and the Reformers were pre-engaged to assist in averting it. He would tell those present to go forth and say to others, "Show now your mended faith, and instantly return with me to push destruction and perpetual shame out of the weak door of our fainting land." How could they do this, except by rallying round the Constitution? But they must have a leader and where could they find a better than Sir Robert Peel? Did they ever find Sir Robert Peel voting against a particular measure for the purpose of harassing the administration? Did they not, on the contrary, find him throwing aside all factious motives, and assisting his Majesty's present Ministers? The country required a man of talent, capable of repairing the mischief done by his predecessors in office. Such was Sir Robt. Peel. If then they wished to enjoy the blessings handed down to them, and transmit those blessings unimpaired to their children, it behoved (sic) every Englishmen to choose the good side. After a few more observations Mr. Darby proposed the "health of Sir Robert Peel," which was received with the most enthusiastic demonstrations of applause.
Conservative Banquet and Speeches
The Chairman then rose to propose the Members for the Borough, and said he was sure the meeting would be equally reluctant with himself that any public dinner should take place without paying that mark of respect and attention to those gentlemen to whom the interests of the borough were confided. It was with deep regret he felt that the political opinions of one of those hon. gentlemen, Mr. Howard Elphinstone, were in direct opposition to his own, and he believed to the greater portion of those whom he had the honour to address. They might, however, pay him that respect to which he was entitled as a gentleman and a neighbour. With respect to the other, whose opinions more nearly coincided with theirs, that gentleman had stood forward as the defender of the Protestant Church; he had recently given a vote in his place in Parliament, for which he (the Chairman) now publicly offered his tribute of respectful gratitude; he gave a conscientious vote against the Ministerial measure for the abolition of Church-rates. (Cheers.) As one of his constituents he (the Chairman) felt bound to tender this public testimony of respect. It was with much regret that he had heard of his indisposition; whether it would have been in accordance with his inclinations or disposition to be with them to-night, it was not for him (the Chairman) to say; but his indisposition was an additional claim on them to show that attention in this absence which they would have been happy to pay in his presence. If ever there was a moment when he (the Chairman)deeply regretted his lack of eloquence, and when he most fervently prayed that every word he might utter should sink deeply into their hearts, it was now, in proposing to them the next toast, which was headed by the name of one, of whom he hardly dared trust himself to speak, such was the opinion he entertained of nearly every act of the life of that excellent nobleman, who was one justly entitled to a tribute of respectful and affectionate attachment from every Englishman - The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, prosperity to those ports, and success to the new harbour proposal. (Loud cheers.) It was far beyond his powers to speak of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, in a way commensurate with the gratitude he owed him, and which all, as Englishmen, felt they ought to pay to that great man. Though a man might have errors, they might not be errors of the heart; and whatever he might have said at one time, which might be deemed imprudent, still they found him straightforward and honest in every action of his life; and while they condemned the error of the head, they were convinced of the honesty of his heart. They could not be ignorant of what he (the Chairman) alluded to; and he believed that they would generally go with him in his expressions of regret that the noble Duke should have declared himself against all reform. But if the noble Duke had made one mistake, he had run up against them such a debt of gratitude, that they could very well afford to blot out that little error. They had now obtained what the noble Duke honestly set his fact against; but they had yet to reflect upon the straightforward conduct which since that period had characterized every act of his Grace's public life and upon his former brilliant career, into one action of which it would be presumption for him (the Chairman) to enter. The Chairman then alluded to the proposal for making a new harbour for the port of Hastings, which, if it could be carried into effect, would, by a nearer communication with France, by its probably becoming the post-office station for the continent, and by steamers plying to and from all parts, bring trade and commerce to the town, and advance its prosperity, of which they should all be partakers." The toast was received with enthusiasm, supplemented by the band playing "See the Conquering Hero Comes."
It will have been noticed that in proposing the health of the Borough Members, Mr. Sutherland Graeme spoke of Messrs. Elphinstone and North in gentlemanly terms, and at the same time paid a compliment to the latter representative for having given a conscientious vote in favour of the Established Church. My readers will remember how, throughout the years of 1835 and '36, the moderate views and sometimes apparently adverse votes of Mr. North laid him open to the bitter censures of the extreme Liberals, and led them to express strong doubts whether there was really anything of a Liberal character about him. For his conduct in Parliament the honourable gentleman had to offer explanations to his constituents, reminding them, on one occasion, that although in Hastings and St. Leonards there were men of extreme views among political opponents, his own votes, he had reason to believe, had been approved by the moderate men of both parties; and if these were the most numerous - as he believed they were - then he had fairly represented the majority of the constituency. It is another of the coincidences which have cropped up during the writing of this History that in noticing the local anniversaries, the rhyming contributor to the GAZETTE referred to one of Mr. North's political explanations in the following doggerel:-
In Eighteen-thirty-five our M.P. North
From Hastings Lodge- his residence - came forth
And met his amis politiques, a score,
To talk, as 'twere, a party grievance o'er.
