The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-23 00:00:00

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND

HIS SCOTCH TENANTRY.

The annual agricultural meeting of the Duke of
Richmond's tenantry at Fochabers was held on Tuesday
last, at Gordon Castle. The show yard was formed in
one of the parks, and was very numerously attended by
the yeomen of the surrounding districts. The animals
exhibited were of a very superior character. His Grace's
stock were objects of much admiration, particularly a
short-horned bull, two short-horned cows, and several
pairs of highland stots.
There was an extensive show of agricultural imple-
ments, which reflected much credit on the skill and en-
terprise of the tenantry.
The judges having awarded the prizes, which were
bestowed by his Grace, they presented a carefully drawn
up report as to the condition of the farms, cottages, and
turnips entered for competition. In respect to the latter
it states that but for the unfortunate blight or mildew
with which the turnip crop in the north of Scotland has
generally been affected, and which none of the fields
under their notice had escaped, they would have proved
such crops for weight and substance as they had seldom
witnessed. The document thus concludes :—" This
being the second occasion on which a majority of us have
acted in our present capacity, we may be permitted to
state that the premiums offered by the Noble Duke are
having the desired effect in creating an emulation
among an enterprising and active tenantry, which,
coupled with the liberal encouragement otherwise given,
cannot fail to place the Gordon estates second to none in
the north of Scotland.
At three o'clock in the afternoon about 300 of the
r tenantry sat down to dinner, to which they had been in-
vited by the noble landlord, under a spacious marquee
which had been erected on the castle lawn. His Grace
the Duke of Richmond, who was loudly cheered on
entering the tent, filled the chair, and near him were
observed the Earl of March, Lord Henry Gordon
Lennox, M.P.; Mr. Charles Goring, M.P.; Rev. Mr.
Cushney, of Fochabers ; Mr. W. Tighe, Mr, Edward
Wagstaff, Mr. James Skinner, Mr. Alexander Marquis,
and Mr. John Gordon.

The several loyal toasts having been given,
The CHAIRMAN said, in proposing " The Memory of
the late Duke of Gordon" in any company in the north
of Scotland, it was not necessary to recall to their re-
collection the many services the late Duke had per-
formed, both in the field of battle and at home. The
Duke of Gordon was one of the most popular noblemen
in the country. He knew him to be an honourable man,
and knew also how deeply his death was deplored by the
tenantry on his estates.—(Drunk in solemn silence.)
Mr. GEDDES, of Orbliston, then rose and begged to
propose " The Health of the Duke of Richmond," a
toast which he was satisfied would be received with the
enthusiasm which it so highly deserved, thereby tes-
tifying the gratitude of an attached tenantry towards a
liberal and kind landlord—a gratitude which existed not
in name but in reality.—(Cheers.) They were certainly
much indebted to his Grace for the opportunity afforded
them that day of meeting together, for the encourage-
ment offered to the tenantry on his extensive estates,
and for the kind and liberal manner in which his
Grace had ever acted towards them.—(Loud cheers.)
He trusted that he would not be considered as
infringing any of the regulations did he refer
to the unexampled exertions made by the Noble
Duke in his place in Parliament in behalf of the agricul-
tural interests of the country ; and, although his efforts
were unsuccessful, it was not his fault.—(Much cheering.)
If, unfortunately, their worst anticipations were realised,
and prices fell so much as to prove unremunerating to
the farmer, he was confident the Noble Chairman would
be the first to meet his tenantry in a fair and liberal
manner.—(Cheers.) He then concluded by proposing
his Grace's health, and trusted that he might be long
spared to reign among them, which was, be (Mr.Geddes)
felt confident, the sincere and heartfelt wish of every
tenant on his estates.—(The toast was drank in the most
enthusiastic manner.)
The Duke of RICHMOND, in returning thanks, assured
the company that it was no easy task to endeavour to
express to them the feelings of gratitude which warmed
his bosom for the kind manner in which they had drunk
his health.—(Cheers.) It was only a few years since he
came there, comparatively a stranger, but he soon found
himself among warm and attached friends.—(Cheers.)
He would not now trouble them with any of the
arguments on the subject of the corn-law question
to which Mr. Geddes had adverted. It was a question
of the greatest importance to the prosperity, not only
of agriculture, but of the country generally. Ile
would not, however, under present circumstances, say
that the price of corn might not be kept up for a short
time. Foreigners were quite unprepared for the great
change. This time last year they had no idea that pro-
tection would be removed, and that circumstances might;
in some measure, keep up the price. The extensive
failure in the potato crop in Ireland, and throughout the
country, would also tend to the same result, but he felt
that it was not possible that with even the greatest
energy, the farmers of this country would be able to
compete with the foreigner who had no taxes to pay.
When he recollected that many now present a few years
ago came forward and signed leases under the first im-
pression that the Corn Bill was to remain entire, but
now that through treachery and double-dealing it had
been abolished, he felt that he would be incapable of
holding up his head among them did he not now tell
them that should any of his tenants wish to relinquish
their farms, by giving intimation of their intentions to
either of his managers, he would at once relieve them
of their obligations ; more than that, he would cause
an estimate to be made of the unexhausted permanent
improvements they had made upon their farms, and re-
pay them the amount.—(Cheers.) He felt that this was
only justice, for who could have thought that Sir R. Peel
would have turned the traitor he had become? He should,
however, regret parting with any one of his tenantry,
many of whom had cultivated the same soil for a very
long period, but ho could not feel satisfied were they to
remain and injure their own prospects or those of their
family.—(Cheers.) He hoped that his prophecies of
the evil of the measure would not prove correct, but
although he had patiently listened to all the arguments
which had been advanced in favour of the abolition of
protection, his objections to the measure were not re-
moved. He felt that it was brought forward by the
Anti-Corn-law League, and adopted by a Government
which bowed, not to argument and conviction, bat to a
clamour from without, raised by the expenditure of large
sums of money.—(Much cheering.) He then closed his
address by expressing his gratification in meeting so
many of his tenantry on that occasion, and sincerely
hoped that Providence would cause their fields to be
fruitful and their homes the abodes of the highest do-
mestic felicity and comfort.
His Grace resumed his seat amidst deafening applause.
The health of the Duchess of Richmond, Earl and
Countess of March, "the successful and unsuccessful
competitors," and other toasts having been drunk, the
company at a late hour dispersed.
His Grace's piper was in attendance during the evening.