THE HERO'S ADDRESS.
Mr. Ellerthorpe then advanced to the front of the platform, and with a heart throbbing with hallowed feeling and eyes filled with tears, he said; I cannot find words with which to express adequately the gratitude I feel at so much kindness having been extended to me, not only by the attendance of the large audience I see before me, but by the numerous testimonials that have been presented to me. I never expected any reward for what I have done, and I have before now refused many offers of rewards that have been made to me by the friends of many whom I have been the means, in the hands of God, of rescuing from a watery grave. I do, however, feel proud at receiving these testimonials, and I trust they will be preserved by my children, and by my children's children, as mementos of my country's acknowledgments of the service I have rendered my fellow-creatures; and yet I feel that I derive far more satisfaction from the consciousness that I have done my duty to my fellow-creatures, in their hour of danger, than I do from the splendid presents you have made me. I hope I shall ever be ready in the future to do as I have done in the past, should circumstances require it of me.—He was greeted with loud applause both at the commencement and conclusion of his speech.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Treasurer and Secretary, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Haller, who responded. The Rev. J. Petty also spoke.
Mr. Pearson (ex-Mayor) then moved a similar vote to the committee. In doing so, he said that it was most remarkable that they had allowed a man like Ellerthorpe to have saved so many as thirty persons from drowning before any public recognition of his services had taken place. As it was, a hundred guineas were far below his merits, and he was sure that the merchants of the town had been remiss in their duty in respect to this matter.
Mr. Rufford returned thanks on behalf of the committee.
Rev. C. Rawlings proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, shaking him warmly by the hand, and congratulating him on the part he had taken in this noble movement.
The Chairman, in responding, said, he had merely done his duty in the matter; his work had been a pleasure to him, and he had received many valuable lessons, the good impressions of which he hoped would endure in his mind through life. Seeing that we live surrounded with water, and that casualties are occurring almost weekly, he thought it was the duty of the people of Hull to stimulate others to follow Mr. Ellerthorpe's example. He should always look back with pride and pleasure to that evening's meeting.
'When time, who steals our years away,
Shall steal its pleasures too,
The memory of the past will stay,
And all its joys renew.'
He then called upon the audience to close the present meeting as they did the inaugurating meeting, by cheers for the 'Hero of the Humber and England's Champion Life Buoy,' which was responded to by the company rising, en masse, cheering most tumultuously.
The National Anthem was then sung. Mr. Morrison, organist, and a party of vocalists, enlivened the proceedings, which were very liberally interspersed with enthusiastic applause on every mention of the 'Hero's' name.