The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-20 00:00:00

LORD JOHN RUSSELL AT
GREENOCK.

We are indehtefl to the courtesy of the Glasgow Co;
stitutional ior the following repurt of the proceeding
at Greenock, on Monday, when an address was pry
sented to Lord John Russell.

It bad been intended to present the addtess to hit,
lordship in the Town Hall, but in consequence of the
numerous applications for admission, the corporation
wisely determined to avail themselves of the ample ac-
commodation of the Mid Church (Rev. Dr. Brown's).
The doors of that edifice were accordingly thrown open
at 11 a.m. All the seats were speedily occupied by
respectably dressed ladies and gentlemen. On the plat-
form we observed Provost Martin; A. Murray Dunlop,
Esq., M.P. ; Major Darroch, of Gourock and Drums;
Sheriff Marshall ; Provost Phillips, of Paisley ; Pro-
vost Birkmyre, of Port-Glasgow ; Provost Houston, of
Renfrew ; and Lorne Campbell, Esq.
The Magistrates (in their chains of office) and Men,-
hers of Council of Greenock, viz. :—Bailies
Campbell, M'llwraith, and Neil ; Treasurer Sword .
Councillors Arbuckle, Caird, Steele, Shaw, Kerr, Sel-
lars, Hamlin, Haddow, Robert Macfie of Airds, and
Ballantyne ; and the Water Trustees, viz.:—Walter
Service, Esq., John Hunter, Esq., William Curtis, Esq.,
Robert Blair, Esq., Hugh Ritchie, Esq., James Lang,
Esq., Hugh Cameron, Esq., and Andrew Laing, Esq.
John Kerr Gray, Town Clerk; George Williamson,
Procurator-Fiscal ; John Adam, Town Chamberlain ;
Robert Steele, Esq. of Knock, Andrew Anderson, Esq.,
Dr Ninian Hill, T. 0. Hunter, Esq., Thomas Turner,
Esq., John Miller, Esq., W. Macfie, Esq. of Langhouse,
Rev. Dr. Brown of Mid Church, Rev. Dr: M'Culloch
of West Church, Rev. Mr. Morton, Rev. Mr. Laugh-
ton, Rev. Mr. Stark, Rev. Mr. Bonar, George Blair,
Esq., Donald M'Donald, Esq., Neil Campbell, Esq.,
Archd. Dennistoun, Esq., Thomas King, Esq., Robert
Wright, Esq., Charles C. Scott, Esq., John Scott, jun.,
Esq.

Lord John Russell who was accompanied to the plat-
form by his youthful son, arrived from Roseneath a few
minutes before 12, a beautiful little Government screw
steamer having been placed at his Lordship's disposal by
the Admiralty. His Lordship's appearance on the plat-
forin was hailed with much enthusiasm. His Lordship
hating been seated,

Provost MARTIN immediately proceeded to present
the address. In doing so he said--My Lord, the Town
Council of GreeCock are greatly honoured by your pre-
senbe this day, to receive the address which they desire
to present expressive of the high consideration with
which, in common with their townsmen they regard your
Lordship. (Cheers.) The numerous and important
measures which, during your public career, you have
either originated or supported, may not have met with
unanimous approval, nor in a free country, where every
citizen forms and may express an independent opinion,
was this to be expected. But, however they may differ
on questions of policy, the British people never fail to
recognise and to reverence high moral principle, and
this, in your Lordship's case, has secured to you the
respect and esteem of all parties. (Great cheering.) The
principles of civil and religious liberty which have been
long and successfully advocated by your lordship may
now be upheld without the hazard of personal danger.
It past times it was far otherwise, and it is to the lasting
holiour of your illustrious house that in the day of need
it gave to this great cause one of its noblest martyrs.
(Cheers.) Thanks to your lordship and to others of
kindred mind, both in our own and in earlier times, the
safeguards of freedom have been established on a basis
that we may hope cannot be shaken: When your lord-
ship carried your great measure of Parliamentary
reform, there were gloomy forebodings of evil re-
Bulls ; but it must be a source of just pride to
you that these have proved to be unfounded, and
your own sanguine expectations have been realised ; for,
while neighbouring nations have been convulsed by insur-
rection or revolution, the people of this country have kept
their onward course, not destroying but amehoriating their
institutions. This contrast, so favourable to us, ought
to reconcile those who were hostile to your measures,
and should cause us to mourn that so many nations are
not blessed with like happy privileges. (Cheers.) Com-
mercial freedom has likewise been extensively promoted
by your lordship, and although there was diversity of
opinion on this subject also, it is possible other causes
may to some extent have contributed their aid. Ido
not. 'think it can be denied that to the comprehensive
reform of our commercial laws, and of the principles of
taxation, must be attributed in a great measure the
present unexampled prosperity and comfort of all
classes. (Renewed applause.) My lord, I will not de-
tain you longer by alluding to other questions of pro-
gress, which have derived advantage from your lord-
ship's support ; but, rejoicing that it has fallen to my
lot to represent the corporation and inhabitants of
Greenock on this occasion, I pray that you may long
continue to adorn the high station you occupy, and that
you may be long spared to maintain the honour and the
liberties of this empire, and to promote the prosperity
and happiness of a grateful people. (Much applause.)
The town-clerk then read the address, as follows :
" TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD JOHN RUSSELL.

