The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-11-15 00:00:00

Nov. 15, 1836.

PROGRESS OF CONSERVATISM

GREAT lIEETING OF TILE OPERATIVE CONSERVA-

TINE AS s,,CIATION.
(Abridoed from the Bolton Chronicle,

On Thursday, the anniversary dinner of the Blackburn
Operative Conservative Association took place in the Cloth-
hall, Fleming-square; and the large hall was profusely deco-
rated with laurels, and union jacks, flags, crowns, &c. Sze.
Previous to the dinner, a grand procession took place from the
New Inn, through the principal streets of the town, headed by
a band of music; several elegant flags streamed in the wind.
and amongst them was one of crimson and white silk, which
had been presented to the association that day, by Mrs. Foster,
the amiable lady of Foster, Esq., banker, Blackburn•
On ono side was painted in large gilt letters, "The Blackburn
Operative Conservative Association;" and on the other, in the
centre, was a mitre, a bible open, crozier, &c., and underneath,
the motii,, "Pro iris et focis." On another flag, presented by
the gentlemen ofßlackburn and the neighbourhood, were paint-
ed in the centre, the bible and crown. The inscriptions were
"Blackburn Operative Conservative Association, established
1835." " Ever ready." " For God, the King, the Peers, on!
the People." "
England expects every man to do his duty;
several other neat flags were exhibited. The procession called
at the vicarage, in King-street, and escorted to the dining-room
the Rev. J. D. Whitaker, D.D., vicar of Blackburn, and Wm.
Fielden, Esq., the worthy Conservative representative of the
borough. On the arrival of these gentlemen at the Cloth-ball,
they were received with the most enthusiastic cheers. These
was a vast crowd of people assembled to witness the procession,
and it must have been a most gratifying sight to every friend
of the cause, to witness the decent and orderly appearance of
the members of the association ; this coupled with the exhili-
rating strains from the band, joined to the merry peals front
the bells of the parish church, which were constantly chiming
on the ear, could not fail to pioduco a lasting offect on the intel-
ligent and enlightened inhabitants of that loyal and enter-
prising borough. The very excellent dinner was served up by
Mrs. Baines, of the New inn, in a superior manner, when it is
considered that it had to be cooked at the distance of nearly a
quarter of a mile from the Cloth Hall; and the whole of the
arrangements reflected the highest credit on the officers of the
Operative Conservative Association, who certainly had spared
neither pains nor expense to make every individual comfortable.
The room, which is of an oblong form, 120 feet in length and
20 feet in breadth, was completely tilled' and 430 persons were
accommodated without inconvenience. The tattles were four in
number, and at the centre table were placed the worthy chair-
man, John Hargreaves, Esq., one of the county coroners, sel)"
ported on his right by the hev• Dr. Whitaker, vicar of Black-
burn, and J. Fielden, Esq.: and on his left by Wm. Fieldeu,
Esq., I'd.P., and the Rev. Mr. Makenzie, of Wigan. Amongst
the gentlemen. of, influence in the town and neighbourhood, we
noticed Wm. HS.Hornby, Esq., C. Whitaker, Esq., J. Green-
way, Esq., John Foster, Esq., banker; Dixon Robinsod, Esq.,
R.-S. Dodgson, Esq., P. Greaves, Esq., and many others.
There were also present deputations from the Operative Con-
servative Associations of Manchester, Bolton, Preston, and
Chorley. The reporters for the press represented the Morning
Herald, the Blackburn Standard, and the Bolton Chronicle.
After dinner, several ladies and other friends were admitted,
and at the commencement of the evening's proceedings, the
room presented a very animated appearance. The Rev. Dr.
Whitaker said grace before and after meat, and the cloth
having been removed,
Tho Chairman rose amidst loud cheers, and requested a
bumper to the first toast. He said that he believed there never
was a time when their most gracious sovereign stood more in
need of, or rattier deserved, the well-wishes of the country than
the present. (Cheers.) They well knew that he was surround-
ed by a set of men, as his ministers, whom he utterly detested,
and who were held in abhorrence by every thinking man in the
country. (Loud cheers.) This feeling had pervaded the
country for some time; his Majesty had felt it ; and he trusted
that the expression of loyalty and attachment to the sovereign
