The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-28 00:00:00

attention which that Hon. Gentleman hay; paid to their
noble institution, hut the attention which he had
al w eys pA to the interests and to the charities of this
great city, He (Mr. Groucoek) might hri. fly re-
mind them, that Mr. Masterman, for the last two
sessions of Parliament, had beet virtually the
only Member for the city of London.— (Great
cheering.) He trust nl-o tyke tie liberty
of saying, in addition, that in that capacity the
interests of the city of London had not suffered much.
—(hear, hear)—inastruch as their worthy president
had been always accessible to every call of his consti-
tuents, to his (Mr. Grouceck's) knowledge ; and he
had been instrumental in assisting in passing those
laws which he (Mr. Groucock) firmly believed would
greatly conduce to the interest and benefit of all
classes, especially of that class he now raw before him,
and to the commercial interests of this great country
tailed especially to the alteration and improve
merit of the laws relating to debtors and creditors.—
(Cheers ) lie teed not say anything more on that
subject, still 1 as anything more in the nature
of praise of that worthy gentl, men ; but he was yete
sure the few retnel ks he had elretely made would meet
with their sympathy and al (Cr eeTs )
The toast way drunk with three times three.
MASTLRMAN, in returning thanks, eb•erved
that he was (14 eply indebted to the present company
for the kind manner in which they received his health.
He could assure them that in takir g the office of pre-
sident of their noble institution, he felt considerable
ittiiheice ; knowing, as he did, that so many other
individuals of their great city would fill it better,
arid extend its usefulness in a greater degree than he
could ; but sir ce he had received the confidence of
his fellow-citizens in another situation, he was happy
to take any office which could promote the pros-
perity of those connected with it.—(Loud cheers )
He did not, he confessed, think in accepting that
uffice that they would have progressed so rapidly,
and after what had occurred he had little doubt of
their ultimate success. He understood there were
seventy children in the establishment, and it looked
as if they were cared for by a special Providence ;
not one of them was absent on that occasion. That
fact alone showed the great care bestowed on their
management, and although it was said fifteen more
were to be admitted on the following day, he con-
fessed that although it might he considered a boll
act, yet, after what had occurred, he saw no reason
to despair.—(Cheers.) With regard to another
sphere of life, aed to which allusion had been made
by his excellent friend who proposed his health, he
confessed that any allusion to political feelings in any
case, and particularly in such a place annoyed him
more than he could express.— (Cheers.) He felt
no party distinctions whatever, and whether his con-
stituents entertained his political feelings or not, he
der,ired to render the best service he could to the
commercial and trading interests of that great city.
The children of the institution, who were stationed
in the gallsry, then sang the following song, which
was loudly encored :
" Happy the Orphan's case, who thzs
Receives a parent's care;
Who young and Fatherless, like
These Christian baunties share;
Rich are the gifts our friends bestow,
Our earthly path to cheer;
But richer still, the care they show
Our Heav'n-ward course to steer.
" Bless'd he the hearts who thus can share
Their wealth with those who need;
And more, their time so fredy spare,
Our Orphan cause to plead.
Grateful to you, kind patrons now,
Our went thanks we bring;
And pray our future deeds may show,
How true the words we sing."

Mr. Alderman Sneerer, M.P., in proposing the
next toast, said, fortunately for himself, he was not
required to add any testimony to the many very able
speeches they had had that evening, concerning the
excellent charity the anniversary of which they were
assembled to celebrate. He was rejoiced to think,
that in the course of three short years so much good
had been done to the many infant children which they
had seen before them, and who, in witnessing that
night's proceedings, must have thotieht they were
celebrating a very great occasion. He had the great
honour of being among the earliest members of the
excellent charity set on foot for founding these schools.
He was one who thought that it might
have been politic and desirable to have ex-
tended the funds of the establishment very much
to various other mercantile classes; but he
was then in a minority, and he was now pleased to
think that the charity had worked excellently well,
and that the wisdom resided with the majority on
that occasion.—(Loud cheers.) He had certainly no
conception three years ago that in so short a time
they would have be en able to receive so many
infants into their estallislinient; nor in fact was he
aware that in so respectable at d worthy a class of
individuals, as the commercial travellers in England
generally were, there were so many children requir-
ing to be provided for in so short a time. That
showed that there was much more than met the eye
in the advantages to be derived from this charity—
that much that might appear respectable on the sur-
face was not so in reality, and that when they came
to probe the real circumstances and position of that
class as a body, there was much to call for deep and
general commiseration, and he was pleased to think
that the benevolent feelings of so many warm and
generous promoters of this excellent charity were
excited that evening.—(llear, hear, and cheers.)
