We are virtuously happy to announce that a meeting has been held at the
_Hum_-mums Hotel, Colonel Sibthorp in the chair, for the purpose of
presenting to PUNCH some testimonial of public esteem for his exertions in
the detection and exposure of fraudulent wits and would-be distinguished
characters.
COLONEL SIBTHORP thanked the meeting for the honour they had conferred
upon him in electing him their chairman upon this occasion. None knew
better than himself the service that PUNCH had rendered to the public. But
for that fun fed individual his (Col. Sibthorp's) own brilliant effusions
would have been left to have smouldered in his brain, or have hung like
cobwebs about the House of Commons. (_Hear, hear_!) But PUNCH had stepped
in to the rescue; he had not only preserved some of the brilliant things
that he (Col. Sibthorp) had said, but had also reported many of the
extremely original witticisms that he had intended to have uttered.
(_Hear_!) There were many honourable gentlemen--(he begged
pardon--gentlemen, he meant, without the honourable; but he had been so
long a member of parliament that he had acquired a habit of calling men
and things out of their proper names). Apologising for so lengthy a
parenthesis, he would say that there were many gentlemen who were equally
indebted (_hear! from Sir Peter Laurie, Peter Borthwick, and Pre-Adam
Roebuck_) to this jocular benefactor. "It was PUNCH," said the gallant
gentleman, with much feeling, "who first convinced me that the popular
opinion of my asinine capabilities was erroneous. It was PUNCH who
discovered that there was as much in my head as on it(_loud cheers,
produced doubtlessly by the aptness of the simile, the gallant Colonel
being perfectly bald_). I should, therefore, be the most ungrateful of
Members for Lincoln, did I not entreat of this meeting to mark their high
sense of Mr. PUNCH'S exertions by a liberal subscription" (_cheers_).
SIR PETER LAURIE acknowledged himself equally in debt with their gallant
Chairman to the object of the present meeting. He (Sir Peter) had tried
all schemes to obtain popularity--he had made speeches without number or
meaning--he had done double duty at the Mansion-house, and had made Mr.
Hobler laugh more heartily than any Lord Mayor or Alderman since the days
of Whittington (during whose mayoralty the venerable Chief Clerk first
took office)--he (Sir P. Laurie) had, after much difficulty and four
years' practice, received the Queen on horseback (_much cheering_); but
(_continued cheering_)--but it was left for PUNCH to achieve his
immortality (_immense cheering--several squares of glass in the
conservatory opposite broken by the explosion_). He (Sir P. Laurie) had
done all in his power to deserve the notice of that illustrious wooden
individual. He had endeavoured to be much more ass--(_loud
cheers_)--iduous than ever. PUNCH had rewarded him; and he therefore felt
it his bounden duty to reward PUNCH. (_Hear! hear!_)
MR. ROEBUCK fully concurred in the preceding eulogies. What had not PUNCH
done for him? Had not PUNCH extinguished the _Times_ by the honest way in
which he had advocated his (Roebuck's) injured genealogy? Had PUNCH not
proved that he (Mr. Roebuck) had a father, which the "mendacious journal"
had asserted was impossible? Had not PUNCH traced the Roebuck family as
far back as 1801?--that was something! But he (Mr. Roebuck) believed that
he had been injured by an error of the press, and that PUNCH had written
the numerals 1081. Be that as it might, he (Mr. Roebuck) was anxious to
discharge the overwhelming debt of gratitude which he owed to MR. PUNCH,
and intended to subscribe very largely (_cheers_).
MR. PETER BORTHWICK had been in former years a Shaksperian actor. He had
for many seasons, at the "Royal Rugby Barn," had the honour of bearing the
principal banners in all the imposing processions, "got up at an immense
expense" in that unique establishment. (_Hear_!) He was, therefore, better
qualified than any gentleman present to form an opinion of the services
which Punch had rendered to the British Drama (_loud and continued cheers,
during which Mr. Yates rushed on to the platform, and bowed several times
to the assembled multitude_). Therefore, as a devoted admirer of that art
which he (Peter) trusted HE and Shakspere had adorned (_cheers_), he
fondly hoped that the meeting would at once take tickets, when he
announced that the performance was for the benefit of Mr. PUNCH.
LORD MORPETH next presented himself; but our reporter, having promised to
take tea with his grandmother, left before the Noble Lord opened his
mouth.
We hope next week to furnish the remainder of the speeches, and a very
long list of subscriptions.
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