The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-12 00:00:00

THE SCN, LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 12. 1840

regret to Mr. Byng at being debarred the pleasure
of witnessing my old friend's welcome, accompa-
nied with that general demonstration of love, gra-
titude, and esteem which he richly deserves, and
which no doubt he will receive front the noble and highly
respectable company congregated together on this occa-
sion. Pray assure him of all this, and likewise all friends
admitted to the festival, and add that I am heart and soul
with them in the cause which they arc met to celebrate.
Believe me, my dear Lord, with great sincerity, yours
truly attached, &c.
(Signed) AUGUSTUS FREDERICK.

The Noble Lord was repeatedly interrupted during
the reading of this letter by loud and continued cheering.
The Hon. C. CAVENDISH then proposed the navy
and army, which was drunk amidst most enthusiastic
cheering.

RULE, BRITANNIA.
When Britain first at Heaven's command,
Arose from out the azure main,
Th's was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sung the strain,
Rule, Britannia, Britannia rules the waves,
For Britons never will be slaves
The nations ti,,t so blest as thee,
Must in their t,,rns to tyrants fall !
While thou shalt fl)urish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all !
Rule, Britannia, &c.

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreaded from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Sorves but to root thy native oak,
Rule, Britannia, &c.

The Muses still, with Freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coact repair;
Blest isle, with Sovereign beauty crown'd,
And manly hearts to guard the fair.
Rule, Britannia, &c.

Sir C. AnAms rose to return thanks. He said, my
Lord, I feel the greatest gratification and pleasure in
finding myself in such an assembly—assembled for such
zi purpose. I firmly hope, and I sincerely believe,
Gentlemen, that the British navy, will henceforth, as
heretofore, be always found efficient, and ready, and
willing to stand forward for the protection of the Throne
of our most gracious Sovereign, and for the rights and
liberties of the people.—(Loud cheers.)
Sir DE LACEY EVANS rose and said—l have

only one regret at the present moment ; and that is
that it should have fallen to the lot of so humble a man
in my profession to return thanks for this toast.
I feel, as a member of the army, the sincerest
delight in attending upon this occasion ; for I can
conceive no display of public feeling more
called for than the present. I believe that I ex-
press the true feeling of every soldier in supposing
that my companions in arms would be most happy and
proud to assist in paying this high tribute to public
virtue.—(Great cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose the health of
Mr. Byng—He said I am now about to avail myself
of the high privilege which has been conferred

upon me, by proposing to the present assembly
to drink the health of their illustrious guest.—
(Great cheering.) The heartfelt manner in which you
have received the bare mention of his name, confirms
me in my conviction, that it requires no eulogy of mine
to point out to you the great friend of the people, and
the architect of Reform. As a proof of that I need

only refer to the great wealth, talent, and intelligence
that is now assembled within these walls. Such an

assemblage, renders any laudatory notice on my part
entirely superfluous.—(Great cheering.) But, Gentle-
men, I should be neglectful of my duty as Chairman, if
I were not to recollect the character of this meeting,
and do all in my power to add, if it be possible, to the
tribute which those present have met to offer to Mr.

Byng—a man whose life has been a complete pattern of
consistency, and who has ever shown himself the un-
flinching friend of the people.—(Great cheering.) In
pointing out the course which has been adopted by
Mr. Byng, I consider that I am pointing out a
path which others, who hope to gain the great name
which Mr. Byng has obtained, must tread. Gentle-
men, I find that Mr. Byng has now completed
the fiftieth year of his Parliamentary life, during
which period he has rendered services almost
unprecedented in the annals of the House of Corn-
mons.—(Chcers.) Before we admit, however, the
weight of this claim to our admiration, it may be as
well that we should test it by what he has done :

First, then, as to the soundness of the principles on
which his Parliamentary life has been based ; next, as
to the fidelity with which he has maintained those prin-
ciples ; and, lastly, as to the purity of the motives which
induced him to uphold them. Gentlemen, if there
is anything in the admitted axiom that truth must

prevail, I think it applies most strongly with respect
to the conduct of Mr. Byng.—(Cheers.) He had
ever maintained the necessity of Catholic Emancipation.
—(Cheers.) To him wis mainly to be attributed the
repeal of the Test and Corporation Act.—(Cheers.) He
had always advocated the abolition of slavery, and he has
ever been found the firm friend and stanch supporter of
Parliamentary Reform. These are some of the great mea-
sures which Mr. Byng, in common with his party, has
ever advocated and maintained, and which they have
successfully carried, either by wringing them from an
irresolute Ministry, or by the voice of the people.—
(Great cheering.) Gentlemen, if you want a fur-

