The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-17 00:00:00

/A CAMPBELL AT CUPAR.

SIR Jo

(Abridged from thekiinhatO (Ibgerogr..)
Yesterday was a proud day for the reformers of Afeshire,
• both with reference to the character of the meeting at Cu-
- par, and the sentiments etpregsed. Nearly three hundred
i 75 persons, as many as the apartment rreuld contain, as-
sembled to do honour to the Attorney-General, rttd through
him to declare their approbation of the measures of his
5.,1 Majesty's Government ; and as straws thrown up point
g how the wind blows, it was evident from what fell from
o a several speakers, that the Ministerial party are about to
o '°o
shake out a reef " on the question of the ballot, or at all
o o
o a events, to take up stronger ground than they have hitherto
o ° done. The leading business of the day was begun by the
presentation to the Attorney-General of the freedom of
the city of St. Andrews, and of the burghs of Cupar and
Kinghorn. This ceremonial took place in the Sheriff
Court Room immediately before dinner. At half-past 4
o'clock about two hundred and eighty gentlemen sat down
to dinner in the ball-room, and a few dined in another
apartment, but were accommodated in the larger room after
the cloth was removed. Captain Erskine Wemyss pre-
sided, having on his right Sir John Campbell ; Mr. Cun-
ninghame, Solicitor-General for Scotland ; Sir Ronald Fer-
gusson, M.P. for Nottingham ; Mr. Drinkwater, barrister;
Provost Horteyman, of Cupar ; the Rev. Mr. Kidd, of
Moonzie, and Provost Landale of Kirkaldy. On the left
of the Chairman were Mr. E. Ellice, junior ; the Earl of
Rothes ; Mr. Fergus, M. P. for Kirkaldy ; Sir George
Campbell, and the Rev. Messrs. Johnstone of Leslie and
Gorrie, of Kettle. Mr. Fergusson of Raith, M. P.; Mr.
'Hunt, of Pittenerieff ; Mr. Heriot, of Ramornie, and Mr.
Moon, of Russell Mill, were the croupiers. Mr. Kidd
asked the blessing, and Mr. Gorrie returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN gave " The King."
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The Queen."
Th• CHAIRMAN craved a special bumper to the health
of the " Princess Victoria," and the toast was received with
enthusiasm.

