The Sun. — London, England, 1851-02-27 00:00:00

I rs , inactive fiat; trail to 35 8d; m oderate very 140 to 43 °"' I per 81b5. 11r Ma rket aka eto 1 ' , 1 to 4s 6d, moved off ock Wer,i ' e 11 . id to 4 9 v'' e very 61 : 5 11 . s 3 to ' ckr 3 S " t° COO , of earns ovvia, ad And TSi g ." 3 71 4 0 I 21s 0. 0 " 47 A Y.) . ti , nail fi l o f _ o n pero racer. ,r;, g e venot 1 s c °ll3 , o P i rd the c i, * itl ie in oe . ring `w o b tsble . . Se b rb. I se ar to , this 11$ , n i t b O4O ). 1, 110 i ber". f .01 , g iog 0 he reo :„e lea 1 ‘ ;id Ist bribe[ e rg& t he ei he e 0 the V' tf eut ti e d d, ` ln d she " is 111 7 . 0 4 uc 3 jo oil- t° silk PI/ otne ais sod le. A / v d o ip boo" f 4 en Pr° c oota 111° 0 0 AO hf goo. 0 tO ,b IA 13 iC CS 4 ' O rl $131e13 i 0 f i f er jriLb~~t v 8 !i":; ~Cfer reo l ot e roto • • DRURY-LANE THEATRE. The FAREWELL OF MR. MACREADY. . ' l st appearance of Mr. Macready on the stage took place last evening at this theatre, when he appeared in the • char ac t er of Macbeth, and never acted it batter in his life ; he had evidently braced himself up for the occasion, and Went through the part with admirable self-control. The play was listened to by the dense, and crowded, and excited audience with breathless attention until the fall of the cur 'atm. After a lapse of about twenty minutes the curtain again drew u p, an d M r . Macready appeared attired I/ a plain suit of black. The whole body of P e ople who filled the house rose en wave to !elute him, and th e wav ing of hats and handkerchief' , • t he _ deafening c h eers an d th e s alvos of plaudits, lasted at least a quarter of an hour. Mr. Macready seemed to feel it deeply, an d When sil ence was res t ore d, he advanced to the footlights, and in a voice tremulous with emotion, addressed the au dience as follows : " Sly last the a t r i ca l p a rt is played, and, in accordance with long-establi s h e di f usage , I a pp e ar once more before you. Even • were without precedent for the discharge of this act of it is one which my own feelings would irresistibly urge l'Pen me ; for as I look back on my long professional caree r, in it but one continuous record of indulgence and it A l Purt extended to me, cheering me in my onward progress , 4e ° upholding me in most trying emergencies. I have , refore, been desirous of offering you my parting ac owledgments for the partial kindness with which my ninble efforts have uniformly been received, and for a , 11 .`"! made hap p i er b y y our favour. The distance of five ' nu -thirty years has not dimmed my recollection of the en nnuragement which gave fresh impulse to the inexperie nced t 3'B of my youth, and stimulated me to pers everance when h and talent hardly for equality of position with the g enius talent of those artists whose superior excellence I un 4:grudgingly admitted, admired, and honoured. That en ragenant helped to place me, in respect to privileges and Iv • i ° , lu ntents, on a footing with my distinguished compet itors. tu the growth of time your favour seemed to grow; ands undisturbed in my hold on your opinion, from Sear to ye ar I f oun d f r i en d s more closely and thickly Mustering round me. All 1 can advance to testify how 1 -1 " Y I have appreciated the patronage thus liberall y puled me is the devotion throughout those y ears es t • Ind' best energies to your service. My ambitio n to of a ulieh a theatre, in regard to decorum and taste w orth y ear country, and to leave in it the plays of o ur divine s h a , l4l tapere fitly illustrated, was frustrated by t hose whose - "" t Y it was, in virtue of the trust committed to them, them . nes to h ave un d er taken the task. But some good seed t ." Yet been sown ; and in the zeal and creditable produc , trns of certain of our present managers we have assuran ce at the corrupt editions and unseemly presentations of P as t days will never be restored, but that the purity of our in g r eat PintB' text will henceforward be held on our En g lish sta.- 6 .°the reverence it ever should command. I have little .to t e to say. By some the relation of an actor to his audi , I," h ce is considered slight and transient. I do not feel it so. a g f f,!erieated manifestation, under circumstances perso nall y ting rne, of your favourable sentiments towards me, will ••, e With lif e amon g my most grateful memories; and be cause I would not willingly abate one jot in your esteem, I retire with the belief of yet unfailing powers, rather than Anger on the scene, to set in contrast the feeble style of a g e h t h e more vigorous exertions of my better years. Words --a t least such as I can command—are ineffectual t o conve y ,„ thanks. I n offering them, you will believe I feel far • d snore• • th an I give utterence to. With sentiments of the e- r a st gratitude I take my leave, bidding you , l a dies and gentlmen, in my professional capacity, with regret and most , wea At ketfally, farewell." the conclusion he cast one last , long , lingering look mound the scene of his many triumphs, and then retired • Zichit the enthusiastic plaudits of the audience , who repeat for him, a call which, however, he did not obey. • w tLing could have been more admirable than t he arran g to e .." 14• made for admission to the house, which but for these 5 ,17. 1 : • ‘ gernents must have presented a scene of the g reatest 4 7 1 sion f rom th e num ber of persons who would have at , n 2Ptad to crowd into it.. The whole of the seats in the "" and slitikwere numbered, and the orchestra was con bated into stalls • admission to these seats could only °bt • ' • 2no rune by tickets previously purchased, as no e i,Y was taken at the box-office doors. The whole these tickets were disposed of before the close of last itepeek; It would have been exceedingly inconvenient, if not Peesible, to have adopted the same plan with regard to t he vats in the pit and galery, but the precaution was taken of jictlY limiting the issue of checks to the number that could T h ac cernmodated, and thus the comfort of all was secured. a scene outside the doors was of the most exciting de , ption. As early as two o'clock a crowd had collected • t_ ut ind tlae pit and gallery doers, and within an hour Drury s'• e, Great Russell-street, and the Vinegar-yard, were • P a letely occupied. There was a body of police in at ,l* nee, who kept a lane through which the holders of h'"ulbered tickets passed without an or inconve -tene, ! 1 1) to the doors of the theatre. Thanks to these le 'awe arrangements, the most perfect order was pre -"ed. SOHO THEATRE. AMATEUR THEATRICALS. tllp he 7 ,amateur company, whose admirable performances of t l ' 4l l Body at this theatre we noticed some short , t l le since, performed on Tuesday evening the comedy zeke Stoops to Conquer, and the farce of My Wife's 494 ter• Seldom have we seen a better Young Marlow, or a a r° clacient, versatile, and graceful Miss Harucastle than on f ee e t t i kl aY evening. The Mrs. Hardcastle was the very per m on of fussy old wornanism, and the Tony Lumpkin was T A Nl rt t ,,,,a,Tusing. The gentleman who perfoimed the little like s, imitgery is worthy of special commendation— we should 'w e n l' cr !eo him act Frank Oatland. The farce was also very Pie c .„ -e led; the Mr. and Mrs. Ivyleaf were admirable. The e nl i d uxi re carefully ut on the stage, and the costumes, n • by Nathan, of p Castle-street, were handsome and ap Pro - rtiate, PORTING INTELLIGENCE. LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING. LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY NIGHT. LATEST BE ['TING. 4 f SPRING CUP. *0 1 agat Unity 6 to 1 agst Little George "" to 1 Panope 16 to 1 Caurire STEEPLECHASE. 6 to 1 agst Sir John 20 to 1 agst Half and 7 to 1 Vain Hope Half to 1 Rattrap 20 to 1 Peter Simple . to 1 Abd-el-liader 20 to 1 Tipperary 12 to 1 Fugitive Boy 12 to 1 Maria Day 25 to 1 Maurice Daly LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. 'e Champion Free Handicap Hurdle Race of 5 soya. each, with 50 added. The second to receive 20 soya. Out of the stakes, and the winner to pay 7 soy& towards 'lxpensete Two miles. ii *gr. Trosham's Cogia, 5 yrs, gat 101 b... (Archer) 1 Mr. Gai n ' s b r c S e i gnor of Holdernesa, 4 yrs, 9st 81b 2 tit. Cunningham's Little Queen, lOst 10lb (Darling) 3 Bretherton's Valiant, lOst 101 b (fall) (Debean) 0 ••••ar•ti • x. • axkeld's Empress of Russia, 9st Bib (fell) 0 ' i t' Co% ell's Patrick, 5 yrs, 9st 61b (Livesey) 0 4 Betting -2 to 1 eg et Seignor of Holderness, sto 2 4 4" Cotta, and 6to 1 agst Patrick. Won by half a T h gtli; a len gt h b e t ween the se cond and third. Only 5, &c , with 100 added. The second to save his , • stake, and the winner to pay 7 sovs. towards the ex ' je l 4 4 a• Mile and three quarters. • 1 4 r " , rapaseltone's Unity, 3 yrs, sst 91b (T. Dodd) 1 • • r p , , nailer Doubt, 5 yrs, Bst 71b (Marlow) 2 let. Haworth's Baroness, 5 yrs, 7st 91b. ..... (Doyle) 3 ( l i t •T. Parr's Panope, 4 yrs, 7st 51b ......(Charlton) 4 • ) 4 " r • L_lorson's Caurire, 5 yrs, 7st 91b . (Hiett) 0 h t • zraddell's Little George, 4 yrs, 7st 91b (Dawson) 0 • • • ) 4 „1 . ..• Smith na Conveyor, 4 yrs, 7st 91b (J. Osborne) 0 0 i t • Pedley'a Idle Boy, 6 yrs, 7st 51b (C. Sharp) • r, 14• Peace Latitat, 6 yrs, 7st 7lb (Francis) 0 r! Martin's Wilmot, 4 yrs, 7st 51b (Wells) 0 • CoPeland's Colibri, 3 yrs, 4tit 1i1b...(J. Aspinall) 0 .et t ; 1 u p ., '.2g - 2 to 1 agat Unity, 4 to 1 agst Caurire , 5 to • leo g ' i l l 'artope, and Bto 1 agat Doubt. Won by t wo • • vten a * • A neck between second and third; Panope Th t P ft t -rand National Steeplechase of 20 soya. each, 10 • Id Ind only 5 &c with 100 added; the second to save .1 exnatake, and the winner to pay 20 advs. towards the ti en ses• Winners of a steeplechase after the deela in,,°ll Of the weights, 61b extra; and of two or more, w "Lo extra. About four miles. (63 Subs., thirty of Ale. b r? ln declared, &o.) Abd-el-Kader, lOst 41b ...(T. Abbott) 1 • • Lop Riggins's Maria Day, aged, lOst 51b (Frisby) 2 Waterford's Sir John, aged, llst 121b...(Ryan) 3 j uti _e followin g a l so started, but were not placed by the k r. .„„ V e'rers's b g Vain Hope, llst 81b ...(S. Darling) 0 /or C unningham" • Barnett's br h Sir Peter Laurie (Scott) 0 It; Vna b g Peter Simple llst 71b (Tubb) 0 14; -to re Y's b g The Victim, aged, lOst 131 b (Taylor) 0 kr: St afford's ohm Fugitive, aged, [Oat 121 b (Badley) 0 ' Me. Mason's ch h Rat-trap, 10. t 101 b (Mason) 0 kr. (14 tea'a b g Half-and-Half, lOst 81b (R. Sly, jun.) eh h Shinrone, aged, lOst 71b ...(Gannan) 0 br g Tipperary Boy, lOst 31b...(Oliver) 0 etdEloaore's br g Mulligan, aged, lOst 21b (Archer) 0 °l ial Shirley's b g Fugleman, aged, lOst (Wynne) 0 t it Barry's b g Currig, aged. 9st 121 b ...... (Debean) 0 kr. I i• Xemp's br g Hope, aged, 9st 121 b (Green) 0 fir.eere's b g Volatile, aged, 9st 10Ib ...(Fowler) 0 ‘ .4"tislo v e, bm by Grey-steel, 9st 101 b ...