The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-05 00:00:00

shame his worshipers, and not the least those degenerate
illeglishmen who teal accepted his support and become his co-
adjutors. (Great applause.) Ile had that confidence in Ins
icuittrytnen which he had ever had; that while he acted
tiniestly, and in lependently, and fearlessly in defence of the
nstitutions of the country, he had no daunt he should 411 ways
'fleet with the sapp ,rt of the great balk of the people. ' lie had
in fear of so drea,letl a calamity as that of society being die-
solvel anti coirfusioe ensuing while the operatives came forward
in defence of all they held dear, as they had done that day.
Let them do this, and he had no fear of that destruction of
oreiety, which, donee achieved, he would venture to say, with-
out making any pretence to prophetic power, would never again
ae raised into existence.—The hon. baronet sat down amidst
protracted cheering.
The Cita testa N next gave—" The Duke of Wellington, the
pride of the British army, and the conqueror of the conqueror
of Europe." Drunk with Wellington honours.
Song—" Old England's glory."
The CHAIRMAN then said, that it was with much pleasure
hat he proposed " The health of Charles Wilkins, Esq., and
the Conservative bar." The toast was drunk amidst loud
cheering.
Mr. Wit.KiNs then rose, and was received with continued
cheering. He said, gentlemen and brother operatives, or as a
certain learned personage who some time since, had honoured
their borough, would term them, "miserable remnant of an ex-
piring faction." ( Hear and laughter.) How joyous they
looked in their misery ! With what magnanimity and conser-
vative philosophy they regarded the approaching agonies of
their demise. (Continued applause.) They had been pleased
to couple his name with the conservative bar. He confessed
that it appeared to him extraordinary how any man calling him-
self a barrister, supposedao be imbued with the spirit and con-
stitution of the British )Mrs, could be anything but a conserva-
tive. (Hear.) He was not speaking of the special pleader
who looked with the microscopic eye or a man searching for a
demurrer, but he was speaking of the lawyer in the highest and
proudest acceptation of the term—a man who through the teles-
cope of history had traced the laws framed through the various
stages of society, who had seen how the laws had kept pace with
the wants of man, and adapted themselves to all the wants of
the lowest, and the most polished society. He would venture to
assert, without fearing the consequences that nearly every sound
lawyer in the kingdom was a conservative. it was true. that
they had at present an Attorney-General, who had been con-
fronted and confuted by a layman—who had declared the
existence of an anomaly never before recognized by the 13ri.
tish law—who had declared that the British law had a right to
assert what it had not the power to enforce. That was a doc-
trine which the fathers and founders of British laws would
shake in their graves to hear, and a doctrine not to be tolerated
in any society in England for one moment. They would allow
him to tell them that the bar, like every other institution in
this country, was merely a means to an end. The bar should be
the living commentators-of the law, and it was for thein to say
whether they would allow a parsimonious and mean legislature.
so to strip that profession of its emoluinews and rewards, as to
drive from it honourable men. It hail been truly observed by
the honourable baronet who had preceded him—and to follow
him under any circumstances, was no trifling disadvantage—
that they were a nation placed under most extraordinary cir-
cumstances; that the members of their government, to a certain
extent, the legislature of the world, were men utterly incapable
of framing laws to meet the exigencies of the times—that they
had men in office, who, for the mere sake of office, had con-
stantly surrendered every principle they before had held sa-
cred, and had thrown each overboard at the demand of a hete-
rogenous band of traitors, (for he could call them nothing
else,) who sought for the destruction of every thing they held
guild and great. Their ministers were truckling before these
men for the mere retention of office, and the enjoyment of those
advantages which it brought to them. It was somewhat curious,
he confessed, that men calling themselves reformers at the pie-
sent day should twit him with being an apostate from the ranks
of the reformers. He asked one man fur his definition of
"reform," and he referred him to the Morning Chronicle; an-
other man referred him to the Examiner- another man who was
equally loud in his denunciations of his (Mr. W.'s) incon-
sistency, referred him to the defunct True Sun as the sam-
pler of a reformer's creed. If he came nearer home, where
should he seek for the standard of reformers? Why, a gentle-
man who had visited them not-lone since (Mr. O'Connell)
would take them to Derrynane.—( Hear and a laugh.) A Par-
tner acquaintance of his, "(M r. O'Connell;) for ought. he knew,
addressing an assemblaee in some neighbouring town at that
r. time, M Fergus O'Connor, referred him to his paint\hlet,
which held MfO'Connell up as everything contemptible and
mean, and told him that Ireland never possessed a more arch
apostate—a more arrant traitor; another loan at Manchester
refer red hirn for his reform creed-to the Manchester Guardian;
another to the Manchester Times; and another to the Man-
chester Advertiser - each one had its advocate, and all of them
gave different definitions of that strange and all-important word
`• reform." if his had abandoned his former principles who was to
be his accuser? Who amongst these men was b tell him that
he had abandoned his principles ? The fact was, they had no
common principle but one, and that was the destruction of
