The Conservatives of Belfast and the neighbourhood had a grand
dinner on Monday week. The number of gentlemen who sat down to table was 1158; including Lords Dufferin, Roden, Powerscourt, Cas- tlereagh, Rathdown, Cole, and Jocelyn, Colonel Conolly, Sir Edward Hayes, Mr. J. E. Tennent, Mr. Dunbar, Mr. J. W. Maxwell, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, and many other Members of Parliament, with a goodly sprinkling of Church dignitaries and naval and military officers. It was a gathering of Orange-Tories from all parts of Ireland. The tone of the speeches was very triumphant, and insulting to the Whig Ministers, whose overthrow was anticipated as certain and speedy. " The health of the Duke of Wellington, Lord Lyndhurst and the house of Lords," was rapturously applauded.
Three hundred and twenty Reformers of North Downshire, dined with Mr. Sharman Crawford, at Newtownards, on Thursday week. The Belfast Northern Whig says, in refere.ce to this meeting—
It was gratifying beyond even the warmest anticipations of those with whom it originated. Such a display, in Lord Londonderry's own town, . is a thing for the Orange agitators to take note of. They may talk of "reaction" after this. Why, even the son of Lord Londonderry's bailiff was carried away by the popular spirit, and became one of Mr. Crawford's entertainers ! We you- gratulate the Inhabitants of North Downshire on their conduct on this un- portant occasion ; and, in conclusion, we presume we can add nothing more gratifying to them, as well as to the Reformers of the North in general, than the fact that the Liberal inhabitants of Belfast are determined to follow up the example set them at Newtownards, by paying a similar tribute of respect to Mr. Crawford, in this town, not in a secret lodge-room, but where they will court the public scrutiny of the press.
Previous page
