The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-21 00:00:00

Lyons and Mediterranean.

SOuthem
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona -
Roman

The Newsvendors' Benevolent and Provident

Institution.

The annual dinner of this association was held '
yesterday evening at Freemasons' Tavern ; Mr. W.
T. M'Cullagh Torrens, M.P., in the chair. A large
number of ladies were present. The preliminary
toasts having been duly honoured, Mr. Hain Fris-
well proposed "The House of Commons," remark-
ing during his speech that England would never be
ruined except by a House of Commons. The Chair-
man, who responded, remarked that having had the
honour to be sent to Parliament in the name of
25,000 electors—(cheers)--and being told (he would
not say threatened) that he was to have the honour
of representing, or misrepresenting, 40,000, he could
only say, in the words of a gentleman whose name
was never mentioned in polite society, " My pun-
ishment is greater than I can bear." (Cheers.) Ir-
respective of party and politics, there were men in
the House of Commons who were endeavouring to
do their duty, and he was bound on this first public
occasion to say that he had got as hearty, cordial,
and valuable support from those who did not agree
with him in politics, and who sat opposite. (Hear.)
The chairman subsequently proposed the toast of
the evening, " Prosperity to the Newsyendors'
Benevolent and Provident Institution." The hon.
gentleman remarked that the society had existed
for 27 years, and so far from being weary in
well doing, its only regret was that it could not
carry out all it once contemplated. He had
known of more than one conspicuous instance of
men who lived well and merrily for many a day who
in the evening of life were glad not to bo forgotten
by their brethren in the trade. The newsvendors
had it in their power, if they chose to use it, to
direct the false, the thoughtful, and the immature
into choosing the good and eschewing the evil ; and
he, therefore, charged the newsvendors of London
with a great moral responsibility as to what passed
in the homes of the people. (Cheers.) Having
watched London for many years, he could remark
that he had seen a great improvement in the counter
trade of literature. There had been a beneficial
change, which could not have taken place if the
newsvendors as a class had not been men whose
hearts were in the right place, and who had sound
heads upon their shoulders. He believed there was
a feeling that the cheapening of literature had not
served the trade so well as the old system of high-
priced newspapers, but it was impossible to go back
now, and no doubt in the multiplication of transac-
tions compensation would be found. He trasted
the society would be every year better known, and
that its means of usefulness would continually ex-
tend. (Cheers.) Mr. Terry, the treasurer, stated
that the society had many difficulties to contend
with, not the least being some runaway officers.
The interest of the funded capital only had been
I used. £7OO had been given away, and £2OO had
been granted for temporary relief. (Hear, hear.)
The toast of " The Press" was replied to by Mr.
E. L. Blanchard ; Mr. J. E. Langford, of Birming-
ham, proposed " The Ladies ;" and other toasts
followed, including speeches from Mr. J. L. Toole
and Mr. Paul Bedford, which put the company
into fits of laughter. At intervals during the after-
dinner proceedings some pleasant vocal music was
given by Miss Ellen Lyon, Miss A. Woolams, Mr.
E. Williams, Mr. E. Gray, Mr. F. Cozens, and
Mr. 11. Sydney. Mr. Toole, jun., was toast-master,
and, according to his custom at this particular an-
niversary, his services were gratuitous.