The Portland daily press., 1870-04-22


On April the annual dinner in aid OF the
friends of the Newsvenders' Benevolent and
Provident Institution was held in Lonion.
Mr.. Charles Dickens presided, and in propos-
ing the toast of the evening, said: Ladies and
gentlemen: You receive me with SO much cor
diality that 1 fear you believe really dic once
sit in Lord Mayors COACH Permit me 10 as
sure you in spite of the Information received
from MIR. Alderman Cotton, that never had
that honor. Furthermore, beg to assure you
that I never witnessed Lord Mayors show
except from the point of view Obtained ~ the
other vagabonds upon the pavement: NOW,
ladies and gentlemen, in spite OF thIs great
cordiality of yours, l doubt if you fully know
vet what blessing it is to you that occupy
the chair tonight, because, having filled 1t on
several previous occasions for the society on
whose behalf we are assembled, ana having
said everything that l could think OF to say
about it, and being, moreover, the fIesldeht OF
the institution itself, am placed tonight in
the modest position of a host who is not SO
much to display himself as to call out his
guests-perhaps even to try to induce some
among them to occupy his place on another
occasion. And, therefore, you may pc safely
sure that like Falstaff, but with modification
almost as large as himself, shall try rather to
be the cause of speaking in others than to
speak myself to- night. Much in this manner
they exhibit at the door of snuff shop the
efigy OF a Highlander with an empty null in
his hand, who, having apparently taken all the
snuff he can carry, and discharged all the
sneezes of which he is capable, politely invites
his friends an | patrons to step in and try what
they can do in the same line. 1t is an appro-
pirate instance of the universally of the
newsmaH's calling that no toast we have
drunk to-night-and no toast we shall drink
to-night-and no toast we might, could should
or would drink tonight, is separable for mo-
ment from that great inclusion of all possible
subjects of human interest which he delivers
at our doors every day. Further, it may be
worthy the consideration OF everybody here
who has t9lked cheerlully to his or her neigh
Dor since we have sat down to the table,
what in the name of Heaven should we have
talked about, and how on earth could we
have possibly got on, if our newsman
had only tor one single day forgotten
newsman is not by any means in the
habit of forgetting us, let us form little habit
of not forgetting our newsman. Let us re-
member that his work is very arduous; and
that it occupies him early and late; and that
t ts th fFp dase gt ths best
us are very great; that if he be a master, his
little capital is exposed to all sorts of mis-
chances, anxieties and hazards: and if he be
journeyman, he himself is exposed to all man
ner of weathers, of tempers, and all manner of
difficult and unreasonable requirements. Let
me illustrate this. l was once present at a So
cial discussion which turned upon the ques-
ton which was the most absorbing and the
longest-lived passion in the human breast. A
daily editor of vast experience and great
acuteness, who was one Of the company, con-
sideraably surprised us by saying with the
greatest confidence that the passion in ques-
ton was the passion Of getting orders for the
play. There had recently been terrible ship
wreck, and very few of the surviving sailors
had escaped in an open boat. One of these, on
making land, came straight to London, and
straight to the newspaper office, with his story
of how he had seen the ship 60 down before
his eyes. That young man had Witnessed the
most terrible contention between the powers
of fire and water for the destruction OF that
ship and of every one on board. He had row.
ed away among the floating, dying and the
sinking dead. He had foated by day, and he
had frozen by night, with no shelter and no
food, and as he told his dismal tale, he rolled
his baggard eyes about the room. When he
had finished and the tale had been noted down
from his lips, he was cheered and refreshed and
soothed, and asked if anything could be done
for him. Even that master passion was so
strong within him that he Immediately replied
he should like an order for the play. My
friend the editor, certainly thought that was
rather a strong case; but he said that during
his many years of experience be had wit
messed an incurable amount of self-prostration
and abasement having no outer object, and
that almost invariably on the part OF people
who could we'll afford to pay. This made a
great impression on my mind, and l really
lived in this faith until some years ago it hap
pened upon stormy night was kindly es-
corted from bleak railway station to the little
out-of-the-way town it represented by a
sprightly and vivacious newsman, to whom I
propounded, as we went along under my UNI
brela, what was the all-absOrbing passion of
the human soul. He replied, without the
slightest hesitation, that it certainly was the
passion for getting your newspaper IN advance
of your fell0w-creatures; also it you only nlred
it to get it delivered at your own door at eA,
actly the same time as another man VINO hlred
the same copy four miles of; and finally, the
invincible determination on the part OF both
men not to believe the time was up when the
boy called. Ladies and gentlemen, have not
had an opportunity of verifying this experience
with my friends of the managing commute
but have no doubt from its reception tonight
that my friend the newsman was perfectly
right. Well, as a sort of beacon in sufficient
ly dark life, and as an assurance that among a
little body Of working men there is feeling Of
brotherhood and sympathy-which is worth
much to all men, or they would herd with
wolves-the newsvenders once upon time es-
tablished the Benevolent and Provident Insti-
tuition, and here it is.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have stated the
newsman's simple case. 1 leave it in your
hands. Within the last year the institution
has had the good fortune to attract the sympa-
thy and gain the support of the eminent men
of letters am proud to call my friend, who
now represents the great Republic of America
at the British Court. Also it has enrolled up
on its list of donors and Vice-Presidents the
great name of Longfellow. I beg to propose
to you to drink Prosperity to the Newsven.
derS' Benevolent and PrOydent Institution