The Sun.
London, England, 1821-09-03 00:00:00

not by the swords of a foreign enemy, hut by the I
hands of their own countrymen, whilst discharg-
ing a lawful and zrecessary dUtr, with order, tem-
per, and fidelity. It is time that injustice should
be repressed, and merit recoMpensed. And
what can be a more satisfactory acknowledgment
of injustice having been committed, than a
Public Subscription for the remuneration of those
who have been its object ? Under every point of
view, therefore, 'the present measure is entitled
to the warmest commendation. It is not one of
mere liberality. It is a solemn testimonial, not
of national gratitude alone, hut of the worth of
the brave men on whom it is bestowed. It vin-
dicates their character at once from all the foul
aspersions cast upon it by dastards, who only
dared to assail them, because they presumed on
their heroic self-command and moderation.—
Should Radicalism survive the present era, it
will enable future historians to repel the charges
of future calumniators. They will appeal to this
subscription as to a monument which cannot de-
ceive, and which points out• the real feelings of
the country, at the time when the warriors of
Waterloo bore patiently for hours the insults
and murderous assaults of infuriated multitudes.

PRESENTATION" of a PIECE of PLATE
To E. J. LITTLETON, ESQ.

[FROM THE WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE.I

Ott Thursday the 23d ult. a numerous and
most respectable body of the Coal and Irqn-
masters of this town and neighbourhood met,at
the Lion Inn, in this place, to present their
worthy and respected County Representative,
EDWARD JOHN LITTLETON, Esq. with a piece.of
plate, as a token of their approbation of his
general conduct in Parliament, and more particu-
larly of his indefatigable exertions in protecting
this town and its extensive interests in the coal
and iron trades, from a proposed tax on inland
coal; a measure which, if carried into effect,
would most probably have ruined the important
manufacturing interests of Wolverhampton, Wal-
sall, Stourbridge, Dudley, Westbromwich, Bil-
ston, and Wednesbury, with their surrounding
connections, and have involved in its consequences
millions of property. The piece of plate was
got up for the occasion by Messrs. Makeplace
and Co. Serle-street, Lincoln's-Inn, London, and
reflects the highest credit on the skill and taste
of its manufacturers. It is a Plateau, nine feet
long and two broad. Its value is estimated at
500/. and on the centre part is engraved the fol-
lowing inscription, and the arms of Mr. LITTLE-
TON :

" Presented by the Coal and Iron Masters of the South
'Western District of the County of Stafford, to EDWARD
JOHN LITTLETON, Esq. in Testimony of their un-
feigned Respect, Esteem, and Gratitude for his judicious,
zealous, and indefatigable Exertions in frustrating an
Attempt to impose a Tax upon Inland Coal.—Anno Do-
mini, 1821."

About four o'clock Mr. LITTLETON arrived,
and was ushered into a large room, where the
plate was placed for the purpose of presenting,
and where the Committee appointed for the oc-
casion were waiting, when Tilos. Paice, Esq. to
whom was delegated the honour of addressing
Mr. LITTLETON, Spoke as follows :

" Mr. Littleton, the Coal and Iron-masters, and others
interested in the mineral property of the South-western district
of the County, have conferred upon me the honour of deputing
me to express to you, Sir, their grateful sense of the eminent
services you have rendered them on various and important oc-
casions. The zeal and activity which you have ever displayed
in sustaining and promoting the interests of the iron and coal
trades, and consequently the manufacturing interests of the
country at large ; and the judgment and ability with which your
exertions have been supported, have excited in their minds feel-
ings;of the most cordial and sincere gratitude. On a late occasion,
when the country was threatened with a tax upon inland coal,
and that threat was upheld by powerful and extensive influence %
it was owing to your judicious and spirited conduct, that the"
attempt was frustrated. Those Gentlemen with whom I had
the pleasure to act in a committee to oppose the tax, will bear
the most conclusive testimony, that, but for your unwearied ex-
ertions--your unceasing activity—we should at this time have
been suffering the ruinous consequences ofa tax on coal. You,
Sir, took up our cause with your accustomed promptitude, vi-
gour, and decision ; you indentified yourself with our interest,
you lost no opportunity of supporting it in opposition to this de-
structive measure; in the House of Commons, and out of it,
at all times, and in all places where an opportunity presented
itself, you left no means untried, no argument unused ; you
never tor a moment lost sight of our cause, until you brought
it to a successful termination. It was natural, Sir, that the per-
sons who had derived such immediate and solid advantages
from your exertions, should be solicitous to exhibit some testi-
mony of their gratitude, which would continue beyond the pass-
ing moment, and I am charged by the body of individuals I
have before mentioned to express their warmest thanks for your
kind consent to accept this mark of their respect, their es-
teem and gr4itude ; and their most ardent ardent wish, that it
may long descend in your family to future generations, and
that your posterity and ours may always look upon it as a bond
of union, and a pledge of those sentiments which mutually exist
between us at the present day.—l am not, Sir, to apologize for
the trifling intrinsic value of this article ; we never contemplat-
ed a present which on that ground could be worth your notice ;
but we know that in accepting this humble offering, you will
value it for the sake of the sentiments it is intended to record."

