The Sun. — London, England, 1844-01-03 00:00:00

ICEN D VICTUALLERS' AND GENERAL FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE. -ELECTION OF A DIRECTOR. A meeting of the Proprietors of the Licensed Vic tuallers' and General Fire and Life Assurance Com pan:,,, was yesterday held at the Company's offices, 4, Adelaide-place, London-bridge, for the purpose of electing a gentleman to serve as Director in the room of John Harman, Esq., resigned. The room in which the meeting was held was crowded to ex cess before the commencement of the proceedings, which appeared to excite the greatest il interest among all p resen t ; among whom were—iN '• Alder man Musgrove; Mr. Alderman 11ooper ; Alr. Bleade n , th e Ch a i rman of the Company; Mr. D. W. Wire, the Solicitor of the Company L i M ih Mr. Faw cett,ad th e 'S ecretary ; Mr. Addis, Mr. ingey, several othe r g e nt l emen connected with the Com pany At two o' c l oc k p rec i se l y , C. B.tead en, Esq., took the chair. The CHAIRMAN said that he was proud and pleased i • to see hi mse l f surrounded by so large and so nfi uen tial an assembly of the Proprietary of the Company. Pie regr e tt e d , h owever, the occasion on which they Lad met. He regretted the resignation of their Deput y C hairman—(Hear, hear)—and still more did he regret the circumstance which had led to the necessity o f t h at resignation.—(Hear, hear.) In this commercial country every one was liable to the ups and downs of life. They were now called upon to fill up t h at vacancy, and he felt assured that they would do their duty by selecting that gentleman for the office whom they conscientiously believed to be the best fitted for the performance of those duties which would devolve upon him. They had received co mmunication s from five gentlemen, each anxious for a seat in their Direction. He felt proud of this circumstance inasmuch as it proved how anxious gentlemen of respectability and influence were to become connected with this Institution.—(Cheers.) lie felt gratifi e d t h at so many gentlemen were anxious to be placed among them. He ;‘, a 3 ,haPPy to fi n d th a t th ose w h o h ad recently '''; ne n them were glad to increase the extent of their connection with the Company, and he trusted that totheir co nnections would be increased more and more. ken congratul a t e d t h em on the increase which had place in their rosperity in the course of the P as t Year, and he hoped the same success had and past bear, them in all their efforts.—(Cheers.) lie was convinced that all were desirous of doing the t,es they could to promote the success of their under ,flking, and whatever difference of opinion iner.e might be as to the eligibility of the various ould cand idates, he felt a s s u r e d th a t th ere which w be nothi ng personal in the discussions Wouldwere about to take place. Every gentleman re, he trust e d, receive a patient hearing, for they all n engaged in one general obj a ect. He was ,nIePwPY and proud to preside over such meeting, and ould call upon the Solicitor to read the advertise ment convening the m ee ti ng. Mr. D. W. Wine then read the advertisement convening the meeting, which was for the election of a Director, in the room of John Harman, Esq., re signed, and the Directors recommended John Addis, Esq of Freeman's-wharf, Southwark, to fill the vacant seat at the Board of Directors. The SECRETARY then read the addresses of the ' Bar i candidates, viz., one from Mr. John Addis, dated Freeman's-wharf Dec 12, 1843 • another from 13 B in le • ing ey, dated' Shor ' edich, Dec. 13, 1843; another from Mr. J. E. Bromley, dated 17, Commer csiaaili-shrouaidy, Dec. 13, 184 3; another from Mr. Charles Butler, dated Lodge, Upper Clapton, Dec. 15 , 1843 ; and another from Mr. Joseph Morgan, dated Dec. 16, 1843. , The SECRETARY then read a letter from Mr. leiroi si l e ._ , ir. y dated Jan. 2d, 1844, resigning in favour of a a r , Addis, on the ground, first, that the claims of ;, -- r• Addis were very powerful • and secondly, be es he thought the wishes of thei Directors ought to he def erred to. A,r . D. W. Wien then rose and said, that he felt it se as his d u t y to state, t h at i n his opinion the names 'cif two gentlemen had been mentiosied as candidates Who w ere disqualifi e d un d er t h e prov i s i ons of the pare gra ph to be f oun d a t th e 57 t h page of their deed of seme rnent.—(Th e L earned Gentleman then read the Paragraph alluded to, which set forth that no person could be eligible to hold more than one office, except ..hat Directors might also act as Trustees.) Now Cher were two gentlemen, whose names he need not offi en e ti°a, among the candidates who already held Woulds in the Institution, and which, in his opinion, (Cheeprevent those gentlemen going to the poll.— rs.) !fleeThe SEcRr.TARY then read letters from Mr. Mor letter of m , and fro Mr. B u tl er, retiring from the contest. Air. Butler stated that at the time he had announced himself as a hceaenhdidatehe recommended was not h thaware that Mr. Addis had e Board of Directors ; and he earnestly requested the Proprietors to support the nomination of the Board N. Directors as the most likely course to promote the,„%elfare of the undertaking. svt_t_iliel CHAIRMAN then called upon any gentleman • Ijr3 a tonsthing to say, in proposingany of the . c.an dictates i ' come forward, as the present was the time wile then Y would be heard. illidlll.r. EVANS, who was received with loud . cheers, E of ts,ery great pleasure in proposing John Addis, sq., b• reetn an's-wharf, to fill the seat at the Board of It ire st i o _ , il rendered vacant by the resignation ofJohn si - r ar n tlian, Esq.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Addis was no to stranger' to that institution. He had been qualified 40. ,; \ " at that Board six years ago.—(Cries of " No, " Only t then, five or six years ego.—(Cries of to- iY 'w°•") At all events he had been qualified mat g time. He had lately become even more in- II s ha(9,3' connected with this institution.—(Cheers.) 183, 9 i nsured his own property in the institution in ' l aced and 1840, and he had recently intro to th e la ced . Society many of his highly re holder e friends, who had also become share gentl:.--(Cheers.) He proposed Mr. Addis, a %s ees : ll " of equal standing with Mr. Harman, as his P, xh r• Mr. All was a member of the Corn neetea,nge, second to none of the gentlemen con- rlurtabue with that establishment; and the greater the the y r of gentlemen like Mr. Addis whom b e jtheentLidii get to join them. the greater would . A_ _ . uence and extent of their institution. tts_neVt and vast field would be opened to them, and t"‘_'sY Would reap an abundant harvest. Mr. Harman o:. connected with the trade of a brewer, and if any a'fianoli3ineeted with a firm of' brewers—if a Barchy, should uhrY' or a Whitbread had came forward, he 1 1,4 T h e. , had tdheete(rlirriffii Th e ., ave paused befor e he proposed Mr. Addis. enheidtyto issue 30,000 new shares. teat:le trade to tilte new shoafregse. t t i l n t g lN r a e s sh of . those importanceof :aka shares sh suld be advantageously distri li ''' and, therefore, it was important that they onanlis,l_eultivate.new interests from fresh connections A d ,_'? place them to adv antage.—(Cheers.) Mr. te r: l . s re nad been strongly recommended by the Board N."' ctors ; in that recommendation he heartily con anie_,4iireed• It had been said that they were about to (Cri es attempt to throw the trade overboard.— liee s iz)f " Ye s , yes I" "No, no !" cheers and counter e.,(aelerlle wo r. uld not concur in any such effort. lew but) -. , 1 hat object could the Directors have in of tl, -,- the promotion of the prosperity i t 'e Institution, and the associating -with themselves rgetles/lan .es,i oos p___w_ith whom they could concur on all itePert4_,, (Cheers.) This, he thought, was most ii forkis " : 1• tor the Society. The Proprietary, at large, ° Pini on 0 l e ,pei nt; ,. , ught to he thankful to their Direction ti ts. Acti ..ig. out a gentleman so highly qualified as ti t s. s i a . i s• He would not endeavour to depreciate i'z'p,?lced Iti ns of the other candidates, but when he 4 1t h the trace t he claims of Mr. Bingley as connected stiott, trade, and as having sat at the Board of Di of?'ataittaend still open to re-election upon the City 0 ,,a fori e, and no doubt, if a resignation took plaec Itso person connected with the trade, he knew ill thought Who had greater claims than Mr.Bingley ; .Whi P the present however, was not the period 'five t e Alr. }3. 1 ' ik t n his prefer . mg ey should press his claims. He had L ',,, , s hi s __ enee to Mr. Addis, and he was happy F t the urination would be seconded bya gentleman 1 14 4 e th .3' Committee. If the Proprietary wished t,,e,theielnr:rares at a premium, they must dissemi i:cl Rreatl Nshares, such a course being adopted :c. L,_ I) .Y enhance their profits.—(Cheers.) I N ',' n °v_ econded the nomination of Mr. Addis, tl_4),ptin_l.od_noing so he thought he should be at filt., etrllt__l. c.rease the interests of the Society in a at l's, " I t aegTee. I; the ;I C 11 1 : 1 1", in proposing Mr. Bingley, believed ,aii h "'date he was abo t t e sq °nest b t • .0 o propos! was not tic he ' n hard working and upright man, si,i be,r.since its cornmencem ia ev a a working man in support of the Insti . . ent. He believed it liAttlsl!c,ingttiliet to ° phianvieona seoaft aatllthheoßnehstrdmofenDtirheaettiAenfr. ti QuA.aui ition to the Society. Ito had an , address he meeti n g t!' &le s • e nny_to the usefulness . of . . whether t any other 1%, - ‘aet y t ' l iking a large view of the interests ' l 'el' nncl most ch 4:sl::::Ai:l:issbotia:NeyAttellsoteetinherasekeddid emrfully secoaneadedtohpisronpoomsei:nloar.r -' 11;c'at a c .. s l . l a.t having him as a Director would at s , It wish e d , s L in y, yet t .although almost a stranger to il l . ile w as l say to ew words in favour of Mr. ' .1- 'll stss• as glad h ~m ,LlOll and s hear that a ‘ gentleman of -a h a, 1 . uch great connexions should be , ai ' Director to the Company. Mr. kip4le tile t o , I t l nat i , a Ate him with the introduction of . q i,„, i ntr o d ue inber of Parliament ; hut if he iti, t t introduced had ed by Sir Robert Peel himself, it 0 sdat,. half the effect with him that the Ire s T li bi); 4l P o rk of the Board of Directors had. It 11 1 , 41 4, b oi n e .that use Board should be as cordial A 3' o v lng that the first elements to make a ir e „ eces s f o tor wo r k ed Was the cordiality with which • with the others—(Cheers)-1 TILE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY .EVENING JANUARY A l 1844 and that disunion in the Board of Management was the certain destruction of any Company. Before their application' to him, he was unacquainted with either of the present candidates ; he believed both of them to be highly respectable and honest men.