The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-12 00:00:00

DINNER TO SIR C. NAPIER.

Last night a numerous body of the supporters of Sir
C. Napier met at the Bridge-house Hotel, to celebrate
his return for the borough of Southwark ; Mr. Vickers
in the chair. After the usual loyal toasts,
The CHAIRMAN next said that he then came to the

toast of the evening, and he could assure them that he
felt totally incompetent to do it sufficient justice. They
were now engaged in a war when England wanted men
to direct her councils and to conduct the war. The
constituencies of the country ought to be aware of this
—and no doubt they were—and send men into Parlia-
ment who understood war, and were prepared to carry
into effect all those great actions necessary to develope
the object they had in view. He believed that the first
steps towards it bad been already gained, and they
ought to continue in their exertions, until the despot of
Russia was brought to his senses. (Cheers.) To are.
complish that object they must come forward with the
sinews of war. They all knew that they were indebted
to their sailors for their supremacy on the sea, and to their
soldiers for victories on land ; but too often Governments
did not confer those rewards which were due to those who
won those victories. The people, however, were always
right, for they al ways insisted that those honours should be
gran.ed. He had now the pleasure to propose the health
of their heroic guest, Sir C. Napier, who did honour to
his country at all times, and therefore deserved theirs in
return. (Cheers.) The gallant Admiral went out to
the Baltic :almost on a voyage of discovery, but he
brought his fleet home in safety without losing a ship.
(Cheers.) He (Mr. Vickers) had been informed a few
days since, by a gallant officer in the navy, high in her
Majesty's service, and who had served under Sir Charles
Napier, that no man could have done more than he did.
(Cheers.) He (Mr. Vickers) believed that; nay, more,
he was convinced that if Lord Nelson were now alive,
and bad been placed in command of the Baltic fleet, he
could not have done more than Sir Charles Napier did,
and hundreds of the electors of Southwark believed the
same thing. (Loud cheers.) He, for one, woult: never
rest satisfied, and he believed the peop!ei of England
agreed with him, until his hon. friend near him was re-
warded as became his great merits, and honours con-
ferred upon him which would send his came down with
glory to posterity. (Cheers.) In conclusion he pro-
posed the health of their newly elected representative,
Sir Charles Napier. (Loud and prolonged cheers.)
Sir C. NAPIER said, in reply to his health, which was
drunk with the greatest enthusiasm, that the manner in
which he had been received that evening was only of a
piece with the reception he had met with when he first
appeared before the electors in that same room. He had
been returned as their representative to the paella•
ment which was summoned for the 31st of next month.
The government which was now in office, he had to
remind them, was not the same which called the last
parliament together ; and it was therefore entitled to
a considerable degree of indulgence. After a great
deal of casting about, the Queen was at last obliged
to come to Lord Palmerston for her Prime Minister,
and he believed that he was also the choice
of the country at large. (Hear, hear.) But
Lord Palmerston was obliged to use a great deal of tact
and discretion in getting the present ministry together.
It was not for him to say how the Government would
meet the present Parliament, or how Parliament would
be disposed to meet the Government ; but his intention
was to support Lord Palmerston, whilst he expressed his
dissatisfaction at what took place before he became prime
minister, and showed up, as plainly as he could, what
previous administrations had done. (Hear.) If Lord
Palmerston had been Prime Minister since the begin-
ning of last January he should have held him perfectly
accountable for what was done up to the next meeting of
Parliament in January next, but there must be some in-
dulgence exercised towards him, especially when they
knew he did not take up the reins of office until some
time after the Baltic fleet went to sea. (Hear.) They
had seen what occurred in the Crimea ; they were all
aware that the destruction of the port of Sebastopol bad
taken place, an achievement which be believed might
have been done with a much less loss of men and trea-
sure ; be; the question had been already before the Se-
bastopol Committee, the members of which expressed
their opinions pretty freely, and he would, therefore,
not proceed with that subject any further. (Hear,
hear.) After the dreadful misfortunes which had at-
tended their army on that occasion, the sacrifice of life,
and the hardships their troops had endured in con-
junction with their gallant Allies, they ought to be satis
fled with driving the Russians out of the port of Sebasto-
pol, and certainly it was not very likely the Russians
would disturb them there again. (Hear.) The chair.
man had told them that he did not believe Lord Nelson
himself could have done more than be (Sir Charles Na-
pier) had done in the Baltic. He hoped they would not
receive all the chairman had said on that point as gos-
pel, but all he could say was that he had not one single
act to accuse himself of. (Cheers.) He truly went
into the Baltic on a voyage of discovery, for he assured
them all that when he went to the Gulf of Finland he
did not know where to turn--whether to the right baud
or to the left. He was without charts and pilots, and
had men who were picked up about the streets and
hardly knew their right hand from their left. (Hear.)
He was an agent of the Government ; but instead of
having to deal with wise men of business, who would
inquire and learn from him the difficulties of the posi-
tion, he was ignominiously dismissed, and not a single
question of the kind was put to him. (Hear.) On the
insolents
contrary, his chief received him in the most
manner. But even if he had done wrong. that
participatethat
wa no
The person
reason why his inferiors in command 8h
in his disgrace. (Hear.) w°huol treated him
so ill would for his own sake be obligedto bring this
subject before Parliament, and thenohre(Sir 0. Napier)
would put the saddle on the right h
se
had a saddle for the right horse, and
got it on He
it would give him a sore back. (Cheers and laughter.)
Questions of great importance, rtance , the concealment of lot
tees, and things of
that
sort, must be brought out.
Hear.) All:he could add is addition was, that if he
did not prove
the accuracy of everything he alleged, the
electors of Southwark would have an opportunity, at
period of depriving him of that seat
not a very distant d h )
nobly conferre . ( ear, ear. Ile felt,
they had so
indeed, Highly honoured for the triumphant manner in
which he
had been returned. He had now the high
honour of being elected by two great metropolitan con-
stituencies ; and as he believed he gave satisfaction to
theone, so did he hope he should do so to the other ;
but there was one thing of which he could assure them,
and that was, that he would always take a straightfor-
ward and independent course ; and if they loved inde-
pendence, they should certainly have it from him. He
was now too old to change ; he would always maintain
his principles, irrespective of party or political interests,
and, when he could not do so in Parliament, he would wil-
lingly resign the trust they had reposed in him into their
hands. With regard to the war, be was persuaded the
people of England would carry it
on till they obtained
an honourable peace. (Hear.) What was an honour.
able peace it was not for him to say, but he thought that
they must drive the Russians out of the Crimea before
they talked of an honourable peace. (Hear.) He also
thought that Russia, which dragged them into the war,
should be made to pay the expense which it occasioned.
Russia made the Turks
pay the expenses I • eurred by the
war with that country ; and when it was recollected that
the people of this country were now paying per cent.
income tax, and would shortly be called on to pay more,
in "Inequelloo Of what had boa done by the emperor