The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-18 00:00:00

EDINBURGH FOX ANNIVERSARY.

EDINDUIII3II, 14.—This pothical festival
was celebrated here yesterday, by the annual
dinner, which was provided, as usual, at OMAN'S
Hotel, Waterloo-place. Tile company was of
the first respectability, and in number appeared
to exceed that of any former year. We should
imagine that at least 500 individuals were preskut.

Sir JAltrEs MACKINTOSH was in the Chair of President
and Oxottaz CRANSTOUN, Eq. in that of Croupier. The
Stewards' chairs were filled by the Earl of Rosslyn, the Earl of
Minto, Viscount Cilenorchy, Sir Ronald Fergusson, ;
J. P. Grant, Eq. M.P.; Thomas Kennedy, Esq. M.P.;
R. A. Oswald, Esq. of Auchencruive ; C. G. Stewart Men-
teath, Esq. of Closebum ; Hugh Mosaman, Eq. of Auchty-
farclel ; John Mansfield, Esq. younger of Midmar ' • David
Carnegy, Esq. of Craig° ; R Cunningham Bontine, Esq. of
Ardoch ; Major Leigh Hay, younger, of Rannes ; William
Young, Esq. younger of Harburn ; ames Moncrieff, Esq.
Advocate ; John Cunninghame, Esq. Advocate ; Henry Cock-
burn, Esq. Advocate; M. P. Brown, Esq. Advocate; Francis
Jeffrey, Esq. Advocate; Robert Hunter, Esq. Advocate;
Win. Gibson, Esq. Advocate; John Homer, Esq. ; John
Balfour, Esq. ; John Craig, Esq. ; Robert Scott, Esq.;
Archibald Anderson, Esq.; Mr. Thomas Edmonstone ; Mr.
.1. Paterson.

Thereteing more guests than could dine together conve-
niently in the Assembly Room of the Hotel, dinner wqs served
up fora part of the company in an adjoining room. After dinner
their return to the Assembly Room was marked by an anxious
rush for seats ; amt when seated, the company wore indeed
united shoulder to shoulder." _

The cloth being removed, and the table covered with desert
and wines,
The CHAIRMAN rose,,- and addressed the company as 'fol-
lows :--Gentlemen---Although no class of men surpass the
friends of liberty in attachment to the house of Brunswick, and
although, generally speaking, I should think it indecorous to
preface the health of the King at a political meeting, with any
preliminary remarks, yet,.on this particular occasion,,l may be
allowed to say, that we.shall drink. his Majestysi health with
more pleasure,' on account of the honour which be • has con-
ferred on us by his recent visit to this country and hy the im,
partial courtesy which he extended to all classes of his Northern
subjects—(Cheers t)—l therefore give, Gentlemen,
The King"—(Loud applause)—Tune,,King's Anthetn.
" The Duke of York, anti the rest of the Royal. Family"—
(Applause).—Tune, Britons strike. luirne.