ther proof of the fidelity and consistency of Mr. Byng,
you have it in the fact that he has been fourteen times
before his constituents—(Great cheering)—and fourteen
times have they returned to him the trust which they
had reposed in him—seven times, too, without a contest.
—(Great cheering.) And this, it is to be recollected,
took place in the great and populous constituency of
Middlesex. But if you wish for a further proof of what
Mr. Byng and his family have done, it is only necessary
to refer to history. There the historian, in speaking of
his father, said that be was a man of unsullied reputa-
tion, of sterling talents, and one of the greatest hene-

factors of his country in his day—that he had always
maintained his consistency. Such, Gentlemen, is the
character given of the father of Mr. Byng, ard
it is so much like that of our illustrious guest, that I
hardly know how to determine where the career of the
father ended and where that of the son began.—(Great
cheering.) Gentlemen, can we doubt after what 1
have stated of the exertions of Mr. Byng, that
from his very first entering upon Parliament-
cry iifc, to the present moment, he has been
consistent—that his name is unsullied by one single act,
and that he will bequeath a name that will t e long re-
membered by posterity. He always attached himself to
the old Whig party, and with them he has acted up to
the present hour. Mr. Byng's life has been one scene
of activity. When the Catholic Relief Bill had
pissed he did not rest satisfied.—(Loud cheers.) lie
exerted his best efforts for the passing of the
Reform Bill, the passing of which he did not ad-
v,scate for the sake of popularity, but lie endeavoured
to make it the means to an end.—(Great cheering.)
Gentlemen, we now see Mr. Byng's political principles
adopted, and his party are in power.—(Great
cheering.) We see his friends ennobled—(Con-
tinued cheering)—we see his claims admitted—
his services acknowledged—his principles respected, but
himself unchanged, George Byng.—(Cheers.) Gen-

denim however interested parties at the present day
may describe the character of Mr. Byng, I feel con-
vinced that an impartial posterity will delineate, in
glowing terms, what I have feebly depicted of the
character and actions of this great man, who for
fifty years has served his country in Parliament, and has
retained the principles which, as a public man, he set
out with in life. In conclusion, Gentlemen, I need
only say, that I trust the conduct which has been
adopted by Mr. Byng will be followed by many in
after times who are desirous of obtaining the
epitaph of upright and honest men.—(Great cheering.)

Mr. BYNG then rose, and as soon as the cheering
with which ho was received had subsided, said—l rise,
Gentlemen, to thank you for the honour you have done
me, and I cannot find words sufficiently strong to thank
you in the way I ought to thank you. Gentlemen,
I feel grateful to you for your long continued friendship
and confidence ; and, Gentlemen, I ought also to feel
most grateful to my Maker, who has vouchsafed for so
many years to give me health and strength ; and, Gentle-
men, to cleanse my heart from all selfish feeling, and to
leave it to the promotion cf the happiness, the welfare,
the first interests of you, Gentlemen, who have con-
fided the most important power you possess into my
hands. Gentlemen, I must now give an account of
my stewardship, and from the number of years

