A numei011t party Of Conservatives assembled in Merchant Tailors Hall
on Tuesday. The occasion of the meeting was the examination and election of four young men to vacant scholarships in St. John's College, Oxford, belonging to the Merchant Tailors Company ; but after the business of the day was over, the company sat down to a splen- did banquet, set off with numerous speeches. The Queen's health was received with "much cheering ;" Queen Adelaide's with "extraordi- nary enthusiasm ;" but " Sir Robert Peel, Citizen and Merchant Tai- lor," was toasted with "even more than the usual honours." Sir Ro- bert, of course, was very grateful, and said as much- " I am deeply sensible of the kind manner in which my health hos been pro- posed by the worthy President, and received by you ; and I gratefully acknow- ledge the honour you have done me on this occasion. I mu not, however, alto- gether a stranger to these walls. I um proud of the distinction conferred on me, in admitting me to the freedom of this company; and I should be insensi- ble to some of the best feelings of our common nature if I could enter this ball, on any occasion whatever, without feeling in their full force those associa- tions, and conjuring up those pleasant recollections, with which it is, in my mind, inseparably connected. It is not merely because I am a member of this company that they exist, though that would lie a sufficient reason in itself; but it is because that, by the kindness of this company, I have on two several oc- caions received within these walls marks of public approbation and testimo- nies of public respect which I must ever remember, as it is impossible for me ever to forget them. On those occasions I entered into political matters, and stated at large my principles, my intentions, and my opinions. Those state- ments save me the necessity of making any now, and therefore I shall not trou- ble you with a recapitulation of them. But this I am justified in saying, I shall ever adhere to those principles which, I know, alone entitled me to the approbation of the country on those occasions. I know that political power and influence over the State are not the exclusive appendages of office at pre- sent; and I cannot but feel, that, backed by your kindness, aided by the pow- erful talents of those joined with me, and supported by the voice of the public ; I cannot but feel, I cannot conceal from myself and from you, that, though not in ece, we nightly and night after night exercise that power, and »take use that influence. You may depend upon it, that we will persevere in the steady uphohling of theprerogative of the Monarchy—in the maintenance of the just rights of the Established Church—and in resisting all concession to po- pular feelings and popular clamour unduly excited, which would have for their effect to change the character of the ancient institutions of this country, and convert our limited Monarchy into a wild, ungovernable Democracy." (Great cheering.)
Lord Stanley and Sir James Graham spoke in the same strain ; de- claring their unqualified adhesion to Sir Robert Peel as their political
leader. The other speakers were the Duke of Cambridge, the 3Iar- qms of Londonderry, the Earl of Hardwicke, the Duke of' Rutland, Viscount Canterbury, Sir Charles Wetherell, Mr. Recorder Law, Mr. Shaw, the Archbishop of Armagh, and the Bishop of Exeter ; a list of names which shows that this was a grand Tory muster.
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