The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-21 00:00:00

TORQUAY.-DINNER TO LORD J. RUS-

SELL.

(Abridged from the Western Times.)
TORQUAY, SEPT. S.—Torquay was this day a scene of
triumph rarely ever before surpassed, in consequence of
The anticipated visit of L( rd Jan Russell, to meet his
friends and constituents in this district.

At four the party sat down to an excellent dinner.
Garrott, Esq. presided. Lord John Russell took
the right of the Chairman, and Lord Ebrington the left.
Amongst the company present were—Sir Godfrey Web-
ster, Stanley Cary, R. E. Welhy, St. Aubyn, Clarke,
Clarke, Jun., Vivian, Aubrey, Bezzi, Cosserat, Atkins,
Harris, Mayhew, Esqrs. ; Captain Devon and Lieutenant
Read, R.N., Dr. Scully, and most of the respectable
tradesmen and yeomen of the district.

The cloth having been removed, " The King," " The
Queen," " The Duke of Sussex, and the Royal Family,"
were drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The glorious triumph of
Reform."—(Enthusiastic cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN said—l show you the strenuous, the
ardent, the indefatigable champion of the rights and liber-
ties of mankind—who secured the blessings of freedom
for his fellow-men—and I ask your suffrages, feeling con-
fident that he himself has served his country with the best
of nobilities.—(Cheers.) I cannot present him to you
decorated as the Duke of Wellington was decorated; but
I present him to you dressed in the lowly garb of science
—I present him to you enwrapped in the eternal mantle
of light and truth.—(Cheers.) The Chairman then con-
tinued his eloquent eulogy on the Noble Lord, contrasting
his victories with those of the Duke of Wellington. He
concluded by proposing " the health of Lord John Russell
with three tunes three."
The toast was drunk with thundering cheers.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL returned thanks for the honour
done him. There are questions that I might mention,
and I will mention a few, on which the enlightened opi-
nions of this day are fully made up. Need I mention the
attempt to mitigate the severity of the criminal laws, long
ago set about by Sir Samuel Romilly—(Cheers),--hut
which was so steadily opposed by those in political power ?
Need I mention the crude state in which they have left the
appalling question of slavery—(Hear,)—the little they
have done in the long time in which they held the reins of
power to prepare them for that which I trust is ultimately
to be their lot and their portion 2.--(Cheers.) Need I re'
call to you the years that have passed by, in which that
education, and moral preparation for the enjoyment of civil
privileges, or that which was likely to tend to that end,
has been so little advanced, that it seems to have been en-
tirely slumbered over by those who might have made that
which is now a question of vast difficulty a question of
comparative ease ?—(Hear, hear.) There are other quer
tions concerning the liberty—there are other questiool -
concerning the prosperity and welfare of the country."
need I mention that question which in this country cape'
cially is anxiously and strongly felt—l mean the questioo
of tithes?—(Enthusiastic cheering.) It is needless to,
say that some measure ought now to be introduced--'
that some adjustment ought to be made ; but let us re'
collect that 1 am speaking of men who for the last fifty
years have held in their own hands all the power and
strength of this country, and who, seeing all these grie'
vances, which the tithe system fostered, witnessed daY
by day the complaints that were made by those who suf•
fered by that system—witnessed day by day the grin
vances of those who endured its evils—yet stood by
concerned, yet stood by indifferent; and we are not told, till
now that the Reform Bill of 1832 is passed, and they had at
length walked out, that it occurs to them as a sort of sudden
inspiration, that some measure ought to be attempted.-",
(Loud and continued cheering.) Gentlemen, there are
other questions to which I need not allude at present,
which those who held the reins of Government, if they,
have not conceded, have at least made the appearance of
conceding; but, if you reflect, you will find they were
concessions made because they could he no longer with'
held.—(Hear, hear.) And that which we asked for ar
dently they granted with hesitation, and I believe with
sort of modest surprise at their own liberality.—(Laugh'
ter and cheers.) Gentlemen, I have but one or two more
points to speak on. I should wish to carry the opinions'
have hitherto professed into the new Parliament. At the
same time, in effecting those changes which I think ne.
cessary, I should wish to effect them with the greatest
where there are so many various—l will not say conflict',
caution, because I am aware that in reforms of this kind'`
ing interests—it requires the utmost deliberation before
those great questions which will come before the next Par'
ment, respecting the Bank Charter, the East India Char .
ter, the question of Slavery in the West Indies, with mad I
