The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-16 00:00:00

LORD ASHBURTON.

RECEPTION OF HIS LORDSHIP AT
BOSTON.
(From the Boston Atlas.)
His Excellency Lord Ashburton, the Minister
Plenipotentiary from England, who has recently been
so honourably instrumental in cementing the bonds
of peace between that country and these United
States, was received with great enthusiasm by the
citizens of Boston on Saturday last. His Lordship
having accepted the invitation to meet our citizens in
Faneuil-hall, the Mayor, the Board of Aldermen, the
members of the Common Council, and the officers of
the city Government, assembled in the hall at half-
past eleven o'clock. The doors were at once thrown
open, and in a 'very brief space of time the floor of the
hail, together with the extensive galleries, was com-
pletely filled with an intelligent and respectable body
of citizens, who came spontaneously to pay their
grateful,respeets to a distinguished foreigner, who had
visited our country for so noble a purpose, and whose
efforts in the cause of peace have been so pre-emi-
nently successful. When it is considered that the
meeting was announced for the hour of twelve on Sa-
turday, among our population the busiest hour of the
busiest day in the week, the dense crowd which filled
the hall is certainly evincive of the high estimation
in which, the character and services of Lord Ashbur-

ten are held by the people of Boston.
At twelve o'clock Lord Ashburton entered the hall,
accompanied by Lord J. Hay, Mr. Grattan,-ohe Bri- I
tish Consul, by Colonel Perkins, Hon. H. G. Otis,
Hon. A. Lawrence, and other distinguished citizens.
Mr. Grattan formally introduced his Lordship to Mr.
Chapman, the Mayor, who at once conducted him to
the rostrum, and presented him to the assembly of
the people. Old Faneuil resounded with the most
enthusiastic and heartfelt applause. The Ambassador
of peace was greeted by the well-deservei acclama-
tions of freemen. It was not the homage of vassals,
bowing down before the tinsel and the trappings of
nobility. It was no hollow compliment, paid to his
Lordship's rank or his wealth. It NVLIS the spontane-
ous tribute of the citizens of a free republic to the
noble qualities of his head and heart—qualities which
had led him, in the evening of his life, to forego the
comforts and indulgences of his home, and to visit a
foreign land, for the beneficent and magnanimous
purpose of averting the horrors of impending war, and
preserving the relations of peace between two great
nations, one of which was his own country, and the
other bearing towards that country kindred connexions
and a kindred origin. After the applause had sub-
skied the Hon. J. Chapman, Mayor of the city, ad-
dressed Lord Ashburton and the people assembled as

