There was a considerable muster of the Liberals of Great
Yar- mouth, on the 29th ultimo, for the purpose of presenting two silver candelabras, each valued at 2201., to Colonel Anson and Mr. Burn- bold, the late Reform Members for the borough. The ceremony of presentation took place in the Apollo Gardens, and both the gentle- men returned thanks in appropriate speeches. In the evening, three hundred Liberals, including Messrs. Anson and Rumbold, dined together, in a building fitted up for the occasion, to celebrate the passing of the Municipal Bill. One of the first toasts was the health of Mr. Coke, who was among the party; and that gentleman returned thanks in a characteristic speech.
" Gentlemen (said Mr. Coke), nobody rejoices more than I do in the accom- plishment of the great measure you are this day met to celebrate, viz. th reform of corporate bodies. Of all corporations, I have ever regarded those of Norwich and Yarmouth as the most corrupt ; but I do hope that, by the working of this bill, even these may be purified, or at least considerably improved. We must, however, have patience, and I have no doubt as to the result. It is perfectly true that, when first returned as the Representative for Norfolk, I was the only Member out of twelve in the county who espoused Liberal opinions ; and you may judge ef the estimation in which such opinions were held in those days, when I tell you that almost the first letter I received from a certain noble friend of mine was addressed 'My dear Rebel.' (A laugh.) Since those days how are things changed ! At the time of passing the Reform Bill, Norfolk returned eleven Reformers and only one Tory. I never expected to see even so n.ueh as has been accomplished in Municipal Reform. I have the utmost confidence in Lord Melbourne, asan able, independent, and inflexible Minister ; and hope he will hold the Court at arm's leugth,—for it could not be denied that the Court was against him ; the Oligarchy was against him; and lastly, the Church was against him ; but he had the People with bins, and so Jong as that was the case, be might defy all their efforts to thwart his measures. Why, gentlemen, let us look at the House of Lords. Is it not a fact that for sixty or seventy years there has hat dly been an independent man placed in it ? The truth is, that House wants sifting ; and a reform in the Lords is beceme as necessary as even it was in the Commons ; for in their upposition to all good mea- sures they have only shown their ignorance. I will mention an anecdote of one of my ancestors in the time of Charles the First, a 3I r. John Dutton, then M. P. for Gloucester, who had been imprisoned in the gaol of that city for refusing to pay ship-money. It was the fashion in those days to play bowls ; and it once happened that in a mixed company of noblemen and gentry of the neigh. bourhood, they had some difficulty in snaking up a side Leave it to me,' said Mr Dutton, we gentlemen, who are no lords, will play you lords, who are no gentlemen.' (Laughter.) And they did play, and beat the lords; and so they will again, if the lords do not mind what they are about."
Colonel Anson, Mr. Rumbold, Mr. Ashurst, and Mr. Douglas, addressed the company. Among the toasts were "the Press, the safeguard of Reform," a Mr. O'Connell and the Reformers of the House of Commons," " the Earl of Lichfield and the Reformers of the House of Lords."
Lord John Russell has accepted an invitation to dine with the friends of Reform on the 10th of November, in Bristol ; when a piece of plate will be presented to his Lordship, with a suitable inscription engraved on it.—Globe.
An address from Plymouth is to be presented to Lord John Russell. The Reformers were desirous of inviting his Lordship to a public dinner, but when it ANTS considered that his sojourn at Endsleigh was for the purpose of repose, the desire was abandoned. The address will be presented by a deputation of twenty-one gentlemen selected from the three towns.
Addresses of thanks to the King and his Ministers for the Muni- cipal Bill were last week unanimously voted at a public meeting in Dartmouth.
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