Star.
London, England, 1827-12-22 00:00:00

DINNER TO EARL YITZWILLIAM.

DUBLI*, Dec. It:
Yesterday a splendid Dinner was given by the Ca:
tholics to the Earl Fttzwitaan sr at H ayes' Great Rooms,
Dawson.street. At seven o'clock upwards of two hen
sired Gentlemen sat down. The noble and venerable
Earl Fyn,/[Llama entered the room leaning upon the
arm of Mr. Olloaunx, Secretary to the Catholics of
Ireland, who conducted his Lord,hip to his seat, at the
right of the Chairman, Lord Ku.tamr. The whole
company rose and testified, by one unanimous acclaim.
their sense of the public and private worth of this most
distinguished Nobleman. _ _ _

As goon as the cloth was removed and grace said, the
CRAIRWAN gave.—
" The sing.l—(Lenadckeen.)—Tune." God save the Bing."
Thu Cicssaman then gave—
° The Duke of Clarence."—(Cheers.)
• " The Doke of Sassez."—(Great applause.)
The Quitman said be would nest give them—
" Old Ireland."—{Tremodoes applause.)
" IllarsnlaWeneeley.--(kpplause.)—Tune," Sprig of Shillelagh."
" The Marchioness Wellesley sod the fair maids and matrons of
Iretand."—(lyeed Mews.)
The CI141211•11 said he my rose to give the health of the muse.
rated Peer who had beamed them this evening with his presence.
" The Bari Fitzwillians."--(Long coatiaurd cheers.)
Lord Ftirzwut.tattr, in returning thanks, said—lt is
impossible for me to convey to you the sentiments which
! entertain at the highly flattering manner in which
my health has been given and received. I feel, as 1
ought to do, that this, I ha 4 almost said premeditated,
eulogium which his Lordship, who so ably fills your
Chair, has so kindly pronounced upon my conduct, is
undeserving on my put; and yet I cannot refrain from
expressing a degree of pride at receiving it from your
hands. Three and thirty years ago I was deputed to
govern this country. I came here, not with the intro.
tion to carry into execution any measures at that time
canvassed, bat my determination was, that should they
be proposed they would receive from me the most
heartfelt support—(Cheers). I felt at that time, I now
feel, that this country ought to be not a palsied limb
of a fettered country, but a vital portion of a free and
independent nation. If the measures which I antici-
pated had been carried into effect, this might, I firmly'
believe, have taken place. But I was thwatted in
the execution of measures which I then thought, and
which I still think, would be for the advantage of this
country and of Great Britain. I feel chat I hive received
from the people of Ireland more than ample secompence
for my public exertions upon, that occasion. The mea-
sures which I then advocated, and which I still advo-
cate, were intended to strengthen the connection—they
were fraught with no small benefit to this country, and
would have been salutary to the Empire at large—
(Cheers). I cannot sit down, without begging your
,permission to propose the health of my Noble Friend
on my right hand. It is not for me to eulogize his
worth—his country feels and properly appreciates it.
It accords to him that weed of approbation to which a.

_ •
virtuous public character is entitled. I, briefly thank
you for the high honour which you hate conferred upon
me, and may I add this request, that you will unite
with me in toasting the health of my honoured and
worthy friend.

" Lon, KiUeea"—(Load cheers).
Lord Emm returned thanks.

I. The of6lvii-anriftiiiiious Liberty an over the world."
Mr. Cteioresu. being loudly called for, rose sad addressed the
asiethbly in an eatremely energetic speech, sad coscluded amidst
the applause of the assembly.
" The health of Lord Rournore."