every thing in their constitution. Their motto was, "Sk veto,
sic nolo, pro ratione voluntas." (Cheers.) They said the con-
servatives were acting in opposition to the people. Let them
ask those men who were the polite? Why, when Mr. Joseph
Hume wished to convince parliament that they (the conserva-
tives) were acting in opposition to the wishes of the people, he
was obliged to go to Kilkenny for the liVing proofs of his doc-
trines? (Cheers.) He who not long since never rose in the
House of Commons but to speak of the enlightenment oft he me-
tropolis, and its superi ir knowledge, was tom singing London
now is out of town," and "The boys of Kilkenny are flue roving
blades." (Cheers.) Let them ask the Hon. Secretary for the
Home Department where he found his proofs of popular
favour? He shrank from Devonshire in abhorrence and went
to the multitudes of Stroud. (Continued cheering.) Let them
ask Edward—l'aylor, of the Manchester Guardian, who were
" the people," and he would tell them, as he had done in his
lash week's paper, that the people were the middle classes; that
the rabble were unworthy of attention; that all those who
differed in opinion with Edward Taylor, or his partner, on
the all important topic of the new poor-law question, were
nobodies. (Hear.) Iu fine, they (the conservatives). found
that these men agreed in no one topic but destruction, which it
seemed to him they were all seeking for, in order to their own
aggrandisement. - 'rue hun. baronet who had preceded him had
touched vet y tercible on the imbecility of the present govern-
ment, and the utter failure of all the measures brought forward
by them. if he would allow him, he would extend those views
little further, and look abroad at the
for Ila.ir iiie,tutr, —.a conservatism were not confined in their
operation to this country,-conservatism stretched its artns over
the whale
ioitnsu world
tta(:c.tpt
the same
sie.
arum 'nea‘ies
rtn;he nations
They
had
iahlodeansdst
htal
wen'lst sphereedaeonaif le
otesi they
ttagoll
thatiinna(ei who
viopis:iiietiuviae neirsetw; hhveii andct Phhrin
eh:
present
land had always been inclined to afford them; they had re-
moved from the frontiers of Belgium, those fortresses which ages
had built, and which the wisdom of their forefathers had thought
necessary to resist the aggressions of political France. Turkey
had become a province of Russia, Poland had been laid pros-
trate in ashes and, in point of fact they had given power to all
those governments which it would have been
wisdom to curtail.
They had pursued the same line of policy in the German slates,
they had united Austria, Russia, anti Prussia against us; and
every one who knew anything of history knew that France
must be opposed to us iu some degree, and they had allowed
France to stretch her arms in Africa anti obtain a position which
she might make one of offence against us. (Loud cheers.)
If they looked to Spain they found there gathered all the mi-
serable hordes that congregated on the Isle of Dogs, to assist her
luas nttr nut
who remained there left to the mercy of the
least,
le Majesty the Queen of Spain—they found their general returned
to this country foiled and disgraced, and the remnant of
their co
an they hail gone to oppose, or to die and moulder under the
oe
m
.pestilential influence of the climate—(loud cheering)—and,
though th etn
thelook conductto Canada. noaid.
the conservatives
h e
wanted
to find an argument to justifyt
towards Ireland, he would point to Canada. The population
of Ireland had be-2n asking For power, and they had refused to
grant them it, not because they wished to deprive them of the
rights of citizens, hut because they believed, and with reason,
that. they were not sufficiently enlightened, advanced, and mo-
ral to possess those powers they were so anxious to obtain. Just
so it appeared to him to have been with Canada. The legisla-
ture too early gave political power to the uneducated popula-
tion. They gave power to men who by rank and by fortune
could possess no claim to legislative power. What bad been
the consequence? What must be the consequence so long as
this world should stand? At that very moment they were battling
in order to crush the licentiousness which had been produced by
that line of conduct. And the consequence to the Canadians
must be, as it seemed to him, that they must take from theM the
powers they had abused—that they must limit the liberties of that
country before they could govern her with anything like peace.
They must allow him to tell them as operative conservatives—for
as he had said on many occasions, that man calling himself a
conservative who was not an operative was of no use to the con-
servative cause—they must allow him to tell them that however
imposing an appearance like that was, that the great battle was
to he fought in districts more unseen and less occupied. He had
had the privilege of addressing in this and the adjoining county
very nearly 30,000 operative conservatives to whom he would do
the justice to say that they had proved themselves operatives,
and it the state of the tinie;had produced no other good effects, it
had caned torch a spit it of inquiry among, hundreds and thousands
of persons in this kingdom who were attached to our constitu-
tion, because they had walked round its bulwarks and made
themselves acquainted with its advantages and had in conse-
quence become the foremost and best friends of the constitution.
(Hear.) It might be' said that some among them were very
humble individuals, movitig in a very bumble sphere of life.
They might say " what can I do." Each individual might do
much and they must allow him to tell them as Sir. R. Peel had
said on another occasion that it was in the registration courts
that the battle was to be Caught. He hoped to see by the
strengthening of their cause by these means the return of some

