The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-27 00:00:00

GRAND ENTERTAINMENT at the
MANSION-HOUSE to the JUDGES, &c.

On Saturday a most splendid entertainment was
given by the Lord Mayor to the Judges and other
distinguished persons. His Lordship and the Lady
Mayoress had between 170 and 180 guests upon the
occasion, and, as has been the custom all through the
present mayoralty, a great number of ladies graced
the festive board. The banquet was set out in the
Egyptian Hall, in a style of remarkable magnificence,
and consisted of every delicacy which the season pro-
duced. It is necessary to observe, tliat the dinner to
the Judges has been generally limited to a number of
guests, seldom exceeding 50, and that the Lord
Mayor determined to do honour to the bench and the
bar by very largely extending the invitations.
Amongst the company were the Lord Chief Justice
of the Queen's Bench, the Lord Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas, Sir F. Pollock, Lord Chief Baron ;
Mr. Justice Patteson, Mr. Justice Coleridge, Mr.
Justice Wightman, Mr. Justice Cresswell, Mr. Baron
Alderson, Mr. Baron Gurney, Mr. Baron Rolfe, Mr.
Banks, M.P., Cursitor Baron ; Sergeants Manning,
Halcombe, Channell, Shee, Glover, Gazelee, Murphy,
Dowling, Clarke, and Byles; Mr. Masterman, M.P.,
Sir J. Easthope, Bart., M.P., General Gardiner, Mr.
F. Kelly, M.P., Sir H. Dymock, Bart. (Champion of
England); Sir F. Booth, Bart., Aldermen Sir C. S.
Hunter, Bart., Brown, Sir J. Key, Bart., Sir P.
Laurie, Fairbrother, Copeland, Sir C. Marshall, and
Humphery ; the Recorder of London, &c.
The LORD MAYoa rose to propose " The health of
her Most Grabious Majesty the Queen," a name, he
said, respected, not only on account of the distin-
guished position of her who owned it, but on account
of the numerous exalted virtues which adorned her
mind, and gave additional elevation to her station,
and her anxiety at all times to advance the welfare
and happiness of the nation.—(Loud cheers.)
" Prince Albert," and " The Queen Dowager,"
were also proposed by his Lordship, and the toasts
were received by the company with loud acclama-
tions.

The Loan MAYOR then rose to propose "Lord
Denman, the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's
Bench, and the rest of the Judges of the land." He
was, he declared, proud to see these eminent per-
sonages at the Civic table, in conformity with the
good old practice which permitted the Chief Magis-
trate of the City of London to enjoy the high dis-
tinction of paying to the great legal characters of the
kingdom the honour due to them ; and he might say
with confidence, that never, upon any occasion, had
the Bench been more ably filled than it was at the
present day.—(Loud cheers.)
Lord DENMAN, in returning thanks for the honour
done him and his learned brothers, said he was free to
admit that while they were directed to the discharge of
their important duties by higher and nobler motives,
they could not but feel that they were rewarded in
their exertions to administcrjustice by the high esti-
mation in which the public were in the habit of re-
ceiving and acknowledging their services. The hospi-
talities of the Mansion-house were most liberally ex-
tended to all without distinction of classes or opinions;
and it was a most gratifying circumstance to
observe that the first magistrate of the first
city in the world was always ready to j us-
tify the high reputation from which the citizens,
time immemorial, had enjoyed, and to which they were
so fully entitled.—(Cheers.) Lord Denman then pro-
posed " The health of the Lord Mayor." The gen-
tleman who at present filled that high office had ex-
erted himself to deserve, as he was sure the Lord
Mayor would receive, the permanent good opinion of
his fellow-citizens, for he maintained his eminent po-
sition in a manner which reflected the greatest credit
upon the office, and had gone further to secure the
approbation of his friends by every other means of
which he had the opportunity to avail himself.—
(Cheers.) Having been many years connected with
the corporation of London, he had been present upon
many similar occasions, but he had never witnessed
any festival which gave him more gratification than
that to which he was at that moment bearing sincere
and hearty evidence.
The LORD MAYOR returned thanks, and proposed
the "English Bar," and remarked that the people of
this country were largely indebted to the independence
and honour of the profession for the pure administration
of justice, which was the pride and boast of the coun-
try under which we live.
Sergeant MANNING, on behalf of himself and his
professional brethren, returned thanks for a compli li
-
ment which he trusted and believed they would al-
ways be found endeavouring to deserve. For five cen-
turies the sergeants-at-law had been accustomed to
partake of the hospitalities of the Mansion-house, and
he hoped that the good old custom would last for five
centuries longer—that his Lordship might enjoy the
pleasure of entertaining that learned body, and that he
(Sergeant Manning) might be present to partake of
the social cheer.—(Great laughter and applause.)
The Loan MAYOR proposed " The House of Com-
mons," and with that toast coupled the name of Mr.
Fitzroy Kelly, M.P.
Mr. F. KELLY' in returning thanks, said he re-
gretted that his Lordship had not joined to such a
toast the name of some older and abler Member of
the House of Commons, by many of whom he was
surrounded. He trusted that the House of Commons
would ever be found promoting and advancing all
those measures which had for their object the honour
and interests of the country. The two greatest bodies
of the nation were the House of Commons and the
City of :London embracing the wealth, intelligence,
and commerce of the country—(Cheers)—and he felt
satisfied that the House of Commons would always
concur in protecting the Corporation in the enjoy-
ment of those privileges which rightly exercised re- '
dounded to the credit and glory of London.—(Cheers.)
The Loan MAYOR proposed " Mr. Masterman;
M.P., and the Representatives of the City of London.
Mr. MASTERMAN, M.P., stated that he felt highly
honoured by the manner in which his and his col-
leagues' names were received by the distinguished
company. They all, however they might differ in
political opinion, had in view the good of those whom
they represented, and he entertained a confident belief
that they would make every effort to secure them-
selves the approbation of the people of this great City.
The LORD CuiEr JUSTICE of the Common Pleas
rose to propose the health of the Lady Mayoress,
whose urbanity of manners had given a zest to the
entertainment, and added a social and friendly feeling
to the splendour of the scene.—(Loud cheers.)
The health of the Lady Mayoress was drunk amidst
acclamation.
The Loan MAYOR returned thanks for her Lady-
ship, and assured the company that it afforded high
satisfaction to the Lady Miyoress that those who
were engaged in conducting such important affairs