The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-05 00:00:00

THE TIMES TESTIMONIAL.
On Wednesday a mast sumptuous entertainment was
given at the London Tavern by the committee who had
conducted the public subscription for " the Times Testi-
monial "to the proprietary of that journal. The Right
Hon. the Lard Mayor presided on the occasion. The
company consisted of the Governor of the Bank of Eng-
land, the Baron L. de Rothschild, Mr. Masterman, M.l'.,
Mr. T. Baring, M.P., Sir George Larpent, Sir Alan
Napier Macnab, Mr. Walter, Sir Peter Laurie, Sir
George Carroll, Mr. Alderman Wilson, Rev. Dr. Rice,
Mr. Peter Laurie, Mr. John Nohle, Mr. S. Briggs, Mr.
R. A. Gray, Mr. J. P. Gassiot, Mr. Holford, Mr. J. D.
Powles, Mr. W. H. Ashurat, Mr. W. Tite, Mr. F. Pegler,
Messrs. T. and W. Piper, Mr. T. M. Alsager, Messrs.
J. and H. F. Walter, Messrs. W. F. A. and J. T. Delane,
Mr. Tyas, and Mr. J. F. Neilson.
Mr. Alderman Hughes Hughes was the vice-president.
After the healths of " ihe Queen," " Trie Queen
Dowager, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Albert,
Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal family,"
which were drank with all the honours,
The LORD MAYOR proposed " The Army and Navy."
He was pleased on the present occasion to see before
him a distinguished individual who might be said pecu-
liarly to represent all branches of the toast he had thus
indicated—he meant Sir Alan MeNab, whose health in
connexion with " the Army and Navy, ships, colonies,
and commerce," he begged now to give."—(Cheers.)
Sir A. M'NAB felt quite taken by surprise by the as•
sociation of his name with the toast which had just been
proposed, and quite unable to express in adequate terms
.his acknowledgments for the compliment. He begged
in the name of that loyal and gallant body of men, who
had done some service to this country, to return them
thanks for the manner in which they had received the
toast he had thus inadequatelyacknowledged.—(Cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR, in proposing the next toast said,
he was sure they were all perfectly aware of the object
of their present meeting. It was to express the admire
tion they entertained for that valuable—he would say that
invaluable—set of gentlemen who conducted the Times
newspaper, and defended so conspicuously the rights of
the public in the conduct of that establishment.—(Hear.)
This he would say with reference to that paper, while
there was no party that would do more justice to an
honest man, although he might be the accused, none
could take more pains than those who had the adminis-
tration of the Timesto render entire justice to individuals
in such circumstances, to bring them through public ac-
cusation, and enable them to retain their position in
society, if they thought them innocent.—(Loud cheers.)
With that feeling he maintained that a publication of
that kind, under the public-spirited conduct of those
gentlemen who composed the body having the control of
the Times, was most valuable, most essential to the in-
terest of society.—(Loud cheers.) In thus proposing
" the health of the Proprietors of the Times," he was
greatly delighted to find that his Hon. and excellent
Friend, Mr. Walter, sat on his right.—(Cheers.) He very
well knew that that gentleman had for some time had
very little to do with that paper, but still he believed his
anxiety on all occasions to see justice done in the Times
to the interests of the community was so greet, even
if his hand should never be out of his pocket, that he
would do anything to carry out the objects of the establish-
ment. And, therefore, he begged to propose the health
of Mr. Walter—(Cheers)—as one of the original pro-
prietors of the Times—(Cheers)—a gentleman who had
taken a great interest in its conduct, to whose enter-
prise, intelligence, and judgment, much of the success of
that newspaper was owing— (Cheers)—a gentleman who,
as a Member of Parliament, was the first to take up the
Poor-law question—(Loud cheers)—and who, in all his
arrangements in rubric and private life, had done such
invaluable service to society—( Loud cheers)—he begged
to propose " The health of Mr. Walter, and prosperity
to the Times newspaper."
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
Mr. WALTER then addressed the company in the fol-
lowing terms :—I cannot express how deeply I feel the
honour you have done me. I can hardly so much as
acknowledge in the simplest terms any of your Lord-
ship's expressions of kindness, as intended for myself, so
far do they surpass anything that I could claim or ex-
pect. Connected as I have been throughout life with
the trade of London, it is most gratifying to find, at this
time of day, that I possess your good opinion to such an
extent. From this city lam myself sprung, and what-
ever I have or am is owing to my exzriions within its
bosom, and the fav,lurahlo manner in which they have
been there received.—(Hear, hear.) The occasion on
which you are met is one for which I cannot remember
a parallel.—(Cheers.) You will excuse me, then, if I
feel some embarrassment in referring to it. You have
put up in that splendid edifice which is the com-
mercial centre of this metropolis, not to say of the
world, a perpetual memorial to the honour of a por-
tion of the daily press. It is needless to say how many
might covet the distinction you have given to one. But
there is no occasion for jealousy. You have not under-
taken the invidious task of deciding between the political
merits, the independence, the ability, the eloquence of
the daily papers. On those points the public are the
judges.—(Hear, hear.) With them your memorialists
and this day's festivities have nothing to do. One single
act has called forth these flattering, these overpowering
testimonies—(Cheers)—one single act, not above the
honourable desires of other journals, but possibly be-
yond their means of execution.—(Hear, hear.) When
all are doing what they can to serve the public, the
Times was fortunately enabled to do what it did by the
manifold resources at its disposal—its numerous and
trustworthy continental agents, its regular correspond•
ence, and the other facilities of an establishment which
has grown up into unprecedented magnitude.—(Loud
cries of "Hear.") But I need scarcely say—for nowhere
are the ways to greatness better known than in this
City—that this journal could not have achieved the
service you this day reward, unless it had been long and
successfully engaged in similar labours.—(Hear, hear.)