The CHAIRMAN'--I iiqw rise to propose that Toast which
describes the peculiar objects Of this Meeting, and is identified
with the principles which, have drawn ':al together. I propose,
Gentlemen, the memory of 'him whom you are assembled to
honour,. and whose name :youhave chosen, as .the symbol of
your principles ; and I feel considerably teliesed by that cir.
cumstance, from the ardimusness of the task whichl have un.
dertaken ; because in thus assembling to commemorate the
principles of Mr. Fox, and declaring them to be identical with
your own you have pronounced a greater 'encomium on his
memory than it is in the power of human eloquence to bestow.
Gentlemen, the highest honour which a moral and intellectual
community can confer on an individual, is to show that they
regard his name as identified with the principles of civil and re.
ligious liberty —(Cheers). In directing your ettentien to the
character of Mr. Fox, Gentlemen, I do not speak orhis tpttl-
lect and genius—inferior qualities these, and whielsinay either
be the most serviceable or the most detestable—(a sliddets burst
of applause proclaimed the sympathy of the eudience in the
sentiment of the Speaker, and the cheering was prolonged for
several minutes.) Yes, Gentlemen, you have chosen the prin-
ciple,' for the man, and not the man for the principles.—(Ap-
plause). But you have done well in assuming a name, by
which you associate with the principles you would cherish the
warmth and the fervour of the man by whom they were so long
—so vigorously—and so faithfully,. asserted. The friend of
peace of liberty, and of equal law, his whole life was distin.
spashed by jealousy of power—by respect for popular rights—
by resistance to oppression—(Cheers)—by resistance to oppres.
I sion,—(prolonged cheering i)—and by an anxiety and tender-
ness for personal liberty. (Cheers). These, Gentlemen, were
the principles of Mr. Fox,—these are the principles which you
are met to celebrate, and in doing so, have chosen the name of
Mr. Fox as the bond of union. I speak not of personal quali-
ties, because these are Impertinent to the objects of this Meet-
ing; but I have had an eye to those qualities which exalt the
mature, and dignify the man. Of Mr. Fox, Gentlemen, I may
say that his darling passion was *love of freedom ; and in this
we have the source of all his public virtues. If I may descend
to an inferior rate of qualities, the intellectual capacity and at-
tainments of Mr. Fox assigned hint a rank among the most splen-
did ornaments of literature and science. But, did, the lustre of his
literary anti
.his public life cast any shade upon his
.private
vir-
tues ? Will any one charge him with insincerity or inconsisten-
cy ? I shall not be contradicted by any one present who knew Mr.
}ox, when I say, that his public conduct was in unison with
his private opinions. In him were united, with uncommon in-
trepidity and firmness, a more than ordinary share of meekness,
tenderness, and compassion. Ile never felt contempt but fur
baseness ; he never kindled into lasting anger but against tes
ranny.-.4Cheers.)—ln the course of his long and arduous life,
he.always selected for his protection those who most deserved
it, and who were the least capable of defending themselves ;
and he espoused to the last, with undaunted firmness and un-
shaken constancy, those measures in particular which, from
:the difficulty of attaining them, the intolerance of the times,
or from whatever cause, were most the objects of illiberal cen-
sure and vulgar prejudice. Nor was his intrepidity abated by
the distance of the quarter to which sonic of' his measures ap-
plied: Ile advocated the freedom of America--4Cheers)S—and
would have given liberty to India—(Cheers).—Although it Is
far from me to ascribe merit to any man for having destroyed,
while he hail the power, a practice so barbarous and unnatural,
yet his last legacy was the abolition of the Slave Trade—(Hear,
hear, hear and he sedulously endeavoured to ameliorate the
condition of Ireland, which, to this day, is a reproach and a
dishonour to the British name.—(Loud cheers). There are