(Thrift) 0 ti r. ,„ 4l ars b g Rein Deer, aged, 9st 71b ...(Planner) kr. •-nrtwright's b g Maurice Daly, aged (C. Boyce) 0 qohnston's ro g Penrith, aged, 9st 41b (M Clory) 0 e late hour at which this race came off (nearly t i ,.` ; `_ Past four) obliged us, in order to save the express C o Lo, to leave the course immediately after the leading th4"tea passed the chair. We can, therefore, only add • Iti n4 9 7l e final st rugg l e was very close, Abd-el-liader llair la g Only by a neck, Sir John an indifferent third; • ei.x . "d•Half, Vain Hope, and Rap-trap next. Abd •. g e: r up e t r :on w a h l o won this stake last year, has netted a 2stake for hia party. Selling Staks of 5 sovs. each, with 30 • 1 4 5 )% R. added. One mile. • fi. ssBl tine's Mistake, 5 yrs - ..... (Longstaff) 1 r, L Clara aged Mrl.• Law . I , son a Maid Marian, 6 yrs 3 kr, B edl era Golden Lady, 4 yrs • w alker's Master Downes, aged U r Walker's Alma, 4 yrs , 0 13:4 1 a Larry's the Lad, 4 yrs 0 Won by a length. th ti ne 8 chari o t- w h ee l s ma ke th e ir ca r r ia ge - roa d in • fattest face.— Eliza Cook's Journal. It o . r -TRUSS ING D EATH or C APTAIN H UTCHINSON , Ste,t4L EN omEtas.—HoLyn HAD, FEB. 25.—As the railway eft Ja b 6er Anglia was leaving the port this evening, and whenn tw o vv harbour works, a. blast was fired off, containing 4 (1 1°4 of powder. The announcement of such an event bad i 29.ught together a large concourse of persons, and all er;_?tired to some distance to witness its eff . ects. Th lie,l'ln;eudent at the harbour works (Captain Hutchinso e n . , tipeicill,Engineers) having completed his arrangements r th e uise, and was at least half a mile from the spot when 14:zPiesion took place but, melancholy to relate, an im kni se block, which was hurled into the air, in falling felled g spo l t to the earth. The persons near him hurried to the ne ar an d found hi m a corpse. His wife, who was standing to un at th e moment, almost miraculous) escaped un epeeZ. The su d den and melancholy death of this gentleman has created a most painful sensation2n he e l e lad, as he was generally and deservedly esteemed. He fi ttd , a wife and two children to deplore their sudden and broken g b ereavement. Otte of the labourers had his leg ;city,A lady (Miss Coulson), who happened to be in the ea?w,_,d her dress torn to fragments from the effezts of Sher S - II MINISTERIAL CRISIS. not our readers imagine,however,that we too are bitten with the mania of the crisis, and that we are now ivlulging in imagi nation. If they will read the Times of yesterday they will see the sober and sad avowal put forth by our conteu, orary himself, that he now condemns Lord John for incapacity, because he is out of office, whom, in the -same paragraph lie declares be would have lauded had he continued in pover. Among other extravagances of imagination, we have had hints from various quarters, that by some means or other, into some combination or other of nascent administrations, ce cher Aberdeen might possibly find his way. The Noble Earl has indeed fluttered, like a gnome in a pantomime, over every group of statesmen, of every shade of politics, who have met in consultation of State, affairs within the last few days. Who bade him come,' or how he " gat" there, notiOdy seems to know. B u t' th e not i on t h at the Government of England, or any department of it, should be intrusted to his hands, neither the Noble Earl him self, nor any other man of sober judgment, has anti c ip a t e d. Still, it does seem strange, and it affords som e colon* to the dealers in speculations, to whom we have alluded, t h at whe ther Stanley, Lord or 3 ir. John Gladstone, Russell, or is political scene, he (the sa id p r i nc ip a l fi gu re) is sure t o g li de towards a shadowy appearance in some corner or anoth er , Sir the Ja p m ri e n s cip G a r l aha, or L or d figure m on th e which, when carefully examined, tnrus out to be no other. than "ce cher Aberdeen." There is something in this mysteri-, ous and seemingly purposeless übiquity, calculated to excite general wonder it not anxiety, and amongst the revelations of Friday next we cannot help expecting, that the least marvel lous will not be that which shall let us, into the secret of a phenomenon at present so unaccountable. Whether the un bidden apparition in questien for Wards or frustrates the pur poses of successive formers of Cabinets;'it is difficult to tell. But some wise people, who guess in 'the latter directien, begin to think, that the genius of Aberdeen is really benefi cent, and that his influence in forbidding the existence of a Ministry at all is useful to the public. The country goes on very well they say without a Ministry. The railway runs its course—and so does the tax-gatherer—and the policeman —and all the affairs of life—even when there is no Ministry to present the consummation of stupidity, and no opposition to present the quintessence of pertectien, We hope Lord Aberdeen will look to this in time. ADVERTISER.—" Wanted a hero—an uncommon want," is the commencement of one of Lord Byron's poems. The commodity most wanted just now is not a hero, but a Prima Minister. The office has gone a-begging. No one will ac cept it, or if some sanguine, adventurous person, like Lord Stanley, is found to accept the situation, it is only to resign it the next hour, or at the farthest the next day. Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen, Sir James Graham, severally shrink from the acceptance of the vacant Premiership. It would really seem as if the Queen would, ere long, be reduced to the humiliating necessity of advertising in the public journals for a Prime Minister—just as a nobleman advertises for a butler or a groom.' The extreme difficulty of getting any, man of position in the political world to accept the Premiership is one of the most significant signs of the times. It is not only that the difficulty of constructing a lasting Cabinet is great, if not insuperable—the diffi culty of getting any. man of mark even to under take the task, is of the most formidable kind. " This betokens a very perplexing and very unpromising state of things. It shows the perils by which we are surrounded. It gives us a clearer view of the complications of parties, and of the confusion which exists in the high places of political society, than almost anything that could be ima gined. But still, notwithstanding all the difficulties of what the French would call " the situation," we would have no uneasy apprehensions as to the ultimate result, were the people only true to themselves and: to their principles. To our minds, by far the worst feature of the present position of parties and of matters, is the comparative indifference which the people apparently feel in the issue of the existing con fusion. We use the word apparent,' because the indifference is more in app earance than reality. But' whether it be actual or not, the result is substantially the same. An apparent in difference may be, at the present juncture, quite as disastrous to the popular cause, as an indifference which is real. Men judge of things by appearances. If the people at this moment ous crisis, demean themselves in such a way as to convey the idea that they feel no particular interest in the issue of the present posture of affairs, the necessary con c l us i on on the part of states men and politicians will be, that they are indifferent as to the ultimate results of the existing crisis. It is all the more deeply to be deplbred, that the country is silent and inactive at such a. juncihre as the present, be cause there never was a period within the memory of man, when the voice of the people could. have been raised with so powerful an effect, as it could be at this moment. The destinies of the country are entirelj in its own hands. Lord Stanley, or Lord anybody else, may form a Ministry to-day, but if the people please they can, by a single breath, destroy that Ministry to-morrow. The power of public opinion never was so great as it is at this hour. It is omnipotent. Its irresistible might is derivedsfsom the complication of political interests, and the confusioaaff parties, te which we , have alluded. If we could only arouse the country to a sense of its duty in this great pot al emergency, we should care but comparatively little ho is to be the head of the new Ministry, or who are telm its members. Be that Minister whom he may, be the Cabinet what it will, he and it would fail if not based on liberal principles. Their only chance of getting on even for one brief week, would be by proposing a course of policy in 'accordance with popular opinion. The people can, it they only awaken out of sleep, and acquit themselves with the energy which the emergency required,. compel whatever set of men may be in office, to act in ,accordance with popular principles, and keep abreast with popular feeling. The inactivity of the country is, we must own, altogether unin telligible to us. A concurrence Of ... carious circumstances such as do not happen once in a ceatury— s has brought about a political crisis, in which all the great parties in the State seem equally helpless. They have the greatest difficulty in forming even the semblance of a Government. All who make the attempt to construct a .n,sv Cabinet, or who even entertain the idea, feel that without ateomniodating themselves to the views and wishes of the peoplethere could not be the most slender chance of success, And yet in this state of affairs— a state of affairs so singularly favourable to the popular cause— the country seems in a profound sleep. It is per mitting the most favourable opportunity which ever pre sented itself for insuring the permanent triumph of the popular cause—to pass away unimproyed. The people were roused to sensibility and action, a fortnight ago, when Sir Charles Wood attempted to play of his financial jugglery at their expense. They felt, and spoke, and acted, when he sought to impose upon them, by legerdemain expedients, in connexion with the window and Retie duties. Nor did they look on in silence and with folded: hands, when the Right Ron. Gentleman proclaimed hie s iotention of renewing the income-tax, with all its enormitievyid iniquities, for another period of three years. So much the inorennaccountable is the apathy of the nation; at a time so "regnant with momentous results to the country. The titmice - Ind seeming insensibility of the people are to us wholly incomprehensible. But it is not yet too late to awake out oflll'eep. It is not yet past time to arouse themselyes front, their apparent lethargy. Let them even now but open their eyes, and work them selves up to vigorous action, anetheir own triumph, with the triumph of popular principlesSeeill yet be achieved. The course which the country oughbaile‘the present emergency, to adopt, is clear. Public meetings should immediately . be held'in all parts of the country4p pass resolutions, affirming in the most explicit and energetic:language which it is pos sible to employ, that no Governthent will be entitled to, and cannot possess, the confidence , 'Of the nation, which- is not based on the three great principles of a rigid economy in the public expenditure, an extension of the franchise, and an abrilged duration of Parlia ments. We made this suggestion on Monday ; we repeat it now. The courseiffaich it indicates, is the only one which will meet the exigewetee of the case. All that is wanting, we are convinced, in order to ensure its universal adoption, is, that a beginning shestid be made. To the me tropolis we naturally look for k initiative. The country will expect London to make a commencement. The move ment ought to have been inaugiirated before now. Thu City should by this time haVe set thdAtitatien aping. Diary le bone would have followed. So would all the other metro politan boroughs. And all the populous towns in the pro vinces would have forthwith sheitated the example set by London. It is not too late not#: ''Let the City move in the matter, without another day's delay. Shall we appeal to it in vain? Then we tarn to Marylebone,—the greatest bo rough in the world. To the men'of Marylebone, the cause of civil and religious liberty has, on innumerable occasions, been under the deepest obligations. It will not desert us now. We know that our appeal to it will meet with a prompt and hearty response. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—The labours of yesterday—the sixth day since the commencement of the Ministerial crisis—commenced with increased activity in the Tory camp, and great was the curiosity to watch and ascertain the movements of the bold leader summoned to terminate this suspense of the State. Already a pregnant inference might be drawn as to Lord Stanley's opinion of his Protectionist supporters and of his ultimate chances of success, from the tact that the first per son he applied to was Viscount Canning, who was invited to join the Tory Government with the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Lord Canning has official expe rience, good judgment, and high Parliamentary ability, which fit him for a high post in the State; but he is well known as a firm adherent to the free-trade policy of the last Government to which he belonged, and he consequently de clined to accept Lord Stanley's proposal. In his first step, therefore, the Protectionist leader dropped the cause of Pro tection, and held out the temptation of high office to one of Sir Robert Peel's lieutenants. At eleven o'clock in the fore noon Mr. Gladstone reached London, and an interview immediately took place between him and Lord Stanley. Al ready, at two o'clock, the result of this meeting had .trana pired, and it was known that Mr. Gladstone also declined to join the projected Administration. From that moment the. undertaking became more desperate, for it was not to the obscure aspirants of the Protectionist benches that Lord Stanley's sagacity had taught him to look for the substance of an administration of which he should be the head. We know not to what extent Major Beresford and Mr. Disraeli have shared in his deliberations, but it deserves to be ob served that this was the first serious attempt to reconstitute the Conservative party by a reconciliation between Lord Stanley and some, at least, of the followers of Sir Robert Peel; and that the attempt proved wholly unsuccessful. If, therefore, Lord Stanley has not already abandoned the undertaking altogether, he is at least compelled to fall back on coadjutors whose insignificance as politicians his own proceedings have sufficiently ad mitted. It chanced that the day on which the political vane was thus turning with the unsteady breezes to each successive point of the compass had been appointed by het Majesty for the first levee of the season. The apartments of St. James were crowded to excess with the leaders of every party—the victims of the late change. or the eager winners on another hazard, the veteran servants of the Crown, and the disbanded militia which rival Governments press into their service—fluctuating in all the vicissitudes of ambition or of fear, of patriotic hope or selfish calculation. The agitation which reigned without had collected a larger assemblage to the Court, but the extreme diversity of politi cal opinions resolved itself there into a general feeling of re spect and interest for her Majesty. It would be difficult to point out another moment in our Parliamentary history at which the chief offices of Government have been'vaeated with so little ap parent necessity for a great change, yet withsonstachdifficulty in supplying the wants of the public service. To the coun try at large, and even to the busy community of this metro polis, these events have come so suddenly and with so little preparation that their full importance is even now scarcely recognized. The good sense of the nation refuses to believe in the possibility of a Tory Government, bound to attempt the renewal of a Protectionist policy; and it is commonly suspected that the whole series of these transactions is des tined to end in nothing more than a new distribution of offi cial appointments amongst men connected with the last Ad ministration Very probably that is the termination' to which the crisis will at last be brought. But, in the meantime, the uncertainty of these successive phases in the attempt to com pose or to reconstruct a Government is such as to induce the acutest observers to suspend their judgment; and, even in the presence of the Court, the elation of one party or the dejection of another—the reluctant efforts of this or that leader, and the invincible objections of the persons invited to take office—were quoted as authentic indications of the di. rection about to be given to the Government of England. Yet, we must hope that these unavailing efforts and abortiVe combinations will not prove altogether without profit to the future, and that a nearer acquaintance with' the difficulties inherent in the present state of affairs may teaeh all parties a lesson of forbearance. It is a circumstance of extreme importance that Lord Stanly has been not only fully em powered, but urgently pressed, by the necessity, of the case, tc form a Government ; and that if, as we are disposed to anticipate, he fads on this occasion, actual experience will have shown that the thing is not to be done, either with the present House of Commons or with the prospect of a dissolution— that, in truth, the materials of such a Cabinet do not exist. That would be in our opinion the most forcible ar gument ever addressed to the nation against the possibility of restoring a system of protective duties ; and, if the leaders of the Tory party are able to turn that lesson to advantage, they will begin at last to comprehend that the consolidation of their body, with a view to the recovery of power, must be accomplished by means wholly different from those which they have employed since 1846. Assuming the attempt of Lord Stanley to be unsuccessful, we shall probably be asked " What next ?" although at present no further steps can have been taken. Among the various combinations which have been attempted, that which approached most nearly to Nccess, and which most nearly responded to the wishes of the Mintry, was the fusion ofthe late Whig Administration, or rather of its survivors, with some of the chief members of the Peel party. Both in the late Cabinet and among the followers of Sir Robert Peel there are men most qualified for effective service; and we see no reason to doubt that either: by a short period of common opposition to an adverse Govern. ment, or by wider personal concessions, some of these states men may restore a strong Administration to the country in conjunction with new allies. CHRONICLE.— Our anticipations have been justified by Mr. Gladstone's refusal to take office under the Protectionist leader. The high feeling and the attachment to principle which dictated his refusal have been shared by his former colleague, Lord Canning, whose presence in the Foreign office would have relieved Lord Stanley from one of his prin cipal difficulties. In both cases, the unhesitating rejection of high office from a Premier whose opinions were known to be unfavourable to a liberal commercial policy will be ge nerally appreciated as it deserves. Lord Stanley must now either relinquish his task, or proceed in the desperate at tempt td effect it without the aid of a single experienced statesman. His position is, both personally and politically, isolated. lie will neither find a capable colleague, nor enjoy the couneenance of any section of Parlia ment except that which, in the House of Lords, has followed his lead, ,and which, in the Commons, has acted with Mr. Disraeli. The difficulties of his situation are aggravated by the refusal ot . ::is adherents to give up the question of Protection. Lord Stanley would willingly have waited, in the hope of conciliating support by incidental mea sures of retrenchment, accompanied by popular financial pro posals; but the obstinate determination of the bulk of the party has forced the leader to hoist his true colours. The Protectionists must assume the government of the country with the avowed purpose of checking the free-trade system, or they must finally renounce their . pretensions. We still believe that the duration of the experiment will be measured by hours rather than by weeks. Lord Stanley has hitherto displayed no eagerness for office; nor can his attempted negotiations with Mr. Gladstone have been dictated by feelings of conscious power and security. Seeing the hopelessness of permanently establishing his party in power, he will probably once more recommend them to wait, and will leave it to experience to teach them that the present is their last opportunity. It may be that the confession of failure will be veiled by some formal progress in the distri bution of offices, in the expectation that circumstances or conflicting personal claims will furnish, at the last moment, some plausible excuse for abandoning an impracticable ex , periment. Until the Ministry is formally in office it will be unsafe to speculate on its final establishment; and it is'pro bable that the crisis will yet be terminated by some arrange ment by which the most eminent supporters of free trade may form a united Cabinet. The second failure of Lord John Russell removes obstacles from negotia tion, to which we have on former occasions adverted. Few other members of the late Cabinet are personally pledged to the obnoxious parts of its recent proposals; and' there can be no doubt that the majority of the body will re joice in the introduction of a more satisfactory financial scheme, and in the final discontinuance of sectarian agitation. Whenever the occasion