Star.
London, England, 1827-05-29 00:00:00

PITT CLUB.

•
isitberolis Meeting of the highly r
Members of the Pitt Club held their Ai
Meeting yesterday at the City of London
Among the Members we noticed-1.6

The Duke of Newcastle
The Duke of Wellington
T►e Marquis of Salisbury
The Marquis of Duoegal
The Earl of Harewoud
The Earl of Eldon
The Earl of Farnham
The Earl of Falmouth
The Earl a Westmorland
The Earl Bathurst
The Earl of Wiechelsea
The Earl blanvers

Sir Murray Maxwell
Major Peel. M.P.
tier %litc.am, Esq.
,Lawrence Peel, Seq. M.P.
The Hon. H. Dundee; M.P.
Colonel Wood, M.P.
-.W. E. Tomlin', Esq. M.P.
Captain G. Piu Rose, M.P.
Al. Maxwell, Esq. M.P.
T. Alcock, Esq. M.P.
Wilbraham Egerton, Esq. MX
T. 'Greene, Esq.M.P.

Lord Rolle
Lord Kenyon
Marquis of Blandford
J.ord Apeley, M.P.
Lord Downes, M.l'.
Lord Florham, M.P.
Lord Castlereagh, M.P.
Sir J. Bart.
• J.

Mr. Sheriff Parebrother
Mr. Sheriff Winchester
M. Bell, Esq..M.P.
Captain Bastard, R.N. M.P.
Hun. W. L. Bathurst
Captain hluudy, M.P.
W. R. Cartwright, Esq. M.P.
E,q• M.P.
M. N'

J. Gibbons,
Sir J. 1). Astley, Bart. M.P.
Sir J. Chetworle, Batt.
Sir Charles Flower, Ban.
Sir Rich. Vysyan, Bart. M.P.
Sir C. A. Hastings, Ban. M.P.
Sir G. H. Smyth, Bart. M.P.
Sir J. G. Cottereil, Bart. 31 P.
Sir Edw. Knatchbull,Bart.M.r.
Sri T. B. Lethbridge, Bart. M.P.
Sir H. Harclinse, K.C.B.
R. Hon. Sir G. H.Rose.G.C. B.
Rt. Hon. R. Peel, M.P.
lit. Hon. C. Arbuthnot, M.P.
Rt. Hon. T. Wallace, NI.P.
Sir C. Wetherell, M. P.

J. H. Strott,
Lisut. Gen. So.
E.C.B. M.
J. J. Busion Esq: M.P.
K B. Wilbrson,'F.sq. M.P.
H. S. NortbeotevEisq. ALP.'
H. B. Cooper. Esq. M.F..
The Hum W. Dumont*, M.P.
W. Y. Peel, Esq. M.P.
G. It- thwson, Esq. ALP.
G. Bankes, Esq. M.P.
Sir J. B. Gross:Au
-The llou. Lloyd Keeyors
B. A. Bands, Emq.
Colonel Trench, 11.1. P.

t. M.-
Nightingale,

The Hon: o.lOnel Wodeknuae

Genera Peachy, M.P.

H. Banker, lisq. M.P.

Sir T. Goods took the Chair precisely at *even o'clock.—The
cloth having been removed, " Non 'Maks Mistime" was sung by
-the professional Penziemen present.
The CHAIRMAN then proposes! " the health of his Majesty,"
which was arm* with much erithusialm by three times three.
°' GOD save the King" was then sung—when the singers tame to
that line which runs—.

