The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-23 00:00:00

GRAND ENTERTAINMENT TO

SIR 11. HARDINGE.
Yesterday,' the Directors of the East India Company enter-
tained Sir Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General of India.
and other distinguished guests, at the London Tavern. The
preparations were on a very splendid scale. The tables were
covered with gold plate, and when the room was lit up by
hundreds of waxlights, the uniforms of the military officers
present, and the stars and decorations of the chief guests,
together with the gay .dresses of the ladies in the gallery,
helped to render the scene very brilliant and animated. The
Coldstream band was in attendance, and played favourite
music during the evening, but there were no vocalists
The following are the names of the principal persons pre-
sent, in addition to the Chairman (Mr.. Shepherd), and the
Deputy Chairman (Sir H. Willett) :—Sir Henry Hardinge,
the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Buckingham, the
Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Jersey, Sir R. Peel, the
Earl of Haddington, Lord Stanley, the Marquis Camden,
the Earl of Lincoln, Earl Delawarr, the Earl of Liverpool,
the Earl of Dalhousie, Lord G. Somerset, Lord Combermere,
the Lord Mayor, Mr. Astell, Mr. Goulburn, Sir James Gra-
ham, Sir George Murray, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Mr.
Gladstone, Sir Frederick Pollock, the Solicitor-General, Sir
I'. Fremantle, Mr. E. Tennent, Sir J. M‘Donald, Sir R. Camp-
bell, Mr. S. Herbert, the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. J. W. Croker,
Mr. E. Ellice, the Judge-Advocate, Sir K. Bruce, Sirl.
Barrow, Sir R. Houston, Sir J. Smith, Lord G. Somerset,
Lord Jocelyn, Lord Eliot, Lord E. Bruce, the Hon. Par.
Corry, Dr. Lushington, Sir R. Inglis, Lord Canning, Mr,
Ilolt Mackenzie, &c.

At seven o'clock the company sat down tO dinner, which
was provided in a style reflecting the highest credit on Messrs.
Bache and Breache, the proprietors of the tavern.
Sir Henry Hardinge sat on the right of the Chairman, and
on his left the Deputy Chairman. Next him sat the Lord
Mayor. The Duke of Wellington sat on the right of Sir
Henry Hardinge, and. the Duke of Baccleuch on the left of
- the Lord Dfayor. -
As soon as dinner was over, and grace liad been said,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The health of her Majesty the
Queen." It was drunk with three times three. He then
proposed " The Queen Dowager," which toast was alse drunk
with appropriate demonstrations of respect.
The CHAIRMAN said the next health he would propose was
that of his Royal Highness Prince Albert. His attachment
to the Queen was alone enough to excite a lively interest in
him and in his welfare on the part of her Majesty's subjects,
but he had also endeared himself to the nation by his emi-
nent qualities, and his admirable public conduct. He pro-
posed " His Royal Highness Prince Albert, the Prince of
Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family."
The toast having been duly responded to,
The Czt.unmlN then said he now rose to propose the
health of a distinguished guest, whose appointment to the
Governor-Generalsip of India they were met there to cele- ,
brate.—(Hear.) The public services of Sir H. Hardinge
were so well known that all would feel it was unnecessary
for him to enlarge on them.—(llear.) Most of them would
remember, and all had heard or read of the glorious
struggle in which the British arms were engaged in the Pe-
ninsula and in France—a struggle which had eventuated in
such brilliant and substantial results ; they had all heard of
the war which was so successfully terminated under the
leadership of the greatest warrior of the age.—(Hear, hear.)
Through the whole of that war Sir Henry Hardinge bore a
prominent and distinguished part—on some of the brightest
pages of the history of that war the name of Sir Henry Har-
dinge was incribed.—(llear.) There were, however, other
services besides those which led to high military reputation
in which a man might discharge his duty to his country, and
in those services also Sir H. Hardinge had been distinguished.
