The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-01 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 1, 134-.

SHERIFFS' INAUGURATION DINNER.

Tho annual dinner on the inauguration of the Sheriffs
of the city of London and Middlesex, for the ensuing year,
took place yesterday at Merchant Tailors' Hall The en-
tertainment was one of the most splendid description, and
the company was very numerous. Among the distinguished
personages present we observed the Lord Chancellor (the
announcement of whose name was hailed with enthusiastic
cheering), Lord Auckland, Lord Chief Justice Denman,
the Cursitor Baron, the Right Honourable 'limas Spring
Rice, M.P., Sir Edward Sugden, George Lyall,
M.P., Wiiliam Crawford, Esq., M.P., Benjamin Hawes,
Esq., M.P., Mr. Alderman Wood, &c. &c. The Lord
Mayor was in the chair. Mr. Sheriff Raphael was seated
on his right hand, and Mr. Sheriff Midge on his left.
Non nobis, Domine, having been sung, and the customary
loyal and patriotic toasts having been drunk,
The CHAIRMAN presented himself, for the purpose of
proposing a toast which included a Noble and Learned
Lord then present, and ether noblemen and gentlemen who
stood high in the estimation of those by whom he was sur-
rounded. It was his Wish, on an occasion like this, to leave
politics entirely out of the question ; and he would
therefore at once . say; that he felt great pleasure •in
doing himself the honour of proposing the healths of
those noblemen and gentlemen who were entrusted by our
most gracious and excellent King with the guidance of
the affairs of the State,—(Cheers.) He cordially wished
them the enjoyment of :health and prosperity, and the pos-
session of every opportunity they could possibly desire, for
perfecting every great work they undertook for the
not only of their fellow-citizens, but of mankind in geteral.
He heartily hoped that they would ever have, the cordial
co-operatioh of every English subject who loved his coun-
try. He trusted that the people at large would always join
with them in removing abuses, and that in doing so, they
would maintain and uphold, with the most scrupulous
nicety, the ancient institutions of the State. He begged to
propose the health of the Lord Chancellor, and the rest of
his Majesty's. Ministers. (This toast was drunk with tre-
mendous cheering.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR rose amidst an universal shout
of applause.: When 'silence had been, in
,some degree,
restored, the Noble and Learned Lord addressed the com-
pany as'follows Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Gentle-
men—lt falls to my-- lot very unworthily, from the rank
which I have the honour of: hOlding amonc, my colleagues,
offer those acknowledgMents which—t very sincerely,
and very heartily, however inadequately .I may express
them—now- beg to return you, for the very-flattering recep-
tion you have given to the mention of our names. bGentle
men, there is 'another 'reason, certainly, for Inv possessing
the valuable privilege of :addressing you on .this occasion,'
and endeavouring to express our thanks : I believe I.

