The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-11 00:00:00

BANQUET TO SIR JOHN RATCLIFF.

On the same evening a grand banquet was given to Sir
John Ratcliff, at Dee's Royal Hotel, at which the Earl of
Lichfield, the Right Hon. C. B. Adderley, M.P., the whole
of the corporate officers, Colonel Harrison, Captains Cun-
ningham, Erskine, and other officers of the 11th Hussars,
and most of the leading men in Birmingham, attended.
After the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of,
The MAYOR rose to propose that which, he said, might
be called the toast of the evening, viz., " Health, prosperity,
and long life to their guest, Sir John Ratcliff. (Enthusi-
astic applause.) Sir John Ratcliff had enjoyed the unprece-
dented honour of being elected Mayor of Birmingham for
three successive years, and seeing that the corporation was
the representative of the town, it was not for any one to say
that the choice thus made by the Council was not that of
the town itself. (Cheers.) Sir John had been the head of
the town in years of great importance and considerable diffi-
culty. There could bo no doubt that Birmingham owed to
their guest many honours it never previously enjoyed—
through him they had been presented at Court. (Hoar.)
Sir John had been honoured by a personal visit from the
Duke of Cambridge; afterwards they had the great honour
of the presence of her Majesty amongst them—(cheers)—
and the Queen loft behind her the impress of her
presence in the shape of an honour which she
considered the Mayor of this town well deserved.
(Great applause.) Not only had Sir John Ratcliff pre-
sented Birmingham at Court, but during his mayoralty he
had presided over some of the most important meetings held
in the kingdom during the past three years. The inaugu-
ration of the Social Science Association was not the least of
these, and that Sir John Ratcliff should have been able to
give satisfaction to all on such occasions was as flattering to
the town as it was an honour to himself. (Cheers.) His
munificence upon all occasions, whether in the most un-
bounded hospitality or in works of charity, had been great and
unexampled, and would long be a noble example to his fel-
low-townsmen. (Cheers.) To his industry all then present
could bear the most unquestioned testimony ; no Mayor in
this or any other town could have been more constant or
assiduous in the discharge of his duties. (Cheers.) His
great object had been to promote the prosperity of the town,
and now that Sir John was leaving office he hoped that his
successors in the mayoralty would endeavour to imitate his
devotion to the interests of the community amongst whom
he lived. (Much applause.) The Mayor concluded by pro-
, posing the health of Sir John Ratcliff, and the toast was
' drunk most enthusiastically.
Sir JOHN RATCLIFF, on rising, was greeted with loud
and prolonged cheering. He said the very kind manner in
which they had been pleased to receive him seemed for a
moment to overcome his feelings, and to render him unable
to give full expression to them in response. This evening,
however, would be one of the happiest of his life. In it
he had received a token of their approval of his conduct
during the time he had held office ; and while he possessed
that approval, and could rest satisfied that at the termina-
tion of his lengthened period of office he had carried with
him the respect of those over whom he had had the honour
to preside, he had nothing further to care for or to desire.
(Applause.) In departing from that important, and ho
would add, very important position, the occupancy of the
chair of this large borough, he could not help saying that
he did so with a feeling of gratification and pride, and ever,
while he had the good feeling of his fellow-townsmen to
uphold him, the approval and respect of that important
body over whom he had lately presided to support him, and
the remembrance of the kind manner in which they had ex-
pressed their approval of his services that night to cheer
him, he cared not for the labour and exertion he had un-
dergone. (Cheers.) If there was anything that could
make a man proud of his native town—if there
was any reward that could recompense the labour
of a three years' care of this important borough—if there
was anything that was worth a man's living or caring for—
if there was anything desirable on this earth, it was all con-
centrated in the reception he had that night received. If
there were anything wanting to stimulate a man to do his
duty, if there were anything a man could hope for to help
him in the performance of that duty, he had received it at
their hands. He should treasure the remembrance of it
while life lasted and memory held her seat. (Applause.) He
felt that, from the overpowering feelings which oppressed
him, he could not give adequate expression to all he could
desire to say. So long as he lived the reception he had re-
ceived would dwell prominently in his mind, and they
might depend upon his faithfully, diligently, and carefully
discharging any trust or duties he might be called upon to
perform for the borough over which he had for three years
presided. (Prolonged cheering, which continued for several
minutes.

The evening was one of great enjoyment, and will long
be remembered at Birmingham.