Alt Liediblp resanted thanks.
▪ The thaearibie Frederick Ponsonby."
Ur. Personae retarasd his most grateful thanks.
The Lard Chancellor of Ireland"—(Cheets).
" The Boa. Mr. Lamr—(Cheets).
u The Marquis of Leasdown"—(Losa applause).
• Sir Fria& Berdeu"--(Ctseers).
" The Ileasoey of she ;light Hoa. Henry Grattan"—.(Drank in
sebum silence).
Mr. JAMS. GaATTAD—I could not bear the last
toast announced by my Noble Friend without feeling
as a son of Hoary Grattan, that a species of duty was
imposed upon me of retorting thanks to this assembly.
If nay thing dbuld enhance the pleasure which 1 feel on
this occasion, it is the presence of the venerated Noble-
man, of whom my father was the zealous and constant
admirer—(Hear, hear). If the advice given by the
-Noble Lord to the Government, when he departed from
this country, had been since acted upon, this city would
got present the &Art appearance which it at present
exhibits. At that period there were residing in that
city 100 Noblemen and SOO Gentlemen, who have been
made absentees by that ruinous measure. The Rebel-
lion, in-its consequences, was bad, but the Union was
much worse. I am firmly convinced that the disposi-
tion of the public mind is in favour of Universal Eman-
cipation. Yon should not be deterred, in your exertions
for the accomplishment of that great measure, by any
temporary difficulties—" NI cafe malts, aid contra, an-
stentior ito."
"Lord Plunket, the OIL I hake*, Osamibialleis.“
(Here there was a bad call for Mt. Md.)
Mr. Surat, said-1 obey the summons given by this
great assembly. In common with every Irishman I
cannot but feel that this country is delply indebted to
Lord Plunket. I will not hide from you my disapprop
bation of specific measures, erroneously, perhaps, attri-
buted to that- eminent person. But alloy antes must
be made for the peculiarity of the circumstances Ile'
which he was placed—(Loud cheers). Lord 'Plunkqt
has suffered in the cause of the Crholics of Ireland;
in that cause he has been a martyr—(Loud cheers).
And where is the man, with a sound understanding
and a good heart, who will, for a moment, put any
mistakes which he may have committed, and into which
he was hurried by circumstances, against the lasting
Isessefits whic4 be has bestowed upon Ireland?—(Cheery)
But enough upon this topic, upon which I own that I
speak with some reluctance. I did not court him in
power, and Goo forbid that I should reflect injuriously
sad unjustly when he is without it—(Loud cheers).—l
from Lord Plunket m another subject which is
bass
with him, by a community of attachment to this
country— I mean to the illustrious person in comme-
moration of whose services we are assembled. It has
been observed, that thirty.rhree years have elapsed since.
Lord Fitswilliam left Ireland. How did he leave it?
—ln the midst of our sorrows and of our *echidna-
tioes-vrof our sorrows for his loss, and of our accla-
mation for the wise intents which it was beyond
his power to realize—(Loud cheers). I doubt not that
when be departed, his heart was deeply moved, and I
am sure that, at this moment, it must be profoundly
excited-4 Loud cheers). Thirty.three years have passed,
and we are, so far as thankfulness is concerned, un-
changed. He sees the current of our gratitude running
as deep and pure as it was, when he bade us farewelF,
in his younger, but not his better time of life—(Loud
Cheer+ The hearts from which it springs are the same
—(Loud cheers). But, my Lord Fitswilliam (for I pre-
sume to address myself directly to you), though we are
unchanged in sentiment, so far as you are concerned,
be assured in other, and very essential particulars, the
character of the Irish people has undergone a very
considerable modification. When you were amongst
us, in your Viceregal comity. we -.were a debased
and servile body. The Protestant. Aristocracy lorded

k Ofkuut..and we spoke in the language, because
ere entertsineti the feelings, of an • inferior- and de.
aradefebody:. V. were in the dest—we lay prostrate on
the eirth.;zllise mei no longer' Cies--we have got up—
lehifre9k., Putilg your -LordshipsGolerament the
f '4l shillins freeholders were the mere seers of the
Pr"testast proprieties. They have gore thrown off the
yoke. They hive started, up.in a moralinsturection—
(Loud cheers)—and. by their energy, their determine•
lion, aschtheir heroism, have afforded the most abundant
proofs of the fitness of six millions of people for the
reception of freedom--(Loud cheers). Our cause must
succeed. The breath of a King may blow a Cabinet
away, but it cane& dissolve the spirit of intrepidity
and•determitation by which We are actuated. I repeat
it, we shwa succeed—(Loud cheers). And when we
do succeed, I trust that a great monument, a noble
testimonial, will be raised to commemorate the magni-
ficent achievement—(Loud cheers).
" The Lord Chief Justice and the Irish Bench."
When this toast was announced, there were repeated
calls for Mr. O'Corto nag who rose and returned thanks
id a power and eloquent speech. He said that be was
not the less proud of being called, from the sense of his
inadequacy to speak in fitting terms to the toast which
had been proposed. The high station which was filled
by the present Chief Justice of the King's Bench did not
ornament the man; but it borrowed dignity and lustre
from the talents, the wisdom, and the opt ightness of the
individual. if such a calamity betel this country as
the death of Chief Justice Basile, we might fling Moran's
collar upon his tomb.—He rose at the pet iod when Ire-
land's battle had brought into the snuggle many on
whom the
.grave has since closed, and the promise
afforded'iy his early life !fad been verified by his ma-
inter age. If fancy would paint the beau ideal of per-
teetioo in, the highest judicial functionary, he (Mr.O'Connell) would defy imagination to present a more
dignified image than stood-confessed in the person of
Lord Chief Justice Bushe—(L-sua cheers).
4, The Attorney General of England, Sir J. Swint" (Applause).
" Lord Goderich and the liberal portion of Ms Majesty's Mleils.
ters"—(Applause).
" The Memory of John Philpot Curren, Esq."
Mr. Canaan returned thanks.
* The health of the truly Christian Bishop of Norwich."
0 The Doke of Norfolk and the Catholics of England."
" Hear, Brougham, the ornament of the Senate, the successful
advocates[ liberal education, and the University of London"—
(Loud and continued cheering).
Thomas Moore, the Bard of Erin."
Several other toasts were proposed, and the hilarity
of the evening was kept up to a late hour.