am, of all my cedleagnes present, the only one who
enjoys the very distinguished, and to me most pre-
cious honour. of being a citizen of this •great metro-
polis.—(Cheers.) It has often fallen to .my lot, as it
does on the 'present occasion, to meet my fellow-citizens ;
but I never have ,met tlaem without saying what I really
and sincerely (feel—namely, . that • there is' no gratification
which I prize .more' highly, than the privilege of meeting
them as their fellow-citizen of this great city of London.—
(Cheers.) Gientleineethe city of London not only stands
at the head of all the great capitals of the 'world in riches
and importance, but it has the still more enviable privilege,
and the still prouder boaA, of ;having set, to all the capitals
of the world, the example .Which I am persuaded it will
ever 'continue to set- them; of being the cradle and the
-birth-place, I . may say,, as well as the . nursing-place,
of the liberty of .the peckple..—(Great cheering.) And
if there have ever been times when that liberty has
been attacked, on the ()tie hand, as this city, has ever
:shoWn that Within its licisom it would find a refuge ;
on the other, if ever. tjlere has 'arisen a period when that
liberty was threatened by anarchy—as greaf an enemy to
triie freedom, and to the peOple, and to the interests of
the. people' as ,tyranny itself2--the city of London has
frowned. down that anarchy by its wisdom, as it has struck
down despOtisin V.'ith its hand,---(Cheers.) 'Therefore it is
that I feel proud of the privilege and the name of a citizen
of this great metropolis, because .it knows what well-re-
gulated. liberty is—because it will sacrifice neither at the
one idol's altar, nor at the other, but will preserve the
worship of the god of liberty, pure and inviolate,--
(Renewed cheering.) Gentlemen, I entirely agree with
your worthy Chief Magistrate who presides on the occa-
sion of our being met here as guests with him, to partake
of the hospitality of your worthy Sheriffs ; I entirely agree
with him that we are not here on any party or political oc-
casion, but to assemble together as fellow-citizens. Permit
MC, however, to say, that I entirely concur with hirn---and
I think I may venture to say, that all my colleagues enter-
tain the same sentiment—that it is our bounden Iltty to
extirpate, by every fair, reasonable, deliberate, and wise
measure we can devise or adopt, any abuse which may pre-
vail in any of the institutions of the country ; but while we
apply a firm 'hand to that necessary and honest operation,
it is also our duty to lend the right-hand of protection to
these valuable institutions.—(Renewed cheering.) I win
no more flinch from correcting and eradicating their abuses
than I will be deterred by any clamour whatsoever from
endeavouring to preserve that which is valuable and right.
—(Great cheers.) Gentlemen, we—the Magistrates of
this great capital, the merchants of this vast trading empo-
rium, some of the highest dignitaries of the law in this city,
or in the country at large, some of the most illustrious or-
naments of the bar, both in law and equity (who are the
protectors of the rights, the liberties, and the property
of their fellow-subjects),—we meet here to celebrate the
accession to office' of two of the most important offi-
cers of your great Corporation ; and allow me on this
occasion to express that which I never can come among
you without stating, bow deeply I feel the eternal debt of
gratitude which is due to the city of London, for the cor-
dial and liberal, and disinterested support which they have
given to those late measures for improving the adminis-
tration of criminal justice, and which, in the course of a
very few weeks, we are—happily, I trust—about to see car-
ried into actual operation—(Loud cheers.) Let me also
bestow a just tribute of praise of the disinterestedness of
this Corporation, and utter disregard of all personal con-
siderations evinced by our two worthy hosts, with whom
we have dined to-day ; they being the first Sheriffs who
will be 'called upon to act under the new system, will have
to. undergo an expense, which they Most generously and
liberally, with the rest of their fellow corporators, have,
from the very commencement of the plan, declared they
would not begrudge—a large addition to the already heavy
expenses consequent upon the office of sheriff. It was not
even made a talk of ; there was no affected surrender-=no
boasted sacrifice ;—the subject was abandoned altogether,
till I myself brought it forward, and brought it forward to
their credit. Gentlemen, I should not have discharged a debt
of strict justice, if I. had not adverted to this particular
point. I must add, that both branches of the Corporation
—both law-men and lay-men—have all along shown the
greatest self-denial, and the utmost disinterestedness, in the
voluntary sacrifices they have made of time, of money, and
of everything that men generally begrudge most. This
they have cheerfully done for the good of their country, and
more particularly for the advancement of the greatest of all
interests of their country—the administration of justice.—
(Great cheering.) Let me beg to assure you, on the part
of my colleagues and myself, that we feel extremely indebted
for the honour you have conferred, both upon such of us as
are now present, and on others whose absence from town
has prevented their attendance here to-day. I hope you
will allow me, before I sit down, to drink, with all sincerity
and cordiality, your good healths, and long, lasting, and unin-
terrupted prosperity.(The Noble and Learned Lord re-
sumed his seat amidst reiterated cheers.)
Glee—' The King of merry England,.'
The Loan CHANCELLOR then rose fel' the purpose of
proposing a -toast. He felt certain that it would require no
argument whatever to induce them- to accede to the propo-
sition which he was now about to. make to firm, and no pre-
face to its introduction. It had.frequently been said, and
oftentimes on an occasion like the present, that good
wine needed no bush. It might be observed with- equal
justice, that a good toast needed no preface ; and when he
told them that he was about to propose
,the health of their
worthy Chairman, the Chief Magistrate' of the city of Lon-
don, he felt persuaded he need say no more.—(Cheers.)
The Lord Mayor had now held the Office which he filled so
worthily for himself, and so advantageously for his fellow-
' citizens, for nearly twelve monthS ; and he had discharged
its duties in the manner in which he (the 'Lord Chancellor)
without arrogating to himself the merit of a prophet,
might
remind them he had predicted he would, when he had the
honour of proposing his health on the 9th' November last, in
Guildhall. He was now quite sure that that-very excellent
individual would carry with him, on his leaving office, all the
affection and attachment on the part of his fellow-citizens,
which accompanied him when he entered upon it. He
begged to propose " The health of the Lord Mayor, and
prosperity to him on his approachingretirenient from office."
The toast. was drunk with great applause.
The LORD MAYOR returned thanks. He trusted he -
had merited the approbation of his fellow-citizens. He
should always possess the proud consciousness of knowing

