The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-31 00:00:00

THE LORD MAYOR'S GRAND ENTER-
TAINMENT TO HIS MAJESTY'S MINISTERS.

On Saturday the Lord Mayor gave a most splendid en-
tertaiement to his Majesty's Ministers, at the Mansion-
house. The dinner consisted of all the delicacies of the
season. It has been hitherto the custom for Chief Magis-
trates to give theierand Itliaieterial-ltinnee, which is ne-
cessarily confined to a few persons, in the long parlour ;
hut, on the present occasion, the Lord Mayor, in his wish
to show his respect and esteem for the Administration,
had the Egyptian Hall, as it were, reduced to a size ca-
pable of showing off a number not exceeding seventy-
five. The vast hall, under the skilful arrangements of the
artists employed, seemed actually full with this limited but
distinguished assemblage. It was most brilliantly lighted
up, and decorated with flags, and even the most ancient of
the aristocratic brethren of the City admitted that it out-
shone all former occasions. The saloon was also grandly
illuminated. The initials of the King and Queen burst
upon the eye from a flood of gas, which formed a blazing
star, upon the opposite side. The Lady Mayoress, who
did honour to the banquet, was most superbly attired.
Her Ladyship wore a magnificent diamond necklace, dia-
mond ear-rings, and diamond tiara. She received the
company with her usual ease and elegance, in the drawing..
room. The Prague Minstrels, dressed in their national'
costume, played various airs, on the entrance of the corn-
piny into the saloon, and during the dinner, in the gallery.
The LORD MAYOR, immediately upon the removal of
the cloth, gave " The King," " The Queen," " The
Princess Victoria, and the rest of the Royal Family."
His Lordship then rose to propose " The health of the
Lord Chancellor of England." In doing so, lie should,
be stated, neither do justice to his own feelings, nor to the
wishes of his fellow-citizens, if he omitted to make a few
remarks—few they certainly should be, not only because
he was most unwilling to trespass upon the attention of
his distinguished guests, but because he was aware of his
incapability of doing justice to the high object of his ad-
dress. In proposing the health of the exalted Nobleman
who now filled the great office of Lord High Chancellor
of England, he proposed the health of one who, in a dif-
ferent station, had, for a series of years, been bef ire the
public eye, and filled the public mind with admiration and
affection fur his independent and undeviating conduct as
the benefactor of the community, and whose imu ense
talents gave effect to his laborious exertions. It was the
auxious wish of the citizens of London that the Noble and
Learned Lord should for many years live to enjoy the
honourable station to which be had been called, to the de-
light and for the great benefit of the nation.—(Applause.)
The LOAD CerwarcELeou returned dianks, and said he
was in one only respect more favoured 'than his colleagues,
the rest of the King's servants, upon this occasion—he
had the high honour of being their fellow citizen, having
received that mark of their esteem, Which he gloried in,
as he slid is the occasion upon which it was bestowed.
With his colleagues he joined in hearty affection towards
the city of London. "We are," he said, " fast friends
to credit and commerce, which are nurtured by this great
community as they nourish it,—fast friends of peace at
home, Ana firm yet considerate friends of peace abroad,
in which this city lives, moves, and has its being—fast
friends of civil and religious liberty, whose cradle was
rocked in the city of London, and whose obsequies she will
not survive."

Tile LORD MAToa said he had to propose the health of
anothtr respected and distinguished Nobleman. whose high
character had been, like that of the Lord Chancellor's,
long before the public, and had been equally and greatly
admired by all. In the station that excellent indivi-
dual had formerly held, of Secretary of State for the Home
Department, he had been more intimately connected with
the citizens of London, whose regard and esteem he had
justly obtained. In the situation he now filled, that of
President of the Council, he was equally entitled to their
confidence and respect. The Lord Mayor then proposed
" The Marquis of Lansdowne."
L'ird LANsnowNE assured the Lord Mayor and hie
company, that he felt equally with his Noble and Learned
Colleague (the Lord Chancellor) a deep interest in the
prosperity of the city of London, as on its prosperity de-
pensie 1, in a great measure, that of the State and of the
country at large.

The LORD MAYOR next proposed the health of " The
Premier." In doing so, he said be should take the
liberty to state, in the presence of the honourable and dis-
tinguished individuals by whom he was surrounded, that
he had frequently declared in their absence, that although
in his opinion, never did any Ministry enter on the duties
of their office under more trying circumstances; or encom-
pasted with greater difficulties, yet he felt such entire con-
fidence in their integrity, independence, and talents, that,
with the blessing of Providence, we should again be what
we formerly had been, a prosperous, free, and happy people.
Lord GREY, in returning thanks, said, that through the
confidence of his Gracious Majesty, he had been admitted
to a statinn which called upon him to return thanks to
the Lord Mayor for proposing, and the company for re-
ceiving in so marked a manner, the proposition of the
health of his Majes'y's Ministers. He trusted that he
might take those welcome expressions as an earnest of
confidence and approbation, resulting from their public
conduct. It was true, as the Lord Mayor had stated, that
they had been called into office in times of difficulty and
distress. That was neither the time nor the place in
which to enter into any political question ; but of this he
would assure the present company, that it was the firm
determination of his colleagues, as well as of himself, to
apply all the faculties within their power, in order to de-
vise prompt and efficient remedies. They intended to act
up to the good old English principles, and in doing so,
they felt confident of receiving the co-operation of the wise
and the good. They would ever cultivate a good under-
standing with the citizens of London. To seek their ap-
probation would be the constant endeavour—to obtain it
the highest honour—of his Majesty's Government.
The Lon) CHANCELLOR then rose to propose a toast,
which he was confident would be gratifying to all his fel-
low-citizens. The interest which the Lord Mayor had
for years taken in the various charitable and liberal insti-
tutions of the country, and the upright and independent
line of conduct which he bad adopted, fully entitled him
to the respect and regard of those who had witnessed his
career, and the liberal and frank hospitality of which they
had that day partaken demanded their best thanks. He
had, therefore great pleasure in proposing " The health of
the worthy Chief Magistrate of the Metropolis."—(Cheers.
The LORD MAvon. assured his respected guests that he
was quite overcome by the flattering manner in which his
health had been drunk by the company, composed as it
was of many of the first characters of the land, as well as
of his worthy and esteemed fellow-citizens. Much as he
always felt flattered by such tokens of kindness, he va-
lued the present pledge the more, coming as it did from so
enlightened and liberal a Statesman, whose integrity and
independence he had so long and enthusiastically admired.
His Lordship next proposed " The health of his Grace the
Duke of Richmond," who, by his bravery in the field had
won the admiration of his country, and in his office of
Postmaster-General would, he felt satisfied, further the in-
terests of the citizens of London.
The Duke of 'lifetime:tem felt high honour in having
his name associated with the victories of the Peninsula.
His services had been but few, and the remembrance of the
campaign with those gallant armies was to him a sufficient
recotnpence. He would now cheerfully apply himself, in
conjunction with his colic quest, to further the interests,
and to better the condition of his country. He rejoiced
that the office with which he had been entrusted would
bring !dm into connection with the citizens of London,
whose public spirit he bad so much cause to respect.—
(Cheers.) His Grace then said he had a toast which be