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman who had spoken last had talked of honesty. Did he suppose that any one came there to act otherwise than honestly?— (Cheers.) He believed the great body of the licensed victuallers deserved, well from society, for the nume rous excellent institutions they had founded, and the valuable charities they had created.—(Cheers.) He respected the body highly, and it was his anxious wish to see all their praiseworthy en deavours prosper.—(Cheers.) He was in favour of Mr. Addis as a Director, principally because he was recommended by the Board of Directors, and he was also well calculated to work and co-operate with that Board.—(Cheers.) It was by electing such men that they would raise the character of the Institution, in crease their connections, and enable them to gain a hold upon the public, that nothing could shake. — (Cheers.) In his opinion they ought not to elect any man of a less standing than the one they had lost. — (Cheers.) They ought to have men of rank and cha racter in the City of London in their Direction. Mr. Addis was connected with some of the first persons in the City, he was also connected with the corn trade, the distillers, brewers, and others who were likely through his exertions to benefit this Institution, in crease its business, and thereby extend its useful ness. Such being his opinion he telt compelled to support. the election of Mr. Addis as a Director. He did not know that he had any thing else to say, or that he should wish to say. Ile hoped they would take these matters into consideration, believing that they also came from an honest heart, and put forward by a man who had no connection with one class or the other, but who only wished to see his shares paying- five per cent. instead of four. The CHAIRMAN asked if Mr. Addis wished to ad dress the meeting ? Mr. ADDIS said he had nothing to say. Mr. BINGLEY then rose. He hoped, as his worthy proposer had stated, that he stood before them with a face of honesty, and with a feeling that was always desirable, that of promoting the welfare of the institu tion. The first point to which he had to draw their attention was the assertion that he was disqualified under a clause of the deed of settlement in the .57th page. He knew that doctors differed both as to the nature of a complaint, and the mode of cure ; and it was the same with lawyers ; they also were of dif ferent opinions. He believed this matter had been discussed on the last occasion. The plain clause said that a man should not hold two offices at one and the same time; that was to say that a man was not to be at the same time a Director and an Auditor, or a Committee-man and a Director. The moment an Auditor was made a Director, he ceased to be an Auditor, and the moment a member of the Committee was made a Director, he ceased to be a Committee-man. But the clause did not state that a man should not be eligible to offer him self as a candidate for that or any other office. If that was the opinion of the Learned Solicitor, he dif fered with him ; if the clause were submitted to three of the most eminent counsel in the land, two of them would be of his (Mr. Bingley's) opinion, and one of the Solicitor's.—(A voice—" To be sure ; when a Common Councilman is elected Alderman, he ceases to be a Common Councilman - . Everybody knows that I") He knew no community of men more grate ful than a body of Englishmen, and he asked them on the sound principle of gratitude, as one who had en deavoured to promote the well-being of the Company from the very commencement, and who had originally ventured his capital in it, when it was difficult to get gentlemen to assemble on the Board of Directors, when they asked men in vain to become Directors —it was well to hear gentlemen eulogise the licensed victuallers as men, who, from what they had done in life, deserved to be eulogised, yet after having given up eight or nine years to attending to the best interests of the Institution, if a licensed victualler asked for a seat at the Board of Directors, they told him that he had no right to ask it. They were told that the Board of Directors thought it better that they should seek some other food, some new connection ; but if they abolished the name of licensed victuallers from the Association what would become of it ?—(Hear, hear.) They might go on ad infinitum in forming new con nections among timber merchants, and coal mer chants, or any other merchants, for the purpose of bringing new grist to the mill ; but they might go on in that direction till the feeling of the powerful body of the licensed victuallers would be estranged from it, and they would no longer possess it to guide them to the object which they so much desired. He had heard from the worthy proposer of Mr. Addis, and from another gentleman, the principle of self-election laid down, and had wondered at it; he denied that the Board had any right to give a recommendation to any particular individual. But had not the capital of the Proprietors a right to express an opinion ? The Directors had one strict line of duty to perform, that of announcing that there was a, vacancy in the Direc tion, and that it was to be filled up at a given period ; if there were one thing to be more deprecated than another it was the liberty the Directors had taken in advocating the interest of any one man in preference to any other.--(Hear, and " Shame.") As long as the liberty was left to Companies, as to nations, to elect their representatives, dictation from any quarter was to be deprecated. The Directors had no right by a public declaration to signalise any individual. If they did, it became self-election. It appeared from the letters of the candidates who had resigned to-day, that they had resigned in favour of Mr. Addis. That appeared from their letters, as they stated their re signation to be the consequence of the recommenda tion by the Board of Directors of Mr. Addis. The Society began business in 1835, but it was not till the 19th of October, 1837, that Mr. Addis became the holder of 2,5 shares, which were made up to 250 shares in 1841, in order to qualify him for the Direction. Mr. WIRE said these statements were not correct. It was impossible Mr. Addis could take any shares from the Company in 1841, as they had all been issued. He purchased them in the market. Mr. BINGLEY said he might have taken them at the first, when others did. He was only placing be fore them the relative position of himself and the other candidate. Mr. Bromley, in 1840, only held twenty-one shares, and it was only on the 13th of December last, that he qualified for a Director. The letter of Mr. Butler was dated on the 15th of December, and it was only on that day he qualified to be a Director. He was not depreciating either the influence, the talent, or the respectabily of any gen tleman; he had not a word to say against Mr. Addis ; it was the principle that he deprecated, The resignation of Mr. Harman was dated the 12th of December, and did not reach the office till that day; on the 13th the circulars of Mr. Addis, appeared. He deprecated the proceeding by which Mr. Addis must have received his peculiar information. He had been eight years the Chairman of the Committee ; he had never missed an attendance, had canvassed every quarter of the town ; he had attended all the meet- ings of the Sub-Committee; and if one thing more proved it than another it was that the Society was established by the exertions of this Committee, they were the instrument by which it became Firmly es tablished, and when a particular crisis arrived, he thought it would only have been kind and consi derate in the Direction towards the Committee, if not personally to himself, to have supported those who had chiefly contributed to the formation of the Com pany. Now that the capital and the exertions of the licensed victuallers had quite succeeded they could find gentlemen to join them. But let them bear in mind that if they ever lost sight of the great prin ciple that it was the licensed victuallers by whom the Association was established, and that if they ceased to be interested in it, it would prove a great injury. The licensed victuallers were not to be excluded from it, or to be told that they had no right to ask such a position in the Committee till there should be a vacancy by the death or resignation of one of the Directors already attached to the licensed victuallers body, but that till" then the licensed victuallers must rest upon their oars. The licensed victualler might become a member of the Com mittee. He might be a dog to fetch, but he must not raise his views ; he must not assume the plumage of the peacock—he must not raise his views to the Directors chair. Such doctrine he, for his own part, never heard without heartily deprecating it, because he conceived it an insult to the trade which had been the foundation of this Society ; because it in effect said to a licensed victualler, you may become a member of the Committee—so far shalt thou go, but no further. Upon the last occasion he was eulogised because he had not gone to the ballot, and he then in dulged a hope that he stood well with the:electors, and that he would have their interest at the next election. It had been said that when a vacancy occurred among the Directors, who were connected with the trade, then, and then only—(Dissent)—should a Proprietor who wlis a member of the trade offer himself as a can didate. Was not Mr. Harman connected with the trade ? Had he not been connected with a brewery at Croydon ?