The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-05 00:00:00

MENDICITY SOCIETY.

Yesterday tile Sixth Annual Meeting of the
Mendicity Society was held in the Great Hall of the Free-

masons' Tavern.

It was expected that his Royal Highness the Duke of YORE
would have taken the Chair; but a note was read from his
Secretary, stating that public business prevented his attend-
ance. _

.T. WETLAND, Esq., the Vice-President, took the Chair;
and in allusion to the thin attendance of the Meeting, ob-
served, that it might be accounted for from the recent Meeting
of the Society on an extraordinary occasion well known to the
public, respecting some statements in a public paper. He was
sure that it arose from no falling off of the supporters of the So-
ciety in consequence of the statements that had been published
against it, for the constancy of attendance from the most dis-
tinguished characters and general aid was felt to be as great as
ever. —(A pplause.)
Several letters of apology from Noblemen for non-attendance
was then read.

Mr. Bomixx read the Report of the proceedings of the Com-
mittee during the last year. It stated that the condition of the
streets had been greatly improved by the effects of the Society,
but increased exertions were still necessary. The Magistrates
had often sent to make inquiries at the Office for information in
particular cases; and the system of recording cases adopted by
the Society had been found of great utility. That confirmed
beggars still continued to infest the streets could not be fairly
charged as the fault either of the Police or the Society, but to
the conduct of those inconsiderate individuals who still gave
alms to beggars, instead of purchasing and distributing the
tickets of the Society. The number of cases- investigated
during the last year amounted to 1492. Of these 167 were
persons whose settlements were in tondon ' • 609 were persons
belonging to the country ; and 424 were Irish. The report
concluded by stating, that the recent investigation had increas-
ed the numbers of the subscribers, as it had manifested the ex-
cellence of its plan to persons who before were ignorant of it.
The Hon. CHAS. SHORE moved that the Report should be
received. With respect to the charges recently brought against
the Society, he said their, investigation had been so far from in-
jurious, that it was to be apprehended the effect would be to
raise too high or favourable our opinion of its merits.

BASIL MONTAGU, Esq. seconded the motion for printing
the Report. The Report contained many statements that had
beencirculated in the Public Papers, which statements charity
called upon them to presume were made from the best motives.
But the aspersions contained in them had been fully and trium-
phantly refuted. He now called upon the author of these as-
persions, if he were present, to come forward, and he would be
fairly heard, and fully answered. The effect of those arrows
shot in the dark.he would read to the Society.—( The Learned
Gentleman then read a letter from Lord Carrington, stating,
that in consequence of the investigation which had been re-
cently made he was induced to forward a donation of 201. to
the Society.)—This communication was received with loud
applause.
The Report was unanimously agreed to.
Lord CALTHORPE, Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P. General
BROWNE, Mr. JACKS, Mr. WILBERFORCE, M.P. Mr. Pow-
NAL L and other Gentlemen, moved the several Resolutions,
and bore testimony in the strongest terms to the excellent ob-
jects and beneficial effects of the Society, and to the unwearied
activity and uniformly admirable conduct of Mr. Bodkin, the
Honorary Secretary. That Gentleman, in returning thanks,
stated, that the late attack on his character would be the sub-
ject of legal investigation.
The meeting separated with 'an apparently unanimous im-
pression of esteem for the Institution, and contempt for the
calumnies which have been so thoroughly refuted.

MURDER AND PIRACY.

[From the Glasgow Courier, March 2.]

We have been favoured. by a Mercantile.ifouse
in Glasgow, with the following extract of•a letter,
dated Madeira, Jan. 28.
The English Papers have been filled lately with details 'o±.
murders, bUt a circumstance has just'taken place.here, far sur-
passing their' irii horror and atrocity. An American schoonei'
the Napoleon, Captain John Hall, having received the amount
of her freight in cash, about 1,000 dollars, sailed from this on
Friday last, the 23d inst. for the. Cape Verde Islands, having
eight people on board, viz. the Captain. Mate, Cook, three sea-
men, and two Portuguese lads, one of them as steward to the
vessel, the .other a passenger.

