The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-09 00:00:00

THE NEW GRESHAM CLUB.

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The members of the Gresham Club celebrated the laying the first
stone of the New Club House, by a dinner given last evening at the
Albion, Aldersgate-street. The Lord Mayor presided, and more than
a hundred and twenty gentlemen sat down to a splendid repast
served up in the best style of this well known establishment. T.
Lamie Murray, Esq., acted as Vice-President. The new club will
be a great addition to the institutions of the City, where it was much
wanted. The members seem determined to carry on their under-
taking with spirit, and the rules and regulations are on so liberal a
scale, that there can be no doubt but that It will be widely and
effectively supported. Several gentlemen were invited to the dinner
on the occasion. Among those present were (besides the Lord Mayor)
Mr. Sheriff Moore, Mr. Under-Sheriff Anderton, Mr. Aldermen
Wood, the Rev. Dr. Croly, Messrs. Amory, Underwood, Davis,
Westall, Caldecott, Cubitt, Carter, Baylis, Silver, Mr. Sergeant
Murphy, M.P., R. L. Jones, Esq., Messrs. Harker, Jeffery, Marr,
Conquest, Ingleden, Bless, Beadwell, Hartley, Parker, Thornhorrow,
and many other merchants and gentlemen of influence.
On the removal of the cloth, a " Benedletns" was sung by the pro-
fessional vocalists, after which—
The LORD MAYOR gave " The Queen," " The Queen Dowager,"
" liis Royal Highness Prince Albert, and the rest of the Royal Fa-
mily," in succession. They were each drank with the utmost loyalty
and enthusiasm.
The LORD MaYoR then gave the " Anny and Navy."
MEEBON, Esq. (Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club) acknow-
ledged the toast, being in some degree connected with at least one
branch of the marine of England.—(Cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR said he had now to propose a toast which he
was sure would give them the greatest satisfaction.---(Hear, hear.)
It had that day been his good fortune to have the pleasure of assist-
ing to lay the foundation-stone of the new Gresham Club-house.—
(Loud cheers.) He was satisfied that the spirit of the individuals
who had combined together to erect that building, would
produce a mansion which would be as great an ornament
to the City as it would be a comfort and convenience to the
gentlemen and merchants of the City generally.—(Cheers.) Such a
convenience was greatly wanted, and Ile had now as much satis-
faction in proposing the toast of prosperity to the Club as they would
have in drinking it. He gave " Prosperity to the Gresham Club."
Drank with three times three, and rounds of enthusiastic cheering
frequently renewed.
T. LAMIE MURRAY, Esq., responded to the toast. Ile said he
felt considerably embarrassed on the present occasion—more em-
barrassed perhaps than he had ever felt in his life, because he saw
before him a task that was difficult to perform. In the
first instance he had to discharge a debt of gratitude,
a debt which to an honourable mind was always one of the first obli-
gations. As a member of the Climb, he felt great gratitude to the
honourable individual he then haul the pleasure of addressing.—
(Cheers.) His gratitude was only equalled by the respect he felt for

