The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-27 00:00:00

POLISH BALL AT GUILDHALL.

The committee for the management of this enter-
tainment met at Guildhall on Thursday last. In the
absence of Mr. Deputy Peacock, Mr. Holt,
the deputy chairman, presided. The atten-
dance was very numerous, and great inte-

rest expressed in the success of the ba.

It was resolved that the ball and concert be given on

Thursday, the 14th of Sovember next, and that

_ .
every exertion should be made to render it as

attractive as the former one. Lord Dudley
Stuart then announced that several persons of
distinction had already granted their patron-
aad promised to honour the ball with
their presence, and that many distinguished artistes
hare tendered their gratuitous services at the concert,
which will be under the direction of Mr. Benedict
and Mr. Lindsay Sloper. Some of the members
present having expressed their sympathy and offered
their co-operation with the object in view,
Lord Dun Lex STUAaT rose and said—Gentlemen,
I am eery happy to meet you here again, and once
more to be associated with you in this good cause.
The cause is a good one ; it is that of benevolence,
cf kindness towards men in difficulty and distress;
end. although it may want the charm of novelty, and
nay not be so attractive to the public as it once was,
the 'cause of Poland is, as it ever has been,
that of truth and of justice. Without, however,
ping into the merits of the Polish question at all in
its political aspect—without inquiring whether it be
such as to deserve our sympathy or nut—it is enough
f-)r.• us to know that there are foreigners here among
ei requiring our aid, and brought into the melan-
cl-oly condition of exile by their resolute discharge
or' that which in their view they considered to be
toeir duty. It is to assuage their pain, to
11,itigate their sufferings, and not for any political
purpose, that those who promote the Polish ball
combine together. We may hare, we have, different
political views and feelings; and the Poles, like our-
st:,lres, must bare different political opinions ; but our
object on this occasion is not to further or assist any
political designs, either of our own or of theirs, but
simply to render their lot more tolerable while they
are among us, and to preserve them from complete des-
titution. We have never had any cause to complain of
the support given us by the public ; neither shall we,
I trust, on the present occasion ; but was the real
state of things generally known, the feeling in our
favour would be still stronger and more universal.

What are the facts of the case ? Some few years ago
there were about 700 Poles receiving a weekly
allowance from the Treasury, and about sixty or
seventy whose cases did not come within the
rules of the Treasury, and who formed a sort
of supplementary body, and received weekly relief
from the Association of the Friends of Poland
The number of the former is now reduced to about
3.50, and that of the latter to about 30. The weekly
allowances are, however, very small; for no man, let
his rank in the army or in society be what it may
(and some of them are of high rank) receives more
than 15s. per week, while captains and subalterns
receive but 10s. a week, and privates only 4s. 3d. I
have always felt the officers to be greater objects of
compassion than the private soldiers, not because they
are in themselves more meritorious, but because their
position in this country is much more different from
what it was in their own, than that of the private
soldier's is. We are all creatures of habit, and that
will soon be felt if any one here present should con-
sider what amount of means would make a day
labourer feel himself immensely rich ; and then reflect
whether if he himself were told that the same amount
was to form his sole dependence he would not think
himself miserably poor. The money collected at the
ball is employed by the association—first, in these
small allowances to those not on the Government list,
and next, in furnishing extra assistance to all Poles
of good:conduct who may be overtaken by sickness,
accilent, or any casualty. These, surely, are proper
objects ; and those who employ in this manner
furis collected at an entertainment which affords
arnasement to a large number of persons, and
occasions a good des! of money to be circulated,
Hem to deserve rather encouragement than censure.
Some persons seem inclined to grudge to us the use
of the Guidhall, and:to think it would be better be-
stowed on some charitable undertaking for the relief
of the poor of this country. But it does seem hard,
when there are charities of every description for
our own poor (as it is most proper there should be),
when dinners, balls, concerts, sermons, bazaars, and
every mode of obtaining assistance for the distressed
of our own nation is continually put in practice in
this metropolis, arid more especially in the city of
London,
that when we come forward once in the
ear with a request to the Common Council, not for