some, indeed, who think they perceive too much zeal in the
character of Mr. Fox, and who say that lie carried his perse-
verance to an excess. Gentlemen, I consider this the highest
encomium which his opponents can confer' on the memory of
that illustrious Statesman. Will those who think the principles
of Mr. Fox were too pertinaciously maintained, assert that we
have had too few wars?--.(Cheers)..-too light burdiens ?--
(Cheers)—too few suspensions of the Constitution ?—(Cheers)
—too many checks to undue power ?—(Cheers)—too few viola-
tions of personal liberty ?—(Cheers)—too many extensions of
the liberty of the Press ?—(Cheers)—too great a controul on
the prerogative of the Crown ?—(Cheers)—too little restraint on
the assembling of the people ? Those who think so I hope
will always be able to distinguish their opinions from those of
Mr. Fox. But it is said those who hold the opinions of Mr.
Fox are the advocates of Catholic Emancipation and Par.
liamentary Reform. We • are the advocates of Catholic
Emancipation and Parliamentary Reform. (Great cheer-
ing).--Gentlemen, it is curious enough that such a charge
should come from the friends of Mr. Pitt.—(Hear, hear,
hear !).-1 shallmot endeavour to exalt a great man by degrad-
ing his competitor; and certainly, no two measures were
ever so ardently espoused as were. Catholic Etnahcipation and
Parliamentary Reform by those two great men, Mr. Pitt and
Mr. Fox. On what basis, I ask, will rest the memory of Mr.
Pitt, if the grounds of those two measures be taken away ?-s.
(Cries of hear, hear, hear !)—ls it on the tyranny and coercion
displayed towards Ireland ?: Is it on his opposition to the abo-
lition of the Slave Trade ?—(llear, hear !)—Or will his friends
rest his fame on that I celebrated measure, the Suspension of
Cash Payments ?—(Cheers.)—For I am one who do not con-
ceive that his auermaors can claim any merit for measures of
which that was the precedent.—(liear, heat la—ltis with griet,
Gentlemen, I reflect on the memory of a great man, when I
consider that his successor in twelve months abated that mon-
strous mischief, the Slave Trade.-4 mischief. which that great
man (Mr. Pitt), in the height of his popularity, and tamed
. with all-the power of the Government, declared his inabilty to
abolish—Meer, hear !)—lt is, with shame, Gentlemen, I in.
,
vestigate the character of a great Statesman when I find in his
policy such a blot of injustice, as a law which occasioned one
half of the. community: to sustain the burdens of the other—
(Chtersi),--a law, Gentlemen,, from the effects of which many
of you are still the sufferers.---(Hear I )—No Gentlemen, the
polnical character of Mr. Pitt has not another prop than the
ones which his pretended admirers are so anxious to remove;
Yet, for. advocating them two measures—Catholic FananciPito
tion and Parliamentary Reform, are the followers of, Mr. Fox
proscribed as being unworthy the confidence of their Sovereign.
There were those who insinuated that latterly Mr. Fox was
not a 'sincere Reformer; Mr. Fox, however, gave his sanction
to the principle of Reform in the last year of Ids Atlininistra.
tion. Phe question of Catholic Emanstipation called forth all
his energy and zeal ; and_he left it to his friends to charge him
with insincerity on that subject, if they could; it was for this
he'forfeited his .powers - Vet, for this, we are charged by some
of his followers with carrying his principles too far. If you
need an argument in favours:if:emancipation, I have only to
say, Look around you. Can the Catholic subjects of Ireland
obtain justice P. • Can the laws be executed against Irish Pro.
tyrants ?-• I will only refer you_ to that flagrant abuse of the law,
!by which the late daring assault upon his Majesty's Represen.
tative passes unpunished, through sin unwarranted and imam the.
riled, construction-of law by a Protestant Gland Jury ; and I
say, that. thieve is no happiness for Ireland; until you limit the
tyranny of that oppressive cosh!, -and-restore the- great majo-
rity of the Irish to that equality of which they ought.- never to
have been deprived (loud and unanimous cheers), On the

