Response.

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,-I thank you for the hearty manner in which the toast was drunk, but I am not so much obliged to my friend Mr. for naming me in connection with it. Mr. would have done more justice to it, and was more entitled to the honour of being coupled with it. I can, however, tell the gentleman who submitted the toast, that the tradesmen of this town have only done what it was their duty to do,-improve the town, and make it more acceptable and more enjoyable for those who kindly favour us with their presence and patronage. Expenditure in this direction is for the mutual advantage of both parties; and to those of my fellow-townsmen whom I see around me, and who have not yet had so much to do with the world as I have, I would say,-"Always throw a sprat a catch a mackerel." You may depend upon it our visitors will not come to us if we do not make it worth their while coming; and without them what would the Town and Trade be? Gentlemen, I thank you for the toast.

"

as

GENTLEMEN,-I fully appreciate the compliment paid me in associating my name with the toast of "The Town and Trade of and in making me, on this occasion, the mouthpiece of so important a body as the Trade of this large and constantly increasing town. The toast is one with which all present can sympathize, seeing that we are all more or less concerned in promoting the prosperity of the town we live in, in which many of us were born, and which many have adopted on account of its salubrity or its commercial advantages. This present gathering is, I take it, in one sense, an earnest of our desire to promote the prosperity of for I believe that it will be a grand stroke for the benefit of the town when the day shall come in which we shall reckon Mr. one of our representatives. I have no hesitation whatever in expressing my belief that the town has suffered and is still suffering from the non-local, non-sympathetic character of the representatives that have been imposed upon it. I say imposed, because it is apparent that the position attained by the present representatives is mainly attributable to personal interests and the operation of a spirit of cliqueism, at all times detestable, but lately in this borough altogether insupportable. Our mis-representatives are very good men, perhaps, in their proper spheres, but they are not "the men for Mr. is the "coming man." He offers to the town precisely what the town requires—a representative who shall reflect on the town the lustre of his name; one who lives amongst us and does not come here periodically, attracted by the loaves and fishes of office; one who shall take an interest in our local affairs, and not merely blindly accept instructions from a clique, but himself take the lead, the initiative, in movements for the welfare of the town, as well as secure the fitting representation of our local interests in Parliament. This is what I take to be a true representative, and we have the full promise of such a man in Mr. Those acquainted with his antecedents cannot fail to have marked

town is happily free-but their duties invite the attack of that more invidious and stealthy enemy, consumption; and these risks they run that we may sleep in safety. In calling upon you, then, to drink to the health of "The Constabulary Force," I shall couple with it the name of Mr. Chief Officer of the Police.

Response.-By the Chief Constable of

GENTLEMEN,-I thank you for this kind acknowledgment of our services, and will not detain you by any observations beyond referring to one remark of the gentleman who proposed the toast. He said this town was happily free from the depredations committed by the burglar and garotter. And so it is; but it is not because they have not visited us, but because, acting upon the principle that 'prevention is better than cure," whenever a suspicious character enters the town he is closely watched; and they, not liking the attentions paid by the " young man dressed in blue," quickly migrate to other places, where there is a clearer field for their operations. It is a fact not generally understood, that the thieves of this country are the best judges of the efficiency of a police force; and I doubt not whether a report from them would not be more serviceable than those of the Government inspector. I say this in all due respect, because that gentleman investigates only the "internal economy"-as our military friends term it-of the force; and he cannot have the opportunity of practically witnessing the aptitude of a man for detecting and capturing a thief. With these remarks, gentlemen, I return you my most sincere thanks for the honour you have done that service, of which I am but so humble a member.

Speech.-By Chief Constable of — responding to the Toast of The Constabulary.

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MR. CHAIRMAN, VICE, AND GENTLEMEN,-I feel that I cannot let the toast of "The Constabulary of pass by in silence, although I rise with some amount of diffidence to respond to it. My avocation affords me but few opportunities for speech-making, at which I am at the best of times but a poor hand; but, as I have before observed, I cannot let this opportunity pass by without saying a few words. I am pleased to hear from your Chairman that the conduct of the Constabulary of has merited

your esteem and approbation. The police have a very difficult task to play, and it is next to an impossibility to be enabled to please everybody; our duty is stern, and has to be carried out without affection or favour to any class of individuals. When duty calls, it is the business of the police to obey. In preventing crime, or detecting it after it has been perpetrated, requires at times great skill and energy. And I believe that the police of this country numbers amongst its