occurs—and it cannot long be de layed—Lord John Russell may make a graceful andpatriotic use of his personal influence with his party, by inducing them to renounce the exclusive position of the old Whig. League, for the purpose of serving their country on larger and more liberal principles. Unwilling as we are to antici pate even the momentary success of Lord Stanley's untoward experiment, it is necessary to consider the results to which the immediate triumph of the retrograde party may lead. Ambition, and shame, and half-desperate hope may induce Lord Stanley to accept the vacant helm, against his own bet terjudgment. If heshould venture to meet Parliament as Minis ter, his difficulties will commence with the first debate. It will be necessary to avow the general policy which his party hag forced upon him; and although he may probably abstain from specific measures against free trade, the preponderating majority of the community will accept his defiance without waiting to receive his attack. From the first moment, his Government will be in a minority— a minority not to be.mea sured by the numbers of the temporary coalition which took the opportunity of Mr. Disraeli's motion to express its gene ral dissatisfaction with the late Government. Itwill be well for Lord Stanley that the determination of the House of Com mons to reject his policy should be marked and decisive. It is only confidence in Parliament which can moderate the agitation which might possibly, under other circumstances, convulse the country. We have little doubt that, on all questions affecting the duration of the Ministry, the Opposi tion would have a steady majority of not, less than forty votes. It is in vain that the Protectionists repeat, for their own consolation, the well-known fact that the late Whig Government also held office in the face of a permanent majority. The difference between the cases is to be found in the wishes of the late, as contrasted with those of the future Opposition. Up to the last moment, both sections of the majority which sat on the Speaker's left wished to keep the Ministry in office. The Free-traders would, alike from duty and inclination, drive the Protectionist Govern ment from power before it had time W do permanent injury to the country. From Mr. Cobden to the most Conservative of the friends of the late Sir Robert Peel, a common desire would prevail to secure the cause of commercial freedom and at the same time to preclude a dangerous agitation In estimating the balance of parties, it must be remembered that the Irish Roman Catholic Members swelled the late Protectionist majority, exclusively on grounds of t heir own. The new leader of the House of Commons woad be com pelled to explain his intentions with respect to the Anti papal proceedings in favour of which Lord Stanley has expressed himself so strongly. If he promises action, he loses the support of the section which so strongly resented Lord John Russell's attack on the Irish hierarchy. A refusal to proceed with No-Popery measures would alienate Lord, Ashley and Sir Robert Inglis, and would be an avowed abandonment of principle. The late Ministry has left a fatal inheritance to successors who are compelled to wear its cast off garments. In speaking of Lord Stanley's Parliamentary embarrassments we have not forgotten the possible resort of a dissolution ; but it is fortunate that so desperate an alter native can scarcely be adopted without a considerable delay. The public business will compel the new Ministry to face a hostile majority for some weeks, and to undergo the criti cism which will await its policy from every states man in either House of Parliament. With a da rssaged reputation, and amid associations of defeat, it must appeal to the country, if at all; nor will it offer any question for solution to the constituencies of the cozultry, except that on which the balance of the constitutions, forces has finally been proved and known. The counties haV° nearly done their best and their worst. They may still re:;?rif, here or there, a Protectionist in but the numerical strength place of a more liberal Biett7be.r; of parties will not be material) chilOged in England ; and y"' in Ireland the balance will be ent.:4ely opposed to a retro grade policy. Lord Stanley can no ,?core shaka off the No-Popery prejudices of a portion of his sup ',Sorters thap he can dispense with the Protectionist fallacies of the bulk of the party. The great town and the inainsfacturing and commercial districts may not, perhaps, add greatly to the present number of t i the free-trade represeAtatives ; but an election will give them an opportunity for agitation by which they will not be slow to profit. The new majority of the House of Commons will represent the same doctrines which p r evailed at the.elec tiou of 1847 ; but it will be the organ of very different feel ings, and of passions far more deeply excited. Mr. Cobden, with a mission to perform and an opponent too vercome, will be a more formidable antagonist than he may ppear to those LONDON, THURSDAY -E-VENING, FEBRUARY 27, TITLE who only judge him when he is seeking to divert the ennui of security by incidental political digressions. After Agitat ing the country, and inflaming political animosity, Lord Stanley would only find that a dissolution had left him more hopelessly overpowered than ever. It will be wiser to be content with Parliamentary defeats than to risk a final and ruinous appeal to the country. Wisest of all will be the course of admitting in time that the attempt to form an Ad ministration is hopeless. It is not improbable that Lord Stanley will establish this negative claim to the gratitude of the country. He has, thus far, not been greedy of office ; and he may not be tenacious in keeping it. DAILY NEWS.—The rumours yesterday were few re specting the formation of a Government. Hopeful excite ment has subsided, and a dolorous gloom pervaded political circles, as if England was as incapable as France of finding men to govern it. Lord Stanley, it was said, had required a prolongation of the time, and was allowed till Friday to soften and to weld his unpromising and unpliable materials. Yet his Lordship was considered to have few hopes of either inducing the country gentlemen to leave protection an "open question," or to get any or many of the Peelites to embark with him in so rough a sea, and for so little purpose. The speculator in future Ministries was, therefore, compelled to look once more along the scattered ranks of the Free-traders,where in truth reigns aught but unanimity. With a great many the - crisis seems narrowed to a mere question of persons. And the difficulty seems to be not what course to follow out, what principles and measures to insist on, but bow to pack the crews of two vessels into one. Li order to begin fairly and - calmly the first proposal is to fling the old captain overboard, without, at the same time, acquainting us who is to be the new. Such is the cool proposition of the Times. According to this ready reservoir for any malignity, which a party on the rise may choose to void on a party falling, Lord John Russell is a great criminal: his " letter gays intensity and political importance to the anti-Papal agitation." Heaven knows that if any mouth or pen stirred and aggravated that agitation, it was the daily articles of the Times, which journal, in greedily welcoming and prominently publishing the famous Durham letter, accompanied it by the following terse and expressive article : " The letter of Lord John Russell to the Bishop of Dur ham, which we publish elsewhere, deserves the deepest at tention. It is a clam and uncompromising statement of principles and opinions which are entertained with wonder ful unanimity by all the wise and moderate in this country. Sweeping aside with manly vigour the false and sophistical analogies in which the subject has been sought to be en tangled, Lord John Russell points at once to the real merits of the question—the assumption of authority over her Ma jesty's subjects and supremacy over her dominions. But treating these empty bravadoes of a petty foreign prince with comparative contempt, he proceeds to point to the fountain and origin of the evil—the apostacy of a large number of the English clergy, who have prepared the way by secret treason for this open attack upon our Church and Crown. These sen timents, as terse and vigorous as they are wise and true, would command respect from whatever quarter they came, but their importance is infinitely enhanced when we consider that •they are the deliberate opinions of a statesman, the tried friend of toleration, who has now, alas! no equal in know ledge of our constitution and experience of its working, and whose mind is deeply imbued with the spirit of that ancient limited monarchy which has descended to us alone of all the nations of Eur Ope pure and unimpaired. Still more important is this letter as , a solemn pledge given by the head of our Executive Government to the nation, that the two enormous grievances which it points out shall not remain unredressed, If the law be comprehensive enough to reach the offenders, it will be put in force ; if not, Lord John Russell still expresses a persuasion, in which all will join, that we are strong enough to repel all outward attacks. Nor can we believe that Lord John Russell has thus publicly and emphatically called at tention to the apostacy of many clergymen of our own Church, who are acting within her precincts the part o f Roman Catholic propagandists, and of whose abandonment of their insidious courses he expresses no hope, merely for the purpose of holding up those persons to obloquy and disgrace, however well merited We trust to see in these expressions signs of a purpose, not yet, perhaps, fully , matured, but rapidly growing towards completion—the pur pose of cleansing our Church from the discredit cast upon her quite as much by the treachery as by the schism of her members—the purpose of rendering our universities some thing better than schools of Popery and mysticism—the pur pPse of restoring to us our Church such as the Reformation gave it to us, the child of light and reason, unclouded by superstition, undegraded by priestcrafc, clear and comprehen sive in her doctrines, built upon truth, and siphoning false hood. If Lord John Russell does really entertain such in tentions, we are convinced he may count with confidence on the support of the English people, who are above all things lovers of truth, and who, though perfectly willing to tolerate any difference of opinion from their own, will not tolerate the domineering spirit which seeks for supremacy because it has been allowed equality, nor the sordid treachery which hides its insidious advances under the mask of a hollow con formity." Now, is it not disgraceful that an English journal of the first circulation and repute should