'• Frustrate their knavish tricks,"
their voices were completely drowned in the deafening applause of
the company.
Sir TUONAS then proposed " the puked Clarence, and the rest
'of the Royal Family," which -was drunk with three times three
and followed by the glee of " hail ! Star of Brunswick !"
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said—Gentlemen,-the
neat toast which I have to propose, is most appropriate
to Vie object of our meeting this evening. When I see
around me the talent, the aristocracy, the landed inte-
rest and commercial wealth of the country, I cannot. but
feel aweJ in • addressing such an assembly. These,
Gentlemen, are difficult times in which we live. It may
be, that I cannot address you without stating particu-
lars what may offend the feelings of individuals; but
such important events have lately taken place, that,
though conscious of my insufficieacy, I cannot resist
the temptation of making on them a few observa-
tions. Is it possible for me to look to the right or to
the left without seeing on one side of me a Noble
Lord, than whoa no one counsellor ever stood near
his Majesty of more ability—(lmmense cheering.) Let
me guard against the imputation of flattery ; but though
I will not flatter, 1 must speak the truth, in which the
whole country will agree with me. I repeat, there.
fore, that there never was a Minister of more talent, in-
dustry, and integrity, or more firmly attached to the
principles of Mr. Pitt, than my Noble Friend, the E srl
of Eldon.—(Cheers.)—lf I turn to the other side, whom
du I see there? The greatest Captain.of the age—(ap-
plause)—an illustrious hero, and. equolly distinguished
by heroic deeds in the"field, and manly rectitude in the
Senate. It is impossible to see those distinguished indi•
viduals vilified by the Press, as bigots, and dragged
through the mire of calumny—it is impossible to see
this without horror. I am as much a friend to the Press
m any man, but when we behold such licentiousness, it
is more than Englishmen can bear ; and let not that Press
express any benefit from that conduct ; for, though there
are people who like the treason well enough, they cannot
but hate the traitors. I hope soon to see the day when
the, principles of Mr. Pitt will govern the country ;
they are the only principles which can save the Constitu-
tion in Church and State. But instead of these—an
Administration guided by those principles—we have
now one formed of the most heterogeneous particles,
made up of sweets and sours, composed of a coalition
of conflicting interests. Of the merits of such a coali-
tion I cannot give a clearer illustration than that con-
tained in a speech delivered by Mr. Pitt in his early
days. It was spoken on occasion of the celebrated coa-
lition between Mr. Fix and Lord North; one, by the
bye, from the effects of which those celebrated men
never recovered.

The Hon. Baronet, after reading an extract from Mr. Pitt's
speech on the 24th of March 1783, concluded his address by giving,
" The immortal memory of William Pitt," w►ich was drunk with
immense applause, and three times three.
Song—" Pitt's illustrious name."
Sir THOMAS then gave • The Army and Navy." Song—" Rule
Britannia."

"The House of Brunswick, and may they never forget the prin.
ciples that seated their Family on the Throne of these Realms."
Song—" With a jolly full bottle." The lines—
" Here's a health to old England, the King, and the Chuich,
" May all plotting contrivers be left in the lurch,"
were lordly applauded.
.

The CH niesiAti then said,'Gentlemen, I must trouble
you with a tew words Wore I give out this toast, which
is, “. Protestant Ascendancy." There is no greater friend
to religious freedom than I am ; but Protestant Ascen-
dancy is not oppose.' to religiousfreedom. If Mr. Pitt
himself were alive to-night, and presiding in this chair,
he would drink this toast ; and here I must observe, that

it never has been intended by it to hurt the feelings of
those public characters who, while supporting the gene-
ral principles of Mr. Pitt, may, notwithstanding, think
fit to vote for the Catholic Question. In fact, there is
not one in ten thousand of them, if that question have ten
thousand supporters, that dries not intend, and wish the
continuance of, Protestant Ascendancy,•uninjured, even
after the concession of the Catholic Emancipation. And
while I regret that many have remained away fi om us,
from an impression that the principle of our Meeting
was hostile to their opinions, I am glad to see that we
have to-night recovered some of our lost sheep. I give
you, Gentlemen, " Protestant Ascendancy."—The toast
was drunk enthusiastically with three times three.
The Cu/imolai then gave," May the principles of Mr. Pitt al-
ways animate the Councils of Great Britain!"
The CHAIRMAN.—The next toast, Gentlemen, we
must drink in solemn silence. It is the memisty of one
by whose death the Nation sustained a great and much
deplored loss. I propose " The Memory of the late
Duke of York." The toast was drunk by the Corn-
pany standing, and in the most profound and respect-
ful silence.
The CHAIRMAN said he would then give a toast
which he was sure would meet the warm approbation
of the Meeting—he meant that of the Noble Duke on
is left. That Noble Duke and his late colleagues were
a set of meo who thought it a duty which they owed to