—(Hear, hear, and cries of " Not at the time of his election.") According to that doctrine, the licensed victualler must wait till Mr. Float or Mr. Game was removed from the Direction; either by death or resignation, before any one of th e i r mem b ers could present hi mse lf to the Society as a candidate for a seat among their Direction. Was that to be borne by the licensed victuallers ? Eulogies had been passed by Borne of the gentlemen who preceded him on the pre sent occasion, upon the licensed victuallers. He delighted at all times to hear such eulogies, because he bel:eved that no body of men deserved them better —no class of men better performed their duty to the State and to society at large than licensed victuallers, and therefore it was that he deprecated their being ex cluded to make room for a timber-merchant, a corn merchant, or in fact any rain with the title of mer chant affixed to his name. That title "merchant" seemed indeed, to have great weight with certain folks ; but it should be recollected thra there were lucifer•match ma nufacturers who might by und bye be called lucifer-match merchants, and why not consider those as more eligible than the licensed victuallers for the Direction? During his connexion with the Committee, he had discharged his duty fearlessly and f Lithfully, and he now appealed to the gratitude of the Corapany—he appealed to their feel ings as Englishn:en (for Englishmen ever possessed a grateful recollection of services rendered thew}—and now that he had pointed out t lie relative positions of the can didates, he trusted they vriould show to him that he had not only earned, but also obtained the reward of his exertions in behalf of thi interests of the Company. Should they do him the h onour to elect him, he would pay every attention to the f.discharge of his duties, neither swerving to the right nor to the left to serve the interest of any than, but looking i )lely to the welfare and success of the Society. From ; the frankness and liberality of the worthy magi crates on the board, he had no doubt that tk.ey would treat the hum ble publican, who mi eat be elected to serve among the Directors with every respect, and consider him while sitting at th e board as perfectly their equal there, so long as he co aducted himself respectably. lie ventured, then, to ask ;he Proprietors to reflect before they gave their decisit in, and he trusted that common gratitude would indui to them to pause before they re jected him when he p resented himself as a candidate. In February next he shemild in all probability cease to hold the office of Ch airraan of the Committee, as it might so haispen he would not be re-elected to that office. lie trusted, then, -that they would not allow him to appear as thoui,sli his long services to the Company were not gratefully remenlbered ; but that they would prove that they deemed an honest, humble, licensed victualler worthy to sit by the side of the worthy magis trates who graced the Botlrd of Directors.—(Hear.) Mr. Alderman Musoreove; said it was not his inten tion to take up so much of the time of the meeting as the worthy candidate had who had just sat down, be cause he had very littlie to say to them on the subject. He doubted exceedingly whether it should not have been thought entirely out of place for him (Mr. Alder man Musgrove) to add.seas them on the present occasion, if it had not been for one or two observations that had been made by the worthy .candidate. That gentleman's address was a matter with which he (Mr. Alderman Musgrove) could have nothing to do. He had felt it his duty to appeal to the Proprietors' gratitude for past ser vices. To that appeal the) ' would make their response ; but at the same time they would probably permit him, as feeling a deep interest in the prosperity of the Institution, to say to them that they must have something more than gratitude for the past.—(Cheers.) They must take en larged views for the Institotion. They should not be unmindful of their preseitt position, which looked not only to the estimations , of the licensed victual lers, but to that of the public at large,—(Hear, hear.) They had heard from a we irthy Proprietor, who had spoken in the course of the :meeting, that he had taken that view of the subject, and that it was after much consideration he had come before them to recommend to them the candidate who, in the judgment of the Directors, was the best fitted to fill the vacant office. The worthy candidate who had last spoken had charged the Directors with two acts—one the act of dictation, the other of ingratitude. With regard to the first, he (Mr. Al derman Musgrove) would put it to their respected Chair man and the Board as a body, whether they had ever attempted to dictate to the Proprietors?—(No, no.) From . what he could gather on the subject, the object of the Directors, in the course they had taken in this respect, was to save the Proprietors any unnecessary trouble in ascertaining what might be their opinion as to the eligi bility of the candidates, as they had ever, from the com mencement of the InstittiCon, been called upon to offer their opinions to the Proprietors on occa sions similar to the present. Beyond that they had never intended to go, nor in fact had they. They felt that it was due to the Proprietors that they should know their opinions on the matter, and it was only to prevent them coming to the of:flee and asking what do the Directors think of this candidate, and what do they think of that, that the Directors acted as they had done in the matter. Beyond saving t'ao Proprietors that trouble the Directors had no desire ter exercise any in fluence in the affair. With regard to the ingratitude with which the Directors were supposed tie have acted, he would answer without any personal feeling or any desire to undervalue the services of the Hon. Candidate. At the same time he was bound to state certain facts in reply to the charges which the Hon. Candidate had thought proper to make against the Board of Directors. The Hon. Candidate had stated, and the present was net the only occasion on which he had done so—the Hon. Candidate had stated that for the benefit of the Institu tution he had taken upon himself great responsibility— that he had been its prop from the commence ment, that he had risked his all, that he had stood up for it when no one would look at it, and that he had run the greatest risks for them. Doubtless the lion. Candidate felt that such was the case himself, or he would not have told them so; but he (Mr. Alderman Musgrove) had made inquiries as to the position in which they were at the commencement. It had occurred to him that the statements which had been made by Mr. Bingley at the last meeting were deserving of the greatest consideration, and that unless those statements could be answered it would undoubtedly appear that Mr. Bingley had not been properly treated. The lion. Candidate had told them that he had been one of the first to take shares, and on looking back to the book for 1835, he found that such was the estimation in which the lion. Candidate held the Institution, that he had actually risked in it the enormous sum of 301.—(Cheers and laughter. Mr. Bingley attempted an interruption, which was put a stop to by the Chairman.) Shortly afterwards his ability and energy pointed Win out as a proper person to serve on the Committee, and he was appointed one of the twenty-four gentlemen of whom that Committee was composed. Ile was returned by the Committee as one of the three members of that body who were to be their representatives at the Board of Directors, and be had taken his seat at the Board accordingly. On taking his scat be found that the qualification necessary was the holding of forty shares, and accordingly lie increased his risk by ten additional shares, which it was necessary he should hold in order to be qualified to sit as a Director. He knew these facts from having looked over the accounts very carefully before he became a Director, and he felt bound to state that the Chairman and the Directors had afforded hie] every facility in making those inquiries.—(Cheers.) After Mr. Bingley had been at the Board for twelve months. finding that his two companions from the Committee held each 250 shares, he, in 1837, finding the Institution to be in a very prosperous state r took 210 stares, making, with the 40 which he held preciously, 250, - the-number which his colleagues on the Consinittee had held long before. In 1841 Mr. AddiS took 250 'shares, at a pre mium. —(Cheers.) lie was anxious to remove from their minds the idea that the Institution had ever been in a state of apparent danger. It never had been in such a state.—(Cheers.) Then, with regard to the responsi bility which Mr. Bingley said lie had taken upon him self. They all knew what the responsibility of a Pro prietor in an Insurance Company was, and that the holder of five shares was as responsible for the liabili ties of the Company as the holder of 500. Therefore, all parties who, at the commencement, had been share holders, might make the same boast as Mr. Bingley, that they had been liable for it to the full extent of their property.—(Cheers and laughter.) Ile had no wish to detract from Mr. Bingley's merits, but it was right that they should be made aware that Mr. Bingley had not risked more than any other man. He had adverted to Mr. Bingley's having been returned as a Director by the Committee. The services which Mr. Bingley had rendered in that capacity were invaluable.—(Cheers.) Mr. Bingley, as the representative of the Committee, had been indefatigable in his attention to the business of the institution. and, as far as his influence went, it had been exercised in their favour.—(Cheers.) Mr. Bingley had talked about their kicking down the ladder which had raised them up. Now it seemed to him that Mr. Bingley was anxious to kick down the Committee.—(Cries of " No, no.") He had been returned to the Board of Directors by the Committee. Had he any fears as to his re-election ?—(Cheers.) Why did he not appeal to the gratitude of the Committee ? Was it not as honour able to be returned by the Committee as to be returned by the Proprietary ?—(Cheers.) The Committee was composed of twenty-four gentlemen, who possessed the exclusive right of returning three of their own body to take their scats at the Board of Directors, and who pos sessed all the powers and privileges of Directors, while in their election the Proprietary had no voice at all. The Committee had acted most judiciously in the selec tion which they had made, and he would appeal to the Committee to return Mr. Bingley again out of gratitude for the services which he had rendered to the institution, and he would ask Mr. Bingley whether, under all the circumstances,_ having at heart the extension of the in stitution, such a course would not be the most proper that could be adopted? Within the last ten months of the past year they had effected upwards of one million and a quarter of insurances against fire—three-fourths of those insurances had been brought to the office by the public, and the other fourth by the licensed victuallers. Was it right then that they should throw overboard the public ? He had never heard anything of overthrowing the originators of the Institution. The idea was absurd. Why, six members of the Board of Directors were licensed victuallers. There was their worthy Chairman, a licensed victualler—(Cheers)—there was Mr. Game, a most amiable and excellent man, and who had been of the greatest possible utility to tho Institution.