The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-06 00:00:00

LONDON lIpERNIAN

The Sixteenth Annual Meeting of this EocietY
took place on Saturday last, at the Freernhsons'
Tavern.' A few minutes before one o/clkk, 105
Royal Highness •the Duke of GLOUCESTER took
the Chair.

The Rev. Mr. Rrrcifiles proceeded to read the Annue
Report, which was of considerable • length, desceiptiye of the 1
labelers of the Society, and the progress tehicheit'hed made
since the last Meeting. • .
' The Earl.: of Gosronn rose to move the tiist Reeelution-
He congratulated the Society on its successful - The
Society; by difflising edneatiou had been productive great
good to the Peasantry of lreland. The 'Noble Lord adverted
in-strong terms to the present state of Ireland ; its unhapPY
situation might be traced to the want of education, and also t°
the want of the encouragement and care of a resident gentry.
'
The Rev. GEORGE CLARKE seconded the Resolution, an
dwelt, in the course of an eloquent speech, on the adeantagcs
of the Society.
Mr. STEVENS next addressed the Meeting, and detailed at
considerable length the progress of his labours hi that country,
and the great success of the undertaking. This Gentleman, in
a very warm manner, dwelt on the many admirable qualities of
the,lrish Peasantry ; they were, he said, by nature, -polite, ge•
newels, grateful, and acute.
Lord CALTRORPE, in proposing the second Resolutioni
said, that as an Englishman he felt delight at the progreose°
the Society. - Irelsnd had long been, he would say, a much hi'
jured country, but education would, he hoped, strike at the
root of the evils under which she laboured. Education walla
be the means of finally extinguishing the gross errors of a rte
ligion which unfortunately was followed by the mass of the
people!' in' Ireland, and which he. would call not perverted
Christianity., but perverted Popery. All the errors of that re'
ligion, all its abominations, were received by that warali.
hearted people. The Noble Lord next alluded in the warmed
terms to the laudable conduct of his Royal Highness. ane
concluded by moving the thanks of the Meeting to his BoP".
Higlihess.-e•(Applause.) " •
The Rev. Doctor RANDOLPH seconded the Resolution.
The Resolution was put •by Lord Calthorpe; and carried
amid the applause of the Meeting.'
The Mike ef. Ge.OUCEST En, in• returning his thanks, 013-
served that the Resolution was conveyed in terms too flattering
to himself, and had been received in a manner most gratifYiatt
to his feelings. There was nothing
.due from the Society to
him, for accepting the patronage of it; their thanks ought. 0
, be given to those excellent men who proposed his. connect%
with the Society in so honourable a station. With regard
the 'objectS 'they had commonly in view, he agreed with th°se.
who asserted that a large debt was due to our sister kingdom
it Was, he lamented to own, an increasing debt ; but he hoped
they were beginning to liquidate it, and they could not betted,
DOW discharge it than by. instructing her poulation in the trist_l3
of Religion. While enjoying the word ofd God ourselves, ar'`,
when we had enjoyed it so long, should we not impart its that
sures to Ireland ? So long, however, as there remained in
Country one cabin not supplied with a Bible, this country wert.f.
not have discharged that moral debt due to 'lreland from
a..
parts Having been foremost in carrying the Bible to the litter a;
p.arts of the habitable globe, it was certainly high time for "'yea
' ray to begin at home, and that more attention should be glo;
to the destitutions of our own family. 'They had alreadY.Aity
much ; but- he trusted that, under the blessing of MO. o,e
God, the Society would be allowed to prosecute this jostifi
good work. Distribute (he would again say) the Bible, iv tea
could alone make us happy in this world, and which peePeiroy
us for felicity hereafter. Let all persona be instructed that tg
of
were approaching an eternal world, where no distincticaLch
rank would avail ; that there remained a tribunal before will_nt
all 'mist equally appear, and at which every one oust acceeli,
for the min-finalities of his conduct to an all-seeing, iniPallit
and omnipotent Judge. lie had only to request that he
be allowed to thank the Society for the honour of presiding
this meeting, and for the very 'kited attention they hod Pat
to him..—(Long cheers.) The
A Rev. Mr. BROWN from Ireland next came forwarct,ce
Reverend Gentleman dwelt at considerable length on thei.u;ifig
volence; and kindness of the Royal Chairman. • , Liis--"&fs of
taken the chair alone would essentially promote t•heinter"
the Society. The Reverend Gentleman next adverting t" e,
people of Ireland, represented them as a people naturallyPh`epeti
but still glad to be under obligations to Englishmen. 1-2,e doing
that some Englishmen would import themselves, the f doing
and !good order into his country ;if they were afraid before
so at present, they might send, more Bibles and schoels e
andthem. In the district to which he belonged, 'the pee°p/e 0n
once disorderly, but a few Tracts were sent amongst tneut, He"
the results were most gratifying. The Society had Intl one
contend with ; it was only a short time since that he hear
of the most for Ward of the 'Catholic leaders snag, that uele,
schools"bad for its object to Swindle the people out of: their t si.
gion. The •Revetencl Gentleman next said -that great oqtro,
