The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-18 00:00:00

REFUGE FQR THE DESTITUTE.

An assemblage of about 150 of the Friendi of
this excellent Charity observed its Anniversary,
by dining together at the City of London raven),
on Thursday, his Royal Highness the Duke of
YORK, Patron, in the Chair. The Meeting was of
the most respectable description, and we were ra-
tified to observe that another of the Royal Family,
the Duke- of KENT, as well as many Gentlemen
eminent for philanthropy among the company;
sanctioned. and countenanced the Institution by
their attendance on this occasion.

After dinner the usual toasts and songs were
given -by the President, and sting by several
Professional Musicians who were present. Mr.
Wilberforce, in a feeling Speech, proposed the
Health of the Duke of You k, and Prosperity- to
the Society,. He paid a merited tribute to the
benevolence and active goodness of his Royal
Highness in the attention he had paid to the-in-
terests of the Refuge tor the Destitute, and the
pains he had taken to promote its welfare. Front
this topic he diverged to the eulogy of the Institu-
tion itself, which he truly described as one of the
most humane and beneficient that 'could., be de-
vised for the benefit of mankind.—This addres3
and the toast were received with enthusiastic ap-
plause.
The Duke of Yonx shortly returned thanks
expressed his pleasure at seeing so full a Meetin..,•,
and assured them of his anxiety to, enlarge the
sphere of this noble Charity.
Mr. FOSTER, the Treasurer, then read the An-
imal Report, which appetired to be of a satisfac-
tory kind. Among the donations was, one of
Three Hundred Pounds from the Coffimittee at
Lloyd's, appropriated from the profits on the
STOCK EXCHANGE FRAUD, retained from Lord
Cochrane and his associates in that transaction.
Mr. Plums EHOE, M. P. for Bristol, gave the
health of the Duke of I4ent, who, in expressing
his sense of the compliment, said, that of, all the
Charities to which he belonged, this was the
one that carried the most powerful recommenda-
tion for its moral advantages in society. Its doors•
were open even to the convict—to him who had
otherwise resumed the same course from the ne-
cessity of his condition, and tire loss of his charac-
ter.

It also afforded an asylum to those who
were not yet depraved, but were exposed by their
wants to the.temptations of crime and profligacy.
It was founded on such a principle as be should
always be glad to support, .not only by his own
individual assistance, but by the introduction of
any friends whose conduct he could influence.

me Rev. Mr. WHITE next proposed the health
of Lord Sidmouth, to whom a deputation had
been sent to explain the nature of this Charity„
and through vt hose benevolent interference with
the Prince Regent 1500/. had been granted by
Government in aid of its funds. This toast was
also drunk with great applause. The health of
the Chancellorsofthe Exchequer was honoured
a similar manner, on the proposal of Sir R.
Wigram. -

utter this, a variety of social and charitable
matters occupied the Meeting which, from being
unacquainted with the parties who took the lead
tlrerein,.we are unable to detail. Suffice it to
say, that the condition of the Society was greatly
improved by the result of this day, which added,
as we trust this notice will do., many supporters
to an Establishment so congenial to morality, hu-
manity, and,the Christian Religion, that it re-
quires nothing but to have its object generally
knOWn to be as successful as the hearts of its must
ardent friends could wish.

• -

ME ENT.

11C)1.3St. OF T,C)IIITS. 'Fittn.Ar, I'rn. 17.

, ,
Lord 41.,0tti-,,,lctc pre,ented several Petition; from Co m.
hridtte, Newriatliet, Zc. and the ithhe of Nottr'oLtz putititr.;
frmr Tinntingdoo ntol iledford, a...taingt the Prr.prity'rix.
Lord Grzr-sviur 'rose to that though be had leakon
to believe at the motion which it lid been his inten'tiort.
to rnalce would riqt ine«.4 with oppositi;ai; yet, us he vei.,l!ed
tri preface it. witlf Finale reniar::g, hr Wai not diitioged In
bring it forward in the al:eilee of a-Noble Earl Li‘ -6;14,61 i,
-.Xcho wag }rcpt a-Tay by a most melancholneetaion (alludinz,
.we soprose, to 1)?e death of the pors-et.) lie would,
ihe-reforo, 'flaw 'noire -that the order be 'discharged, and b'e
-I.,±newed.for next. esda.

,
Lori'IYAHNLEY -ptwponed his motion' relative to the
aural ,\do,inio-ration, for the same reason.
LOrd LANSDOWN bvgged to ;,sit if a Oenern! Officer in
our service, and in the receipt of his pay, wit,: now enipluS-cd
in the expu,litinit fitting out .by the Spanish Gbverinnont for
The suhjogation of the reyohifhinists in SolithAM'vrica ?
rM d BATHUIV.T profesed thst he was entirely ignorant
'of such a cirentustanee.—Adjoarned.

