The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-29 00:00:00

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ie next toast WAS " Commercial Tra-

HUGHES, in responding, observed that
who commerciala id
m subscribetirvtelbl travellers r
as
notdf.
Which he had to classestreat—those;hose who did not. Of the former he
; andtht
lowed to say that they would leave no aton: unturned e a
to add to the list of subscribers
Providence blessed their exertions and asenlarged
their means they would increase their own Zb.
scriptions, and devote more time to the interest of
the institution.—(Cheers.) As for those who did not
subscribe, he could only wish that they had been pre.. sent when the children passed round the room, and bad
seen what a sacrifice of happiness and gratification
they made in not doing what they could to assist
these schools.—(Cheers.) He had taken a little pains
to ascertain what were their reasons for not support..
them. One said he could not afford it; but really to
say that a commercial man could not save a guinea a
year must be a joke ?—(Hear.) Why, what was it ?
Half a glass of wine less a week, a cigar less in four
days, travelling three or four short stages in a
second class carriage instead of a first, or in a
third instead of a second. In short, it was the
accomplishment of the desperate feat of saving two-
thirds of a penny a day.—(Loud laughter.) Why,
he had once met one gentleman who might have
Bleed it in whips, end his horses be none the
orse for it; and another who might have saved it in
pills, end been himself all the better for it.—(Loud
laughter and applause.) A guinea a year would he
a small matter to them. They were not likely to
found
a profitable business with it; they could not
Purchase much reputation, acquire much learning, or
procure much comfort or enjoyment with it ; but it
might contribute much to the support and education
of the children of those with whom they might per-
haps have associated with that extreme intimacy so
peculiar to the commercial room.—(Hear.) Others
had declined to. subscribe on the ground that they
should never marry. But he seho could deliberately
make such a declaration
in. the face of the girls of
this country was a man that was determined to go
out of the world with only h • half his errand—that was
like a boy who having had a pastry cook's shop left
him, was content to eat all the crusts and to leave the
sweets untasted.—(Loud
laughter.) In short, he
was a wretch whom it
vea
call a sensible man.---(Loud Were Kress
5./roscos
thflattery g
aitno,
said they could provide for their own children, but
let none think himself above the reach of adversity.—.
(Hear, hear.) Their worthy secretary could tell
them that there were in their school several children
whose fathers were laid low in the hour of their
prosperity—nay, almost in that of their boasting.—
(Cheers.) A third class declined to subscribe because
they thought the schools would never be of an ser-
vice to themselves. But surely if that s y
wee general, who would subscribe to asylumsp for idiots,
to hospitals for accidents, or to institutions for the
blind, but such as expected to lose their senses, to
break a limb, or to be deprived of their sight—in other
words no one, for none anticipated misfortunes for
themselves ? Commercial men ought to remember
that they could not, on the ground of their insignifi-
cance, lay claim to exemption from the duties that
belonged to most other communities. If weighed in
the scale of society by their numbers (about 30,000),
they were no small body to be following one
pursuit. If, again, they were considered with
reference to their distinctions, talents, or
notoriety, they might say that some of the bead
partners of the chief mercantile firms bad been com-
mercial travellers in their time—that Michael
Thomas Sadler, the first powerful friend of the fac-
tory girl—Richard
Cobden, and, he believed he
might add, the Right Hon; the Lord Mayor, who
bad so kindly consented to preside over them, were all
commercial travellers.—(Cheers.)
blight he not add
that her Majesty's ambassadors abroad were commer-
cial travellers—slightly magnified.—(Laughter.)
They negotiated commercial treaties—so did they.
They sometimes quarrelled with their customers—so
did they. They attended banquets and ate good din-
ners—so did they. They had many servants to wait
on them—so had they. They were well paid—so
were they. They sometimes got discharged—so did
they.—(Laughter.) Lastly, they obtained knight-
hoods and other titles—so might they.—(Laughter.)
He did not despair, in this age of commercial
" go-a-headisms,' that they might live to read in a
traveller's circular, an announcement that "our Sir
John Smith will wait, upon you on or about" such a
day.— (Loud laughter.) Let him now earnestly ap-
peal to the ladies who had done them the honour to
grace their assembly. If the husband of any mar-
ried lady in the gallery did not subscribe to the
schools he hoped the sight of the children that even-
ing would induce her to excite his zeal in the cause.
Every man had some kindly place in his heart some-
where, and most marrried ladies knew where to find
it.—(Cheers and laughter.) With respect to the un-
married, if any non subscribing commercial swain
sheuld solicit their heart and hand; let them tell him
that there was a lesson of love to learn before he
could count upon their smiles.—(Cries of Hear,
hear.") Let them forbid him to approach their
presence unless he brought with him the talismanic
receipt of their worthy secretary for at least a guinea's
subscription ; for let them be assured, the traveller
who could let pass such an opportunity of
doing good as these schools afforded was not corn-
posed of the right materials to make a good hus-
band.—(Cheers and laughter.) Common prudence,
simple economy and self-defence, ought to make the
commercial body exert themselves to support this in-
stitution. Who, but the men whose childhood had
been neglected, and whose education uncared for,
filled for the most part, our gaols, and made up the
multitude of the disaffected ?—(Cheers.) Many and
many a poor convict ending his days in exile and de-
-1 spair might with justice retort upon society, whose
laws he had outraged, and exclaim, " I was ignorant and
you did not teach me; my path was beset with snares
and quicksands, and you did not help me. Had you
cared more for my childhood I ban been a better man.
—(Cheers.) There was yet another reason why it
would be well for them to be among the charitable
and benevolent. Let any man look back upon a long
life and ask himself what circumstance he could re-
member that afforded him the most genuine happiness.
It would not be any pecuniary success, any fortunate
speculation, any convivial party, or wide-known
distinction ; but it would be the remembrance of
some unselfish benevolent:action by which he has borne
some other's burden, and by which he has conferred
happiness on the unfortunate members of that great
family of which they all formed a part.--(Loud
cheers.) They frequently saw in the newspapers that
some conscientious gentleman has sent a sum of
money to the Chancellor of the Exehequer for " con-
science money." Now, conscience ought to teach
them that it was as much their duty to support their
poor neighbour as to pay their taxes---(Hear,
and laughter)—and if, therefore, any one bad amida
of sending money to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
he had better alter his mind and forward it to the
treasurer of this institution.—(Laughter.) It would,
probably, do him as much good here and hereafter,
and the immediate results would be much more ap-
parent to his friends.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Hughes)
could not sit down without thanking, on behalf of the
commercial body, those of their friends (not travellers)
who, by devoting so much of their time, talents, and
money to the institution, had raised it to the height of
epe it enjoyed. They had had contributions
pborethfrroitmy ladies and gentlemen, of money, of music,
and of verse—contributions, in short, of everything
that kind-heartedness could suggest and able gene-
rosity carry out ; and he most earnestly prayed that
He, the all disposer of events—He " who is a father
to the fatherless and a consolation to the widow"
might bless those contributions, and make this branch
of the wide-spreading tree of charity that adorned
our country as prosperous as they could wish, until
every poor traveller's child
should be provided for,
and until a traveller's widow •in anxiety about the
future of her offspring should not exist but in a tell
that was told as a remembrance of yesterday
and long-continued cheering.)
" The National Mercan tile Assurance Office," "The_
s
Honorary and Medical Officers," " The Stewards
and Stewards Elect" were toasted before the
party broke up.