question of Parliamentary Reform, I trust there is occasion to I
say little in an assembly of true Whigs—(Cheers). If, how-
ever, any should silt the grounds on which I approve of that
toa-long neglected measure, I say, both because Scotland most
needs a Reform (vehement applause), and because the princi-
ple of Reform was once sanctioned in Scotland by law. 13efore
the Revolution, the National Convention, which was not then
so slavish as the Convention of England, presented a petition
to..the English Government, and the 14th of a list of
,griev-
ances which it detailed 'complained bitterly of the conduct of
the Scotch. Representatives in Parliament (hear, hear and
a laugh). So earnest, indeed, was this remonstrance, that it
was actually attended to by the government of King William ;
; and that great Monarch, whose ' Glorious and immortal me-
' more I teveronnra.than those who have his name in their
'mouths, but whose principles are foreign to their hearts, did
actually assent to a measure for giving a better representation
to Scotland (loud cheers). Thus was the doctrine of -Perna-
mentary Reform at one time sanctioned by the law of Scot-
land ; and it doubtless would have been carried into effect
• but for insufficient care having been taken of it at the Revo-
lution: Unwilling as I am, Gentlemen, to suspend any longer
your social pleasure (hear, hear, hear ; and cries of " Go
on I"), I will yet trespass another minute on your attention, in
order to implore your more earnest aid and assistance in a
cause in which we have so deep an interest (hear, hear!). Gen-
tlemen, there are certain political philosophers, who teach
that, the more enlightened we become, the less we have to do
with liberty (laughter, anti cries of- hear ! ) ; and that it was
not the people of this intelligent nation, but those bf Muscovy
and Siberia, who are the proper objects of freedom (much
laughter and great applause). It is no longer an enlightened
population, but hordes of desperate barbarians, who are fit for
self-government ? This is the proposition which, plainly stat-
ed, is calculated to terrify and astonish even the sages from
whom it on Yet is this so glaring an absurdity, mon-
strous an oddity in logic, put in the van of all political argu
ments against Parliamentary Reform. But, Gentlemen, what
I have seen of this Meeting—what I recollect of the national
character, authorises me to conclude, that you will not abstain
from the use of all constitutional means, in order to obtain for
every individual-of the community an equal share in the privi-
leges of the Constitution (loud cheering). Gentlemen; I pro-
pose that we now drink—
" To the Immortal Memory of the Right Iron. Charles
James Fox"—ln silence, and the company standing, while: a
solemn dirge was‘performed by the band. •
From the Chair—

