The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-12

oVoiCciy SuWCicut W sdtrly CtdfiIBn VI
Speech by Dickens,
The news vendors OF London, in 1885, formed Benev.
client and Proydent Association, which celebrated its
anniversary few days since Mr. Dickens presided and
made the following interesting speech
The chairman said that il now became his duty to give
them what was usually called the toast Of the evening
That duty, Shakespeare said, cannot be silent" But
he would promise that whatever he might say, should be
said earnestly and to the purpose and at once as much
and as little as possible AS he learned from the pam
phlet before him. ten years since the venders
being large and industrious bodyin London, established
benevolent and providen institution for granting tenn
porary relief and permanent assistance to persons engaged
as masters and servants In that trade and he observed
that the institutions 80 originated, had this excellent ea
ture that only those were eligible as permanent pension
ers who were members OF the society. and had contrib
uted to its funds, which, as he thoughts very sau
tary and wise regulations not only encouraging prov
ident habits and the feeling Of brotherhood, but also
spang the reduced recipients OF bounty any humiliation
IN avalling themselves Of those funds [hear hear
inspiring the conviction that they could accept the money
without blush, as they had subscribed TO this society
and had done 80 for others less than for themselves
Tor they had not then known that the hour OF sickness
and distress. which came to SO many, would come TO
them; but being come they could thank God that they
had been mindful OF it, and could take the pttance with
an independent spirit and upright head, lcheers1 AL
though this institution had $1,000 Of hard money out at
interest, il was still exceedingly young Its whole life
mad been passed in the nursery II was 30 young that this
was the first time that il had come down to show itself
after dinner, [hear, hear, and aughter,l
But as there was in the infancy Of all young creatures
certain period when the frame gathering form and
strength, he believed that this young creature had
been employed these ten years in the necessary amount
81 sleep and very mild slstenance, and that night young
giant was exhibited TO them for the first time which,
like the giant in the "Arabian Nights" would kick
the basket which had contained it. yet unlike that giant
would never be able to &c, into i again lChesrs and
grow out Of their clothes complaint in many fami
lies. He knew It was in his own "a laugh II this
child did not grow out OF lis first suit OF wool while the
knan yuas vat IN mali n m IN
quick succession for a suit OF $4,000, or $4,000, or
10000, the fault would be their own, and they would
deserve to be sgmatzed as most unnatural parents For
himself, member Of the family he should never be
satisfied, unless he had the opportunity OF saying to the
grown-up banling, 81 knew you when you were mere
baby, with very weak chest sat al the head Of the
table the first occasion when your pnafore was taken
of; and now see you strong man, who, if may adopt
the phraseoogy of the sporting part OF the press, may De
heard OF once year at the bar OF the Albion whose
money is posted ready for all comers and who would be
very glad TO meet with any customers who may do him
the honor 10 CALI The claims Of the yenders
@ Of hsr a S and and 70 elevate them
selves and those they employed IN the social scae seemed
10 be the most undeniahe
that they up early and latethat they were watch
ing whilst others septhat they mnisered at our doors
daily throughout the year-although this was much for
this that they inherited this claim, but it was because
they connected with that great power which had
become the axis upon which the moral world turned
TOunu, lcneeSJ-uumOly COnncCte0, pcEndps, were,
but usefuly and fnseparaby to that fountain OF knowl
edge to all which popularity called the press,
and to that institution they conduts to well OF
WATER what the pipes beneath the streets OF this city
were to the great gas works from which the lights pro.
ceeded which turned night into day. II was that
they went forever between and those mighty engines
which, working night by night and all night long, were
et in their fainest throb throughout the civilized world
(Cheers II was, that those should be IN high de-
gree worthy OF their trade and should not be behind the
members OF any other industrious calling but should be
upon level with the foremost. II was no more than
two hundred and fifty years since the very first idea Of
newspaper was conceived in this island, TO stmu-
late the people TO resist the Spanish Armada. II
hundred years since the first motion OF regular
newspaper, in anything like the present form, was
duced to practice One hundred and fifty years ago there
did not appear TO have been single daily paper in Eng
land, and ten years later only When he compared
such state Of things with that existing he felt
il the humble men, connected with the vending OF news,
ought 10 be in advance OF those times in the pro-
poronaie degree the newspapers they dealt in, and
that they ought TO take their stand upon the footing OF
their usual trade and be as much recognised and respect
ed in that trade the paper maker or the printer
The object which had brought them together at that meet
ing, might al first seem small but was so great in its i'm
poance, and comprehensive. in It's principle. that il
really deserved their best consideration He thought that
every follower, however humble, OF that great plough,
which ever turning up the world. and knew no
pause in its work. deserving OF their best
consideration, and therefore he asked them to drink
heartily and cordially, Prosperity 10 the News vendors
Provident and Benevolent Association" (Cheers.1
The toast was drunk amidst loud applause.