The Winchester Tories gave the Marquis of Chandos a public
dinner eon the 16th instant, to console him for the loss of the High-Steward- ship of Winchesfer, from which office he had been removed by the Libe- ral Town-Council. From the speech which Lord Chandos delivered on the occasion, it would seem that he belongs to the section of Tories who profess their determination to check the Movement, and think that Reform has gone far enough- " We have in this country been blessed with a Constitution which has long been alike the admiration and the envy of the world, but are we-1 put it to you, as wise and rational men, men who prize the rights and privileges they possess, and are determined to maintain them—to stiffer that Constitution to undergo other and still more fearful changes, merely at the pleasure of a set of Individuals in whose prudence or intentions it is impossible that the public cac repose any well-founded confidence? On this point I am free to say I must go along with that splendid and admirable statesman by whom the Reform Bill was carried. Lord Grey declared after that measure had been achieved, that the time had arrived when it became the duty of Parliament to pause be- fore they attempted further changes. He said he must take his stand upon the Reform Bill—and I also am prepared to take my, stand on the law of the land as established by that measure, and to resist to the death any new claims of the -Democratic party, or fresh changes in patriotism and the suffrages of the people. The constitution of the country is not to he overturned to bud the views of individuals, or to satisfy their mere fancies ; and if you agree with in this—( Tremendous cheering)—you will take your stand, as I have done, with the distinguished statesman to whom I have alluded, and use your beat exertions to put an end to a state of things which, if it continues much longer, must render it utterly impossible for any man to say that either his property or his life is secure. Let us, then, take up a position while we can do so with benefit to the country—let us take our stand on the measure of Lord Grey—on the Reform Bill, and say, ' This is the Constitution,' and with it we are re- solved either to stand or fall. * • • We are now on the eve of the meeting of the Legislature, on whose wisdom the salvation of the country, and the preservation of the authority of the laws, and the existence of the House of Lords rest ; for, gentlemen, I will not attempt to disguise front you that that body is at the present moment threatened bya faction the most extraordinary and the boldest that ever was known—a faction which aims not only at the destruction of our religious establishment and the overthrow of one branch of the Legislature, but the sapping of the Throne itself. Now I am, as I have already said, prepared to take my stand, as thousands of others will do, on the Constitution as it exists, in 'King, Lords, and Commons. This, would you believe it, is the identical ground which our enemies have selected for the combat ; but if meetings like this will only give free expression to their opinions, there can be little doubt that the Conservative ranks will soon be so reinforced as to insure victory to our side, and by that means prevent the con- vulsion which must otherwise be the result."
The Conservative Associators of Ashby-de-la-Zouch dined together on Tuesday. Mr. Halford was the most lengthy orator; but we find nothing in the speeches that deserves notice.
Previous page
