The Sun. — 1849-06-04 (London, England)

LOYAL UNITED FRIENDS.  On Monday list en excursion of the members of this igh-ly-mipecsaidessocial body took place to Rye House, 11,d,lesdon, Hertfordshire, on which occasion between seven and eight hundred ladies an I gentlemen left the Shoreditch station of the Eastern Ceunties Railway shortly after ten o'clock, and proceeded to the Rye House station, vdlere they arrived at about half past eleven. The Rye House is situated on the banks of the river Lea wiibin one hundred yards of the railway station near Hodlesdon, and is famous in English history as having been the place where a pretended conspiracy was designed, proposing to take the life of King Charles the Second. This plat was made the engine by the eorrupt Parliament of that period to Effect the judicial murder of those martyrs for freedom and liberty, Lord Russell and Algernon Sydney. The ruins of the Rye House are still in good preservation, as aro also those of Netherhall, a mansion or rather a lodge to a castle of the time of Henry the Eighth. A short distance on the banks of the river Lea, is the interesting village of Amwell, where are the Shadwell Springs, the source of the New River, with the urn and tomb of Sir Hugh Middleton, that great benefactor who spent the whole of his fortune in bringing the New River water to London. After the company bad alighted from the train and reached the Bye House, the rain pouring in torrents all the time (in fact a wore day has not occurred for some years past) they proceed ed to do justice to their appetites, but were compelk d in consequence of the bad weather to remain within doors instead of enjoying themselves in boating, angling, cricket, trap-ball, archery, &c., as they bad done on a previous occasion. In the course of the afternoon a considerable portion of the party assembled in the long room, P.S.P. Robertson, presiding chairman, and supported among others by P.P. Burgess, P.S.P. Spearing, P.P. Jaques, P.S.P. Watson, P.P. Hughes, P.S.P. Burns, l'.P. Watson, P.S.P. Bull, P.P. Studd,' P.P. Weatherly, P.P. Holder, I'.S P. W,lls, P.P. Woodman, P.l'. Shiers, P.D. Dormer, P.D. Francis, D. Wilson, P. Perry, Treasurer Payne, and P.S.P. Price, treasurer of the relief fund. The chairman, in a few appropriate words, proposed the health of her Majesty the Queen, which was received with much applause. after which he gave the health of Treasurer Price, which was well received; then followed the health of the chairman; this toast was acknowledged by Mr. Robertson, in his usual spirited style. Secretary Crawley gave a brief statement of the receipts and expenditure of the "Friend in Need" fund, for the benefit of which the excursion took place. After a few more toasts had been given, and properly resp)nded to, P.P. Dean caused a large balloon (round which were the words "Thanks to all Friends") to ascend in the air. Several excellent songs were sung by Messrs. Townsend, Perkins, Murrell, and Smart, and although the very unpropitious state of the weather, was calculated to dampen tha spirits of the party, yet they maintained their tempers to the last, arid everything passed off extremely well. Much credit is due to Treasurer Price, P. P. Watson (No. 5), P. P. Weatherly, and P. P. Jaques, for their unremitting attention to the comforts of the company, and the assiduous attention of Mr. Chairman Robertson was beyond all pruise. The company left the spacious and beautiful gardens shortly after eight o'clock, and arrived in town between nine and ten, the rain comingsdown much faster than it did in the morning; had it been a fine day, more than 1,000 persons were expected on the excursion.