The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-11 00:00:00

lution, it would be unanimously adopted, and that
they sh9uld bt. enabled to proclaim to the people, by
the enthusiasm with which it was passed, that the
testimonial, whatever it might be, had been justly
deserved.—(Cries of " Hear, hear," and loud cheers.)
The Hon. Gentleman then concluded by moving the
first resolution, which was—

" That this meeting, recognising the long-continued,
meritorious, and disinterested exertions of George
Alfred Walker, Esq., to effect the abolition of the per-
nicious and demoralising system of intramural burial,
consider him eminently entitled to the gratitude and
thanks of the friends of sanitary reform and moral im-
provement, and would express their readiness and desire
to co-operate in a general effort to render that gentle-
man some suitable memorial of his useful and successful
lab,-mrs."

Sir CHAS. ALDIS, M.D., seconded the resolution. lle
was happy, he said, to have the opportunity of saying
a few words in praise of Mr. Walker. He had known
him many years, and had met him professionally
under many circumstances. He krew that he had
been alwayi arduous and indefatigable in his
efforts to prevent those evils, which to prevent were
far better and easier than to cure. In many cases he
had laboured, as he (Sir C. Aldis) knew, to the
detriment of his own health. lie had net him in
many of the most noxious and unhealthy
localities of the town, always labouring in
the great cause of sanitary reform in those localities
which it was a shame and disgrace to the metropolis
not to have removed long before this. But a stir was
now making in the matter, which he considered

never would have been done but for the resolution
and enthusiasm of Mr. Walker—that enthusiasm of

which the Noble Chairman had so justly sail that
without it no great object could be got which was
worth the keeping. Scarcely anything had been
known to be done before Mr. Walker set forward in

the great undertaking. He (Sir C. Aldis) trusted that
something would now be done which would prevent
Mr. Walker, who, to his knowledge, had spent his
money and injured his health in the prosecution of
his labours in this cause—he cordially hoped
that something would be done to reward him,