— (Cheers). There was their excellent friend, Mr. Float. (Cheers:) There was Mr. Bingley, with all his talents and energy.—(Cheers). There was \ Mr. Walter, a gentleman entitled to the highest praise, and a holder of five hundred shares—(Cheers). And there was Mr. Fergusson.—(Cheers). Now, looking to the position which they held as a Licensed Victuallers and General Insurance Society, lie would ask, had the licensed vic tuallers any reason to think that there existed any in tention to swamp them, when they saw six such men sitting at the Board of Directors ?—(Cheers). Of the fire insurances lie had already stated, that two-thirds had been brought to the office by the public, and the remainder by the licensed victuallers. Then, with regard to the Life Department. Of the life policies, he was going to say, that five-sixths, but he might certainly affirm that four-fifths of all the business in the Life Department had emanated from the public, and the other fifth from the licensed victuallers. Why 'd convincedns t l o i t t m Licensedtehiio t e t se n s thetvat Victuallers, ue t snegr wouldss, ? b N t olb. rouse in euc d saeuis i ne s p th a h r ee a m F lat C gr x e vh a ee t cc must s feelin g aH oe would f n ,o tai e lndd e r n g no y owt , andas .) allow the would public them c e t o do to all."— .s „ aL, one word with regard to the important step they had taken d ur i ng th e p as t year Ad s t e i lte t d u er t rm i m o i t na i ne h d a .A d tro m us a gi d sr e solv o tee f ) l 3 a : t ., e aoso y o e p a r s .—(Cheers.) They h a d —one, he believed, of the most imp or t an t s t r id es ar . y i n . r n e e p w are s d ha t r o os iel a i n t d he h m e , ( t iN h l a r t . o L u ee t u of ta t k h e o n se a lc i t p f a: r e shares, t b e a t wvreoemn premium. —(Loud And this, still further, he was prepared to state, that out of the number taken, four-fifths were by the public, and not by licensed victuallers. He himself had already al lotted between 500 and 600 shares—not to himself— but to some of his friends whom he had persuaded to take them. Now, those present at the meeting must allow him to say, that they could not do a g - taator service to the Institution than by prevailing on their friends to take a few of the new shares.—(Cheers.) Such pro ceedings would place them on a pinnacle that could never be thrown down.—(Cheers.) In all he had said he was anxious to steer an even course. He had said nothing in favour of Mr. Addis, or in disparagement of Mr. Bingley, and he was sure, if they did not elect him, it would be from no disrespect to him. Mr. Addis was a man of influence, and would devote it to the benefit of that Institution.—(Cheers.) Mr. BINGLEY said a few words in explanation. The CHAIRMAN then took a show of hands, and de clared the numbers to be as follow : For Mr. Addis For Mr. Bingley _ _ Majority for Mr. Addis —4B The CHAIRMAN then declared Mr. Addis to have been chosen a Director, upon which Mr. BINGLEY demanded a ballot. Mr. WIRE said he could not adopt that course. He must get 25 shareholders of 12 months' standing to de mand one fOr him. The demand for the ballot was then signed on behalf of Mr. Bingley by the required number of shareholders c 25), but on being checked by the books, three were found not to be qualified to sign the document.. Mr. WirtE said three names being unqualified, he should, as Solicitor to the Company, advise the Chair man not to accept it, it being an imperfect demand. Mr. BINGLEY contended that, a demand having been put in, signed by twenty-five shareholders, he ought to go to the ballot. The CHAIRMAN adduced the practice of the City elec tions for Members of Parliament, where a demand of a poll for each of the candidates must be delivered by one of the Livery. After some conversation on this point, The CHAIRMAN declared Mr. Addis duly elected to serve as a Director for the same period as Mr. J. Har man would have been in office. He trusted that before another vacancy Mr. Bingley would divest himself of the office of Committee-man, it being his (the Chairman's) opinion that he would not, even had he gone to the ballot, been eligible to serve as Director. Mr. ADDIS returned thanka for the proud situation in which they bad placed him, and he could assure them that nothing should be wanting on his part to do all that he possibly could to promote the prosperity of the Society. Mr. BINGLEY having returned thanks to the gentlemen who had supported him, A vote of thanks to the Chairman was moved and car ried by acclamation, and the meeting broke up. COURT CIRCULAR, WINDSOR, TUESDAY.—Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert promenaded in the precincts of the Castle this afternoon. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by his serene highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and attended by Lord Rivers, Colonel Arbuthnot, and Mr. G. E. Anson, went out shooting in the royal pre serves this morning. The party afterwards returned to the Castle. Captain the Hon. Arthur Duncornbe, R.N., arrived at the Castle to-day, and has succeeded the Hon. Captain Nelson Hood as the Groom in Waiting on her Majesty. The Royal Family have been taken out for their usual exercise in the course of the day. Captain Francis Seymour left the Castle to-day, for Winchester, to join a detachment of his regiment doing duty there. Mr. Edward Puckle had the honour, this morning, of submitting to the inspection of the Queen and Prince Albert, a finished proof of a portrait of her Majesty, from a painting by Sir W. C. Ross, of which both her Majesty and his Royal Highness were graciously pleased to express their approbation. Her Majesty and Prince Albert will dine this evening with her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, at her residence, Frogmore Lodge. Almost the whole of the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting on her Majesty and her Royal Highness will have the honour of dining with the Royal Duchess at Frogmore. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester had a select party at dinner yesterday evening, at her residence, Gloucester House. Mr. Everett, the American Minister, transacted busi ness yesterday, at the Foreign-office. The Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina Villiers left town yesterday, for the residence of the Hon. Frede rick Villiers, in Northamptonshire. Dispatches from the Governor of New Zealand were received yesterday nt the Colonial-office. Dispatches were also received from the Governor of Sierra Leone. BANQUET AT FROGMORE-HOUSE WINDSOR, TUESDAY EVENING.— A grand banquet was given this evening, by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. to her Alajesty, the Prince Consort, Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and a distinguished circle, in honour of the birth day of his Serene Highness Ernest Antoine Charles Louis, the reigning Duke of Saxe Cobourg and Gotha (the father of his Royal Highness Prince :Albert), who was born on the 2d of January, 1784. Covers were laid for sixteen, in the large dining-room. The Royal dinner party included, in addition to the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, the Marchioness of Douro, the lion. Eleanor Stanley, the Hon. Clementina Hamilton, Lady Fanny Howard, Lord Rivers, Captain the Hon. Arthur Duncombe, Colonel Arbuthnot, Major• General Sir Edward Bowater, the Hon. and Rev. Charles Leslie Courtenay, the Hon. C. A. Murray, Colonel Sir George Cooper, Bart., and Dr. Prmtorius. At the conclusion of the banquet her Majesty, the Prince Consort, the Duchess of Kent, and her Royal Highness's dis. tinguished guests, retired to the grand drawing-room, where a concert was performed by the band of the Ist Life Guard,. OBITUARY of the NOBILITY and - • ARISTOCRACY for 1843. Amongst the other important events Connected with the past year may be enumerated the great number of deaths which have taken place in that class of society termed the aristocracy of the country. Many of those who have played prominent parts on this world's stage have de?arted. Amongst them we finds Prince of the Royal Blood— His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. The Dukes of Manchester and Dorset. The Marquis of Winchester. Earls—Re Reede De Ginkell, Athlone, Abergavenny, Hope. toun, Coventry, Glasgow, and Plymouth. Viscounts—Ferrard, and Hinton, ~the eldest soo of Earl- Poulett. Lords —Duffus, Abercrainby,the Ka' Of- Ralph Aber. croaiby ; Forbes, (General); Pitigerald and Vesci Robert; Ker. Rodney, Lyncdoch, and Inverury, the oldest son of the Earl of Kintore. Baronets— J. Hesketh, C. B. Codrington, J. P. Murray, F. Sykes, T. W. Vaughan, A. K. Jackson, E. Syr e, M. Wood, J. Sh aw , R. Fi tzwygram, J. Gordon, an d J, W. Mac naughten. Knights—T. Robinson, and T. C. Morgan. Bishop Lichfield. Judges—The Right Hon. Charles Kendal Bushe, ex-Chief- Justice of Ireland ; and the Right Hon. J. Radcliffe, Judge of the Irish Prerogative Court. Generals—The Hon. Sir Charles Colville, Sir W. Brooke Thompson (the senior General but one in the British service), Sir John Fraser, G. C. H. , and Sir John Taylor. Majors-General—Peicy Drummond, C. 8., Director-Ge neral of the Royal A rtillery ; Sir John Thomas Jones, Bart., K. C.B. ; Edward Hutchins Bellasis, Sir Donald Macleod, K. C. B. ; Sir J. O'Halloran. Lieutenants-General—OTorrhlin Beever, R. A., and Sir Archibald Campbell, G. C.B. Colonels—Clements, M. P., for the county of Cavan ; Sir Horatio G. P. Townsend, K.C. H., Lieutenant-Governor of Windsor Castle; Fortescue Ellison, and Dertemet G. Muirhead. Lieutenant-Colonels--Forbes, Champagne,Ullerton, William L. Wood, K. IL, Archibald Cameron, Richard Murray, Sir William Thom (Author of " The History of the War in India, under General Lord Lake,") Morgan, George Hart Dyke, and Williamson. Admirals—Thomas Alexander, and Sir R. Barlow. K. C. B. Rear-Admirals—R. Henderson, and Sir Arthur Farquhar, K.C. B. and K. C.H. Vice-Admirals—Sir Edward Brace, K.C.8., Commander in-Chief at the Nore. _ Right Honourables—J. A. Stuart Mackenzie, Governor of Ceylon, and afterwards Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands. Honourables—Wm. Howard; Robert Kennedy, brother of the Marquis of Ailsa ; Henry Browne, the youngest son of Lord Orenmore ; R. G. Quin, brother of the Earl of Dunraven ; and F. T. Tollemache, brother of the Earl of Dysart. Members of Parliament—Major G. Brown, for the cou n ty of Kilkenny ; and Valentine Maher, Esq., for the county of Tipperary. Late Members of Par:iament—C. P. Palmer, G. A. Mus kett, W. H. Sarsfield, A. Blennerhassett, J. B. S. Merritt, J. B. Hoy, G. W. Wood. Private Secretaries—Edward Drummond, Private Secre tary to Sir Robert Peel ; and Colonel Shaw, Private Secre tary to the Marquis of Wellesley, when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. year ono Prince of Earls, two 'Viscounts, Majors - General, three Colo nels, two Admirals, two Rear-Admirals , one Vice-Admiral, one Right Honourable, five Honourables, two Members of Parliament, seven late Members of . Parliament, and two Generals, five Colonels, five ioeutenant. Private Secretaries, have died—making the total eighty eight individuals, who during their li ves were what are termed public men, by their connection with the Government of the country. DEATIL—At Shoe-lane, on New Year's Day, in the ordinary course of nature, the double sheet of the Morning llerald.