The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-27 00:00:00

LONDON,
TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1836.

A Conservative Festival, of which, of course, our Tory
Contemporaries speak in the highest terms, was held on
Tuesday last at Belfast, on which occasion a bran-new
" pavilion" was erected—so great was the anxiety of
the Ulster Protestants to enjoy the comforts of a good
dinner gratis. Mr. EMERSON TENNENT, a gentle.
man whom Mr. O'CONNELL alluded to the other day
as being remarkable for a wig, the like of which is not
to be found in Christendom, presided ; and threw off
more than one speech, which developed properties
equally original with his caxon. He was flowery to
a degree far passing the intelligible ; and luxuriated
in such rare poetic flights, as leads us to conjecture
that he had framed his oratory upon the model of his
wig, which, as every body—thanks to O'CoNNELL's
generous mention—knows, or should know, is remark-
able for the rank, eccentric exuberance of its locks.
Inter alia, he spoke of the Peers as being more emi-
nent for sagacity than even their rank, and as possess-
ing a practical acquaintance with all those great poli-
tical questions which arc now engrossing the attention
of the masses, unknown to the untitled sons of ADAM.
Their conduct throughout the last sesssion is a testimony
that the Lords deserve this high-flown eulogium ; in proof
of which—were additional proof needed—we might in-
stance the demand for " Peerage Reform," which is now
daily becoming more prevalent among the community.
As we have alluded to the only passage in Mr. TEN-
NENT'S speeches which it is our good fortune to un-
derstand, we shall pass to those of Lord RODEN
and Mr. MORTIMER O'SULLIVAN—the latter of
whom threw off a sermon rather than a speech, which
consequently appears to have been received with that si-

lent reverence which escheweth show, and is provocative
of profound repose. The Reverend Gentleman was
of course lavish in his praises of the " Na-
tional Church," in which he could discover neither
speck nor flaw. It was one " entire and perfect chry-
solite," developing in its every department proofs of
more than mortal sagacity. As O'Suma %TAN was
enthusiastic on the Church, so Lord RODEN was en-
thusiastic on the Peers. They had the same interests,
he observed, as the people, and " both had the same
object in view, which was the preservation of those
privileges and liberties which had been handed
down to them by their forefathers." Verily, their
Lordships showed how closely they were linked
in point of interest, with the people, by their
very popular opposition to the Reform Bill in its
every stage ; also by their late endeavour to have
it believed that " eight millions" of his Majesty's sub-
jects arc sheer lunatics, and incapable of being en-
trusted with the management of their own affairs
From all we can learn, the Belfast Festival was a per-
fect failure, excepting in so far as the eating and drink-
ing were concerned.

We have never thought that printers or printer's
devils were less liable to the influence of the God of
Gin than any other of the King's laborious subjects ;
nor do we feel inclined to make an exception in favour
of those favoured few on whom falls the awful respon-
sibility of setting up the leaded thunders of the Times.
At all events, whatever may be the general rule, it is
evident that Boxing Day overrules it. Mistakes
of the Press are sacred—there is no effec-
tual guarding against them in the haste of a
daily publication ; but, whilst admitting this, we
cannot help referring to a mistake in this day's
Times, which is important, inasmuch as it proves
conclusively a charge often brought against that Jour-
nal, and as often denied, viz., that of being the manefacturer of its own " able" Correspondence. We do
not say that there is anything morally wrong in the
editor of the Times writing a letter to himself, and
calling the attention of the public to the letter of his
" able and intelligent Correspondent." We only say
that it is a paltry and pitiful attempt to puff one's own

writing.
" Oh, excellent device ! was there ever heard a better,"
That being the scribe, to himself should write a letter?"
This may be another of the ingenious devices