The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-02 00:00:00

MANCHESTER ELECTION,

MANCIIESTTE; R, Timmer.
PUBLIC DINNER TO MR THOMSON.
Immediately after the victory. triumphantly gained over the
self-named " Friends of Order," it was resolved to give an en-
tertainment to Mr. Thomson the same evening, as the Right
Hon. Gentleman's presence in town being urgently required,
he could not prolong his stay without inconvenience to the
public service. A dinner for about 300 was therefore hastily
provided, by Mr. Hayward, of the Hotel in Bridge-street, by
six o'clock in the evening. So great was the anxiety .to be
present on this occasion, that although the design was hastily
formed and imperfectly announced, not a ticket was to be pro-
cured, as people sometimes say, " either for love or money,"
an hour after it was known. The spacious room at the back
of the Hotel was found to be much too small for the accom-
modation of the numerous friends and admirers of Mr. Thom-
son, and therefore many gentlemen dined below, and when the
cloth was withdrawn took their positions in the great room.
THOMAS HAItBOTTLE, Esq., fulfilled the duties of Pre-
sident.
On his right sat the Right Hon. C. P. Thorn-r,i,
M. P., J. C. Dyer, Esq., Thomas Gisborne, Esq., M. P.,
Fenton, Esq., late M.P. for Rochdr.o.c,, C. Hadfield, Esq.
E. Baxter,. Esq., &c. &c. To the left were Mark Philips,
Esq., M. P., George Wood, Esq., - Thode, Esq., S.
Stocks, jua., Esq., - Shials, Esq., of Durham, &c. &c.
The vice-presidents, being one at each table, were James
Kershaw, C. J. S. Walker, and Thomas Hopkins, Esqs.
The first toasts proposed, were of course, those of royalty,
the King, the Queen, the Duke of Sussex, and the Royal
Family. They were drank with the usual manifestations of
loyal feeling, especially the health of the Duke of Sussex.
The PRESIDENT next proposed with three times three
cheers, the toast of

" Lord Melbourne and his Majesty's Ministers."
The Right Hon. C. P. TnomsoN, M. P., in reply to the
toast said, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen—Our worthy presi-
dent has told you that within a few short months we have
seen rapid changes. The administration of Lord Melbourne
was, as he has said, abruptly dismissed from power.
I regret that dismissal principally on account of what has
since intervened with regard to the House of . Commons.
That Government was an untried Government—that Go-
vernment had measures in contemplation which it believed to be
not only in accordance with the spirit of the country, but which it
believed also that with that House of Commons might have been
carried triumphantly through, and would have met with but little
resistance.—(Cheers.) The dissolution has placed matters in not
so favourable a light. It has, as is well known to you, raised up a
powerful Tory opposition within the walls of St. Stephen, in com-
parison to any which before had shewn itself there. There may,
then, there must be, more difficulties in fighting the battle of the
people now than then. But, gentlemen, what do I read in this
with regard to the toast you have drank ? I see in that a greater
necessity for a liberal administration—( Tremendous cheering)—to
rely upon the support of the people—(Long and deafening cheers
followed this sentence)—to carry out those measures, or at least en-
deavour to do so, which they believe in their consciences to be de-
manded by the intelligence of the people of England—l read in that
toast, gentlemen, a greater necessity for your confidence--( Great
applause)—but a greater necessity likewise for the ministers to
prove themselves worthy of it--(Cheers)—by a determination stea-
dily to proceed in the great cause of reform of abuses, wherever
they be acknowledged to exist.—( Continued cheering.) I see in
it likewise reasons for your extending indulgence and patience to
that administration.—(Loud and long cheers followed, in the midst
of which the Right Hon. gentleman sat down.
The PRESIDENT, with a very high eulogium on the character
of the Noble Lord for consistency and integrity of public conduct,
proposed the toast of—
" Earl Grey, and the second charter of our liberties—the Re.
form Bill."

Mr. E. BAXTER responded to the toast in an appropriate address,
and said he believed that no man in the world could have carried
the Reform Bill but Lord Grey. He begged to read a note he had
received since entering the room, containing 5/. It was as fol-
lows:—" Sir, I beg to enclose you 51., being the amount of a
donation subscribed by three or four friends of freedom towards
defraying the expemes of Lord John Russell's election for Devon-
shire."

