Benevolent Society Of St....
The Times, 1824-03-18T00:00:00

Yesterday the anniversary festival of this societp (being the 41st) was celebrated at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street. The great hall was filled soon after five o'clock by a most respect- able company. At halfpast six o'clock his Royal Highlness the Duke of Vork, the President of the society, entered the rcom, ac- comnpanied by the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Downshire, Lieutenant-General Sir John Doyle, and several other supporters of the society. Shortly aftcr dinner was served up, the Right Hon. George Canning, e. P., cnteted, accompanied by the Chancellor of tihe ixcheauer, 51r. Goulburn, and one or two other gentlemen: Mr. Canning, whlo had passed nearlv to thic principal table before he was recognized, was then loudly cheered. Afrer the company had partaken of the dinner provitled for the occasion, the healths of his Mlajesty and the other branches of the Royal Family were given with three tiines three from the chair. 1 he Royal C AIRMfAN, in proposing the King's health, present- elI his i\njesty's annual donation of 100 guineas to the society, which male up an amuount, from the King s first subscription, of between 3 and 4,0001., according to the report subsequently read by the 'rreasurer. The anthem of "God save the King" was then sung bv Mr. Chatles Taylor, Mr. Smith, MIr. Broadhurst, Mr. lWrebb, and Mas- ter Smith, &c. The next toast was, " The Eatlof Munster (the Duke of Cla- rence) and the Navv of the United Kingdom. -Three times three. The Duke of WELLIN:GTON proposed the health of" His Royal Highness the Duke of York, and the Army of the Unitea King- dom. "-Three times three. His Royal Highness, in returning thanks, expressed the afec- tionate regard wlich he felt for the sister kingdom, and also the gra- titude which he alwavs felt as Commander-in-Chief of the army, for the uniform discip)line, zeal, and valour, which had character- ized the lrish part of his Majesty's trcops, and which uniformly equalled that of any other branch of the service. (Loud applause.) The CseA R-IAsA then gave, i Success to thc Benevolent Society of St. Patrick." The children supported by the institution were then introduced in the usual formi ; they presented the interesting spectacle of a large number of youth of both sexes, full of apparent health and com- fort, who owed their education and subsistence to the charitable aid of this societv, A large seibscription was then collected at the tables. The CHAIR.MIAN next gave "'Thie health of the Marquis of Hast- ings."-Three times threc. ThOCICAIRMlaN then proposed the health of" The Duke of NVellington," which was drank with loud applause. The Duke of WELLINGTON, in returning thanks, said, that having had the honour of his name being placed upon the list of their standing toasts, it otten fell to his lot to acknowledge this higb compliment; but he never felt so gratified as at present, when their illustrious President proposed his health, under whom he had been first sent forth, and excited to assist in the performance of those ser- vices which had led to his name being honoured as it was this day. He assured them that he felt this compliment in the highest degree. (APDIlause.) Thic CITAIRMXAN next proposed " The health of the Lord Lieu- tenant of Ireland." The Duke of WELLINGTON, in returning thanis for his noble relative, said, that thtere was no nmore ardent friend to the objects of this society than Lord WVelleslcy. The healths of the civic corporate bodics who contributed to the society were then successively drank, and followeed by a humorous song by Mfr. Tavlor. The Cl CAtiMz ORAN proposed the healths of " Mr. John Smith and the Irish Committee." Mr. Jons3 SaltTil, M.P., in returning thanks, said that the people of this country felt, lhe was persuaded, a proper sympathy for the pLople ot Ireland, who would, he haped, at no dis- tant period participate in the blemsings and privileges of the British Constitution. He could not forget wlhat this society owed to the bounty anti co-operation of the citv of London; anti ito man felt more than he did, how mieritoriously applied was that bountv in this instance. He concluded by proposing thehealth of" M1r. Welles- ley," who was an active member of tlhc Irish Committee. Mr. WELLESLEY in returning thanks said, that hecould never forget thedebt of gratitud which his faiitily owed to Ireland. He also expressed tbe gratificatios he felt at being in any way instru- mental to the promotion of so excellent an institution as the present. Wlen the health of the Marquis of Downshire was drank, The noble MIAnuQtS returned thank.s, and expressed the gra- titude which be felt at fitiding their chair this day filled by SQ ;IIUS trious a personagc as his Royal Highness the Duke of YoI. He also