that he had discharged the duties of his office to the best of
his ability ; and that if he had failed in any respect, it was
not from want of inclination to do ail in his power for the
advancement of their general interests.—(Cheers.) He.
begged to propose " The health of the Sheriffs." The ex-
cellent individual on his right hand (Mr. Sheriff Raphael)
was well known for the charitable donations whiCh he so
liberally and, unsparingly bestowed. If his worthy friend on
his left (Mr. Sheriff Midge) had not acquired an eqiial.
degree of enviable notoriety, he (the Lord Mayor) was sa-
tisfied that it was not from any backwardness on •his part.
He possessed an equal inclination to do (rood, as would
be seen when it was called into action.—(Cheers.)
The toast was-drunk with great applause.
Mr. Sheriff RAPHAEL returned thanks in a very feeling
and energetic address, on behalf of himself and his col-
leagues. The scene, which he then saw befOre him was
enough to make the proudest Briton prouder still. He had
aspired to the proud distinction which his fellow-citizens
had conferred upon him, in the hope of enjoying opportuni-
ties of benefiting others ; and both himself and his colleague
would ever discharge the duties of their important offices in
an impaitial, honest, and upright manner.
Song—Mr. Fitwilliam : " The Overseer."
The CHAIRMAN begged to propose the health of the
Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench—
(Great cheering.) That noble and learned individual had
been long known to the citizens of London : they had ex-
perienced the excellent manner in which be had discharged
his duties when more immediately connected with them—
they had watched his progress—they had shared his triumph.
—and they had exulted at seeing him elevated to that
proud skation which he so well and so deservedly occupied.
—(Loud cheers.)

Lord DENMAN returned thanks. When he was re-
minded of the many years during which he had been in-
debted to the city of London—when he was told that his
actions throughout.a long judicial life had given them sa-
tisfaction—when he felt, as he did, that to them he owed the
great and important station to which his Majesty's favour
had raised him, and the honour and satisfaction of not being,
trampled down in society for having done his duty in ano-
ther capacity—(Cheers)-7a capacity as important, even, as
his functions as a judge-Lhe confessed there were feelings
which pressed strongly upon hini, .and induced him to re-
turn them his thanks with the strongest --and most cordial
feelings of old friendship and present attachment:-.---(Great
cheering.) He would' advert to no :topic which could
pOlitibly give birth to party or political feeling ; but be
might be permitted to, say; that ihe was associated with
judges of the land who were determined to extirpate every
abuse- that they could possibly remove, and not only to
apply the knife and the axe to all abuses that ought to be
cat down, but to do their best to repair all our institutions ;
taking care that the vital principle Of , improvement should
be constantly in actual operation with regard to our judicial
institutions.—(Cheers.) They had already: shownithis
position, in the improvements they had effecte-din the jaw.
relative to civil actions: With reference to' criminal' jtiris-
prudence, they would take care that all.these iinprovements
which the spirit of the age.required,.shonld be carried into
full effect under their guidance,, and with their hearty
con-
currence.
It would be an era of great importance in the
adthinistration. of justice- in the City,of London, when they
met in the new Criminal Court; which would be, in his opi-
.
mon, one of the best samples ever presented to the public,
of an institution well adapted, iii every respect, for the ad-
ministration of justice and the dis Patch of business.—(Hear,
hear.) He could not help saying that, looking to the fre-
quent delivery of -jails, the vigilance and actiVity'of the po-
lice,'and, he trusted he might add; the cordial co-operation
of alt.intelligent members of society, in carrying into effect
a codeof law which could in principle be defended, and in
practice carried into fulleffect, he entertained the most san-
guine anticipations that the amount of crime in this country
would be:materially diminished.—(Cheers.):
The CHAIRMAN rose to propose the health of a Noble
Duke, whose liberality and generosity was extensively, ex-
perienced,,and whoSe bravery made him the admiration of
everY'Englishman. His Hon. Friend on his right (Mr.
Sheriff Raphael) had requested him (the. Lord Mayor) to
propose this toast : and he had desired him to add, that to
the Noble Duke to whom be alluded did he owe the honour
of appearing before them as Sheriff that day. That Noble
Duke, consulting the interests of his country, bad removed
the disabilities under which Members of that religious per-
suasion to which his Hon. Friend (Mr. Sheriff Rapheal)
belonged, had long laboured. That illustrious individual
had been the means of presenting them with the Sheriff on
his (the Lord Mayor's) right ; and he had requested him,
as a slight tribute of his gratitude and admiration, to pro-
pose " The health of his Grace the Duke of Wellington.'
The toast was drunk with the most enthusiastic cheers.
Lord DENMAN proposed " The health of the Lord
Mayor Elect," and
Mr. Alderman WiNcIiEsTER returned thanks.
The following toasts were then successively proposed
from the Chair :
" The Cursitor Baron."
The CURsiTOR BARON returned thanks.
" The Aldermen of the City of London."
Mr. Alderman AINsLEY returned thanks.
" The Members of the City, of London."
Mr. Alderman WOOD returned thanks.
And "'The Recorder of the City of London ;" who, in
acknowledging the honour conferred upon him, said, that
during the whole of the period which he had filled
the office which be had now the honour to hold, no one in-
stance had occurred of the infliction of the extreme penalty
of the law. He embraced that opportunity of expressing
his hope and belief that crime, with the exception of certain
extreme cases, might be adequately punished and repressed
without the infliction of capital punishment.—(Cheers.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR rose to propose a toast. It
was " The Bar of England." Placed as he was at the
head of the legal profession, no man had better opportuni-
ties of appreciating the great blessing which England pos-
sessed in the integrity, the fearless independence, the learn-
ing and skill of her legal advocates. No matter whether
their clients were Churchmen or Dissenters, rich or poor,
noble or gentle, high or low, the bar of the Court of Chan-
cery (and he might add of the Court of King's Bench too,-
or it had altered very considerably in the four years since
he left it,) invariably proceeded on the one great principle of
faithfully discharging their duty. This was a proud tes-
timony which he cheerfully bore to the high character of
the bar in this country, in the presence of his Hon. and
Learned Friend Sir E. Sugden, and other Hon. and Learned
Friends. In the toast which had been put into his (the
(Lord Chancellor's) hand, the name of Sir Edward Sugden
was very properly coupled with the bar of England. As
his Hon. and Learned Friend was present, lie could not
bear that testimony to his character and abilities which he
should certainly have done in his absence. He would only
say, therefore, that those who had him for their counsel
were extremely lucky, and that those to whom he was opposed
were far from fortunate.—(Cheers and laughter.) Sir Ed-
ward Sugden was the leader of the bar at present, acci-
dentally—just as accidentally as :he (the Lord Chan-
cellor) was his leader. He most cheerfully proposed his
health with the bar of England, believing in his conscience,
add from his experience, that there did not exist a more
learned; a more independent, or more able body of men.
He begged to propose " Sir Edward Sugden, and the Bar
ot England."

