Morning Herald (London) – Friday 30 January 1824
DINNER IN COMMEMORATION OF THOMAS PAINE’S BIRTH-DAY.
Yesterday evening, there was a numerously attended dinner party at the White Hart, Bishopsgate-street, to celebrate the anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Birth. Mr. HENMAN, on the proposition of Mr. West, was called to the Chair; Mr. W. said, the attendance of another gentleman (Mr. Galloway) had been expected to take the Chair.
The cloth having been removed,
The Chairman (Mr. Henman) spoke of the objects of their meeting: they were mainly to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Paine. He pronounced a very high eulogium on Thomas Paine, as a most open-hearted and disinterested republican, and contended that his writings had done much to enlighten mankind. His exertions had not been limited to England, they had been extended to other countries; he had been chiefly instrumental in giving to America her free Constitution. He concluded with giving “the immortal Memory of Thomas Paine.” It was drunk in solemn silence.
The Chairman said he was sure they would join with him hands and hearts in the next toast; it was “The female republicans of every country.” In giving this and other toasts, he begged to say that he should not give any of those vulgar sentiments which were used amongst their circles; they stood opposed to those classes, and therefore it was not to be expected that their toasts or sentiments should be copied. The toast was honoured with three times, followed by warm applause.
After the company had drunk “the People,” the just foundation of power,
The Chairman said he had to propose to them a toast, the sentiment of which he was sure would meet with the approbation of all of them:—it was “the Liberty of the Press.” The want of it in other countries had occasioned those frightful proceedings which at different times they had been doomed to behold—the condemnation of individuals to the scaffold and to dungeons for having desired to correct abuses, and to procure ameliorated Governments. Had that liberty existed elsewhere, they would not have seen the Holy Alliance—the pledged power, the means to say the un-Holy Alliance—step from one country to another to restrain the efforts to promote a free Constitution, and to restore the Inquisition with all its attendant horrors, as far as the cause of human intellect was concerned. That unholy Alliance, because there had not been a free Press to wage war against it, had been enabled to put down the French Constitution of 1814, the constitution which had recognised the approbation of the best parts of the nation. It was requisite, without the freedom of the Press existing, that liberty would not have the means of making their grievances known, of circulating knowledge, and of disseminating opinions in every part of the globe. They had no better means of making their sentiments known, or of calling for a redress of wrongs, than through the medium of the Press; he, therefore, most cheerfully gave “The Liberty of the Press.” It was received with three times three.
The Chairman afterwards gave “The Republicans of every country,” &c.
“The immortal memory of Riego.”
Success to the brave Greeks, and may they be speedily delivered from tyranny.
“The Rights of Man.”
“General Mina and the other patriots of Spain,”—three times three.
Mr. Gale Jones asked who the patriots were—who were the Spanish patriots—he wished to know who they were?
After some other toasts had been given,
Mr. Gale Jones rose, and desired to propose a toast. He had before wished to address them, because, as they would recollect when they were desired to drink to “General Mina, and the other Spanish patriots,” he had wished to know who they were. The question might have appeared to be somewhat rudely put, but he had no other means of marking his notice of the toast. Who were the “Patriots” of Spain? He began almost to dislike the word Patriot.
The Chairman begged to remind the speaker that they had not met there for debate.
Mr. Gale Jones said, then he had chose a lecture—we had come for Mr. Jones to proceed, and he was eventually compelled to resume his speech. He observed he had no wish to mislead or deceive; he supported the wishes to “put down” Spain, they were loyal but he did not understand what was taught. He wished to know what the Patriots were. He wished they would no longer use the word “Patriot,” but if they must have one, say, “the friends of reforming England;” because he desired neither to support the Government by Spaniards, nor what existed there now. Those “Patriots” whom from perusal, he had read in their country, became fugitives in England, and lived on the charities of the Whigs. But for the Whigs, the Spanish Cause would not have failed. The Whigs interposed—had intrigued—had recommended you to Canning, had urged a House of Lords to carry their views to the different views subsequently entered into. They had no desire at home. That state of things was the consequence of those “patriots,” to fly—they fled, and they left the brave Riego, the only one who had stood out firmly, to suffer on the scaffold. The principles that had been originally contended for by the Spanish Constitutionalists were sterling principles—not Birmingham Counterfeiters; but interference of the Whigs had caused the whole to degenerate into faction, and had rendered impossible the object which had first been contended for. They would not be made the instruments of a struggle for office. The history of those melancholy transactions, the history of the Constitutional Days of Spain, he wished some bookseller would print. He wished some bookseller would print such work in a cheap form, so that it might be extensively circulated; it gave an instructive account of themselves and conduct of those who had taken a prominent part in Spanish affairs, and of those who had but too successfully intrigued against a particular part of the new Constitution. He meant more especially those men who had dined at the London Tavern, in aid of the Spanish Patriots, and who gave empty speeches when the Duke of San Lorenzo called for “iron and gold.” The Spaniards had been seduced from their original simple principles; the Patriots had fled, and had left Riego to suffer; and never let it be forgotten that those fugitives, who had left Riego to his fate, were now living in England on the charities of the Whigs. He concluded with giving—”The Cause for which Valladares, Riego suffered, and Washington fought and conquered,” with three times three.
Mr. Cobbett proposed—”The health of Richard Carlisle,” which, with other toasts, having been given, the company departed.