that some memorial would be presented to him ex-
pressive of the feelings of all friends of sanitary re-
form. Of what kind that should be would pro-
bably be settled hereafter. He could only express his
warm feelings of cordial co-operation in this object,
and knowing the real extent of the labours of Mr.
Walker in this matter, he was perfectly ready to do
anything to forward the design of the present
meeting.
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution, said that
he was glad to see in the room so large a number of
gentlemen of eminence belonging to that 'profession
to which Mr. Walker belonged—the medical pro-
fession. He trusted that before the meeting was
over they would be favoured with the opinions of the
gentlemen of that profession in the room, as what-
ever fell from them upon that subject would have
great weight, and must have a great effect wherever
they were heard.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then put and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. GEORGE Teromesoze, M.P., said that before
the second resolution was put he might observe that
it bad naturally occurred to the gentlemen who had
originated the present meeting to consider the nature
of the testimonial that should be offered to the accept-
ance of Mr. Walker. In the first instance a public
dinner suggested itself, but upon consideration and
after-thought it appeared hazardous to make that the
form in which the respect and admiration of his
friends should be exhibited to Mr. Walker. If such
a meeting should be held it would be necessary to fix
a certain time for it, and some early day, in order to
secure the attendance of gentlemen who would other-
wise be out of town. To get up such a meeting, too,
would impose a considerable amount of arduous la-
bour upon the gentlemen connected with it, and also
considerable expense, while it was thought that many
gentlemen who would come to the dinner would pre-
fer their money being spent in a different manner.
In addition, he believed that he knew enough of Mr.
Walker to be able to say, that that would not be
the most acceptable tribute of respect that could be
paid to him. He rather shunned than courted
public observation ; and he had said often that the
most difficult task which he had had to perform had
been to acknowledge the expression of thanks offered
him for any services which he had rendered to the
cause of sanitary reform. He was assured that if
their testimonial should take that shape they would
be doing a violence to the known feelings of a number
of gentlemen who, though they might give one
guinea for their dinner-ticket, might not feel them-
selves warranted in giving a second guinea
for any further object. If they should agree
to open a subscription list to receive sub-
scriptions from the friends and :admirers of Mr.
Walker, they would not be limited to any particular
time or day on which to close their efforts. They
would also afford an opportunity to his friends in
the provinces to testify their respect, which a public
dinner would not give them, and he might observe
here that Mr. Walker was far better known and ap•
preciated in many of the provincial towns than in this
great Leviathan city—(Eiear, hear)—where a man
might labour for many years unknown and unnoticed.
They would al?o secure the services of those who
wero able to enlighten and sway public opinion in
the provinces. He was sure they might reckon on
very great support in the provincial towns—(Hear,
hear)—and no plan be thought would be advisable
which precluded their assistance.—(Cheers.) The
opinions of the first originators of this meeting pointed
them rather to some substantial piece of plate, which
Mr. Walker might leave behind him to his descen-
dants, as a testimony of the admiration and respect
in which he was held by the warmest friends of sani-
tary reform in the present day.—(Cheers.) He
hoped that if this plan were adopted some future op-
portunity might be afforded of gathering together all
the friends of Mr. Walker upon the occasion of pre-
senting the testimonial to him. He bad been per-
mitted to enjoy the friendship of that gentleman for
some considerable time, and he bad always placed
him first amongst those gentlemen who had
devoted themselves to the production, and the work-
ing out of some great and beneficent object. The
Noble Chairman had justly referred to the great sacri-
fices made by that gentleman in the cause to which he
had devoted himself, but it was necessary to
understand properly the circumstances in which he
had been placed to estimate fully those sacrifices.
They all knew that he had sacrificed fifteen years of
labour to this object; and he (Mr. G. Thompson)
could safely say, that he had never once visited him
r e
in his whole life when he had not found him en-
gaged in the prosecution of thisad
l great
had often been struck with the liberality with which
vaie
w work, and hes
e But he
he had appropriated his own means to the advance-
ment of the noble end he h
were the least of his sacrifices. The time which he
t had given to this great object would, with his pro-
fessional talents and abilities, have placed him in very
different circumstances, had he chosen to labour
for himself rather than for th o ers. There was also
one other characteristic of hit. One of the greatest pre-
requisites for a reformer was discretion;
and, though
speaking for himself, he could say that there were re-
formers who were not gifted in an eniment degree
with that quality, yet he could
say that Mr. Walker
had throughout his whole career
displayed that qua •
ty. Though he had had many difficulties
to contend
with, though his statements had been contradicted
and submitted to the most
searching ordeal, yet his
whole conduct in every circumstance had been found to
be marked with the utmost temperance and moderation.
He knew no man who more freely exercised his ta-
lents: without money and without price to all who
came within the reach of his benevolent sympathies.
When they took into consideration his private virtues,
and the many claims which he had established by his
public labours on their gratitude and respect, he felt
assured that every gentleman present, would enter
most warmly into the object they bad in view. As
far as he himself was concerned, he should feel very
happy, as a hewer of wood and drawer of water, to
manifest his admiration and profound respect for such
a reformer as Mr. Walker had been. That gentle-
man Lad had to encounter a stubborn opposition ;
his motives were questioned, his facts were
disputed, he had strong and powerful com-
binations against him, but, nevertheless, from
morning till night, sustained and supported
by a knowledge of the purity of his motives and the
importance of the object he had in view, he continued
to devote his best energies to the accomplishment of
that object. The gratitude of Government was ex-
emplified in the case of Mr. Walker ; but though
those who had borne the burden and heat of the day
might be disregarded in high places, let them show
that the public were not unmindful of those to whom
honour was due. The Hon. Gentleman concluded
by expressing a hope that they would give Mr.
Walker something more durable and lasting than the
evanescent applause of an after-dinner assembly.
Dr. REID then proposed the second resolution,
which was that a subscription be opened for the pur-
pose of presenting a suitable and substantial testi-
nionial to George Alfred Walker, _Esq., recording
end perpetuating the sense entertained by the sub-
scribers of his private virtues and his exertions as a
public benefactor. He never attended a meeting with
a more heartfelt conviction c f the justice of the cause
which had called them together, as he considered it
an act of public duty that he should testify to Mr.
\\Talker the manner in which they appreciated his
'llion had been of the most
services, which, in his ,
meritorious and disinterested kind.—(ilear.)
m.p., seconded the resolution.
Mr. B. B. CADDELL,
This was not the time to consider or to decide whether
Mr. Walker had or had not been neglected by the
Government and the Board of Health. All he could
say on that subject was, that the general rule at pre-
sentman who did
seemed to be, that every duty
in a straightforwarded manner was neglected by the
powers that be.—(Hear,
hear.) But, although Mr.
Walker had been to, he was sure the country would
at once recognise his claim, and award bin the merit