The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-30 00:00:00

CELEBRATION OF THE RETURN OF
COLONEL EVANS FOR WESTMINSTER.

Upwards of three hundred and sixty Gentlemen sat
down to dinner yesterday at the Eyre Arms Tavern, St•
John's Wood, in celebration of the late return of CoIona)
Ev ns, as representative for W. stminster, and the triumph
of the principles embarked in hi• cause—cheap and good
government. The most judicious arrangements had pre-
viously heen made, and the comequence was, that good-
fellowship universally prevailed, and all went off in the
best possible manner. The dinner was bountiful to an
extreme—the wines were generous—music ever and anon
sent forth inspiring strains—several fair faces smiled upon
the scene—the Stewards were unremittingly courteous,
and the waiters mast active and obliging. Colonel Evans
presided in person, and was support d on his right by
Daniel O'Connell, E•q., M.P., Patrick Lalor, Esq., M.P.,
Captain Owen, and Dr. Wade ; and on his I ft by Gene-
ral Mina, Lord Dunboyne, the Hon. Charles Butler,
Ciptain Hamilton, and Daniel WA, field, E.g. At the
upper table we also ',cognised, amongst others, Finn,
E•q., M.P., Dr. Brnbridce, Colonel Hodges, Barry
O'hl.ars, Esq•, Raphael, Esq , Dr. Gilchrist, Messrs.
Cod ne, Whitehead, Simmons, &c.
The cloth having been removed, the gallant Chairma❑
gave the following to,sts without preftc.:—
" The King." On the announcement of which there
was very loud Listing from the lower end of the room,
which was, however, drowned i❑ the cht•eting from other
portions of the ccmpany, and ultimately acknowledged
wi'th three times three.
4' Ill's Queen, and the rest of the Royal Family." The
ArtiS..l..wo words of this toast were barely uttered, when
stronge‘t execrations, mixed with cries of " No, no-
`never, never," burst from several parts of the room. The
gentlemen at the upper table rote to cheer, and so did
then some 30 or 40 others, but the determined hisses
which arose from the company generally completely
drowned their voices.

[A good deal of this hissing was accounted for by a
gentleman, experienced in Westminster politics, in the
following manner. 'We give it as we received it, n ithout
vouching for its accuracy:—The party being comprsed
of the on, sanch, sound hearted Radicals of the City,
fully expected that "The P,ople," would he the
first toast. They were, of course, chagrined to find the
Committee had arranged the lists of toasts otherwise, hut
bore their mortification pretty well, under the assured
hope that their lung cherished toast would come the next.
But no; instead of " The only legitimate source of
power," " The Queen" came, and great, indeed, was the
disappointment and indignation.]
" The People the only source of legitimate power."
The hurras atrer this toast were of the most enthusiastic
o',aracter.

