The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-01 00:00:00

SURREY THEATRE.

A great variety of novelties have lately been produced at
this theatre in such rapid succession that we have not had an
opportunity of noticing them individually. We will now en-
deavour to give them a brief notice. The Eddyston Elf, or
the Destruction of the Light House, is one of those romantic,
melo-dramatic, terrible, horrible, jocose, and lachrymose at-
tractions which usually draw a full audience to a minor theatre.
The new scenery is remarkably good, and some of the actors
exerted themselves with excellent effect. The Lord Mayor's
Fool, or the Grand Secret, a Tale of 1462, is of a different
character, approximating more to the ludicrous, and less to the
sanguinary, than its predecessor. The Vampire, or the Bride
of the Isles, is a specimen of dramatic diablerie of the same
school as Frankenstein, Der Freischutz, and similar other
dramas, for the dramatis personae of which we have no sort of
sympathy, and their incidents, are too revolting to give us any
pleasure. The scenery in this piece is remarkably picturesque,
and the manner in which the drama has been produced confers
great credit upon the management.

DINNER TO T. DUNCOMBE, ESQ., M.P.

Yesterday the constituency of this gentleman celebrated his
election for the borough of Finsbury, by dining together at
White Conduit-house. The great room of the tavern was,
long before the hour appointed for dinner, crowded with his
supporters, and not less than 350 of the electors sat down at
the tables to partake of the excellent fare provided by Mr.
Bleaden, the landlord, and to evince their satisfaction of the
conduct and principles of their representative, Mr. Duncombe.
The room was decorated with flags and banners, and presented
an imposing appearance. A military band was in attendance,
and the repeated discharge of small pieces of artillery en-
livened the enjoyments of the day. Amongst the company
assembled were J. Wilks, Esq., M.P., who was the chairman,
T. Duncombe, Esq., M.P., in honour of whom the meeting
was assembled, D. O'Connell, Esq. M. P., R. Potter, Esq.,
M.P., T. Bish, Esq., M. P. A. d. O'Dwyer, Esq., M. P.,
T. Easthope, Esq., J. C. Bulteel, Esq., M.P., J. Holt,
Esq., &c.
Immediately after the removal of the cloth, J. WiLics, Esq.,
the Chairman, rose, and addressed the company. The Hon.
Gentleman said—The days are gone by when the Kings of
Europe claimed the blind respect of their infatuated subjects
from the mere accident of their being kings. The times !0
which we live should teach monarchs the wholesome truth,
that respect was no longer paid to mere elevation of rank.
Let them look to Sweden, to France, to Greece, and to Bel-
gium ; let them consult the pages of history. In those countries
the monarchs held their crowns by the election of the
people.
It is not because the king of this country is a monarch only,
but it is because he deserves the homage of the hearts of the
people over whom he reigns--it is because he has done more
for the general emancipation of the world than any king re-
corded in history—it is because he has protected the sacred
rights of the people—because he has resisted the Tories and
the Lords—because, under him, the slaves have been set free
—and because, by his firmness, he has within this last month
resisted a combination which strove to enslave us—that I pro-
pose the health of " the King, and may God bless him.
( Great applause.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed " the Queen."
The health of her Majesty was received with applause min-
gled with partial disapprobation.
The health of " his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex,
the old and tried friend of liberal institutions and popular
rights," was drunk with enthusiastic applause.
" The Army and Navy" were then given.
Mr. WILKS then rose—He commenced with saying, "
now approach a sentiment in which you will all concur—the
people, the basis of all authority, the object of all government.
I will not enter into a detail of their oppression, they have for
ages existed only as a means by which the oligarchy have do-
mineered. But those days are past, the sandy foundation by
which the few oppressed the many has given way. I propose
The People,' the greatest possible happiness to the
greatest possible number in the least possible time." (Im-
mense applause). Mr. Wilks then took a retrospective view
of the House of Commons previously to the passing of the
Reform Bill. By the efforts of many illustrious men, by
some of whom he was surrounded, and some of whom had
contended for the liberties of the green isle of their birth,
a victory had been gained. When lordlings and aristocrats
affected to sneer at the metropolitan boroughs, let them look
to the wealth, the respectability, and the intelligence of the
constituency of those boroughs ; let them look to the gentle-
man, Mr. Duncombe, who had been chosen to represent one
of those boroughs. The electors had exerted their rights. It
was true men who had many just claims had been opponents to
that gentleman, but the electors bad chosen him who was the
most excellent,--a man who was no novice,—a reformer who,
in spite of the blandishments of the fair, and in despite of the
frowns of the proud, had unhesitatingly pursued his course of
liberality. The Chairman concluded with proposing the health
of "T. Duncombe, Esq., the most excellent representative
of the borough of Finsbury."
As soon as the extraordinary ebullition of applause which
followed this toast had subsided, which was not till nearly ten
minutes had elapsed.
Mr. DIJNCOMBE rose, and spoke to the following effect:.—
" Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I' would not present myself
to acknowledge the honour you have done me, unless I were
sure of your indulgence ; but, relying upon that, let me beg
you not to measure by my inadequate expressions the extent of
the obligations I feel towards you. Gentlemen, since I have
become your Representative I can congratulate you but little
on the assistance I have rendered you, because no opportunity
has occurred to me to do so ; but I. can congratulate you on
the dangers you have escaped within these six weeks—you
have been threatened with the possibility of a Tory Govern-
ment. The people, by the lesson they have read in this
borough, have deterred that deluded faction from future expe-
riments. It has given them a hint not to be mistaken,—it has
shown, that however contemptible the vacillation of the late
Whig Government, still Toryism is more the object of detes-
tation—it has shown that England will never submit to the
'despotism of Tories or the bigotry of priests. The Tories
have sunk into the oblivion of contempt, and let them be con-
tent to bedoctor each other with the honours that Oxford can
confer..-- But the people had a right to say, Have we been
bettered?' I cannot say that as yet they have been bettered;
but this I say—the recent changes in the Ministry have all
been on the side of liberality, and let us hope for still better
things. The Ministry must go on with the spirit of the age ;
the people will not be deluded. They will not suffer trifling
with them to conciliate the Lords.—(Great applause.) Let
the Ministers go on in a straightforward course ; let them make
no reference to the reception, of their measures in what was
called the Upper House. I warn the Upper House with re-
spect to one thing,—i.-
whether hereditary
countries.wisdombe the result of hereditary descent,
—let them her'
et them beware of mooting the point
and voting by prone_
will be put to the
..are of the questions I believe the present Ad-
prof Peers residing in foreign
Ation to be sincere, but their sincerity
ile''ra°
tfi
ownh, ewn
htehne
the reform
du r oa
tfi
otnh eo
fC hpuarrcl hi a
ms hall
Parliaments csohma
lel uhned er
debated,co nsi
and when the Vote by Ballot shall be proposed ; when the
question of governing Ireland shall be mooted,—whether it