officers and men an immense amount of talent and general efficiency, which will bear the test of comparison with any other nation. Great improvements have been introduced into the system during the past quarter of a century, and will continue to be so. When we throw ourselves back but a comparatively few years to the times of the old watchmen-the Old Charlies, as they were termed in the days when Tom and Jerry flourished-the great improvements that have taken place since then stand out boldly. Men who now enter the police as officers are expected to be of good education-very different to the watchmen of old. Our immortal Shakspeare has left us the model of the watchmen of former days in the person of one Dogberry, who informs us that "Our watch, sir, have, indeed, comprehended two auspicious persons." With all the difficulties that arise in carrying out the regulations of the police for the maintenance of peace and good order, we are pleased to hear that we have given satisfaction. The enthusiastic manner in which the toast was received by you this evening is very flattering to us, and I shall not fail to inform my fellow-officers and men of the manner in which we were spoken of by the worthy Chairman of this evening. I have had the honour to belong to the Constabulary for years. During the whole of that time I have met with the greatest possible respect from the gentry around. I have had the honour of being Chief Constable of the Police for years, and I am proud and happy to inform you that I rose from the ranks. I entered the Police in the year as an ordinary constable, and have been inspector, superintendent, and for years the Chief Officer; and, from the numerous panegyrics that are continually passed upon my conduct at social gatherings akin to the present, I cannot but regard them as feeling confident that I have carried out my arduous duties to your entire satisfaction. I am very happy to inform you that crime has very much diminished, not only in my district, but all over the country; as, according to statistics presented at the last Quarter Sessions, there had been a diminution of

per cent.

For the kind manner in which you have proposed my health i have to thank you most heartily-most cordially-most sincerely.

THE LADIES.

Toast. "THE LADIES."

The

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,-A pleasing task has been deputed to me-it is to propose the health of "The Ladies,"—and surely no more delightful task can be imposed on any man. only drawback I feel in the matter is the assurance of my own incompetency, and that is increased when I feel how immeasurably they are above us in all that elevates and ennobles our nature. Burns must have been embued with this spirit when he wrote the lines,

Her 'prentice han' she tried on man,
And then she made the lasses O!

Well, we all know the value of the Ladies, and how essential they are to our happiness. Who is there that cannot remember gratefully the home of his childhood, the tender care of his mother, the undisguised love of his sister, and the affection of both-a love and affection so pure that neither time nor space can lessen it, that sin even cannot quench, nor disgrace obliterate? There is surely something holy in this-something that whispers of heaven, and pours its balmy influence over the rugged nature of man-that bids us pause in our forward course, and listen to warnings breathed from bosoms warmed with the purest love vouchsafed to man on earth. Or, when racked by pain, we lay the weary head upon the pillow in helpless exhaustion, what hand but woman's can smooth that pillow, what foot so light as hers, moving about in earnest anticipation of our every wish, gliding like an angel to supply our wants as quickly as they arise, ever constant, never tiring, but with unwearied zeal watching, watching, watching—and oh, the music of her silver voice! Who is there that has recovered from a bed of sickness and forgotten the melody of the voice of her that soothed him in his anguish? And now, whilst we are here in health, enjoying the pleasures of this night, let us not forget the Ladies, but show them that at least we can be grateful. "To the Health of the Ladies."

GENTLEMEN, -The toast which I have had placed in my hands is one that is often given with a formality and a levity that does an injustice to its claims upon us, the "lords of creation," as we are pleased to pompously style ourselves. But our position would be a most pitiable and helpless one without the Ladies; and I hope to see the time when they will be raised to that social position which they ought to occupy on such occasions as this. Sharing as they do our troubles, and ministering to our afflictions they ought to be partici

pators in our pleasures; for woman was made to be the companion of man, and is in every respect but one his equal: that exception being her physical capacity. This is her only inferiority, and the protection which is in consequence her right, is too frequently construed to mean subjection, and hence the unimportant position which she occupies in relation to man in society in this country, and in others places upon her the ban of slavery. Nearly all of us have experienced and remember a mother's watchful care, most of us know the power and sincerity of a sister's love, and many of us can testify to a wife's affection; and upon these grounds alone I ask you to drink to the health of "The Ladies." Did time permit, I could detail many instances of their heroism, devotion to man, and wisdom,—as instanced even by the names of Grace Darling, Florence Nightingale, and our beloved Queen,-but I must conclude, by calling upon you to drink the toast, and ask our young friend, Mr. to respond to it.

Response.-By a Bachelor.

GENTLEMEN,-Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to acKnowledge, on behalf of the ladies, the honour which you have done them, and which is justly their due; but though I cannot speak of them with the experience of the gentleman who proposed the toast, I have felt the power of both a mother's and a sister's love; and I trust, some day, to know what the affection of a wife is like. The proposer of the toast has gone so fully into the merits of the ladies, that any observations I could make would be but travelling over the same ground. Therefore I must content myself by tendering you my heartfelt thanks for the manner in which you received the toast.

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,-I have much pleasure in rising to acknowledge the toast of "The Ladies," which has been proposed to you by Mr. Of woman's worth every poet in every clime has written and sung, so that little need be said by me on this occasion, for in whatever phase of life we behold the ladies, -whether as sisters, mothers, wives, or widows, they shed lustre around the circle they are destined to occupy, and from the cradle to the grave may be truly said to be men's best companions. There are times and places when stern custom exacts-and who denies her sway?-that ladies are not permitted to be present, to speak for themselves; that task has therefore devolved on me, and although I feel that I cannot do justice to their many virtues, I am proud to have an opportunity of making the attempt, however feeble. Therefore, gentlemen, on behalf of the ladies, whom you have "toasted' and pledged, I thank you, and will conclude in the words of Otway, who has sung,

Oh, woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee

To temper man-we had been brutes without you!

Angels are painted fair to look like you;

There's in you all that we believe of heaven,

Amazing brightness, purity, and truth,

Eternal joy, and everlasting love.