The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-30 00:00:00

The first general meeting of the members of this asso-
ciation was held yesterday afternoon at the office, SO, St.
James's-street, Piccadilly.

In the absence of the chairman, Lieut.-Col. Dixon, the
deputy-chairman, presided.

The advertisement convening the meeting having been
read,

The SECRETARY (Mr. Smith) read the following re•
port :

"In presenting their first report your committee deem
it necessary to observe, that as the rules provide for a
quarterly meeting of the members, to be held in the
months of September, December, March, and June in
each year, the report they have now the honour of sub-
mitting to you embraces only a period of six weeks, ex-
tending from the 15th day of August last (when the
society was fully established and its officers appointed)
to the Nth instant. Your committee congratulate you
that in this short period the progress made by the Society
has been highly satisfactory, and has far exceeded the
expectations of your committee. 580 shares have been
taken, representing a capital of 23,200 and securing an
annual revenue of 2,3201., without any public meeting
having been held or efforts made other than the individual
exertions of your committee, the circulation of the prospec-
tus, and the insertion of some few advertisements in the
daily and weekly London papers. Your committee have
not yet purchased any estate, but the attention of the
surveyors whose services your committee have secured
is unceasingly directed to this part of the society's
business ; several important estates are under considera-
tion, and no opportunity will be allowed to escape of
making a purchase so soon as the same can be effected
to advantage. The committee have declined several
offers, believing the price asked to be excessive, having
due regard to your interests ; and they would suggest,
in this respect, the exercise of patience on the part of
the shareholders, reminding them that it will be by care
and prudence, and not otherwise, that profitable and
advantageous investments can be realised. To enable
your committee to secure such opportunities when pre-
sented, they would recommend the shareholders to aug-
ment the funds as much as possible by increasing the
number of their shares, and by recommending the so-
ciety among their friends and connections, as well as
among tradesmen. To the rich and the poor alike no
investment can be so profitable, and none more secure,
than shares in a Freehold Land Society, and as yours is
identified with no political party, it has strong claims
for support on all classes, which your committee con-
fidently believe it will extensively receive so soon as its
principles shall hive become better understood, and
that it will take no inconsiderable share in the great
work of social and moral reform which will be accom-
plished by means of these societies."

Mr. MALTBY proposed, and Mr. JANES seconded, the
adoption of the report, which was carried nem. con.
The CHAIRMAN said that the estate committee had
visited and inspected an estate near London, but for
obvious reasons be would not mention where, and he
(the chairman) believed that in a few days the first estate
would be purchased.

The CHAIRMAN proposed the following resolution :
"Resolved,— That whereas in the early organisation
of this society, the gentlemen constituting the general
and executive committees, being necessarily the first
shareholders, have a right to have their shares numbered
from one upwards, and thus obtain some advantage over
later shareholders in the ballot for lots when the same
shall be drawn for ; and whereas the members of the said
committees do not wish to avail themselves of this fortuit-
ous advantage to the prejudice of subsequent share-
holders—Resolved, that on the last Wednesday of the
ensuing month of October, there be held a meeting of
all persons who, up to that date, shall have taken
shares, and paid the necessary instalment thereon ; and
that they all, then and there, draw for numbers, and be
so recorded in the books of the company as a rule of
procedure to be observed when the balloting for lots
shall take place."

Seconded by JENKIN JONES, Esq.
The CHAIRMAN then went into a history of the pro-
gress of the association, and said that he was quite cer-
tain that by that day twelve months, the society would
be in a most prosperous position ; for, although the
society had only been established little more than six
weeks, upwards of 25,000/. had been subscribed, for every
effort would be made by the directors to carry out in
the most economical manner the objects of the Asso-
ciation.

Lieut.-Col. STARR, a director, said he wished to make
a few observations with regard to the curtailment of
the advertisements. He considered it a most false
economy ; for every 100/. expended in advertising he
was certain that there was a return of 1,0001. He
should always vote for a liberal expenditure on adver-
tisements.

Mr. JONES said it was the general impression of the
public that the directors in these societies had a priority
of allotment over other shareholders ; he could assure
them that such was not the case in this society, for not
the slightest difference was made between the directors
and shareholders, and the resolution that had been
carried was the best evidence that could be given that
they intended to take no such advantage.
The CHAIRMAN—Perhaps it would be as well that
we should explain how the society proposed to allot
the estates. It would be thus—that if an estate were
cut up into 150 allotments, 50 would go by ballot, 50
by seniority, and 50 by purchase.

