The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-03 00:00:00

LORD Eli ING TON.

We have great satisfaction in hying before our readers
to-day the speech delivered Lv Lord Ebrington at the Il-
fracombe Reform Dinner, noticed in our last number. Upon
the Chairman giving " Our noble guest, our beloved, and
consistent Reformer—Lord Viscount Ebrineton"—his
Lnrdship rose and spoke to the following effect : •
Gentlemen—Although my old friend and fellow labourer
in those county reforms to which he has just alludes', has
made a far too kind and partial mention of the part which I
bore in conjunction with him and others, in carrying those
objects into effect, I am, nevertheless, most deeply indebted
to him for the kind terms in which he has been pleased to
introduce my name to the company, and to you for the very
flattering manner in which you have received it. And at
the same time, I cannot deny myself the opportunity ne. ex-
pressing my grateful eitimation of the kindness attic many
hundreds, not now in this room, who so cordially greeted my
arrival here this morning., and geta to my obedience to your
vequest,rather the appeorence of a triumphal entry, than of
the mere acceptance of a convivial invitation. I hope am not
presumptuous in. assuming these demonstrations as a proof
not only that my humble services in the cause of reform have
not been on the whole unacceptable to you, but also that you
continue to entertain those great political principles, which
first recommended me to your notice, and that, entertain-
ing thane principles, you approve of the course adopted by
the Ministry, to which you have paid so flattering a com-
pliment in one of the toasts this evening, and that you
approve also of that support 'which I have humbly endea-
voured to give them. I infer from these demonstrations,
that the word " Reform," which stands emblazoned on the
well before me, and which formed so lor: the object of
our fervent aspirations, and the bond of our union, con-
tinues still to hold its place in the hearts and affections of
the independent electors of this district. I had been told
that there was a re-action here : I had been informed that
the electors of Ilfracombe considered that the march of
raeform had gone too far, and was advancing too fast, and
that they were disposes', to retrace their steps backward.
From what I had ever known of you, I ventured, before I
came here to-day, to deny the assertion ; and what I have
seen-here to-day has satisfied me that I did not take too
much upon me in making that denial. You have paid a well
merited tribute of praise, in my opinion, to the best Ad-
ministration which, in my recollection, has ever swayed the
coansels of this empire. That administration, it muss be
remembered by all of you, has had to contend with great dif-
ficulties, from the over exorbitant demands of some of the
friends of reform on the one hand, and from the powerful
and obstinate opposition they have had always arrayed
against them by the enemies of all reform on the other ;
and it is curious enough, that, as extremes sometimes meet,
so have both these parties concurred in branding the Go-
vernment as the most dribbling and inefficient that this
country ever witnessed. Now, that that class of Reformers
who think that nothing is gained in the way of amendment
so long as any s:ngle grievance remains to be redressed—
that they should accuse of inefficiency those who have
not fully realised their hopes or acted up to their anti.
cipations, may at least be in some degree consistent ;
but that a charge of inefficiency should be put 'forward
by the Tories, does, to my mind, seem strange indeed ;
for when we recollect the measures which have been
passed by the Government—the Reform Act, the Muni-
cipal Act, the Marriage Act, and others—when we look at
them and remember that all or nearly all of them received
from the Tories the most persevering opposition—that they
should accuse those Ministers who carried these measures, in
spite of them, nisei in spite of their majority in the Mouse of
Lords, of dribbling and inefficiency, is strangely inconsistent,
and if the charge were truc,it would prove the Tories, on their
own, showing, to be the merest drivellers that ever meddled in
political matters. Gentlemen, I have given my support to
the present Government ; because I considered that, adapting
their measures to the wants and feeling of the people, so far
us they could be practically carried into effect, they have
steered a wise, temperate, and judicious course of improve-
ment ; and I am persuaded that if they arc supported, as I
hope and trust they will be supported in the ensuing Parlia-
ment, they will continue in the same course, progressively
advancing in the march of reform. At the same time,
gentlemen, you roust be well aware, and I should be sorry to
attempt to disguise it from you, that the returns which have
been made to the new Parliament, have in many instances
disappointed the hopes which 1, in concurrence with many
other friends of Reform, had been induced to entertain. I
cannot disguise from myself the fact, that the majority of
the Government in the House of Commons in the last Par-
meat has not been increased, I may say it has rather de-
creased, in this ; and I grieve to say, that the class of re-
presentatives to which I belong—l mean the representa-
tives whose constituents consist chiefly of agriculturists,
the county Members—is the class which exhibits the
greatest defection from the Liberal cause. I have heard
this accounted for in different ways ; I have been told that
those who compose this class of the constituency, having
no particular -grievances to complain of, are again become
apathetic and indifferent ; that past services are forgotten,
or, like eaten bread, are but little thought of.• I have.heard
also much of corruption, and intimidation, and undue in-
fluence ; but while I think that each and all of these have
bad their effect, I am fully persuaded that misrepresenta-
tion has had more to do than them all, in swaying the
county elections in favour of the Tory party. It is painful to
me to make this declaration, but at the same time I tell you
what I believe to be the truth, and I know of no reason
which should induce me to conceal from you an opinion
which forces itself irresistibly on my own mind. I need not
add that the circumstance I have stated, making as it does
the course of the Government more difficult than. before,
renders it more than ever necessary for the friends- of re-
form to be firm and united, to be cautious and prudent,
and, above all, to be patient, in order to enable Ministers
successfully to contend with the difficulties to which I
have alluded. Among the toasts which have been drunk
this evening, one, which I heard you so cordially respond
to with much gr:ilification, was, " The health of Lord
Mnigrave, and justice to Ireland." Now, what is the
we:,sure of justice which the Tories intend to mete out
to Ireland, on the result of the late elections ? You know
that the Irish returns give about 7-10ths of its represen-
tatives in support of the present Government. And why
has Ireland made tech a return ? Simply because she has
the must giievanecs to complain of—because she has suf-
fered the most severely from Tory misrule—and because
she most dreads, as she has most reason to dread, the re •
turn of Orange tyranny and Tory oppression. And what is
it thet we wish to giro to Ireland ? Simply that which we
have obtained for ourselves. The great difference between
the Tories and Liberals relates chiefly to Irish ques-
tions ; the Irish tithe question and municipal bill, are the
two main bones of contention between the government and
their opp.ments and it is simply because we wish to take from
the sinecure church of Ireland a small share of the incomes
wldch are wasted upon non-re.iident ministers without congre-
gations, and to apply it to the moral and religious education
of the people—on this account is it that the Tories have
attempted to revive the old exploded cry of " No Popery'
against its ; and because we wish to gis e the towns of Ireland
the right alieady conceded to those of England—the right
to select their own municipal bodies, and to abolish these old
local juntas which are there ten times more corrupt than the
English corporations ever were—it is on this account that
the existing administration is denounced by the Tories as
hostile to Protestantism in Ireland. But I was going to ask
what is the niaaeure of justice the Tories propose to mete
out to Ireland ? Most of you are aware that a subscription
has been set on foot, not for the purpose of petitioning against
any definite or particular return, but without any know-
ledge of the facts, without proof, without previous inquiry,
for the avowed object of encouraging and supporting pcti-
titions against every liberal return that has been made by
Irish constituencies. Why, gentlemen, what should we
say, if an attempt of that sort should be made among us?
placing ourselves in the relation to Ireland, in which Ir -.P),an(t
stands to this country, should we not say, if a doctr;eie of that
kind were sent forth, that it wets high time for els to demand
a separate Legislation and a repeal of. the Union ? The
part 1 took upon, the questior, I have just mentioned is well
known to all of you : so long as Mr. O'Connell and his
followers advocated that mischievous and dangerous po-
licy—the repeal of the Union—no one was more stre-
nuously opposed to them than I : but when they limit their
object to what I in my conscience believe to be but corn-
moil justice—when they ask only welt we enjoy, and what,
let it be reniese-bereil, we promised Ireland when the
Union was e‘?„ected for the eJodition of the compact was
that she ;Would participate in the civil privileges which we
Possessed ourselves)--I say when they limit their views to
so re-sonable a compass, I will not be deterred by any
a2prehension that I shall he classed among the Members
of what is called Mr. O'Conneli's tail, from demanding, aye
and from demanding as ludly as Mr O'Connell can do,
although with very far less ability, those concessions to
which I conceive Ireland is most justly entitled ; and I
shall treat with nom and contempt the hypocritical cant of
those who are endeavouring to revive the cry of No Popery,
and would persuade you that the Protestant Church of this
country will be injured by an act of justice to your fellow-
Subjects in the sister kingdom. I know that the honest and
free, the just and independent men, whom I have now the
hrihour to address, go along with me in that sentiment ; and !
1 am quite persuaded that a great majority of the honest
and good people of England would equally subscribe to
it, if they rightly understood the subject, and if they were
acquainted as I am with the state of Ireland, and the wants
aid wishes of the great body of her people. Gentlemen,
I have entered more at large on this topic than I intended
to do, and I have too long trespassed on your kind indul-
gence. I have said before, I trust that if the friends of.
reform are firm and united, patient and forbearing, the dif-
ficulties by which the course of the Ministry is beset, way be
ove, corn. And lam happy to think that in one respect,
at I. ast, • here is a great difference between this and former J .
reigns., that the tone. add language, and disposition of the

