The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-19 00:00:00

THE EARL OF DURHAM'S ANSWER
TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEPUTATION
OF THE WESTMINSTER REFORM SOCIETY.

Cleveland-row, Dec. 18,1838.
Sia—l have to thank you for your courtesy in communi-
cating to me the " principles and measures advocated by
the Westminster Reform Society."
I rejoice to receive from you this proof that the insin-
cere, and, in my opinion, dangerous purposes avowed by
some of those who took so prominent a part in the meet
ing to which you refer, are not founded on, or justified by
the public and recorded declarations of that Association.
I can, therefore, have no hesitation, after this explanation,
in receiving from you an address emanating from the
Society.

I ani informed and believe that that Society was insti-
tuted by honourable and conscientious men, honestly de-
voted to the cause of Reform, and of the true interests of
the in,ustrious classes.

Let me, then, take this opportunity of imploring them,
at the present political crisis, to use their well-earned in-
fluence with their fellow-country:nen for the purpose of
deprecating all violence and turbulent proceedings. Let
me beg that they will draw the line of distinction as
broadly as I wish to do for myself, between honest and
sincere Reformers, and those who assume the character
with other and pernicious designs ; that they will inspire
the people with a desire for practical benefits, and not for
dangerous theories ; and, above all, that they will boldly
repudiate all fellowship and communion with those whose
counsels and actions are not only fraught with danger to
the peace of society, but to the well-being even of those
whose exclusive interests they profess to maintain.

Al!ow me, Sir, to thank you perSonally for the very
friendly terms in which you have alluded to my public con-
duct, as I find them recorded in the report of your speech,
which you have transmitted to me. Trusting ever to de-
serve your confidence and good opinion,
I have the honour to subscribe myself,
Your most obedient servant,
DURHAM.
T. Prout, Esq., Chairman, &c. &c.

My Lord,—As Chairman of the Deputation of the
Westminster Reform Society, I have the honour to ac-
knowledge your Lordship's reply, of the 18th inst., to my
letter to your Lordship, of the 17th iust. lam directed
by the deputation to enclose to your Lordship the original
Address, in the " principles" of which your Lordship, in
your letter of the 15th, states that you entirely concur."
We have informed your Lordship fully of the princi-
ples of our Local Political Association, viz., the advocacy of,
1. Householders' Suffrage,
2. Triennial Parliaments,
3. Voting by Ballot ;

and we beg to re-assure your Lordship that such are the
real objects of our Society, and that we seek only to
advance those objects by the force of Public Opinion, and
by the support of honest Public Men united with us in
the Common Cause.

I have the honour to subscribe myself,
Your Lordship's most obedient servant,
THOMAS PROUT.
Westminster, 22.9, Strand, Dec. 19, 1838.
To the Right Hon. the Earl of Durham, &c., &c., &c,

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES TO LORD DURHAM.

WASHINGTON, OCT. 26.
MY LORD,-1-living been informed that it is your inten-
tion to pass through a portion of the United States on your
return to England, I embrace the occasion to express to
your Lordship the great satisfaction I should experience if
your arrangements allowed of your visit being extended to
this city. The friendly sentiments entertained by my fel-
low-citizens towards yourself, and also towards the people
of your country, will, I doubt not, prompt a sincere desire
on their part to render your sojourn among them agreeable
to yourself, as I am sure it will be gratifying to them. For
my own part, I will esteem myself happy, if by your pre-
sence here I shall be afforded the opportunity of manifest-
ing to your Lordship personally the sincerity with which I
share in those sentiments.

I am, with very distinguished consideration,
Your Lordship's most obedient servant,
(Signed) M. VAN BUREN,
His Excellency the Earl of Durhtim, &c.

-- ---
TREATY BETWEEN ENGLAND
AND TURKEY.