The PRESIDENT proposed, in a neat address, the health of the
Right Hon. C. P. Thomson, elected representative of Manchester
by a majority of 1,366.—( Cheers. )
Mr. THOMSON—The present has been a fair struggle between
parties professing different political opinions ; the present has been
a contest between those who have always been the friends of free-
dom on the one side, and those who have always been its opponents
on the other.—(Cheers.) The contest has been between those on
the one hand who would drive back the march of events, and on the
other of those who would lead forward the public mind, and give
to the intelligence of the country the institutions it demands.—
( Cheers.) The contest has been one far more triumphant
than ever took place before, but it was a struggle under
circumstances which our opponents deemed favourable to them-
selves ; the triumph has been far more exalted than could
have been anticipated even by those most sanguine, and at the same
time from the interest they took in the result, still doubtful as to
its success, or of those who supposeda re-action had taken place in
Manchester.—( Cheers.) Gentlemen, our opponents dragged into
their cause all the artillery they could by possibility have brought to
bear. No trick, no device, no calumny was neglected. The first,
as regards our cause, has been successfully exposed ; the second, as
regards myself personally, I pass now as I have ever passed it, with
the contempt it deserves.—(Cheers.) Let such tricks--such de-
vices—let such calumnies benefit a sinking, cause if they can._
(Cheers. ) I rely upon truth and honesty ; and whilst we disdain
ourselves to use such arms, we equally disdain to reply to such at-
tacks.—(Cheers.) I have now twice had the honour of sitting as
your representative—to-morrow I shall again be placed in that
proud situation. I have never canvassed a vote—l have never so-
licited a promise. lam as ignorant as a stranger can be of all the
details of the election proceedings. I have never given one farthing
towards any single item of expense connected with any election.
I have thought it my duty, and you have been pleased to set the
seal of your approbation upon what I did, to accept the responsibi-
lities and the duties of office. I have done so, as you well know,
because, in my opinion, I could render myself more useful in that
quality than if I stood in the simple capacity of your representative.
But still there are drawbacks to that sacrifice of independency.
There is not the same libetty of action. There is necessarily a cer-
tain compromise of opinion for the sake of unity of purpose, which
will, I feel, oblige me to draw upon your indulgence and your con-
fidence.—(Hear, hear.) If, then, upon any occasion, I should lag
behind your wishes, I should not keep up with your expectations,
I must trust to that indulgence I entreat ; and, believe me, that
after what we have now seen, after what is before me to-day, there
is no prize which power can give which I could value half so
highly as your confidence and approbation.—(Loud cheers. )
I feel satisfied that with patience and forbearance on the part of the
people, with determination—and I know there will be determina-
tion—on the part of the Government, great and advantageous re-
sults may be anticipated.—(Loud cheers.) One is not more neces-
sary than the other. What gave strength to the hopes of the
Tories ? It was the idea that the Reformers were disunited. What
induced them to seize the reins of power ? It was the vain idea
that the friends of improvement were separated and divided from
each other—that the liberal cause had become depopularised—that
they by protests on the one hand to those who might be deluded
amongst the friends of freedom, and by cajolery upon the other to
those amongst its enemies who would have opposed their measures
had they really believed them to be good, but supported them
merely because they supposed they were yielding merely to a pas-
sing necessity, and would do nothing otherwise—they were enabled
through these means to enjey a momentary share of power, and to
place, as we have all seen, the cause of Reform and improvement
in jeopardy, for a considerable period. Let us beware how we
again permit them any opportunity of this kind. The country will
not bear these oft-repeated experiments. The country, anxious
for a settled, for a stable Government determined to carry out mea-
sures of reform and improvement, will yet, if it cannot obtain that,
put up with any Government rather than none at all. The Right
Hon. Gentleman concluded by proposing " Mr. Thomas Potter,
and the Electors of Manchester.'

Mr. Vice-President HorxiNs replied on the part of the electors,
and in the course of his observations exposed the falsehoods put
forth in the Wednesday's newspaper.
The PRESIDENT proposed the health of " Mark Phillips, Esq.
M.P."

Mr. PHILIPS on rising was received with many distinct rounds
of applause. Mr. Thomson, with great justice, bad painted out
some of those difficulties by which the new administration would
find themselves surrounded. He (Mr. Philips) had that day dis-
charged in his own person the most agreeable duty—for it was his
duty as well as that of the electors—of recording for the first time
IA vote as an elector of Manchester, in favour of his Right Hon.
Colleague.—(lmmense cheering.) In voting for his Right Hon.
Colleague, he voted for him not merely because he esteemed him as
a man, not merely because he felt confidence in the principles he
held, but because in taking office in connection with the adminis-
tration just formed, he did feel strongly that there was a guarantee
to the electors of Manchesters, as well as to the country at large,
that Mr. Thomson would not have consented to have taken office
with any administration unless that administration were prepared
to carry out those great principles of reform to which that meeting
was friendly.—(Loud cheers.) This would require patience at their
hands. It would require prudence on all parts to bring the ship
safely into harbour ; but he trusted to the continued exercise of
that discretion which they would admit, equally with himself, had
distinguished the whole proceedings of the opposition against the
late administration. Before he sat down he begged to propose as a
toast the health of a distinguished individual who he was happy to
see present—of one whose eloquence was proverbial in the contest
the Reformers had lately been engaged in—the health of " Thomas
Gisborne, Esq., M.P., and the Liberal Members of the House of
Commons."

