The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

VIE SHEFFIELD CUTLERS' FEAST.

The annual banquet given by the Master o f the
Sheffield Cutlers' Company, to celebrate his own
election asPresident of that ancient guild, was held
in the elegant hall of the corporation on Thursday.
These time-honoured festivals, affording, as they
quently do, to eminent politicians an opportu-
nity of making their views known to the country
when the functions of Parliament are suu-
pend
ed, sometimes possess certain features
.of general interest. On this occasion, how-
lever, a falling off in the number of distinguished
guests was observable, andt Le after-dinner speeches,
alt lough not absolutely sinking to the level of the
thousand and one gatherings sacred to mere gastro-
nomy and good fellowship, yet suffered a corres-
ponding deterioration in quality. The most notice-
able gap at the festive board was caused by the
.absence of. Mr. Roebuck, the leading local membt r,
-whose delicate health, coupled with the recentness
ce the late laborious session, rendered it imprudent
for him to encounter the excitement of a public
meeting. The Duke of N orfolk and several other
important personages were also kept away by
r reasons:. There were, however, upwards of 200
gentlemen przesen t, among whom were—Lord Wharn-
eiffe, Viscount Goderich, M.P., Mr. E. Denison,
M P., Mr. G.. Hadfield, M.P., M. T. Hankey,M.P.,
the Mayor foe Doncaster, the Mayor of Sheffield,
Mr. W. Overeat d, Rev. Dr. Sale, Alderman Dunne,
Alderman Matthews, Mr. It. N. Philipps, Major
Thompson, and other officers of the 7th Dragoon
Guards. &c. The. chair was filled by Mr. W. Hut-
chinson, the Masts3r Cutler elect.
On the remove. of the cloth the usual loyal toasts
'were given from the chair, and warmly responded to.
The CIZAIRMAN then rose to propose "The army
an 1 navy," and wits about to preface the toast
with some remarks, when the military band in the
adjoining apartment incontinently struck up "The
British Grenadiers." The music, though a little pre-
mature, was at least " eloquently discoursed," and
the worthy president, probably fearing that oratory
at er such an ebullition of harmony might suffer by
contrast, good-humouredly waived his intended
vinegyric on the sister services. A special bumper
was, however, called for, at the instance of Mr.
Denison, M.P., " To the European officers in In-
dia," and, with the addition of this " rider," the
toast elicited an enthusiastic response from the as-
semblage.
Major THOMPSON, in responding, assured the com-
pany that Englishmen, whether on shore or afloat,
would ever strive to do their duty, so as to merit not
only the applause of their countrymen, but the
approving smiles of their fair countrywomen.
(1-tear.) It was impossible to speak to a toast like
this without adverting to passing events in India.
Few of them had read the account of the atrocities
lately perpeSrated in that country without re-
e ; roing the words of the Earl of WeAmorelan d
at Agincourt :

" Oh that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
Tl at do no work to-day."
(Cheers.) Such was yesterday the wish of the re-
gi,nent to which he had the honour to belong, and,
as if in answer to this feeling, that very day there
cane an order to him and his comrades to prepare
f,r immediate embarkation. He saw before him
th crossed swords upon their borough shield ; and
lie accepted that emblem as an omen that his regi-
ment would soon cross swords with the ruffianly
in itineers in Bengal. (Renewed cheers.) In Shef-
field there could be no difficulty in sharpening their
wc..,lpons—(a laugh)—and in his corps there was
many a willing heart and stalwart arm to use the
blades that God and their Queen had intrusted to
t• em. (Cheers.) Such of them as survived the
approaching conflict would look furward to their

nit merry meeting, and when that happy event
artived, it might be years hence, he trusted that
they would be able to give a goad account of
the cowardly ruffians in 'hulk to show that
the British army had again done its duty, and that
as forming part of that gallant army the 7th Dra-
g on Guards had not been found wanting. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The Health of the
Duke of Norfolk," pointing out the peculiar appro-
priateness of the toast, from the circumstance that
hi; Grace was unfortunately prevented by indispo-
sition from attending that feast. (Drunk with much
c )rdiality.)
Mr. Emuso:sr, agent to his Grace, acknowledged
the toast, assuring the company that it was the
noble Duke's anxious desire to cultivate the most
kindly relations with the town of Sheffield.
Mr. C. HALL, senior warden of the corporation of
cutlers, next proposed " The Health of the Dukeof
Devonshire," and Mr. C. CHAMBERS. the junior
warden, that of " The Earl Fitzwilliam and the
House of Wentworth," which were both duly
honoured.
" The Health of Lord Wharncliffe and the House
of Worthy" was iutrodued by Mr. ELLisox, who
hoped that the present bearer of the family title
av,)alil emulate the bright ex maple set him by his
lamented predecessor. (Cheers.)
Lord WHARNCLIFFE expressed his high apprecia-
tion of the hearty welcome accorded to him that day
on meeting the Cutlers' Company for the first time
since he had attained his new position. It would,
he further observed, afford him sincere pleasure to
c ntribute as far as lay in his power towards the
,alth and well-being of that borough, and it was
his intention to continue to the townspeople of
Sheffield, with some mo lifications which would be
advantageous to them rather than otherwise, the
privilege they had heretofore enjoyed of inhal ng
the fresh air of Wharncliffe. (Cheers.) The noble
lord concluded by proposing, in suitable terms,
" The Health of the Master Cutler."
The toast was cordially received and briefly
acknowledged.