The toast was drunk with great applause.
• Sr EDWARD SUGDEN having been loudly called for from
several parts of the Hall, presented himself, and was re-
ceived with great cheering. The Hon. and Learned Gen-
tleman (who was not seated at the principal table) begged,
on the part of the bar generally, to express the gratitude
which he was sure they would feel for the toast which the
Lord Chancellor had in so kind a manner proposed. As
regarded himself personally, he would leave them to imagine,
after the warm panegyric they had just heard, how proud
he must feel-to be considered as the representative of the
barOf England—an honour which he was painfully sensible
of his own inadequacy to acknowledge in becoming terms.
—(Cheers.) The Lord Chancellor had spoken of the indc-
pendence.of the bar. He (Sir Edward Sugden) believed
that in that independence the best interests of the people
would find their firmest support. Their property, their li-
berties—nay, their lives at times—depended on the honour,
the integrity,
.and, above all, on the well-regulated and
properly-subdued fearlessness of the bar of England. He
could not refrain from expressing the pleasure he derived from
a meeting like this, in which men of all parties concurred in
opinion, without the introduction of any, political feeling
whatever.--(Cheers.) He agreed with almost every word
that had been uttered. The Lord Chancellor, in express-
ing the readiness of himself and his colleagues to redress
acknowledged grievances, had dwelt on the propriety of
preserving all that was good and valuable in the ancient in-
stitutions of the-country. Who could more cordially con-
cur in that sentiment than he (Sir Edward Sugden) ?
'All his pleasures, all his advancement, all his pros-
pects, had been derived from and connected with the bar.
With it were connected his best and brightest recollec-
!ons ; and he begged once most sincerely to return them
liis heartfelt thanks.-4 Great cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed The late Sheriffs"—
" The Master, Warden, and Court of Assistants of the

PRIcE 7D.

Merchant Tailors' Company,", and " The Master, Warden,
and Court of Assistants of the Dyers' Company."
.Thanks were returned for each toast, and the Chairman
and principal visiters retired at eleven o'clock, as did the
major part of the company, highly gratified with a very
splendid entertainment, the pleasure of which was greatly
enhanced by the excellence of the arrangements for the ge-
neral accommodation rind comfort.