which it has lasted, you might expect that
account to be made out at very great length ;
but, Gentlemen, it may be made out very short, because
it has been consistent and faithful throughout.—(Loud
cheers.) Gentlemen, the first trial of my principles,
after I had the honour of being elected by you, or by
your fathers—(Loud cheers and laughter)—the first
trial, Gentlemen, was that stupendous and unexpected
event,the French Revolution—(Hear)—that,Gentlemen,
was a trial of feeling as well as of principle. I was then,
Gentlemen, a very young man, and, upon that event,
was separated from nine-tenths of that party with whom,
a very few years before, I had embarked. On that oc-
casion, at all public meetings, I found that the gentleman
who had proposed me, the gentleman who seconded me,
and many more of my nearest and dearest friends, all
stood aloof—all avoided me ; the only man of weight
and character that stood by my side, bore the
same name as our worthy Chairman—(Loud
cheering)—Francis Duke of Bedford, and while I am
acting with the Russells—while they are standing
by my side, I feel confident that I am right—
(Cheers)—that I am standing up for the true prin-
ciples of the Constitution.—(Cheers.) In the House
of Commons nine-tenths of toe party left us; aryl,
Gentlemen, I well remember Mr. Pitt sneeringly telling
us that we might all go home in two hackney coaches.
—(Loud laughter.) But, Gentlemen, he did us
injustice, be,•ause we could fill four. (Loud
laughter.) Gentlemen, that even led to my n•imate
acquaintance and attachment to Mr. Fox.—(Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I was not of Mr. Fox's age. I lived very little
is the private society adorned by Mr. Fox ; but through-
out my whole life I have been thoroughly convinced
that, of all human beings that I ever had met, that man
loved his fellow-creatures more than any other person
ever did.—(Loud cheers.) His love for his fellow-
creatures was universal—it extended to all ranks and
descriptions of men—black and white. He felt
equally interested for the welfare of all his fellow-
creatures. Gentlemen, throughout my whole life
it has been most gratifying to me to know
how much I loved him, because I am certain
whenever I think of my affection for him I feel con-
vinced that I must have some good in me, to have so
much loved such a man.—(Cheers.) Well, Gentle-
men, after that great event, for many years people
were so much alarmed that even the name of liberty
ceased to be dear to many—all men were dispersed—
they shunned us, and kept at a distance, so alarmed
were they—so dreadfully alarmed were they, that they
took shelter either in office, in Governorships, or in
Baronetcies.—(Loud and continued cheers, and
laughter.) But, however, Gentlemen, another interesting
event happened after, viz. Parliamentary Reform,
brought forward by my friend, Charles Grey—(Cheers)
—who, much to his honour, when he came into office
nearly forty years after, to show his consistency,
brought forward nearly the same plan of reform
which he proposed thirty-six years ago—(Cheers)
That plan of reform has certainly much altered the
, constitution of this country; but gentlemen much re-
mains behind.—(Loud cheers.) We must amend that
—particularly with regard to the registry—(Cheers)
—and many other parts which are now working very
detrimentally to the interests of the people at large.
Gentlemen, another great measure, with which we
must persevere, is the extension of education throughout
all sects and parties indifferently (Loud cheers)
—and, Gentlemen, with education, I may say a e
may, with the greatest possible safety, and with the
greatest possible justice, extend the right of voting.—
(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, with regard to other objects
in which we have so delightfully succeeded, I must
not omit to mention the repeal of the Test and Corpo-
ration Acts, and the emancipation of our Catholic fellow

subjects ; and with regard to the Catholic Emancipation

I shall never think that measure perfect until I see
equal justice done to Ireland.—(Loud cheers.) The
system of Government, Gentlemen, which this country
has pursued towards Ireland has been most unjust, and
therefore, I may say, most wicked, bordering abso-
lutely upon insanity.—(Cheers.) How many millions
has this country spent in acquiring distant possessions
while at the same time she has been neglecting Ireland
—lreland which formed one third part of the kingdom,
and a most valuable third part, if you will only look at
the ability and the courage of the inhabitants of that
country.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, when I had the
honour of addressing you three years ago, I then said
that, if I were ten years younger, I thought I
might live to see the time when there should be
no difference known between Catholic and Protestant.
—(Loud cheers)—the period when no question would
be asked whether you were Irish or English. Now,
Gentlemen, three years have passed, and I think
that in that time we have made greater pro-
gress towards a sincere and real union be-
tween the two countries than I had expected. I
confess, Gentlemen, that we owe very great obligations
to a Learned Gentleman who is unavoidably absent to-
day.—(Loud cheers.) I think that, perhaps, in the
minds of some people—with some persons I may
make myself unpopular by alluding to him
I again run the risk of making myself unpopular--

(Cries of " No, no ")—by doing justice to that great
man. But, Gentlemen, painful as it must be to me to
incur the displeasure of any friends, yet I would much
rather suffer that pain than harbour a sentiment that I
vras afraid of uttering.—(Cheers.) You must remember,
that at the risk of his life that gentleman has done
away with Trades Unions in Dublin.—(Hear, hear.)
You must recollect that he has kept down Chartism
without the assistance of the military.—(Cheers.) He
has kept Chartism down, and he has established peace
and quiet in that country, and the only way that you
cm be certain of the continuance of that peace and
quiet is by rendering justice to the people of that coun-

;ry. I think, from what we have seen within the last

few years of what justice and kindness have done, that
many who have hitherto stood aloof from us will be
ready to join in continuing friendship and justice to
the noble people of that country.—(Cheers.) Gen-

tlemen, I have detained you a long while.—(Cries of
" No, no," and "Go on, go on.") I have only
now merely to advert to what concerns my feel-
ings and my connections with you. I have merely
to state this, that if I ever could entertain any selfish
feeling in contemplating the kindness, the love, and
affection which you have shown me to-day—if I could in-
dulge men: selfishness, it certainly would be my wish after
this Parliament to r tire from your services.—(Cries of