themselves and to their principles to a itbdri.w limit an
gaboiniatietion which they. conic! not support ecmsis,
nkri with iWnse principles. • I call on yoti. Gentlemen,.
Ala Sir' Thomas), and, if I hid a voice kind enough, I
.stould call on the country to declare, could they be
esteemed honest men had they not resigned under such
circumstances?—(Cheers) Would they have merited,
the confidence of the King. or of the country, if they had
not done as they have done? Is it not too much, then, to,
hear the illustrious Duke, and the Noble and Learned'
Earl, and my Right Hon. Friend, charged with dictating
to their Sovereign ?—a Sovereign whom they love, to
whom they. are attached, and for whose honour and
dignity they are ready to sacrifice their dearest interests
—(Great Cheering). These charges are so monstrous,
Gentlemen, that it is time for us to speak out. He who
addresses you is like those noble perssnages, one, who
thinks for himself. and he never thought more sincerely,
than when he now says, that no set of men ever left an,
Administration so consistent, so honourable, so much
respected by the country, as those whose healths he now
proposes to you. Gentlemen, I give you the health of
the Duke of Wellington, with three tines three, or, if
you would rather have it so, with four times four.
The toast was then drunk in the:most enthusiastic manlier.
The Duke of WsuosOron.—Gentlemen. I returns
you my sincere thanks for the honour you have done
me in drinking my health.. It is very true, as stated
by my Hon. Friend, that' am no longer in that active
service of the K ng, in the coarse of which I had the
honour of so often r'criving your approbation. But it
was not the practice of the-great nista wh•ise birth-day
we have met to celebrate, to detail to assemblies of this
kind the reasons and motives which led hide to enter or
quit his M service; aryl, with your permission,
Gentlemen, 1 shall take the libe ty, on this occasion, to
toll iw his example; and a ill not go into detail or expla-
nation of the causes why I am no longer one of his Ma-.
jesty's.Cruncil. This, however, I will say, that my retire-
menu, "
as my Hon. Friend has truly said, did not arise out
of the failure of any contrivance or conspiracy, or to any
of those causes to which it has falsely been attributed ;
and allow me to add, that notwithstanding the calom-
.nies which have been animadvetted on by my Hon.
Friend, I feel my confidence increased from your appro.
baton this night, that those
,misrepresentations have
bad no effect whatever on the minds of my countrymen.
-:—(Great cheering),
The (HAIRMAN.—AIIow sac now to propose the
bea') of a virtuous and able Minister, whose political
demise we all deeply lament—l mean the Earl of
Liverpool.
•
Sung, by Broadhurst, es My sin fire side."
The CHA11011•1111 DOWlbeg to propose, Gentlemen, the health of
the Earl of Elden.
This toast was received and drunk amidst most clamorous cheers.
The Earl of- Ection.—As one of the very oldest
Members of the Pitt Club, I claim to be indulged in a
very few obseivations. ' As one of the oldest of his
Majesty's late servants, I must express my concurrence
with the Noble and illusttious Duke to whom the coun-
try owes so much—so much more than it can ever pay
—that this is not an occasion on which I am called on
to explain the causes of my late retirement. But, in
fact, my retirement requires no explanation at alt.—
After tilling the highest judicial offices in this country
once 1782, and that preceded by a long course of pro-
fessional labour, I cannot think I should do my duty to
the public, and to the Members of the Pitt Dub, if I
sbould continue to hold office at my present advanced
age and stowing physical infirmities. This I may state,