" The same night the three seamen murdered the Captain,
the Mate, Cook, and Steward. After throwing their bodies
overboard, they called up the remaining Portuguese lad who was
asleep below, and having told him boastingly what had happen-
ed, ordered him to go and cook. them some ham and eggs, on
which they regaled themselves, drinking copiously of wine and
spirits from the cabin. Instead of running away with the ves-
sel they now stood back for the Island, they then put out the long
boat, but it being leaky and not well secured, owing to their
drunkenness it broke adrift- and was lost. As they neared the
coast they cut a hole in the side of the vessel to sink her, in-
tending to have escaped in the jolly boat, which still remained,
and give out that the schooner foundered, with those on board
that were missing. The poor Portuguese lad (whose family,
by-the bye, live next door to me) was meantime in an agony of
terror, as lie understood, that to carry their plan into execution,
it was fully their intention to sacrifice him before leaving the
vessel; he had the address, however, to conceal his fears, and
even pretended to join in their merriment and drinking:, but
kept himself from getting intoxicated by pouring the liquor
down his bosom instead of swallowing it. Becoming at last
exhausted from drunkenness and fatigue, they went below to
rest, desiring the boy to take charge of the helm, he allowed
them to remain below undisturbed for some time,. when finding'
' they were fast asleep, he courageously cut away the jolly boat
from the stern, jumped into it with only one oar, and was for-
tunately a good way off from the vessel before they discovered
his flight. They had no boat left to follow him, the vessel. was
water logged, and as if Providence had given them up, it fell a
dead calm, so that even if they could have stopt the leak and
pumped out the water, there was no chance of their getting
away.
" The poor lad was so frightened that when he reached the
shore, he could hardly make his story intelligible. Armed
boati were immediately sent off; and the vessel taken pos-
session of, without the least resistance on the part of the three
desperadoes, who still continued.very drunk. They asserted
at first, that the Captain and those missing had left the
vessel in the long-boat, but finding this story avail them no-
thing, they soon confessed the whole affair. One is a Swede,
a native of Stockholm, another is an American, and the third,
lam sorry. to hear, is an Englishmen. Poor Captain Hall was
a slender young man, about four and twenty, and as he was
going to be married on his return to America, had purchased
a qr. cask of old Madeira to regale his friends on the occasion,
which only served to regale his blood-thirsty assassins."

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOCSE OF COMMONS.
Jovis, 40 die Martii, 1824.

ROADS-Glossop and Marple Bridge, Whiteparish, &c. Sto;
kenchurch, Rugeley, and Whitchnrch—Bills read a firo
time. Carmarthen, Langport, and Dunchurch—Bills or-
dered:to he brought in. Birstall and Holme Lane End, and
Cheltenham—Petitions for Bills reported, Reports to' lie on
the table. Buxton and Stockport—Petition of Inhabitants.
of Stockport, against, to lie on the table ; Petition of Land;
owners, &c. on the line of road leading to Manchester and
Stockport, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill.
TAY FisrtEßlEs—Petitions of Merchants, &c. of Edinluirght
and Montrose, against, to lie on the table.
LEITH. TRINITY HOUSE 1 Bills read a first
RAlLWAY—Monkland and Kirkintilloch f time.
IxaLosußra—.Camerton (Cumberland)—Bill read a second
time, and committed.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE—St. Katherine's—Petition for Bill re-
ported, Report to lie on the table.
Gas LlGHTs—Rantslate—Bill ordered to brought in. Man-
chester—Petitions o Churchwardens and Sidesmen of seve-
ral townships in Manchester, against, referred to the Cop.!,'
miktee on the Bill. Hereford--Bill read a first time.
Impackv E mENTs—Walsall,and li uline)
LANCASTER JUDGES LODGINGS I •
LlGHTlNG—Camberwell

VESTRY—Southwark (St. John's)
BRlDGE—Burrow

Bills ordered to be
brought in.

CO lIIPAN Y—lllining (Ireland) No. 2. J
CANAL—Bristol and Tauntonßill ordered to be brought in.
Hertford Union—Bill read a second time, and committed.
P üßLlcAxs—Petitions of Licensed Innkeepers and Victuallers
of Northallerton, Alton, Chorley, Essex, and Kingston...upon-
Thames, for the repeal of the increased Duties on
Li-
cences ; to lie on the table.