Colonel STARR said the shareholders could assist the
society, by calling frequently at the office, and seeing
how the affairs of the company were conducted. He
also said they were exceedingly fortunate in having the
active co-operation on the committee of Mr. Jenkin
Jones, whose talents and abilities were well known, and
they had taken the cue from him in their proceedings.
The CHAIRMAN wished to state that, although the
society was called the Free Trade Land Society, it had
not any political bias, and that gave it an advantage
over many other societies. They were all free traders
now, and, therefore, it was a taking name with the pub-
lic. It was, in fact, only carrying out what Sir Robert
Peel never dreamed of, free trade in land. They should
soon hold public meetings in London and the provinces,
and he hoped the shareholders would assist at them in
their several localities.

The usual routine business having been gone through,
A vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr. ITAYNEs, was
carried to the executive committee, on whose behalf the
Chairman returned thanks.
The proceedings then terminated.

THE CASE OF MISS CUNNINGHAME.—A. deputation
from the Evangelical Alliance waited yesterday upon
Lord Clarendon, at his Lordship's private residence, in
Grosvenor-crescent, upon the subject of the arrest of
Miss Cunninghame. The deputation, which was received
with the utmost courtesy, consisted of Sir Culling Eardley,
the Hon. Baptist Noel, Rev. Ridley Herschell, Rev. W.
Bunting, Mr. T. Wheatley, and the Rev. J. P. Dobson,
secretary. The object of this interview was exactly in
accordance with that of which an account appeared yes
terday, and the deputation received from Lord Clarendon
the same cordial response which he had previously given
to Lord Shaftesbury. In reply to the inquiries and ap-
prehensions of Sir Culling Eardley, the public will be
glad to learn that all outward respect was paid to Miss
Cunninghame, that free permission was accorded for the
visits of her mother and of Mr. Scarlett, and that no in-
dignity had been offered to her beyond that of the re-
straint of her personal liberty. It is gratifying also to
learn that not a moment was lost by Lord Clarendon in
taking every step consistent with the urgent demands
of the case, as soon as the outrage was officially com-
municated to him ; and a hearty assent was frankly
given by his Lordship to the solicitude expressed by the
deputation, that no legitimate effort would be spared by
the Government to vindicate its right of interference in
a case which has produced so profound a sensation within
the limits of the United Kingdom. The deputation with-
drew, thanking Lord Clarendon for his frankness and
courteous reception of them, and under an animated con-
viction that the case of our injured country woman could
not be left in hands more competent to deal with it.

REVOLTING MURDER.—NOTTINGHAM, Thursday.—A
coroner's inquisition was held yesterday evening at the
police-station in this town upon the body of Sarah Ann
Stevenson, a married woman, aged 27. The case was
of a very extraordinary description. The principal witness
was Police-Inspector Chamberlain, who stated that at
five o'clock on Monday evening he received information
that a woman residing in Earl-street was in a dying
state from the effects of a miscarriage, which had been
produced by improper means by her husband. He
immediately went to the house in company with the
superintendent of police and another officer. In the
first floor they found a woman in bed ; there were
.
three other women the room, one of whom was
the mother of the dying woman. He asked if a sur-
geon had been in attendance, and was answered in
the affirmative. The woman then made the fol-
lowing statement in the presence of himself, the
officers, and the !women :—She stated that her
name was Sarah Ann Stevenson, and that she had
been married about eight years. She had one child.
About two months ago her husband, perceiving that she
was pregnant, said to her that he did not want any more
children, and used means several times (too disgusting
for detail) to produce abortion. She had complained to
him of pain ; but he said she would soon be better. She
had, however, gradually, beccme worse, and gave birth
to a child on Saturday. Her husband had entreated her
to say nothing about the matter. This morning she
thought that she should die, and therefore told her
mother what had occurred.
.The inspector added, that
shortly after this the woman died. The mother of the
deceased and several others went through a lengthy de-
tail corroborative of the above statement. The surgeons
having also given their evidence, the coroner summoned
up, and the jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, re-
turned a verdict of "wilful murder against Edward Theo-
bald Stevenson," the husband of the deceased, and he
was forthwith committed to gaol to take his trial at the
next assizes on the charge. T heprisoner was present
during the whole of the examination, and appeared per-
fectly cool. On his way to gaol he said, "This has filled
my slate," and added,—" I should not care a d— if I
served ten years if I could be with her when I got out."
Stevenson is by trade a joiner, and had some time ago
lived separate from We wife.