---..tkarar---

11,01:SF OF COMMONS

•
Petitions were .-pre,ented -:^rora the County of Canacestei,
and the Towns of Hereford, Blacklmine, kendal, Reading,
Halifax, and iTar-xick, against t Propet ty Tax..
Petitions were pre,entt.d from the Connties of Lola!) allot
Cavan,, from the Landholtlers G; the too nties of Bedford :Ind
Minting-don, and ft'oni several bistriets in F.,,sex, praying an
alteration in the Corn La'.'s.

The Bleaching Powder Act Repeal Bill was read a third
time, and passed.

*Silt .I.VNits purr.

Mr.
,WII/TBREAD Said appeared, by the
paper cOMmunicated relative to the arrest of cer-
tain Spanisli subjects who bad taken refuge in
Gibraltar, that the object of the motion on the
subject was mistaken; It was expected that by
the produilion of all correspondence carried on
by Sir J. Duff with Lord Bathurst and the con-
stituted Anthorities Of Gibraltar, a fun and fair
explanation would be given of his conduct hi pre-
venting those Unhappy and virtuous Virtims of a
bad Government from effecting their escape by
deans of the British convoy. Why did Sir J.
SUninion. the Captains of the ships who com-
posed. the convoy, and compel them to declare
whether any, and what Spaniards they hml ou
board') This was a specific question, which it Was
'expected should he fully ansmered. The corre-,
pondenee on the subject, on the part of Mr. Sted-
man, was by no means honourable to him. He ex-
i3re,sed a degree of exultation on the occasion which
was 'absoltitely indecent. The account given of
the transation by Gen. Smyth was contradicted by
I\lr.Pe.gblanch, one of those persecuted SpaniardS
tvho was so fortunate as to effect his escape to
this Country. It was due to the Iluuse that so
full an .exposition should be given ou this Melan-.
seholy subject as would leave no loop-hole to Sir
J. Duff, General Smyth, and Mr. Stedman. He
did not desire that a severer punishment should
be inflicted upon any of the persons concerned
this shameful affair, than tht. consciousness that
they had been instrumental in condemning for ten
years- to the gallies, that illustrious and virtuous
Spaniard, Conea, who had shed his blood in the
service of Spain, and in support of the ungrateful
Sovereign by whom be was so inhumanly perse-
who 1ot:.1 two con. prisoners of war in
France, one of whom was eleven times woundedi
and tk hat was.the offence of the unhappy. father ?
simply his haviog addressed a letter to Ferdioand
-VII. recommending milder councils, and more re-
gard to tl-tose who composed the Cortes, and to
whose patriotism he owed his restoration.
The CFIA NCEE.L.OR of the EXCI-f?.P.TJER did not
.know whether it was time intention of any lion.
Member to offer a motion on this subject—he
would haVe, pref:n-red that course, as more fair
and regular, than invective proofs, and declama-
tion without authority.
- Mr. WHlTsaaAn explained.
SPAIN.

7tTr. BENNETT wished to be informed by the
-Right Lion. the Chau-Ceia of the Exchequer for
what purpose certain sum% had been paid to the
Spanish Government ; whether to conciliate the
'f.vour o Ferdinand the Seventh, or for the pur-
pose of trade, or,•as he was 'oust dispostd to be-
lieve, for the purposes of the Spanish expedition
.to the New World.

The CITANCi-'.I.LOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
found no difficulty in answering the question put
by the lion. Gentleman. The sum to which he
alludvd was destined to give two months pay to
enable then to return to their families after the
war had concluded.

Sir J..Nxwro.rr wished to be informed whether
::;ir J. Downie, tt•lto, as Mr. Downie had been en-
g-aged with General Miranda, in the attempt to re-
volutionize the Caraceas, was; still receiving Pal-
'fish pat', and at the s,ime time going out with
Gtmeraf Morillo in the Spanish service to reduce
tbo.ie very per.,,ons to the yoke which he had for-
merly been instrumental in inciting them to shake
off

The CirANcELLoR of the ENCHtRUErt said, that
al! he %vas altie to state to •the Right lion. Baro-
-nvt was, that Sir J. Downie was an Officer in the
British Commissariat, and the brother ofa gallant
101f,cr who had f3tien in the engagement on Lake
Champlain. Of his going out with General
he knew nothing,

• INSOLVENT DEBTORS.
Ordered, On the motion of Mr. Alderman AT-
, that an account he printed of the names aud
descriptions of the several persons discharged nu-
der-the last Insolvent Debtors' Act. • •
BANN. REsnucTioN BILL.
On the motion of the Cuntvicgt.tott of the Ex-
cnictuF.n, the Bank Restriction rill' was read a
first time, and ordered to be read a second time
on Tuesday next.