The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-17 00:00:00

The cloth haiing been removed, Non Nobis. chanted,
and the usual loyal and national toasts drunk,
The CHAIRMAN rose, and said the toast he had next
to propose was one which he was sure they would all
drink with the greatest pleasure. It was "Prosperity
to the Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society."—
(Cheers.) He had only two or three observations to
make upon the 'toast, but they were practical ones, and,
in his opinion, quite sufficient to recommend it to their
support. It appeared that the society had been founded
in 1833, for the protection of the Licensed Victuallers
from the attacks of informers, and he found that, whereas
in the first year when the number of members was, only
500, and the informations were 71, in the last year, when
the number of members was inereseed- te 1,700. the in-
formations had been only eleven.—(Loud cheers.) The
principal event of the past year had been the attempt of
the Chancellor Of the Exchequer to get into their bottle
department, but he had the satisfaction of informing
them that the Bill of the government had been ultimately
passed in a manner, that was perfectly satisfactory to the
trade, and he trusted in a way that had set the question'
at rest, for a great many years to, come at least. With
this signal proof of the advantages of the Society he would
conclude by once again proposing the toast, " Prosperity
to the Licensed Victuallers' Protection Society."
The toast was drunk amidst protracted 'applause.
Mr. Ssirril, the Secretary then read the first report.
It was beaded by a donation of the Chairman for 20
guineas, followed by one of 10 guineas from- the firm
of which he is the principal partner ; and the subscrip-
tions in that report amounted altogether to upwards of
3301. in addition to the income derived from upwards of
1,600 annual subscribers of half a guinea each.
D. W. WIRE, Esq., then rose and said he had the
greatest satisfaction in proposing a toast, which he was
sure needed no other recommendation from him to their
notice, and which they would receive with pleasure and
drink with enthusiasm. It was the health of their
worthy Chairman.—(Cheers.) He had come there to
show by his presence that he approved of their objects,
and by that presence to stamp respectability and impor-
tance on their meeting and on the society.—(Hear, hear.)
It was most gratifying he had no doubt to them, and ene
of the most pleasing proofs of the freedom of this happy
country, to find that all classes were bound together by
the tie of mutual obligations; that while they, the trad-
ing classes, depended upon those immediately beneath
them, they were at the same time closely linked with the
welfare' of the class above them, and thus that all
,classes
were bound together by a common sense of mutual inte-
rest to do their best to promote the common benefit of
their country.—(Cheers.) He need not tell them that
in this cause their distinguished Chairman had long been
with them; that he had shown that his sympathies were
with them; and the fact of his presence there that night,
not less than his munificent contribution, proved his
desire to promote the objects of the society, and main-
tain the respectability of the trade.—(Cheers.) Their
don. Chairman had done more than this. He had shown
(hat honest, straightforward, generous dealing, was not
only the way to win pecuniary suecess, but at the same
time to secure the affections of those who had occasion to
be connected with him in business affairs. lijia presence
there was a recognition of the great truth, that the inte-
rests Of all classes were closely identified, and that on
that ground he felt that the society whose anniversary
they were then celebrating came under 'the category of
institutions designed to promote the interests of the
country at large.— (Cheers.) If he might be permitted
to depart for a moment from the immediate object b4bre
the meeting, he would say that the greatness and pros-
perity of this country was mainly owing to this mutual
dependance of all classes upon each other. He had per-
haps apparently wandered from the toast he had pro-
posed. but it was only in appearance, because the fact of
their Chairman occupying that situation was one of the
most gratifying proofs of the kindly feeling which knit
all classes together in this happy country; and he would
simply add, that the fact of their Hon. Chairman occu-
p3ing the chair that day, was sufficient to induce any
member of the trade who had hitherto held aloof to be-
come a member of the society, and aid in the promotion
of its objects, because, by'doing so, they would not only
benefit themselves, but the interests of the whole trade.

Song—" My native hills."—(Encored.)
