Star.
London, England, 1825-11-21 00:00:00

ss not an ambitious man, seeking after pia?e, rank, or
no, he trusted, if he knew himself, no man
Viuld ever see him occupy a situation from such un-
Orhy na AccusAtions had been often made
ainst him—he dared them to proof—but they had
:ne, and he trusted never would possess any. For the
alkei kindness sbewn him that night, he could only
.anise continued ekertion on his part ; and he should
all times be ready to forward the interests of Scut-
nd ; as he considered himself not a representative for
particular burgh, or set of burghs, but for the whole
s,abitants of his native land—(Applause). Such dis-
;ncon as he had this day received would rouse him to
louble his efforts, and—if ever they should meet
ain, he would meet thtm, he trusted, as he had now
with clean hands. Such an assemblage as he
t.t3 lot ked upon, was to him, as it must be to every
al who stood in his situation, highly gratifying. He
red eardon for having detained them so long, but
rerited, that the flattFting approbation which his
1;...c act, had met with, would be a stimulus for the
ot•adance of his exertions in Parliament, where, he
rotel,Le would ever act from principle.
*Jiving concluded his speech, which was much applauded,
as a toast," Prosperity to the City of Edinburgh."
neCnatatuas next pioposed " The immortal me-
-lory of Charles James Fes." Mr. Flutousnx, the
proposed u The health of Sir Henry M -ncrieff,
rlj pro perity to the Church of Scotland."
Mr. JAMES MONCRIEFF returned thanks on behalf of
whet, and proposed Catholic Emancipation, and
removal of all religious disabilities."
Mr. CUNYNallAiiili said he rose to propose the hoaltli
a distinguished individual now at the head of the
:rinds of tare:dom in the British Parliament, and whose
ettiois have signalised hrn in every (loaner, and
;,kiititied him
.with ever.), question in whi h the interests
rf mankind were concecited. The Meeting would be
,:co loss to anticipate that the individual he meant
ta, Ir. Brougham—(Great applause)--abo bad dedi-
tAtid his splendid t tents to the cause of education. -Ile
Fqoseti " The health of Mr. Brougham, artd thecause
2tir.er al education."—(Three time, three and great
;101au.e).
Mt.Yrita Mown proposed, " The Indeoentient Burgh which
reaust4l Mt. flume to Parliament."

31r. ihras, in returning thanks, said he hoped in another Par-
Elmout hr 511....111 still be 11l ember for Montrose. IL then, pre-
tansy to a toaq be had to propose, eulogized the Pre "Na
rej"" k S. id, " are inure important for securing the liberties of
vsehr,l, than the freedom of the Press—(Much clieering.)—
T.;.•::•1, the freedom of the Nest, all the misdeeds which power
• conceal, are made known—all change of sviniment or pro-
• es, which might take place in any order of society was in-
Indy communicated to every part of the country." Mr. Hume
csuclustes: by proposing " The Liberty of the Press."
Mr. JEFFULY, in rising to propose a toast, said, that
ithough the subject of it had been glanced at by two of
teGeldettien who had preceded him, he could not with
pinkie abstain from adverting to it a little snore mi-
serly. as it was deeply important in itself, and in-
timately connected with the purpose of the present meet-
i.g. Ile alluded to the repeal of the Combination Laws,
Ilia had been effected chiefly by the exertions of the
Gentleman who sat on the right-hand of the Chair.
Lis subject derived its interest partly from the nature
tithe laws which had been repealed, and partly from
tie mischievous combinations which had resulted—
iwikatally, and in part, but not legitimately, from
Snit repeal. The laws to which. he referred bad long
• a blot on the Statute-Book of tke realm, and were
:pealed after the fullest enquiry •in Parliament, with-
out iiiposition, and without dissent (tom any quarter.
et itself was no slight proof of the barbarous clia-
rater,f those statutes. Their repeal was the re•ult of
laborious enquiries by a Committ.e of Parliament, in
shith alarge body of master manulactuters alai others,
who might be supposed to be chiefly interested in per-
retuning the abuse, had been examined; and it watt a
irmaikable circumstance, that out of about a hundred
persons win) had been examined with the view,
perhaps, of propping op the evil, only six or seven
lid been favourable to their continuance, while all
tile rest were decisively hostile to their existence.—
Those minims, besides other pernicious qualities, had
a bighted spit it, which tended more. perhaps, by gene-
rating feelings of jealousy and distrust among the opt-
utiies, than by any positive and direct operation, is
Crewing the nature of their labour, to produce that
tf.,cord and animosity between them and their em-.
[icyers, which was utterly destructive of that kindness
and co-operation which was essential to the prosperity
s: all. He did not believe that, in general, the effect of
any arrangements amr,ng the masters tended materially
to depress the rate of wages below the proper level.—
'the chief mischief connected with them was the ran-
emus feeling which was engendered among the la-
hoiein4 classes, by denying to them this privilege of
'milady adopting measures for protecting their ih-
terests. This led them to form secret cabals and
combinations, in which they acquired habits and
leeluigs which reduced them almost to the condi-
tien of desperate outlaws. The abolition of such sta-
iotes wits therefore one of the proudest triumphs of
the many triumphs which Mr. Hume had won. But
the abolition had been effected only a few short
months, when, unfortunately, a fearful and diabolical
s-t of combinations arose throughout the country.
nese started up, unhappily in point of time, no doubt
as legal-tied the genuine merits of-the abolition, but still
Lot materially: Every one in any degree acquainted
itith human nature must be aware, that the entire re-
niuval of restrictions, which had long galled a numerous
class of such persons, could scarcely fail to produce
some commotion among them. He was inclined, with
the Gentleman who had already alluded to the subject,
to ascribe much of this to ignorance, misrepresentation,
and to that dark course of secret intrigue in which they
had been trained, which had been engendered under
the taws which fettered them from seeking a legal re-
medy for their grievances in the face of day—and the
seeds and germs of which could only be exterminated
by the utter abolition of the restrictive laws. He had
no doubt that every right thinking person would asst ibe
hex unfortunate irregularities to these causes, and not
to the measure of abolition, which only became mere
imperatively necessary from the nature of the combi-
11:4tonsi derived chiefly frorri the abolished restrictions.
the worst and most disgusting feature, however, of
these combinations was the gross inconsistency of the
infatuated men who embarked in them. They were
trot satisfied with the freedom which had been marked
out for them by the distinguished individual who was
now present. They aimed at the establishment of the
gros,est ~nd most hideous tyranny that can be imagined,
wheel sme ol thole very principles of liberty which the
gislature, in its wisdom and benignity, had awarded to
them Not contented with the freedom to carry their own
industry and skill to the best market they could
which they had thus obtained, these misguided' men
Lad dared to deny to others that liberty which they