The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-14 00:00:00

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

WATERLOO VASE.
A public dinner was yesterday given to his
Grace the Duke of WI.:LLINGTON, at the City of
London Tavern, by the subscribers to this taste-
ful offering at the shrine of Heroism.

The LORD MAYOR presided, and had the honour of sitting
between the Duke of Wellington and the Marquis of Anglesea.
At the same table sat Earl Darnley, the three City Members,
Messrs.. Wilson, Woad, and Bridges ; Sir Charles Flower,
Sir Coots Trotter, Sir Ulysses Burgh, and other elistingui•h-
ed Officers. At the other table were some of the most re-
spectable Gentlemen of the mercantile and trading classes
in the City of London. At about seven o'clock a magni-
ficent dinner was served up, accompanied by wines of the
choicest quality. After the removal of the cloth, a Bene-
dietos was sung by Messrs. Broadhurst, Hawes, Master
Smith, &c.

The usual toasts, " The Sing," " The Duke of York,"
" The Duke of Clarence and the Royal Family," having been
drank with their respective honours,
The Loan .31Aroit rose anti said, that having proposed
those toasts which, relating as they did to the Sovereign
upon the Throne and the Royal Family, ought always to
precede every other consideration, he now came to the sub-
ject more iinmediately connected with the occasion of their
meeting. " And Iv're," said the Lord Mayor, "it will be-
come my duty to address myself to one illustrious individual
personally.

" sly Lord Duke (sail his Lordship, addressing himself to
the illustrious Wellington), amongst the many honourable
and noble individnals by whom I am surrounded, I, having
the honour to be Chief Magistrate of the first City of the Em-
pire, am called upon, and shall endeavour, thougb in a faint
manner, to express the feelings of every individual present
upon this occasion, which you have honoured with your pre-
sence. It is a task to which I feel incompetent; and -I am
convinced that any other person present would have discharged
what I should rather say is not a task,- but a most pleasing
duty, in a far more satisfactory and gratifying manner. When
reflecting, my Lord Duke, upon the approbation which your
conduct throughout your military career has received from the
Parliament and front the country, it perhaps but ill becomes
a small body like those in whose name I have the honour to
address you, to come forward with an expression of their own
feelings. Yet they, in common with all your countrymen, are
anxious to evince their gratitude for the deeds which your Lord-
ship has performed. If I were to attempt to enumerate all the
campaigns, and to trace downward from your Lordship's early
career all their glories and achievements, I should find our
time incompetent to the undertaking. But there are some
facts to which I cannot refrain from adverting. At Assaye,
with a small force you attacked, defeated, and destroyed, an
enemy greatly superior in strength, and your efforts on that
day led to a subsequent victory, which put a glorious end to'
the war, and upon your return to this country you received
the thanks of both !louses of Parliament, as well as those of
the inhabitants of Calcutta, who presented your Lordship
with a memorial of their gratitude. But it
.rs not my in-
tention to pursue the recapitulation of your victories, be-
cause they are numberless. Yet who can forget the Penin-
sula ? There, your Lordship, with a handful of British
troops, the guerillas of Spain, and the undisciplined levies of
Portugal, maintained yourself against the army of France
IVho can forget the subsequent vorming at Badajoa, of Clench('
Rodrigo, and other places ? Who can forget the battles of Sa-
lamanca, of Vimiera, and all the other glorious victories which
you followed up by passing into France, and creating a for-
midable check to the designs of the common tyrant in another
quarter of Europe. Who can forget the battle of Toulouse ?
And when arrived at Paris, your Lordship crowned your bril-
liant labours by obtaining an honourable peace ; little did we
think that you would so soon have to meet one of the most
powerful French armies that ever was assembled, front to front,
upon the plains of Waterloo. That battle, in all its circum-
stances and results, has no parallel in history. Happy indeed
was this country in having such a hero, supported by such offi-
cers and troops, to triumph in the shock of that day. Al-
though the naval glory of the country had previously reached
a matchless height, yet this was the period reserved for the ad-
vancement of our military achievements to a corresponding
greatness. Under Providence, my Lord Duke, the lermy which
you commanded subdued our enemies, and returned to Eng-
land to receive those thanks from a grateful country which were
so inetly It 2 due. So deeply was that feeling impressed upon
our minds, that although ten years have elapsed, we recog-
nize in you, my Lord, under Providence, the cause of that
happy issue which gave us all we now enjoy of peace, comfort
and prosperity. lam directed now to present to your Lord-
ship this Vase, trifling in value, but intended to convey the
highest feeling of admiration for the immortal name of Wel-
lington, which we desire to hand down with honour, not only
to our children, but to our children's children."—(Great and
long continued. applause.)
The health of the Noble Duke was then enthusiastically
drank with three times three.

