The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-29 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 29, 1832.

MR. ROSS, MR. HUME, AND THE PUBLI(

(From tte Dundee Advertiser.)

Since our first notice (in our paper of the 3.1
current) of the reported backslidings of Mr.
Ross, rumours have been accumulating against
him—the whisper has increased to a loud roar :
we were the first "to give tongue"—a whole
pack are now "in full cry." Some good-
natured people in Montrose have printed and
circulated a correspondence betwixt Mr. Ross,
Provost Paton, and Mr. Hume, and betwixt
Mr. Hume, Provost Kay, Mr. Burnes, and
Mr. Carnegie, of Craigo, accompanied with an
address to Mr. Ross's constituents, in which the
rumours alluded to are treated as being idle and
unfounded. The first letter from Mr. Hume
is one to Mr. Ross of the 15th current, in
which he tells him that, when writing to the
Provost of Arbroath, he (Mr. Hume) informed
Provost Kay, " that we had beat the Duke
without your aid, and against your wishes, which
I was sorry for." Mr. Ross replies on the 16th,
that this communication to Provost Kay was
" utterly false." That he (Mr. Ross) " never
promised to support the Duke of Wellington.
My views and intentions with regard to his Ad-
ministration are fortunately recorded in a letter
which I wrote to the Provost of Montrose."
Mr. Hume on the same day wrote Mr. Ross,
saying that he " would be pleased to hear that
he was mistaken ; but, having believed it, he felt
perfectly satisfied he had done what he was bound
to do, in justice to himself as well as Mr. Ross.
He would write to Mr. Kay that he (Mr. Ross)
stated the report to be false." On the same day
Mr. Ross returned the following answer.:—
" Sir,—As you have thought fit to communicate
to the Provost of Arbroath a statement respect-
ing myself; which is utterly false, and have added
to the wrong you have done me by sending me
a shuffling and evasive answer, instead of a
manly admission of your error, I must repeat
the demand I made in my last letter, and
insist upon your writing an immediate contradic-
tion to the Provost of Arbroath of the contents
of your former letter, as far as they relate to me.
This will be delivered to you by my friend Mr.
Mills, to whom I must beg to refer you in any
further communications that may take place in
this matter." On the following day (17th May),
Mr. Flume writes to Provost Kay, that he was
assured by Mr. Ross, " That the reports re-
specting his intended support of the Duke of
Wellington's Government are altogether un-
founded ; and although Mr. Gillon, the Member
for Lanark, stated it to me, as I understood him
to have heard it from Mr. Ross, yet on inquiry
he had only heard it from another, so that he
(Mr. Hume) believed it to false." " I there-
fore," Mr. Hutne adds, " am sorry that, in the
hurry to communicate to you the oAs of the
defeat of the Duke, I should have done an in-
jury to Mr. Ross so undeserved on his part."
Mr. Flume also of the same date wrote to the
same effect to IVIr. Burnes, of Montrose, and to
Mr. Carnegie, of Craigo. To the former he
says, " That such report was made to me by
Mr. Gillon, M.P., is quite true ; but I cannot
trace it to any source to stand for a moment
against Mr. Ross's written declaration—that it
is false and groundless."
Mr. Ross, in his first letter to Mr. Hume
says, " you ought at least to have asked me whe-
ther the report was correct." And perhaps, consi-
dering the terms on which they seemed to have
been, Mr. Ross is right; but, on the other
hand, Mr. Hume got his information from Mr.
Gillon, a gentleman as credible as Mr. Ross.
Mr. Hume was quite entitled to believe it ; and
may be excused even by those who may think
he has been deficient in prudence or punctilio,
for not previously asking Mr. Ross whether Mr.
Gillon's statement was correct. There cannot
in any impartial mind be the slightest doubt that
Mr. Hume firmly believed what he communicated
to Provost Kay ; that in doing so, he was ac-
tuated by no enmity to Mr. Ross, but by an
anxiety for the success of the great cause of Re,
form. If Mr. Ross had really turned his back
on his former professions and principles, it was
indeed most important that the change should
be made known to his constituents as early as
possible.
Mark now the error into which Mr. Ross
has fallen. Mr. Hume, in his first letter to Mr.
Ross, says, " I did not see you this evening, or
I should have mentioned to you how much I
regretted to hear that you had considered it your
duty to give your support to the Duke of Wel-
lington, as I was informed, by Mr. Gillon, you
had done." After this, it was incumbent on
Mr. Ross to apply to Mr. Gillon, and, if there
was any cause of quarrel, to fasten the quarrel
on him. But, instead of this, Mr. Ross, appa-
rently without a moment's consideration, like " a
rude and boisterous captain of the sea," falls foul
of Mr. Hume. He tells Mr. Hume, in answer
to his first letter, that he had acted " in a most
unwarrantable, a most unpardonable manner ;"
that he had " in an officious meddling manner,
without consulting Mr. Ross, ventured to make
a statement in which there was not one word of
truth,"—in other words, that he had communi-
cated to Mr. Ross's constituents a statement of
vital importance to them, and to the country,
which Mr. Flume believed on what he was bound
to consider good authority ; and when Mr. Hume
wrote to him that he was pleased to hear that he
(Mr. Hume) was mistaken, Mr. Ross replied,
by telling him that this was " a shuffling and
evasive answer ;" and Mr. Ross concludes the
correspondence, by intimating that he had sent
a friend to Mr. Hume, who who would manage
the " further communications." In other words,

