SELF-RESPECT OF THE PRESS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2707, 20 October 1871, Page 2

SELF-RESPECT OF THE PRESS.

On the occasion of the dinner, by the officers and men of the Galatea to the Duke of Edinburgh when the ship was paid ofl:, it is reported that “ the representatives of the Press were iavited to be present, but not to dine wit • the other guests; and that, after being kept waiting in an ante-room for nearly three hours, they received an official mes* sage from his Koyal f ighness that it was desired that no report of the speeches shon d be given.” The reporters then departed in dudgeon. In reference to the above an “Old Reporter” writes to the Times: —

“ Sir, — V paragraph in your issue of yesterday’s date recalls to my recollection a slight attempted to be put upon some newtpaper reporters, of whom I was one, many years ago, in the midland countries of England, and the manner in which it was resented by us. “Invited as ‘gentleman of the Press,’ to attend a public dinner, at which some weighty utterances were expected to be made, we were, much to our surprise and indignation, ushered into an au’.e-room (comfortable enough in its way), there to await the conclusion of the dinner in the large hall, and to be, of course, ready to commence our duties as reporters ‘ after the removal of the cloth.’ We were certainly provided with a tolerable dinner ana some good wine, in the small room; but even these failed to remove the entirely sentimental resentment we felt at being excluded from the grand feast to le merely called in to do our work, like so many waiters or butlers, when the feasting was over. We held a brief consultation ; a suggestion, which at once put us all in good humor, was made and unanimously adopted on the instant, and we sat down to our particular repast with excellent appet te and spirits. “ When the grand people without had got to the dessert, the head waiter came 10 us with the compliments of the chairman, to say that the gentlemen were quite ready to begin speaking, apd only awaiting our presence. The said head waiter found us exceedingly happy and merry, smoking cigars, sipping our wine, cracking jokes, and sitting or standing almost in every attitude. When be had delivered hig message, one of us, on behalf of all, told hiiq to convey our kind compliments to the chairman, to inform him that we were very comfortable where we were, and, as we did not intend to move just then, it might be advisable for the gentlemen who. wanted to speak to begin at once, for the hour was getting late. The bewildered waiter went off with the message, and soon returned with the acting secretary, who seemed aghast at its significance. He begged, implored, entreated—all no use, we remained jovially firm. Then came other gentlemen, and finally the chairman himself—for the com sternation was by this time general and profound. But this we declined very respectfully, but very firmly. At length one of our party (of course, an Irishman) suggested the comic compromise that the intending orators should come into our room, one after another, make thdr speeches before ua, and thus receive for them the desir§4 publicity in the Press. The chairman and others then began losing their tempers, and, seeing there was no hope of conciliating u«, some one had the meanness to remind us that we had been dining there on free tickets. That was enough : the landlord of the place was immedialy sent for, and ordered to send in his bill for our particular entertainment. He did not of course do so, but two or three of our cards were handed to him as a guarantee that the amonnt would be paid, if demanded, leaving behind as such a scene of i age, mortification, disappointed vanity, and conscious guilt of vulgar discourtesy and bad taste as had never, perhaps, been excelled. Of course, there were no reports of the speeches, and, indeed, I believe no speeches were made, and in every case our conduct was approved by our respective newspaper*. The occurrence was reported in all the papers to the great amusement of of the public, and we taught a lesson which, I think, has never been forgotten in England until the other day at Plymquth.”