The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-02 00:00:00

SIR HAR ~ity :SMITH'S PROGRESS.
On Wednest lay the hero of Aliwal, Sir H. Smith, and
his lady, parto( .11; of a public breakfast at Ely, on his
way to Whittle. tea. A beautiful arch, covered with a
profusion of fib fivers and laurels, was erected near the
station, where a
bout 8,000 or 10,000 persons had as-
sembled, and ti 1e milli;int gentleman's appearance was
greeted with tren tenaous ~,beers. The procession moved
from the station
through Ole principal streets of the
town to the new t Worn Thsehanje, in which a splendid
dejeiiner ala fourc ette was supp2ied by Younghusband
and Son, of Geran. Hall Hotel, Rasing-lane, Landon,
The building itself NN beautifully fesOoned with ever-
greens and flowers ; t tables, which ea tended round
the area, were covered ith choice plants. On the table
at which the Gallaat r4et feral sat was a service of gold
plate, valued at 16,0001 The breakfast provided con-
sisted of every delicacy fi to season could produce, the
fruit being the admiration )f all present. The appear-
ance of the whole called ft 'rth an expression of thanks
from Sir Harry Smith.
From the station to the breakfast-room Sir Harry was
accompanied by the Dean o. f Ely, Professor Sedgwick,
the Rev. E. B. Sparke, son of the late Bishop Sparke,
and William Layton, Esq., the eminent agriculturist.
t
The Dean of Ely presided the breakfast, at which
there were between 200 and t 100 present, consisting of
the elite of the town and neighl. 'ourhood.
WHITTLESRA.—On arriving at this town the illus-
trious guests were received by , a concourse of 4,000 to
5,000 people, and by them escort, sci to the house of his
brother, Captain Smith. The beAllr rang merrily, and
the greatest hilarity pervaded the town. Mr. Booker
read a complimentary address to ti to gallant hero, and
received a short but suitable repl;v, Sir Harry Smith
saying that on the morrow he should have an oppor-
tunity of expressing ct greater length his feelings of
appreciation of the kind ness of his fello w-townsmen.
THURSDAY, JULY 1.

TILE DINNER
was holden in a pavilion, erected for the purpose, in .a
close next the rectory. At a quarter before five the
chair was taken by the Re!. Algernon Peyton, rector of
Doddington, who was supp wted on the right by the
hero of many fights, Sir Harr' Smith, Earl Fitzwilliam,
Earl of Aboyne, Lord MiltoV. J. W. Childers, Esq.,
Professor Sedgwick, Colonel A Ilia, J. IX Gordon,
Esq., and the Dean of Ely ; and on the left by the High
Sheriff (W. Pate. Esq.), the Earl of Hardwick', Lord
C. Russell, M.P., R. G. Townley, Esq., A4miral
Morris, &c. _ _

In the centre was placed a very handsome epergne, a
testimonial to Sir Harry Smith, purchased by subsciiP-
don. It bore the following inscription:—" Presented ,+.O
Major-General Sir H. C. W. Smith, Bart., of Aliwal on
the Sutlej, G.C.8., Colonel of the Rifle Brigade, by
parties resident, or interested in the Isle of Ely, in testi-
mony of their esteem for the eminent services rendered
by him as an officer in the British army during a period
of 42 years, and more particularly for the distinguished
ability shown by him in gaining a decisive victory over
the Seilihs in India, when in command of the British
forces at the battle of Aliwal, on the 28th of January,
1846. Presented the Ist of July, 1847."
Sir Harry was dressed in a general's uniform, wear-
ing the order of the Bath, and several medals. At the
conclusion of the dinner, Lady Smith and a party of
ladies entered the booth; and her Ladyship was re-
ceived with loud cheers, the company standing. Nearly
three hundred gentlemen sat down to dinner, which, ex
cept a plentiful supply of soup, fish, and vegetables, was
served cold.

