The Express.
London, England, 1850-11-06 00:00:00

POLISH BALI..

A meeting of gentlemen connected with the cm•
mimes for carrying out the contemplated ball in behalf of
the Polish refugees, was held yesterday in the Privy Cham-
ber of the aldermen., at the rt oildhall. Mr. Deputy HOU
presided. A considerable number of the members of :..e
committee were p , amongst whom were Lord Dolby
Colitis Stuart, M.P. • T. Chisholm Aostry, M.P.; Deputes
Peacock, Brittea, Obbard. and Holt ; and Messrs. G. Wal-
ter, Conant', Snelling, Barber, Johnston (Cornhill); Jahn-
state (Temple), Yonne Waterlow, Jame., Knott, Early,
Carter, Wilkinson, R. Read,
ad, Adel', and Bishop.
Soma of the members of the committee having given in
their reports of btuiness merely of a routine character,
Mr. CARR, the bon. secretary, read the Mantes of the
former meeting, which were cor.firined.
Letters from Sir Moses Monteli arc and other envision,
'sweetie/ their inability to attend, having been read,
Lord DUDLEY STUART said: So far as I con me, our
prospecta are most filtittil3a. In reply to the application
which I have made (or patronage I have received a great
. .

mauy kind replies, in some ivataaces accompanied by-sch.
stantial proofs of sympathy, and me refnail,, so that our
charitable undertaking has the sanction not only of the lewd
Mayor and Lady Majorca, and the Sheriffs, but also of a
long list of noble and distinguished name,. (Cheer.) I
think it may also claim the approval of every kind,
humane, and reflecting person—(hear, hear)—for I am
willing to attribute the very unkind attacks upon
it that have been made in some of the public
prints rather to want of reflection than to any more
reprehensible motive. That many should decline coming
to the ball, or otherwise assisti,g us, I can well understand.
They do not like such entertainments. Some may even disap-
prove of dancing. They have other calls on their time—
other claims on their money—what they have to spore 'hey
prefer spending in some other way, or perhaps bestiwing nn
some other charity. Well, let all such go their way, and
follow the bent of their own minds. I never feel any in
humour when my applications for the Poles are met by
the allegation that the persons applied to cannot spare
scything from our own poor, if I believe the excuse to
be sincere ; but why cannot they be satisfied with gie:ng
us the pain of a denial without complaining, as if our
charitable undertaking were an offence ? (Cheery)
Above all, why should influential organs of the pros
take pains to render it abortive ? Is there anything
wrong in giving a ball at all? Some rigid in-re lists
may think so ; but they had better attack the balls of the
rich and prosperous, having no object except frivolity,
and when these were put down, it would be time enough
to wage war against such as are undertaken for the pnrpoee of
softening the hard lot of ;he miserable, and smoothing
&little the rugged path of the exile. (Cheers.) The Polish
Ball, however, has been objected to on no such grounds ; and
if • party of gentlemen had obtained from the Clerk et Com-
mon Council the use of the Guildhall merely in order to
give them a bachelors' ball, or any other entertainment
whose announcement was not the means but the sole end
and aim, not a word probably would have been said against
it. (A laugh.) It is not wrong, then, to give a ball at
Guildhall ; but it is wrong. it seems, to give it for the
Poles. Let me ask, why is this wrens, ? The only sneerer
that can be made is, either that the Pelee are undeeerviog, or
that they steed in the way of some other still more der tying
objects. The first is assumed ty the nbjecton, one and all,
and if the assumption were well founded they would be in
the right. If it can be shown that the proceeds cf former
balls hay, been bestowed upon men able but unwilling to
wash, acid who have the opportunity, if they oboes to cent
themselves, of finding employment—lf that can be shown,
then will the Polish ball not deserve support. (Hear,
bear.) The Polish grant was discussed at con-
siderable length in 1848, and an inquiry ordered, and what
Lard Palmerston stated this year was, not that the grant
should be reduced, but that inconsequence of that inquiry it
had been reduced, and the Chancellor of the Excnequer
added that it was no longer a question whether the Poles
should be supported, but whether they should be supported
out of national or out of local funds, for that none had been
left on the list of recipients except such as bad been, after
the strictest inquiry, found to be absolutely unable to do
anything for themselves. (Hear. hear.) The grant, origi-
nally 10,0001. a year, was afterwards raised to 15,0001., to
meet the calls arising from an increase in the number of
the Poles. It afterwards diminished rapidly from stinet(
causes, and in 1848 was between 7,0001. and 8,0001., bat this
year (18501 it has been reduced to lets than 4,0001. a good
many haring been removed from the list of recipients as able
to shift for themselves (but many of them, I lament to say,
are now in a pitiable state of want), and the allowance to
those in the ens of officers bevies been reduced fret
ten shillings to maven shillings • week. Whet must
be the condition of a man with the habits and education of
a gentleman, and having perhaps the acquirements of Lows
Philippe, but long prevented by ill health from turningtheas
to account—what must be his con 'Pion, with conies but
7e. a week for all expenses whatsoever to depend upon, I
leave you to imagine ; and also what a fintrishtng condition
the finances of this country must be in now ;fiat by curtail•
hag the pittance of • few homeless exiles the treasury_ his
effected • saving of a few hundred pounds! ("
hear," and a lsagb.) But I must apologize for detaining
you so long. There are still generous and honest heats
enough in the City and other parts of the metropolis and
country who will not suffer their feelings of humanity to be,
repressed or stifled by any sneers, printed or spoken, sea
who, after doing their duty by the poor of their own load,
can Min spare enough to enable them to enjoy • ball et
t►e exiles oafn Poland.dcheerfulloyfttho
wcontributeelcotonwfiardedentityhdeirepl;;:tf °t,f
MD • goodly and a brilliant eseemblege ea the eveniog
of
Thursday the 14th of November. (Laud cheers.)
Mr. SNILLIN•, Mr. JOHNSTONE, and Depu'y notr
expressed their satisfaction at the statements made by Lora
Dudley Stuart, when the committee, after making further
arrangementa for the forthcoming occasion, adjourned.

MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A WATERLOO VETERAX.
—Yesterday afternoon an inquest was taken by Mr. H. M.
Wakley, at the ,
Britannia Camera-street, ffilues.r.ed
Chrism, on the body of John Randall, aged 84, au
out-
sular and Waterloo veteran, For ume years pt the
deceased hu lived under his son's roof, in Canterestteet,
Chelsea, on • pension of le. per diem, and for the last foet
months he had been suffering from an attack of par.eiSto.
which confined him to his room. On Sunday 'teensy as
alarm was given that the room was on fire ; and, on his
eon entering the place, he found the unfortunate deceased
lying on the floor, doge to the fender. The flames wee
extinguished as quickly as poribls, but not before the
deceased was frightfully burnt. He died early the fullowai4
morning. It was conjectured that, in his attempt to eto
the fire, the chair on which he was leaning upset, acl be
fell sosinst the ban of the grato.—Yerdiet, Aneidental
bath."