Thus met, he begged his liberal friends to note
The reasons for his anti-Irish vote.
It will also not have escaped the reader's notice the Mr. Sutherland Graeme expressed his regret that Mr. North was indisposed. This happened to be also in the month of April, and alluded to in the following anniversary rhyme :-
In Eighteen-thirty-sev'n, F. North, M.P.
Could not leave home, so very ill was he;
And though his views caused many to dissent,
He had their sympathy in this event.
There are phases of the political situation in 1837 other than those already glanced at, comments upon which will be more in place when I have to treat (sic) of the general election. I must again direct my readers attention to the Convervative gathering of 1837,because of its important bearing on subsequent events, and because of the allusions to the political past no less than to the political future. The CHAIRMAN, in rising to give the next toast, said:-
“On the night when the Association was first formed he had the pleasure of delivering his sentiments to those forty gentlemen who composed its first members, and in the course of those observations he said, as nearly as he could remember, the following words - "That as an Association, we were desirous of considering ourselves perfectly independent of all party, but that when the proper period should arrive, either by the dissolution of Parliament or by a vacancy occurring in the representation of the borough, we should have an opportunity of seeing the addresses of the different candidates, and of then judging which of those candidates professed opinions most in accordance with those of the Association." They (the Association) had strictly acted up to those observations; but the contingency then alluded to had actually occurred. One of their hon. members had stated that it was not his intention at the next Dissolution to again solicit the honour of their suffrages; and three other gentlemen had declared their intention of becoming candidates for the vacancy. The principles and conduct of one of those gentlemen were strictly in accordance with the principles which they as an Association professed to maintain; but while he said that, he was most anxious to guard himself and them against the thought for a single moment that he was about to propose the health of the Rt. Hon. Joseph Planta as a candidate. Understand me, gentlemen (continued the Chairman), I am desirous of proposing his health as a guest of the Loyal and Conservative Association. (Great cheering.) This has not been a meeting to promote the interest of Mr. Planta. There is no one in Hastings or St. Leonards more anxious to further his interest than myself, but let us guard ourselves against the impression that he is invited here to make party speeches. I hope it will go forth to the world that this is no party dinner, but a dinner of the Hastings and St. Leonards Loyal and Conservative Association. We were desirous of paying compliment to the members and their friends; that has been extended to the utmost limit, and among others invited is the gentleman whose health I now propose to you. We have all known him as a neighbour and a friend; we know his character, and we also know - for he has never shrunk from the avowal - what his straight-forward, honest political principles are. Therefore whether we find him as a neighbour and a friend, or whether it shall please the enlightened electors of the two towns to return him to Parliament in either capacity - private or public - I am sure that you, in common with myself, are happy to take the opportunity of testifying your esteem of that gentleman. I therefore call on you to fill a bumper to the health and long life of our excellent friend, the Rt. Hon. Joseph Planta."
The response to the toast, as described in the report, and as might be imagined, was very enthusiastic; and in return, Mr. (afterwards Sir Joseph) PLANTA spoke as follows:-
"Mr. CHAIRMAN and GENTLEMEN, I am indeed placed in a very difficult situation. I have heard you do honour to the first authorities in the land; to the first principle by which our land is governed and sustained; to everything firstly, that which is sacred, and, secondly, that which is great in the Monarch and the State; and after drinking all these toasts with the honour that is due to them, you are pleased to come down to drink the health of the humble individual who is now endeavouring to express to you his thanks. To do this adequately is almost a task for which I feel myself unfit. I entreat you therefore, to take the will for the deed - that is, if I cannot express the heartfelt gratitude which I entertain towards you, you will give me credit for what I am not able to speak. I confess my worthy and excellent friend the chairman, relieved me of what would have been an unpleasant feeling when he fairly and openly told you that my health was proposed, not as a candidate, but as a friend and neighbour, and as a person well known to support Conservative principles. And now let us consider what are those principles - whether they are really so shocking, and contain so much evil as some persons would lead us to believe. Those principles, as they have existed in Hastings, have been characterised as Liberal-Conservative. The subject has been intimately connected with-
