Public Dinner At Hereford...
The Times, 1824-09-03T00:00:00

,~n ~on~g~ Inst a nueroos ass mbaeotheateee an others,3 detertnne~dto sup:.ot l r. Clive as candidate foeth:le reprne. e7ntt ;in ch they had cnextX election,; mhet that gnleman at a &iir Gt:oktOg CotRNEWALL, the chairman, addressed the meet. Ing terms of the highest rtspeec and miost cordial esteem tewards r. le. le assured them that in his opinion Mlr. Clive was in every respect qualified to represent them in Parliament. They had known him as a neighbour and a friend nearly 30 years, and he felt that his birth and connexions, his rank and fortune, his integrity Oad talent, his high sense of honour, his public intlepiendence, and hiaa private worth, were such as could niot fail to make himn a proper obSect of their choice. For himself, he had no doubt of the favour. blte result of the present conteet, and he should give his vote and interest to Mlr. Olive, "1 with all his heart and all his sonil." He thenproposed, " Health and success to Mr. Clive ;" which was re- ceve with universal acclamation. Mr. CLIVE thrnked Sir G. Cernewall for the manv marks of kind friendship he had shown him. He observed, that at many Political meetings in this city he had declared his public senti- ments-sentiments which he assured the present meeting remai i- ed unaltered; for the more he considered them, the snore was he confirmed in their propriety : but, fortunatcly, varieus Circuio- stances had arisen since the termination of the war with France, which, adtied perhaps to his morc advanced age, might render hlim less ardent in his political pursuits than at an earlier pe- r!od. Some changes, also, (in his mind much for the better), had taken place in H-s Majest ' Councils. The present Secretary for Foreign Affirs seemed to adopt a more enlrged and liberal line of policy than his predecessor, and appeared to abandon the principles of the " Holy Alliance." He conceived that alliance to ble most impr.opterly if not blasphemously so call.d, and he could view it in no other light than a conspiracy of crowned heatls against the liberties of mankind. The present Chancellor of the Exche: quer wvas much superior, in every respect, to his predecessor, and af- fo d hopes ob gradual amelioration in his department. Having thus declared that the abandonent of the Holy Alliance was a lead- ing feature of improvement in our foreign policy, he would now ad- vert to what he thought advisable to bedone at home. it was his fer- vent wish that Irelandt s3ould be looked upon, and placed in the si- tuauon of an integral part of this great empire, and that the utmost relizious toleration should prevail throughout it. Good men were to be tound in all religious persussions; nor could any religion whatever obtain credit ir the worl.l, unless it inculcated good morals. For his part, he slhould no more deem it necessarv in these times to ask a person what was his religious creed before he was ciiie ployed in -tle service of the State, than, were he in a ship duir- Ing a stortm, he should think it necessary to ask a skilful pilot on board what were his religious opinions before lie, commisaioned him to take the helm and save the vessel. On the subject of tIT- ther improvements, lie professed his an xious wishes for the freedom of the presa; fully aware, however, that some checks were neces- sarv to guiard againt its licentiousness, by adopting particularly such means as might prevent the circulation and prevalence oif private slander. To ensure these advantages he loohkd to the tvnmecessity of a House of Commons being so termed as to repre. stnt the real feclings and sentiments ot the people; in his opi. nion, the hous^e, as now constituted did not possess that most desirable quality. On this subject ie had never been an idvo- eate for universal sufFriage, nor for annual parliamrents. Thev who knew him. anti they who had acted with him in differetit political associations, were well aware that he had ever opposed those toctrines. In his opinion, the representation of the people should not be the property of any individual: he wished that an occupa. tdon of the yearly value of 101., which accorling to present law con. ferred parochial settlement,should also confer the privilege of a vote; and he was induced to particularize this, in coiisequence of the as. serions of the enemies of reform, that thcTc was no settled plan in the reforusers' minds. Al the present period, lie was by no means afraid of abuses by the Royal prerogative. He wished the Alo- aarch to be able to exerc.se his constitutional powers, free and unfettered by any prourietors of boroughs. It was very rare. he believed, that the King could confer any favour or situation without consulting his iMinistcrs, and they must again consult on the services of the candidate's patroti. But in 'a recent instance of churchi preferment, he not only rejoiced that the Kjm5g had ex- erted his constitutional prerogative on the principles he had stated, but also on account of ithe excellent and esteemed individual (well known to most of the present company) who had been thus honour. ably and deservedly preferred. He (Mlr. Clive) had heard that he had been censured for subscribing a few pounds in favour of "llr. Hone, an individual whom he begged to state he never saw, and whose publications he never purchased. His motives and conduct in sub- scribing admitted of explanation satisfactory to himself, and as he trusted, satisfactory to his fricti(s. Other persons in elevated ranks of society, who had indulgel themselves (if it could be so termed) in the bad taste of parodving the H'oly Sciiptures, had not onlvyccaped eatSure, but had received the approbation and reward of Ministers themselves. But the case of Mir. lone wvas that of a poor man, adopting these means and this bad taste, in order to procure bread for his family. Instead of commendation, he met with persecution and punishment; and the only object of the subscription alluded to was to supply him wiLh cite means of obtaining a fair trjIal. He felt assured tuat ite prosecution was not instituted for the honour of religion, because many of our rmorc orthodox divines had lamne,hted that the creed of St. Athanasius formed part of the book of our Common Prayer; but because, in parodying that creed, lie had ridiculed some of his Majestv's .11 inistcrs. Having this generally stated the measares which heintended to support whenhe attained the situation of tF.eir represei.- tative in Parliament-an honiour which he felt quite confident of at. taining-It would be perfectly indifferent to him, who looked to mea- sures and not to rnen, under whatappellations the promoters of such measures might be known. WVhether Cavaliers or Roundheads, whether Jacobites or Jacobins, *Vhigs or Tories, Foxites or Pittites, Ultras or Radicals or whatever other names or rather nicknames they might bear, if tey acted on the system which he thought be. iteficial to the country, they nmight reli' on his bonest and sincere support. Before lie sat down, he begged, however inadequately with his, feelings of regard and long fitendship, to propose the health of their worthy chairman, Sir G. Cornewall. (Long-continued and universal applause.) Air. R. PRICE, M. P., addressed the meeting at considerable length. He joined in the =cknowledgmenxs of bis friend AIMr. Clive, that the late changes in his AI;aj!st7's cuuncils had materially im. proved them; and he congratulated the meeting that a cbeck at least seemed at length to be put to the almost incessant encroach- rsents vhich were mnade a few years since on the rights and liber- ties of Englishmen. At the same time he cautioned them to watch every succeeding set of Ministers with the most jealous eye; and by returning such men as Air. Clive to Parlianient, do all in their power to promote the honour and prosperity of the country. Sir HAflFOORD JONES, in retuming thanks for his.shatl having been given, expressed his approbation ot' the proposet election of ZNl r. Oive. Sevcral other gentlemen delivered their sentiments in favour of Mr. ('iive, Maly appropriate toasts were given (particularly the healths of Sir T. Winnington, M'r. T. A.- Kiniglitt Mlr. W. Foley, E. M. Barrett, Esq. &r.), and the Chairman did not .quit his post urntil half parst ten, after a most gratifying day to Mr. Chive and hiu supporters. . - P?UDLIW 1bhvArR AiT FJEREPOAAD