The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-28 00:00:00

THE SUN,

manner in which this graceful and magnanimous re-
solution has been announced by the Noble Earl the
PRIME MINISTER, of England is too remarkable of its
kind not to be borne in very particular and grateful
recollection. It is entitled to this especial remembrance
inasmuch as it is signally honourable alike to the
fame of the departed, to the generosity of the So-
VEREIGN, and to her implicit confidence in the sym-
pathetic munificence of the population. " Her MA-
JESTY is well aware," said the Earl of DERBY, " that,
as in the case of Lord NELSON, she might, of her
own authority have given immediate orders for this
public mark of veneration for the memory of the
illustrious Duke, and has no doubt but that Parlia-
ment and the country would cordially have approved
the step ; but her MAJESTY, anxious that this tri-
bute of regard and sorrow should be deprived of
nothing which could invest it with a thoroughly na-
tional character—anxious that the greatest possible
number of her subjects should have an opportunity
of joining it—and anxious, above all, that such
honours should appear to emanate from the general
will, and that the two Houses of Parliament should
have an opportunity, by their approving sanction, of
stamping the proposed ceremony with increased so-
lemnity, and of associating themselves with her
MAJESTY in paying honour to the memory of one
whom no Englishman can name without pride and
sorrow." It has, therefore, been fittingly resolved
that the body of the Duke of WELLINGTON shall
remain " under proper guardianship" at Widmer
Castle until the newly-elected Parliament has as-
sembled, when the wishes of the QUEEN may receive
t a n torchingg isatu r e.
the final and formal approval of the people, through
the voice of both Houses m
of o
a the
beautiful lmperial Lde
Perhaps, however, the
recognition by the SOVEREIGN of the eminent services
performed to the State by the late Duke of WEL-
LINGTON—perhaps the one which of all will prove the
most peculiarly acceptable to the population—is that
evidenced by her MAJESTY'S selection of St. Paul's
Cathedral as the most appropriate scene of our Great
Captain's
be
sepulture. There, iIS the nation desires, he
interred " with all the solemnity due to the
mournfulnessof the occasion," reposing by the side
of
our immortal NELSON—as the PRIME MINISTER
eohly and truthfully expresses it—" the greatest
Military by the side of the greatest Naval Chief
who ever r#flected lustre upon the annals of
England ! ' Everything augurs admirably for the
grandeur and the glory of those obsequies which
will, assuredly, constitute one of the most
memorable and extraordinary incidents in the
reign of our Gracious SOVEREIGN. Every-
thing promises that the national funeral of The Duke
will crown by its splendour, in a becoming manner,
the honours not undeservedly showered upon him by
the MONARCH and by the Multitude, during the
greater portion of his illustrious and protracted exist-
ence. When these memorable and remarkable obse-
quies shall at length have been completed, England
will at least have the consolation of reflecting that to
one of her greatest sons she has proved herself not
altogether ungrateful. Whatever could be done by
the CROWN and by the Country, whether in life or in
death, to recognise the eminent achievements of the
departed, will then to the full have been accom-
plished ! And the children of after generations will
torn with emotions of reverence, not wholly, alas!
unalloyed with those of regret, to that great Cathe-
dral Church of St. Paul's, beneath the dome of
hich will thenceforth repose, side by side, the two
teest glorious warriors of the Anglo-Saxon race—
England having wisely resolved to associate yet more
intimately by the contiguity of their illustrious
tombs the kindred renown of her NELSON and her
WELLINGTON. '

The principles and practice of life assurance are
now universally recognised. There are few persons
in receipt of incomes more than sufficient to meet
Gash. daily expenditure—so far as the mere necessa-
ries of life are concerned—who do not deem it ex-
p, dient to set aside a portion of their receipts for the
purpose of meeting some extraordinary demand or
emergency, for which they would be unable to pro-
vi ae from their ordinary resources. Even persons in
the possession of accumulated and realised property,
whe are themselves placed beyond the possibility of
personal distress, so far as human foresight can make
provision for future contingencies, desire to appro-
priate a portion of their superfluities to the acquisi-
tien of additional means. The power of rendering
Nines and children indspendent—of securing the pos-
session of an extra sum, beyond that included in the
marriage settlement, or at the disposal of the husband
or father, or, with a single man, the possibility of
entering into those sacred relations—or even the mere
desire of accumulation, although without any defi-
nite object—are sufficient to make every man of
ordinary prudence set aside or save a considerable
portion of his ordinary income.
If, however, men of property and substance are
thus provident, how much more desirable is it that
those dependent on their own exertions for support,
who owe their daily bread to their daily labour, should
exhibit similar forethought, and endeavour to secure
the means of livelihood for that period of life when
the decay of his mental or physical powers may ren-
der each incapable of " winning his ain bread."
Such persons are grossly culpable if they neglect this
palpable duty, and the acknowledged necessity of
such an appropriation is one of the strongest argu-
ments against the present unjust, oppressive, and in-
equitable assessment of the income and property-tax.
Under such circumstances, it is by no means sur-
prising that the annual savings amount to about one-
fifth, or 20 per cent. of the annual revenue. That
proportion is usually re-invested, and one of the
most popular forms—for the advantages of mutual
support and co-operation are now thoroughly appre-
ciated—is by way of " LIFE ASSURANCE." A man
full of strength and activity, confident in his own
powers, will brave every danger, so long as life
be spared, but he must succumb to the ordinary lot
of mortals. Death may approach at any moment,
and he feels that to be the chief, if not the only, con-
tingency to be guarded against.
It is unnecessary to say that many companies
have been formed to meet the general de•
wand for " assurance facilities ;" some have
been in existence for many years, and have
accumulated immense property. Any establishment
indeed conducted on just and honest principles must
have
Succeeded. A larger proportion have more re-
cently sprang into existence, and they also, whenever
the management
has been unexceptional, have
flourished, and, generally speaking, have exhibited
greater liberality
in their dealings than the more an-
cient established concerns.
however, recently been made on
behalf of the seniors.
An onslaught has,
the junior branches by „ on
Sufficient security for the
cavillers lpaetaisudisr-eudspsledialipital can give that
thatat tnhoetrheinigs noout
an
pezlers, a colossal
founded the
e guarantee
appear to
es-
sential in such a case. These
forget that if their arguments were well
since have
insolvee
more ancient establishments should long • ,
closed their doors in a state of hopeless
encountered the
clar--they
could not have successfully difficul-
ties enumerated, but must either have made heavy
calls on the proprietors and shareholders,
or defrauded
the assurers.
We do not wish to be understood as making any
charge against the old companies. They discharge
their obligations to the very hour, pay very hand-
some dividends to the shareholders, and have large
reserved funds ready for any favourable invest-
ment. But these funds have been gained
from " the assured," and the young companies can
do the same, and become in due time as prosperous.
Nay, more, the great experience now obtained in
matters once obscure and comparatively unknown,
enable new companies to offer advantages to the
assured, and that without any loss to themselves,
which the traditions of the ancient offices, and the
Influence of very respectable, but rather antiquated,
cffic_ers, prevents their rivals from sanctioning.
a an illustration of these points, we would di-
rect attentiorSto the advertisement of a comparatively
Junior company,luml._ which will be found in another co-
-"er There we find the board of direction coin-
prising a body f
gentlemen of unimpeached and
unimpeachable
afford ample respectability,
see. whose characters will
winciling, for nothing
against any unfair play or
else can render an insurance
company insolvent. We also find that the greatest
objection to life
assurance, which has prevented
many `parties from
availing themselves of
its advantages—the possibility of being un- .