The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

PUBLIC DINNER AND PRESENTATION TO SIR
GEORGE GREY, ALP., AT ALNIVICK.

On Monday a public dinner was given at Alnwick to
the Right Hon. Sir G. Grey, M.P., for the purpose of
presenting him with a testimonial, subscribed for prin-
cipally by the working men of the district, to show their
appreciation of the right hon. baronet's eminent services
to the Liberal cause, particularly during the recent con-
test for the northern division of the county of Northum-
berland, when he was defeated by a small majority by
the Conservative coalition. Upwards of a month ago
1,000 dinner tickets were issued at three shillings each,
in order to give the working classes an opportunity of
being present ; but these were all disposed of in less
than a week, and ever since, though a considerable
number of after-dinner tickets were issued at the same
price, large premiums have been offered for them.
The dinner was held in a spacious pavilion erected in
the market place. Nearly 1,500 persons sat down to
dinner at one o'clock. Two galleries, running the whole
length of the pavilion, were appropriated for ladies, and
were well filled.

The chair was filled by Sir W. Trevelyan, Bart., who
was supported by Sir George Grey, M.P., the Earl of
Carlisle, W. B. Beaumont, Esq., M.P., Earl Grey, Lord
Panmure, It. Ingham, Esq., M.P., J. B. Blackett,
Esq., M.P., &c.

The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured,
Mr. MICHAEL YOUNG, of Bedlington, presented the
testimonial to Sir George Grey. It was an elegant siver
candelabrum, supported by the figures of working men
—a miner, a blacksmith, a ploughman, and a sailor.
It bore the following inscription :

"Presented to the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Bart.,
M.P., from more than 13,000 working men of Northumber-
land, in testimony of their gratitude for his support of the
wise, just, and beneficial measure of free ti ade, their re-
spect for his private worth, and for the eminent integrity
and ability which have distinguished his public career.
Alnwick, 28th March, 853."

Mr. YOUNG in the course of his address said—They
were met to do honour to a distinguished statesman—
one who is admired by his friends and respected by his
opponents—one who adorns and ennobles the order to
which he belongs—a friend of civil and religious liberty
—and an able advocate of a policy which has conferred
great and innumerable blessings on the people of this
country.

Sir GREY was received with loud applause when he
presented himself to reply. I stand here (he said) to re-
ceive a testimonial that, in your j udgment, and in the judg-
ment of 13,000 of the working classes, those measures
which in my place in Parliament I felt it my duty, while
one of the representatives of this division, to promote '
and advocate by my vote and influence—and especially
those measures which relate to the financial and commer-
cial policy of the country—were measures dictated by
sound policy, and measures conducive to the permanent
welfare and interest of the great body of the people of
this country. (Applause.) I accept that testimonial,
valuable in itself, representing as it does the varied
industry of this great country. To me, however, it pos-
sesses something infinitely beyond its intrinsic value, as
it will be a permanent record to me—and I hope also to
my children's children—that I have been fortunate
enough to obtain what I must consider the highest prize
in political life—the warm, generous, and sincere regard,
and the good wishes and attachment, of that large and
important industrial class of my fellow-countrymen who
possess as yet no direct voice themselves in the choice of
members of Parliament (loud cheers)—but whose
interests, whose daily comforts, whose happiness and
permanent welfare are intimately concerned in the
good government of the country and the acts of the Legis-
lature, and in whose moral and social well-being the
prosperity of this country is so intimately bound up.
In another part of his speech, he said :—" There can, I
think, be no doubt now entertained—though a slight
attempt was made at the time to disguise it—that the
real question at issue, the question submitted for the
decision of the constituencies at the last election was,
whether the free-trade policy should or should not be
maintained--whether the commercial system which has
been recently adopted by successive Parliaments should
be upheld as conducive to the best and permanent inte-
rests of the country, or whether—as some strenuously
contended—it should be reversed as prejudicial to those
interests. (Hear.) I felt the difficulties and disadvan-
tages which I, as a candidate, would have to encounter,
avowing myself as an advocate for the maintenance and
extension of that system of free trade, and addressing
myself to a constituency in a great part of agriculturists.
Under these circumstances, asking, as I did, for a re-
newal of the trust which in 1847 was reposed in me, I
felt it my duty to make a clear, unequivocal, and expli-
cit avowal of the opinions I entertained—(cheers)—and
having made that avowal, I was willing to abide what-
ever might be the issue of the contest. (Applause.)
Of the result of that contest I have not the slightest
reason to complain. The result was the defeat, by a
small majority, of the free-trade candidate, followed, as
soon as Parliament met, by the complete, unambiguous,
and unequivocal triumph -of the free-trade policy. (Loud
cheers.) An attempt, it is true, was made by the leaders
of that party once called Protectionists, to avoid an express
recantation of the opinions they had long and strenuously
urged on Parliament and the country, but ultimately a
resolution was passed by such a majority of the new
House of Commons as to amount almost to unanimity—
a resolution by which stands recorded on their journals
their verdict that the present commercial system of free
trade ought to be maintained, and on the especial ground
that it was conducive—eminently conducive—to the wel-
fare and comforts of the industrious classes. (Applause.)
The verdict of the House of Commons is ratified by the
free and spontaneous expression of opinion on the part
of the working classes of this country. (Cheers.) Their
conviction is founded on their own personal experience
founded on that comparison which they themselves
are best able to institute, and which they cannot help
instituting between their present and former condition.
The right honourable baronet concluded by declaring
his resolution to promote, with all his ability, the poli-
tical, social, and physical welfare of the whole body of
the people.
The VICE-CHANCELLOR then proposed the " Health
of the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, Earl Grey."
(Cheers.)
Earl GREY said he had with the greatest pleasure
joined in paying this compliment to one with whom he
had been so long connected in the closest manner, both
by unrivalled friendship and by complete agreement on
public questions. The testimonial which had been pre-
sented to Sir George Grey was honourable to them as it
was honourable to him. The noble earl then proposed
the "Health of the Chairman."
The CHAIRMAN acknowledged the toast.
" The Earl of Carlisle and the House of Lords " was
next given, and replied to by the Earl of Carlisle.
The "Health of Lord Panmure and the other illus-
trious guests," as well as a variety of other toasts fol-
lowed, and the proceedings terminated: