The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-30 00:00:00

ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE PITT CLUB.

The annual celebration of the Birth-day of
Mr. PITT took place on Saturday, at the City of London Ta-
vern. Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL, M.P. for the county of
Kent, was in the Chair. On his left he was supported by the
Earl of Westmoreland, the Earl of Harewood, Lord Bathurst,
Lord Kenyon, and several Gentlemen of distinction. On the
right of the Chair sat the Lord Chancellor, Mr. Secretary Peel,
Mr. Bankes,. Sir Robert Peel, Mr. W. Peel, and many other
highly distinguished characters.—The company did not sit
down to dinner till seven o'clock. A military band, stationed
in the music gallery, continued to play during the greater part
of dinner, and at intervals during the remainder of the evening.
After the cloth was removed the professional singers, Messrs.
Hawes, Taylor Broadhurst, Phillips, Golden, and Mas-
tLeree, --"
stmith,
gave "
Benedictus sit Doss" in excellent style:—
The following toasts were then drank:—
" The King," With three times three and great applause.—
Sting, " God save the King," the company upstanding.
44 The Duke of York and the other branches of the Royal
Family," With three times three.—Song, "Hail Star of Bruns-
wick."

Sir EDWARD KNATCITTILTIL then rose, he said, to- trespass
on Their time, while he proposed a toast nearly connected with
the origin of the institution to which they all belonged : that
toast was,.' The immortal Memory of the late Right Hon.
Wm. Pitt.";--(Leud cheers.)—He should perhaps best consult:
their comfort and his own feelings were he to refrain upon so
distinguished a subject from saying a single word. But he be-
lieved some observations were always expected: from the situa-
tion which he then had the honour to fill as their Chairman, and
he would not, therefore, lay himself open to the obloquy of
deviating from the beaten track. He was not versed suffi-
ciently in the language of panegyric to do justice to the
merits of that illustrious Statesman whose memory he -had
proposed. But if he must express an opinion upon his cha-
racter, he should say, that in searching the records of the his-
! tory.4 this country,' it would be difficult, if not inipossible,•
to find an individual whose merit exceeded the claims of.
MT. Pitt.—(Applause.)--If in speaking of his talents he
i should refer to that sagacity which in .one moment could see
the bearings of every question,. or to that eloquence which could
convince even his opponents of the rectitude of his policy, he,
should only call M. their recollection what was adn:ltted m be
the distinguishing features of his merit. :In order to exalt him,
he had no need of resorting to the expedient of underrating :the,
talents of his opponents—(Applause.)L-He was inferior to no
man, and in saying -this he war not likely to encounter'the
jealousy of his personal friends. The illustrious individual, of
' whom he spoke, displayed his talents early in life, being early
called into the field alto-Mies. Whenhe commenced his career,
he had to restore_ the injured finances of his country, and cope
with the consequences of the most stupendous political shock
the world ever witnessed—he meant the French Revolution.—
Ile.then adopted that course which alone could have saved the
country.—(Applause.)—This, he was convinced, would be ad-
mitted by all clafe,ks hereafter. in the mean time, they might
observe, that those men with whom he was associated in power,
had nearly ever since cOnducted the affairs of this kingdom ; and
that it was the boast and practice of the people of this country,
and he hoped it always would be, to scrutinize the conduct of
public men. In offering an humble acknowledgment to the me-
mory of Mr. Pitt, they were not only paying a debt of gratitude,
but were doing that which was calculated to benefit themselves.
For as there was •tro reward so gratifying to those who were
engaged in the service of the public as the approbation of the
public; they were likely; by duly paying such rewards, to sti-
mukits.the Statesmen Of the time being, to seek to obtain them.
They would all, he was sure, join him with pleasure, in drink-
ing to the memory of a man who had extricated the country
from difficulties, and placed it upon the secure basis of prospeT
rity, independence, and success.
The toast was then 'drank- with three times three, and im-
mense applause.'
Glee—" Pitt's illustriouseliame."
The following toasts were then drank :
" The Navy and Army of the Unit-d Kingdorn"--Song,
"Rule Britannia."

." The House of Brunswick, and may it never forget the
principles which placed it upon the Throne of these Realms."
" Song--" With n jolly good bottle let each man be armed.
We must be good subjects when thus we are warmed."
• The CHAIRMAN' then rose to propose a.toast to which: he
thought they would all accede. That toast was "The Pro-
testant Ascennaney."--(Tumultuous applause.)—He had felt
it would be impossible for him to 'mention this toast withent
hr-aging to their minds a sense of the important considerations
attached to the subject; and the result had justified his.expec.
tations. He wasreatly at all times when called upon to act in
public, openly,- and without disguise, to declare the principles
-of his conduct and views. Therefore it was that he had offered
-this toast to dick conaidetation, and he begged to say that he
should drink it, to he was sure they all would, Without intend-
ing to cast any bninitation upon others, or to question the va-
lidity of rights Wkich had been advanced and were said not to
be inconsistent with Abe. tanm he had given. • .
"'The Protestant Ascendancy" was then drank with three
times three, and clamorous applanse. •
• ...Song-."_ f l ail, liappy
The Crrai n MAN said, he must further trespass upon the
dulgence of thq company, in proposing the health of his'Ma-
jesty's 31inisters,-4Con4iderable applause.) —He. would net oc-
cupy much of their time in descanting upon the distinguished
qualities of the indivichials who composed his Majesty's Alin's-.
try, because he could say nothing upon that subject with
winch they were not already well - acquainted.. He need only
call to their recollection i thar the Noble .Earl of Liverpool, than
whom there wax net a more honest or enlightened Statesman,
was at the head of. the Ministry.—(Cheers.)--And when they
recollected that among this number was the highly-esteemed
Lord Eldon—(loud applawire)—a man who, through evil report •
and good report, in the Senate and on the Bench, had al-
ways been teund c4e. 'steady supporter of the laws. And
when he reminded' them that his Right Honourable Friend
(Mr. Secretary Peel) who held time Seals of the Home Office
(great applauseyWaS another of that number, and equally with
the Noble anti-Learned Lord a colleague in office, the defender
of the laws,' and_also improver of the laws, by a mode, and
to an extent that di4iitt4tl all opposition, he was sure he had
said enough to recomme-.ld the toast to their best distinction.,...
(Hear, hear l)—He therefore proposed " Health and long con-
tinuance in office tolis-kajesty's Ministers."
The toast was drank with three times three, and every mark
of respect and admiratiOn..
The Lord _Chancellor • Mr. Secretary Peel, the Earl of West-
morelaail, and Lord..ll:ithurst, then rose, and remained stand-.
dug,: whilst • - • •

he Loan i eiIANCELT.oII spoke as follows In rising,
.Gentlemen, to accpit myseltof the task which your kindness
has imposed-upon me, it is my. first business to state that I
am sensible of iny...own utter iocompetence to convey -M
you the 'feelings af.grafjtuile.vtilicii Oppressnie at the addreia
of which, your worthyp. Representative in the Chair has been
pleased to make ma tbeobject, or at the manner in which you
have condescended' to, seCond that address. Gentlemen, it is
now just abOut twenty years since that great man, whose
memory we are this day met here to celebrate,, was placed iii
his grave. BUt although his mortal remains be now rrioulderirig
in the tomb, his name will be everlasting.—(Applause.)—l had
the.honour of attending the first of these Meetings, which the
grateful people of 'This country. have-instituted to the memory
-of Mr. Pic. I Stated upon that occaion that, as long as God
should grant me life and health to witness the succeeding an..
niversary of this celebration, 1 should consider it as one of the.
first duties incumbent upon me..not to, be absent from it._
influ!lnvcd, in forming this determination,
by many causes. ' First bocause my knowledge was most
intimate, perhaps Mere:intimate than that of any other intli--
vidual, with the • infinite services_ which that great man con-
ferred upon his counkry7; .atul'l cannot conceive that any man's
heart is wholly under: the. impulse of right feeling which denies
that tribute due to public merit, which has been justly described
by your worthy Chainnan as the highest gratification of a public
mien, viz.—:the applause of his coon try.--4 Hear, hear !)—Yon
will pennit me to reed to your attention--there are some here
I am afraid to ,young teo remember, but there are others to
whom the word recal may be justly applied—you will per-
mit me then to reeal to your minds what was the state of this
country when that great man entered upon the execution of his
orrice. Our financial affairs were perplexed with unexampled
embarrassments; the whole world was arrayed in arms against
us,, and no man could look at the prospect before his eyes,
without some feeling of dread as to the result. Perhaps in con.:
te,n.mlating so alarming a crisis that great truth may come as a
tenet* to the mind. that if' England be true to herself she has
nothing to fear..--(llear, hear !)—But, Gentlemen, England at
that time was not true to herself.—(hear, hear, hear !)—I call
upon you to recollect; that sedition stalked through the land
teaching treason. I call upon. you to recollect the means re-
sorted to to stifle the precepts of that pure Religion whose
maintenance is the best safeguard of the interest of the pub-
lic, because of its connection with toleration.—(Hear, hear !)
.1 call to your recollection the eflbrts made to accomplish the
ruin'of the Religious Establishments.of the country. These
were the difficulties which beset that great man upon his en-
trance into office. Ile was called upon, not only to meet the
demands upon the finances arid blood of the country ; not only
to oppose the powerful combinations of the enemy abroad;
hut to do that which I. know was 'most painful tp him, to
abridge the libeirties of his countrymen in order more effectually
to secure their eventual preservation.—(Hear !)—A more deli-
cate or difficult task never fell to the lot of man. He paused
long before he resolved upon taking such a.step, 1:• it when he
did so resolve,. he acted -with a triumphant firmness to which.
alone he owed the completion of his great design. And
when, Gentlemen, you cpmpare the situation and prospects of.

this country at the present period, aid the blessings which un-
der Providence we have realised, and now most conspicuously
enjoy, with the portentous circumstances of the time to
which I have alluded, may I not ask you if it be possible
you should forget what that man did for his country ?—(Loud
cheering.)--It is now but two or three years ago that we
met in this place when, after a war of unexampled duration,
and fraught with such evils and difficulty during its progress
that noman could speak with confidence as to its happy ter-
mination, .the blessings of peace had not yet begun to be felt,
and every one was complaining that things were worse than
before. Even in this, Gentlemen, we had a new proof fur-
nished us of the sagacity of this great Minister. That great
man foresaw that after the kreat storm which had rocked the
State in peril, the waves would not immediately settle and be
still. Ile knew that much must be endured, but that if,ln the
midst of conflicting elements, the main principle of 'the Con-
stitution in Church and State were preserved, those principles
would eventually restore to us- all- that we ever' possessed of
happiness and liberty.—(Cheers.)-:—Those principles are valu-
able because they are rational; they give all the liberty which
it is possible for a man in a state' of society, with reference
to the liberties of his fellow men, to enjoy. They deprive a
man of nothing which he ought to keep, whilst they give him,
the utmost lie cart wish. With this view of the • principles
of our Constitution, that great Man foresaw that we should
sooner or later be in the prosperous situation we now en-
joy—a situation which no man who reverts to our condition
in times not.long past, can say, without taking, these things into
consideration, he could even havehoPecl to witness.—(Cheers.)
—Gentlenien, the Protestant Ascendancy, to which, as it has
been made one of your toasts, '1 maY advert—the Protestant
Ascendancy, I trust in God, for the sake of those who quarrel
with it, may ever continue to be enjoyed in this Country.—
(Loud cheering.)—There was a time when a difference Of reli-
gious opinion was attributed to Mr: Pitt, and those who were
the supporters of his_ political principles. *l3lst* I know of no
difference of opinion between that great-Min and the humble
individual who now presumes to tell you; that lie will ever 'act
according to his principles:, -Nothing could have induced him
to make any alteration in Church or State Which he was not sure
would be consistent with the security of both. Upon this point
as to what is 'anti, what is not coniistentwith the security of the
Constitution,. I know that different opinions are held by Atte
most respectable_ men in the country. •In the. different projects:
which we are destined to witness upon.this occasion, I trust we
only see different men seeking by different means the same
end—alear, heard)—l trust the object is the same in all, but
s what I say is, that to the utmost of my power- I will stand by
• •
the political institutions of the country as they- were formed in
the-time of Pitt. Let me say, Gentlemen, that upon this subject
my political opinions are ,fixed, so .as that nothing can alter
them. Ecclesiastical tyranny, be assured, will always lead to
civil despotism ; whilst ecclesiastical freedoin ensures civil
libeity.—Load,cheers.)—With these opinions, which I do
not conceive it possible for me to alter, were I not to wish to
every-- subject in this country all the teleration which he can
possibly enjoy, consistently with the security of the Constitu,
tion in Church and State' I should be unworthy of your favour,
and of the high station I hold. I firmly believe . that a dept.-
ture from these principles would in one moment destroy our
happy Constitution, in CiTurth and-State, and do full as much
mischief to those who dissent as to tifose who agree in them.—
The Constitution to which I adhere was begun at .the time
:of the Revolution, it was fixed at .the time of the-Revolution,
and through a century of difficulty, and danger it has con-
ducted this country happily and prosperonsly, the admiration
and envy of the world.—(Cheers.) —Gentlemen, don't lose the
blessings secured to you by the Constitution.—(Cheers.)-1
should not be deserving of the compliments which- have been
paid-me by the Chair if. I did not state to you, that during the
short -time. Uhave to remain In this world, to the utmost of my
power I will support the Constitution- under which I live, and"
may God Almighty allow me to leave the world knowing that
it is sure !"
[The most enthusiastie plaudits Continued to greet this speech
long after the Noble and learned Lord and his Majesty's Ni...
nisters present had resumed their seats.} •
The CHA I Il MAN then rose and said, after the able speech
they had just heard from.the Lord Chancellor, expressing, as
he - was convinced it -did, the. sentintentsof nine.:tenths of the.
people of this country, he could not do better than propose as a
toast— '

" May the principles of Pitt always animate the Councils of
Great Britain. '—llrank with three times.three.—,Glee—. " The
Pilot that weathered the Storm."

The Earl of WxsTsrontaND Said, he took the liberty of,
offering himself to the attention of the company for the pur-
pose of proposing a toast which he was ;sure. would be an
agreeable one to them all.. H e meant the health. af their Chair-
man, and thanks to hin for the nuantier,in which he had con..
ducted„himself:iis the Chair, and' his:able 'exposition of -the
principles of ;.Alr. Pitt. Nothing; he assured them, was more
grateful to his feelings, and those of his Colleagues, than the
praise which had been bestowed upon them, by so respectable a
Meeting. He had never missed one occasion of being- present
at this celebration of the memo.", of a rn,n, from, whom he lied
the highest regard abd Veneration. It gave him
pleasures-,
-neve to see how steadily the numbers and- respectabi-
lity 'of;ihis Club were kept on increasing."
The health of the Chairman was then-drank with three times'
three. -

Sir E. KNatennut.r.. returned•thanks. .lle Would-not pre-
. sums to oecupy their time further by-adverting to those topics
which had been already so forcibly ilhistrated.. He would con.
tent himself by saying, that he had not a greater, gratification
than to see his name associated.with the principles of Pitt.
He concluded by proposing the 'health of the. Earl of Hare
wood. He regretted to add, that Since the "commencement of
flintier the Noble Earl had been obliged to quit the room, from
indisposition.
This toast having been drank with appropriate honours, a
favourite old song, called " The Men of Kent," was sung with
much applause, the company joining in the chorus.
The CTIAIIISIAN said he was by no means insensible to the
compliment intended to be conveyed to the
.county which he
had the honour to represent, by the song just sung, and the
manner in which it had been received by the company. Before
he sat down, he would take the liberty of proposing the -health
of a Right Hon. Gentle Man who had • done them the :honour
to attend that day, and who; he was sure, would beloudly
greeted• by the company. He need only mention the name of '
Peel.—t Clamorous applanse-, which lasted for several minutes.)
—His name alone, without any comment which he could add
to it, he found he was not' wrong in suppoSing would be suffi-
cient to ensure their approbation.
The toast was drank with 'the most rapturous demonstrations
of satisfaction.

Mr. Secretary-PEEL rose, hut it was some time before the
clamours of applause had subsided so that he could be heard.
He then said —4s Although, Gentlemen,_nly public duty- fre-
quently compels me to address a public audience, I assure you,
With perfect sincerity, that-I never rose to acquit myself of
A task of this nature under so much embarrassment. Ido not
justice whatever to my feelings when I say that -the senti,
meats which have been expressed towards me, and the man.
tier in which you have received
.them, are much too partial.—
The compliment you have paid tome. inlaying Me under the
double obligzition of having twice drank my health, have ut-
terly incapacitated me from making you a suitable acknowledg-,
ment. 31y chief claim to the distinction you have conferred
upon me is.founded not upon any service that T have done, but
upon my warm attachment, I may very trulysay, my here-
ditary 'attachment to the principles of the late 31r. Pitt--
(Cheers.)—lf asked what those principles are, I cannot better-
,,define them than by asking you to point out any-difficulty in
whiclilt 'is possible to conceive the. country to ba placed, from
which the application of these principles will not furnish the
means of eseape.—(Cheers.)—For when our finances• were di,
lapidated, What rescued them ? The:perseverance, the trite,
liberal, andjust ectinonly of Mr. Pitt.; his onsparog correc-
tion: of abuses; and - his, adherence to the true principles of
Reform as Seen in the settlement of the •Itevolution:(Hear,
hear !)---.When this country was endangered by the most for-
midable-combination of Foreign. Powers that ever threatened
the existence of any State, what rescued it ? The noble per-
reverence of Mr. Pitt, in musing the nation to -a sense
of its true situation, and by his own example inspiring the
degree of energy necessary to their salvation.—(Jlear, hear!)—.
When.the country was in clanger from domestic treason, it was
the tone and countenance of Mr. Pitt that rescued us from the
hoirors of sedition and treason. But, Gentlemen, ample jus-
tice has been done to Mr. Pitt's character, by one of his ear.
lieu friends, the most constant of his supporters, -and-his most
attached Colleague. Were I to pursue this topic, I should
only weaken the impression which my venerable and respected
friend (the Lord Chancellor) has made upon your minds.. I will
not follow where his master's hand has-been employed.—(Hear,
hear !)—l4vi.ng then, Gentlemen, done as much justice as I am
able to the feelings which your kindness -has excited, and to
my estimation of the man whose memory we are met here to
honour, I will sit down with the assurance that no one•can wish
more prosperity to this Club than the humble individual who
now-addresses you."---(Loud and long-continued cheering.)
• -

- -
The CHAIRMAN again rose to propose a toast, which were
he to omit, he thought he would be chargeable with a derelie-
tion of duty. They had drank his Majesty's. Ministers, and
his Right Hon. Friend who had just sat down. He now KO-
posed the health of " The Lord Chancellorof England," with
three times three.

The LOUD CHANCELLOR returned thanks for: the honour
which the Company had been pleased to confer upon him. In
return, he begged they would alli4 hini to drink with all his
heart and soul, and to propose also to them--
" Prosperity and perpetuity to the Pitt Club."
'rids .toast hating been drank with three times three, the
Chairman vacated the Chair, and left the room, attended by

his Msjesty's Ministers and the whole of the company at the
upper table.
It was now half-past ten, and, as the Chair was not again
filled, the remainder of the company soon after broke up.