Mr. G. WALTER said that the board of management
had placed a most important toast in his hands, and his
only regret with respect to' it was, that it had not been
entrusted to some one who could do more justice to it
than he could. They were honoured on that occasion
by the attendance of a number of visitors, and amongst
them was an Hon. Member of the House of Cominons,
Mr. J. Williams, the Member for Macclesfield.—(Hear,
hear.) He could not allow that occasion to pass without
alluding.to the conduct of the Members of the House of
Commons during the last session of Parliament, in re-
ference to a Bill which had been under ,the considera-
tion of the Legislature, and the effect of which, had it
passed, would have been to throw open the trade with
which they were connected. The conduct of
the great body of the Representatives was all
that they could desire,. but that of the Honour-
able Member for Macclesfield deserved their especial
praise, for be not only was ready to afford every possible
information to the deputies from the trade, but to accom-
pany thorn to the Chanoellor of the Exchequer, and upon
all occasions to lend his best assistance to promote the
object which the trade had in opposing the Bill to which
he had already referred.—(Hear, hear.) The support of
such a man as the Hon. Member for Macclesfield was
one of the last consequence to the trade, for he was as
independent as he was honest, and the Government could
notcontrol him.—(Applause.) Recent events have proved
to the trade the value of a combined course of action, and
while they were true to themselves, they might depend
upon it they would secure the co-operation of such in-
fluential gentlemen as Mr. Williams and the other Mem-
bers of Parliament, who assisted them during the last
session of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he
begged to propose " Mr. J. Williams, M.P., and the
'other visitors."—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Wrmaams said it gave him infinite pleasure to be
able to be present at that most interesting !festival. It
was mere accident that kept him in town just at this
period of the year, but he could assure them that no ac-
cident of his life had been so gratifying to him as that
which enabled him to take part in the proceedings of
that evening.—(Hear.) As a business man, as one who,
like the gentlemen present, had laboured for his living,
it was a source of satisfaction to him to be amongst
them on that occasion, and he felt this satisfaction the
greater when he recollected that it was to his industry,
to his perseverance, and to his character, that he was in-
debted for the high position which he had . then the
honour to occupy.—(Hear.) He was sure he was not
erring when he said that every one present felt that it
was to the qualities to which he had just referred that
be was indebted for whatever advantage he had obtained
in soeiety.—(Hear.) He felt proud to be associated with
men who were enabled to exalt themselves in the world
by the exercise of their brains.—(llear, hear.) There
was no merit to a man who was born with all the advan-
tages of wealth to obtain the approbation of his fellow-
men for his honesty and worth ; but it was amerit to a
man who had not this advantage, but who, struggling
with the difficulties by which he was surrounded, and
overcoming them, secured to himself -the estimation of
his fellow men, by his industry, his perseverance, and
the character which he has obtained for probity and
straightforwardness of conduct.—(Hear, hear.) He was
thankful to his friend Mr. Walter, for the manner in
which he had introduced his name to the company that
evening, and he was gratified to be able to state on that
occasion, thin there was no one act 9f his life,: during
the period that he had a seat in Parliament,- that was
opposed to the interests of such men as he had then the
hsppines 3 to see before him.—(Hear.) He read over the
Biil to which allusion had already been made, by which
the Chancellor of the Exchequer.proposed to make an
inroad upon the bottle department of the licensed
victuallers; but, in justice to that Right Hon.
Gentleman, he ought to observe, that the proposed
encroachment did not emanate from him, it took its
rise from another quarter—from .five or six prominent
houses at the west end of the town, who sought, by
their influence, to control the Government, rind thus
enter into comp(' tition with the licensed victuallers of
the country in the department in question.— -(Hear,
hear.) When, however, he read the Bill, he had an
interview with Mr. C. Ribble, the active agent .for the
country trade, and he had no hesitation in effusing to
him his best assistance to defeat the object whi ch_the
promoters of that Bill had in view.—(Hear, hear.) In.
deed he volunteered his services on the occasion, and
proposed joining a-deputation of the trade to wait on the
Chancellor of t Exchequer, to point out to him the
injurious tendency of the measure.—(Hear.) They, did
wait upon that Right Hon. Gentleman, and it was. but
an act of justice to Sir Charles Wood to state., that
upon all occasions ho received the deputation s that
waited on him on this question with the greatest 6
gree of courtesy, and that he listened to. all the re-
presentations made to him in a manner that showed
he was impressed with -the truthfulness of those re-