Its power is.the fruit and the proof of its honest ex-
ertions.—(Cheers.) You will hear from my Hon. Friend
at the bottom of the table enough respecting the single
act which you are commemorating. It is not necessary
for me to go into details, with which some of you are
much more familiar than I am. The case was laid be-
fore me at the time in a general way, and my advice
asked. I certainly gave my advice and assistance, and
they were such as you have this day done me the honour
to think that I was likely to offer.—(Hear, hear.) But
lest I should seem to take more than my due, allow me
to declare why I so readily accepted your flat: ering in-
vitation. A comparison, not inappropriate to this place
of hospitality, will explain my meaning. An English-
man may be visiting another country, or may have
adopted it for his own home. His affections may still
be in the land of his birth, the land of his education, of
all his earlier, of all his dearest connexions. He is pre-
sent at a festive meeting, and hears a toast given, which
his presence has possibly suggested—"
.England," and
perhaps his own name associated with it—" England,
and such a one." The toast would be flattering to him,
to his national and honest pride.—(Hear, hear.) If,
besides, he had been something of a political or public
character—(Hear, hear)—if, before he had left his na-
tive land, be had assisted at those very councils which
had endeared his country to those new friends by whom
he is surrounded—if he had been known for the
part he had taken in any great work of British enter-
prise, British art, or British humanity—his satisfaction
would be increased.—(Cheers.) He is an Englishman,
though absent from his native land. Such is my position
with regard to the Times. It is my literary and politi-
cal country ; and dear to me it is.—(Cheers.) And so
are those by whom it is conducted, upon the honourable
principles upon which it was always conducted in its pro-
gress to its present celebrity—(Cries of " Hear, hear")
and in conformity with that advice and those counsels
which age and experience have enabled me to offer.—
(Great cheering.) In speaking of the memorial which
has been the occasion of this day's meeting, I had al-
most forgotten another, which promises to be still more
durable, and which on many accounts is even of a more
gratifying character. I mean the exhibitions which
you have founded in two of our chief metropolitan
schools. This method of recording your sentiments is
of the noblest and most characteristic kind.—(Cheers.)
It may enable a youth to pursue there studies, and make
those attainments, which will qualify him to act an ihe •
portant part in the literature of his country,without which
aid he might have pined in poverty, or sunk in vice.
Happier be the fate of genies among us ; and yours be
the approbation of your own hearts for having made this
effort to raise it. Gentlemen, you have consulted the
highest interests of the public by showing that you have
your eye on the press.—(llear, hear.) The press has
been called the fourth estate. It is not for me to say
whether it be so; but every reflecting man must admit
that it is a powerful instrument for good or for evil.
The public, therefore, have a deep interest in the inte-
grity and judgment of those by whom it is directed.
For my own part, I would always recommend that the.
strictest vigilance be shown by the public with regard
to those persons who are supposed to influence its
movements, since nothing tends so much to corrupt the
best institutions as unlimited confidence and the absence
of control. The press is exposed to unexampled tempta-
tions.—(Hear, hear.) Politicians and speculators are
only too happy to secure its assistance, or its silence, by
a share in their public or their private spoils. In fact,
the bribery at the disposal of speculators in one species
of enterprise, and ofstatesmen and politicians in the pro-
motion of their views and the attainment of their objects,
is enough to corrupt all the newspapers in the kingdom.
—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") If this great and in-
creasing power of the press is to be cherished in a right
direction, I do not know where it can look for support
except to the commercial and other great interests of
the country. By none are strict integrity, truth, open-
ness, and strightforwardness more prized.—(Cheers.)
You know that the complicated and delicate structure
of the mercantile system depends on the maintenance
of these qualities.—(Hear, hear.) They are your school
and your code.—(Loud cheering.) You quickly detect
their absence; and, as all may see by the example of
this day's proceedings, you uninediltely perceive their
presence, and no less promptly reward it.—(Hear.)
With all my partiality for the press, you will see that. I
am riot blind to its faults. It is a really free press If am
advocating. It is in your pewer to presery influence
the ree
press. To the immeasurable value of that I
will quote the testimony of one of the, most celebrated
men of his day —I mean Mr. Sheridan. With
all his faults, I question whether we shall see in our ,
time a man of equal talents, or more consistent
politics. These were his words:—" Give me but the
liberty of the press, and I will give to the
Minister a venal House of Peers—l will give him a
corrupt and servile House of Commons—l will give him
the full swing of the patronage of office—l will give him
the whole host of Ministerial influence—l will give him
all the power that place can confer upon him to purchase
up submission and overawe resistance—and yet, armed
with the liberty of the press, I will go forth to meet him
undhsma vecl—l will attack the mighty fabric he has
reared with that mightier engine—I will shake down from
its height corruption, and bury it beneath the ruins of
the abuses it was meant to shelter.' —(Loud applause.)
Gentlemen, I beg to repeat to you my thanks, and the
expression of my feelings also, so far as I am able to ex-
pros:, them.—(Cheers.)