The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-12-19 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB.

At a meeting of the Smithfield Club on Friday,
the Secretary reed the following letter from his
Grace the Duke of Bedford :

" Woobern Abbey, December 6.
" Sin—Perceiving by the Farmer's Journal, that the First
Christmas Meeting of the Smithfield Club is fixed for Friday,
the 14th lament, 1 feel it incumbent on wee to avail myself
of this opportunity (the senditig of certificates of his Grace's
stock to be shelve) to state my determination to withdraw
my name from the Club: it will IleC aaaaa ily follow from this,
that 1 shall, after the eosuiug Show, discontinue to offer
those premiums which 1 have hitherto given. On a former
occasion I stated it to be my lineation to place these pre-
miums at the disposal of the Smithfield Chits, as long as
they might be thought coaducive to the great objects for
which this Society was originally established. Those with
whom 1 have communicated on the subject, some of the
Vice-Presidents, and several of the most efficient and intel-
ligent members of the Club, agree in opinion with me, that
the advantages which, on the first formation of the Institu-
tion, we held out to the public, have been amply realised,
and that any further incentive to improve the breeds of
cattle, sheep, and swine, is become wholly useless.
" It was stated at use of the earliest meetings of the So-
ciety by my lamented predecessor, that one only object was
• to increase the animal produce of the and this
object ban been fully attained. The meat starlets of the me-
tropolis, and throughout the kingdom, are abundantly sup-
plied; the hest and must profitable breeds of cattle and
sheep have been brought into notice, and have made rapid
and extraurilioary progress in the estimation of the breeder
and the grazier, sad the coarse and unsightly atinnals,
alike unprofitable to both, have gradually disappeared ;
the consumption, indeed, has hardly kept pace with the sup-
ply, notwithetandiug an increased population, as the pre-
sent low prices must sufficiently abets : therefore are the
laudable objects of the Smithfield Society completely attain-
ed; sad here, is my opioiuu, ought our labours and our
exertions to terminate.

" It may gratify perhaps the personal vanity of some of
es
to exhibit extraordivary animate, but the public derives
no
benefit from our bringing to a greater degree of parke-
sloe animals of a breed knuwu to possess the highest merit.
Agricultural Societies should have but one object in view—
the public beueit ; Ibis haa been the early, constant, and
unremitting pursuit of the Smithfield Club : if no further
g I good is to be obtained, I think the sooner we dissolve
ourselves the better ; but I state ilia', without presumption,
as my own opinion, though not unsupported by that of
other members, in whose judgment I have the highest con-
fidence. It would, however, be the height of arrogance in
me to attempt to dictate to the Club the line of coudurt
they ought to pursue : whatever decision they may come to
I am persuaded will be influenced solely by a regard to the
natiumal welfare.7l am, Sir,

" Yuur must obedient humble Scream,
" BEDFORD.
" Mr. John Esrey, Secretary to the Smithfield Club."

The letter was then ordered to be entered on the
minutes; after which it wus
Resolved unanimously—That the respectful thinks of
this meeting be presented to his Grace the Duke of Bedford,
fur the honour which the Smithfield Club has, throN,h many
years, received, by having his Grace as its President, and fur
hi■ Grace's premiums for live stock, so long mad liberally
given through the medium of the Club; with an assurance
that the circumstance of his Grace baying determined to
withdraw frusta the Club both his name and premiums, will
not lessen the sense of past favours received, ur diminish the
respect which the members most ever entertain fur the illus-
trious House of Russell."