The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 18, 1866.

Mr. Peabody at Guildhall.

Yesterday Mr. George Peabody, the eminent
benefactor of the deserving poor of London, attended
at Guildhall, accompanied by the Lord Mayor and
the Lady Mayoress, at the request of the managing
committee, to distribute the prizes gained by the
successful competitors at the Working Classes In-
dustrial Exhibition, which had been held there for
some weeks. The ceremony took place-at 4 o'clock,
in the presence of a large company, among whom
were many of the principal citizens, and the hall
was illuminated for the occasion and tastefully de-
corated with banners. On arriving at the hall Mr.
Peabody was hailed with enthusiastic cheers, and
having taken a seat assigned to him on the right of
the Lord Mayor, on the platform at the east end of
the building, the Honorary Secretary read a report,
which stated that the aggregate admissions on pay-
ment during the 35 days the Exhibition had been
open had been 41,576. Upwards of 2,500 children
of the different ward and day schools had visited
the Exhibition free. The number of prizes awarded
by adjudicators chosen by the exhibitors was 193,
of which 99 were medals and 94 were honorary
mentions. The total number of exhibitors was 827,
exhibiting 1,521 articles, 32 only of which were
ineligible for prizes. No prizes had been given or
awards made but to the actual producers of the ar-
ticles exhibited in conformity with a rule laid down
by the committee.
The LORD MAYOR, addressing the meeting, said
if there was one thing more than another that could
add lustre and interest to the proceedings of the
day it was the presence of their honoured and dis-
tinguished friend, Mr. George Peabody. (Loud
cheers.) They were, indeed, deeply indebted to him
for his presence on the occasion. Their friend had
refused all invitations of late, but he had felt it
to be a pleasure to witness that beautiful and inte-
resting sight within that noble hall. (Cheers.) He
might repeat a remark which he had heard Mr. Pea-
body utter in reference to something else within the
last half hour. He said the ruling passion of his
life had been that every man should go where duty
called him—(cheers)—and he took that to- mean
that he felt that, after the universal gratitude ex-
pressed by the people of this country to him, it was
his duty before he left this ancient city to take his
farewell of those whom he had now the honour to
address. He had great pleasure in presenting to
their notice their excellent friend, Mr. Peabody.
(Cheers.)
Mr. PEABODY, who was greeted with acclama-
tions, said,—My Lord Mayor, Ladies, and Gentle-
men,—l beg to acknowledge with heartfelt grati-
tude the kind expressions which the Lord Mayor has
just used towards me. I assure you there is no man
who feels such language with more sensibility or
gratitude than I do, and I can assure you that I am
extremely thankful and complimented by the kind
manner in which you have received the flattering
remarks which have just emanated from my friend
the Lord Mayor. Contrary to my expectation, I
am able, on the eve of my departure from these
shores, to discharge a duty which your kindness has
called me to fulfil. Though a stranger to you, and
of another country, you were pleased to intimate to
me that my presence among you this day would
give you gratification--(cheers)—and on my part I
am bound to say that while I have been constrained
to decline many invitations recently addressed to
me, I have reserved to myself with peculiar satis-
faction the opportunity of meeting the working
men of London, whose representatives you are,
in the midst of the scene of their honourable
rivalry and the display of their most meritorious
achievements. (Cheers.) Such successful compe-
tition as that which meets its due reward this _day
must be productive of the highest advantage to the
people at large, and all classes of the community
derive a benefit from the elevating tendency of the
persistent industry and skill displayed in the con-
struction of these works of art which are now about
to receive the token of public commendation.
Springing as I do from the people, and owning with
you the Anglo-Saxon stock, I unfeignedly rejoice
in this fresh evidence of the advancement of the in-
dustrial classes in the dignity of labour and in those
habits of self-reliance and honest independence
which ennoble any people and afford the surest
guarantee of the true prosperity and moral great-
ness of any country. (Cheers.) It is true that these,
prizes which I am about to distribute are the just
reward of your own personal efforts, but I hope you
will allow me to remind you that in receiving your
certificate for undoubted merit you will accept it
also as an acknowledgment made by you in this cen-
tury which will be productive of good and redound
to the advantage of future generations, who must
profit by your laudable exertions in the field
of scientific research and in the open
workshop of a nation's constructive skill.
(Cheers.) Should the Great Disposer of all events
give to me the happiness of returning to this
country, I hope to see the complete success of pro-
jects designed by me for the permanent welfare of
the deserving poor of this metropolis--(loud cheers)
—and I may then enjoy further opportunities of
intercourse with those in whose welfare and happi-
ness I have so great an interest. (Renewed and
prolonged cheers.)
The prizes awarded to the successful competitors
were then distributed. At the conclusion of the
ceremony, which lasted a considerable time,
Mr. PEABODY, acknowledging a Tote of thanks
which had been passed by acclamation, referred to
the delight he had experienced in meeting them and
in seeing the great efforts accomplished by so many
working people in this great city. I trust (he said)
you will go on and prosper in this good work, until
every working man in London shall feel that he is
a man and has the dignity of a man as much as any
other individual. (Cheers.) It only rests with them-
selves to do so. Let them feel they are in a position
to do things which they have the power to do, and
they will not only accomplish what they intend to
do, but what will benefit to a great degree this great
country and the whole world. (Cheers.) I feel de-
lighted at the manner in which I have been received
to-day, and to see so many of that class of people
who have accomplished so much. I say again, Go on
in the work you have begun, and you will find this
hall will not hold one-half the working people who
will be entitled to receive medals for their scientific
and other qualifications. On Friday or Saturday I
shall be on my way to my native land, and I shall
have nothing to carry with me but what I hope will
be delightful to my countrymen and delightful to
me. (Cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. HEAD, chairman of the
managing committee, seconded by Mr. PEABODY, a
cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Lord Mayor.
The LORD MAYOR said he had taken a deep inte-
rest in the success of the undertaking. himself
had been a worker in the truest sense from his ear-
liest life, and he hoped to remain a worker to the
end of the chapter. Some 50,000 persons had
visited the Exhibition, and he had had frequent op-
portunities of judging of the manner in which it
had been conducted. Many of them had been in-
terested, many amused, many instructed, and, he
hoped, only a few kad been disappointed. It had
been said that the persons whom such exhibitions
were intended to benefit were not the working
classes. If any man had any doubt on that subject
lie should have been present that day and witnessed
the honest faces, the rude hands, and the in-
telligent appearance of those who had come up
to receive prizes. He was not there to flatter
working men. They, like all other men, had their
faults. It was a fashion of the day to talk of working
men and the working classes, and he held it to be a
rule, confirmed by his own experience and observa-
tion, that the man who lived by the sweat of his
brow was among the most useful and independent
members of society. He had only to be true to
himself and to his principles, and to be honest,
steady, and industrious. He (the Lord Mayor) was
gratified that this Exhibition in the main had been
successful. There had been no less than 827 work-
ing men exhibitors, 482 had been artificers who had
exhibited articles made by their own hands, and 256
of the articles exhibited had been produced by
amateurs in leisure hours. He hoped the country
would continue to prosper in arts, science, and
manufacture, and united in maintaining inviolate
the love of country, the 'Qv@ of Queen, and the love