

prrtical.rly reliefs he hod to oldie ockooirledg.
mews for Sir Francis Burdett. ohm he looked
•u as
The first or ne•

That ever lived Ia the tide of lion."
Ile congratulated thr electors of Middlesex on the
triumph they had olrainerl. The result of the strive
gle was honoursble to the character of the people.
They returned one, whom the more they saw of him
the more they would be delighted with him. That
Gentleman, fur all suh.tantial siurpuers, had al.
ready redeemed the pledges he had given ; for after
his success, he maintained the saute principles
which he first professed when he asked for their
support.—(Applause.)—He would carry the some
principles into Parliament. • place more difficult
to uphold them than at the hustings at Brentford,
where he would be exposed to the clamours of real
opponents, and the sheers of seeming friends--
where he would, in short, hive to meet, and to
oppose all the prejudices which► a system of
protracted corruption could produce. He would
bear in mind that he was sent into that House
to represent the wishes and to speak the opi-
nions of those who vent him. He would say nothing
of iris talents, though he sincerely admired them;
hut lie pledged himself to principles which he
would support. For himself, be (Mr. Hob.
house) would always give him in such a cause
his moist cordial support. lie would raise his voice
in that place. where tl►e voice of the people
is but seldom heard. Mr. Whitbread in all his
struggles might calculate on flooding him at his
side. The lion. Gentleman 'text went into the
question of Reform, and strongly contended that
the country could not go oil from bad to worse.
but that some change should take place. lie con-.
chided by proposisig—
u he Scottish people, a•d soy their endeavours to esta-
blish a Co•stitstivasal Gureesorest be crowned with success"
—which woodrook with the greatest estbarisaus.

The next I,lnot woo—
" Aldermen WOOlll, Weidman, sad flap. sad the Livery
of Luadon"—(Grecd applause)
The CHAIRMAN 110 w rose sod proposed the
hralt;i of one of the must sralous advocates of re.
form in Parliament,
" Mr. Ellice."

Mr. ELLICE in returning thanks, said he stood in
an embarrassing situation, though not to the con-
test which hail recently closed. He looked on the
result of that contest as a tribute to the me-
mory of a man whom they all revered. Let
it cut be said, said he, that there are no re-
wards for those who fight the thankless battles of
the people. On the present occasion, he felt that
the electors of Middlesex had raised the proudest
monument to the memory of a man whose life was
one continued effort to uphold the interests of man-
kind, and the glory and freedom of Ibis country.—
(applause.)—lt was delightful to see the son of Mr.
Whitbread placed in the situation he occupied—to
see the descendant of a worthy line displaying early
tsarists, ■od proving that he was capable, es he
was desirous to fight the battles of the people.—
Mr. Ellice here made several very forcible obser-
vaiions on the necessity of Reform. He professed
himself • firm friend to the measure, and depre.
cated all m• topics of dispute between its
friends. He declared himself a reformer, on the
principes of the Revolution of 16118. He was
determined to give his most cordial support to
Mr.Lambton's motion, t• X►ve to copyholders of
counties, and to householders of considerable towns,
the right of voting for Members of Parliament;
as well as to Mr. Bennett's Bill for excluding
Placemen and Pensioners from the House of Cotu-
mono. Ile concluded by proposing—
" The health, of Mr. Calvert, Sir Robert Wilson, and the
Independent Electors of the Borough of Southwark."—
(App/we).
The next toast proposed was--
" Tba ease of Civil and Religi•se Liberty all ever the
world.--(long •ad4rehewsaa applanass)

The CHAIRMAN then gave—
" The health of Mr. William Whitbresd, arid the lade-
pendeut Electors of the Town of Bedford."
This toast was received with the loudest shouts
of applause, and drunk with three times three.
Mr. Wutraiustan returned thinks in the absence
of his brother.
The next toast was—
" The Liberty of the Preita."—(Greef applause.)
The company continued till a late bow, and the
utmost good order and conviviality prevailed.
A number of rockets were let off front the lawn
opposite the Mermaid Tavern, in the presence of a
number of spectators, who expressed, during the
course of the evens's& every 'work of regard and
respect towards use distinguished and popular
Cautlidate.

An alarming fire broke out nt Manssl.houtie.
near Bagehot, the residence of Capt. &SOOT, yen.
terday. At two o'clock the mansion, which is en
ancient wooden structure, was in one blaze, end
the buildings, which stand on two acres of ground,
were out expected to be weed whet, our infortueut
kft.
(hi Sonde, morning, about five o'clock, the neighbour..
hood of the London Hi/spits!, Whitechapel, were must
dreadfully terrified; their houses shook to the fousselatiou,
the glass in their windows broke, their faroioire tossed
abuse, and themselves thrown out of their bed., this,accous.
witted with a must dreadful explosion, as if from &volcano,
or the Silvia of great guns; all was consternation, supposing
it proceeded from the shuck of am earthquake, all rats naked
into the streets, umnindfal of property, fur dm purpose of
seeing their lives ; iliMr fears, however, were happily soon
abased, on learning that it was caused by an explosion of
bustible materials in the oil sod colour shop of Mr.
Holliwell, opposite the London Hospital, in which, fortu-
ne'. ly, nu person resided. The house ass compktely blown
from the toundatiose, and not one stone left upon soother.
Part of the limb. rof the rout, fluorine, bricks, and tiles, were
blown as far as the Loudon Hospital, on the opposite side of
the road and iu every other direction, the adjuiniag house oc-
cupied by Mr. Lilley, • pork-butcher, was so much injured
as to be obliged to be propped up. A great part of the
party wall fell in nu the foot of • bed in which were there or
four children, but who luckily escaped without any injury.
The shuck was so great that Mr. and Mom. Lilky were
thrown out of bed, the furniture as. almost all shattered by
bring tossed abort the house. We are happy, however, on
inquiry to find that nu lives were lost ; no permit's slept in It..
house. Mr. Holliwell having locked up his shop about eleven
rich"( k tan Situritay might, and gone hone to los house in
Red Liou•strett, Whitechapel., where he lives, and bas an.
oilier shop. It is impossible to ~c. stain from what cause
the accident proceeded. Mr. Holltwell says there were only
lee pound. of gusiporoler ou the premises, sod this was
weenie from Are. Alter the explosion several engines ar-
rived, Gat no are was to be seem. Several paters of glass and
articles of glass and earthenware in the neighbouring houses
were broken by the shuck. The only personal Wier, that
happened was sustained by a boy who was passing the mail
at the time, when a piece of timber fill upon bin, sod
knocked him down.