— post. We have really b een s o much amused a t a N ew Year's manif es t o by one o f our con temporaries (the Morning Herald) that we f ee l b oun d t o rescu e it from the o b scurity in which its own li m it e d c i rcu l a ti on m ight otherwise l eave it, by offering it the additi ona l no t or i e t y o f o ur own column s . O ur Con temporary appe ar/ t o b e i n a s t a t e o f r evolution , it h as changed its size—it has changed its managers ;it appears conscious of having (" not essen ti a ll y ") c h ange d its politics ; it has, if wo mistake not, c h ange d i ts type ( a t l ea st we recogni se h ere and there in its column s th e f am ili a r letters of an , evenin g contem porary), and out it comes, "spick and span," on New Year's. day, to pay its readers the compliments of the season in its new dress.— Times. ACCIDENT TO TILE EARL OF MOUNTCASITEL.—In consequence of a s t a t ement h av i ng appeared in the a ccount given of the meeting of Magistrates lately held at Fermoy that the Earl o f M ountcas h e l h ad rece i ve d b u t a s li g h t injury by his carriage being upset, we are authorised to say, that the accident was of a much more serious nature. On Tharsday, the 21st, as his Lordship was returning from the mountains, where he had been shooting, the horse took fright, and running away down a hill, the carriage in which he was seated came in contact with a stone fence at the side of the road with such vio lence as to separate the two hind wheels from the body, an d h e was dashed owl with considerable force. He was taken up in sensible immediately afterwards by some persons who were passing, and carried into an adjacent cottage. For the last week he has been confined to his bed, suffering much pain, but is now out of all danger.—Cork Paper. We are informed that Mr. and Mrs. \Vood are en gaged at the Princess's Theatre, and will make their first ap pearance in a few slays in the opera of The Maid of Judah. THE CURRENCY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sra,—l am glad to perceive that you are turning your attention to the currency, and that other able persons are doing so likewise. The effect has already been the dealing heavy blows to the preposterous "metallic currency" illusion ; but I regret to observe, that two enormous errors still pervade the reasonings of those who have made the greatest advances in the right direction. The least of these is, the confining the term "cur rency" to the Bank notes and specie in circulation, overlooking the fact that bills of exchange form, in truth, the main part of our circulating medium, a part so vast, that all others sink into insignificance. It can scarcely be requisite to prove that these bills are as strictly a part of our circulation, as a Bank note of 160/. Their conversion into cash cannot, indeed, be enforced before a cer tain date, but practically they are exchangod a s often as bank notes of equal amount. Every commercial man is accustomed to see bills with half a dozen endorsements indicating as many pay ments and transfers. In fact, while a million in bills changes bands and effects transfers nearly as readily as a million in 1001. Bank notes, the number of millions represented by bills immensely exceeds those repre sented by bank paper. The second, and more important and fatal error, is the admission of depreciation in paper currency. Now such depreciation is impossible, except from doubts of the solvency of the issuers. Ha bank or a State issues any given amount of paper, and the holders do not believe in the power (America compels one to add inclination), of the issuer to pay what has been promised, the paper becomes depreciated in the ratio of doubt—if the holder expects to get only 90/. for the promised 100/., the paper is depreciated 10 per cent. ; if he looks but for 601. the depreciation is 40 per cent. But this is the only passible case of " depreciation" —the change in the value of no commodity whatever can " depreciate" the paper. This the least reflection will show : cotton may have fallen 20 per cent,, and sugar risen as much, since a Bank note was issued ; and shall we say that the note is " depreciated" because it will not purchase as much sugar as it would have done on the day of issue ? If so, we must say that it is appreciated, or enhanced in value, because it will buy more cotton, 1. e., th a t th e same note i s, at the same moment, " de preciated and appreciated, diminished and increased in value!" If not with cotton and sugar, neither with gold or silver ; all are alike commodities and subject to the same laws of increase or diminution of value, accord ing to the ratio of demand to supply. The whole blunder arises from a loose and unphi losophical mode of thinking and expression. People see the relation of two articles, in point of value, altered, and fancy that it is a matter of indifference, whether they say that " A has risen," or that " B * has fallen ; and thus, becaus e go ld, being in exces sive demand during the war with France (for pay ment of troops, &c., &c.) rose in price, the currency writers immediately talked about the paper being " depreciated !" Would these gentlemen, in case they had two chil dren of like size, and that at the end of two year they had found the one six inches taller, and the other only three, assert that the latter was diminished or " depreciated" in height ? The truth is, that it is impossible to find an immoveable standard. Metals, precious stones, corn, labour—all are liable to fluctua tion in their value relative to other commodities. A general average of the whole might possibly be ap• proximated to, although a task of enormous labour, difficulty, and nicety. I will, however, ventur e t o asser t , contrary to the fancy of the vast body of currency writers, that the paper of a State, regarding which no doubt of sol vency exists, is less liable to fluctuation, and ap proaches nearer to the abstract idea of the unit of comparison than any metal whatever. A Bank note for 1001. (or a good bill of exchange for that amount) will, for example, at the time of issue, command in the market a certain amount of manual labour, of cotton, sugar, meat, &c., &c. Let us suppose, for example, that it will command the following articles :—viz., 200 lbs. weight of flour, 200 lbs. of meat, 200 lbs. of butter, 200 lbs. of iron, 200 lbs. of oak timber, 200 lbs. of copper, 200 lbs. of sugar, 200 yards of linen, 200 days of the labour of an unskilled labourer, and fifty days of the labour of a skilled artisan. Let us now imagine that the money value of half these things advanced 10 per cent., that the other half decreased in value in a like ratio—the 100/. note would purchase the same intrinsic value. If a greater proportion than a moiety rose or fell in value, the command would be somewhat varied ; but, as probably the balance might be restored by the change in the smaller number, exceeding in ratio that of the major number, in an opposite direction, the actual command might remain nearly unal ered. I am, Sir, yours, with best wishes, BEIRNIARD. A SCENE in the FRENCH CHAMBERS • CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES—SITTING OF DEC. 30. The Chamber met this day for the choice of Vice- Presidents ; and for the definitive constitution of the Chamber. After the election of the Vice-Presidents, M. Lafitte, who, as the senior member of the Cham ber, had acted as pro tem. President, addressed the Chamber as follows : Gentlemen, called for the seccnd time to the honour of presiding over you, I will not abuse the privilege of my age and my functions. The sorrowful reminis cences which I feel in this place would perhaps lead me to speak to you of my appre hensions for the future, whilst I would only wish at this moment to express to you my thanks for the kind ness, of which you have given me a fresh ,proof ; but, in,thepresence of a situati o n w hi c h d oes n o t appear witllont danger, my conscience obligesme to tell you what France expects of you. In the course of your session, besides the official programme of your labours, opportunities will offer themselves for ex amining if our late illusions and our fortune will be engulfed in the abyss which opens at our very doors — (lnterruption)—whether the struggle entered on in various localities—(oh, oh)—between the Go vernment and the elective powers does not contain within itself the seeds of a struggle still more grave between the two principles which, for four teen years, we have laboured to . conciliate—(Loud exclamations from the Centre)—if the artificial calm created on the surface of the country—(Ah, ah) —be sufficient for our dignity—(oh, oh)—whether dis order and anarchy are not at the foundation of our situation—(Murmurs from different parts of the Chamber)—and whether good faith and rectitude in the administration of public affairs are not preferable to the resources of venality--to a traffic in corruption. —(Loud interruption from the Centre, and a Member loudly called " Order, order.") M. Lafitte—l consider that my age, my character, and my position, give me a right to speak the truth when I consider it useful.