The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-14 00:00:00

ailering away our conquests—the splendid fruits of our dear-
bought victories, upon the Despots of the Continent ?
, when he was assigning over, wholesale and retail, the inde-
pendent States of Europe to dynasties by them detested—States,
to interfere with whose destinies we had not the slightest *ha-
Aliew of claim. Thus violating, in the hour of victory, that
great princinle (the inviolability of independent States) for
which we had been, during 25 years,contending ; and which, in
fact, consututedahe only just ground of contest.--.(Cheers.)---If
I rightly remember, it was Buonaparte's interference with the
Swiss Cantons, though without any hostile array, which fur-
nished us with an excuite fig retaining Malta, and thus renew-
ing the war after the peace of Amiens: how strangely, then,
must times have changed, when we can now look on tamely up-
on the most atrocious aggression recorded in modern history !
Yes ; we, whose courage was once so high, who used to go to
war fir a little island, a rock, or a few cod-fish—(laughter and
ztiplause)—we, who so long held the balance of Europe, and
vendicated the freedom of others--can now sit still and see the
French seize upon a great and allied country, whose only crime
wee to have dared to set bounds to the tyranny and bigotry
of a worthless Prince.--(Cheers.)-e-And, as if this degradation
were not complete, as if any thing were wanting to fill the cup
of our humiliation, the outrage is committed by a creature of
our own creation; a thing fed by our charity, and furnished by
our gratuitous folly with the means uf insulting and annoying
us.—(elieers.)-11ere is a precious result of the blood tilled,
nf the 1100 millions expended, to defray the interest of which
every Euglittbrnan is condemned (most likely to eternity)
expend the double of whet would otherwise be necessary
4E:heers.)—Ood forbid that I should suspect any set of men
unjustly of duplicity ; but I own I cannot reconcile the con-
duct of Ministers with their professions, as regards the Spanish
• catle.---(Cheere).—ln the beginning of last Session there was
et,rue swaggering, and much abuse of the French ; we were told
that the country could go to war, if necessary to her honour or
*Wrest. These hints had, no doubt, their purpose to answer,
and tier sooner was the bait presented than it was gorged. The
eurn.deulers began to speculate, the markets rose, the country
gentlemen Were pacified, Sir 'Mutual, Lethbridge was enchant-
ed I—(tireat cheering.)—But scarcely had these exhilirating
owns occurred, when, without any change of circumstances,
the tone of the Itlinieter was totally altered ; he told us there
would bsa ne war; leaving ns to infer that it was for the nation's
• " honour and interest" to see France occupy that very country
ftom,which, but a few years ago, it was thought consistent with
eur " honour and interest" ao ruin ourselves in trying to expel
her--(Cheers.)._here are honour and interest ruinously at issue
with themselves; and perhaps you are of Charles Surface's opi-
ninon in the play, that they might just as well have said nothing
...Lout the "honour" in this case—(Cheers.)—We were, how.
eyes, told that the conquest could not be effected in a short
• Ouse, and, if protracted, would be decided against the invaders
by the natural difficulties of the country. Thus delay was the
only thing wanted. Why, then, it is clear, that a very slight
• assistance on our parts—a few slime sent to Cadiz, at a cost of
one or two millions—even the very name and countenance of
ngland, in a land grateful for past assistance, and still green
twits her laurel*, might have proved sufficient to eell forth ever.
;;its_ anti exertions decisive of the fate of this pliant nation—.
allieers.)-1 deny, and I have good authority for so doing,
that it ever was a question of a war' lobs eiribus. But so tar
from giving any aid, we have denied it. Whatever we might
have done without cost, we have never even pressed our me-
. diatien ; the Government refused to repeal the :Foreign Enlist.
• recent Bill, which would have enabled our brave 'fellows to
volunteer their aid in the cause of their hearts.—(Cheers.)—
klut they took care to insult our understandings by making
hie lilkesty say at the close of the Session, that be eon-
dewed to receive the strongest atotneances of the cordial
good . will of the Allies, who, it -"la, notorious, hold this
country in the same natural antipathy and detestation as we
do .them-.-(Cheers,)--.and the value of whose cordial good
will may tberetbre be beet appreciated by those who have
itafaled it......(Cheers.—l know that .itome hold this heartless
feeigaege—" liVt lies Spain ever done for us, that we should
cafe what Iseet* of her ?" Gentlemen, this language may
. • t,O very well, Or Vhange.alley, but anywhere else it sounds
eittwatefulendeinauspictous in the mouth of an Englishman—.
. ((Beers)..eince they who feel not for the freedom of others can
t.y no possibility duly appreciate their own ; for tlte charity of
tots fasting is universal, it acknowledges no bounds of climate,
colour, or country—(Cheers).—What, then, is the upshot
Why, that the French occupy nearly the whole of Spain, from
who*. ports their troops may eventually find it convenient to ex.
tend the chapter of intrusive legislation to the degraded and ty.
rannized population of Ireland, where the lesson is quite as
much wanted, and where. perhaps, the instructor will be mach
more welconied—(Cheersi).-31eanwhile the ['linnets of Spain.
Patti el, Sicily, Naples, Modena, and Piedmont, are hunted
aboot like noxious vermin, over Europe, from which those who
esettpe: the gallows are to be banished. Even the hitherto.
rotperted sanctuary of Switzerland has been violated, end
nothing but the new world is left open to them. Gentle-
men. tr any of these untbromete men reach our shores, once
tee asylum of the persecuted of every landi if they are not
exit beck try the Alien Law into the hands of their aseaesine,
in {l3, in God's nitrite, open to them our houses, o.ir ptirca,,
and out hearts, and administer what comotation we can to
these perionuted victinta of me-reams despotism.—(lireat cheer..
have chiefly touched on this dietressing subject,
to *hew,. that if the spirit of tyranny be not actually at your
doors, it still stalks abroad, attacking and ready to attack
the liberties of mankind in every corner of the earth where
they are deemed accessible.--(Cheers.)-1 am gratified to find
by the complexion of this ,meeting, that you do not consider
the mere suspension of active aggression on your rights as a
dispensation from exerting yourselves to obtain a reform of
whatever is demonstrably amiss; that your principles are the
result of a conviction no less deep.rooted than honest; in short,
that you are tnen who know your rights, and knowing dare
maintein.—( Cheers.)
"The Editors. of The C'hester and Manchester Guardians,
and of The Liverpool ;Mercury."
itir, J. E. TAYLOR returned thanks Ina speech, which was
very favourably received, but which our limits totally preclude
us trotn reporting.
Mr. GaewaY, of The Chester Guardian, followed in ac..
knowledging the toast.
Mr. wILIIRATIAM rose to propose the " Health of Mr.
Leicester." lie had remarked, that the accession of Members to
m the Club had not been so considerable as had been expected by
some sanguine persons; but lie was happy to say, that the cha-
racters of some of those who had lately added their names' to
diet list, were such as to " outweigh a whole theatre of others."
He bad to propose the health of a new Member—an honest
Telember of • Parliament, cd the Member for Shaftesbury, Mr.
Le tester."
LEYCESTEtt expressed his obligations for the honour
whiei had been done him, and delivered an able and interest-
ing speech, of which our limits forbid us to offer even a sketch.
When the !lon. Gentleman sat clown, which wasabout eleven
o'clecic the Chairman vacated the Chair, and the company
seperitatal.

