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

THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL.

A large meeting was held last evening at Read-
ing, in celebration of the anniversary of the Phi-
lanthropic Institution, established there many years
ago
Solicitor
-Gdn
einnerear was
l(sirH.numerouslyS .Ketaintgtrded
met, and the
many
yof
his constituents and political friends. Mr. Walford,
surgeon, was the president, and he was supported
in his position by several of the principal inhabi-
tants. M Mr. Pigott, M.P., was detained at home by
severe illness, from which the hon. gentleman has
been latterly suffering.
to aT thse, pCr ollpAolsßel ThaefAterrnigyivainn the
dg
Navy." He
loyal
e
said,
glrpeartoppolseeastuhr. I think it is ourisetostwithgreatduty t
confidenceo emrandembe
with
r
theta. .WeAknnoawtionnoet.xistlindgo wniotthmouetana iato
db thee
a-
aln ldo onka vuyp
e armyte
to a
oh
na vteh me
ma d
ase Bs
er r t aa i
nnt
sw
bh
eaaltsvoamnsyhayi hoiaagsn,
power higher than themselves. But Ido feel that
they have done much to su tain and to maintain
the power and the authority of Great Britain as a
nation. (Applause) I feel that upon this occa-
sion it would ill become us in our capacity as
philanthropists not to remember—and that most
warmly—their heroic deeds, their great sufferings,
their deep privation, and sufferings. And if our
ears have been permitted to be gladdened with the
news of their victory incensing the fall of that once
famed city of Delhi, that knowledge has also brought
to us the death of hundreds of our felloW-creatures,
and therefore that rejoicing is not an unmixed emo-
tion. We cannot but mourn those who have fallen,
and we must sympathise with those who have sus-
tained a loss in this country. (Applause.) But the
army and navy are an important instrument, by
which the authority or executive of this country is
to be maintained—by which our constitution is to
be upheld. (Cheers.) They are a power which I
believe never exceeds its duty, but always bows iu
ready submission to the authority which gives its
orders. (Cheers.) And we, as Englishmen, do
rightly in remembering them in this our social
meeting, and you will agree with me, I am sure, that
the sooner they can terminate their labours in the East and bring peace, not only to this country, but also to other nations—the sooner peace can reign
throughout the world.—the more we and our succes-
sors shall be delighted. (Loud cheers.)
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, in reply to the toast of
" The Borough Members," said, ever since he had been member for the borough of Reading he had
always esteemed it to be the proudest position, not
only that he ever had, but that he could hope to at-
tain. Since last he had the honour of acknow-
ledging a similar kindness a change had taken place.
It had pleased her Majesty to tsppoi nt him her Soli-
citor-General, and, greatly as he esteemed that
honour (and he trusted he estimated it at its worth),
he assured them that he considered, that, or any
honour to which he could attain, as second to the
honour of representing that borough in Parliament.
He had not forgotten the kindness which his hon.
colleague (Mr. Pigott) and himself experienced at
the hands of the const tuency of Reading when they
were returned at the general election without oppo-
sition ; and when, upon her Majesty appointing him
Solicitor-General—thereby vacating his seat and
bringing him back to his constituents to ask them
for a renewal of their confidence—he could not for-
get the kindness with which he was received and the
manner in which he was met by persons of all poli-
tics in the borough. He was conscious that he could
not during his Parliamentary career have done any-
thing to deserve that confidence. All that he could
pretend to was a sincsre wish to discharge the duty
which he had taken upon himself. Ho had not se-
present..3d-tbe borough of Reading so long as he,
hon. friend Mr. Pigott, yet he had represented
some years; and every year he held that distinguished
position had increased the marks of favour which