that in the principles which governed me through life
:saprhsciples which I adopted because most conducive.
sts I thought, to the public good—in these I shall die.
I Though calumniated by the Press for entertaining
them, I think I have not forfeited your good opinion, nor
the good opinion of the public—(Cheers.) But, though
calumniated ten times more, Usedl never reply to those
that abuse me. Though "i might gain their commen-
dation who have *hosed me, and their abuse who have
commended me, I could not but feel degraded should
1 call on any part of the Press to support me by their
praise. Much has been said about doing bu iness and
dispatching it ; but I have this consolation to cheer me,
between my retirement from business, and my retire-
ment from life, that whatever may have been the effect
of all my procrastination and delays, I never was in-
duced by them to give the estate of A. to 13. I retire
with the satisfaction, that I have the good opinion of
those whom I value, and feel no regret for the loss
of the good opinion of those whose good opinion I
have never regarded as worth possessing. I was an
original Member of this Club—twenty-one years have
,now gone by since the dea h of that illustrious per-
son, in whose honout it- was instituted, and since I
stated it as my opinion, that it was a duty that the
country owed to itself to pay the tribute of an Annual
Meeting in honour of his memory. These is, I must re.
mat k, a very great misunderstanding as to two of our
toasts—l m:an " Protestant Ascendancy," and the sen-
timents connected with the House of Brunswick.—l
cannot believe or imagine that there is one Protestant,
in this Piotestant country, who does not wish for Pro-
testant ascendancy. Malty, I am aware, differ from me
in this sentiment; but I maintain that Pi otestant principles
are indisp nsably necessary to the Government of a Pro.
testant country; and on this I have the highest autho•
rity. Llok to Mr. Pitt himself ! Did he think he could
alter the ptinciples of our Protestant Constitution? Did
he give in to what are called new lights' No; he merely
said that he would grant to the Catholics whatever pri-
vileges were consistent with safety to the Protestant
Constitution. Did he at any time of his life, even
shortly before his death—did any statesman for long
after his death, ever dream of conceding to that question
without obtaining securities for the safety of the Estab-
1-shei Church ? I say then, and if it weee the last words
I had to utter, I u ould say, that, as tar as I know the
opinions of Mr. Pitt on the subject, and no man had
more opportunities of ascertaining his opinion than my-
self, he never had an idea of granting Emancipation
without obtaining adequate secui ities—l mean, without
taking every precaution for the piotection of the Pro-
testant Church. But if you look to the 13.11 s which have
been introduced into Parliament since his death, and in
conformity with his alleged principles, 1 tell you, that
the securities contained in them are not worth so much
dust and ashes. I have never been absent from this
Meeting but once. I shall to the last year of my life,
while I have health, attend it. through a sense of duty
to the public, and from a feeling of respect to the me-
mory of a man, the first of his own titres. and whose
like GOD knows if ever we may looke on again.—The
Noble Earl sat down amidst immense cheering.
The CDAIRMAN.—I am now, Gentlemen, about to
propose the health of a Right Hon. Gentleman, whose
absence from office is a severe loss to the country—a
Gentleman, who, though young, has done more good
to the_ country than any man who ever stood in a
similar si:uation, and who, though out of office, still