coadjutor worthy of the gentleman on his right Major Mars-
laud.--( Loud and continued cheers.)—When they_lookeld at
the overwhelming expanse of ocean they were too apt to
forget the tributary streams that added to its importance? So

it was with conservative associations. As a whole they were
great and overwheltniug►, but their greatness must arise by the

congregation of iouividuals.

He would exhort every man when

he left that room to consider himself an operative cotiservative—
to read, to write, or talk, or walk or do something or other to

promote the cause they had in hand. Above all things he would
say to them, if they would listen to a young man, "Take care
always to be careful of your own strength—to be acquainted
with the number of your force in the field." When a general
knew the discipline of his army—its courage and its numbers,
he went out with confidence into the field; and they knew that
confidence was half the battle. Conservatism was not confined
to a meeting like that. It did not consist in merely returning
Major Marsland to parliament, or in forwarding the cause iii
their own town, but it had for its object the greatest results. It
extended its influence to the highest as well as the lowest indi-
viduals. And if he (Mr. W.)- wanted for a livilw.evidence of
what conservatism was—if the hon. baronet on his right would
allow him to quote him—" Conservatism was the same principle
that wrested at Runnymede front the hands of a tyrant the
charter of English liberty. It was the same principle which
arrested from the aristocracy freedom for the oppressed serf,
and which tore the mask from cant under the garb of republican-
ism. It was the same holy cause which substituted pritestanhisin
for popery, and which set the national mind free and exulting
in the freedom whei ewit b heaven had made it." (Loud cheers.)
Conservatism now was ready to act as a bulwark to our institu-
tions when attacked by the most dangerous of all tyrants, the
many headed monster—the mob. This he took to be con-

st rvatism. It was not the intent of faction or party; and taking
it to be such, he was pond 'to• call himself—and especially in
these da)s of danger to cpmervatire barristers—a conservative

barrister. (Cheers.) It seemed to hitn that the greatest retard-
ment to sound legislature at the present day was the factious
conduct of the people of Ireland: He knew Ireland well; he
knew her physical resources; he knew something of her na-
tional mind ; he knew her generosity ; he knew her credulity
and superstition, and, above all, he knew her abject misery;
and if he might be allowed to hint at patriotism alter what had
been said by the hon..bavonei, when he saw a man tiding in the
streets in a carriage paid for by the pence of starving children,
and calling himself a pit 0,4', he could not joke on such a sub-
ject.—lt roused feelings of indignatio❑ within him to which he
dared net give expr,..sslon.— He would exhort them to be firm and
wait, and to fear not the threats and intimidations of their ad-
versaries, and when they wade unreasonable demands to resist
thew evens to the death.— When our opponents asked them to

evening.

