The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-23 00:00:00

Mr BRADt rose to return thanks, evidently labouring
under feelings of deep emotion. He said—" I should be
indeed be a bold man were I to rise unmoved to thank
you for the honour which you have done me in making
me your guest this night. In good truth, I feel quite
overcome ; and when I look upon this large assembly,
knowing at the same time that it has been convened on
my account, I know not what to say ; for that which,
under ordinary circumstances, might be a difficulty, on
the present occasion almost amounts to an impossibility.
I feel, indeed, that all my powers are gone, for the
warmth of your reception has left me quite prostrate.
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Chairman, on looking round, I see I
am supportel by a very large number of friends, many
of whom I lave had the pleasure of being acquainted
with for years, and for whom I entertain feelings of the
most sincere regard ; at the same time I cannot forget
that this mesting is presided over by you, the beloved by
all classes of society—and that you are so beloved and
respected, is fully proved by your being the chosen repre-
sentative of this great and influential Borough. Yes,
sir, I feel that you have done me a high honour in com-
ing here to night. (Hear, hear.) I say that I want
words to give expression to the feelings which I labour
under at this moment ;—then what shall I say to you
all, or how all Ibe able to impart to you, or make you
comprehend the rapturous feelings of pleasure which
your kindness has engendered in my heart ? Words, mere
words, can at best but faintly depict the gratitude I
feel. (Chem.) Were Ito look upon this assembly
as an ordinary meeting of friends for the sole purposes of
conviviality, I should be doing you and myself a great
injustice. I know from past experience what wonderful
effects arise From well timed kindness, such as that of
which this night lam the grateful recipient. Yes, Mr.
Chairman, lam satisfied that this night will have con-
siderable influence on my future career in life, at all
events, it wil stimulate me to endeavour to make my-
self more vorthy of the friendship of those friends
around me, and that of all good and upright men. (Great
cheering.) The past has taught me that the ladder of
life is difficut to ascend even with moderate success, and
the incertitude is great how far up we may reach. I
have always, therefore, cherished with warmest affection
the recollection of every kind act done me in my earlier
struggles in life. I hope, then, to remember this night
with feelings of much pleasure, as long as it may please
God to grant me to live, it shall be remembered by me
as a particular epoch from whence to date my entry into
a new life, and its effects, I am satisfied, will be most
beneficial tome. (Great cheering.) Having taken upon
myself the duties of a senator, I shall, with your permis-
sion, without entering into the troubled arena of politics,
explain my views upon one or two points which mate-
rially affect or interest the great bulk of the family of
mankind in a social point of view, and as it has been
laid down by writers of authority, and accepted by the
world at large, that Constitutional Governments are but
social pyramids, the apices of which are, as it may so
occur, either emperors, kings, or queens, and that the
bases of such constitutions are the people, yes—the peo-
ple—the busy bees that labour and create by their indus-
try the wealth of nations, and without whom kings,
queens, and emperors, would be of little importance.
I say that I mean at all times to identify
myself with all measures that I think have a
endency to raise the people to their proper and
natural position in society ; and amongst those measures
most likely to benefit them, I look upon a good sound
moral education as the first and most important, for by
education you elevate the natural man, and cause him
to have true self-respect, thereby making him a good
father, a good reighbour, and a useful citizen. The
next point of importance is to see that the people are
allowed to have a power in the formation of the laws by
which they are governed ; at the same time it is a mock-
ery to give a power to the people that they cannot use
with perfect freedom, and under the present state of
things the people are not free agents in the exercise of
their elective franchise, therefore I should throw over
them the protection of the Ballot, without which protec-
tion the people's House of Commons can never be what
the Constitution originally intended it to be—the reflex
of the opinion of the people of this country." Mr Brady
then shortly dwelt on the benefits which the country de-
rived from free trade, and concluded by calling the atten-
tion of tae company to the great abuses which existed in
the administration of the funds of public charitable trusts.
He said that there was public money sufficient, if pro-
perly administered, to educate the whole of the poor of
this country ;_ and. to illustrate the proposition, he point-
ed out one fund alone, which was left by Alleyn, the
comedian. At tle time of his death the property was
only worth 800/. 4 year ; but now it is worth more than
12,0001. a year, yet the institutions which he formed
have not been extended or improved.
happy and convivial evening which had been so agree-
ably hpe
asmseedet.in afterwards separated, delighted at the