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"m•—(Chears.) In common with all the members of the Club, he
telt that his Lordship had conferred a great favour on them that day.
—(Cheers.) A favour which,- when Ise remembered how deeply he
(Mr. Murray) was pledged to the success of this undertaking,
he felt that he could never sufficiently repaY.—(Loud cheers.)
His Lordship had condescended to lay the foupdation stone of the in-
stitution, in which he and other members of that Club• Were much
interested, and he had done so with a degree of urbanity only ex-
celled by the efficient manlier bi which he had discharaeci his duty.—
(Cheers.) This was not the place to discuss the topic of clubs gene-
-Bow that
bys
e. Clubswere
eo were a nasal older institution than was supposed.
acquaintedThocwoenrneeetedt
lalmost
i I
everyrit great
i history h
is=
ekusst
-fu their
cat
nlvuoebrres
msi naenea
g ut the
containede
eb e gnmt
ise,l4l n g
political annals. The institution of clubs had been blown almost
of British history, At the present day,
cmomorfoor
refin:se
trie.ciot st•henal: naccns oistraeb
ieslhenialiennete:
known to former ages. It might be that some of them contained
more selflslmess than was intended should be practised in the Gresham
Club.—(Bear, hear, and cheers.) A club combined all the advan-
tages of a select society, with all the advantages of sociality. Asso-
ciated in a club, men were placed In a position better to carry out
whatever measure the society was formed for, whether its nature
were political or commercial. They fortunately united among
themselves men of all politics—(Cheers)—and of all pursuits—men
who, however they differed on other subjects, were fortu-
nately united in the principle of sociality. He had lent his
humble aid to the formation of this club; he had embarkeir
his energies in it, and, as far as his humble abilities were concerned, -
he should continue to give it his support. The Gresham Club had
met with wonderful success ; this was principally owing to the
selection of the Committee; since the day of its formation they had
never had a single difference; there had been among them none of
those private jealousies and petty piques which they had seen in
other societies,—(Hear, bear.) Placed in the centre of the great mart
of- commerce, this Club bore the name of the eminent and single-
minded Sir Thomas *Gresham, a man to whom the City of
London was, more than to any Other individual, indebted. Sir
Thomas Gresham enjoyed the financial confidence of three monarchs,
and those who had read of the difficulties in which thole monarchs
were placed, must appreciate the disinterestedness with which he
served them. - Havlngthe misfortune to be.deprived by death of his
only son, he dedicated the' Wealth which that 'son would have in-
herited to raise a building devoted tetonalnerce in the centre of the
greatest commercial city in the world. lbs. name they had chosen
as that of their Club. Ile would not detain them longer .than to
state a matter of business connected with the institution. The
club was conceived in a liberal spirit ; it was a happy concep-
rtion ; and in the same spirit in which it was conceived, it would
he carried out. It was begun with but few members,
and with a ' spirit of economy. They were determined
that it should support itself, and that, whether they had few mem-
bers or many, those who becanto_Lnembers should not have to pay-
for the extravagance of those who in it before. While they
took economy for their motto and primal-4a, they could ask new'
friends to join them, saying, at the same time, "We Ilona take you
in—(Cheers and laughter)—we don't deceive you ; we-asia you to ,
associate with men determined to pay their way."—(Cheers.) They
had got a building in progress which, for beauty of style and eleva-
tion, considering the means at command, could not he ex-
ceeded one which would he considered an ornament to
the City of London. They would scarcely, perhaps, believe him
when he told them.that they should-sit in that building for a rental
of 5201. a year.' That could not be considered an extravagant rent
to pay for such large and commodious premises in such a central part
of London. If they looked at the plans of the interior, they would
find that economy was combined with comfort ; it was impossible
that any merchant or any nobleman could be better accommodated
than they should be. Ile now asked them to 1111 bumpers
to the toast he had to give them, which was the health of
the Chief Magistrate of the City of London.-(Cheers.) He pAssed
warm eulogium on the manner in which his Lordship had discharged
his public duties, especially for his firmness and temper in an Im-
portant inquiry still pending, and for the manner in which he.had
abated the nuisance of the omnibuses loitering in the City. He con-
eluded by again proposing the toast, which was warmly received by
the assembly.
The Loan MAYOR briefly acknowledged the compliment.
Mr. LAMIE Menase then proposed " The Health of the Rev. Dr.
croly."—(Great cheering.)
The Rev. Dr. Cams- returned thanks. He expressed his gratitude
for time warns amid unanimous feeling they had displayed towards
him. At the same time he must say that lie had been a little taken
in. He came to a club dinner, taking IT for granted that they could
do as they liked, drink what they pleased, and go away without hay-
, ing anything to say at the end of its-(Laughter.) But he found he
had to submit to a superior force, though he confessed it was the
most amiable of all tyrannies. Ile expressed the satisfaction he felt
as rector of the parish in which the club-house was to be situated,
and thanked the Committee for giving such a substitute for the
miserable tissue of streets that formerly existed on the site. Ile then
glanced at the nature of clubs generally. The Parliament of England
itself was only a club.—(Cheers.) The earliest club in his memory
was the club of Hercules.—(Cheers and laughter.) As long as Hercules
remained a bachelor he stuck to Isis club—it was his constant partner.
But a change at last came over Ilercules, and he got married.—
(Laughter.) His wife, like many modern wives, insisted on his cut-
ting his club—(Cheers)—and Hercules lost his spirit, abandoned his
vocation, and became an old woman.—(Cheers and laughter.) Ills
subsequent history tells that, though he did not exactly beat hemp,
yet ha took to spinning it. Like a sailor in his old age, he became a
gossip, and took to " long yarns."—(Great laughter.) lie should not
go deeper into the prohibited history of clubs. He should merely tell
thein'a short story from a witty divine,.better known for success of,
his literary efforts than for that of his Pennsylvanian specula-4;
tions.(Much cheering and .great laughter.) Some stranger to
London asked the Rev.' Gentleman-aehat was the nature of the :
London clubs? Ile told hint they were okyarious kinds, but that
there was one, of which the constitution was peculiar, and in which
the members spoke a peculiar language adapted-only to their/own
capacities. The members of this club, Sheridan, with a humorous in-
solence, called the "wooden walls of old England."—(Laughter.)
They were all agricultural gentlemen. When they talked at all, they
talked of nothing but prize oxen; and when they sat down to cards,
they played for sheep points, and a bullock the rubber !—(Loud
laughter.) He concluded by proposing the "Corporation of London."
The toast was neatly acknowledged by Mr. Alderman WOOD, and
was followed by the "Health of the Sheriffs," acknowledged by Mr.
Sheriff Moos.
Mr. AMORY gave " Prosperity to the City of London, and the trade
thereof,'! which was drank with great applause.
Mr. Maros proposed "Mr. Sergeant Murphy and their visitors."
Mr. Sergeant MURPHY having responded to the toast in an able
address, gave the health of " the Vice-President, Mr. Lamle
Murray."
Mr. LAMM MURRAY very briefly returned thanks.
The following toasts were then given—
" The Committee," proposed by Dr. CaoLY, and acknowledged by
Mr. Davis.
" The Solicitor of the Club, B-07 Avery," and " The Architect,
Mr. 11. Flower."
The company then separated, after a pleasant and convivial even-
ing. . The best anticipations are entertained of the future prosperity
of the Club, fully warranted by the excellent spirit that seemed to
pervade every one connected wills it. We ought to mention that the
enjoyment of the evening was much heightened by the very efficient
corps of vocalists, consisting of Messrs. T. Cooke, Young, Taylor,
Machin, and Masters Stevens and Sullivan, who gave several
favourite songs and glees in very superior style.

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