The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-23 00:00:00

C,/_(lt.o :acing attit

T.C.NDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1849.

Friday, the 12th October inst., was celebrated as
a fete day in the metropolis of the north of Scotland.
On that day the Municipal and University authorities
of the ancient city of Aberdeen vied with each other
iu rendering honour to the statesman by whom the
glorious doctrines of free trade had been carried into
practical operation, who gave the death-blow to mo-
nopoly, and completely and for ever abolished the
iniquitods bread-tax. The Senate of the University
and King's College, Aberdeen, unanimously conferred
the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Sir
ROBERT PEEL ; and the magistrates and Common
Council, with a like unanimity, bestowed on him the
highest mark of respect in their power—the freedom
of their city. The high honour thus conferred
may be best estimated by the fact that the last
person thus distinguished was the Princely Consort
of our Most Gracious SOVEREIGN, who rejoiced
to find his name associated with the many eminent
• mea—" high in the ranks of science, literature, arts,
and geniusils—who had previously been enrolled
amongst the burgesses of Aberdeen. These compli-
ments were paid to Sir ROBERT PEEL, the commercial
reformer. They were homages rendered to him who
had crushed the power of the Protectionists and
breken up the party who had long battened on the
spoils of the industrious classes. It was that great
act of his political life which elicited the heartfelt
thanks, the grateful commendations of the citizens
of Aberdeen. The Lord Provost, in proposing the
health of the newly-elected citizen—" the youngest
burgess" of Aberdeen—expatiated, forcibly and
eloquently, on the national advantages of the " great
and important measures which marked the period of
the Right Lion. Baronet's last occupancy of office"—
measures which, he had no hesitation in saying
had placed the trade and commerce of the country
- on a solid and permanent foundation, and which will
be found in every succeeding year more and more to
improve the comfort and happiness of the people
of this country." Such was the spirit in which the
honours were bestowed, and they were received in a
similar feeling. Sir ROBERT PEEL did not presume
to regard them as indicating an unqualified approba-
tion of all his measures, or an adhesion to his political
views and opinions. He well knew that among those
. he addressed there was a deep impression as to the
absolute necessity for Parliamentary and financial
reforms far more extensive than any that had hitherto
received his countenance and support ; he did not,
therefore, incur the risk of disturbing the unanimity
and harmony of the meeting by introducing or
adverting to any of these vexatce questioner ; he was
well contented to accept the expression of esteem and
confidence in the purity and integrity of the motives
by which he had been actuated in bringing forward
the wise and salutary measure that led to his
resignation of office, and the disruption of the
great party of which he had previously been
the recognised and almost uncontrolled leader.
If any doubt, however, could have been enter-
tained as to the liberal feelings of the citizens of
Aberdeen, and the true point of view in which the
plaudits bestowed upon the ex-Premier should be
regarded, it would be entirely dissipated by the cor-
dial and cheering reception three days subsequently
accorded to the deputation from the National Par-
liamentary and Financial Reform Association. It
proved beyond the possibility of dispute that the
great majority of the burgesses and the inhabitants of
the good city of Aberdeen sympathised with their
unentranchised fellow-subjects; and that, in the lan-
guage of the resolution, which was enthusiastically
carried without a single dissentient, they " up.
approved of the association, believing that if the ob-
jects contemplated by that institution be realised the
people will ultimately be fully, fairly, and freely re-
presented in Parliament." The LORD PROVOST, who,
on Friday bad been the panegyrist of Sir R. PEEL, would
have been present on the Monday, but that he was
prevented from attending by unavoidable causes, and
through the chairman of the meeting he declared
" that his heart was with the objects of the National
Association." Many of the most influential members
of the municipality zealously and energetically par-
ticipated in the proceedings, and the spacious hall in
which the assembly was held was crowded to excess,
no -available spot being left unoccupied.
The most cheering feature of the evening was the
complete unaninity that prevailed between the middle
and the working classes. Some might possibly have
desired that the association had demanded a still
greater extension of the suffrage—that it had claimed
the elective franchise for every adult male who had
not forfeited his civil rights by the commission of
crime ; they did not, however, endanger the harmony
of the meeting by pressing their own views. They
would be well contented to accept the large instal-
ment of justice offered by the association, and
R to co-operate zealously and energetically for its

attainment rather than sacrifice all by grasping at
\ too much in the first instance. They have become
too painfully aware of the folly and inutility of
isolated exertions ; they have seen how often the
" substance" has been relinquished in endeavouring