Mr. LIT TLET or.; said, he feared it would be utterly out
of his power to do justice to his feelings on this occasion.—
The indulgent manner in which the Gentlemen of the Coal and
Iron Trades had at all times been pleased to receive his hum-
ble exertions in forwarding their views, had itself been a reward
far more than commensurate with his services. Could he have
desired any further proof of their kind disposition, his wish
must have been fully satisfied by the flattering terms in which
Mr. Price had addressed him. But never for a moment could
lie have conceived that services so humble as his, would have
been ckemed worthy of so costly and splendid a token of their
approbation. He was aware that to them, as a body, it mat-
tered little who were their representatives ; but it mattered
much that their interests should be fairly appreciated, and
disinterestedly and industriously attended to. There were
many gentlemen in Staffordshire who might employ greater
abilities in their service, but this much he might honestly say
for himself, there did not exist the individual whose mind was
more thoroughly impressed with the necessity of supporting,
by the utmost vigilance and attention, the great manufacturing
and commercial establishments of the County, or wha, from a
conviction of their importance to the first interests of society,
and the state, would make greater sacrifices to promote them
than himself. It was only to their having gathered that convic-
tion from the tenor of his conduct while he had had the honour
to represent them, that he could venture to ascribe his good
fortune in now addressing them. With respect to the combi-
nation which had been thrilled some time ago by the coasting
counties, the City of London, and some of the large coal pro-
prietors in the north of England, for the purpose of inducing
the Government to equalise the duties on coal, he had only the
merit of having endeavoured to act up to their intentions ;
though he confessed that he shared their alarm, when he re-
flected on the number and power of those who were interested
in effecting the change—on the plausibility of their arguments
—tin the backwardness of the Government to declare that it
did not itself entertain any intention of proposing such a mea-
sure—especially on its still greater reluctance to announce a
determination to oppose such a project, if brought forward by
others. Their backwardness on this point, together with the
knowledge they had that three millions of new taxes were
about to be proposed, called for all the exertion which the
inland trade made on that occasion. if he offered them no
pledges for the regulation of his future conduct, it was only be-
cause he knew they would be as averse to receive them as he
would be to make them. Where an individual was unknown,
professions were entitled to little regard ; where he was known,
they were unnecessary. He feared he had but ill succeeded in
expressing,in,the language he could have desired, his sense of
the signal honour that day conferred upon him ; but lie begged
them to be assured that he accepted this magnificent token
of their esteem, • with the deepest emotions of pride and gra-
titude.

Soon after five dinner was announced, and dis-
played every thing which could gratify the taste
or delight the appetite. The viands were pro-
fuse, and the wines were choice and of the finest
quality. Many of the neighbouring Gentry,
Magistrates and Clergy, were invited to partake
of this splendid entertainment. Thomas Price,
Esq. presided in the chair, which he supp.orted
with great spirit and hilarity, and the evening
passed away amidst toasts and sentiments which
elicited shouts of approbation from one of the
most respectable public meetings ever known
here. A more gratifying or interesting spectacle
could rarely be presented than this—of behold-
ing the representative of a great and opulent
county receiving the grateful and well-earned
thanks of a most respectable and distinguished
body of his constituents ; and it is difficult, per-
haps, to ascertain whether the emotions arising
upon such an occasion could be most satisfactory
to him who had the proud honour of receiving
such a noble mark of their esteem, or to those
whose gratitude and kindness prompted and con-
ferred such a splendid and generous proof of
their public and private approbation.