Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-17 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. •

W RYALLS,
PIASa-FORTE & HARMONIUM WAREHOUSE,
9, HAMILTON-STREET, BIRKENHEAD,
Has just unpacked a Superior Lot of First-class INSTRU-
MENTS, from Broadwood and Sons, Collard and Collard, Hop
Vinson, Alexandre, and other eminent makers; and, having
purchased with Cash, enables him to offer them considerably
under the usual prices.

D'ALBERT'S ALBUM, for 1860, beautifully illustrated, LI Is.
VERDI'S ALBUM, containing 25 favourite Songs, 7s. 6d. -
MENDELSSOHN'S Two-part Songs, complete, 85.
BOOSEY'S and CHAPPELL'S Operas, 45., 55., and 6s. each.
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS, arranged by Charles Haile.

MENDELSSOHN'S LIEBER OHNE WORTE (bound,) 76. 6d
NOVELLO'S Cheap ORATORIOS and MASSES.

SHEET MUSIC HALF-PRICE.

Concertinas, Accordeons, Flutinas, Guitars, Violins, and
Drums.
Harp, Guitar, and Violin Strings.
And all Articles connected with the Music Trade.
REPAIRS, RESILKING, and POLISHING, by the best workmen.
Tuning by the year (8 times), 215. ; if paid in advance, 19s.
No extra charge for New Strings.
All Instruments sold at this Establishment Guaranteed.
N.B.—QUADRILLE PARTIES attended by a first-rate Pianist
from Weippert and Jullien's, London.

W. RYALLS,
MUSIC WAREHOUSE,
9, HAMILTON-STREET, BIRKENHEAD

NEAR WOODSIDE PERRY.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT ASSOCIATION OF
WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS.

"SAM SLICK" ON WAREHOUSEMEN AND
CLERKS.

On Thursday- evening the first annual soiree
and ball, in aid of the funds of the association,
was held in the large room of the London
Tavern ; Alderman Wire in the chair, supported
by Justice Haliburton (" Sam Slick") ; Dr. Brind-
ley, of Birmingham; Dr. Abrahams, of the Town
Council ; Dr. Humble, and others.

Mr. Lomas, the secretary, read the directors'
report, which gave a very gratifying account of
the progress and prosperity of the society since
its institution six months ago.
Dr. Brindley, of Birmingham, in an eloquent
address moved, and Mr. Abrahams, of the Common
Council, seconded, a resolution congratulating the
members on the- formation of the society, and
trusted that it would develop itself as one of the
most useful and beneficial amongst kindred insti-
tutions throughout the kingdom.
The resolution having been put and carried
unanimously-,-
Mr. Justice Haliburton, or, as he is more fami-
liarly known in the world of letters " Sam Slick,"
rose amid applause to support it. There were
some few institutions in this country that were
wholly unobjectionable, but to a great many
others, however good they might be in principle,
there was some material objection. Many of the
noble charities of this great City of London,
supported by voluntary contributions, and
which were alike an ornament. to it, as
well as an indication of its wealth, had this
defect inherent in them—that too much of
their charity was done by machinery. Those
who were in affluent circumstances, had
nothing to do but to draw a cheque Upon
their bankers and, send it.. to the institution,
however kind, and liberal, and benevolent might
be their intentions, could not give their hearty
co-operation to them as they could to charities in
their own neighbourhood. He did not intend to
detract from the benefits to be derived from the
laudable liberality that supported them, but the
machinery in too many cases was too expensive.
(Applause.). Again, mechanics' institutions, ori-
ginally designed, by Lord Brougham and others
of enlarged Mind and philanthropic views, had
gradually dropped into the stream they were
intended to float on, and had become different
institutions altogether. They were designed for
the edification and mutual instruction of me-
chanics themselves, instead of - which . me-
chanics did not take that interest in them
that they ought to take, and they had
become a place for the deli-very of not very
learned' but f somewhat ' elaborate "lectures
of men who knew but little of their subject.
(Laughter and applause.) , He might go on to*
mention other cases, but ,referring to the one
they were. met to support, he could not . help
thinking that it was an unexceptionable insti-
tUtion. (Applause.) Its character was written
in its very designation, " The Warehousemen and
Clerks' Institution." It bore upon it, just as
some of the human faces divine before him, male
and female, did the stamp of . their own inward
individuality and nature, and -.furnished in them-'
selves their own letter of recommendation. In
.addition to 'this, the association purported to be a
provident one. This City Or -London might be
called the commercial centre of the world,-having
more wealth, more intelligenee, more industry,
skill and knowledge than any other city,
'but ~ Its - wealth was principally derived frOm
its commercial enterprise and pursuits. If the
City of London depended'on its enormous wealth ,
—so great that all the other nations of the world
`came to seek. loans .for I all their projects—so,; on
the other hand, their riaichafitAdepended on their
warehousemen and clerks, on their honest , inte-
grity, fidelity, and worth. (Loud applause. They
were, in fact, the source ,of , all the wealth and'
greatness of the, City of London. They were the
source of the greiii machinery that had• made and
continued to.make London-the-largest inetropolis
in the world. The pay of our warehousemen and
clerks might be adequate to their work, but it
was not a liberal allowance, - ,and they were
'the first to feel it whenever, there were re-
trenchments, or panies, or bankruptcies ,in the
wOrld'eommercialj- while , the rich Merchant Was
protected by his wealth and his-.balance :at his
tankers. It,was, therefore, highly essential that
they should combine together. id a noble 'institu-
tion like the present to - provide. against those
contingencies to which trade Mid commerce was
ever open:- The- word provident-in:itself was a
very strong recommendation. , It the present
were a political meeting (said Justice Haliburton)
I Should • note hive been present. I ':44000,4int1,,
hate professional politicians., (Laughter .. and
applause: ) -•- 'They -are ..like •'-iii.:!'.l.RO:#o
laughter.). • .
They are always nrciakirigii,lhley,are
always-, letin-7-(cimtinued raughtbr),2i:iViltfirtkt
tiungry,: and not very iiarilcplar as to, /lON 04
get theirfOod, or what they feed upon. It was ,
highly; import,apt , that ffie, Iwitmhousemen and
clerks movement`, should be C.illational one ; it
was highly important that 'they merchants ' of this
metropolis should `cultivate the goodwilliid.
`tiffec-
tioo34hOse in who'll they placed so.f.4i4ireliiknce.
ni Eiiiloytnent end 'mere money payment , Was a
cola thing- and did not affect the feelings ,of the
heart, but the 'establishment Of Mitual!gratitude
bet Ween eniployer and employed- **(always a
higlaly Idesirabie tiling to be aceompliiled, and he
had heard,that When a man_laighly dtftuished
as a Merchant' in London; of great' probity, •
liberality, and honour-1- and- of strong common ..
' sense, -took 'stock` tat` the end' of die year, and
'found there was a 'considerable profit, he' always
:gave' a bonus to his Warelatm§emen and clerks.
(Loud applause). It gave them an interest in
serving his cust9lliers and in increasing his kofits,
beeause it was an increase in which they,them-
selves were to, participate. The position in which
warehousemen andielerkswere- placed was peculiar.
He could not speak of them in this country so much
because his experience was not ' Sufficient,. but'. he
had occupied the 'position of judge in another
country for-nearly thirty years. (Loud applanso.)

