The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-11 00:00:00

WORKING MAN'S CLUB AND INSTITUTE

UNION.

A public dinner in aid of the funds of this
society was held last evening, at Freemasons' Tavern ; the
Duke of ARGYLL in the chair. Amongst the company
were :—Earl Grosvenor, Lord Lyttelton, Mr. A. H. lAy-
ard, M.P., Sir John Pakingten, M.P., Earl of Lichfield,
Dr. W. Fairbairn, Lord Paulet, Mr. J. Heywood, and the
Hon. D. Fortescue. . _

The CHAIRMAN gave the toast of the evening, "
Pinee
rity to the Working Men's Club and Institute Union."
said he was very glad to preside over the meeting for
several reasons. We had heard a good deal, perhaps too
much, in recent political diecusaions, both for and against
the working man. In the heat of political discussion it
was, perhaps, impossible that there should not be exagge-
rations on both sides. He was glad to find that there
were present representatives of all sections of politics.
There were, he hoped, good sound radicals in the room ;
there certainly were some staunch conservatives; and there
were also represented the inhabitants of the Cave. (Laugh-
ter.) It was fair for him, on the part of the liberal party,
to say that those who were politically conservatives, and
opposed to political change, had very often been the most
energetic supporters of all social reform. (Cheers.) His
grace concluded by making an eloquent appeal on behalf of
the Working Men's Club, incidentally remarking that he
could not doubt, after all, that the principle of the trades'
unions was a sound one, and recommending the council to
secure for London a central hall and model club.

" The health of Lord Brougham, the President, and 1
the Vice-Presidents" was proposed by the Chairman and
enthusiastically drunk.
The Earl of LICHYILLD, one of the vice-presidents,
responded. He said he felt some little disappointment at
the want of success which had attended the attempts to
establish working men's clubs in different parts of the
country. The fault was apathy on the part of the working
men, and the attempt on the part of the promoters to make
the clubs too educational. For himself he would not exclude
beet from the clubs, because by so doing the very class
would be kept away who ought to be attracted there.
(Hear, hear.) He strongly urged, as a means of improving
the condition of the working classes, some alteration in the
system of granting licenses to beer-houses.
The Rev. H. Bou.v, the organising director, read letters
of apology, intimating that many distinguished men were
unable to be present because it was Ascension Day. lie
also announced subscriptions to the amount of 2201.
Sir J. PAKINGTON, M.l'., in giving the health of the
chairman, said it was not one party or another in this
country who were anxious to promote the welfare of our
bumbler fellow-subjects. It had been said that that poli-
tical party with which it was his ill fortune to be con-
nected never opened their lips on the subject of the
working classes except to imput., to them ignorance and
vice. (Hear, hear.) This was not the occasion when it
would be becoming or proper to enter into the ques-
tion which was now agitating parliament and so-
ciety, as to whether we ought to admit a larger
or smaller proportion of the working classes to a
part in our represeatativesystem, but he could not forbear
saying that he knew of no party or men who wished to
exclude the working classes from our representative sys-
tem. (Hear, hear.)
Other toasts followed, including " The Health of the
Rev. H. Bally," given by Lord Lyttelton, and " The social
elevation of the working classes," and " Harmonious co-
operation between all classes of society,' proposed by the
chairman.
Some excellent singing was given between the toasts by
Mr. Munteni Smith, Mr. Bawler, and Mr. Dawson.