COAL DUTlES—Petitions against the Duties on Coals, from
Hawkhurst, Hadleigh, and Boston—to lie on the table.
CANDLE DUTIE s—Petition of Candlemakers in Dundee, fur
the repeal thereof; to lie on the table, and to be printed.
StLx—Petitions against the importation of manufactured Silk,
from Samuel Henshall, of Newcastle, Staffordshire; and Rib-
bon Weavers of Bedworth, Nuneaton, Chilvers Coton, Bul-
kington, and Coventry ; to lie on the table.
WOOL—Petitions of Merchants, &c. of Leeds, Winaill
Idle and Lccleshill, Otley, and Haworth, against alte-
ration of the Laws to prevent the exportation of British
Wool ; to lie on the table.

FOREIGN TRADE—Select Committee appointed, "to consider.
of the means of maintaining and improving the Foreign
Trade of the Country, and to report their opinion and ob-
servations thereupon, from time to time, to the House
Mr. Wallace, Mr. hancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Bar-
ing, Mr. Huskisson, Lord Viscount Althorp, Mr. Glad-
stone, Mr. Irving, Mr. R. Ellis, Mr. C. Grant, Sir G. Clerk,
Sir J. Newport, Mr. T. Wilson, Mr. Plummer, Sir H. Par-
nell, Mr. Sturges Bourne, Sir M. Ridley, Mr. Ellice, Mr-
Rumbold, Lord Viscount Sandon, Mr. Birch, Mr. Lamb,
Mr. Astell, Mr. Robertson, Mr. T. Courtenay, Mr. Cray
Grant, Mr. Money, Mr. Spring Rice, Mr. F. Lewis, Earl
of Brecknock, Sir G. Hill, Mr. Grey Bennet, Mr. Trench,
and Mr. John Sinith :—power to send for persons, papers,
and records ; five to be the quorum.

ORDERS OF THE DAY .FOR THIS DAY.;
1. Judges in Wales Bill—Second Reading.
2. Gaol Act Amendment Bill—Second Reading.
3. Weights and Measures Bill—Committee. •
4. Supply—Report.
5. Uxury Laws Repeal-Bill—Committee. •
6. Ways and Means—Third Resolution, 16th February, (Fo-
reign Spirits and Sweets)—Further consideration of Re-
port.
7. 'Ways and Means—Second Resolution, Feb. 16, (Tax on
Pensions, &c.)—Further Consideration 'of Report.
8. Annual Indemnity Bill—Third Reading.
9. SUpply—Committee.
10. M arine Mutiny, Bill—Committee.
11. Clergy Residence (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
12. Ways and Means—Committee.
13. Mutiny Bill—Committee.
14. Church Rates (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading.
15. South American Postage Bill—Report.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.
1. Mr. Herries—Miscellaneous Estimates. (In Committee of
Supply).
2. Mr. Attorney-General—Bill respecting Insolvent Debtors.
3. Mr. Goulburn—Bill to amend the Court of Chancery Act
(Ireland) of last Session.
4. Mr. Grattan—Correspondence between individuals in Ire-
land and some Members of Government, respecting Print..
ing in 1822-23 :—Also, Account of Pensions and Allow'
antes to retiring or dismissed Officerr, ending Jan. 1824.

NOTICES GIVEN -YESTERDAY.
Monday, March 8.
Mr. Curwen—Copy of Memorial concerning the absence of
the Attorney-General from the Isle of Mann ; also, COPY
of Patent of his appointment.
Friday, March 12.
Mr. Secretary Canning—Papers and Statement relating t°
the West Indies.

Wednesday, March 17.
Mr. Maberley—Land Tax Redemption Acts.

Tuesday, March 30.
Lord Archibald. Hamilton—To refer Reports of Commis-
sioners of Inquiry on Fees of Courts of Justice in Scot-
land to a Committee of the whole Heuse.
PRIVATE BILLS—SECOND READINGS for Tuis DAr•
Alton Inclosure—Newton Abbot, Huddersfield and Halifax,
-and Cerne Abbas Roads—and Hull Poor.

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