4 SEPTEMBER 1852, Page 8

POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

The annual festival of the Company of Sheffield Cutlers took place on Thursday, under the presidency of Mr. Michael Hunter, the Master Cutler elect. There were present among the guests, Lord Milton, Sir Charles Wood, Lord Edward Howard, Mr. Overend, Mr. Hadfield, and the Mayors of Wolverhampton, Walsall, and Doncaster. After dinner,, toasts and speeches followed in due course. Here, as elsewhere, the prominent topics were the great improvement in the physical condition of the working classes, and the gradual begin- ing of a better feeling and more active sympathies between the rich and the poor. Nothing is more striking than the social aspect of these pe- riodical orations. Lord Edward Howard advocated "union among our-- selves, and peace with the world." He did not think manufactures had enervated the people ; and he was sure that war would find our soldiers as gallant as ever.

Mr. Alderman Dunn made some playful allusions to Sir Charles Wood, —the first Yorkshire Chancellor of the Exchequer; and gave proofs of the prosperity of Sheffield. "He was sure that when Sir Charles Wood and the country gentlemen looked around their own neighbourhood, they would see with pleasure the splendid harvest which was being gathered in at present in good order and excellent condition ; for, in the Northern parts of the country at least, there was a full average crop. They would also find, he was sure, in their own neighbourhoods, that the agricultural labourers were in a far better position than they had ever seen them before. And coming into the towns among their din and smoke and happiness, the country gentleman would dud busi- ness proceeding at an accelerated rate. This was proved by evidence pal- pable to the most unobservant. There was not a house in the whole borough unoccupied. Even six years ago there were in that borough some thousands of unoccupied houses ; now they were at a premium, and landlords were be- coming so particular that if their tenants did not keep their houses suffi- ciently clean they immediately applied to the magistrates for power to eject them. Such, was the prosperity of the town."

Sir Charles Wood did not wish to trench on politics. The course which he and his colleagues had followed in office had been to remove taxation. from those who could least bear its pressure. Whether their measure& had succeeded or not, he would not say ; but this at least he would say, that they had handed the country to their successors in such a state of prosperity as it had seldom been the fate of a Government to leave the country in. "Mr. Dunn has described that which in other parts of the Riding as well as in other parts of the country I myself have seen,—I allude to the univer- sal comfort and happiness of the labouring population. I believe I may con- gratulate the town of Sheffield in sharing to the full in this general pros- perity. There have been times, I am aware, when circumstances to which I will not now allude prevented Sheffield from taking its share in the pros- perity even of the Riding ; but, from what I can learn, I believe that it is now taking its full share of the general prosperity, and bids fair to rival the most enterprising and successful of its competitors. This is a cause of great joy and satisfaction to me, because not only does that prosperity tell of well- doing, but of cordiality and good feeling between masters and workmen, of social happiness and material wealth." Lord Milton, Mr. Alderman Pye Smith, and Mr. Beckett Denison, were the next speakers. Mr. Denison dealt more in advice than any of his compeers.

"lam happy to find that you are all prosperous; that your workmen are well paid, that provisions are cheap, that your merchants are doing well, and that you are turning your attention to the improvement of your trade, along with which you will also undoubtedly improve the tone of the manners an condition of the people, who from the 1st of January to the 31st of December earn your wages, and are in your employ—for it is quite impossible that if trade improves the tone of the manners and social condition of the people should not improve with it. What some of you have said with regard to Sheffield I am glad to say with regard to the other towns of the West Riding,—that, on the whole they are more prosperous than on former occa- sions; that they are accumulating wealth more rapidly, and that comfort and sanitary improvements are increasing in an equal ratio. I was delighted

to hear Mr. Dunn, speaking of the condition of the houses of Sheffield, say that there was a greater demand for houses than for tenants. But what I • was most struck with was his observation that no landlord would allow a tenant to remain in his house unless he kept it clean and in good order. I do not ask you, therefore, whether you have the Sanitary Commissioners among you, for I find that you have the disposition to improve the sanitary condition of the town yourselves."

In proposing the health of the Borough Members, Mr. William Fisher regretted the defeat of Mr. John Parker ; eulogized Mr. Roebuck, who was absent in consequence of severe indisposition ; and with respect to Mr. Hadfield, he was willing to "indulge in the pleasures of hope."

Mr. Hadfield replied. There were several other speakers ; the most notable among whom was Mr. E. G. Loring, an American, expressing strong sympathy between America and England.