The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-02 00:00:00

REFUGE FOR THE DESTITUTE.

The 13th anniversary dinner of this excellent
Institution took place yesterday at the City of
London Tavern, Bishopegate.street.
His Royal Highisees the Duke of York we. ex-
pected to preside as Chairman, but was prevented
es we were afterwards informed, by indispo.ition.
The Hun. H. GREY (Willem M.P., attended
by the Stewards. entered the room at half-past six
o'clock. and rook the chair, supported on the right
by Edward Protheroe, Esq. and on the kft by the
Hon. Edward Harbord, M I'. After dinner Non
11o6is Aniline was sung by M . Clark, Taylor,
Nield. Turk, and other prole...moral singers,,
after which the health of the King war drunk with •
three times three.—Sissig, God MC Me King.—
" The rest of the Royal Family"—three times three.
The Hon. Catatimati then stated, that. in the
absence of his Royal Highness the Duke of York,
which was caused by indisposition, he had under.
taken to fill that place which might hare been
much better filled by persons who were oriavoidebly
absent. Ile would, however, to the utmost of his
ability. supply their place. The toast he was go.
iug to 'propose he was certain would meet with the
approbation of the company : it was Gi The health
of his Royal Highness Me Duke of York. and
prosperity to the Instihttiens of the Refuge for the
D•stitaste." Ile was convinced Or first part of it
would be drank with warm gratilade, for from the
commencement oldie liaistotion that Royal Doke
was nice of its eupporters.-aisd had on all occasions
descended. if he might be allowed to cull it so. to
enter into every charitable Institution; as to the
second, the Institution itsklf, from his knowledge
of it, there was none that cone so much good.
It war unnecessary for him to say more on that
subject, as every person, on reading over the Re-
port of 1819, must be of his opinion. Asa mem-
ber of the Committee of the Institution, be had
been obliged to witness numbers of poor and
destitute objects driven from their door for want
of pecuniary means. There was nothing more
painful to the feeling mind than to be obliged
to do so, but they had not room or means to relieve
the numerous candidates for their bounty. No per-
son but those whose duty it was to visit the prisons
could have an idea of the number of candidates for
their bounty. Out of this Imititution another had
arisen, called the Temporary Institution. fur the
teller of the destitute. and they had admitted 950
into it in the last year; so much was the dia.
tress proceeding from crimes in the metropolis.
He had only one word more to say, which was to
:he Institution itsetf. He would say to them, go
and visit it, as he had done. and they would return
more than satisfied with its excellence. He had
had the opportunity of sending massy objects there,
and it was with pleasure that he afterwards saw the
greatest improvement in them; to see the women,
rescued from infamy and crime, happy and content-
ed ; the children, who had been initiated in vice,
rising out of it with the bloom of innocence on
their cheeks, was a scene the most grateful to
a feeling man; it raised him above himself, and
raised his imagination to that throne of heavenly
grace from whence all that is good and estimable
springs. He hoped they would forgive him for
detaining them so long ; he thanked them for har-
ing so patiently listened to him. and concluded by
giving—
' The health of his Royal ilighwess the Duke of York,
sad prosperity to the Refuge for the Destitute," which was
drunk wish three limes three.

EDWARD FOSTER, Esq. Treasurer to the Insti-
tution then read the letter he had received from
his Royal Highness the Duke of York, stating,
that he was prevented from presiding at the dinner
on account of a severe cold—and desiring that his
name should be put down for his usual annual
donation. He then read a letter from the Earl of
Liverpool. stating that nothing hut public busi-
ness would have prevented his being present,
and desiring that application should be made to
his banker., Messrs. Howes, for his donation of 501.
Ile then stated, it was with regret he had to in-
form them of the death of a most excellent friend
of the Institution, Mr. Alexander Baring, who
had been a subscriber of 100/. per annum during
his life, and at his death lie had not forgot it; for
by his will he had left • bequest of 6301. in the
3 per Cent. Consols for its use. There had been
a great cumber of other bequests during the
year, but he would not detain them by calling
them over ; but there was one he could not pass
over, as it sprung from themselves :—A man,
thirty-eight years of age, • gentleman's servant,
having lived seven years in one moat respectable
service, which he lost on account of repeated acts
of intoxication, fell into great distress, and was re-
ceived, upon his discharge from prison, in the year
1815, where lie had been confined for theft, into
the Refuge. He conducted himself well in the
Institution for three years, during a great part of
which time lie filled a responsible situation therein,
and was perfectly reclaimed from his prevailing vice.
In the year 1818 he went o•t;as cook in an LAN-
man, but did not survive the voyage. In his will
lie most gratefully bequeathed the whole of his pro-
perly, amounting to about ISC to the Refuge.
The worthy Treasurer then read over several do.
nations, amongst which were his Royal Highness
the Duke of York, 50 guineas; the Earl of Li-
verpool, 501.; Lord Sidmouth, 301. and several
others, to the amount of SOW.
The Hon. EDWARD HARBORD proposed the
health of the Earl of Liverpool, which was drunk
with three times three.

Mr. BOSANQUIT proposed the health of Vie.
couut Sidatou h. which was drunk iu the same way.
Soing—Mmer Barnet.
EDWARD PooTuartog, Esq. proposed the health
of the Hon. H. Grey Emmett, the Maud of he.
manity.
The Hon. CHAIRMAN returned thank%
Song—" Auld Lang Syne; by Mr.Turle.
S I other toasts were afterwards drunk. among
which were—

"The Corporation of the City of Loadou."—" Time
Clergy who advocated the canton( the Institssion."—" The
Hebrew Gelatins's' who sober Abed so largely to the laid-
tatios."—The Society for the Rarpreasion of bleadicity."—
" The flacwarda."—" The Phyaiciatee."—N The Rev. Robert
Croahy,Cbaplain and Secretary to the
A consitlerslile !OM was ruliscribrd in the roma.
Mr. Bodkin, from the Society for the Suppression
or Mendicity, prestuted a donation of 50/. from
that Society.