give up one stone of the citadel of Our constitution, let them
stand by that stone. (Cheers.) tie would be eternally making
demands and agitating until they should have an adtninistra-
lion honest enough to clip the wings of agitation. They knew
that they ("wild not exist in such a state rit agitation.—lreland
might make her demands and hold out her threats, but so long
as England Should be true to herself, and shew the same
front in St. Stephen's that she did now, with a majority of Eng,
lish gentlemen, representing English interests in that housethey
had nothing to fear.—lt had been said that the, dying eagle when
he saw the barbed arrow in his bosom plumed with a feather from
his own wing, it embittered the agonies of hisdeath.—So would it
tre with the British constitution.- In her integrity she might
prosper and defy all-nations, but let her forget herself and it
would add to her misery when she should see that the arrow
which wounded her was barbed by her own suns. (Enthusias-
tic cheering.) The learned kentleman sat down; thanking
them for-the attention with which they had listened to him, and
wishing them a happy new year.
The Cita litmasi called upon
JAMES HEALD. Esq. who rose to propose the toast of" Sir Robert
Peel and the conservative members of the House of Commons."
He had accepted the invitation of his conservative friends to be
present on that interesting occasion 'with the deepest gratitude,
by whose exertions the character of the borough had been re-
deemed at the late election by the return of their worthy con-
servative member, against the influence of a coalition which
every spit ited mind ought to have denounced. If that coalition
had proved successful the brand of tyranny would have placed
its hand on the borough, and its independent voice would never
have been heard. The government of this country had for
several years past been agitating, anti affecting the throne and in-
stitutions of the country, even to the risk of cotnpromising„ our
glorious constitution which was settled by our forefathers, and
which had stood as our landmark amidst the ocean of politics.
He hoped they would bear in mind the maxim, " Fear God and
honotir the King, and meddle not with men who are given to
change." (Cheers.) With regard to the established church
of this country, and the profession of faith which lie ( Mr. Heald)
adopted : he might say that he was a Wesleyan. He need not
be ashamed of his connexion with the church of Christ, even
as viewed in connexion with the Church of England. He was
there to bear witness to the gratitude that they owed to the
establishment, of late rears, for the blessing of toleration, which
was all that they (the Wesleyans) contended for, and which of
late sears they had enjoyed. By the established religion they
had been placed in circumstances of comparative security. He
could not conceive how any persons could advocate the received
principles of christianity without making adequate provision for
their propagation. This was one of the most important prin-
ciples upon which the establishment was founded, and upon
which he (Mr. Heald) trusted that it would rest secure:
( Hear.) It was the bounden ditty of a christian govern-
ment to make adequate provision for the support and propaga-
tion of christianity. The hold which the establishment had
gained on the affections of the country had been the best secu-
rity for the preservation of the country at large. Founded on
the trite principles of christianity, it had been, in a great mea-
sure, successful against the opposition which had been directed
against the principles which they advocated, and by which the
establishment hart been preserved in all its efficiency, and its
efforts rendered prosperous. There had been a cry for a system
of national edudation • but he would warn the meeting, that if
the citadel of the establishment could not be taken sword in
hand, to take care that a breach was not effected in a place
where the force of the enemy could not be stopped.—(Hear.)
If they would give a system of national education, they must,
take care that it was founded upon the institutions of the coon-
try, of which the established church and its ministers were the
head.—(Cheers ) He was sure the chairman had committed a
breach of order by entrusting into his (Mr. Heald's) hands the
toast which he had to propose, as he was unable to do suffi-
cient justice to the merits of the honourable individuals men-
tioned in the toast. He would give without further preface,
"The right hon. Sir Robert Peel, bart., and the conservative
members of the House of Commons." (Loud cheers.)
Song. " England's hope."
The CRAIIIM-AN said, he had many times great pleasure in
proposing the health of the father of the hon. gentleman whose
name stood next on the list of toasts. The house of Tattoo
(cheers) had always been dear toshitn, for he had received such
kindness from that quarter that it would never be effaced from
his mind. In proposing the health of-Mr. Talton Egerton, he
would oisserve, that if they lost him, they would " ne'er see his
like again." He begged, however, to propose "the health of W.
T. Eget bin. Esq. our admirable conservative representative for
South Cheshire. and may he soon have a colleague of the same
principles." (Loud cheering.)