—(Marks of assent from the Gauche.) M. Lafitte—l shall not carry my inveAigations any further. A voice from the Centre exclaimed, " That will be no misfortune ;" and anoth er voice from the Left called on the interrupter for silence. M. Lafitte—l will not carry my invest;gat:ons any further ; but bear in mind that factious die away, Ministries are changed, systems become ( xhausted, and we, Gentlemen, we remain responsible for the obstacles which the country meets with in the deve• lopement of those resources of power and of prosperity which it ought to expect from the Revolution of July. —(Loud murmurs from the Centre, and approbatory exclamations from the Left.) M. Lafitte then said—" I now invite the President and the Definitive Secretaries to take their places ;" and returned to his usual seat in the Chamber. A voice from the Centre—" A la, bonne heure." M. Sauzet, the President, then addressed the Cham ber, amidst the most profound silence; and after thanking the Chamber for the honour they had done him in electing him again to fill the honourable office of President of the Chamber, he concluded thus —" The first session has fulfilled its work—let the second do the same ; let the Chamber concur in it with the Bureaux by the good order of its delibera tions, the prompt and wise distribution of its labours, that no salutary idea may be lost sight of, that no one moment be lost; let us know how to show what may be expected from an intelligent and powerful nation, and thusmerit the gratitude of the country. The President then declared the Chambers to be constituted, and proposed to vote the usual thanks to the Member, who, from his seniority, had temporarily presided Some voices from the Centre here exclaim " Ob, oh !" and " No, no !" and others from the Left, " Consult the Chamber." President—l demand that the thanks be voted es usual to the members of the provisional bureau.— (Oh, oh.) There is no opposition to the vote. A voice from the Left—" Yes, there is opposition, Consult the Chamber." President—l again demand that thanki be voted to the Provisional Bureau.—(Yes, yes). Thtre is no opposition.—(No, no.) The thanks are voted.— (Loud murmurs and exclamations from the Left.) The Chamber soon after adjourned. THAMES TUNNEL.- The number of persons who passed through the Tunnel last week was 37,114. LIEUTENANT MUNEO.—It does not appear that the statement which has been put forth by several of the papers with something liko authority, namely, that Lieut. Munro would surrender this session and take his trial at the Old Bailey, has any foundation or truth in it. No notice of any such intention has been given to the officers of the Central Criminal Court, nor is it likely; under all the circumstances, that there will be. SPiRiT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF Terra DAY. TIAIES.--We have really been so much amused at a New Year's manifesto by one of our Contemporaries that we feel bound to rescue it from the obscurity in which its own limited circulation might otherwi-e leave it, by offering it the ad tional notoriety of our own columns. Our Contemporary as-' pears to be in a state of revolution; it has changed its size—it has changed its managers; it appears conscious of having (" not essentially ") changed its polities; it has, if we mistake not, changed its type (at least we recognise here and there in its columns the familiar letters of an Evening Contemporary), and out it comes," spick and span," on New Year's-day to pay its readers the compliments of the season in its new dress. Its first words are its own name, "Ab Jove principium." " The Morning herald having lately changed its proprietors and managers, we deem it right, at the commencement of the pre sent year, to announce to our readers the principles upon which the paper will be henceforth conducted." These announce ments of principles are very dangerous things. Few people court them, and those who do are very apt to burn their fingers. Placemen in posse do, because they wish to gain the confidence of an office-bestowing Government, and can only do so as pledged men. Premiers in ease do so, because their friends cannot know how to support them if they don't.. Members of Parliament, in vdle do, because there they are on the hustings, and have to state ea'egorically what merits or opinions of their own, have brought them there. But none of the sober men t,f the day like it. Look at Sir Robert Peel. HIe parts with his opinions as if they were so much gold. He loves them s o d ear l y that he cant bear to let them drop out. of his mouth ; and if !is does, he takes them up again and whips them into his pecker before we have, had time to be sure what they are. And e e frankly admit that we do net wonder at it. To the most honest and straightforward man abstract professions of principle are sure to prove embarrassing. Explained by the circumstances of the moment, the known opinions of the speaker, and tha understood requirements of the hearer, they do very well to con vey a true impression in conversation or an after-dinner speech. But when liable, as such public declarations are, to be noted down, treasured up, and produced at some future period, under circumstances to which they were never intended or under stood to apply, with a demand for literal performance, they are about the most unmanageable and unreasonable enemies that a statesman in an electioneering town can well leave behind him. What in the world, then, we asked ourselves, can our Contem porary mean by this sudden and apparently gratuitous exposure of its inmost heart? Is New Self going to throw Old Self overboard ? In plain words, is there a rat in the case ? The suspicion was half rebutted and half confirmed, but our wonder was scarcely abated by the next sentence which we read:— " They (the principles aforesaid) will not essentially differ from those which have been espoused by the Morning Herald for some time past, viz., the principles of moderate Conserva tism in Church and State." " Not essentially." Well, then, we get rid of a few uncomfortable articles in the Morning Herald, Senior, which might have embarrassed us. " Mode rate Conservatism,"—that may be made in the course of the next year and a half to embrace anything between Lord John Russell and Lord Winchilsea. On the whole, the readers of this paragraph will not gather much beyond the fact that the writer had no great wish to be hampered by the past or for the future. But to proceed into particulars. The theology of the paper is to be consonant to that of the " great body of divines" of the English Church, from Hooker downwards. This again is somewhat of the vaguest, and will do, not indeed correctly, but plausibly for anything between Laud or Andrewes on the one hand, and Tillotson or Warbur ton—perhaps even Newton or Cecil—on the other. Like everybody else, our Contemporary is unfavourable to what he considers " extreme High Church views ;" but where modera tion ends and extremity begins is left for future consideration. On the poor-law our Contemporary is not less judicious in his sentiments. Under the law of Elizabeth we are told, " Eng- I land has rear e d u p an industrious and efficient population of labourers;" but that law was abused, and some amendment be- I came really desirable. "At the same time when a system is introduced which, instead of recognising the right of the un happy pauper to relief, treats him as an intruder upon society, if not as a criminal, we are disposed"— Well, what are we " disposed" to do on this alarming hypothesis' To do battle, tooth and nail, against the unrecogn.sed right of the pauper— to expose abuses—denounce false principles—.beard Ministers —urge petitions—exhort electors --confute fallacies? Nothing of the sort—" We are dispose-I to look with doubt on its wis dom, and to watch its administration wiih the utmost jea lousy." No one, certainly, will think that this pledge is likely to be very embarrassing to its maker. Let the question of the poor-law fall hbw it may, our Contemporary will not break his head against it. But the sliding scale is left in a still more alarm ing state of unstable equilibrium. Was the Morning Herald frightened by the false report of Lord Hardsvicke's speech, when it could bear to be so very backward in " backing its friends," as it shows itself in the following most unsatisfactory sentence:— " The adjustment of the corn-laws upon the modified sliding scale of Sir Robert Peel is an experiment, to which we think that a fair trial should be given. We deprecate frequent and hasty change in financial matters ; but most strongly do we condemn that restless agitation which tends to dis turb the public mind, create panic in the commercial world, and destroy all confidence in the security of the law." Not a word of approval of this most eminently Ministerial mea sure—not a hint as to the probable duration which is to be wished or expected for this " experiment." Only our Con temporary advocates that most uncertain advantage " a fair trial"—" condemns restless agitation"—deprecates " frequent and hasty changes in financial matters," as everybody else does in every other branch of human practice, and tl ea proceeds with the same oracular caution through the various heads of Irish and foreign politics, manufactures, and law reform. Only one somewhat unguarded expression a hypercrital eye might notice—and that upon an incidental point where it is amiable to be enthusiastic. " With the progress of the reformed religion," says our Contemporary, " is associated not only all the glory and happiness of our own kingdom, but everything which is great in the history of man,"--includin g of course, Abraham, Moses, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander, Julius Cassar, Tamerlane, Peter the Great, a nd the wall of China. This is not quite historically true. But, with this exception, we can do nothing but approve. We will only venture to regret that such a con fined application has been made of a formula which occurs but in one paragraph of the article, but than which nothing; could have been more happily appropriate as a beginning and ending of the whale composition. " W need scarcely say," says our Contemporary ; " You need not, indeed," we cannot help re plying; and we are irresistibly pushed on to add, " and why in the world did you ?" Yet we cannot regret a composition in which the coy dignity of a maiden Queen addressing her first Parliament is so gracefully compounded with the mysterious caution of an experienced Minister. We will even hope that our Contemporary will continue his annual exhibition of a counter Queen's speech (the imitation is obvious), detailing to the world with the same majesty his probable course for the next twelvemonth. It would be a novelty in newspaper his tory, and we think might tell—at least no worse than some late vagaries of our resuscitated friend. POST.