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

PUBLIC DINNER IN RONOUR Off LORD

BROUGHAM:

For many years past Lord Brougham has been in
;he 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-ntlernen of the two counties made arrange-
ments to eniertain his 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, but amply to do 1
honour to the venerable and illustrious law re-
former and statesman in the neighbourhood of his
ancestral hall.
The domer w.is served in the George Assembly
Room, a place far too small to accommodate the
numbers who would have been glad to be present
en the rccasion. In the absence of the Earl of
Lensdale, the chair was occupied by E. W. Hasell,
Esq , chairman of the Quarter Sessions for the
counties of Westmoreland and Cumberland. The
vice-cha'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, Wm. Wakefield, Esq., John Crosby,
Esq., and Wm. Crackanthoipe, Esq., strenuous
supporters of Lord Brougham during the West-
moreland elections.
On the removal of the cloth, the Chairman gave
the usual loyal and patriotic toasts.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, amidst tremendous
applause, to propose the toast of the day. Nothing,
he said, could have been more gratifying to Lord
Brougham's neighbours, or to the gentry
of the counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland
then his lordship's presence at that meeting.
(Applause.) Men of all parties had assembled to-
gether to sink all party differences, all party dis-
.--4----- 4-,,eynress their high regard and respect for
a most oistinguisueu statesman, wily eboon luau,.
amongst the most eminent statesmen of this coun-
Itry, and could compete with the statesmen of any
other country. (Hear, hear.) He was a statesman of
world-wide reputation. They had heard of him being
called in to the councils of the great men in Paris.
His conduct and his talents had acquired for him
an influence over other countries as well as his
own. (Bear, hear.) In all the toasts proposed,
mention had been made of the surprising talents
of Lord Brougham, and there must be some
foundation for those remarks. It was all very
well to say that a man was clever, but a great
deal depended upon the manner in which he be-
stowed his talents. The learned lord had talents
inferior to no man in the kingdom, or in any other
country ; and he hail bestowed 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 free country like this, utile-s
theyha I a powerful opposition theywonld boon have
ab id administraton. If they had a powerful and
efficient administration they must also have a for-
midable opposition. The chairman next referred
to several queitioos which had been decided, some
of i hem contrary to his own judgment, though they
might now be considered as settled. In the early
part of the noble lord's career he became all-power-
ful in the House of Commons on the question of the
abolition of negro slavery. Lord Brougham and
his collo igues in that mater were influenced by the
noblest principles, and there was no matter that had
ever engaged his lordship's attention that could now
give him greeter 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
comm scion which was appointed to inquire into the
same through the persevering energy of his lordship.
To show that Lard 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 titan that of education. The chairman
next referred to his lordship's efforts in the cause.
of law reform, particularising the acts which had
been most generally beneficial, and concluded by
referring to the act by which •the law relating to
marriages, 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 some time before lie
could proceed to address the meeting. Silence
being restored, his lordship begged to tender his
most hearty thanks for the very great—he might
almost say the unexampled—kindness which the
two counties had been pleased to bestow upon him.
A meeting of this sort, without distinction of sect
or party, mot 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 kin ily 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—
he meant the progress which they weie making
and in which those two counties had exhibited a
forward part —the progress they were makin,, in
social improvement. His friend, the chairman had
referred, and most justly, to certain measures which had originated with the magistrates of the two
counties. He was only the be firer of their Qu tions to parliament, upon which were founded
mea-
sures of great importance, and with which was also
coupled the name of his learned friend Mr. Faw-
cett. The chairman had also re fer riage question ;
hoped as that was, like
important in itself, that a
bmanyett better tontatirerri a
eie measures,la he
w only
would be given re
tclo toot ht ehre pma ar
tr s
of the United Kingdunt -
However, it was all very
well ; the old proverlowas, " When you cann t
have.
get What you like, endeavour to like what you
" His-lorship next referred to the queEti al
of education, that great lever of all social progress
—of all social economy. To Cumberland and
Westmoreland, but more particularly to Carlisle,
the great credit was to be attributed of removing