W. T. EGEaToN, Esq. M. P. then rose, and was received with
loud cheering. He said, he scarcely knew how to express his
sentiments at the kind and flattering manner in which the chair-
man had beeti good enough to propose his health, or to express
his thanks fur the very gratifying reception with which the men-
tion of his name haul been honoured. He thought it-was pretty
well known that he haul never shrunk from the performance of
his duty as an independent member of the House of Commons :
and so long as he had the honour of being a member of that
house, he would never be found seeking fur popularity, as had
been the custom of some parties. He hoped to be enabled to
steer an independent course so long as he continued their re-
presentative; and so long as the honour of representing the
conservatives or South Cheshire was entrusted to his hands, he
would endeavour to preserve it unspotted as ever ; and when.
ever the day of reckoning should come he should ever be found
ready to give an account ot his conduct. (Cheers.) He must
beg 10 congratulate the meeting on the glorious assemblage
which they had that evening.' He must congratulate them on
that assemblage of fair and bright eyes (pointing to the ladies
in the gallery) which were then beaming with delight sod
approbation at their principles. (Long and loud cheering.)
Ile must congratulate them moreover on having effaced the
stigma which the appearance of- the hon. and learned member
for Dublin, at a late dinner, had cast upon that town. (Cheers.)
He must confess that he did feel-deeply grieved, when on his
arrival in town, he was asked by Sir Honer; Peel, how came
Stockport, a town prominently remarkable for its loyalty—how
came Stockport, where proofs of attachmeht to the church and
state haul hitherto been given—how came she to lead out a pro-
cession, with the mayor and corporation at its head, to meet
Mr. O'Connell? (Shame.) Already haul the town of Stock-
port obliterated that stain—right well had she retrieved her
honour. (Cheers.) He could now • proudly hoist of seeing
before him a band of men in whom the true old English spirit
,had always been shown, and he was also to see before him the
right hon. baronet whom he might with propriety term, a faith-
ful representative of a !meal(' English gentleman.. (Cheers.)
tie hau seen a loyal tat,a tiurrut trawl woo were firmly bound
together in opposition to the enemies of the psigress of reli-
gion. lie did not consider that meeting, exactly in the light of
an electioneering dinner, or as a tribute-of respect altogether
to the honourable conservative member of that town, but lie
cosidered it as a great demonstration of public opinion and
public feeling—that public opinion which their opponents once
professed to idolize—but which, since it has turned against
them, they are ready to substitute for that weak popularity,
which they might gain by pandering to passions which they
ought to restrain. He (Mr. Egerton) respected that meeting
as a public demonstration. Why had the operative left his ma-
nufactory? Why had the tradesman left his counting house?
Why had they felt it necessary to meet together that evening,
at a time and season of the year when they generally accustomed
themselves to enjoy the converse of their friends? Why were
they met together that day? Was it not in order to show that
they had no confidence in the goveinment of the country?
(Cheers.) Look at our foreign and domestic. policy,—a topic
which had been so well insisted upon. by his (Mr. Egerton's)
hon, friend the hon. baronet, who had preceded him. Look at
home and abroad. At home, a government pretending to be
friendly disposed towards the poor, and at she same time hand-
ing them down and trusting them to the tender mercies of the
poor law commissioners,—(loud cheers,)s--and who were at-
tempting to thrust the bill down the mouths of the manufactur-
ing population. In showing their principles of non-interven-
tion they had sent troops to a foreign country, and the English
legion had been disconifitted in a land where once the English
name was a towerof strength. Must he refer to the English swept
and conquered from the Spanish coast? Must he look towards
Canada, where the flag of rebellion haul been but just unfurled ?
Must he look at home, where our institutions in church and state
had been so long insidiously but now openlyattacked, and to that
state of things which had been Caused by the vacillating (he might
almost say the political wickedness) of our government. But
the men who, instead of showing a bold front, had truckled to
the scramblers who follow Papineau and O'Connell, in the hope
of gaining another quarter's pay, have brought things to such a
state that they are like drowning men grasping at straws. They
are like men, caring little for anything, and giving everything
to sacrifice the British constitution. (Cheers.) He rejoiced
at that gathering of the conservatives of Stockport. He re-
joiced to she them animated by such a spirit as would show
ministers and their supporters that the conservatives would not
die tamely—that they would not give up without a struggle the
boast, of their birth-right, the invaluable blessings of the English
constitution. He trusted that the first day of the new year
which had been ushered in would show more favourable