follows :
" Your Excellency,—lt is my privilege, Sir, on
this occasion, in common with ray associates in the
city Government, to represent the city of Boston, and
in its behalf, to speak the warm and hearty welcome
with which you are greeted here.
"We welcome you, Sir, as the representative of
your country, and not yours only, but, in a near sense,
our own ; for so long as there is a tie to link a child
to its parent, America will not forget that England is
her mother. We partake in the honourable pride
which must thrill your bosom at the recollection of
her glorious history ; and, though the past only is
common to us, we would yet pay, through you, a tri-
bute of respect to the illustrious Queen on whose
friendly errand you have come. Long may she live
to preside, like a peaceful star, over the friendly alli-
erase which now unites our two countries.
" We welcome you, therefore, in an especial man-
ner, on this occasion, as the friend of peace. We ac-
knowledge, with great joy, that through your instru-
mentality, in no small degree, the clouds of discord
which• lowered over two great nations, have been hap-
pily dispersed, and that they who boast a common
lineage, and speak a common language, shall hence-
forth know no rivalry but that of friends.
We rejoice at this, Sir, for the great benefits
which -both nations must receive. But we glory in it
most for the principle which has been established, and
for the noble example which it exhibits to the world.
shows-that nations do not stoop when they submit
their differences to reason instead of passion. Yes,
Sir, you have helped to teach the glorious lesson,
that there are other and better guardians of a nation's
honour than the sword, and that in the sight of man,
as well as God, there is a loftier dignity in a noble,
magnaniMous, and Christian spirit, than in the proud-
est array of hostile armies or navies.
" And we welcome you personally, Sir. We delight
to know that your distinguished rank is the just re-
ward of a long life of activity, intelligence, and
virtue. And we pray that that old age may be se-
rene and happy which has sprung, with the alacrity
of youth, at the call of its country and in the cause of
humanity.
" We offer to you, Sir, the hospitalities of our city.
We have not the custom of tendering what is called
the freedom of the city in a golden box, but we proffer
you that which, if I understand you aright, you will
-prize far higher. In republican simplicity, we tender
you the respect and gratitude of a free people.
" With these feelings, Sir, permit me to present to
you the citizens of loston. And, fellow-citizens,
pnrrnit me, in turn, to introduce to you the Right Hon.
Lord' Ashburton, the representative of England ;• the
friend '6f peace; the Man—ennobled indeed by
,title,
but far More ennobled as a benefactor of nations."
'Lund ASHBURTON then replied to the Mayor's
address as follows :—" Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, •
it -will be difficult for me to make myself heard
in this vast assembly, but I am most happy to have
the opportunity of greeting so goodly a number of
American citizens in this free State ; it gives me es-
pecial satisfaction to announce that the important ne-
gotiation to effect which I came to the United States
kis been satisfactorily adjusted, and assuredly, noplace
is *more fit for the announcement of the settlement
of the Boundary question than the old Cradle of
Liberty.—(Applause.) For here in this hallowed
spot • 1 behold the dawning of still brighter days for
this great country and for the world. It is with feel-
inna which. I believe to actuate every lover of uni-
versal peace and good-will to men that I meet the
people of Boston on the present occasion. A long
contested and unhappy dispute between this nation
and the mother country has been finally closed on
grounds honourable and satisfactory to both parties,
and on terms calculated to allay any animosity that
may have existed in the breast of any American
citizen towards the country which I have the honour
represent.—(Applause.) It was my happiness to
find in your distinguished fellow-citizen, Mr. -Web-
ster, a celebrated statesman, who, while he maintained
the honour, and contended for the rights of his own
country, was not insensible to the great interests con-
stacted with the peace of the world ; and, Gentlemen,
it'has been my good fortune to arrange the important
negotiation which brought me to your free and happy
eauntry in a manner most agreeable to me, and such
as I humbly trust will prove satisfactory and bene-
-fidial to all.—(Applause.) I am now about to re-
itlrn to my home, for the purpose of laying before
nTti• Sovereign and fellow-countrymen the happy issue to
N.:ilia the negotiations have been brought, and I now
fervently trust that the cordial good feeling which
ex-ists between England and America will be che-
rished. by this great people to the remotest gene-
ration.—(Loud applause.) And, I assure you, it
shall he my earnest endeavour, so far as is consistent
with the honour and rights of my own country, to
aantribute to their being reciprocated.—(Great ap-
p!ause.) I trust the citizens of Boston will accept
the. expression of my gratitude, and believe that I
have not been insensible to the friendly feeling which
ham. been so cordially manifested towards me during
Inv short residence among them. It is now some-
thing like half a century since I first visited this city,
aailfrom that day to the present hour I have regarded
the progress of the arts, of science, and of free prin-
ciples among aou with the most lively interest.
When I arvi've-d- in .your country at this advanced
period a my life, I felt that a great responsibility was
Ling re upon me ; . but the labour I had to perform is
accomplished, and I can
now return to England, and
to my kindred, with
the pleasing recollection of your
kitaineja to me, and with
the fullest assurance that
every obstacle will be removedo_erfi h
stnicted the two most p iwnaich has
nations on thehithlobe
erto •ob-
frein indulging their kind anTd
natural
sympathies.
aeda each other, and exerting their influence for the
g td-
w
amelioration of the human race and
the advancement
of:. free principles and equal gaits.—(Applause.)
Most devoutly do I hope that a wise i
liberal policy
may be adopted by all nations, and lthat enlightened
statesmen and legislators may enact such laws as may
secure justice to all, and thereby extend the blessings
oLcivil and religious liberty throughout the world"
—(Loud and continued cheering.) His Lordship
eor.cluded by thanking his Honour, the Mayor, for
the flattering manner in which he had introduced him
to iche, assembly, and for the kind and considerate at-
tentions he had received on the part of the Common
Council and the citizens generally.
This speech was received with great satisfaction,
and frequently interrupted by bursts of applause.
After it was concluded, a very large number of our
••ittzeranwere introduced, individually, to Lord Ash-
bu4acni, and had the pleasure to shake him by the
liand---the introduction being made by the Mayor. A
inr.f
.ejoint Committee of the Massachusetts Legisla-
t=o—v,:hich Committee is now in session in this city,
for-the purpose of preparing a plan for districting the
Staae—waited upon the Ambassador, preceded by the
Sergeant-at-Arms and accompanied by various officers
of the Commonwealth. The Hon. William J. Hub-
-bard, Chairman of the Committee, made a short but
?appropriate address in their behalf, which was re-
spcmded to by Lord' Ashburton, and soon after our
distinguished guest left the Hall amidst the continued
differs of the people.
Lord Ashburton dined on Saturday afternoon with
a private party of gentlemen at the residence of the
Hon. Abbott Lawrence. Yesterday he attended.
Divine service at Trinity Church, and, in the after-
noon, dined at Nahant, with Mr. Grattan. lie will
leave this city this morning for Springfield, by the