Grace having been said,
The Rev. CHAIRMAN proposed, in succession, the
Queen, Price Albert, the Queen Dowager, and health,
wealth, and prosperity to all the Royal Family; the
Duke of Wellington and the Army, acknowledged by
Lord C. J. Russell; the Navy, acknowledged by Ad-
miral Morris.
The CHAIRMAN next, in eloquent terms, proposed the
health of Sir Harry Smith. Among all the recent
Wings, no one day, he believed, would have afforded the
Gallant General more pleasure that that, and should he
tell them so, he (the Chairman) should not doubt his
integrity. He must naturally feel proud of his return
to his home, and native soil, from whence he had set out
on his travels, amid the approbation of his countrymen,
and in receipt of their grateful thanks. He would, if the
ladies would allow him to alter a passage of Shakspere
devoted exclusively to them, say with Othello—" We, as
countrymen and compatriots, do love our General, and
he loves us." He had no doubt the Gallant General
felt grateful for the trophies and attachment they had
that day displayed in his honour. So long as any
Englishman's heart beat convulsively, nothing could be
more endearing to him than the return to his home after
a prolonged absence. As Sterne remarks in his beau-
tiful story of the sword—" It seemed as the return to
an old friend's face, which once was given up." But his
(the chairman's) pilgrim's shrine was won, his task was
ended, and the company before the evening was over
would doubtless be quite tired of him. (No, no.)
They were anxious also to hear the Gallant General
himself. The Chairman then (turning to Sir Harry
Smith) said, " I understand, Sir, that you are again
about to seek foreign shores, and whether or not you
meet with opportunities of performing similar achieve-
ments to that which we are now met to celebrate, I, in
the name of this meeting, venture to trust that your
absence will not be long, and that you will soon return
to your native shores, and pass your time among those
friends who are always so happy to receive you. I trust
you will receive this trophy as a slight tribute of the
gratitude of Englishmen, and that on your return from
abroad you will live in health to feel that it was given
in gratitude by your compatriots and those who know so
well how to appreciate your services, your public efforts
in the cause of your country, and your private friend-
ship—l drink your health."—(Loud, long, and most
vociferous cheering.)
On its somewhat subsiding,
Sir HARRY SMITH rose and spoke as follows:
" Lives there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself has said
This is my own, my native land."—(Cheers.)
Rev. Sir, my lords and gentlemen, and fellow- towsmen
—fain would I thank you for the honour you have this
day done me by thus assembling, and by the sumptuous
banquet you have set before me ; but when the heart is
full the tongue refuses to obey.—(Cheers.) It is true,
as your president has said, that it is 42 years since I left
my native land. On that occasion I parted with an
affectionate mother—(Cheers)—and, gentlemen, by a
curious coincidence, this day is the commemoration of
her birth day.—(Cheers.) Her last words to me were,
" Remember, I pray you, never to enter a public billiard-
room to play, and if ever you should be engaged with
the enemies of your country, remember you are an
Englishman."—(toud cheers.) Thirty-two years ago, at
the battle of Waterloo, there were three brothers, and it
has pleased Providence to protect them all, although
they were in the beat of the battle. We three, gentle-
men, are the only instances on record in this country,
and we three are here to-day to feel and thank you for
the honour done to myself and family.—(Loud cheers.)
How I fulfilled the first pledge I gave my mother I well
know—l have never played in a public billiard-
room, and what is more, I never was drunk in my
life.—(Loud cheers.) How I have obeyed her se-
cond injunction, my Sovereign, the Duke of Wel-
lington, and you, my fellow countrymen, have been
pleased to bear testimony, and it becomes me to ac-
knowledge the reception I have received. If lam about
to remind you of my services, I believe that they arose
from my being placed in positions that would have been
equally well filled by others.—(No, no.) Believe me,
fellow-countrymen, it is to my fellow-soldiers I am in-
debted for the honours I have received. I never appealed
to my brother soldiers that they did not respond to my
call.—(Cheers.) I hope war is far, far distant, for although
a glorious it is a horrid profession. Since the wonderful
battle of Waterloo, which established a peace for this
nation which has lasted 32 years, and on my return to
this country, I have observed her marked improvement
in the arts and sciences, the improvement in the morality
and deportment of the lower classes, and the observance
of the Sabbath, which latter, I regret to say, was not
thought of when I left it. To this I attribute all the
good success of our civil exertions. I accept with gra-
titude the service of plate you offer me. I trust that
feeling will be perpetuated in the memory of my family,
and that they will never disgrace that relic of my sword.
—(Cheers.) I have no sons; but have two nephews,
whom I have seen in action, and who are now in this
room ; they merit the coat they wear—(the uniform of
Sir Harry's regiment),—and if they did not, I would
be the first to strip them of it.—(Cheers.) A word of
the Duke of Wellington. You should have seen as I
have seen him, riding in the thick of the fight, rallying
the disheartened, restoring confidence wherever he ap•
peared, and rendering victory certain.—(Cheers.) My
reception by my Sovereign and my fellow-countrymen
has been far more gratifying than I am able to express,
but I feel it none the less, and only apprehend that my
services and performance of my duties should not in
future merit your approbation. My first military ardour
was inspired in the Whittlesea Yeomanry Cavalry—
(Cheers)—which I have this day inspected, and which
I am rejoiced to see are in superior order to what they
were in my former days. lam aware, by tradition, a
your
Minister once said, in alluding to the French !evolution:.
" If your Majesty is afraid to arm your subjects,
crown will totter to its base;" and in tothuentry, so
and people
long as the nobles are true to the throne _
now
she
to the nobles, so long shall England stand,
lt.
al
stands, paramount and unparalleledrew
_t h.eo nations.—ell
any
(Cheers.) My heart is too full teomlel me
shall ever, amid
longer on the subject, but belietve
ful remembrance of this
all vicissitudes, entertain agr
mark of the respect and the
school-
mates,inhabi-
tantsaatottacmhymepnlatyomfatthese,
llow an
and fellow-townsmen trustthey
of my native isle. Mayare around
nsmen
present,gentlememne
d
s:tow honourable
that, with the other
will accept the grateful
r
m thas of their townsman and
Th e Gallant General sat
countryman
Harry h. (
down amidst reiterated cheers.)
The next toasts were "The High Sheriff," who ac-
knowledged the toast; " The Custos Rotulorum of the
Isle, the puke of Bedford," responded to by Lord Charles
Russell ; "The Earl Fitzwilliam " (given by the chair-
man, as the health of a nobleman possessed of a largo
property, and who knew how to use it, and duly acknow-
ledged by the Noble Earl) ; " The Lord Lieutenant of
the County, Lord Hardwicke."
Lord HARDWICKE propOsed " The health of Lady
Smith" (who had, he said, followed her husband through
all his campaigns), amid much cheering.
Sir HARRY SMITH, in returning thanks, recited what
he designated as the extraordinary circumstances under
which he first met his lady, and paid a high compliment
to the fair sex as generally instigating the, opposite one
to deeds of valour. He believed from his heart Lady
Smith was deserving the honour they had done her.
" The County Members," " The Chairman," The
Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese," " Captain andnatives
Major Smith" (brothers of Sir Harry, and both
of NV hittlesca), were successively toasted, and the meet
ing ,:eparated.

The borough of Aylesbury will be severely eon_
Deer-
tested. Lord Nugent, R. Clayton, Esq., and Peter Deer-
ing, Esq., are the candidates.