The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-11 00:00:00

2HE MEMBERS FOR OXFORDSHIRE AT

BICESTER.

BIOESTER, Tuesday.
The ninth anniversary of the Agricultural So-
ciety for this district was celebrated this afternoon

by a public dinner at the Corn Exchange, under
the presidency of the End of Jersey. There were
also present the Earl of Effingham, Mr. Henley,
M.P., Colonel North, M.P., Colonel Fane, M.P.,
Sir H. Dashwood, Dr. Marsharn, the Hon. W.

North, the Hon. Mr. Villiers, the Rev. Mr. Blom-
field, and a large number of the leading ngricultu-

rists of the neighbourhood.
The usual loyal and constitutional toasts were
given and received with due honours.
Colonel NORTH, in responding on behalf of the
army, said that since he last had the honour of
acknowledging the toast in Bicester the British
army had entered upon and completed one of the
most arduous campaigns that any army in the
world had ever been called upon to perform. It
was a campaign in which there was no hard fight-

ing, but whenever fighting occurred our army
showed that gallantry and endurance for which it
was so justly celebrated. (Cheers.) Although
there was not much fighting, the army displayed
those virtues which were most important to the
soldier—namely, the strict discipline and endurance

_ .
which were so essential to the success of a cam-

paign. (Cheers.) Our countrymen might look
back with gratification and pride on the perform-
ances of that array, when they recollected that
during the whole campaign there was not a single
_ .

case of insubordination or of ill-treatment of the
inhabitants of the country through which they

marched, and that they returned safely to this
_ _

country to receive those thanks and honours to
which they were so justly entitled. (Cheers.)
Captain I)EWAR responded on behalf of the
Volunteers.

The Earl of EFFINGHAM proposed " The Bishop
and Clergy of the Diocese."
The Rev. Mr. BLO3IFIELD, in acknowledging the
toast, observed that the Church of this country was
a Divine institution, and did not depend on State
aid or on rich endowments. He who was the head

of the Church would defend his right and preserve

his cause, and if the Church was but faithful to the
trust committed to her charge God would prosper
and bless her, but if she proved unfaithful He would
blot her out from the face of the earth. Whatever
changes might be in store for her, if her members
strove to promote the real end which she ought to
have in view, their efforts would by God's provi-
dence tend to the good of the Church and of the
nation at large. In conclusion, he begged to pro-
pose, " The Lord-Lieutenant and the Magistrates
of the County."
Dr. MARSHAM (Warden of Merton) responded.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed, " The Members
for the County," intimating that probably one of
them would not probably have many other opportu-
nities of acknowledging the toast in that capacity.
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
Mr. HENLEY, who on rising was greeted with
loud cheers, returned thanks for the kind manner
in which the toast was received. At these social
gatherings every topic that might create differences
of opinion was very properly excluded. Assembling
as they did for a special purpose, it would ill be-
come those who addressed a company including
men of all opinions and all shades of opinion to
disturb the unanimity and good feeling which ought
to prevail. (Hear, hear.) He would not at-
tempt to avail himself of those means which
were very often used for introducing particular
subjects. If such a precaution was necessary to
ordinary times, it was especially necessary on the
present occasion ; because, if he might be allowed
to say so, the whole ground was now covered with
gunpowder, and every man who let an incautious
spark fall upon it might cause a blaze which no one
could stop. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) There-
fore he would make no remarks that could have
any such tendency ; but he might be allowed to
say that, holding a public position connected with
the county, he felt deeply grateful for the kind
manner in which he had been received by men
holding different opinions, knowing as he did that
Englishmen, whether they agreed with a man
or differed from him, always gave him credit
for acting honestly, and trying to do his duty
to the best of his power and ability when they
met him on social occasions. The labour, and
difficulty, and anxiety attending some public
situations were only known to those who occupied
them, but he could honestly say that the best re-
ward which they received was that feeling of kind-
ness which was evinced by all classes of their fellow
countrymen when they presented themselves on ac-
casions like the present. (Cheers.) He might just
be allowed to refer to the subject of the cattle
plague, from which the country was now happily
free, and from which he hoped it would continue to
remain free. (Cheers.) Although some alarm had
been created, and he was afraid there would still
be alarms, and even more than alarms, from the
other side of the water, yet he should hope that the
vigilance of those to whom such matters were in-
trusted, to whatever school of politics they might
belong, would he sufficiently alive to the danger of
being liable to the infliction to a-viich the country
was subject a few years ago. (Cheers.) No doubt
there were some things which no human projects
could stop, but he believed that if proper vigilance
was exercised that great curse would to a consider-
able extent, if not entirely, be prevented from com-
ing among us. (Cheers.) A gap of a hundred years
had occurred before the last visitation, and he hoped
another hundred years would elapse before we
should be again afflicted with another visitation of
that calamity. (Cheers.)
Col. NORTH, who was also received with great
cordiality, observed that the greatest reward a public
man could receive was the approbation of those
he had the honour of representing. Reference
had been made to his services with regard to the
army. No one was more anxious than himself that
the country should be put to no unreasonable ex-
pense, and every one must admit that during the last
year or two there had been a great increase in the
comfort and happiness of the soldier, and he believed
there was no one who did not approve the addi-
tional outlay uhich had been made. (Cheers.) Not
only had there been an increase in the efficiency of
the army, but the change which had occurred had
been the means of inducing men of a superior class
to enter the ranks of the army. (Cheers.) That
was a source of great pleasure and satisfaction to all
classes. His right hon. colleague had referred to
the custom of excluding all political and religious
topics from gatherings like the present, and he was
quite sure that a wiser rule could not exist. Meet-
ings like the present included men of all-shades of
political opinion and men of all religions, and it
was a source of pleasure to all to meet on neutral
ground without any feeling of anxiety respecting
differences of opinion. (Cheers.)
Colonel FANE, who was loudly cheered, observed
that the noble chairman had been pleased to say,
without any foundation, at least so far as he
(Colonel Fane) was concerned, that this might be
one of the last occasions on which he would have
the opportunicy of speaking as one of the repre-
sentatives of the country. He thanked his
friends for the very flattering manner in which
he had been received, which was a proof that
during the short time he had been in Parliament
he had acted up to the principles which he
had always professed to the best of his power
and ability. (Cheers.) He did not think any
man had yet heard him say that he meant to re-
sign. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) What he
had seen in the newspapers had struck him with
astonishment. He had observed a paragraph in
the Standard to the effect that Colonel Fane was
about to resign in favour of Mr. Cartwright, and
that three-fourths of the county were delighted at
it. lie perhaps might be going to resign, but still
he would appeal to all present whether three-fourths
of the county would be glad of his retirement.
(Cries of "N0,n0.") lie shoutd be exceedingly sorry
to disturb the peace of the county, and put his
friends to any inconvenience, by standing in the hope
of getting in at the sacrifice of one of the present
members. It was far from his intention to do so.
He thanked all present for the manner in which they
had supported liul, and he thanked those who haduot