Acr.—On Wednesday
NEW STEAI7I"NAN.VI
next the New St 7gAation Act, passed in August last,
eaml,haevn the other Acts on the same sub-
ill come intoforce,-
10th
ect (9th and Lo will be repealed. The laws relating to
Victoria, chap. 100, and 11th and 12th
Victoria, cb4P:
steam par Th
d -which is an advantage—in one statute. a Act,
;own are now consolidated, so that they a! e to
be found • g that the naval department of the Board of
after
Tradesitsatt to assist in the execution of the Act, treats of the
•
survey of steam vessels and the number of passengers they
are to carry , of the build of iron steamers; of safety valves ;
of boats, &c., in sea-going vessels; of lights, and provisions
against accidents from collision; of the inspection of steam
vessels, and of legal proceedings, with other miscellaneous
matters. On all these subjects there are various provisions
to render complete steam navigation. The Board of Trade
is to fix the number of passengers for all steamers, and after
the 31st of March steam vessels are required to carry safety
valves, out of the control of the engineer, which valves are
to be deemed a necessary part of the machinery of a vessel
upon which the surveyor-general is to report. This regula-
tion has been ordered for the additional safety of the pas-
sengers.

DARING ROBBERY AT SAFFRON WALDEN.—Oa
Tuesday morning, about four o'clock, the shop of Mr. Fleur)!
Kent, jeweller and silversmith, iu High-street,
was entered
by thieves, who gained an entrance by breakingtheuregg
the lath and plaster wall, by which a hole a
211--
aent, who
d ]arse
enough to admit of a man to creep through.
3ir.h
was sleeping in a room on the same floor, hearing a noise in
the shop, immediately rushed in,
wiln the light was ex-
tinguished and the robber escap
la,
ed,
leaving behind him a rope
macintosh, a box of Luci-
fers, and a large bag, which was
.gs,6rut.
e
ladder, large claspknife, umbrelently intended to place
the booty in ; a tray of wedding rings,
m a After the thief had
silver were the only g and a few articles of
-°"ls alarm, which speedily brought
escaped, Mr. Kent gave 1'
when it was discovered that the rob-
berassistance to the spot,
had made his exit
b leading to the almshouses. At pre-
the rear of the premises, to the perpstratOr Of th.il cluing rob-
y.climbing over several high walls in
1
sent no clue exists as . _
bery,— cheimsford fronteis.

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