lie was contemplating the shooting of the most
useful man in the country—a man, without
whose powerful and friendly aid, Mr. Ross
would not at this moment have a seat in Par-
liament, and in whose footsteps it was Mr.
Ross's reiterated boast that he would be proud
to tread.

Mr. Hume, however, does not consider him-
self degraded by any gentleman who chooses to
say that he is presumptuous,—that he is officious
and meddling, and given to shuffling and eva-
sion. He thinks, we presume, that-those who
say so, without good reason, degrade themselves.
But, let us see the letter to the Provost of
Montrose, in which Mr. Ross says, his " views
and intentions" with regard to the new Welling-
ton Administration have been recorded. It is
as follows ; and we have put within brackets the

words to which we wish particular attention t<
be directed
81, Charlotte street, Portland-place, May 15, 1E132.
" MY DEAR SIRS I this morning received
petition agreed to at the General Head Court of th
borough of Montrose; which petition I shall, if pop
sible, present to-day, and at the same time make tht
sentiments of my constituents fully known to tht

House.
" After the votes and pledges I have already given
on the great question of reform, it is, I trust, need-
less for me to say that I continue firmly attached to
the leading provisions and principles of Lord Joh?
Russell's Bill, and that I shall not support any ad-
ministration which does not unequivocally announce
its determination to pass that Bill into a Jaw with-
out delay. I will not obstinately reject modifica-
tions which may appear to the country to be im-
provements; but I will not, as the representative of
the independent electors of Montrose, accept any
Bill which shall be less efficient than the one now
before the House of Lords,—one, in short, which
.hull he a sham, not a real reform of the representa-
tion of the people.
" I shall not at present enter into any discussion
of the reasons which, upon the explanation tha'
must take place, may appear to exist for or against
the change which has taken place in the Admini-
stration. [Party spirit unluckily runs madly high
just now ; but I have nothing to do with any party.]
I have but one course to follow, and that I shall
follow in a straightforward manner. The sole cause
of my being honoured with a seat in the House of
Commons was the circumstance of my countrymen
placing implicit confidence in me, that I would faith
fully and honestly exert myself to obtain for then)
that reform which they so anxiously desired; and it
is my duty to adopt that line of conduct by which,
I think, their wishes can be realized with the least
possible delay. [lf, therefore, it becomes evident
that the Duke of Wellington is sincere in his inten-
tion of passing the Bill, I shall, in the mean time,
offer to his Government no factious opposition,] as,
by doing so, I shall only retard the already too-long-
delayed settlement of this mighty question.
" I, along with others, must regret that Lord Grey
has not had the [gratification of in person] conduct-
ing to a triumphant conclusion those labours to
which his whole public life has been devoted; [but,
in point of fact, it is of little consequence,] as to
him the country will always look as the friend to
whom they are indebted for that bill of rights for
which they have for so many years patiently pet
tioned.