" No, no.") I can only say this, that as long as I have
health, and as long as I have the countenance of your
favour and friendship, I shall be most happy to come for-
ward—and not only, Gentlemen, to come forward myself,
but to come forward, in conjunction with any other
man that you can find, or whom you may think suit-
able . (Renewed cheering.) I never have en-
deavoured, but on the contrary, latterly it has
been my wish that some other person should come
forward. I never wished to prevent my friends
proposing a second candidate to come forward for this
county on Liberal principles. 1 never, Gentlemen, eve❑
as lar back as the time of Sir Francis Burdett—("l're-
mendons groans and hisses)—in the good old days of
Sir Francis Burdett—(Loud laughter)—l never
did, though some of his friends complained at
a public meeting that I had endeavoured to prevent the
kVtligs coaling forward to support him. But, fortu-
nately, Gentlemen, Mr. Clifford was present at that
meeting, and truth will always prevail.—( Hear, hear,
hear.) Most fortunately Mr. Clifford had seen tl•.e
letter I wrote to Mr. Fox begging that

I might be considered as nothing, and stating that as
long as I had health and strength, I would never wish
to be spared the expense and vexation of a contest ; and
I therefore desired him to give every facility to Sir F.
Burdett, or any other candidate that might stand
upon Liberal principles.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I
now thank you for your kindness—not only for
your present kindness and attention, but for the
kindness and attention which you have always
manifested towards me, for a greater length
of time, perhaps, than any other individual has enjoyed
that good fortune. Gentlemen, I thank you, and I beg
leave to drink all your healths from the bottom of my
heart.—(The Hon. Gentleman sat down amidst er.-

thusiastic and long continued cheering.)
Glee and Chorus
(" To all you, Ladies, now on Land.")
To all you Men of Parliament
Our strains we now address,
To show how worth and honesty
A Senator may grace.

For fifty years our " BYNG " has been
Unchang'd amid this changing scene :
Chorus. Then give the Patriot honour due,
And loudly cheer
A name so dear,
A heart so sound and true.
No courtly favours could allure
From duty such a mind,
His highest honour to secure
The good of all his kind :
And what reward so rich and rare,
What honour can with this compare?
Chorus Then give the Patriot honour due,
And loudly cheer,
A name so dear,
A heart so sound and true.
It is the noblest monument
That man to man can raise,
To show a life in virtue spent,
And crown'd with length of days.
Then pledge the cup—our Toast shall be
The veteran " BYNG AND LIBERTY
Chorus. Unite to give him honour due,
And loudly cheer,
A name so dear,
A heart so sound and true.
The Duke of BEDFORD then rose, and was received
with loud applause. Ate,: the applause had subsided,
his Grace commenced speaking as follows :—I have been
requested, only a few hourssince, to propose a toast which,
on account of its importance, I could have wished to
have fallen into other hands, into the hands of some
gentleman who is more accustomed than I have been of
late to addressing large public meetings. Tilo toast I
have to propose is—" Tee People—the legitimate source
of all power."—(lmmense cheering.) You will, I trust,
permit me in proposing this toast to say a few wards.
My political life extends over the last half century,
and I trust I may be permitted to make a few
remarks upon those early associations which arc:
brought to my mind upon this cheering and glorious oc-
casion.—(Loud cheers.) I, like yourselves, have
watched with attention and with respect the long and
consistent political career of our honoured guest, Mr.
Byng—(Cheers)—who has acted throughout his life so
faithful and honourable, and in this country, so distin-
guished a part—(Cheers)—and svho has so materially
contributed to the success of those principles, which we
all advocate, by the unswerving consistency of his con-
duct—(Cheers)—the purity of his character—(Cheers)
—and the value of his example.—(Loud cheers.) I
have been for some years, in consequence of ill health,
unable to attend as I could wish to business of a poli-
tical nature, or to take an active part in public affairs ;
but I find it impossible on this occasion not to recur to the
commencement of my political career, when, as a West-
minster school boy, about the time of which Mr. Byng
has been speaking, I commenced my political career by
assisting in the prosecution of an active and an energetic
canvass for Byng and Burdett, who stood boldly forward
as candidates for the County of Middlesex, in opposi-
tion to the all but overwhelming power of Mr. Pitt's
Government—(Cheers)—and in support of those liberal
and enlightened principles which have ever distinguished
the friends of civil and religious liberty.—(Cheers.)
I cannot but recollect these times, when my heart was
beating warmly, as I hope it ever will beat, in support
of the cause of popular rights—(Cheering)—and, al-
though many great political changes have taken place
since those days, and public events have happened un-
paralleled for their importance in the history of the
world—(Loud cheers)—l cannot but recur to those
times with feelings of pleasure, more especially
at such a meeting as this, assembled together
to bear witness to the long, faithful, and honourable
services of him who has been victorious in so many
contests, Mr. Byng.—(Loud cheers.) Byng and
Burdett were then the candidates of the people.
They stood in support of those immutable principles
of civil and religious liberty, which have since been
planted in the Constitution, and have produced their
fruit in those great measures of Reform, which, by
destroying the monopoly of a few, had established the
representation of the nation.—(Cheers.) I have no
doubt that in the recollection of the impression of those
early days, many of you agree with me.—(Cheers.)
I for one cannot, with the impression of my early days,
forget, when I hear the name of Sir Francis Burdett,
the services which he rendered to the cause of the
people, while he was in the lull vigour of his intellects
—(Cheers and a laugh)—nor can I efface from my
memory the many years during which I followed
him in the House of Commons, contending for
the same principles, which he had fixed and
confirmed in my mind from the hustings, when I
was a mere boy.—(Cheers.) My object in coming here
to-day was to join my brother freeholders in doing
honour to Mr. Byng, whose prudent ambition it has
been through life to support, honestly and vigorously,
and without intermission, the noble principles with
which he set out at the commencement of his
public career—(Loud cheers)—and in the worst of
times he never hesitated to assert them.—(Loud
cheers.) He always blended the duties of the States-
man with the charities of the Christian ; and whilst he
maintained the rights which he himself possessed, he
always claimed for all classes of his fellow-countrymen a
full participation in those rights which he himself en-
joyed.—(Cheers.) I propose the health of the people,
from whom all our strength, security, liberty, and power
are derived. The Noble Duke sat down amidst en-
thusiastic cheering, and the toast was drunk with three
times three.