r Mr. W. Vatez then gave " The Health of the
Members for the County," remarking that effici-
ently as the West Riding had been represented
for many years past it had never been more ably
represented than at present. (Cheers.)
Mr. DENISON, M.P.' as the senior member, was
the first to respond. He had to thank them not
only for the compliment they had just paid him,
bet also for having returned him him at the last
general election without a contest—the highest
honour that could be conferred on any commoner.
lie had invariably endeavoured to do his best for
those whom he represented, without favour or affec-
ton to one political party or another. The West
Riding of Yorkshire had by far the largest consti-
tuency in the United Kingdom, and the man who
either would not or could not afford to be indepen-
dent of Ministers or parties was not fit to be one of
its members. (Hear.) By a most wholesome rule
lolitics were proscribed at these gatherings, and he
certainly had no intention now to transgress ; but
he might be allowed to observe that in the short
session of Parliament which had just closed three
or four most useful measures had bean passed,
which, although they did not involve any party
feeling, would yet contribute materially to the wel-
fare of the whole country. He had told them at
the late dissolution that Lord Palmerston was the
fittest man, under all the circumstances, for the
post of Prime Minister. (Loud cheers.) Without
reference to politics he thought so still. (" Heir,
hear," and a laugh.) That noble lord was the man
far the occasion ; he was, in short, the right man
in the right place. (Hear, hear.) At the last ban-
(pet of the Cutlers' Company they had present in
th it room several military men who took a promi-
nent part in the memorable Balaklava charge, but
who, after all, formed but a small portion of the
gallant band which bore uncomplainingly all the
privations of a Crimean winter, and helped to bring
the Sebastopol expedition to a successful issue.
Little did the companypresent then think it would
po soon be their lot to hear the awful tidings which
had late:y reached us from India. Over the fearful,
the revolting atrocities committed on helpless
'icemen and children by the mutinous &Toys—
teose greatest scoundrels on the face of the earth—
lie wiseed to draw a veil. He preferred to turn to
t'te conduct of the European officers, civil as well
as military, whose valour, energy, and persever-
",ve in the midst of so terrible a crisis were beyond
(Cheers.) Whatever might be the pre-
aalit aspect of Indian affairs, he enti r-
ine 11 no doubt that sat ct r esult would he
ulti-mately attained.aoyr
(Hear.) Bengal would, in-
uv have to be reorganised—he would not say re-
k oaquerea, because that term would be misapplied
to a contest with thwos3 mutinous blackguards in
De hi—(laughter) lb) would be only too glad to
esca,pe from that city, au,i scatter themselves over
till whole of Hindostan, tte lonc,
as they could hide
parlament at the hands
lltemselvee from condign
of our countrymen. (Heir, bear.) il Ve
t.i,order was exclusively confined to the Bengal
•
Presidency, and great credit was thereloere.udTeigtaol
the native troops in Madras and Bombay for
their
weediness. The outbreak in Bengal avoted, he be-
li-ved, be soon quelled, and that
.Presidency re_
dtteed to a proper state of o •gaai.3atK n,ruore esp
ei Lily when the Government of Indi r, bad the
ri 1 of gallant men like those at that festive board.
(Cheers.) Indeed, he was firmly persuaded that
all would be set right, in one view of the case, with-
inas a year from this time. One thing, however, w
v.rfectly clear ; we must no more trust, as we 1)11;1
hNterte dune, to a parcel of Sepoys, who would be
were to rise against their European officers whnl-
ever an equal chance offered itself. (Hear.) If,
therefore, we were to retain, as retain we must,
t ,is valuable appendage to our empire, we could
only do so at greater cost to ourselves than ever.
But, he was convinced there was not a man among
tl em who, if it were natesaary to support the-Go-
vernment with Will further grants, would not cheer-
fully contribute his quota. (Cheers.) A most lauda-
ble movement had been made by the Lord Mayor of
London on behalf of the unhappy sufferers in India.