The CHAIRMAN then gave " The Duke of Sussex, and
the Reformers of the three kingdoms."—(Great cheering.)
The CHAlRMAN—Gentleman, it now becomes a pleasing
and honourable task to discharge a duty which, by your
kindness, has devolved on me, by your placing me in the
chair on this great occasion—it is to drink to his Majesty's
Attorney-General of England, a native of this county.—
(Cheers.) You are all aware, my friends, that Sir John
Campbell left this country, as many one else has left it, to
push his fortune.—(Hear.) You see what he has done by
industry and talents.—(Hear, hear.) May not all of us
rise to the same elevated station by assiduity and attention?
1 can say no more than give the health of Sir John Camp-
bell—success to him in all his undertakings—and may he
rise to the top of his profession.--(Tremendous cheering,
long and continued.)
Sir JOHN CAMPBELL was received with great cheering,
which continued for some time. When allowed to proceed
he spoke as follows :—Gentlemen, I am a native of this
town—here I first drew breath. In this town my father
was above fifty years Minister of the same congregation—
here his ashes repose—here his memory is venerated. Gen-
tleman, I will say this for myself, that, being proud of my
county and of my country, I have ever strove that they
should not be ashamed of me.—(Great cheering.) Captain
Wemyss has truly stated that I left this country friendless,
and went to push my fortune in what may be considered a
foreign land.—(Hear, hear.) It is, as he has truly stated,
by industry and perseverance, and I hope honourable am-
bition—(Loud cheers)—that I have now the honour to be
received on this public occasion by my native county,
and by this display of kindness, I am proud to see that
you are of opinion that I have done it no discredit—.
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Gentlemen, I have succeeded
in life by pursuing an honourable career, and without a
patron—without ever having condescened to flatter the
great, or to court the favour of any party, except in so
far as my political principles may have coincided with the
party to which I belonged.—(Cheers.) My maxim has
been inter in adversum, and no step have I obtained
except by strenuous exertion.—(Hear, hear.) Gentlemen,
in politics I early, and from the moment I was capable
of forming an opinion, devoted myself to the popular cause.
—(Cheers.) I am not one of those who have, for the
sake of place or preferment, sacrificed the opinions of
their youth.—(Great cheering.) I have ever thought
that a popular form of Government was to be preferred.
—(Cheers.) My opinion is, that under the limited mo-
narchy under which I was born, with its institutions pro-
perly reformed and restored, public opinion has the
greatest sway, and more real power than it would pos-
sess under the purest form of a democracy.—(Cheers.)
Gentlemen. I entered Parliament at an interesting period,
when Lord Grey's Administration was formed, and when
the grand measure of political regeneration was brought
forward. I strenuously supported that measurs. I
was of some little service, perhaps, in the con-
sultations with which I was honoured on the detail of that
measure—(Hear, hear)—and I shall ever glory in the re-
collection of the confidence I was honoured by Lord Grey
before I was in office---(Hear, hear)—and the part I took
in the preparation and passing of that glorious measure.—
(Cheers.) When office was offered to me, I did not hesi-
tate to accept it, because, from the felicity of the times,
there was no inconsistency in holding an office under the
Crown, and being the warm and strenuous supporter of po-
pular liberty.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I rejoice to think
that the master whom I serve has done more, since he as-
cended the throne, for restoring the privileges of his sub-
jects, and the establishment of public liberty, than any of
his predecessors.—(Cheers.) His memory will be vene-
rated by posterity, for having supported an Administra-
tion which has had ever for its express object the public
good and public liberty.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I must
state, as the great felicity of my lot, that I became the
representative of the metropolis of my native country.—
(Hear, hear.) I was returned to Parliament, I may say,
by the unsolicited suffrages of the citizens of Edinburgh--
(Hear, hear)—who, at a great and important political
crisis, confided to me their political interests.—(Hear,
hear.) I now appear before you as Attorney-General
for the King—but I would have been better pleased if
your worthy Chairman had added Member of Parliament
for the City of Edinburgh.—(Cheers.) In the elevated
situation in which I am placed by my Sovereign, and by
my fellow-citizens, the electors of Edinburgh, I certainly
cannot but feel proud of the success I have obtained. The
Provost of Cupar, to-day, stated, that much would be ex-
pected of me, because 1 had much in my power.—(Hear.)
I will say, this, Gentlemen, that whatever is in my power
most undoubtedly shall be done for the good of my country.
(Great cheering.) I would take this opportunity of al-
luding to one objection which I understand has been made
to me—the only one that has reached my ears—viz., that I
have been forgetful of the place of my birth. lam ex-
ceedingly distressed by such a notion being entertained by
any human being—it was not my choice.—( Hear, hear.)
Captain Wemyss had already stated that I went to push
my fortune--I could not remain in Fife to plough my pa-
ternal acres. You all know that what I have is my own
conquest. There is no native of Fifeshire more devoted to
the place of his birth, than the individual who has now the
honour to address you.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, if I had
my choice, I assure you I would not have left the country,
and I would leave it no more—
.. Me si rata meis paterentur ducere vitam
Aespiciis et sponte men componere caras
Urbem Cupreusem primum dulcesque, meorum
Reliquias colerem."
Gentlemen, circumstances do not permit me to remain be-
side those who are dear to me, and, at the same time, to
support my situation in life. I must spend my time at a
distance, but I can assure you I revisit my native county
with unspeakable delight. When I first catch a glimpse of
the distant Lomonds, a thrill of pleasure fills my bosom, and
when lat last see my native stream the Eden, I repeat
with enthusiasm the verse of the Scottish peet—
" Arva inter nemoris que umbras et pascua lota,
Lene fluens vitreis labitar Eden aquis."
Gentlemen, these sentiments I feel, these sentiments I
shall instil into my children. The papers I received to-day
when the freedom of Cupar, St. Andrew's, and Kinghorn,
was presented to me, I shall retain as the most valuable
memorial of the approbation of my fellow-citizens of my
public conduct, and as such I will transmit them to my
posterity. I do not undervalue the honours conferred on
me by my Sovereign, but I can assure you freely of this,
that I consider no honour so gratifying, or so inestimable,
as the good opinion of my -compeers.--(Cheers.) Gentle-
men, I shall struggle to transmit these muniments to my
children ; and if I can add the good opinion of my Coun-
try, I shall consider it their most valuable inheritance.—
(Cheers.) Gentlemen, there is a toast which it is propose?
I should give, and I give it most willingly, and with grew,
pride and exultation—it is " the Reformess of Fifeshire."
This county has distinguished itself in a particular manner,
because there has been the decisive expression of the voice
of the public in favour of the Liberal cause, and they have
Houseaddf
CseonrattmooPnsarwliiathmethnet autMmoesmtbreers Ipoeockd t a
no
dn the
may
affec-
tion.—(Great cheering.) I can assure you, gentlemen,
most truly, that there is no man who, when he favours the
House of Commons with his sentiments, is listened to with