"My Lord,—We, the provost, magistrates, and council-
lors of the town of Greenock, in Council assembled, avail
ourselves of the opportunity afforded by your Lordship's
temporary residence in our neighbourhood, to express the
deep respect which we entertain for your Lordship's per-
sonal character, and for your distinguished talents as a
statesman.

" It has been your Lordship's eminent distinction to con-
tribute to the freedom, the prosperity, and the happiness
of this empire in a manner worthy of the illustrious house
from which you are descended, and to which England is so
largely indebted.

"In the midst of party conflicts, it must be gratifying
to your Lordship to feel assured that the purity of your
motives, and the enlarged views and high spirit by which
you are actuated, are not only fully appreciated, but have
secured to your Lordship the lasting gratitude of your
country.
" We thank your lordship for the great services you
have rendered to the cause of civil and religious liberty ;
and we only give expression to the universal public feeling
when we pray that your lordship may be long preserved
by Divine Providence to be a blessing to this nation.
" Signed in name, and by appointment, of the Magis-
trates and Council, and the Seal of the Burgh
affixed hereto, at Greenock, the sixth day of Sep-
tember, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three years.

" JOHN MARTIN, Provost."
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who appeared in the enjoyment
of the most vigorous health, and who was loudly and
most enthusiastically cheered, spoke as follows :
Provost and gentlemen of the Council, it would be
difficult, indeed, for me to express in words the grati-
tude which I feel for the honour that you have this
day done me. I can only say that, I trust, in a more
expressive manner than by words—by my public con-
duct—l may continue to deserve the approbation and
good opinion of cities and communities such as this.
(Cheers.) You have done me the honour of saying that
it has been my lot to contribute to the liberties, the hap-
piness, and the prosperity of this country. I feel deeply
such a compliment. I cannot but look back at the
time when I first entered Scotland, and had the advan-
tage of receiving part of my education under distin-
guished men in the metropolis of your country. (Cheers.)
At that period there was nothing like real representa-
tion of the people of this part of the United Kir_gdom
—those exceptions of popular election which prevailed
elsewhere did not find their place in Scotland, and the
freedom of the press was a mere name ; for I do not re-
member that there was any newspaper at that time
which really conducted public discussions wi h freedom
and with openness. (Cheers.) I cannot but look at
that time, to congratulate you, and to congratulate
myself, that times are so greatly altered. (Cheers.)
Your Provost has alluded to institutions in
other countries which have failed—to liberties which
have flourished for a time and have decayed, or without
bringing their fruits to maturity. But the difference
between those countries and this is, that there is here
such a temperate enjoyment of freedom— such a for-
bearance in pushing rights to extremity, such a well
considered appreciation of the value of liberty, the in-
stitutions derive all their force and all their grandeur
from the charadter of the people among whom they are
introduced. (Loud cheers.) It is thus that if lat any
time have been enabled to add to the privileges, to add
to the power of the people, I have felt at the moment,
and I have been confirmed by experience since, that I
was adding at the same time to the strength and security
of the throne. (Loud cheers.) lam sure, gentlemen,
that such will continue to be the case, and that while
you value and esteem those privileges which you enjoy,
and those privileges which you may hereafter obtain,
you will at the same time consider that it is by the
temperate use of liberty, that all these privileges can
be best maintained to a remote posterity. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, your Provost has alluded to measures
which have been under discussion with regard to the
extension of the principle of representation and mea-
sures with regard to the extension of the freedom of
commerce. (Loud cheers.) lam happy, at lea,t
to say without entering into any argument upon these
subjects, that your address confesses the increase,
should nut say confesses, but rather loudly proclaims p
e people—
(cheers) aimsl
(cheers) —and thereby atthe
increase of the prosperity and happiness of t
the same time proclaims that
those measures were xv.it ill devised, and have not been
unsuccessful. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, with regard to the
future, although I may take but for a short tynteruasntytfia,lart-
ther part in the deliberations of Parliam
much that excited party dissension and heated discussion
having passed away,
that much which was matter of
doubt having been settled, there will be, with regard
to
future measures, if not an absence of party—and I don't
caonuynttirlyne:
owr h
when earne
hsohnaellstbediaf
rae
nb leen absence 00l p
na yn
ienxptheeisten
should nut be expressed; yet, I trust there v,ll,
be that agreement that the course of legislation
may .
be still farther conducive to the happiness oi
the people at large. (Loud cheers.) And let ne say,
however important the questions that we have discusse,
in past years, and it would be difficult perhaps to find a
time in the history of any country, when so many
measures of importance have been obtained, without