Court, are strictly in unison with the feelings of the Queen'l
responsible advisers, I am aware that thcr of
delicacy in introducing the rani: of the Sovereign, as con-
nected with the arts or the Government ; but I cannot for-
get th:l. when the inclinations of the Sovereign were, sup
posed to he in some degree adverse to the councils of
his Ministers, his Majesty's name Was htonght fbrilvai'd
not very scrupulously by the Tories, although they are
now descanting very largely on the impropriety of any
allusion to the sentiments of the Sovereign, and verj prc•
perly say that the Ministers of the Crown, ar.il
son who wears it, are responsible t the per-
son
vernment. I fully su-17 7r tlic acts of the Go-
:oe to that opinion ; but at the
same time, 1,.0 not feel that I am guilty of anyinjestiee
to tl'7
!illustrious Princess who now happily tits on the Bri-
tish Throne, nor of any ioi.ingenient 'ln the principles of
Con6tiOitin”, in remarking that the tone of the Court
,Iceords ltit the feelings of the Ministry. I will !!rr,,,, tres-
pass no fur: her upon your time, hut sims.tnly th,;:ihing you
for the fl.:ttering reception yott htoe given me en this occ:•-
' son, and for t' e support I have always been honoured with
from a very overwhelming majority of the electors of this
district, I bog to drink to your very good health ; and at
the same time I shall acquit myself of a duty no less agree-
able to me than acceptable to you, by proposing the health
of my cld friend and that veteran in the cause of Refortn,
your wprthy Chairman. The Noble Lord sat down amidst
thunders of applause.