[" With regard to the change which has taken
place in the Administration, I believe the cause of
Reform has been materially advanced by it; and,
although I am well aware of the dread and dislike
which the people of this country have at present of
a Tory Government, yet, on cool consideration, there
is little cause for alarm.] The Duke must instantly
pass the bill; if he does not, in a week he will be
driven from power. When the bill is passed, the
present Parliament will be dissolved immediately,
and a Reformed House of Commons called together,
[and then it will be of little consequence whether we
have a Tory, Whig, or Radical Premier)—the
people will have a real and substantial control over
the House of Commons—and measures, not men,
will be looked to; and, upon the first measure
which the Prime Minister proposes that is contrary
to the general feeling and wishes of the country, he
will be outvoted, and obliged either to change his
policy or retire from office.
" I must apologize for having written at such
length to you, but I considered it my duty to make
you and my other friends in Montrose acquainted
with my views in the present posture of affairs.
[I do not at all feel alarmed or uneasy, and am con-
vinced every thing will go on smoothly ;I and that,
in a few weeks, the Reform Bill will be passed, and
th the present
every w
esentexcierwisher
excitement allayed
his try.yed cinouan manner satisfac-
tory
Believe me, my dear Sir, yours, very sincerely,
" HORATIO ROSS.
" Geo. Paton, Esq. Provost, Montrose."

Neither our time nor our space enable us to
make a tenth part of the comments suggested to
us by this letter. We will only state briefly the
following as some of the inferences which we
draw from it.

1. That, whether he " promised" to support
the Duke of Wellington's new Admininistration
or not, he intended to do so.
2. That he considered it as all one to the
country whether the Reform Bill was carried by
political profligates (to use the the term applied
by Lord Camperdown to the Wellington abor-
tion) or by Earl Grey and his colleagues.
3. That it is of little consequence whether we
have a dishonest, a half-honest, or a wholly-
honest Premier, after the Reform Bill has
passed ; that is, whether we shall have a man at
the head of Government whom we distrust, and
are under the necessity of watching continually,
or one in whom we have confidence, and who
will do his duty without watching.
If Mr. Ross has sustained any unmerited in-
jury from the rumours which have been afloat,
we apprehend that he has himself wholly to
blame for it. He has been speaking awl writing
privately with such bitterness against Earl Grey's
Administration, as to excite suspicion in every
corner of this district, and has expressed such
sentiments with regard to the qualifications
under the Bill, as to lead many to believe that
he wished them to be made more aristocratic.—
We were first led to notice his opinions by hear-
ing, from a deputation of feuars, who lately
waited upon him in Dundee, that, from his con-
versation, they suspected his soundness as a Re-
former. With reference to our statement on
this subject, he sent to us the very uncivil verbal
message, that "it is a lie !" It cer-
tainly was not a lie to say that the deputation
suspected him, They disseminated their suspi-
cions wherever they went ; and Air. Ross,
instead of getting into a passion at us for bring-
ing forward publicly the rumours which were
circulating to his prejudice in private, should
have been pleased that we furnished him with
such an opportunity of silencing them if they
were unfounded ; and instead of an uncivil ver-
bal message, it would not have been beneath his
dignity to have sent us a written statement of
what he did say at his interview with the feuars,
showing distinctly in what particulars our ac-
count of the matter was incorrect. Certainly
we would not impose upon Hon. Members the
necessity of combating every rumour which may
appear against them in newspapers. But this is
an extraordinary time, and the rumour alluded to
related to a subject of extraordinary importance.
Perhaps it will be thought by many that we
have occupied more space with this discussion
than its importance called for. But we deem it
very essential to exhibit a practical proof of the
intense keenness with which the people at pre-
sent watch the movements of their representatives.

The Conservative Club, ashamed of their
name, if not of their pr;nciphs, having exchanged it for
" The Carlton."

(PRICE 7D.)

THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.

