The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-11 00:00:00

TION IN DEVONSHIRE.

The Conservatives of South Devon organised a
demonstration in honour of Lord Churston on
Wednesday afternoon, at Newton Abbot. A
grand banquet was held in a spacious marquee
erected for the purpose in a place called Fairfield,
upvvards• of 700 ladies and gentlemen being present.
A magnificent shield, made of Devonshire silver,
WP.S afterwards presented to Lord Churston by
Lady Rolle. The subjects on the shield were
'designed by Messrs. Ellis Brothers, of Exeter,
who were entrusted with the order, and the work
was executed by Messrs. Elkington and Co., of Bir-
mingham. The shield is a very beautiful work of
art, in the Renaissance style, and divided into five
compartments, illustrating justice, commerce, agri-
culture, the fine arts, and the landing of William
111. at Torbay. The frieze contains faithfully
executed portraits of Devonshire worthies Sir
Francis Drake, Sir Joshua Reynolds, the first Lord
Exmouth, and Sir William Follett. The shield is 3
feet 3 inches in diameter, weighs 500 ounces, and
bears the following inscription :
" Presented to the Right Hon. John Baron Churston, of
Churston Forrers, by his former constituents of the southern
division of the county of Devon, as a grateful record of his
services as their representative in Parliament for a quarter
of a century."

Among the company at the banquet were the
Earl of Devon, Lady Rolle, Sir John Duckworth
and Lady Duckworth, Sir L. V, Palk, M.P., and
Lady Palk, Sir J. L. Duntze, Sir E. S. Prideaux,
Mr. Kekewich. M.P., and Mrs. Lekewkch. Mr.
Monro, a county magistrate, presided, and the vice
chair was occupied by Lord Courtenay.
A letter was read from the Earl of-Derby, in
which his Lordship said :

" I have to express my regret that, with every wish to
join in any mark of respect and regard to Lord Churston,
it will be impossible for me to attend the ceremony on the
the Bth of August."

Letters regretting their inability to attend had also
been received by the secretary (Mr. Flamank) from
the Duke of Cleveland, the Duke of Northumber-
land, Viscount Exmouth, the Earl of Shrewsbury
and Talbot, Lord Chelmsford, Lord John Manners,
Lord Valletort, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, Sir
Bulwer Lytton, the Right Hon. M. Mowbray, Sir
M. Lopes, the Hon. C. R. Trefusis, &c.
The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were cor-
dially drunk.
The CHAIRMAN, in the name of Lady Rolle, pre-
sented Lord Chursti with the testimonial, and
highly eulogised the noble lord for his consistent
Conservative character and for the zealous manner
in which he had fought Conservative battles.
Lord CHURSTON, in responding, expressed a hope
that Conservative feeling would never die away or
fall in the country, and in looking before him at
that great assembly, he had an earnest that it never
would. (Cheers.) Recurring to his early connec-
tion with South Devon as one of its representatives
his lordship said he had found that he was able to
give an honest, independent, and cordial support to
the Conservative party, which just at that time
rallied round the great Sir Robert Peel, because he
felt that their object was to sustain the Crown in
all its proper dignity and power. He four d himself
able, also at the time to which he referred, to give
his hearty support to the Church of England which
he found was venerated by the people, high and low,
rich and poor. The Conservative party had always
stood by the Church, and were determined to keep
as far as they could those funds and those resources
which belonged to it for its maintenance and sup-
port. (Cheers.) They were adverse, and rightly
so, to the introduction of the Voluntary principle—
a principle which, he believed, in many parishes
of the country would end in the demolition of the
Church. (Hear, hear.)
" The health of the Earl of Derby and the House
of Lords" was drunk with great cordiality, and
was responded to by the Earl of Devon, who de-
nied that the House of Lords was, as had been
alleged by some, an exclusive and selfish body.
It was as anxious for the welfare and prosperity of
the country as any other class of men in the king•
dom. Of the Earl of Derby he said he knew of no
man who was more qualified to be the leader of a
great party than the noble lord. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of
the Conservative Members for the Southern Division
of Devonshire."

Sir L. V. PALK responded, and briefly reviewed
the present session of Parliament. At the com-
mencement Mr. Gladstone found the country in
tolerably easy circumstances, and without any
probability of financial distress. Such a state of
things was not, however, to be borne by a Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer, and so he negotiated a treaty
to enable him to take off duties, which could easily
have been done without a treaty. (Cheers.) After
the Whitsun holiday, the House of Lords threw
out the paper duty, and a great national convulsion
was prophesied, which, however, did not take place,
and he was happy to say that £2,000,000 a year
had been saved to the country. (Cheers.)
Mr. KEKEWICH also responded to the toast.
" The health of the Volunteers of England" was
responded to by Sir E. S. PRIDEAUX, Lieutenant-
Colonel of the Exeter and South Devon Rifle Corps.
Other toasts of a local character were then given,
and the company separated early in the evening.