feel itself so above every scruple of conscience, every feeling of honour, every respect for consistency, that it durst pnblish two such opinions, within the space of a few weeks of the same document and the same Minister? Throughout the entire rise of that reli gious agitation, the Times hounded on the clergy and the laity,. and the Cabinet. And because, forsooth, this has had the effect of alienating a score of Irish supporters of the Go vernment, the Times turns round, recants its Protestant zeal, eats its own Whig panegyrism, and actually comes at the head of a band of official rivals to demand the dismissal of that Minister whom, at the head of the public, it drove to commit that very act, and adopt that very policy, for which the sacrifice is demanded. If a public man did this, what should we call him ? Yet one fault scarcely implicates a country. Whereas a journal like the Times is considered as one representing the country in its consistency and mo rality, as well as in its' opinion. And if so, what is the character of the English public? We shall not follow the long and, formal string of accusations which the Times brought yesterday against that patron in whom it saw no fault till the day that he fell. We were never supporters of Lord John. We are as alive to his defects as to his merits. But when we recollect his long career, his early struggles, not for place, which was then hopeless, but for the achievement of those great measures of civil and re , ligious liberty which for ever must attach to and immor talise his name, we must own that we regard those flatterers who licked this great Minister's plate, and who now, curs that theyare, turn to bay and bite at his heels, with a feel ing of contempt indeed for them, but of indignant sorrow for the country whose character they stain. We are not, how ever, prepared to maintain that Lord John Russell should have_ a life-tenure of power. If he have failed in the neces sary art and address of preserving the attachment of his party, let him retire, But to dismiss such a statesman with a kick, such as Harlequin might deal to Pantaloon, this, though it may suit the Times, jars with our ideas of • justice and decorum. Let us, moreover, see, ere we condemn him, that we actually gain by the change. If Lord Stanley and the Protectionists have a chance of success, it lies in the break up of the great Liberal party, and its not being efficiently led. The Times, with its wonted feelings of delicacy and justice, throws all the blame of Sir Charles Wood's Budget upon Lord John. And what it proposes is neither more nor less than to preserve and perpetuate in . power the whole dynasty of the Greys, Woods, and all, dismissing Lord John, like a scape-goat, his back laden with their crimes. We will not imitate the Times in discussing the merits and adminis trative talents of Lord Grey, nor yet of Sir Charles Wood. He is defunct, unless the Times' intrigue should galvanise him. What we would say is, that the country have a right to have-the beat men of the Liberal party to form a Ca chi b e i f n s e o L f flanmiolriedsertoto expellaave t o h th em el: w th e ie m fs us o t f n fa o m t ilies. Wthee must insist on having the best men, without their tails. We want Lord John without the Russells and Elliotts— Lord Grey without his clientelle. If Lord John is to be ex iled to Woburn we cannot do less than fling Sir Charles Wood into the Thames. Let us have a Cabinet of capable men, business men, trustworthy men; and let us not allow them to form cliques and family parties, each declaring that lie cannot come in without his friends, as if a Ministerial council was like a feudal gathering in which opinions pre vailed according to the length of the chieftain's tail. Let us have a broad Cabinet, no snug family party of Graham end Grey, one pretending to be a Conservative, the other affecting to be Liberal, and neither being either the one or the other but so tar as it suits them, to gull the House and make political capital. Constitutional government, as far as it is carried on by a Cabinet, has hitherto been a humbug. And what the Times and other people are now striving at is just to svbstitute a complex humbug for a simple one. We can see plainly the intrigues getting up for the purpose. WhoeYer will look into them will see nothing but baseness and selfishness at work. And if the public light be not let in the same will go on to the end of time. POST.—The Ministerial crisis continues, and Rumour is as busy as usual upon such occasions. Every possible and impossible combination of men—every conceivable and in conceivable amalgamation of measures—all that has ever been, and all that can ever be, of political action and politi cal passion, is, in its turn, asserted as the sure and certain catastrophe of'this strange and unpremeditated drama. The truth seems to retire from public gaze, within the decent precincts of her native modesty. That she does exist there can be no doubt, but where she is and what she is about no one seems to be able to tell. In the absence of fact the rage for fiction is insatiable, and consistency either in statement or in opinion is sadly out of fashion. Of error, in fact, even in inconsiderable matters, the Chronicle, the Times, and the Daily News of yesterday give us curious speci mens. The Chronicle says that Mr. Gladstone gallantly fought at the right hand of Sir Robert Peel, from December, 1845, to the dissolution of the Peel Government. The truth is that Mr. Gladstone lost his seat for Newark when he accepted the office vacated in December, 1845, by Lord Stanley, and could not get any other constituency to elect him. die remained out of Parlia ment altogether till the general ction of 1847, when Ox ford, on ecclesiastical grounds only, returned him to the House of Commons. During the whole time, therefore, when the, Chronicle says ' that the Right Hon. Gentleman was lighting " at the right hand" of his chief, he was not in the battle at all. He was presentin spirit, perhaps, and that is as well, so no . doubt was the writ er in the Chronicle. The _ _ Times, fearful that a less apparento; more important mis statement might evince a less ardent attachment to error for her own sake, tells us, in the enthusiasm of his delight in being wrong, that the Ministry just dead, or living as the case may be, held office longer than any other, except the Liverpool Administration. But the Melbourne Ministry existed from April, 1835, to September, 1841. Lord John Russell's Government came into office in July, 1846, and lasted until February, 1851. So the Times declares to the world that four years and seven months is considerably longer than six years and five months. This is a small matter, but extremely edifying withal. The Daily News gives as the newest news from Paris, that Monsieur Lemoine has just published the latest sentiments of Louis Philippe, taken down from his own lips. Anybody may have read M. Lemoine's book in London many months ago. Such things as these are natural, we suppose, in the time of a ministerial crisis. Still, they fail to attract atten tion, and so the Times resolves to exhibit a more won derful wonder than them all. He tells just the smallest possible modicum of the truth, and if this do not astonish the world, what on earth will? Our contemporary yesterday gravely announced the fact, that Lord John Rus sell is out of office, or so nearly so, that the difference between the two conditions is not worth mentioning. The Noble Lord is, he believes, to be no longer Minister. And what has the Times to tell the world upon this matter? Why, that the Times has changed his opinion of Lord John Russell. Had Lord John continued in office, the Times declares lustily, and truly no doubt, that he would have supported him with all the might of Printing House-square. He would have pronounced him the possessor of every virtue, and the very pattern of statesmanship; but as he is out, look ye, my masters—aye, and the only one who will certainly not come in again —the sabaz Times avows and swears that he is the very scurviest politician-,,the most blundering Minister that ever held office. Any of his late colleaves may , do very well—for the Times is not sure but that with Lord Stanley or Sir James Graham Mr. Cobden or somebody, they play yet be in power. So, if they have any faults, let them bg transferreil to Lord John. What has a man, ho may yet be in office to do with faults? If anybody has sinned, let Lord John be punished, for he is no longer in power. That the Times would pursue such A course as this most men believed, bat that it would avow it in the face of day we think no ono was prepared to expect. Let THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS. The excitement which. has prevailed during the past three or four days on the subject of the Ministry was in no degree diminished yesterday. The summons received by Lord Stanley to attend her Majesty at Buckingham Palace at an early hour in the morning, and the arrival of Mr. Gladstone in London from Paris, rather tended to increase the anxiety naturally felt as to the arrange ments in progress, and - the saloons of the " Carlton" and the " Retorm" were thronged during the day and up to a lute hour last evenin g by groups of eager in quirers, all anxious to obtain the " latest intelligence" from head-quarters oa.the all-absorbing subject. Thu following incidents dotted down chronogically will Lord Stanley , in obt r dience to her Mrjesty's commands, Pa proceeded to Buckingham the last 24 hours:— show the order of events duri ng_l. ace at an early hour yes terday morning and had au audi enc e with the Queen. The Noble Lord returned to his residence in St. James's square at twelve o'clock. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone arrived at his re sidence in Carlton -gardens shortly after noon yesterday from Paris. Immediately after hii arrival the Right Lord Stanley at his Lord ship's Th e interview be tween Lord Stanley and Mr. Glad stone was of very short duration. Mr. Gladstone su bse q ue nt ) llon. t Gentleman esid residence, , in waited s t. Jame The ee .8 q u are. proceeded to Argyll house, to pay a v i s it to the Earl of Aberdeen, with whom the Right Hon. Gentleman had a long conference. The Earl of Aberdeen received visits yesterday Newcastle, Viscount C an Duke lion.ke' 3 f Edward Ellice. After the nm L i e on v rg e l e an , ng t Nobleh df e rtohme itt h i eg Earlßight was visited by Sir James Gra ham, who remained closeted with his Lordship for more than two hours. Lord Stanley attended the Levee yesterday. Viscount Canning paid a visit t o L ord Stanley after yesterday Yerough morning. rec eived a communication the Levee. Lord John Russell receive d a dispatch fro m the Earl of The Aberdeen Earlo Y f e from Lord Stanley yesterday. Mr. Disraeli h as b een so closely engaged during the past three days at his man s i on i n p ar k-lane that no other person than Lord Sta n l e y h as been It is said that M ad mitted to an interview with the gm Member. The heads of the Protectionist party dined with the Earl and Countess of Glengall last evening at their man sion in Grosvenor-street. Lord and Lady Stanley, the Earl of Lonsdale, Mr. and Mrs. Disraeli, the Earl and Countess of Chesterfield, and Viscount Canterbury, were circulation that Mr. among the guests. ooiwn Lord St a nl e y, b ecause -41 the Noble Lord contem u t s o t n j platss the: im pos ition oi , a five- Gl W ad e sto g n iv e e h a a s s ru de ni c o li u n r e s d j shilling duty on corn; and that, in the event of any dif ficulty occurring to prevent Lord Stanley completing his Cabinet, her Majesty has determined to send for the Earl of Clarendon. R. Lord Stanley the Queen yesterday morning at Buckingham Palac e. His It o al H O i g hl h a d n ß e nT s P audiencet C i n e RCof A lb ert rode out on horse back yesterday, attended by Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. The Marquis of Westminster had the honour of dining with tier Majesty last evening at Buckingham Palace, His Excellency the American Minister, Mrs. Law rence, and Colonel T. B. Lawrence, hare left town on a visit to his Grace the Duke of Rutland, Belvoir Castle. PROVIDENT CLERKS' ASSO- CIATION. The annual meeting of the benevolent department of the Provident Clerks' Association was held lust evening, at the London Tavern ; John Abel Smith, Esq., M.P., in the chair. Among those present we observed, besides the Chnirmin, Baron L. de Rothschild, M.P. ' • - M2ssrs. R. H. Jones, J. W.Welch, W. J. Jordan, S. Jepp s , J. Dankaerts, W. S. Sewell, J. Lintott, A. Dawson, Win. Maitland, Richard Price, John Clarke, Samuel Notley, H. B. Reynolds, Edward Coleman, A. Smee, &c. &c. The SECRETARY (Mr. Byrne) then read the report of which the following is an abstract : s. d. " Received from 65 new subscribers ... 66 3 0 Ditto 427 old ditto ... 463 1 0 Life subscribers, three ... Don ations 529 4 0 .., 31 10 0 560 14 0 132 6 6 £693 0 6 being an increase over last year (f 51/. 18s. " 19 gratuities have been presented to 18 members, amounting to-1094 " 108 members have received loans to the extent of 2,2-161., being au excess of 60/. on the previous year. " On the 29th of .lay last, in accordance with the resolution a the last annual meeting, one clerk was elected to an annuity of 251., end two widows of clerks to annuities of 15/. each, making together four clerks and thirteen widows, at a charge of 2951. per annum. " One of the annuitants elected in Ma) 1846, under the initials 4S. W.,' has died during the past year, leaving the number at present four clerks and twelve widows of clerks. " The report further stated that the expenses charged to this department had been reduced from one-fifth to one -tenth part. " The balance-sheet shows an increase in the funds of 4451. 15s. 10d. during the past year. " The trustees met at the office of the association on the 24th instant, and inspected and approved of the balance-sheet of both departments. " The board recommended that on the 24th of May next, ono clerk be elected to an annuity of 251., and two widoWs of clerki to annuities of 151. each; and in the event of no clerk offering, then three widows be elected. " The board have been occupied in reconsidering the rules of this department, with a view to their amend ment, and the alterations contemplated will be submitted to the members at a special meeting to be convened for that purpose; _ _ " The . board express their regret that they do not re ceive that support from clerks which the benefits con ferred by this association would lead them to expect, but hope that the increased co-operation of the mem bers during the present year will place this department in a much higher state of prosperity. " The assurance branch of this association continues to progress favourably. " 391 policies for 77,1501., and 11 annuities, were issued during the past year, and the stock increased to 10,0004 being double the amount invested during the year 1849. " The board of management, lastly, call upon all the members to assist them in carrying out measures which have for their object the Food of so large and so useful a body of the community. " The SECRETARY also read a statement of the re ceipts and expenditure for the year ending 31st De cember, 1850, which showed that the receipts ex ceeded the expenditure, from the formation of the association to this date, 12,484/. 6i. 4d. The CHAIRMAN said, you have heard the report which has just been read with an account of the i s r y far probably expenses for th e p as t y ea r, and I will only now re mark with respect to them, that though there is an improvem en t, an d an i ncrease as regar d s th e e ff or t s made by cle r k s t o suppor t th e b enevo l en t f un d, y et the result short myself saysomething w o i t f h w e h o a n t g a e t u w l a i s t h in e g y d more and ou de sired o n to see. shall with reference to the subject hereafter, therefore I shall now conte nt the general advancement, progress, and prosperity of both the benevolent and benefit department, and sub mitting to y ou , the adoption o f th e repor t, beg ging you to pass as a reiolutien that the re port should be received, printed, and circulated at the discretion of the board of manageMent. If any gentlemen present should have any observation to make either with regard to the management or any suggestions to offer for improvement in the associa tion, probably this will be the most convenient time to speak. In order to induce members to make those observations which may occur to them, I beg to call upon Mr. Jones, the chairman of the board, who is desirous of making a few observations on the subject of the report.—(Hear.) Mr. JONES on rising was received with cheers. He said—l think this, Sir, is the best time to make a few observations with respect to the report, seeing that it will give members an opportunity subsequently of alluding to anything which may fall from me. It is, I assure you, extremely gratifying to the managers that though they have not much to boast of in the way of improvement, still there is some improve ment in this department—and I am sure all will concur with me, that small as it is, it is of im portance.—(Hear, hear.) There is a trifling im provement over former years, and we are always too happy to be able to announce it. 4Still I hope, as I know there is plenty of room for further improve ment, that we shall have greater success during the present year.. The report has alluded in general terms to the contemplated alteration of the rules. As this is a meeting at which we cannot entertain any observations on that point, as the subject will be brought before you at a special meeting convened for the purpose, I will merely say that every attention will be given, as I promised this time last year, to that question which is so important yet so difficult to determine.—(Hear, hear.) I will not . say more on the subject, I merely make these obser vations because they will, perhaps, prevent discussion; in fact, discussion, cannot be raised on the subject, as to do so would be irregular. I will only add that a second meeting of our trustees and our excellent treasurer has been held, and we still solicit their assistance to enable us to carry out what we find to be a very-difficult undertaking. It is customary on these occasions just to allude to what has been done during the past year. On the present occasion I will do so briefly, because many of the gentlemen present are anxious to leave as soon as they' conveniently can. As regards the loans, we have beard it announced that the in crease has been considerable during the past year—l think about 7001. Now, the money thus lent is on many occasions evidently a source of • great comfort and advantage to the borrowers—(Hear)—but it in volves matters which are fraught with much trouble and labour to those in the office as well as to the ma nagers. This we do not complain of, but lam sorry to say I cannot help remarking that during the past year the engagements entered into by the borrowers have not been so faithfully fulfilled as on former oc casions. I speak generally, of course, and no one knows to whom I allude. What I say now, how ever, I hoPe will go forth in the public press, to those who are absent, whom I should wish to know, it is of essential importance inte rested as they all are—that they should be punc tual in the observance of their engagement.— (Hear, hear.) While on the same subject I would observe that we, as managers, have to act for a whole body, and if in the exercise of our duty we offend, I assure you it is with the greatest regret; but every one present must allow that we have a duty to perform, and if in our anxiety to protect the funds of the association, parties are put to any inconvenience,' or we are driven to the necessity of taking extreme mea sures, the fault is theirs and not ours. We do not pro ceed hastily, but only after:repeated applications, which are often totally disregarded.—(Hear.) I think it very necessary to make these observations on a point of so much importance.—(Hear.) You have heard that we intend to propose an increase in the number of annuitants. We feel that we can safely do this, otherwise we should not have thought of bringing such a proposition before you.—(Hear.) We feel that while we have funds and there are parties in need we ought not to withhold them. However, as we have lost one widow during the year, there will in reality be only an increase of two annuitants. Now, we think we may safely make that increase, and hope the proposi tion will receive the general approbation ofthe meeting. As regards the situation book, which is kept in the office, I would obsers e that it has not been alluded to in the report, but on these occasions I always think it necessary to bring the subject before the meeting. During the past year the managers have adopted a new mode of endeavouring to make this more use ful, by sending a circular to every one who adver tises in the Times for a clerk. It is the duty of one in the office to search the advertising columns of the Times every morning, and when he finds any parties who are in want of clerks, to send them a circular, together with a prospectus ; and thus, besides doing a service to individual members, we at the same time extend a knowledge of the benefits of the society.—(Hear.) During the last year fourteen gentlemen applied to the office for clerks, and out of that number four obtained situations—two at 50/. a year, one at 1201., and one at 1501.