congratulated his country upon the new era in legi lation whichi was now dawning uplmon it, and which he had no doubt would be matured by mutual confidence and kirdtness between the people of England anrd those of the sister kingdom. He spoke in the highest terms of the value of educating the poor-a duty which he was proutd to find the higher classes of soctety were so actively engage. in proe motirng. The CHAIRMsAN then gave ' The health oftlie Right Hon. Geo. Canning." Al r.CA s -i-sG,inreturningthanks, said thathc wanted words to ex- press his feelings on this occasion, atid, indeed, voice to utter them. This was not the first time he had had the honour of assisting at the festivals of this society; but, above aU othe-! occasions, this was one which, from what he had seen and heard, held otut the niost cheering and suspicious prospects for the future. (Applause.) It was no slight omen to have for their President so illustrious a member of that illustrious house which had so loug patronized this instito. Lion, and whose feelings in its behalf were so decidedly evinced in the nmanter in which he had expreased himself respect. ing reland this evening. His Roval Highness was long prac. tisedin the exerciseof benevolencc, and had extended his bounty to thegreat mass of the publ-c charities of the country. In that eneral character he had given a general security for the interest which he felt in the pronmotion of this society ; but no Irishman could mistake the decided warnsthlwhich his Royal Highness felt, upon hearing the tone in which h' had spoken of the societv at this fee. tival. (Aipplause.) They had also two other authorities this night to cleer them in the path of their benevolence. One of ther (Mr. J. Smith), who presided at an Irish society in the city of Londont had expressed to them his convictioni of the progres- sive value of this institution. Another personage (the Mlarquts of Downshire) bad told them, that a new era was breaking upon his country which promised the brightest advantages. It was not alonc in the shape of eleemosynary bounty howevyr honourable to the giver and the receiver, that Ireland was destined to profit by their aid; but it was through the stream of British capital whicb had begun to set toward Ireland, that great betiefits were to be anticipated. (Loud applause.) The operation ofthe former was perhaps gratif,ying, but that of the latter was nmore certain and stable,and would invigorate the country through which it flowed, and the spring from which it was supplied; and like the blood,which circulating through and vivifying the extreinties, returned to the heart from which it Rowed, would add to the health and refreshing spirit of the general mnass. He thanked them most heartily for the compliment which they had pail hibm. (Ap)lause.) The TREASURER redd the report of the collection of the present year in aid of the funds ofthe society, which,we werelhappy to hear, was gratifying. The Duke of WELLINGTON then drank the health of his Royal Highness the Chainnan, as Presidentt for the day. The Duke of YoRXv returned thanks, and repeated the gratifica. tionm he felt in presiding at this festival. The CHLAIR3MAN rnet proposed the health of" the Chancellor of the Exchequer." The CHAXCELLOR of the ExcnEQrrEx, in returning thanks, hoped they would allow him to express his sentimeuts as this was the first time he hadbadthehonourofattendingoneoftieirfestivals, and never had he felt more gratification than at seeing himself on thisoecasion surrounded by personages notlessdi5tingurshcd fortheir illustrious birth, splendid talents, and private worth (applause)- men possessing adverse opinions apon other topics, but bere only netuated by one spirit of honest emulation, to see who could confer tne greLtest benefit on the society. (Applause,) For himself, he could oisly express his thanks for this marlc of their attention ; and though he could not boast of the honour of being an Irishman yet he hoped he was not insensible to those kindred 'eelings which bound Englishmen to Ireland, by every tie which could link ntat to mnan, and bind their kindred in reciprocal e,ttachments. 'Applause.) The CHAIRXIAv next proposed the health euf Sir John Doyle. -Sir JO" VOYLE, in returning thanksi .id that they had placed him in the'dilen#ma of confessing that he wais taken by surprise, atd that, soo in tha presaca of hi7 own illustrious -commander. (A tauoo.) But when be Icoled sound ond &w tqe jur by - whichb v W to bo h2idib 4aic1vTstie d e~ hRuabciqi b45 ttlid hi pcI1 b tthIe 3 len ssl rtA7Ripo l Ite ffltran unabat, Aps o adb** deqv, oFthe &1?re- 3gul sa litflsRheyccpesy cers of the itlttitution,were tbCn tucee6 ii1y glVen i ind t'De Duke gf Yqk left thie cbaur isoen.#ftei teni o'clockb sCO np n Ij.tehe prii l~crpa.ponages wbo aistnearhint ............ ' BENEVOLEJNT SOCIETY OF ST. PATRICK.