"Trial by Jury." Three times three hearty cheers,
Soon after the cheering had subsided,
Mr. O'CONNELL rose and said, he hoped they would
not think that in interrupting the usual course of the
toasts for a few moments, he was presuming too much ;
but lie was forced by an irresistible impulse to say a few
words on the last toast which had been drunk—the trial
by jury.—(Hear, hear.) His remarks, he promi.ed
them, should be but few. He was not going to give
them a legal disquisi•ion, though recent events made him
rejoice that he was a legal man. The trial by jury—that
toast which they had just so enthusiast:cally cheered, had
never been so insulted as by the present Administration.
—(Vehement cheering.) He alluded to the admirable
verdict which seventeen honest men, on their oaths, pro-
nounced on a late memorable occasion.—(Great cheer-
ing.) He was so unfortunate as to be able to number
thirty-five years at the bar ; and be should venture to say
(which he did without vanity), that in that time no man
had had more experience in the criminal law than he ;
and with so much, he could safely assert, that the verdict
then returned was the only one which an honest and
conscientious jury could give on the evidence produced.
—(The cheering was here loud and long continued )
He did nut think it due to the occasion on which
y had met to enter into a legal detail upon the
sunjr ct ; but wherever a discussion should arise about
the meeting on the Calthnrpe estate:--in whatever place
—he would take upon him-elf to promise them that
he would demonstrate cleat y and undeniably, that the
verdict which was returned was not only the legal, but it
was the only conscientious one that could be returned.—
(Loud cheers.) Yet how had it been treated by the Ad-
ministration ?—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and partial
cheers.) Seventeen of their honest countrymen, on their
oaths, returned a verdict of Justifiable Homicide ; which
bad no sooner been done, than their paltry Aamini tration
—(Great cheering)—their paltry Administration, by one
of their proclamation., called it murder.--(Loud hurras.)
Why, for what, above all other things, was Ene land most
renowned ? The invention of the trial by jury.--(Cheers.)
It preceded her history, and writ acknowledged by every
dynasty. And now their Ministers—oh ! he thought be
knew them well—had played this shameful part.—(Great
cheers.) He said in another place, that the passing of the
Irish Coercive Bill was but an experiment of what might
afterwards be attempted in England.—(Cheers.) It
was not for nothing—no, Englishmen, it was not
far nothing that they subs'irun d courtsmartial in
Ireland for the ordinary course of the law.—(Loud
cheers.) Such courts were very well in their own
sphere—there he had nothing to say against them, but they
were abominations indeed when they were set up as sub-
stitutes for that tribunal which was formed from the honest
neighnour who had previously se n the whole course of the
accused's lite, had known his character, and could weigh
well his motives and hi. ac•ions.—(Loud cheers.) The
Ministers had thine that in his own country which, he
repeated, was meant only as an experiment how fit they
might venture in this, and had thus worked up a kind of
cracked-brained court of justice—half soldier aryl half
statesman—(Cheers)—they had thus, he repeated, done
away with the law in Ireland. and they had since tarnished
it in Enelan f.—(Great cheering.) But there was a spirit
amongst those he was then addressing—amongst the el-c-
-tors of W.stn.inster—which would foil all their effirts,
and render it impossible that they should ever succeed in
their base ant tyrannical purposes.—(Loud huzzatrig.)
Toast—t. A Free and Untaxed Press, and may it soon
be law that Truth is no Libel."—(Loud cheers.)
Toast—" The Billot—the best Safeguard for a con-
scientious voter."—(Loud cheers.)
Toast—" A speedy Repeal of the Septennial Act."—
(Thtee times three.)
Toast—" The worious Minorities on the two last 'Mo-
tions for the Repeal of the House and Window Tax."
The cheering which followed this toast was of the most
vehement character, and was repeated often arid often.
Dr. BAINBRIDGE said he had, three weeks ago, made
a proposition to them of- an important charicter, which he
was proud to think had been so nobly responded to, as
even to exceed his own sanguine hopes, which was, that
their Gallant Chairman should for the future he their re-
presentative in the Commons' House of Parliament.__
(Cheers.) Westminster, as they all well knew, was the
birth-place of reform, and had returned representatives
who for many years struggled against the vile Tory faction,
which had been too lung allowed to trample on and oppress
the people. That which had once been but a silent and
meandring ittiramlet, had since became a mighty and over-
!lowerin4 toirent.—(Laud cheers.) It was not from a
Li ere inotainate idea of change that the people of West-
sster, and of the country at large, had contended for
arm—neither was it to give an ascendancy to one of the
A) great political factions of the state.--(Loud cheers.)
'l heir arms took a wider sphere—had a far higher objnt
in view.—(Cheers.) The fruits they expected from their
efforts in the cause of a reform in the House of Cimmons
were—a repeal of the Septennial Act—(Cheers)—of the
house and malt duties—(Bravo)—of the odious r,strie-
trona on knowledge—(Cheers)—the establishment of the
vote by ballot—(Cheers)—and a sweeping church re-
form, instead of that cootemptible• farce which was now
playing beti,ita.en the Ministers and some of their represen-
tatives.—(Lond cheers.) In addition to these things they
looked for the enactment of many wise and good laws, and
the erasure fiom the statute book of many bad ones.—
(Cheers.) It was, perhaps, not for him to say whether
the representation of the city of Westminster and the sr r-
vice of the Crown, were incompatible appointments—
their recent decision was the best test.—(Cher rs.) So
much ti en as to the last proposition made ,by him. Ha
had now another to make—one which he w ,a sure wotild
be responded to in the saute noble manner in which his
former one bad been`-it was " The health of the repre-
aeutative of Weatminstcr,' and their lion. Chairman,
Colonel De LacyEvana."--(Vehement and long-continued A
cheering.)
Colonel Evaiss mounted the table, amidst the sir ng eat
expressions of kindness and good-, ill. He said he should
indeed he oppressed and overwhelmed, it Le thought lie
wee to take to. himself distinctively the applause with
which the toast had been greeted ; but lie well knew that
the little share lie could take was only from the accident
and circumstance of his being identified with those great
principles fur which, just mow, they bad fought and con.
However, lie dill thank them
querett.—(Loud cheers.)
most sincerely for that small share which he ventured to
take to himself.—(Bravo, and cheers.) He was, indeed,
surprised and delighted when lie looked at the assemblage
fg_wliiels then surrounded hint ; for it so happened that his
supporters were divided is opinion as to the most
proper place fur celebrating their triumph—some being
'desirous of bolding their festival at that place, and
others of dining at that old cradle of liberty, the