—(Hear , hear.) Therefore some good has been done ; and though wecannot get situa tions for every one who puts his name on the books, still we do all we can to give him an opportunity of obtaining employment—(Cheers.) Then as regards the gratuities, we have a record here of all that are granted ; I will just read two or three of them, omitting to mention names, in accordance with our custom, observing that all the cases are much of the same character. The first is that of a party who neglected to pay his premium_in _e!flse': quence of misfortune in business . He tailed arkd being unemployed, was dependent on a son for the support of himself and family. The society awarded him a gratuity of 101.—(Hear.) The next case is that of a widow, whose husband died in October last, ' leavin g her with six children, the eldest of whom was '.. 13 years , of age. Owi n g to a long and expensive ill- 1851. ness, be incurred :iabilitiek which the amount his' policy and other effects was barely sufficient to pay. She was obliged to dispose of the whole of het furni ture. We allowed her 83. a week fur 26 v. eeks.— (dear, hear.) The next is that of a husband who died, leaving his wife with two young children, one three years and the other nine months old, after a long illness of eight months. A gratuity of 51. was given to this deserving applicant.—(l - lear, hear.) Another case is that of a member who had the iris- fortune to be out of empioyment, without any meanT. of subsistence, and who carne to us to have his name. entered in the situation book ; we gave him a gra tuity of .5/. To another member, who was reluc tantly compelled to allow his policy to lapse, owing to great distress, we awarded a similar sum of 51. For the assistance thus given we received the moat grateful acknowledgments from all the partie - s. I could go on relating a variety of cases in all of which relief was granted, but I will content myself with only mentioning one more, because it shows a degree of most excellent feeling which cannot be too much ap plauded. A member who received Si. under such circumstances as those I have already stated happily obtained a situation, and afterwards returned the 51. with many thanks to the society.—(Cheers.) I have alluded to all these cases in order to show how im portant and useful that assistance is which is given at the peculiar time when it is moat needed, because it saves many a one from ruin ; find I could sho w by letters we ha‘e received from them how grateful they are, and how useful the timely assistance of the society has been.— (Hear.) I will not detain the meeting longer. Those points I thought it essential to notice, because they are points which the meeting should understand, and what I have said gives an op. portunity to members to make any observations upon them which may occur to their minds. In conclu sion, I shall be happy to answer any questions, or to entertain any recommendations which may come from individual members in the meeting.—(Cheers.) In answer to a Member, The CHAIRMAN said the question with reference to the proposed alteration of the rules, as to the ap propriation of a portion of the profits in the assur ance department to the benevolent branch of the in stitution, would be maturely and deliberately consi dered by the board. He had gone into the subject at some little trouble, and had consulted the trustees upon it ; and without expressing any opinion now, he would press upon the members that no change of the kind referred to should take place without the greatest possible care and deliberation.—(Hear ) He bad, therefore, made up his mind to depre cate any discussion on the point to-night, and he would appeal to the gentlemen present to postpone what they bad to say upon ,it until the subject was properly and regularly brought before a general meeting, called especially for the purpme. The MEMBER expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the explanation of the chairman. The report was then adopted. Mr. Waiacet, the deputy chairman of the board, having been called upon by the chairman, said —a rise with peculiar satisfaction to propose a resolutio n which I am certain will give you as much pleasure as it has given the board in coming to the con clusion that they would be enabled to carry out that which it directs us to do—viz., to grant annuities to two widows of members, and to one distressed member.—(Cheers.) When we know the unfortunate circumstances of those who become involved in difficulties and distress, this is always a pleasing task, and I am satisfied you will feel equally pleased in cordially agreeing to the resolution.— (Cheers.) I regret our funds are not in a more pros perous state, for it is just possible we may have a greater number of applicants than we can grant annuities to. That is one of the distressing circumstances of this association which we are anxious to remedy as soon as we possibly can; and without making any allusion to the proposed altera tions, I hope and trust, by our united exertions and labours, aided; by the assistance of those who take such a warm and deep interest in the association —I mean our excellent chairman and trustees, who have not only promised, but given us their most active co-operation I hope and trust we shall place the funds of the association in such a position as will enable us to do much more than we have hitherto done.—(Hear, hear.) It is, I repeat, most gratifying to come before you on the present occasion, and make the proposition which I now hold in my hand, because it will be the means of alleviating the distress of those who have been placed in a better position, and who now urgently require the assistance of this excellent institution. (Hear, hear.) I will not detain you by entering into any long statement, because Mr. Jones has already, and at length, alluded to the good the society does, not only in granting annuities to distressed clerks and widows of clerks, but also in enabling clerks who are unfortunately thrown out of situations to obtain others. But I will just mention a circumstance which came to my knowledge to-day. A. gentleman who was in want of a situation applied to me, and I recommended him to call on our secre tary. He happened just at thetime to hear of a vacancy in a mercantile house. Mr. Byrne gave him a letter of introduction. He did not succeed in obtaining the situation, but obtained another, and he came to me a few days ago and made a proposition to insure his life with the association—(Cheers) — telling me that his reason for coming to the institu tion was, that he felt it had shown some sympathy to him when he was anxiously looking out for employment.--(Cheers.) This is one of the gratifying circumstances, added to many others, con nected with our society.—(Cheers.) Mr. Welch con cluded by moving the following resolution : " That on the 28th May next, or such other day as the board may appoint, of which due notice shall be given, a special general meeting be held for the purpose of electing three additional annuitants duly qualified ac cording to the rules. viz.,—one clerk, being a member, to an annuity of 254, and two widows of members to annuities of 151. each; and in the event of no qualified member offering himself, then to elect three widows of members to annuities of 15/. each." Mr. PEIcE felt great pleasure in seconding the re solution, and in doing so he wished to call upon the clerks as a body to support the institution, and he felt himself perfectly justified in doing so when he looked at the large amount which was granted in annuities. If the clerks did not do so he feared the day would come when they would find that the hands of the institution were tied. But he hoped that it never would be so, and that the institution would be able to meet all the demands which might be made upon it, and hoped to see it placed in that high position to which the exertions of their officers had been so indefatigably directed. The resolution was then put from the chair, and carried unanimously. Mr. REYNOLDS rose to move the next resolution, which was— "That this meeting tenders its warmest thanks to Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P., Thomson Bankey, jun., Esq., W. G. Prescott, Esq., Baron L. de Rothschild, M.P., trustees of the association, and to John Abel Smith, Esq., M.P., treasurer of the benevolent fund, for their continued patronage and support." It gave him much pleasure to propose this vote of thanks where thanks were so greatly due.—(clear, hear.) Ills only regret was that they could not re ward them in the manner which would have been most gratifying to the feelings of these gentlemen, by showing to them a more prosperous balance-sheet. There was one word in the resolution to which he wished more particularly to advert, and that was that the meeting thanked these gentlemen for their con tinued patronage and support. However grateful they might feel to those gentlemen for their support in the first instance, they were under still greater obligations for continuing it to them so stedfastly in spite of the indifference and apathy with which this institution had been received by the clerks as a body. It was an easy matter for an unpractised speaker to get up year after year and talk on the same subject, and say something new on each occasion, and he himself should be disposed therefore to follow the ex ample of the old clergyman who had but a ligl t stock of sermons, which he showed more pertinacity in preaching than originality in varying, and who, on being remonstrated with, answered, " No, no, gentlemen, no new sermons until you practise the old ones better." He thought, however, that the institution had no ground for despondency, particu larly when he looked at the great good which it did. The affording of temporary relief was one of its most important objects, and he believed that no n ! an could tell of what value the relief was—in some in stances it was a salvation from ruin and despair. lle trusted that no one present would relax in his efforts, and he addressed himself more particularlyeirtoguthihoesea who were in a position to afford to was give to such more their a year to the benevolent fund ; particularly that he appealed to support the institu tion, for they were the proper persons by whom it it ought to be supported. IVith regard to poorer men he had always said be w ould prefer . seeing them be come members of the institution by effecting a sm a ll i nsuranc e than by subscribing a guinea. It wa s fur this reason that h e addressed his observati ons more particularly to them.