Mr. GISBORNE rose and was received with deafening plaudits,
and spoke as follows :—Lam going to say a thing which will, per-
haps surprise you. I am almost sorry that we drove the Tories
from office so soon as we did. We had got them pretty well
pledged to a good many things, but there were many others to
which I would like to have pledged them also. I dare say you
have often heard it said that a lawyer's opinion is worth nothing,
unless he receives a fee for it.—(Laughter.) Now, you cannot
think what additional value the opinion of any Member of Parlia-
ment, and particularly of any great Parliamentary leader gains,
when it is given under a grave official sanction. 1 should like to
have had the opinion, in this way, of Sir Robert Peel on Cor-
poration Reform— (Cheers)— of his collca.ues, and of a great
many of his thick and thin supporters in the House of Com-
mons, who, as Mr. Whittle Harvey once wittily said, " made his
back sore %vial the impertinence of their knees."— (Great
laughter.) I should like to have had the opinion of the
Honourable Me caber for the immaculate corporation of Leices-
ter, upon Sir Robert Peel's plan of Corporation Reform.—
(Loud cheers and laughter.) I should like to have had the
opinion of Lord Sandon, of Mr. Charles Ross of Northampton,
for they also would have been given under a grave official sanction.
—(Laughter.) I regret on these grounds that we did expel the
Tories quite as soon as we effected it. However, as I said before,
we did get them pledged to some matters—we got them pledged to
this point, that the Church wanted reform.—( Cheers and laughter. )
They made that discovery at last, but they made it in a very Tory-
like fashion, for what did they tell us about it ? ."Why," said
they, " we have at last found out that the Church wants reforming,
but you stupid Whigs, you thick-headed Radicals, though you saw
clearly enough that the Church wanted reforming, you could not
tell how or why ;" we have found out why—it is for want of dis-
cipline that it wants reforming.—(Loud laughter.) " Ah," said
they, " the staff of the Church is not large—we will reform it by
giving two new Bishops—(loud laughter)—the Bishop of Man-
chester and his Eminence of Ripon.—(Cheers.) Oh ! we will
elevate the town of Manchester in the scale of the towns of this
kingdom—we will make it the seat of an Episcopal See—it is a
sail ungodly place—(laughter)—we will convert it to old ortho-
dox principles, and we will give it a Bishop to reform its
pr;nciples and to mend its manners."—(Loud and continued
laughter.) Well, gentlemen, but as I said before, we
were obliged to fight the battle as well as we could,
and the result was that we turned the Tories out, which is

so far highly satisfactory, though I somewhat regret having turned
them out so soon. We hunted them step b step—(Laughter)—
we never lost the. seent.—=(Loud laughter.) I was a fox-lninter
in my younger days, and the hunt after the ITories reminded me of
many a good fox-chase I had. We never lost the scent—we ran
them to ground, and we dug them out at last.—(Loud laughter.)
When we had turned the 'I cries out, they threatened to beat us in
an appeal to the country. They threatened to get up the old cry
of " The Church is in danger !"—(Laughter.) Now nothing,
apprehend, so exceedingly distresses and gravels the Tories, as the
country beginning to find out what the Church really is. The Tory
doctrine with regard to the Church is, that it is only the receivers
which constitute the Church—(Laughter)--but the country wilt
let them know that the payers are a part, and the constituent part,
of the Church.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Well, then, they hoped
a great "re-action" would take place! What a while they were
talking of "re-action !" It was to take place particularly now upon
this great principle, that Englishmen were, above all things, at,
tached to the Church, and that the Church was now in the greatest
danger !—( Loud cheers.) Now where ha, this '• *.-e- action" taken
place? Really I cannot find it. I! i_as not taken place in Man-
chester !—( Cheers; an:l of " No, no.") No, the "re-action"
there is all Cia other way !--(lmmense cheering.) Oh ! hew dis-
'..ressing this Manchester election will be to the Tories, beginning _
from the head of them, Sir Robert Peel, through every one of them
down to their late whipper-in, 'Mr. William Holmes ! Where is
this " re-action" gone ? Has there been any at Cambridge, where
my Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been
returned again, no Tory daring to show his face ?—(Hear, hear.)
Now, if ." re-action" is not to take place in one of the Universities,
I want to know where, in the name of goodness, we arc to look for
it?—.(Loud laughter.) I have the most confident hope and expec-
tation, from what I have heard to-day, that a " re-action" won't
prove to have taken place in Devonshire ; and if it does not there,.
lam sure it won't take place in the West Riding of Yorkshire. I
will only say a single word with regard to myself and my own Par-
liamentary conduct. When a Reform Ministry were before in.
office, I frequently modified my own principles when I saw them in-
difficulties, in order to get their assistance.—( Cheers. ) I shall.
pursue the same course again.—( Cheers.) I will again modify my
principles, and if it be necessary postpone them though I won't de-
sert them.--( The Hon. Gentleman concluded, his brilliant speech
amid loud cheers.)
After some other toasts had been drunk, the party broke up.