Elie service to his country did not end with his service in the
field. The years of peace with which Europe had been blessed
since the battle of Waterloo had afforded that Right Home
and Gallant Gentleman an opportunity of renewing his claims
on his country, by his services in the civil government and
administration of the State.--(Hear, hear.) He was called
to fill successively high and important situations under the
Government, and in times of difficulty and trial he had never
been found wanting.—(Hear, hear.) In thus adding to the
reputation he had acquired as a soldier the distinction to be
acquired by great talents as a Minister and statesman, he
had fully merited and received the approbation of his Sove-
reign and his country.—(Cheers.) Such was the man who
lie (the Chairman) was proud to say was now about to pro-
ceed to India, to exercise the high and important duties of
Governor-General. It must be most gratifying to him and
to his friends that, without any previous concert between
her Majesty's Government and the Court of Directors, the
name of Sir Henry Hardinge had occurred to both as that of
the fittest person to be appointed to the office of Governor-
General.—(Hear, hear.) But it must be still more gratifying
to the Right Hon. Gentleman, and to all who were connected
with his appointment, that it seemed to have excited an
unanimous feeling of satisfaction throughout the country.—
(Hear, hoar.) Hence the Right Hon. Gentleman, in going to
India, would bear with him the confidence of her Majesty's
Nlinisters, of the Directors, and of the public generally. Ile
owed his appointment to the reputation he had established
for himself, and he (the Chairman) was quite sure that here-
after in India his high character would be nobly sustained.
He had that day had the pleasure of informing the Right
lion. and Gallant Gentleman, on his being sworn into the
office of Governor-General, that the Directors reposed the
utmost confidence in his judgment, and were prepared to af-
ford him their most cordial support,—that he had been
selected not less because of their conviction that he possessed
a firm, undaunted spirit, than because he was also endowed
with a just, a generous, and a benevolent heart.—(Cheers.)
They felt persuaded that while he would ever be ready to
maintain the supremacy of power, he would also take a de-
light in furthering the happiness of the people of India.—
(Hear.) It was the earnest desire of the Directors, and he
was sure every one would join with them in it, that his Right
lion. and Gallant Friend, after a long course of successful
service in India, might, under Divine Providence, return to
his native country, bearing with him the thanks and blessings
of the people of India.—(Cheers.) With these observations
he begged to propose to them " The Health of Sir Henry
Hardinge, the Governor-General of India."
The toast was received with Iteid applause, and drunk with
three times three.

Sir H. HARM/NOE rose and said-egir. Chairman, my
Lord Duke, and Gentlemen,—ln acknowledging the compli-
ment you have just paid me, I will at once say that I am
deeply impressed with the importance of the trust that has
been confided to me, and I beg to offer to you, Sir, as the
Chairman of the Court of Directors, and to the other mem-
bers of that Court, my most grateful acknowledgments for
your having considered me worthy of so high a trust as that
of the Governor-Generalship of India. The assurance which
we have just heard from the Chairman, that my appoint-
ment was unanimously approved of by the Court, and that
I should receive the cordial support of the Directors, is most
gratifying to me, not on account of any private feeling
merely of personal satisfaction, but because it will enable
me to perform my public duty in India with more weight
and authority, when it is known that I carry with me the
support of the Court of Directors—men well versed in Indian
affairs—and the confidence of my late colleagues, and, above
all, that my appointment has received the confirmation and
sanction of her Majesty's high authority.—(Hear, hear.)
These considerations, however, of favour and confidence do
not mislead me. I am fully aware of the difficulties of the
undertaking. I can scarcely hope to fulfil all that I desire
to 'accomplish ; but I know also that. I shall receive the
assistance of able mon In the civil service of the East India
Company—(Hear, hear)—that I shall be guided by the expels
rience and local knowledge of the Court of Directors—(Hear,
hear)—and the Noble Earl who occupies the station o Chief
Commissioner for the Affairs of India is at the head of the
Board of Control ; and I believe, also, I shall have another
advantage, which to me will be of an incalculable nature,—
that of being able unreservedly to refer to my illustrious
friend and commander, the Duke of Wellington.—(Cheers.)