" His noyal Highness the Duke of Sussex, • his strenuous
support of those principles which placed his Family on the
Throne."—(Cheers.)—Air. Joy to Great Crew'.
‘" The Dukes .of Damiltort; Argyll, and Roxburgh ; and
the Whigs of.: Scotland.".--(Applause.)—Air, Three good
Fellows.

" The British Navy."—Air, Rule Britannia.
" The British Army."—Alr, The Grenadier.
The Chairman.--The next toast is the favourite toast of all
of' you, and so well expresses the sentiments of the Statesman
whom we are met to celebrate, that it might almost stand in
place of his creed :
" The' Rights of the People, as established at the Revolu-
tion:be 1688."--(Three times three, and long continued ap-
plause.),Air,'A Man's a Man for a' that.
The CROUPIER (Mr. Cranitoun) NW rose, but was pre-
vented from speaking for many 'minutes, by the cheers with
which he was greeted. Al nearly as we could collect his
words, after he obtained an audiences he said, the merits of the
illustrious Statesman whom 'sic are,assembled to commemo-
rate, and his claims to the gratitaide of his country, have al.
ready been expressed with such irresistible emphasis and truth,
that I will not presume to Offer my feeble echo of the senti-
ments which have juat been delivered from the Chair, and which
a kindred genius has inspired.--(Rapturous applause.)—The
prejudice which obscured the fame of Mr. Fox has now passed
away. The sountinesa of his principles is now as universally
admitted'as. the rectitude of his heart; and while the bleSsing
of freedom continues to be praised—while the British Consti-
tution continues to be admired, so long will his memory con.
tinue to endure.--(Applause.)—.But though we have long been
deprived of Mr. Fox, there are many of his survivors who in.
his patriotism and his fire anti among those there is one
who demands our earliest notice, it is my distinguished
countryman, who has this day honoured us with his pre.
strive, and consented to preside at this fleeting.—(Loud
and repeated • Cheers.)-1 will not remind you of the
first truths of his learning and genius. I need not
obtrude on your attention the views which he entertained of the
war against France at the commencement of her revolution. At
the moment when her society was dissolved, and when her new
institutions had not gained consistence, the war cry was sounded
in France with a frantic and a powerful voice. If Britain had
then stood forth in the attitude which,. we, trust, she has now
assumed towards Spain—(Clieers),--1 ranee might have been
spared the dissolution of her freedom, and we the prodigality of
our treasure and our blood. Had the views of my Learned
Friend then been regarded by the GoVernment of this country,
France mighthave succeeded in the consummation of her liber-
tieseand have remained without guilt, and without reproach.
I will not allude to the splendid professional exertions of my
distinguishedcountryman, nor follow him to another hems.
here, to applaud his conduct as a Lawyer and a Judge. But
it is as the British Statesman in which he most 'commands our
esteem. On how many occasions has lie not stood forth as the
calm, judicious, temperate, but intrepid assertor of the rights!
of the people? It is useless to specify instances which must be
fresh in the memory of us all. The criminal code of the coun-
try is derived from the wisdom of deliberative Senates, and is
executed by able and discriminating Judges; still, however,i
the system is deformed by many imperfections, some of the
relics of a barbarous age, and more the offspring of misdirected
legislation—(Hear, hear!).—.The saint punishment is de.
nounced against a petty offence, and a clipital crime, and the
defacer of a tree, or the destroyer of a bridge, is made to bear
the same penalty as the unnatural parricide.-.—(Bear, hear !)e
The late Sir Samuel Romilly was unwearied in his exertions
to reform this part of the law, and render it conformable to the
dictates of humanity and justice. It is a melancholy reflection
that the British Legislature ahould have invariably opposed his
efforts, sometimes from a groundless fear of innovation, some-
times from narrow.mintled or mistaken views. What, how-
ever,. Sir Samuel Romilly has left undone,' I trust will be • ac-
complished by his successor;who 11143 entered on the field with
equal ability, equal zeal, and more than equal success—(Cheers.)
—Posterity' will then long cherish the names of Romilly and
Mackintosh. Gentlemen, I give you—
" Sir James Mackintosh, with all the honours-3 times 3,
and enthusiastic applahse.
The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen. , I feel. always disinclined to
interrupt your social enjoyment, but still more so after one of
the most beautiful speeches
,ehat have ever fallen from human
lips--(cheers).—ln listening to the praises you have beard,
Gentlemen, I could not feel otherwise than deeply sensible that
I am indebted for theM all to the partiality of a
,friend ; but I
feel so honoured by that partiality, that I scarcely know if I
should have preferred even justice itself to the partiality °flinch
a friend—(hear. hear !)—What return, Gentlemen can I make
for the honour you have done me ? In this city freceived the
better part of my education. I may call it the birthplace of
my understanding. Here also I imbibed the sacred principles
of the British Constitution, and received those political imprea.
sions which will only quit me with my dying breath—loud
cheering.)—Till then, Gentlemen, I will never relax in my
humble efforts
rendering the laws worthy of their love. Gentlemen, to
to•sain for the laws the love of the people', by
receive the praise of him who is the unanimous praise of a
divided country, and who, under the scrutiny of a bar not
accustomed to be merciful in its animadversions, has con.
trived 'to preserve the 'esteemof all parties—Than praise from
such a quarter none can be snore veined by me, except what
my Learned Friend will, 1 am sure, admit to be of far higher
price—the approbation of such un assembly of Scotchmen as the
present.
" The Crotipier"thiee times three, anti deafening applause.
" Earl Grey and the Whigs of England."-Three times
three anti loud applause. •
Mr. J'EFFItEr—I wish, with your permission, Sir, to pro.
pow a toast, in which, from what I have already seen, I enter-
tain no dbubt but that we shall all most cordially agree, although
it is one' which has given rise to many shades of difference' even
among those by whom it is, in general terms, approved. I
must be• understood, Sir, to allude to the cause of Parlia-
mentary; Reform--(long continued cheeritik.)`ln undertak.
ing to introduce this subject, it ire some consolation to me
that
I shall thereby atone for some, 110 t to say hostility to the
measure, yet for many years of indifference towards it, and for
having sometimes approached it with considerable reluctance-.-
(hear, hear!)—'There was a time when many intelligent
friends of liberty believed that by what was termed a virtual
representation, the ptiblic interests might be sufficiently se-
cured ; and that any change, though moderate and safe,
wouldat best but give rise to new machinerir, which would
not operate more beneficially on the country:, than the present.
—Sir, from these prejudices time has reclaimed us jell. (This
avowal was met by the most unanimous cheers of the Corn-
pany.).—Sir, it is my opinion, and I believe the opinion of an
immense majority of the country, that some change in the
Representation of the,People is not only safe but necessary to
preserve the stability of the Constittition. The facts on which
this opinion is founded are, the disposition of the people at
large, and the conduct of the Parliament itself.—(Hear
The cause of Parliamentary Reform has, not without reason,
multiplied its advocates to an unprecedented degree.—(Cheers.)
,e-Many who once looked- upoh Reform as a monstrous and • in-
credible proposition, have gone overt° that cause which they
forrberry regarded with discredit anti thetrust: This- change
is mainly owing tothe recent paltry. attempts of. the Legisla-
ture to ameliorate the condition of the country.—(llear!)
The conduct of Parliament has shown that it no longer repro.