and the institutions of the country which would be exhibited in
the room this night would be heard of, not only in the Palace,
but to the remotest parts of his Majesty's dominions. He
would give them—" The health of His Majesty, the Duke of
Lancaster."
The toast was drunk with four times four cheers, and one
more. Th e national anthem was then sung, accompanied on
the piano-torte by Mr. Stuart, the whole company standing and
joining in the chorus.
The chairman said the next toast he had to propose was as
much connected with the subject of their meeting as the first.
It was well known that their most gracious Queen was a model
of excellence, virtue and charity. (Cheers.) " The Queen,
the glory and pride of the country." Drunk with three times
three cheers and one more.
Air, by the band, " Rule Britannia."
The Chairman observed that the next toast was—" The Prin-
cess Victoria, and the rest of the Royal Family, and may they
never forget the principles which seated the [louse of Brunswick
on the throne of these realms."
The Chairman wished to make a few remarks before the
toast was honoured. As respected their present Sovereign and
their most gracious Queen, they could have no doubt but they
would adhere to the principles expressed in the toast to which
he had alluded : and he had nu doubt but their example would
have its due influence on the policy of any future sovereign of
these realms. (Cheers.) It was for the benefit of the coun-
try that the principles implanted in the toast should be pre-
served inviolate, and if any future sovereign deserted those
principles, he very much feared that the country would desert
him. (Loud cheers.) He would give them the toast before
mentioned.
Drunk with three times three cheers and one more. Glee—
" Hail Star of Brunswick."
The Chairman again rose and said. He need not remind
them of the advantages which the county derived from the ser-
vrces of the navy and army ; and therefore it would be unne-
cessary for him to say any thing to induce them to drink the
toast tie was about to propose. He then gave " The navy and
army." Drunk with three times three cheers and one more.
The next toast, said the worthy Chairman, need only to be
named to secure it a most cordial reception. It was " The
Bishops and clergy of the Catholic and billy Apostolical
Churches of England and Ireland." (Tremendous cheering.)
The Chairman then gave " The Church."
The Rev. J. D. Whittaker, D.D., Vicar of Blackburn,
responded to the toast.
"The Bohemian National Anthem" was then sung.
The Chairman then proposed " Our Glorious Constitution itt
Church and State." (The toast was received with a spontaneous
burst of applause.)
The Rev. Mr. M'Kenzie acknowledged the toast.
The Chairman then gave, " Tho Right Hon. Lord Lyndhurst
and the House of Peers." (The cheers which followed the an-
nouncement of this toast exceeded any description we could
give.)
Glee.—" Here in cool grot."
The Chairman said the next toast on the list was "Sir Robert
Peel.and the Conservative Members of the House ofCommons."
(The toast was then drunk with four times four cheers and one
cheer more.)
Glee.—" With a jolly full bottle." (At the words " Here's
a health to the King and the Church, &c." there was a general
clapping of hands; this part of the glee was loudly encored.)
The Chairman then gave " l'he health of Win. Fielden, Esq.,
their worthy representative."
The toast was received with immense cheering.
Mr. Fielden returned thanks.
The Chairman then gave "The Blackburn Operative Con-
servative Association."
Mr. Charles Tiplady, the secretary, acknowledged the toast,
and proposed " The health of John Hargreaves, Esq., their
worthy chairman, and long life to him." ( rhe toast was drunk
with the most enthusiastic applause.)
Song, by Mr. Isherwood—" When Vulean forged the bolts of
Jove.' ( The song was much applauded.)
The Chairman, in a complimentary speech, proposed the
healths of " The Members for the County." (Drank with
great applause.)
Glee—" Hail smiling morn."
The Chairman rose and said he was happy to have to propose
the health of a gentleman well known to them all, and that was
The President of the Blackburn Conservative 'Association, W.
H. Hornby, Esq." (Enthusiastic cheering followed the an-
nouncement of Mr. Hornby's name, and the toast was drunk
with time same demonstration of good feeling )
Mr. Hornby returned thanks.
After several intermediate toasts find songs, the Chairman
begged to propose "The Press."