auspices; and he hoped before long to see a firm, strong, and
compact conservative government. (Cheers.) They had a
strong party out of doors, and with a strong party in the House
of Commons of such men as Sir F. Burdett, they might hope to
see better days, Theirs was the cause of order, the church, and
religion, against passion, democracy, and infidelity. They must
trust to the power which orders everything for the best ; but he
would exhort them to be of good cheer. Such principles as
theirs, identified as they were with the English constitution, and
interwoven with the best interests of the British people must ne-
cessarily prosper. (Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN called upon Mr. FRANCIS NEWELL, an oper-
ative conservative, who, in a speech of considerable ability,
proposed as a toast, " Protestant ascendancy." (Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. NOLAN rose to respond to the toast. After ac-
knowledging the deep sense which he felt in being called upon to
acknowledge the toast, proceeded to congratulate them on the
ascendancy of protestant principles over popery. The wisdom
of their ancestors ,had placed the church beyond all legislation
and beyond all law. Had not the act of settlement interwoven
protestantistn within the very heart's blood of the nation ? They
felt the happy freedom which they erroyed-- under-protestarrt
ascendancy, and there could be no wonder at their earnest de-
termination, under God, to transmit it to their children in the

same degree of excellence in which they had received it. He
trusted the day would never come when that toast would fail to
awaken a lively throb within the bosom of every man who
called himself a• Briton. (Cheers.) The arkening moral
evils of popery had been pointed out by an O'Sullivan and
a M`Ghee who had demonstratively proved the relationship of
cause and effect subsisting between the doctrinesnf popery, and
the consequent deplorable state of Irelin d. .He referred to
Den's Theology as a fearful store-house of u.e seeds of evil, and
he would refer to Ireland as a proof that those' seeds had fallen
on a fruitful He referred to facts which he knew were un-
questionable as a proof of it. The last number of the leading
conservative journal of Ireland, the Dublin Evening Mail,
stated the fact that within the week previously to its publica-
tion no less than five actual murders, three attempts at assas-
sination, and I I offences of a minor nature had been committed.
This exhibited the effect of popery then, and the necessity for
protestant ascendency to remedy such a system. He instanced
the orderly industrious state of the protestant province of Ulster
as compared with the other three catholic provinces. The
cause of that was, that one was the hind of freedom, ot'protes-
tantisin and the bible, whereas popery, priest-craft, and intimi-
dation reigned over the rest. He denounced the Irish appro-
priation clause as at One fell stroke swamping 900 out -of 1,30 E
iiarishes in. Ireland, and thus insidiously uisderminina proles-
tantism. He concluded amidst loud and general cheering.
At this juncture (ten o'clock) fir Francis Burdett and Mr.
Wilkins retied from the room amidst loud cheering.
The CHAIRMAN proposed the •' Army and Navy."
Captain tioLLINGWORTH briefly responded to the toast.
W. TA TTON EGERToN Esq.,ll P., next proposed the health
of Thos. Walmsley, Esq., the chairman,. as a townsman and a
good conservative.
The CHAIRMAN in an appropriate and neat speech responded
to the toast and concluded with !imposing the health of R.
Hollingwori h, Esq., as one of the best conservatives
R. Plollinuworth, Esq., briefly acknowledged the toast.
After which the healths of Wilbraham Egerton, Esq., and
several other toasts were given. The meeting then broke up at
a late hour after having enjoyed a very delightful and festive

Earl Elowe's son lately met with an accident whilst he was
romping with a playmate at school, and accidentally received a
cut with a knife immediately over one eye, the sight of which if
is feared is pertnatiently injured, if.not altogether lost.•