(FROM THE COURT CIRCULAR.)
Yesterday was the day appointed for the celebration ,
the King's Birthday.
The King's Guard mounted with the bands of th
three regiments of Foot Guards, in their state uniform.
and performed, in very fine style, God save the King,
the Overture to Der Freischutz, and a Coronation Anthem.
At 1 o'clock the Park guns fired a double royal salute.
At half-past 1, the Archbishops of CANTERBURY,
YORK, and ARMAGH, the Bishops of LONDON, WOR-
CESTER, LANDAFF, DURHAM, HEREFORD, SALISBURY
ELY, BATH and WELLS, ROCHESTER, LICHFIELD and
COVENTRY, LINCOLN, St. ASAP/I, BANGOR, St. DA-
VID'S, BRISTOL, CARLISLE, CHESTER, OXFORD, GLOU-
CESTER, EXETER, CHICHESTER, and KILMORE, were ad
witted into his Majesty's presence in the Royal closet,
when the Arch i)ishop of CANTERBURY delivered an addre,„
of congratulation to his MAJESTY on the happy return of
the day. The address had previously been agreed upon a•
a convocation of the Clergy. The Bishops also waited
upon the Queen with an address.
The Duke and Duchess of CUMBERLAND gave a dinner
in honour of the birthday of Prince GEORGE, on Sunday,
at their residence at Kew, to the KING and QUEEN, the
Duchess of KENT, the Princess AUG USTA, Viscount and
ViSCOUIItesS FALKLAND, Sir PHILIP and Lady SIDNEY,
the Hon. Mr. ASHLEY, Sir 13. STEPHENSON, &c.
Their MAJESTIES entertained a select party at dinner
last evening at the Palace at St. James's. Among the
company were the Duchess of KENT, attended by Lady
CATHERINE JENKINSON, and the Princess AUGUSTA.
Some of the Cabinet Ministers and the Great Officers of
State gave State dinners, at which the company came in
full Court dress in honour of the day, at their respective
residences, last evening.
Earl GREY, as First Lord of the Treasury, bad a party
of between 20 and 30 Peers at his residence in Downing_
street.

Viscount PALMERSTON, as Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, entertained the Foreign Ambassadors and
Ministers, and those Noblemen and Gentlemen engaged on
Foreign missions, who are staying in this country on leave
of absence, the Master of the Ceremonies, the Under Se-
cretaries of the Department, &c., at his official residence
in Downing-street.
Viscount Gonanicit, as Secretary for the Colonies, had
a party at his house in Carlton-gardens, composed of the
heads of the different departments of the Horse-Guards and
the Ordnance-office, the Governors of Colonies whe are at
present in England, and the Agents for the principal Co-
lonies.

Viscount MELBOURNE, as Secretary of State for the
Home Department, entertained the Judges, the Lord Mayor,
the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, the Rocorder of
London, &c., at his residence in Downing-street.
Viscount ALTHORP, as Chanzellor of the Exchequer
and Ministerial leader in the House of Commons, had a
very numerous party at his residence in Downing-street,
composed of the Speaker of the House of Commons, the
Secretary of State for Ireland, the Chairman and Deputy
Chairman of the East India Company, the Lords of the
Treasury, the Secretaries to the Treasury, the Deputy
Chairman of the Excise, the Chairman of the Commis
sioners of Customs, the Chairman of the Audit-office, the
Chairman of the Board of Stamps, the Chairman of the
Commissioners of Taxes, the Governgsr and Deputy Go-
vernor of the Bask, the Presideit of the Board of Con-
trol, the Chairman of the Committee of Supplies, the
Chief Baron of Scotland, the Clerk of the Ordnance,
The Duke of DEVONSHIRE, as Lord Chsrai)erlain, en-
tertained a large and distinguished party at Devonshire
House.

The Marquis of WINCHESTER, as Groom of the Stole,
had the Lords and Grooms in Waiting on nip King, at his
residence in Cavendish-square. •
The Earl of ALBEMARLE, as Master of the Horse to the
King, entertained the .queries and Aides-de-Camp of
his Majesty,
Her MAJISTY held a Drawing-room, in celebration of
the day.

The attendants were in waiting at an early hour.
The Sergeant Porter, the Gentleman Porters, and the
Marshalmen appeared in new uniforms. The regulations
for preserving order and free access to the Palace were
under the direction of Mr. Lea, the High Constable, and
Messrs. TOWNSEND and SAYER, the prineipsi
with a numerous body of police,
A Guard of Honour from the 2d Regiment of Life
Guards were accompanied by their band in state dresses,
which performed alternately with the band of the King's
Guard during the afternoon.
Two of the tallest Guardsmen were selected from the
Guard of Honour, and ttationed on the grand staircase,
bearing their carbines.
The Hunourahle Corps of Gentlemen Pensioners lined
the Presence Chamber.