CURIOUS SCENE.

ri'
.Costley Mr. Sheriff' gave his first
sect; dinner et Aforrison's. There were nearly 200 Gentle.
.
men p (lent, among whom were Mr. Secretary Johnston, and
several other Members of the Lord Lieutenant's household.
qn the annimurement, of Mr. Secretary Johnston's health,
the •ghttera,, thoogli not general, *ere loud and cordial. Mr.
Johnston was about to retire just at the moment the toast was
proposed. lie, in .couterpumee, returned to his seat, and the
oumpany for the most part drank his health standing. There
.. wis, however, a strong feeling of disapprobation of the cm-
pi,ment manifested by numbers present. Mr. JOHNSTON
POW And Avid—

" Mr. SherlitiekmeattY, my Lord Mayor and Gentlemen.—
J feel extremely flattered by the kind manner in which my
health lien berm proposed, and I beg to return my most orate-
ful thanks to those presort, who were pleased to drink it. I
am iighted at witnessing so happy a day, in which concord
I
will Animus* (these:words were uttered with great ertipluisii
and ignifieanee), hove been so prevalent."
fir, Johnston, .now walked down the room, bowing pro-
foundly to thaGentlimers who cheered. On reaching the mid.
die of do room, a gentleman (Mr. Fitzgerald, of the Buteh.
ere' Corporation), turned mobil in ids meet, and hissed Mr.
Johnstonuts he passed. On this Mr. Johnston approached Mr.
Fitzgerald, anti made a low bow. Mr. Fitzgerald stilt hissed,
and Mr. Johnston bowed repeatedly, with a courtesy of man.
ner, which was Intended to convey rebuke. The emote-
nonce of Mi. johostou was quite unruffled ; thet of .51r.
Fitsgerald espreSsive of determination. Silence reigned in
the reorn, and every eye was instantly fixed upon the Gentle.
men who thue-regarded each other with feelings so opposite, '
and whose dentanotir and modes of greeting were an strik-
ingly diesimilar. At length, after about a minute's indulgence
in this diverse course of conduct, Mr. Johnston retired from
the room, bowing in the same composed and -complaisant
inenner, as he receded from Mr. Fitzgerald. The whole coin.
inlet viewed, due remarkable scene with astonishruent. Another
scene, however, still more extraordinary, was reserved for the
amazed assembly. 'A fientleinan in Mr. Johnston's suite, im»
mediately on that personage quitting the room, advanced to Mr. .
Fttageraid. lie demanded of him the grotinds for the marked
individual hostility which - he had 'displayed, and observed
that a goose was a hissing animal,- and that, as he had hissed,
he regarded him as brie 3 goose. l'hls remark was, we be.
lieve, repeated ereveral boles, and it led, we also believe, to
a sharp observation or two from Mr, Fitzgerald, who wee now
struck a blow in. the facie by the Gentleman who thus took the,
vindication of Mr. Johuston ' into his hands. Mr. Fitzgerald
preserved his seat, and the' Gentleman in question immediately
retired.--Mr. Fitagerald, we understand, has signified his inten.
awn ofeppealing to the !attys.-4' DuLliti Evening Post, (?ct. it.)