The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-01-17 00:00:00

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FOX ANNIVERSARY.
(rant rue ZDINNUION AWL, JAN.I4.)
This political festival was celebrated here yesterday.
by the annual dinner, which was provided, as usual, at
Oman's Hotel, Waterloo Place. The company was of
the firat,tespectability, and in number appeared to ear
seed that of any former year. We should imagine
that at least 500 individuals were present. . .
Sir James Macintosh was in the chair of President, at
0. Cranstoun, Esq. in that of Croupier. The Stevear46
chairs were filled by the Earl of Roselyn, the Earle
Minto, Visct. Glenorchy, Sir Ronald Fergussoo,lll.P.,
S. P. Brant, Esq M. P. ; Thos. Kennedy, Esq. IL P.; R•
A. Oswald, Esq. of Anchencroive ; C. O. Stewart Me.
testis, Esq. of Closeborn ; Hugh Mossman, Esq. of
Anchtyfardel; John Mansfield, Esq. younger, of Mid.
mar; D. Carorgy, Esq. of Quito; R. Cunningham,
Buntine, Esq. of Ardoch ; Major Leith Hay, younger, of
Rennes; William Young, Esq. younger of Her
.barn ; James Moncrieff, Esq. advocate: Job@
Cunningham., Esq. advocate; H. Cockburn' Esq. advo-
cate : Brown, Esq. advocate; Francis Jeffrey, Esq.
advocate; Robert Hunter, Esq. advocate; Wm. Oibson,
Req. adeocate ; J. Horner, Esq. ; J. Balfour, Esq. • J.
Craig, Esq.; R. Scott, Esq. I Archibald Anderson, Esq.
Mr. T. Edmonstone ; and Mr. J. Paterson.
There being more guests than could dine together
conveniently in the Assembly Room of the Hotel, din-
ner was served up for a part of the company in an ad-
joining room. After dinner, their return to the Assem-
bly Room was marked by an anxious rush for seats ; and
when seated, the company were indeed united " shout-
der to shoulder."
While the cloth was being removed, the band ((low's)
played—" Know that the Lord reigoeth," from The
Creution.
The cloth being removed, and the table covered with
dessert and wines,

I.

The CHAIRMAN rose, and addressed the company as
follows : Gentlemen,—Although no clue of men our-
;piss the friends of liberty in attachment to the /louse of
lira nom kir, and although, generally speaking, I should
think it indecorous to preface the health of the King,
at a political meeting, with any preliminary remarks ;
yet, on this particular occasion, L may be allowed to say,
that we shall drink his Majesty's health with more plea-
sure, on account of the honour which he has conferred
on as by his recent visit to this country, and by the im-
partial courtesy which be extended to all cl a f his
northern subjects.—(Ckeers.) 1 therefore give, Gentle-
mon