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. FABIAN seconded the resolution, which was carried amid loud cheering. Baron ROTHSCBILD, in rising to return thanks, said that he held in his hand letters from Mr. Baring and Mr. Hankey, in which they expressed their regret that sudden calls of business had prevented their being present on this occasion, more particu larly as it was the first meeting from which either of them had ever been absent. Under those circum stances it devolved upon him to return thanks for himself and his colleagues for the resolution which had just been carried in so cordial a manner. It gave them all great pleasure, he could assure the meeting, to meet the supporters of the institution year by year, and particularly on the present occasion, as they had three opportunities of giving away money to persons who he was sure merited the donation. It would have given them still greater pleasure if, instead of ;'three . , - they had thirty—(llear, hear)—but on whom did the fault rest that it was not so ? Whether it was the fault of th clerks themselves or of the,public, was a question which had been so often discussed, that he really wished he had something new to shy on the subject.— (Hear, hear.) It seemed as if it was of no use asking the clerks to support the institutions. Ile thought the clerks were mere like their masters and preferred something in the way of busi ness, something which brought in money, and F 0 it -happened that the institution was not what it ought to be. In the adjoining room to which they were sitting there was now being held the festival of a large charity (the German Hospital), which was chiefly supported by citizene of London, vs hich was aide to give away large sums of money and do great good principally amongst forrigners, while this in stitution was only able to elett two an nuitants. Sorne pr9pot I he thought ought to be made to alter the establishment, to make it more of a charitable institution. If a dinner or a ball were to be given, or some means taken to et lect sums of money to be given away, he thought it would meet with support from the public. He had heard some one saying as he entered the room, that great exertions ought to be made to increase the amount of good which the institution was capable of doing. If the heads of firms were to come forward to mak+, donations to this institution tilt- sanieas they did to other chariti , . s, he was sure it would meet v. ith batter success than it had done for the last few years. For his - ow - ti - part anything he could do to contribute to such a happy result would be done with the greatest alacrity and pleasure. In conclusion, he begged to thank them very heartily for the manner in which they had passed and proposed the resolution. Mr. MAITLAND proposed the adoption of the fol lowing resolution That the best thanks of the meeting arc due, and are hereby presented, to the auditors, medical officers (both in town and country), and to the honorary solicitors, for their valuable services during the past year." He thought they were much indebted to the three classes of gentlemen mentioned in the resolution.— (hear, hear.) With regard to the auditors "their kindness had been grea t, b ut . h e sincerely hoped' that the trouble which they had in examining the accounts would be increased by the increase of the accounts themselves. To the medical officers also they were greatly indebted, and though fortunately they had not much occasion to trouble the honorary solicitor, and he hoped they never would have, still whenever they had had occasion for legal assistance it had been afforded to them in the kindest manner.—(Hear.) Mr. DANKAERTS briefly seconded the resolution. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. COLEMAN said, that in moving a resolution of thanks to the geatlemen who constituted the board of management, and while thanking them for the benefit which had accrued to the association through their instrumentality, he trusted, be might say, that the point on which they were most indebted, and which was entitled to their warmest thanks, was the care which they had taken in promoting the Insurance and Annuitants' Fund.—(Cheers.) In making this motion, however, he would take care not to occupy too much of the time of the meeting. He quite agreed with the Chairman and with Mr. Jones, in the belief that while the other objects contemplated by the association had been greatly advanced, that had not received sufficient consideration from the several members of the association— (Hear, hear) —and on that in the end, to a great extent at least, the success of the association would mainly depend.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that if the benefits of the society were sufficiently made known that the several clerks in the country would gladly respond to the appeal and con tribute to their funds, and thus promote the interests of their association.—(Cheer s .) He was quite sure that they might do more, not only in this way, but in a variety of ways. It was his belief that the clerks employed in mercantile and professional offices, net only in this city but in every other place in the country, were not to any adequate extent aware of the advantages . which a union with their associa tion would confer. The members themselves, b e b e . lieved, were not aware of the benefits which they en joyed, for, if they were, they would give to their in stitution a more generous and hearty support. — (Cheers.) He was grateful, as they all had reason to be, fur the kindness shown by the board of manage• merit in the conduct of their affairs; but he was es pecially grateful for the attention to the matters to which he had particularly referred.—(Cheers.) He believed that the members were scarcely able to judge of the amount of assistance which had been rendered to those who, by accident or casualty, had been deprived of their uspal employments. If their association was depressed it was so from the want of this knowledge, and he trusted therefore that the in formation which its benefits afforded would now be more generally understood.—(Cheers.) Ile took this no tice of the assurance portion of their association on the part of the directors as an index for the future. They all knew what an index was, and he trustsd that that index would point to a greater support of the institution.—(Hear, hear.) They all knew what an index was. It had a face or phaze with marks placed upon it, and a large hand pointing to these marks. Between the marks there were large spaces ; these spaces represented their fellow clerks in the country, and he trusted, therefore, that the hand would not be disregarded, but that their fellow clerks in the country would not hesitate to come for ward for the benefit of the association.—(Cheers.) lie would conclude by putting the resolution, which he trusted would be carried unanimously. The resolu tion was— " That the best thanks of this meeting be presented to the board of management for their continued exertions on behalf of the association." Mr. HOWELL rose most willingly to second the motion. He responded cordially to the observations which had been thrown out from the chair, and by the worthy Baron, respecting the advantages to be derived from this department. He believed that the members of the association were not half acquainted with them, and that, at any rate, they ought to be mora generally understood. But the fault lay with themselves. The clerks must them selves do more, and if they did, it was his decided impression that the principals of the several firms would readily come forward and help them.—(Hear hear, and cheers.) He would most cordially second the resolution. The resolution was then passed with acclamation. 'Air. R. H. JONES rose to return thanks. He could assure the gentlemen present that, while thanking them for this compliment, the seat of a manager of their society was no sinecure. —(Hear, hear.) The board of management had always had a single eye to the benefit of the association. He respect fully, on behalf of himself and colleagues, tendered his thanks to the meeting.—(Loud cheers ) Mr. REYNOLDS wished to ask whether the altera tions which had been announced respecting the rules, as stated by the Chairman, would both be considered at one meeting.—(Hear.) Mr. RICHARD H. JONES said that it was one of the points of their constitution that no alteration could be made in the laws without being submitted to a general meeting of the members of the association. The funds to which Mr. Reynolds alluded were under the management of different bodies, and must neces sarily come under their separate consideration.— (Hear, hear.) He would now come to the point for which he rose. It was his pleasing task to propose the thanks of the meeting to their honourable and highly-respected Chairman.— (Loud cheers.) To all the questions which had come before the board he had always given his best attention. He was quite sure that their Chairman would not wish him to say a word more than was absolutely necessary for the moving of this resolution, and therefore he should abstain from any ex pressions which he should much liked to have used on that occasion. This much he must say, that no one could have shown greater ability or greater kindness in the conduct of their association than their Chairman had continually evinced, and with this simple remark, be would move— " That the grateful thanks of this meeting aro due, and are hereby tendered, to John Abel smith, Esq., m.p., for the increasing interest taken by him in the affairs of the association, and especially for his kindness seconded the mo tion, n r r eing .siisrpsOlibtrhie present oc e a i on." cordially hoping that his fellow provident clerks would sagTehrelyrerseospolutniodn was carried by acclamation to it. The CHAIRMAN s a id t h at he thanked them . with his whole heart for th e ki n d reception which they had given to the resolution ' and fo r th at h earty expres i on of their go o d w ill, and begged h to assure t them that he equal responded t o it w ith(Cheers.) While makin g this observation,aehaorwi heartiness.—(Cheers.) it must be remembered that the business of the institution could not be carried on by mere compliment—(Hear) —and he wished to draw their attention to the ad vantages which were offered by it from the plan proposed for the insurance of their lives. In several cases of distress this' fund had been of in calculable benefit to many individuals. The amount at their command was small, and ought to be increased, but if it was increased it must be chiefly through the instrumentality of the clerks themselves. He agreed with Baron Rothschild that the principals of most of the firms in London would readily com e forward to support their institution if they saw their clerks themselves active, and it must be remembered that if they wished others to help them they must help themselves.--(Hear, hear.) The only cause of shame that he ever had or could have with respect to this association was that the members failed in their duty in this respect.—(Hear, hear.) This was the tenth time he had met them in that room, and he wished particularly now to impress upon them what he had ju st said. If they attended to it he was quite sure that their association would shortly be equal to any, perhaps second to none, of the similar institutions in London. The Chairman sat down amid loud cheers, and the meeting broke up.