The Yeoman Guard under the command of Sir HENRY
CIPRIANI. Mr. SAMUEL, and Mr. CHARLES HANCOCK,
and Mr. Ctiava, the Exons in waiting, lined the guard-
room and other parts of the Palace.
Messrs. DOBELL and ElutsE, the state pages, were in
attendance on the KING with the other pages of his MA-
JESTY, and Mr. SHQP4AGE, the principal page to the
QUEEN, was in attendance on her MAJESTY, together
with the other pages to her MAJESTY. On this occasion
they all appeared in their state uniforms of purple and gold.
The company began to arrive as early as half-past
twelve o'clock (althongh the doors of the Palace were not
opened before one), and continued arriving until half-past
fir. It is supposed there were more than 1,700 persons
present. For some time the passage from the corridor to

the grand staircase was curripletely crowded. The coup
d'all was particularly splendid.

The members of the different Orders wore their respec-
tive collars, it being a gala day.
The Duke and Duchess of CUMBERLAND came in state,
accompanied by Prince GEORGE, and attended by Lady
SorratA. LENNOX, R iron LINSINGEN, and Colonel Poti.N.
The Duchess of KEttr and Princess VICTORIA came in
state in three carriages, attended by the Duchess of NORTH-
UMBERLAND, Lady C. ST. MAUR, Lady CATHERINE
JENKINSON, the Hon. Lady COST, Lady CONROY, the
the Raroneas DX LEHZEN, Sir JOHN CONROY, and Ge-
neral WETHERALL, and escorted by a party cf the Life
Guards. Their Royal Highnesses' dresses were composed
entirely of articles of aritush rnanufac:ure.
The Duke of GLOUCESTER came in a similar style, at-
tended by Colonel fitaGiNs, and four other attendants.

The SPEMZEROf the House of Commons also Came in

tate, as did the MASTER of the 1114.1.5 f.

Their MAJESTIES entered the Throne-room, where the
drawing-room was held soon after two o'clock. The
KING was attended by his great Officers of State. The
QUEEN was attended by Lady CLINTON, (the Lady in
waiting,) the Duchess of LEEDS, Misses tie Roos, MIT-
CHELL, HOPE, JOHNSTONE, Isles. HOPE, Lady IsABEI4A
WEMpss, the Marchioness of WEsTAIEATH, Countess
BRowNLOW, Lady BEDINGFIELD, the Marchioness WEL-
LESLEY, Lady GORE, the Rail of ERROL, Master of
the Horse ; Mr. litinixx, Gentleman Usher ; Mr.
BARTON, Treasurer; Mr. AsuLay, Vice-Chamberlain;
the Hon, Capt, Hay, Capt. GEORGE PECHELL,
Equeries ; and Master MoNnaY, Page of Honour.
The QUEEN, who stood in front of the Throne, had ou
her left the Princess AUGUSTA, the Princess VICTORIA,

the Duchess of KENT, the Duchess of CUMBERLAND, and
the Princ,ss SorttlA AIiATALnA. The ladies of the Fo-
reign Ambassadors, according to their rank, first i:Rid
their respects to their ith.uspiEs. The Royal Duke
stood between the KING and QUEEN. Her MAJESTY

was standing for about 3 hours in receiving the company.

The Earl of ALBEMARLIC introduced Lo➢d HAY, on his
being appointed Page of tionc,ur io the King.
The Duke of DEVONSHIRE, as Lord Chamberlain, intro.
duced the Marquis of THOMOND, on his being anointed
Aide-de-Camp to the King in Ireland.

Lord and Lady AMESBURY were introduced, on hie
Lordship's being elevatetl to the Peerage.
Colonel Fox was presented, on his being appoiAted Aide-
de-Camp to the King.

Captain COCHRANE delivered the Badge of the Order
of the Bath which belonged to his late father.
Colonel B9WiCall. was presented by the Earl of ALBE-
MARLE, on being appointed Equery to the King.
His MAJzsTv gave audiences to the Marquis of WIN-
CHESTER and Viscount AIELBOURNS.
In the Entree Circle were—
The Russian Ambassador and Princess Lieven, the
Netherlands Ambassador, the French Ambassador and tli,
Duchess de Dino, the Neapolitan Minister and Counter
Ludoltf, the Bavarian Minister and Baroness Cetto, the
Prussian Minister, the Spanish Minister and Madame Ber-
mudez, the Wirtrrnberg Minister, the Hanoverian Minis-
ter and Baroness d'Ompteda (nee Countess Schlippenbach),
the Saxon, 13nizilian, Buenos Ayres, and Hans Town Mi