'~

Glee and Chorus
Webbe.
(Tune, " Glorious Apollo.")
Goddess of Freedom, from on high behold us,
While thus we dedicate to thee our lays ;
Long in thy cause has principle enroll'd UP,
Here to thy name a monument we raise.
Thus then combining,
Hands and hearts joining,
Sing we in harmony, to Freedom's praise.
Goddess of Freedom, in thy might awaking,
Spread thy dominion over earth and sea ;
Britons thy blessings giving, and partaking,
Own undivided homage still to thee.
Thy spirit guiding,
Thy power presiding,
Britain shall flourish, united, brave, and free.

Mr. GISBORNE rose to move the next toast. He
said, the toast which I have to propose is the health of
Lord Melbourne, and her Majesty's Ministers.--( Very
great cheering.) May Ibe allowed to say that I would
not come forward on this occasion upon any other con-
sideration than that I might be accused of lukewarm-
ness towards the distinguished individual to whom we
are this day met to show a tribute of long-earned and
well-merited respect, if I had declined.—( Hear,
hear, and cheers.) Will you allow me to treat
this toast with a somewhat systematic distribution.—
(Laughter.) I will divide it into two heads, and I will
conclude with a particular deduction. The first head
is the principle of the Government, and the second
is its administration. Every person who has
been with me in political affairs for the last few
years will remember when we endeavoured to
bring into power a Government formed upon
Liberal principles—you all remember when they were
unceremoniously kicked out of office—you all re-
member how we desired to bring them back
again, and how their hearts were hardened, and they
d;d come back again. The opponents of Government
had never manfully opposed or assailed them, but they
affect a growling acquiescence by which they think they
may more effectually hamper and annoy them, and
impede the progress of Liberal principles, than if they
were in the possession of office.--(Cheers.) I do not
think that in this assembly I need be called
on to make more remarks on the principles upon which
her Majesty's Government is conducted.—(Loud
cheering.) I will pass on the administration of
those principles, and will you allow me to divide
the annual life of a Minister into two portions—
(Laughter)—the Session of Parliament and the recess.
—(A laugh.) In the Session he goes down to
Parliament, about five o'clock in the evening,
when most sober, quiet people arc sitting down to din-
ner. He has then to go through his political cate-
chism.--(A laugh.) He has to give an account of ail
that he has done —(A laugh) and all that he
has left undone—(Renev ad laughter)--and all that
he does not intend to do—(Very great laughter)
and his answers go forth the next day throughout the
kingdom, fro►n John-o'.Groat's House to the Land's
End, and through the whole of the known world, and of
the little known world besides.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Then at one time my Noble Friend the first Minister of
the Crown, in the House to which I have the honour
to belong, is exposed to the open-hearted candour of Sir
Robert Peel and the mild forbearance of Lord Stanley
and Sir James Graham.—(Loud laughter.) At another
time the Noble Lord at the head of the Foreign Govern.