A CORRESPONENT.
We understand,( FROM
on good authority,D that) the merchants of
Newcastlo intend to protest against the Treaty lately con-
cluded with Turkey, as no less a violation of the rights of the
merchants of this country, and of the fundamental principles
of freedom of commerce, established by the Koran, than mis-
chievous in its effects, and injurious to the interests and reve-
nues of the Grand Seignor.
On a prima facie view of the Treaty, we confess our ina-
bility to comprehend the exact value which either Great
Britain or the Ottoman Empire have derived from the ser-
vices of Mr. Poulett Thompson in drawing up this vaunted
compact.
The sanction given to our oldest ally to violate every pre.
existing treaty with England, by substituting a duty of five
per cent. on the importation of British manufactures, in lieu
of the prit lieges of three per cent., which its own subjects
and those of the British empire have from time im-
memorial enjoyed, appears incomprehensible, except on
the hypothesis that the influence of Russia, as dis-
played in the affair of the Vixen, has again dictated
to a sleeping partner in a Russian firm the terms on
which England may escape the retribution due for the sym-
pathy of her people in the struggles of Circassia, and for their
awakened distrust of a Power which in time of profound peace
and of strict amity with every surrounding State, has been
allowed to form an Armada destined to support her possession
of Constantinople, by maintaining with the combined navies of
the world the sovereignty of the seas.
That Russia will hasten to support the Sultan in the false
position in which she has contrived to inveigle him, in oppo-
sition to the interests of his people, and to those sound princi-
ples of commercial legislation which amidst foreign hostility and
internal rebellion have hitherto so wonderfully upheld the
fabric of Islam, is no less apparent in the movements of the
Russian army, than in the departure from the Dardanelles of
the British squadron at that peculiar season of the year, when
the constant prevalence of north-easterly gales renders a
return to the anchorage of Tenedos within five weeks almost
an impossibility.

,OPAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AS
SOCIATION OF BIRMINGHAM.

'rom a Second Edition of the Morning Herald.)
Birmingham—Tuesday.
The fourth anniversary meeting of the Loyal and Consti-
tutional Association, at Birmingham, took place at the Royal
Hotel yesterday morning, W. S. DVODALE, Esq., M. P.,
North Warwick, iu the chair.
The Report having bece read and agreed to, the officers of
the Society were elected for the ensuing year.
The members of the association, to the number of nearly 500,
afterwards celebrated the fourth anniversary of its institution
by dining together at the Town Hall, W. S. Dugdale, Esq.,
M. P. for North Warwickshire, in the chair; and amongst the
most distinguished guests were—the Earl of Bradford,
Lord Sandon, Lord Teignmouth, Lord Lifford, Sir Eardly
Wilmot, Mr. Ellis, Member for Newry, Rev. Egerton
Begot, Rev. Noel Grealey, Newdigate, Sneyde Kenners.
ley, Mott Wolfenton, and Newton Dickenson, Esq.; Doctor
Booth, George Barker, Esq., Rev. H. R. Wooley, Reverend
J. W. Downer, Benjamin Spurrell, Samuel Crane, James
Pixell, Charles Craven, W. B. Smith, Edwin Kempson,
and George Barra, Esqrs. The Earl of Dartmouth, who
would otherwise have attended, was prevented from being
present by the recent death of his mother. The Earl of
Aylesford and Sir Thomas Gooch were also obliged, by press-
ing engagements, to forego their intention of assisting at the
celebration.
The usual loyal toasts having been drank, and the health of
the Duke of Wellington and the House of Lords being pro-
posed, the name of the Duke of Wellington was seized upon
as the signal for a universal and most deafening cheer.
The Earl of BRADFORD retnrned thanks. He fearlessly as-
serted that the House of Lords as a body was a body of true
patriots, in the real sense of that word, but were very much
misunderstood. They had for some years past, under great
difficulties, endeavonred to steer a steady course conscientiously
but firmly, and to hand down to our posterity that glorious
constitution which had been transmitted to us from our ances-
tors. Supported as he was convinced they were by an immense
majority of the serious, the sober-minded, and the religious of
the country, he confidently trusted that the House of Lords
would be enabled to do much good, or at least to avert much
evil, and he hoped to preserve the constitution from the attacks
of its enemies.
The health of Sir R. Peel and the Conservative Members
of the House of Commons was proposed by Sir John Cave._.
(Drunk with enthusiastic cheers,)
The healths of Earl Howe, the President of the Association
for the present year---of the President Elect, and prosperity to
the Loyal and Canstitutional Association—of the Bishop and
Clergy of the Diocese—of the Earl of Dartmouth, the Earl
of Bradford, and the other Vice-Presidents of the Association,
and of the Chairman of the Dinner, were drunk with applause,
and acknowiedged in appropriate terms.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of their worthy
guest on his left hand—a statesman who had had the manli-
ness to leave his party when he saw that they were making ex-