When the communication was first made to me by my Right
Hon. Friend at the head of the Government, and the proposal
was made by the Directors that I should undertake the office,
my first inquiry was, " What is the opinion of the Duke of
Wellington ?" I was informed that he approved of my
being selected, and then, I candidly confess, I did begin to
entertain some hope that the expectations of the Directors
and of my Right Hon. Friend would not be entirely disap--
pointed. For, gentlemen, the greater portion of my public
life has been passed under the eye and instruction of my illus-
trious commander, the Dike ofWellington.—(Hear.) I had
the honour, as the Chairman has stated, of passing under him
through the whole Peninsular war, and on the termination
of the peace I had the honour to be selected to conduct the
civil department of the Ordnance in the House of Commons,
of being appointed Secretary at War, and after that Chief
Secretary for Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) I only mention these
things to show that I am well aware of the value of such
an instructor, and how much I owe to such a master. Under
his counsel and advice I hope to be able to carry out any
arrangements that may be necessary for the support of
our great and gallant Indian army. I hope also to be able
to promote the advantage of my own country, and to amelio.
rate the condition of the Indian population.—(Hear.) It is
true that a large portion of my life has been spent in military
avocations, but I think that I have been able to afford some
guarantee that my own propensities are not warlike. On
the contrary, I think I shall be a lover of peace. I may, per-
haps, venture to say, that I have known the miseries anti
the risks of war. I cannot say I have known its vicissitudes,
because under that illustrious commander our armies never
knew what vicissitudes were.—(Cheers.) Having made these
declarations, allow me to say, that I rejoice in the oppartus
nity of turning my attention to the great and gallant army
in the service of the East India Company--(Hear)—the army
of native and European troops united—(llear)—for between
them there was no rivalry than a competition who sthould
best perform the services of the State. I will venture to say,
with reference to that army, that if it &liquid be neceasary
for me to make any, arrangements with respect to that army,
I shall refer for advice to one who will be admitted by all to
be the best qualified to afford it, Could I refer to a better
man than the conqaeror of Assaye—to him who so often led
that army to victory! and laid the foimslatiOn of the enor-
mouswe exercise in India? --(Cheera.) Let me add,
sway
under Pollock, and Gough,
that the success of that army,.
and others, has shown that it has by no means degenerated
from its former fame. In everything that regards that army
I shall always take the deepest interest I but let its efficiency
be what it may, and however brilliant its recent successes
may have been, I hope that the result of those successes
will be that which should always be the legitimate conse-
quence of war—a long, lasting, and durable peace ; and that
the people of India will derive from those wars all the bless-
ings of peace, in the amelioration of theirconditien, their im-
provement, their education—in short, in ail those advantages
which constitute the happluese and secure the prosperity of
a nation.—(Rear) These, Sir, are the objects to which. I
shall turn my attention, and I hope I shall be all to show
that I am as anxious as the people of thia estuntry can be
that the blessings of peace shell faiaw the successes of war—
that, great as the distance may be between this country and
our Indian possessions, we are united in one cowanon interest
—that those peaceful pursuits shottld lea e4lO-f,7-11, among
the people of India which are neceAssry,in order to secure
their lasting prosperity 4114 114914.1111.—(Hear.) Peace and
worn ergo r•zaierel with China, and a long con.
tinned tranquillity prevails in almost every part of India,
except in tie case of those inteinal dissensions in the
runjaub, with regard to which every possible pre-
caution has beau taken.—(Hear, hear.) I go out,
therefore, with the most unbounded confidence in, the Indian
erg', that it will maintain the national honour, and also
With a full belief that the sway. of' Great Britain will btt
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