ton was giVeli by the Roman Catholic (lergy of Ireland, °A
y.
he called " Popish Priests," to the principle of the Seett; to
He was PrOceeding a course that appeared intemperate
sonic of the Meeting, and , ofd shat
A theieTeEreale rose- to call nun to oraer
• ild the red
the observations of the Reverend Gentleman, she little goo
port of them be sent-over to Ireland, • would do belt .'l` fleet of
in that country.—( Hear, hear, hear ! from the uPPc' •
the room.) boght-
Mr. BROWN' said he did not say any thing that licit of the
could excite disapprobation.—(Applaose from the ho"Y.O, of
room. —The Rev. Gentleman proceeded with observatt hixe.
a similar tendency to those which had already fallen fro
by
In the course of his speech, which was highly applauurniey,
seine, it was observed that the Earl of Blesinton, EarrDa
and other persons of distinction, retired from the Meeting; jig
The GENTLEMAN who had risen. to call the Pr" but
speaker to order, rose to explain his conduct in doing so' fear
he was received with hieses from the body of ,the room- _ die
Some time, howeVer, he Was alloWed to say that he rose ;,.,,et
suggestion of several Members of Parliament who sal', the
him, and who were of opinion that the observations te of
Reverend Gentleman would detach from its interest so'"'„
the best and most liberal friends of the Institution.—(llea the
A Resolution of Thanks to the Marquis of LansdoWn'oeed
President, and also to the Vice-Presidents, was nat.
in
by Mr. Brown, and seconded by the lion. Charles Shore; a that
WILBERFORCE, in rising to return thanks, sst,ote
he should indeed have felt happy and delighted at such a 11_, it;
had been just passed, if he were at all conscious of deservi','°,ol
he had done but little for the Society, more'than to fee', the
express his good wishes for its seccess. He could assariittl'
Meeting that he felt towards Ireland 'the greatest possibleaich
est. The situation of the peasantry of that country was tloe
to call forth the utmost sympathy at all tithes, he", aod
claims have been greatly augmented ; the state of misery,
to
wretchedness,- and. disorder, in which - Ireland stood a
ec,e-•
present moment, was, he might' say, a reproach to the forbeld
It was the duty, and indeed the interest of this country `l.,etivr.
out itshelping hand to a distressed sister; if, forgetting its 0e self
benevolence; England were to proceed on the base systcToister
interest, he would tell her that, in promoting the good of the force
island, she would promote her best interests. lie felt, t'',ceotrin
of his Royal Highness's observation, when he said this 'time t"
owed a long and a large debt to Ireland, and that it was oaf,
.commence liquidatmg that debt; she was a mu eh inj urea °fee le:
injured and degraded by the system that had been atiOntia hz
wards her. .He hoped it would he pursued no more, ale
hailed with the highest delight the generone interest that _totrY•
happy state of Ireland had awakened in the mind of this co_st vie;
There were in the character of Ireland elements of the he'eoitc
tues, generous, high-minded, grateful, brave ; the Irish r with
but the hand of encouragement and cultivation ; he gaeatia°
pleasure in this society the intention of extending that yid' a
which Ireland wanted so much. He could not agree ogilt
Gentleman who had spoken. that day, that politics, 5 the
not to be touched one fOr religion,:he contended, ell in
foundation of all true politics ; it taught men how to act 3 deep
all the relations of public-end of private life. It was ato her
reproach to England; that •a: country politically unite
ever yet
was not yet united by any other 'tie • the Irish were noglaod2
treated as persons standing on equal ground with nt day
They were enslaved and degraded, and even at the prcsiealieao
it was difficult to persuade an Irish peasant that an Engirofe6'
could be any thing but an enemy. :That, howeve_er-was ane I tied
sion which he trusted would no longer exist. He trust eferor
kind and liberal conduct would banislethe remembrance Trivisli-
wrongs, and heal the wounds they had made. If Englan
te°
ed to gain the heart of Ireland, she must shew 'a als-heivn 3,5
encourage the people of the country. The King.l.Ming etao
example worthy the imitation Of his subjects. •I`°t,';ed at
once
ee
the
eern betteracious
itnimteendtiothnsanof ththeeßxo
the warmest sentiments of loyalty from a generous, grate' thank'
for race. The Hon. Gentleman again
for the honour done him, and his friends. He again to hre
the Meeting, that looking upon the Society as calculatestin,est the
prove the condition of Ireland, 'and to extend ar tareseing,i
returtlent
asoreo
people of that country the lights of religion, and
,hand !at '
of education in general, it had his warmest wishes, a
times might command his:utniest support. tdd not, ai,
Mr. JAMES GRATTAN', M.P., next rose.—._.He hoot .
an Irishman,. but feel grateful for the lively interest
twee
_;_notie of;
Royal Visit
;anitadc'llef-orarnta:.
happy situation awakened in this country; it reflected
sti
the national character, and would make an impressli_?.lSie
ytryand_ c coo
itself
which would not be easily effaced ; he agreed tn ,ea
vimuch —lit at
ili.toledrewlahnod,fiarsntdshpeokheo,pdiedatthaaßt esthideeiztobGaeint
not but regret that a spirit by np means liberal had sn°"
country would follow the example of the Nol:e

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