The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-07 00:00:00

/
ENING EDITION.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The Annual General Meeting of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was held in Exeter
Hall yesterday. Some time before the hour appointed for
commencing proceedings (one o'clock), the room was
crowded almost exclusively with ladies.
Lord Mahon was moved to the chair amidst the
cheers of the meeting, in the absence of his Royal High.
ncss the Duke of Cambridge, whose presence had been
expected.

The Noble CHAIRMAN, in addressing the meeting,
said he was sure that be need not tell them how sin-
cerely he participated in the regret which they all should
feel at not seeing the chair then occupied, as they bad
hoped it would be, by his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge.—(Hear, hear.) Until within a few
minutes, before they were ali in fail expectation of that
honour, but he fled just received a letter from
his Royal Highness, expressing his regret at finding
that it would be absolutely impossible fur him to Inltil
his purpose of presiding there that day.—(Hear,
hear.) Ho was sure be could venture to say
that that would be a source of disappointment
not less to his Royal Highness than to themselves, when
they recodected how ready his Royal Highness had
always shown himself to do all that lay in his power,
whenever he thought that any good object was to be ef-
fected, or any purpose of charity to be advanced,—
(Cheers.) 11c would venture to say in the absence of
his Royal Highness, what he would scarcely have pre-
sumed to say in his presence, that there never was a
Prince more ready to_devote his time, his attention, and
his purse, to objects of blinevolence, than the Royal Mike
who was to have been their Chairman on this
occasion. His Royal Highness, however, even in
his absence, had shown his zeal for the purposes
of the Society, and had instructed him (the Chair-
man), by a letter he had just received, to place
the liberal donation of 101. in the hands of the
Secretary for the objects of the. Society.-.-iCheeriag.)
The Noble Chairman then addressed the meeting on the
nature of the objects for which the Society had hem
formed. Their design was to promote feelings of huma-
nity towards the brute creation, and he was of opiniol no
purpose could be more benevolent and no claim more 344,
It was on such a principle as that to which he had al-
luded that the Society had been founded and carried on,
and he believed that its labours had not been wit losat
some use.—(Cheers.)
Lord DUDLEY SIT-ART came forward to pro-
pose the first resolution, which was as follows :—" That
this Society, while expressing its gratification at the ad-
ditional Royal patronage conferred on the Society by
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and at
the general prosperity of the Society, find it their
duty to avow their conviction, that further and persever-
ing exertions are desirable, in order more perfectly to
accomplish the humane and benevolent objects for
which the Society was established." The Noble Lord
did not think that any eloquence would be required to
induce the meeting to adopt the resolution, as he was
sure it would immediately meet with the approbation Of
every one present.—( Hear, hear.)
Lord STUART DE ROTHSAY seconded the rest:Th.llin.

The resolution was put, and unanimously carried.
The SECRET tr.v then read the Annual Report of the
Society (the 14th), of many parts of which the meeting
loudly expressed their approbation.
Letters of apology for non-attendance at the meeting
were read from the Earl of Carnarvon, who enclosed a
donation of 101., from the Earl of Winchilsea and the
Bishop of Chichester.
Lord MAttom was then obliged to retire, and
Lord DUDLEY STUART was called to the Chair in
his place, amidst much cheering.
Sir GEORGE CIIETWYND movod, " That the Report
which had been read by the Secretary should be re-
ceived, adopted, and printed for general circulation."
The Hen. Baronet in moving the resolution, expatiated
at length on the benevolent objects of the Society, and
the results which had attended their labours.

Mr. MACKINNON, M.P., seconded the resolution,
and expressed a hope that with the mild and benetolent
influence of that sex, which formed so large a portion
of the meeting, the interests of the Society might con-
tinue to be advanced. The Hon. Gentleman said it was his
intention to introduce a clause, having reference to the
objects of the Society, in the Bill for the re-
gulation of carriages in Ireland, which was
to come before the House of Commons on that
evening. The purport of the clause would be to prevent
the use of dogs in the drawing of any vehicle whatever
in Ireland.—(Cheers.)
A GENTLEMAN in the body of the meeting here es.
pressed a wish to put a few questions to the gentle,
men on the platform. He would ask the Hon. Gentle-
man who had just sat down if he were ready to intro-
duce into tho Bill which was to come under discussion
in the House of Commons, a clause preventing the wit
of horses in steeple chases ? Was
.the Society disposed
to prevent the abuse of animals by the rich? Cr to put
an end to the hunting of deer in the parks of the great ?
Mr. MAcEINNON replied to the Hon. Gentleman,
that from the nature of the Bill which was to cense
that evening before the House of Commons, it would
not be in his power to introduce such a clause as that
to which the Hon. Gentleman had alluded. With re-
gard to the other points referred to by the Hon. Gen
tleman, he felt that it would be impossible in the pre-
sent feeling of the country to put en end to shostiog
and hunting. He should observe, however, that the
existing law on the subject of cruelty to animals applied
to the rich as well as the poor, and that both tvere
equally prevented from abusing their animals.
The resolution was then put and carried.

The CHAIRMAN presented prizes to two youths (for
essays on the subject for which the Society was formed.
Mr. J. ASHLEY MAwE moved the next resolution—
" That the Earl of Carnarvon be respectfully requested
to accept the office of President, and Lord Viscount
Mahon, Lord Dudley Stuart, Lord Ashley, and Wm,
Mackinnon, Esq., M.P., be respectfully requested to
accept the office of Vice-Presidents of the Society for
the ensuing year."
Sir JOHN CROFT seconded the resolution.

The resolution was put and carried.
Tie CHAtiatAN expressed in his own name, and that
of his colleagues, his thanks for the honour conferred
on them, and their readiness to undertake the duties en-
trusted to them. _

'lle Committee for the Society was then appointed
for the ensuing year. .

A vote of thanks was put, and unanimously carried
to Mr. Maimot, the Solicitor for the Society ; and o si-
milar vote was passed to the friends and supporters in
France of the cause which the Society advocated.
The thanks of the Meeting were then given to Lord
Mahon and Lord Dudley Stuart for their conduct in
the Chair, and the Meeting separated.