..,.
.011110.1•Pla 1.10011% 14-ediatri by AB arIMIII.
and artamidesent of her laws...re Gentleman sishelidseeks
the ptinciples and the relents of Air. Pitt, and of whirs
we may say, as was said of that ille*trious persee-"-tsel
siii ad Meier vimiti
The health of Mr. Peel *as then drunk amid deafening
Mr. Pa5t......., Gen lumen, I should be much eels:7
of myself, if I could find words to do justice to the feds
ings excited in me, by the unexpected compliment paid
to me this night. Even if I had expected it, I should
be ashamed of myself, were I able to express to you my
sentiments in good set phrases, and rounded periods-.
(Cheer.). I came here as a simple individual to jpiq
in paying a tribute of respect to the memory of AN.
Pitt. Had I still been in office, I should have been proud
to come amongst you to celebrate the birth-day of a
man endowed with the rare7postesslon of varied excel-
leacies, great, when separate, and wonderful in their
combination ; one who, .if never connected with the
public service, would have stood above the level of
ordinary men, by the exhibition of those Splendid
faculties, by which, when in office, he gained the con&
dence of his Sovereign,and therespect of hiscountrymen.
When we call this to mind, we feel compelled to pay
,to his memory every tribute of respect. I shall, on
this occasi rn, forget the points on which I differ from
Mr. Pitt ; but well 1 remember when he thotight the
measure of Reform was brought forwardthrough sinis-
ter motives, that he relinquished his opinions on that
subject, in spite of the clamour and calumny by which
he was assailed, because he saw that the adoption of
reform would lead to a revolution, destructive of the
best interests of the kingdom. If I thought, in thus re-
linquishing his opinions he did so for the purpose of
holding place or power, I would instantly join his ad-
versaries in censuring him. But when I see that be
gave op his opinions in order to save the country, I feel
a respect for opinions which were thus honourably
abandoned, however erroneous I consider them. I
therefore most cordially join you in doing all honour to
the greatest man of his times." The Right Honourable
Gentleman sat down amidst loud cheering.
The CAI/LIMAN then proposed " the health of the gut of West.
morland," which was drunk with three times three.
Lo d WESTMORLAND expiesed his warm acknow-
ledgments for the honour he had received, and declared
the great happiness he felt at finding, that after so many
years trial, he still possessed their confidence--(Ctitevs4
It must be unnecessary for him to express kis admira-
tion of Mr. Pitt, and with respect to his retiring from
office, he thought those best did their duty who placed
themselves in a situation which enabled them to advo.
cate the principles of Mr. Pitt—(Loud Cheers.)
Sir Taos. Gooch (his health having been drink with
loud applause) returned thanks. He remarked, that
the golden age in politics bad arrived. The li n and
the taut lay down together. He supposed t' e lioo,
being the most po a erful, was the party who ha 3 taken
ithe best offices for himself ; and as for the lamb, he
I would be discovered, he supposed, in the Right Han.
Gentleman who had served up the Mint sauce—(Loul
laughter). But they might see still more extraordinary
things, however, and that too without living Tong, for the
Golden Age might cease and even the lamb, tender of
power as he now appeared, might rise up and manage
even to undermine the present lion.-(Loud Laughter).
Lord Bathurst's health was the next toast, and lt was loudly
cheered.
Lard BATHURST, after returning thanks, said, he was
one of the oldel friends living of Mr. Pitt, and it always
,gave him great happiness to attend that Society, and
was proud of its approbation. That was not an OCCd
•ion for him to explain why he had retired from office.
but he must say that he was proud and happy to follow
those who had served their country wi:h valour in the
field, w th ability and integrity in her councils, had up-
held her laws, arid, by following the principles of the
immortal Pitt, haJ g ven happiness and glory to their
country—(Much cheering).
Song by Mr. Taylor," Of alt the Steen Wonders."
The Eail of HAREWOOD'i hea'th having been drunk,
that Noble Lord teturned thanks. He said that be
might be fastidious, because he could not place con&
dente in a Government which w is composed of all the
principles (if such things might be called principles)
that had been started from the French Revolution to
the present time. If he stood, however, in opposition
to his Majesty's Government, he did not deso frgm
any change of principle—(Cheers.) His principles
were the same as they ever had been. He did not on.
derstand
.that underhand kind of governing, which per.
mitted the existence of associations that were disobedi-
ent to the laws, but obedient to`unarrstandings.
The health of Lord Kenyon was then drunk with app"lguse.
" The Norfolk Pitt Clcla," sad" Perpetuity to the London Pitt
Club," were drunk with loud elseersgand the aleeting separated.
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