:3

During that period every description of crime
had come before him. He had had fraudulent
merchants, bankrupts, and others, but he could
not call to recollection the case of one single
warehouseman or clerk ever having been pun-
ished by hiju for dishonesty. (Loud applause.)
There were cases of the kind in England, and
there musebe, because the field was larger. There
were many thousands of them indifferently paid,
and if they got into debt the pressure was so
strong that without the stoutest and strongest
principles of rectitude, and of deep-seated, deep-
rooted principles of integrity, the men would
go astray ; but how few were they, comparatively
speaking, with the numbers in other professions.
(Heat, hear.) Taking the learned and liberal
professions, he thought there was a far larger
share of cases of criminality and misdemeanour
in other callings than in those of the warehouse-
men and clerks. This was remarkable, consider-
ing the temptations and the enormous amount of
property placed at their disposal—the raising of
money, the drawing of cheques, the shuffling of
cards, and cooking of accounts—all of which
gave marvellous opportunities to those who were
badly disposed. In order to prevent the possi-
bility of temptation and to place men beyond
these commercial fluctuations and vicissitudes, it
was desirable they should have something to fall
back upon, and to keep up .a respectable appear-
ance. For in these days the world was guided by
appearances, and if a man came after a butler's
place out at elbows, they naturally turned from
him and said, " Sorry fellow, you will not do for
me." There was one way in which merchants
might most beneficially aid a movement of the
kind, by considering it as a test of character, and
he was glad to find that the movement—origina-
ted by ther worthy secretary in Manchester—
had taken so valuable and so important a position
in the metropolis of the empire. (Applause.)
In conclusion, he would make his bow to the
meeting, and he hoped that the young ladies and
gentlemen present would make their bow to one
another at the ball, sincerely trusting that each
and all would make a felicitous selection, not only
in their sleeping, but in their working partners.
(Loud and continued applause.)
By the kind permission of Colonel Lord F.
Paulet, C. 8., the band of the Coldstream Guards
performeda selection of popular music at intervals
during the evening, under the direction of Mr.
C. Godfrey, band-master, with Mr. John Weippert
(harpist by appointment to her Majesty, and
director of the State balls) with his celebrated
quadrille band. Dancing commenced soon after
nine o'clock, under the direction of Mr. E. James.
The Quartett Glee Union were present, and sung
some of their most popular glees.

ROBERT A. MUNN arid CO.,
3R,We4 ADMIRALTY BROKERS, •
/is % BROKERS Yon rnE'SALE or SHIPS AND
"1 STEAMERS, SHIP. VALUERS, &c.,
t.r
3,'York-buildings, Dale-street.