The Duke of WELLINWiON then rose, and with much feel-
ing ',poke as follows a_
" i ant highly sensible of the manner in which you have been
pleased to drink my health, and when I make this acknowledge-
ment I must, at the same time, return you my thanks for this
beautiful specimen of the arts which you do me the honour to
present. I accept it with the highest gratification, because I
assure you that I receive with unfeigned gratitude this mark of
approbation which you bestow upon my services. I will not
advert to those scenes of my early life which the Lord Mayor
has so much honoured by noticing; but I must say of the
battle of Waterloo, that it well deserved his approbation. The
battle of Waterloo produced consequences which were unheard
of as the result of any event of that description in modern times,
or, indeed, in any times. It completed the military glory of
this country—it relieved mankind from the apprehension of a
return to that horrible, revolting, and degrading, tyranny
which had been imposed upon nearly all the world except the
people of this country. It enabled his Majesty's Government
to effect the peace of Europe upon terms most honourable to
ourselves, and such as have led us to the greatness and prospe-
rity we now enjoy. God send that it may be as lasting as it is
honourable and beneficial to the country. Although I claim
these merits for the battle of Waterloo, 1 disclaim any extra-
ordinary merit for myself excepting a zealous, honest, ardent,
desire to do my duty to my Sovereign and my country. The
great results of that day are to be largely attributed to my
Gallant Friend near me (the Marquis of Anglesea), and the
other Officers who commanded, and to the discipline and
bravery of our soldiers. They are to be attributed in a still
greater degree to the exertions and spirit of the country, in
supporting the army through all sacrifices and privations. It
is that same spirit which has induced you at this distant period
of time to draw the attention of men to this event, and to mark
your approbation of my conduct. Ido not wish to underrate
that conduct when I state that as long as that spirit shall exist,
there will not be men wanting who will follow my example in
doing their duty to their country, and endeavouring to merit
its approbation."—(Long continued and fervid applause.)
The Lour) MAYOR next proposed the health of the Mar-
quis Of A NOLESEA, with a few appropriate remarks.
The Marquis of ANGLESEA said—" It gives me infinite
pleasure to be amongst you this day to celebrate the glorious
achievement 'in which your illustrious guest, my Noble and
Gallant Friend, stood so pre-eminent. To be so honoured by
a company combining so much of the talent iced wealth of the
first City in the world,-e-to be so taken notice of by my gallant,
Chief, and the Lord Mayor,—was more than I could possibly
have expected. in the name of the gallant men with whom I
had the honour to serve, and for myself, I return you my most
sincere thanks."
The Duke of WELLINGTON rose to propose a toast, upon
which, as he was addressing Gentlemen ofi the City of London,
it was necessary for him to say but very little. Ile gave them
the health of the Lord Mayor, whose acts during his mayoralty
had already secured him the confidence and esteem of all.__
(Great applause.)
The Loan M Avon returned thanks in a neat speech.
The healths of Earl Darnley, Sir C. Flower, the City Mem-
hers, Sir U. Burgh, and other Gentlemen present, were drank,
and they severally returned thanks in speeches which we regret
a want of room compels us to mint.
The LORD MAYOR proposed the House of Green, Ward,
and Green, which had produced this beautiful specimen of
taste and ert.
Mr. GREEN rose, with great deference, to return thanks for
the honour which had been done to himself and his Partners.
Any trouble which they had taken, had been amply repaid by
the honour of producing a work which would be in the posses-
sion of the illustrious Duke, whom every man mustconsider:Lathe Saviour of his country.—(Applause )
The Meeting then retired, after an evening which seemed to
have been passed with perfect and unanimous gratification,

Daughters,
Ainsphbruy,
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from llampton
Sadler, at ditto
FASHIONABLE ARRIVALS.
The Duchess of heeds and Lady Charlotte Osborne,
ton-street, from their seat in Yorkshire.; the' 'Marquis and-
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jaamdptroTesftroonmantdheilt;ersceaitg,
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Hall,
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John
Lowerliyl
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Grosvenor-streetgl
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tAt,
Court, Herefordshire; Mr. and Mrs. Mier, at Long's Rotel,
olol'hfnol:;r
Bond-street, Suffolk; Lord and Lady Kinnaird, at Kirkham•s
from a tour; Mr. and Mrs. Fergusson, at ditto, from a
Hotel, Lower Brook-street; Mr. and Mrs.
tour.