The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-30 00:00:00

PUBLIC DINNER IN RONOUR OF LORD

BROUGHAM.

For many years past Lord Brougham has been in
the habit of spending the autumn months during the
recess of Parliament at his seat in Westmoreland,
Brougham-hall, which is distant from Penrith
about a mile., In September, 1849, his lordship
presided at the dinner of the Westmoreland and
Cumberland Agricultural Society. at Penrith, and
afterwards, in the same autumn, at the dinner of
the Agricultural Society at Carlisle. This was the
last public appearance of his lordship in the county
of Cumberland. Some time ago the magistracy
and g- ntlemen of the two counties made arrange-
ments to entertain bis lordship at a public dinner,
which great local event came off at Penrith on
Wednesday last. The dinner was not got up for
party or political purposes, bat simply to do
honour to the venerable and illustrious law re-
former and statesman in the neighbourhood of his
ancestral hall.
The d nner was served in the George Assembly
Room, a place far too small to accommodate the
numbers who would have been glad to be present
on the r.ccasion. In the absence of the Earl Gf
Lsonsdale, the chair was occupied by E. W. Hasell,
Esq , chairman of the Quarter Sessions for the
counties of Westmoreland and Cumberland. The'
vice-elm:r was filled by Henry Howard, Esq., of
Greystoke Castle. Among the gentlemen present
were Charles Howard, Esq., M.P., W. N. Hodg-
son, Esq., M.P., John Steel, Esq., M.P. Sir J. H.
Maxwell, Win. Wakefield, Esq., John Crosby,
Esq., and. Wm. Crackanthorpe, Esq., strenuous
supporters of Lord Brougham during the West-
m9reland elections.

Oa th,3 removal of the cloth, the Chairman gave
the usual loyal and p ttriotic toasts.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, amidst tremendous
applause, to propose the toast of the day. Nothing,
he said, could nave been more gratifying to Lord
Brougham's neighbours, or to the gentry
of the counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland
anti his lordshVs presence at that tneating.
(Applause.) Men of all parties had assembled to-
gether to sink all party differences, all party di—
putes, to express their high regard and respect f(.r
a most distinguished statesman, who shod forth
amongst the most eminent statesmen of this coun-
try, and could compete with the statesmen of any
other c-.uotry. (Hear, hear.) He was a statesman of
world-wide reputation. They had heard of him bring
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His eouducc.'and his tsleu had acquired for him
.., i.fl...ncre over other countries as well ai his
own. (Bear, bear.) In all the toa4s proposed,
mention hail been made of the surprising talente
of Lord Brougham, and there must be some
foundation for those remarks. It was all very
well to say that a mad was clever, but a great
deal depended upon the manner in which be be-
stowed his talents. The learned lord had talents
inferior to no man in the kingdom, or in any other
country ; and he had bestewed his talents in a
manner in which few men had done, and on
that account he stood pre-eminent. (Great
applause.) There were some particular ques-
tions which were greatly agitating the minds
of the people. He (the chairman) saw around him
friends on both sides of the question. He would
merely say, that in a tree country like this, unle,s
theyhad a powerful opposition they would soon have
a bad administration. If they had a powerful and
efficient administration 'they must also have a for-
midable opposition. The chairman next referred
to several questions which had been decided, some
of hem contrary to his own judgment, though they
might now b-. considered as settled. In the early
part of the noble lord's career he became ail-pow-oi_
fur in the House of Commons on the question of the
abolition of negro slavery. Lord Brougham and
his tulle agues in that mater were influenced by the
noblest prieciples, and there was no matter that had
ever engaged his lordship's attention that could now
give him greater satisfaction. The chairman next
referred to his lordship's exertions to procure the
abolition of slavery in the West Indies. Many .
noble charities would also have been lost but for the
commission which was appointed to inquire into the
same through the persevering energy of his lordship.
To show thAt Lord Brougham's reputation rested
on no slippery or sandy foundation, he (the
chairman) would refer them to his efforts in behalf
of education. Nothing could be more subversive
of the interests of society than gross ignorance.
In the calendars at the assizes it was a fact that the
majority of criminals were entered as not being,
able to read or write. No question of greater im-
portance could possibly occupy the mind of any
statesman than that of education. The chairman
next referred to his lordship's efforts in the cause
ef.law reform, particularising the acts • which had
been most generally beneficial, and concluded by
referring to the act by which the law relating to
marriage, which were often attended by great un-
happiness, had been amended. The chairman then
proposed the health of the noble lord, which was
drunk with thrice three Cumbrian cheers, and the
band played ",The Fine Old English Gentleman."
Lord BROUGHAM rose amidst applause of such a
deafening character that it was sometime before he
could proceed to address the meeting. Silence
being restored, his lordship begged to tender his
most beady thanks for the very great—he might
almost say the unexampled—ein.dness ,which the
two counties had been pleased to bestow upon him.
A meeting of this sort, without distinction of sect
or party, met together for one object, namely, to
testify their sense of the very imperfect services
which he had been enabled to render for the good
of Society, and the general interests of his fellow -
countrymen, such a gathering on such an occasion
was far more important on account of its object,
however gratifying it might be to himself. (Ap-
plause.) He would, however, own that what had
been so kindly said by almost all those who had ad-
dressed the meeting had brought with it some
humiliation, for he could not but think how far
beyond any deserts of his were the tributes which
they had paid. (No, no.) What was infinitely
more important than any personal considera ion—
ho meant the progress which they were making
and in which those two counties had exhibited a
forward part —the progress they were making in
social improvement. His friend, the chairman, had
referred, and.most justly, to certain measut es which
had originated with the magistrates of the two
counties. He was only the bearer of their sugges-
tions to parliament, upon which were founded mea-
sures of great importance, and with which was alsc) coupled the name of his learned friend Mr. Faw-
cett. The chairman had also referred to the mar-
riage question ; he only hoped' as that was, like
many other measures, important in itself,ia a
better marriage law would be given to other parts
of the United Kingdom. However, it was alt very
well ; the old proverb was, " When you cane it
get what you like, endeavour to like what you
have."
of educatiii is lordshipt next referred to the ques.ti )11
OD that , great lever of all social progress
—of alt social economy. To Cumberland and
Westmoreland, but more particular.Y to Carlisle,
the great credit was to be attributed of-removing