—Our Ministerial Contemporary, the Herald, has once more changed its shape. It has ceased to be " perma n'ently enlarged." The Herald's " principles," however, will, we are assured, be hereafter very much what they have been heretofore. These will undergo neither "permanent enlarge ment" nor contraction. They will remain, we presuile, in a state fit for the application of either pro Ts's. They will prove as " stretchable," in short, hereafter as they have proved in time past. Of the corn-law of 1842 the Gerold, in his new confession of faith, discourseth in the following strain:— " The adjustment of the corn-laws upon the modified sliding scale of Sir Robert Peel is an experiment to which we wish that a fair trial shad& given." .A fair trial given to the corn law of 1842! . Why, the Herald has, ever since the pass ing of that law, pronounced it to-be the consummation of political wisdom'!'' And' is that admirable law to be now described as • merely an " experiment ?" The cern-law of 1842 was, as the Ileraid has a thousand times proclaimed, " a settlement of the question ;" het from that " settlement" the Herald, looking to Ministers (whom, according to the measure of his feebleness our Con temporary flatters), desires now to escape. Ministers dread the League, and that base fear may soon induce M.nisters to abjure the policy of protection in practice, as they have al. ready abjured it theoretically. The Herald naturally longs to be free to follow it- patrons. Four years ago the Herald advocated a protective policy so stringent as to amount al most to a policy prohibitive of the use of foreign labour. For tire years the Herald has mouthed the modified free trade doc trines of Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Gladstone. For two years the Herald has sought. to defend free trade doctrines, when these have been assailed by the Post—and yet, durirg the whole of the same period, the Herald has been abusing free trade doctrines when advocated by Mr. Cobden. This process of blewing hot and cold must hare proved awkward work. The Herald is naturally anxious to escape from it, and to prepare for the assumption of a place in the ranks of orthodox free traders. The Herald has, for a long time, trumpeted forth League doctrines—the Ecrald- will, doubtless, speedily be employed in trumpeting the praises of the League itself. Of the daily press, only the He rald and the Standard have supported the industrial policy of Ministers. This unity of view would seem to have led the way to union of a closer kind. These worshippers of the wisdom of Peel and Gladstone have, at length, been joined together. The morning and the evening song of sycophancy will now be more harmonious than ever. As Ministers, moreover, shall approximate towards the League, so will the Standard become more and more impregnated with the spirit of that benevolence by which all Leaguers—whether Ministers or millowners—are animated ; and as the Peel of 1843 is, in the Standard's judg ment, the wisest of Ministers, while the Peel of 1829 was pro nounced, on the same authority, to be the basest of traitors, so may the Bright of 1845 appear to our Contemporary an angel of light, although the Bright of 1843 has been described by him as among the vilest of mankind. Why, in short, should Standard and Herald quarrel with the League ? Herald and Standard have, for two years, been doing the League's work. It is time that they openly wore the League's colours. Let Ministers give the word, and these colours will forthwith be " sported" by our lofty-minded Contemporaries ! Mr. S. Cotterell, one of the victims slain in the affray at New Zealand, way the son of Mr. F. Cotterell, of this city, a member of the Society of Friends. It is stated on the best authority that he took no part in the affray, except as an " unarmed peace. maker ;" that, during the whole of his so journ in New Zealand, he was on the best terms with the na tives; and the very last letter received from him here mentions the pleasure he experienced in having acquired sufficient of the native language to be enabled to converse with the " Maories" on religious subjects, and thus to benefit them in the highest sense. He wanted only a month of twenty-four years of age. —Bath Journal. CHRONOLOGY OF SPORTING EVENTS IN 1843. Bell's Life in London of Sunday next, the 7th of January, will consist of two folio stamped sheets of the same size, the second gratis ! comprising full and accurate Chronologies of all the important Sporting Events of the year—Racing, Steeple Chasing, Aquatic, Cricket, Trotting, Pedestrianism, and the Prize-ring; all alphabetically and intelligibly arranged for immediate reference. Entries for the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger ; horses in training, trainers, and places of training ; the two-years-old and their engagements, &c. ; forming a concen tration of intelligence invaluable to the sporting circles. Price of both sheets, 6d. Papers forwarded on transmission of 6d , or six Post-office stamps, to Mr. Clement, jun., 170, Strand. BODY OF A MAN FOUND IN THE PUBLIC ROAD.— About six o'clock on Monday morning, as a youth named Wright, the son of a milkman of that name, residing at Nor wood, was proceeding along the road at Norwood Hill, he dis covered the body of a man lying across the road, completely encased in mud, and his clothes torn almost to ribbons. Wright immediately raised an alarm, and the body was removed to the George the Fourth public-house;opposite, to await a Coroner's inquest. Nothing was found upon the body which could lead to its identity. It has the appearance of being that of one of the superior order of mechanics, and is about the middle age and stature. During the night a man named Tidy, who re sides in a cottage close to the place where the body was found, heard a voice say, " Come, an't you going to get up—do get up, mint," but supposing the noise proceeded from some drunken men, he took no further notice of it. Death is sup posed to have been caused by apoplexy, but it cannot at present be conjectured as to the manner in which his clothing had been so flinch torn. PRESENT TO lIER MAJESTY.-Eight most beau tiful and purebred bantams (consisting of a cock and three hen., of gold, and the like number and description of silver bantams), arrived at Windsor Castle on Monday last, as a pre sent to the Queen, from W. H. Holcombe, Esq., of Campden, in Gloucestershire, a gentleman who has long been celebrated for his peculiar breed of this rare and curious species .of do mestic birds. THE DISTUBANCES OF AUGUST, 1842.-THE CHARGE AGAINST AN ALDERMAN OF LEEDS.—It will be remembered that a statement, which excited a good deal of public attention, recently appeared in the public prints, charg ing an alderman of the borough of Leeds, and a member of the watch committee, with not only being cognisant of the diltur bailees of 1842, previous to their commencement, but with having been actually instrumental in producing them. The statement was first made public by Mr. Joshua Hobson, pub lisher of the Northern Star, and a member of the Town Coun cil, at a public meeting held in Leeds a short time ago, and on Monday the subject came under discussion in the Council, where Mr. Hobson reiterated his statement, stating that the Alderman was named Bateson. From the exilanations of Mr. Hobson, Mr. Bateson, and others, it appeared that the charge had been preferred by a person named Smith, who had been made a bankrupt by Alderman Bateson, and who, it was con tended, could not be believed on his 4ath. After a f reat deal of boisterous altercation, the Council decided that the matter did not come within their jurisdiction. THE SALE OF LIEUTENANT MUNRO'S EFFECTS:- The opinion of counsel upon Mr. Wakley's proceedings on the late occasion of the attempted sale of Lieutenant Munro's effects being adverse to the legality of the Coroner's right to interfere, the auction has been re-announced to take place this day and to-morrow. From circumstances which occurred at a late hour last night it would appear, however, that the Hon. Member in'ends to contest the matter in spite of the lawyers. Mr. Kirke (the auctioneer employed by Mrs. Munro) has, it seems, been placed under the curs eillance of the police for some days past, a serge an t an d two o ffi cers of the B divi sion being stationed near his residence, so as to observe all persons passing to and fro. Last night, shortly offer seven o'clock, Mrs. Munro arrived at Mr. Kirke's house in Bromp ton-row. The carriage in which she rode drew up by the roadside, arid before Mr. Kirke could reach the door the police had surrounded the vehicle, apparently with an in— tention to discover who was inside. Mrs. Munro having re quested Mr. Kirke to let her have a small dressing-case which had been left in his care, that gentleman returned to the house for it, and as he was handing it into the carriage, the police sergeant required to know " where that box was going?" Mr. Kirke replied that it belonged to Mrs. Munro, and he believed that she was about t o convey i t to h er mother's residence. Having closely examined the case, the officer permitted Mr. Kirke to place it in the carriage, at the same time directing h:s brother officials to run off to the nearest stand and call a cab to fillow the vehicle. Mrs. Munn, having 'in; rleted the purpose of her call, ordered the coachman to di home, and the cab not having arrived at. this time , the the carriage as fast as his legs could carry him to watch ser geant, in the " performance of his duty," was comel d ed ow t n o fol lowthedneercteodf Brompton-road ; the object being, it was s It is intended to where the box in question was conveyed. proceed with the sale. of the with the case o n l i d t e a fr rir Hi na. a rc u r ih t e h ite o fi r r authorities investigatingst a a n rde two engaged, ytoohuteinege facts b oo ffri y et Cheoorelsn• magis trates thelColemmmai 3d DragoonGuawrdass b s e t e a u ti g e h n t ed an i d n er Du th bl e in n . The particulars of this case, which of the Head Police.office, have already appeared in The Sun. The present inquiry has been directed in consequence of a memorial forwarded by Harriet Hurst to the Duke of Wellington. IRELAND. INAUGURATION OF THE NEW LORD MAYOR,- THE STATE PROSECUTIONS. DUBLIN, JAN. I.