His duty on the present occasion was a very
light and a most agreeable one. He was called
on to propose to their notice the health of a gentleman.
When public men came to attend a festival of that
kind, toasts were sometimes put into their hands not
of the most agreeable kind, inasmuch as the men
whose healths they had to propose might be known
to them only from common fame and report; but on
this occasion he had not only to discharge a public
duty, but one which was mixed up with his liveliest
feelings of individual gratitude and pleasure.—
(Loud cheers.) He had the honour to propose to
them one who had been intimately connected with
this charity from its earliest formation. He did
Lot wish to speak invidiously, but he thought he
might take credit for the gentleman he was about to
propose being called the main pillar of the institution.
—(Cheers.) When he mentioned the name of that
individual he had no doubt they would accord with
him in every panegyric he might pay him. He
might speak of him in his character of a citizen
and a neighbour, and especially might he speak of
him in the character of a friend, with sincere admi-
ration and pleasure; but he spoke of him in the
character of a philanthropist, whose benevolent feel-
ings were as unbounded as his deeds. He
need not on that occasion recount to them
all that he had done for this most excel-
lent charity, a charity which he believed was
only as yet on the very threshold of its usefulness.—
(Cheers.) He might say, knowing that gentlemen
intimately, that, next to his own immediate calls, this
excellent charity was dearest to his heart —(Cheers.)
He would not occupy them longer. If they did not
already anticipate the toast he had to propose, it was
" The health of George Moore, Esq., the Treasurer
of the Commercial Travellers' Schools."—(Cheers.)
This toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
On the applause subsiding,
Mr. Moona said he could assure them he could
hardly express his feelings upon the present occasion.
He was grateful for the honour which had been done
him in proposing his health, end doubly grateful for the
spontaneous cheer with which the toast had been re-
ceived. He must be allowed to observe that this was not
the first time a compliment had been paid him in re-
ference to his position as connected with this institu-
tion, which he did not altogether deserve. It had
been stated that he had been almost the only working
man interested in the charity. He could bear testi
mony to the fact that there were others who were
entitled to as much praise as himself, and more espe-
cially their worthy president. Whatever he was
required to do he did at once, with the utmost pos-
sible willingness; he was indefatigable upon all
occasions, and the success which had attended the
institution was greatly to be attributed to his perse-
vering exertions. He was happy to say that it
would be difficult to find a committee belonging to a
public charity so well constituted as theirs was. They
were independent in their movements, and each strove
to the best of his ability to promote the success of the
institution. But it was not his duty to dwell upon
matters of this sort. tie had now to explain to them
their project for the next year. The establishment,
he might state, was situated at Wanstead. They
found that the building was too small to supply the
requirements of the society, and during last year
they had been at a very great expense upon other
people's freehold. It might be prudent to spend
money up their own property, hut they would agree
with him when he stated lint a large sum having
been expended upon a freehold which did not belong
to them, the time had arrived when they should make
an effort to purchase a freehold of their own.—(Hear.)
They had no particular position in view, but so greatly
had the value of property been influenced by rail-
roads, that they had found at least half a dozen very
large mansions which had cost considerable sums in
the building, and were to be sold at a comparatively
small price. If they could meet with an establish-
ment capable of accommodating 300 children their
wishes would be accomplished. In order to carry
out their views they could not call upon the commer-
cial travellers in the year 1850 for a less sum than
12,000/. This was a very large amount, but he
considered they had a claim upon other indivi-
duals than the commercial travellers themselves.
They had a claim upon all the mercantile houses
in England, Scotland, and Wales, that employed
commercial travellers.—(Hear, hear.) He had
accused commercial trrvellers of apathy, and he had
been told in reply that they had not been requested
to subscribe to the charity. He would tell them that