and various other questions—l say it is with the greatest
caution we ought to make up our minds whether, in the
first place, the change is to be effected, and, in the neat
place, in what way that change is tube effected.—(Cheers.)
Gentlemen, there is one point on which I wish to say
word—namely, there is a part of the Reform Bill which
was not introduced by the Ministry. I was not present at
the division, but if I had been I should have voted -with
Lord Althorp—l mean the question regarding the qualifi;
cation of the 501. a year renters. My views were—mat
that these persons were unfit to bold the elective franchi'e
—far from it ; but I did think it was likely to put theca,
in an embarrassing situation between their opinions 30°,
their landlords.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, the opinion o',
the House of Commons upon that, as upon one or Wel
other parts of the Bill—and one or two points of registrs',
tion especially, was different front that of the Government
—the opinion of the House was at variance, but decided
that it ought to be allowed, and being allowed, I for 101
own part wish it may tend to advantage.—(Cheers.) 13°,
this I feel bound to say, that it does tend to raise another
question, which I, for my own part, did not wish to tee..
raised. If those who have power as landlords exercise "
with discretion, I cannot think but that the clause will
tend, not to any embarrassment, as I supposed it would;
but to the general advantage of the country.—(Cheer'l,
But if it should happen otherwise,—if the landlords of tbt".
country should presume upon their power, should presue
upon their terrible position, to compel men who have eV
tered into no such bargain to dispose of their votes as tnerie
servants of those landlords—l must tell them, and faioei,
tel them, that we shall resent it, and that other meuerif
must follow.—(Loud and continued cheering.) I rnyo,;
Gentlemen, am one of those who had always the gresn
doubt and hesitation, and I may state that I have expeee'to
the greatest opposition to adopt the vote by ballot.
of opinion that that question never has been sufficitoP,
t icnogn vtihnec evdot ase I
baym
ballot—yet,
on, :no
ty_o
ywent °nor
discussed,--that its inconveniences and evils ht,
never been brought sufficiently before the eyes of the p
thatnevnei
entered
iriesendnmoonlingbalylytabemdoa—ptter, and that no slight danger selil
plc of this country ; but great as I apprehend those rai
conveniences
should renounce ha
come to this, that I must either adopt such a measure, "o
that I must see the tenantry of 'England ranged at electi°P,
contrary to the wishes and feelings of thenaselves---(fles„ii
v e n o
mh eys i t
previousa t ion I
opinions,s ld h a
andve,
dhoeaurb)t,J
should at once adopt the vote by ballot.—(Cheers.)
t u
for this reason, therefore, that I am glad I have bad t
public opportunity of expressing this opin,on—if there
any who have dared to pride themselves, moet two •
runt inconsiderately, and as it appears m' at fooli.bly,111:°0
the power they can either make or show ; I warn I,lj
agai,n another time, that they do not use this power sePicjg,
they have now by a sort of accident got into their ben.„,l
for purposes which the Constitution cannot approve, 1-0,
no man of right feeling can sanction but °
; • •
that power tenderly and discreetly-1 mean using that .0y
fluence which, as men of property, I have no hesitstreir
in saying they ought to have--in consultation with th
tenants and connexions, such as men who ought chieflitio
consult one another. But I warn them not to use gill,
harsh or arbitrary power ; for, instead of regaininger
stead of re-establishing that dominion which is fore ters
gone by—it will lead to the entire, total, and eOrtla
overthrow of that influence which they ought legititns:pi, ,
to possess.—[The Noble Lord sat down amid cheer
which lasted some minutes.]
Mr. CLARKE, one of the Vice-Presidents, props'-oe
" The 6,alth of Lord Ebrin.' ton, and Prosperity to c'
Noble House of Fortescue." Drunk with continued
$
clamation.

Lord EBRINGTON returned thanks at some length., bat
Signor Bv.zzt, an Italian Gentleman, in a brie!
very able speech, proposed the " health of Earl Cl:e;g°
It is needless to state, that the toast was drunk Wit" e
thusiastic approbation.
Several other toasts were given connected - b
objects of the Meeting, and received with great entho""

S,
INSOLVENT DEBTORS.—A Petition P
been forwarded to Lord MELBBOURNE, the Secreted of
State for the Home Department, signed by uPw,nar;-,0-11
200 persons confined fOr debt in Whitecross-street t-tbe
and now seeking to be discharged under the Act lotiropr
Relief of Insolvent Debtors, praying that one of the the
missioners of the Court may be directed to coatiou'
sittings during the -time of the intended vacation, t°

tide on their respective ems.
In a pew;in Allington church, Dorset, on the:
9th inst., were a great grandfather, great grandoWhet:
grandfather, two grandmothers, three mothers, a ftert
husband, two wives, two daughters, a grand•eaoPos•
great grandson, grandson, and a son ; the who
prised prised in five persons.