—This day the Lord Mayor for the cur rent year ( Timothy O'Brien, Esq.) was sworn into office Stith the usual formalities. The members of the Corporation proceeded to the Assembly.. house in state, and after some preliminary proceedings, The late Lord Mayor, GEORGE ROE, Esq., rose arid ad dressed the assembly at some length. He commenced by say ing he felt it his duty to render an account of his steward ship for the past. rear ; and, after adverting to some topics of local interest, he observed that he regretted much toled himself opposed to the majority of the house on a question which had been discussed by it ; but while he could net concur in the opinion of the majority, still lie f: It thai. the discussion of the repeal of the union was a perfectly constitutinnel and justifiable one in that house. The manner in which that discussion was conducted elicited the approbation all who were pfeserit or had heard cf it. There was no ill-temper exhibited on either side, and the question was disposNl of without produeing in that House the slightest feeling of The next topic to which ho said he should advert might be•considered to base grown out of that di cussien—he meant tke pending State trials. lie ;cooked upon them with the deepest anxiety ; and ; fter considering the sulject in all its bearings, he had come to the conclusien that it would be fur the benefit of the country—Lay, of the United Kingdom at large—that these trials should not take place.---( Loud cries of llear, hear.") Ile felt that they would produce excitement and agitates - 1, and lead to all the evils consequent upon such a state.—( Pea., hear. ) Sus: ly, ie the midst of :such agitation as these trials would lead to, the country could not apply itself to the promotion of com merce or agriculture. lde would frankly tell the assembly that, after being in communication with men of all parties since the prosecutions bad commenced, he firmly believed it to be the general desire that the agitation • f the country should be pre vented by the abindonment of those trials.—(Hear.) He felt extreme delicacy in saying anything that might he considered trenching upon the Administration of the land, which he felt to be sacred ground ; but he considered that an expression of public feeling, under all the circumstances, would be calculated to serve the country. He would, therefore, urge such an ex pression of public feeling, praying her Majesty to take the question of the state of Ireland into consideration, to appoint a Committee, if no essary, cf the whole House of Commons, to ascertain the cause of discontent which unhappily prevailed.—( Hear; hear.) It was admitted by all there were grounds for discontent, and, without more particularly alluding to them, he should mention the system of centralization as one. He held in his hand it document, pub lished by order of the House of Commons, in which it appeared that the Commissioners of Woods and Forests received 028,000/. in this country, and only expended here 120,0001., leaving a balance of half a million spent out of the country, from which it was raised, for the advantage of England.— ( Hear.) He mentioned this solitary fact torshow Vivre were great and numerims grounds for discontent. As a mercantile man, he felt that the agitation and excitement that would be produced by the State prosecutions would retard the in flux of capital and all improvement for a considerable time. Suppose that complete success should attend these prosecutions—would it be calculated to allay the irritation and discontent of the country ?—( Cries of " No, no.") Suppose, again, there should be a verdict of acquittal, would that restore peace ?—( No, no.) If, on the other hand, as was apprehended, it would be a drawn battle, would that tend to any possible good—would it allay the angry feelings which had been ex cited? No man could say what the consequences would be should these prosecutions be pressed on. —(Hear, hear.) His Lordship concluded by expressing a hope that the majority of that house would petition her Majesty to grant an amnesty for the past, and take steps to remedy the grievances cf Ireland.-- ( Loud cheers.) Alderman Boss e (Conservative) asked his Lordship whether the address he had delivered w s to be taken simply as his own s•ntiments? The LORD MA Mt. replied in the affirmative.. Alderman Boise again rose, and proposed a most compli mentary vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor, for the Admirable and impartial discharge of his duties. Alderman Sir JOHN POWER, Bart., said he felt the highest gratification in seconding the motion, which passed unanimously, amidst the warmest plaudits. The Lord Mayor then retired. The Lord Mayor c'ect, Timothy O'Brien, Esq., was then sworn in with the usual formalities and took his seat as Lord Mayor. Soon after the Council adjourned. The procession which accompanied the new Lord Mayor consisted of a great number of private carriages, headed - Di a military band, IMPORTATION OF FIRE-ARMS. A letter, of which the following is a copy, has been a dd r e sse d to the agent of the British and Irish Steam-packet Company, Eden quay : " Metropolitan Police-office, *tblin Castle, December 28, 1843. " Sir,--The Commissioners of Police have directed me to acquaint you, for the information of your Board of Directors, that it is considered necessaay, and has been directed by Go vernment, that the police shall inspect on arrival, and while unlading, the portion of the shipping in the port of Dublin, end under the uninterrupted superintendence of officers of Customs, with a view to the more effectual prevention of the clandestine importation of fire-arms; toad that therefore the inspectors of police have been ordered to make this inspection, in pursuance of the power given by the Dublin Police Act, 5 Victoria, c. 24, sec. 23 ; but that in the performance of the duty they have been directed to avoid the adoption of any steps calculated to inter rupt the commerce of the port, or cause unnecessary inconve nience to passengers or otle r p ersons i n t h e vessels inspected, towards whom the officers will demean themselves with due courtesy. "'I am at the same time to refer you to a provision in the 27th section of the Arms Act (an abstract of which is sent herewith), authorisire• passengers to import tire-arms usually carried fur personal defence or sporting, on registerit ' er them with the chief officer of th e part, and I am to suggest, fur the consideontien of your Board, the expediency a adopting some means of making this provision known to persons taking berths, &c., at the Company's offices in England and Scotland, as trio obtaining of the information there may prevent inconvenience to passengers, and any misunckrstanding with respect to their fire-arms on arriving here. " The Commissioners have suggested to the Government that this information might be best afforded to passengers in the mail-packets by a printed note on the form of receipts issued on taking berths.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, " W. STANLEY, Secretary." FUNERAL OF V. MAHER, ESQ., - M.P. Tau unrs, DEC. 28.—The remains -of the late lamented Valentine Maher, Esq., M.P., were removed Crum Turtulla Ifou , e at twelve o'clock en Wednesday, attended by a numerous train of carriages, jaunting cars, and gigs behnig:ng to the resident gentry of the surrounding neighbourhood, hi be interred in the family burial place in Thurles churchyard. The number of carriages exceeded thirty, and the cortege extended from Turtulla gwe to the town. Never was there in this ntighbourhou.l such a respectable and numerously attended funeral. The most marked re•p"ct was paid to his memory— all the shops of the town of Thurles being closed from the time of the melancholy occurrence of his death. There was a most numerous attem'ance of his tenintry, and a great number of the clergy.— Tipperary Free Press. The Tipperary fr x hounds did not meet for the lest week, is consequence of his death. ERRATUM.—Iii a paragraph yesterday, relative to the departure of the India Mail—for " Maid" read " Mail." ALARMING EXPLOSION OF GAS AT GREENWICII.--. Last night ( Tuesday) shortly after dusk, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood of Trafalgar-street, Greenwich, were much alarmed by a most terrific explosion of gas, which took place wirier the premises eccupied by Mr. G. Oxborough, tailor, &e ,in the Trafalgar -read. It appears from what we could as. certain upon the.spot, that some difficulty was experienced by the next door neighbour of Air. Oxborough in ,getting his gas to ignite, and that consequently he sent a man down into the basement of the premises to ascertain the cause of the difficulty, when ihe pipe suddenly burst immediately underneath the floor ing of Mr. Oxbormigh's room, tearing away the wood work and bursting up the counter. Th?fece it passed towards the ceiling, and upset in its progress Air. Oxborough and a female who was sitting with him at work. The ceiling is torn from the lathing, and the shock was so violent, that the front wall was split by it from the top to the butt mm. Upon inquiring, last night, be tween ten and eleven o'clock, we were informed that Mr. Ox borough's injuries are but trifling, but that the female is so mu tilated, that she is considered in a very precarious state. SINGULAR AND FATAL ACCIDENT BY TILE KICK OF A Cow.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Carter, Cortehe. for Sur rey, held an inquest at the Bose and Crown, Salisbury-lane, Bermondsey-wall, on the body. of Richard Creasy, aged 65 years. It appeared by the evidence that the deceased was in the employ of Mr. Edward Kelsey, cowkeeper and dairyman, in East-lane, Bermondsey. On the morning of Saturday, the 9th ult., the deceased went as usual to milk his master's cows. After so doing he fed them, and whilst in the act of wiping his shoes in the litter beneath the cows, one of them rushed against him and knocked him down, and before he could recover him self another beast, whose propensity for kicking was well known by deceased, struck him a violent blow on his head with tier hind hoof, which laid him prostrate. A fellow-servant of de. ceased immediately went to him, and assist e d him home, when it was ascertained that his skull been fractured. He died on the 9eith ult. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental c'eath." F