The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-28 00:00:00

rOLISH 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 ball.
It was resolved that the ball and concert be given on
Thursday, the 16th of November 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-
age, and promised to honour the ball, with
their presence, and that many distinguished artistes
have 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 DUDLEY STUART rose and said—Gentlemen,
I am very happy to meet you here again, and once
elore to be associated with you in this good cause.
The cause is a good one ; it is that of benevolence,
of kindness towards men in difficulty and distress;
and, although it may want the charm of novelty, and
may- 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,
going into the merits of the Polish question at all in
its political aspect—without inviting whether it be
such as to deserve our sy onpathy or not—it is enough
for ue to know that there are foreigners here among
us requiring our aid, and brought into the melan-
choly condition of exile by their resolute discharge
of the:l which in their view they considered to be
their duty. It is to assuage their pain, to
mitigate their sufferings, and not for any political
purpose, that those who promote the Polish ball
combine together. We may have, we have, different
political views and feelings; and the Poles, like our-
selves, must have 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
250, 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 ss. 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
bail, 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,
accident, or any casualty. These, surely, are proper
objects; and those who employ in this manner
funds collected at an entertainment which affords
amusement to a large number of persons, and
occasions a good deal of money to be circulated,
seem 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, and more especially in the city of
London, that when we come forward once in the
year with a request to the Common Council, not for
money, but for the use of the hall, that any invidious
comparisons between our objects and those of other
charitable institutions should be drawn, and that an
attempt should be made to deprive us of that advan-
tage which has been accorded to us now for a
series of years. Why has this favour been granted
to us ? Because our object was recognised
as • good; because our institution inspired confidence
as to the management of the funds ; and because we
were the first to show how the hall might he ren-
dered permanently serviceable Wasp, charitable purpose.
I cannot affirm that no ball of tills nature was ever
given before tne Polish balls began ; but it is certain,
teat our society is the first that has ever established
the custom of having a ball annually at Guild-
hall. We have shown how the hall may be
turned to account ; and now persons, who but
for us would probably not have thought of it,
come forward with an attempt to deprive us of it.
Hitherto we have never applied for the hall without
obtaining it ; for it was incorrectly stated in the debate
in the Court of Common Council, that it was refused to
us in the Mayoralty of Alderman Johnson, in order
to be given to the City Ward Schools. It was not
refused then; for it was not applied for. Finding
that it was required for a City charity in hands
likely to make it successful, we made no application
for it ; but, on the contrary, we gave to the ball got
up for the City Ward Schools our active co operation,
awl ail the assistance in our power. Since 1834,
when the first ball for the Poles was given at. Guild-
hall, there has been a Polish ball here every year,
with the exception of three, one of them being the
year in which the City Ward Schools' Ball was
given ; in the other Years, no ball whatever having
token place, the hall was not asked for, and
stood empty, a fact which affords some colour
to the opinion that it is not every charitable institu-
tion that can employ the hall advantageously, and
that our balls, while they have benefited the Poles,
have occasioned no loss to any one. How we might
have acted with regard to the charity for which the
use of the hall was asked the other day, in opposition
to us, I am not prepared to say. If those who conduct
it had had the courtesy to communicate with us,
and satisfy us with regard to their objects and
capabilities of making the hall available, it is possi-
ble that we might have made way for them, as we
did for the City Ward Schools. As to their conduct,
I do not wish to express an opinion further than to say,
that if I know myself at all, I feel convinced that if I
had found a charitable institution, no matter for whose
benefit, which had been in the habit of obtaining the
grant of Guildhall, I should never have conic forward
to interfere with them by asking fur it for the Poles,
or fur any charity in which I felt a peculiar interest
and that if I had felt bound by duty to do s
that, being on terms of acquaintance and yet
friendly
any
rate, with those at its head, I should, at
rate, have been impelled by my own feelings of what
was right and becoming to communicate with them
on the subject, and assure them I was guided by
no unkind motive. But no communication of any
soil or kind was made to us of the intention of the
society in question to apply for the hall; we learnt it
only from the formal official notice, and could not be
expected, under those circumstances, to waive our
claim.. Whenever we come forward in behalf of the
Poles some invidious comparisons are drawn between
the claims of the Poles and those of our own poor. 'co
the latter we are by no means insensible, and can
safely appeal to all who are acquainted with our lives
to say whether we are in any degree more niggardly
than other men. But, while we are ready and wil-
ling to assist our own people to the utmost of our
power, we do not wish to see the Poles, who have
come among us to seek an esylum, find here nothing
but a grave. If that were suffered to happen the
character for humane feelings and for generous hos-
pitality, which England has through all ages main-
tained, would be belied. It never will be so belied in
this city. Some members of the Common Council in
the recent discussion observed that, although they
had not a word to say against the Poles, the City
had done enough for them. I could not help re-
marking that not one of those who spoke against
the petition, not even the most vehement, said anything
in disparagement against the Poles ; but every one, on
the contrery, carefully guarded himself against being
supposed to ground his opposition on any dislike of
those brave patriots. With regard, however, to the
observation, that enough had been done for them, I
think those who made it forgot that the petition was
not for any money, but simply for the use of the hall.
I agree that the Corporation has done enough with
reference to pecuniary assistance. Ido not forget,
and none of the Poles, and non© of the friends of
Poland forget the munificence of the Common Council,
which, a few years ago, voted a sum of 5001. for
the relief of the Poles. That was a noble donation ;
nobody would think of its being repeated ; it was done
once, and it was enough. What we have obtained