"The King"—(Load applause,)--.Tape, King's An-
them.
The Chairman than gave—
" The Duke of York. and the rest of the Royal
l'amily,"—(Applaase.) Tune—" Britons, strike home."
• The ClitleklAlN,-.4 now rise TO propose that toast
which describes the peculiar objects of this meeting,
and is Identified with the principles which have
/leaven you together. I propose, Gentlemen, the me-
mory of him whom you are 11111,111111114 d to honour,
and whose name you have chosen as the symbol of
yoer principles; and I feel considerably relieved by that
eircusustance, from the arduousness of the task which
1 have undertaken; because, in thus assembling to
'commemorate the principles of Mr. Fos. and declaring
them to be identical with year Ow 0, yea have pro-
financed a greater encomiasts os his memory than it
•is in the potter of human eloquence to bestow. Oen.
tletuen. the highest honour which a morel and intel-
lectuel community can confer on an iodlvidual, is to
eldsw tilts they regard his name Rs identified witb
the priXciples of civil sad religions liberty.—(Cheers.)
In directing your attention to the character of Mr. Fox,
Gentlemen, I do not speak of his intellect and genius—
iaftriur qualities these, and which may be either the
most sere. cable or the most detestable. [A amides
hive of applause proclaimed the sympathy of the mi•
thence in Gm sentiment of the spencer, and the cheering
'was
prolonged for several minutes.] Yes, Gentlemen,
you have chosen the principles for the man, and not the
roan for the principles. (Applause.) But you have
done well in assuming a man, by which yen associate
with the principles you would cherish, the warmth and
the fervour of the man by whom they were so long, so
;vigorously, and so faithfully ted. The friends of
• peace, of lsbrrty,and of equal law,know his whole life was
,ilistinguished by jealousy of power—by respect for po-
epular rights—by resistance to oppression—(Cheers)—
Auld by an anxiety and tenderness for personal liberty.—
,(Cheers) These, Gentlemen, mere the principles
of it,. Fox:- these are the principles which you
are asset to celebrate, and in doing so have chosen
the name of Mr. Pox as the bond of union. I
'peak not of personal qualities, because these
are impertinent to the objects of this meeting;—
but I have had an eye to those qnalities which exalt
the nattier, and dignify the man. Of Mr Fox, Gentle.
morn, I may say, that Isis darling passion was a love
of freedom ; and its this we have the source of all his
public virtues. If I may descend to an inferior rate of
qualities, the intellectual capacity and attainments of
Ale. Fox assigned him a rank among the most splendid
ornaments of literature and science. But did the lustre
of his literary and his public life, cast any shade upon
his private virtues? Will any one charge him with
insincerity or inconsistency ? 1 shall not be contra.
dicted by any one present who know Mr. Fox, when
I say that his public conduct was in unison with his
private opinions. In him were united, with uncommon
intrepidity and firmness, a more than ordinary share
of meekness, tenderness, and compassion. He never
f.-It contempt but for baseness ; he never kindled. into
lasting anger hut against tyranny. (Cheers.) In the
course of his lung and arduous life, he always selected
for his protection those who most d d it, and who
were the least capable of defending themselves ; and
...,be espomied tp the last, with undaunted firmness and
unshaken constancy, those measures in particular,
wl icb, from the iliffienlty of attaining them, the hassle-
ranee of the times, or from whatever clues, were most the
objects of illiberal censure and vulgar prejudice. Nor was
his intrepidity abated by the distance of the quarter to which
some of his nseeseves applied. He advocated the freedom
of Americo—(Cheers.)—and would hate given liberty to
India.—(Cheers.)--Although it is far from me to ascribe
merit to any man for having destroyed, while he had the
power, a practice so barbarous and unnatural, yet his last
legacy was the abolition of the slave trade;—(Hear. hear.)
--end he sedulously endeavoured to ameliorate the condi-
tioned' Ireland, which to this day, is a reproach and a dis-
honour to the British name.--(Cheers.)—Thereare some in-
deed who think they perceive too much seal laths Maraca*
of Mr. Fox, and who say that he carried his perseverance
to en . Gentler's. I consider this the highest enco-
mium which his opponents can confer on the memory ofthat
illustrious statesman. Will those who think the principles
of Mr. Fox were too pertinaciously maintained, assert that
we have had too few wars? (Cheers) too light burdens f—
(aseers)--too few suspensions of the Constitutions/ (cheers)
toe many checks to undue power ?—(cheers)—too few
violations of personal liberty ? (Cheers)—too many
extensions of the liberty of the pare? (Cheer.)—tow
great a control on the prerogative of the Crown I—too
little restraint on the assembling of the people? Those
who think so, I hope, will always be able to distinguish
their opinions from those of Mr. Fox. But it is said,
those wino hold the opinions of Mr. Fox are the advo-
cates of Catholic Emancipation and Parliamentary
Reform. We•are the advocates of Catholic Emancipa
ties and Parliamentary Reform. (Vehement cheering.)
• Gentlestea, It is curious enough, that such a charge
should Goose from the (Hendee! Mr. Pitt. (Hear. hear.)
I shall not endeavour to exalt a great man, by de.
grading his competitor; and certainly no two was.