Mr. Foster (editor of the Bolton Chronicle,) being called upon,
rose to reply to the toast. He said, Mr. Chairman and Gentle-
men, you have a branch of the conservative press in your
own town, which is conducted with great ability. and which
exercised that power to which the Chairman alluded for the
public good. (Cheers.) Doubtless, as had been so properly
expressed, the press was a mighty engine, whether wielded
for a good or for an evil purpose. But from the circumstance
of the ability displayed in the Blackburn Standard, he (Mr.
Foster was not wishful to intrude himself on the most re-
spectable society which he saw around him. (Hear, hear.)
He had, however, the honour of an invitation from their hono-
rary secretary to attend the dinner; and as a member of the
Conservative press he should hope that his responding to the
toast would not be construed into presumption.—( Loud cheers,
and " No, no.) During the latter part of the session of 1835,
the influence of tfie Conservative press did wonders in restoring
the confidence of the people to the principles of the constitu-
tion, as advocated by Sir Robert Peel and his friends ; but at
the opening of the last session of parliament, this confidence
again drooped, and did not recover until after the Easter recess,
When it again came but with fresh vigour instilled into the cause,
no doubt by the manly course taken by the upper branch of the
legislature,—(cheers)--which gave to the people of England
hopes that they. had still some rights—still some liberty—still
something left worth contending for.—(Great cheering.) Not-
withstanding the bold front shewn by the Conservative press--
notwithstanding the re-action in favour of Conservative prin-
ciples, which of late had so evidently taken place; yet, the
truth ought to be told, and it would be wrong to disguise the
fact, that the Conservative press had still before it great diffi-
culties to encounter, (hear, hear,) and those difficulties would
be overcome provided the friends of the good cause would exert
themselves with the same energy and activity as was adopted
by their Whig-Radical enemies.—(Cheers, and " we will."
The Conservative press had had the battle to fight since the
breaking up of parliament, and it would never relax in its ex-
ertions ; but when the Conservative members were again called
to their parliamentary duties it would be for them to work out
and follow up the labours of the press. He (Mr. Foster) could
assure the Conservative members that they need not be cast
down at the thought that the reduction of the stamp duty on
newspapers had been unfavourable to the Conservative cause.
On the contrary, the reskilt had completely frustrated the de-
signs of the Whig-radical originators of the plan; who expected''
by this measure to have put down one powerful engine, and to
erect another on its ruins more congenial to their wishes. He'
was however.positive, that the conservative press had been a'
great gainer by the reduction, and it now stood upon a higher
eminence than ever over the propagators of sedition and anar-
chy. (Loud cheers.) The whig-radicals had not calculated that
the people would now only be led by an appeal to their under-'
standings, and by strength of reason and sound judgment over
prejudice and passion. (Loud cheers.) There was another
point to which he would briefly advert, and which he considered
was a fatal error committed by the conservative members in the
House of Lords in the last session of parliament; it was suffer-
ing themselves to be cajoled by whig treachery and artifice..-
And suffering, through a mistaken courtesy, the whig-radical
ministry to put off the passing of the most important measures
until the end of the session, and when the peers bad not tnne
give them that mature consideration which their importancev..
de-
manded. The object of the whips was to cover the lords with
disgrace. If they passed the measures without proper
a_.,
consi-
deration, then, thought they, the lords will be in our power, and
be our slaves. On the other hand, if the peers required timetutronr
consideration, the whig.radicals thought they could then turn
round on the conservatives, and threaten them with th
of being inimical to all beneficial reform. (Great (2heeerinFz_)
But the peers had done their duty; they had seen throught.el,.hLiug.7
base artifice, and refused to become the dupes of h
radicals; they had received every measure as becarur-
legislators. (Cheers ) They had thrown themselves
too, in the af-
fections institutions of the country, and secured, people, and their reward would be ample security for all the
(Tremendous cheer-
ing.) of a free and enlightened nation.uponi tarnish
and he also desired to speak with all due 'respect in presence.
and the respectavie.
in g. ) He (Mr. Foster) wished to mention one
tohteherpoint.
of a member of the House of. Coranions