The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-17 00:00:00

sovereign to bestow. For whatever the advantages I
may have derived from the ancestry to which Mr.
Blomfield has referred—those advantages of ancient
birth rather serve to diminish any humble merit
of mine ; and more honourable it is to the man
of humble parentage who owes nothing to an-
cestry and all to himself. There are such in-
stances in the Peerage of England—instances in
which the sons of tradesmen sit side by side with
the descendants of the proudest chiefs who adorn
the early pages of our history. Gentlemen, before
I quit this subject, I wish earnestly to impress upon
all the fellowmen I see around me that one of the
principles belonging to this association is necessarily
the strong desire to achieve independence. (Cheers.)
Independence is at the root of all noble thoughts and
of all worldly success. Independence of pecuniary
obligations is not a mere vulgar desire of money,
it connects itself with independence of character.
For if a man has £lO,OOO a year, and if he feels he
owes money that he cannot pay, he is really poor ;
but if he earns only 12s. a week, and can pay his
way, and lay by some trifle towards supporting his
wife and children if illness should overtake him, he
is rich ; and this is one reason why I so earnestly
support the Odd Fellows and all societies that tend
to create a spirit of independence. And lam per-
fectly certain, that if I had not early in life laid
down as a principle rule--before I had lands, when
I was young and unknown, if I hadnot laid it down
as a principle that I would save something, however
trifling, at the end of every year, I feel that I
should not have attained to the honours which are
about to be bestowed on me. (Hear.) I thank you
for the kindness you have shown to me, and I hope,
at least for some years to come that I shall continue
to have the opportunity of meeting you on these oc-
casions. (Cheers.)

An instrumental piece " The Hundred Pipers,'
brilliantly played by Miss Campkin.

Glee : " Oh happy, happy fair."
Sir E. B. LYTTON said—Ladies and gentlemen,—
I trespass on your attention once more ; and this
time I have to perform a task peculiarly pleasing
to me, because I wish you to give me your per-
mission to return, not only on my own behalf,
but on behalf of all present, thanks to our excel-
lent rector, Mr. Blonifield, for his attendance
this day. I think it of great importance at
meetings of this kind, when we can secure the
attendance and approval of a minister of the Esta-
blished Church of this country ; and I am sure that
all here, whether Churchmen or not, must regard
Mr. Blomfield's presence on this occasion with
gratified feelings. (Cheers.) I know no town of a
similar size to Stevenage that has made such great
progress or exhibits marks of such decided improve-
ment within a few years ; and much of that
improvement, and which I trust is not merely
external, but also internal, is owing to the
counsel, example, encouragement, and support we
receive from our excellent rector. (Loud cheers.)
It is a great pleasure you confer on me to allow
me to return thanks on behalf of all present to Mr.
Blomfield for his attendance and countenance this
evening. (Cheers).
The Rev. Canon BLO3IFIELD returned thanks, and
said his attendance to-day was so obvious a duty that
he considered all thanks were entirely unnecessary.
He should be happy to attend under any circum-
stances that should bring together so agreeable a
meeting of the inhabitants of the place ; but he
felt it a peremptory duty to all to attend and show
the respect he felt for their chairman, Sir Bulwer
Lytton, and his gratitude for the kind support
which his presence rendered to the Society. He
felt doubly grateful to their Right Hon. Chairman
for the kind terms in which he had spoken of him-
self ; it was a great deal to be praised by such a
man. He was, perhaps, disposed to take too kindly
a view of others. Being kindly disposed himself, he
was disposed tot think well of all. He accepted Sir
Edward's kind expressions with great gratitude ;
and he accepted their acceptance of them with much
gratification, and hoped to meet them all on a future
occasion. (Cheers.)

Poor-law Medical Officers.

Last night a meeting of the metropolitan poor-
law medical officers was held in the Council-room
of the Medical Benevolent College, Soho-square,
for the purpose of organising an association to pro-
mote their claims, and that of the sick poor to more
generous consideration at the hands of the public ;
Dr. Rodgers, medical officer of the Strand Union,
in the chair. Amongst those present were Dr.
Rodgers, Dr. Dudfield, Mr. Eugene Goddard, Mr.
Hudson, Mr. Godrich, Dr. Cotton, Mr. L. M. God-
dard, Mr. French, &c. Dr. Dudfield, the hon. sec-
retary, read a statement of what had been done since
the first meeting of the association. An address,
setting forth the objects of the association, hadbeen
forwarded to all the poor-law medical officers of
the metropolitan district, and had been answered
by many of those gentlemen, and several
of them, both union and district medical
officers, had become members of the association.
Dr. Rodgers stated the objects of the association,
which were to procure better treatment of the sick
poor, and to raise the scale of salaries of the medical
officers. But though one of these objects was the
latter, he hoped they would sink that in comparison
to the former. (Hear, hear.) They were engaged
in the noblest work they could be engaged in ; they
were men of education and devoted to their work.
(Hear.) What, therefore, they should ask for was
increased means of doing their duty to the sick poor.
The amount of their salary, which was admitted
by Mr. Farnall, the Poor-law Inspector, to be quite
inadequate, they would leave to the appreciation of
the public. The revelations which had been made
respecting the treatment of the sick poor in work-
houses excited a strong public feeling on this subject.
Thepoor-law medical officers were not responsible for
that treatment ; on the contrary, they did what they
could to obtain more liberal treatment of the sick
poor. (Hear, hear.) He thought that one of their
objects should be to get the medicines for the poor ,
at the expense of the state, or rather of the Poor-
law Board. lie was glad to find that this recom-
mendation had the support of Mr. Farnall. The
objects of the association were to obtain for the sick
poor chargeable to the state the same treatment as
was enjoyed by the sick poor in hospitals and kin-
dred institutions, to obtain life appointments for all
poor-law medical officers, and entire, instead of par-
tial, payment of salaries from the Consolidated Fund,
and thus to secure due recognition of their position
as State servants, and greater freedom and indepen-
dence of action ; to provide a basis for consultation
and united action in all cases of difficulty arising out
of the nature and in the discharge of their duties ; to
obtain an authoritative decision on all disputed
questions relative to duties and extra medical fees ;
to obtain from the local authorities provision of all
medicines and appliances prescribed for the sick
poor, and the appointing and payment of proper
dispensers ; to address representations to the
Poor-law Board, and generally to provide a
channel through which all defects in the poor-law
medical service might be brought to light. The
objects and rules of the society were discussed and
agreed to. Portions of the report of Mr. aB.
Farnall, C. 8., the Metropolitan Poor-law Inspector,
relating to the duties, &c., of the workhouhse iis
recom-
mendations _.cal
officers, having been read, together with
for the amelioration of their
position, it
was unanimously resolved " That this meeting, re-
presenting the Poor-law medical officers of the
p
arate record-
ingmetropolitan district,ocf gratificationann without
inspired by his
their deep sense n
of their services." A vote of
thanks to the councigenerous appreciationl
of
the Royal Medical Bene-
volent College for the use of their room terminated
the proceedings.

SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE.—The active and en-
terprising manager of this theatre, Mr. U. Nye Chart, will
take his benefit to-morrow evening, under the patronage
of the Duke of "Wellington. A good programme is offered,
and we hope tho manager will have a full house.
OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA AT LLANELLY._A feel-
ing of great alarm has seized the inhabitants of Lianally in
consequence of the breaking out of cholera in the port.
Already about a dozen persons have fallen victims to its
ravages after a few hours' illness. Precautionary measures
have been taken to prevent its spreading, and the Custom-
house authorities have issued orders that clean bills of
health will not be given to vessels leaving the port for
foreign parts.