Star.
London, England, 1826-10-07 00:00:00

CANTEMICRY, berosrit 5.

. -...4101.--

THE ?41AVORALTY DINNER.

Friday re'nnight, a highly respectable_aud numerous
company attended the dinner at the Corn Exchange
Room, in celebration of the inauguration of the new
Mayor of Canterbury, (G. NMI), EA.) who was sup-
ported by—

The late Mayor (J. J. Peirce, Esq.), Sir Edward Knatchbull,
Bart. one of the County Members, S. R. Lushinvon. Esq. one of
the Members for the City, Sir E. Brydges, Bart. W. F.. Hotel, Esq.
(Recorder of Canterbury), Colonel Holmes, W. H. Balclok,
Thomas Foord, R. Raiford, D. J. Parker, Fags. &c. &c.
The dinner was well served, and reflected great credit upon Mr.
Clements, of the Rose Inn. •
After the removal of the cloth the usual round of toasts were
given. " The King"—" The Duke of York and the Army"—
" The Doke of Clarence and the Navy"—" The Archbishop and
Clergy of the Diocese"—" The Lord Lieutenant of the County"—
"The High Sheriff"—" The Mayor," &c.
On the health being given front the Clair of " The Members for
the County," with three times three,

Sir E. KNATCIIIIULL most cordially thanked the com-
pany in the name of himself and his colleague for the
honour thus conferred upon them. His colleague in the
representation of the county had authorised him to say
" that he wou'd undoubtedly haye been present, had it
not been that he effected an immediate increase in his
family, a circumstance which he trusted would be con-
sideted a satisfactory excuse for remaining at home"—
He (Sir E. K.) had frequently before been highly grati-
fied by a similar distinction to that new conferred upon
him by the manner in which his health had been drank,
;and it was to him the highest satisfaction, feeling as he
did, that it was a testimony of approbation of his public
conduct. He now met them for the first time since the
General Election, at which the high honour had again
been conferred upon him, of confiding to him as
one of its Representatives, the interests of the great,
the opulent, and the powerful county of Kent; and
he felt all the importance of the duties which had thus
devolved upon him. It woul4 be his study, as, it
had been on former occasions, to apply all his in-
dustry and all the powers of his mind to the due
discharge of tho e duties. It had been hitherto his
constant elkleaTour, in that situation, Jealously, fear-
lessly, and indepen 'ently to attend to, and by every
means in h:s power to pionrote the interests of the
County; and he should now pursue the same straight-
forward and even course, lo .king only to the approba-
r ion of his Constituents as his highest reward.

On the health of the Members for the City- being given, with
three times three,

Mr. LUSHINGTON returned l‘is cordial and sincere
thanks for himself and Lord Clifton, who was detained
in Ireland by business ni importance. Mr. Lushington
hid also to regret the absence of the Earl of Darnley,
from a diffetent ctu e—from the discontinuance of a
practice formerly in exis•ence, of sending invitations to
the dinner: the table was formerly surrounded with
many of the neighbouring Gentry, and he hoped the
Corporation would revive the old custom. He did not
mean to throw any blame upon the present Mayor, as
he was fully aware that the practice had been disconti•
nued fur three or four years past, but he suggested the
expediency of reviving the custom, as he thought it, in
every point of view, mote eligible than the present sr-
tem of not sending any notice at' all. He felt himself.
highly gratified by the approbation of his public con=
duct, testified by his frllow citizens in the very honoura-
Me manner in which his health had been drunk, and he
assured them that no exerti: ns sliculd be wanting, on
his part, to deserve a continuance of their confidence.
The MAYOR observed that h. was fully aware of what
had been said by the Hon. Member, as to no invitations
baiting been sent out, the reason being that he felt a
great delicacy in sending an invitation to dinner that
was to, be paid for. The system, however, did not on
ginate with him, and what had been said upon this sub-
ject by the Hon. Member might be matter for future
consideration.

On the health of "Sir S. E. Brydges" being given with three
' times three,
Sir S. E. BRYDOES expressed his warmest gratitude
for the honour thus conferred upon him. Brought up
And educated as he was in the city of Canterbury, his
earliest recollecrions were associated with it, and he
could not but feel in the highest degree gratified at the
compliment now paid him. He had, perhaps unfortu-
nately, devottd himself from an early period to public
life, and now, when on the verge of sixty-four, he could
not but feel proud in receiving so honourable a testi-
mony of public approbation. He should follow the
example of the two Honourable Members who had
preceded him, and should purposely abstain from
now entering into any of those great questions,
which must so n be pressed upon the consideration of
the Legislature. lie had been most anxious to obtain
a situation in Parliament, by means of which he should
hate had a share in the discussion of them; he would
have given his right hand, nay, all that he could give,
to have been placed in such a situation, where he
might have urged those opinions which he believed
in his conscience to be of the greatest importance at the
present crisis. He could not but lament that such an
opportunity had been denied to him, but fully aware
that a social meeting like the present was very unfit for
the discussion of complex questions, he should abstain
from entering into them. He had put forth his opinions
through the mediumn of the public press, and the com-
pany present, as well as others, were fully enabled to
judge of them. He was speaking in the presence of
two Honourable Members of the House of Com-
mons of great experience, of great ability, of great in-
dustry, of great excellence of character, who, he had no
doubt, would apply themselves to the consideration of
these questions, with every possible regard for the in-
terests of the country. Still, however, he suspected that
he differed from both of them. But, he would only
now say that be considered agriculture as the basis of
the prosperity of the country, and that only in propor-
tion as that was supported, could the country be really
prosperous. Hew fished to be distinctly understood in
saying this, not to mean anything injurious to other
interests of the country—se far from this, that were it
possible to separate agricultural prosperity from the
prosperity of the country, he declared he would not
support it.
Shortly afterwards Sir E. KNATONSULL took an op.
portunity, whilst he applauded the Hon. Bataan, for ab-
staining from entering into complex questions, at a social
meeting, of observing, that agreeing with the Hon. Bart.
that agriculture was the basis of the prosperity of the
country, he suspected that he could not go all the
length to which the Hon. Baronet extended his opinions.
He would, however, to the discussion of those questions
now rapidly approaching, bring the best judgment that
the faculties of his mind would enable him, guided by the
best information that could be obtained, with a view to
set those questions, in their true light. He could not
consent, and be meant nothing disrespectful in the ob-
servation, to take the opinions of the Hon. Baronet 14.