The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-21 00:00:00

; j4.O.Xj, 0.,41

fetei they had board the vapartt that they would not
fail to be of opinion that the advantages to be derived
'.y the annual payment of this small sum—and none
wt-re so poor that they could not afford to pay it—
were so apparent, and so valuable, that no clerk in
the kingdom should be without its pale. In the first
place, the subscribers were entitled to receive medical
advice, which in itself was an important &Ivan:age,
as it was well known that a physician generally re-
ceived a fee of a guinea for each of his visits; but
the subscribers to this institution who required such
advice, not only once, but several times in the course
of the year, were entitled to receive it from the
medical officers.—(Hear.) But there were some
other equally important advantages. A situation
book was kept, to which the members might at all
times have access, and it was satisfactory to record
the fact that, during the last twelve months, twelve
or fourteen clerks had obtained situations through its
instrumentality.—(Cheers.) Then, gratuities of 51.
and 101. were given to distressed members at those
st asonable times when such aid was most acceptable,
and when, perhaps, it might save many from
ruin. This had been the case during the past year;
for the institution had afforded aid to many who,
without it, might never have been able to extricate
themselves fram the difficulties in which they were
involved.—(Hear.) He had a list of those who had
participated in the benefits of the institution in this
way during the time he had mentioned, and all the
cases showed the absolute necessity for extending its
tperations. With respect to pensions be might say,
there was not the same certainty attending them as
gratuities; there was the certainty of a few obtaining
pensions, but not all who might require them. This,
however, would not be the case if the institution had
more ample means; all those who might be reduced
to the necessity of seeking a small pension in their
declining years, would have nu doubts of obtaining a
pension. This was an additional reason why every
clerk in the kingdom should subscribe a guinea a year
to it. If they would come forward simultaneously
the managers would be enabled' to give abundantly to
all deserving of its aid.—(Cheers.) At present
five widows were receiving 151., and two
aged clerks 25/. each. With the exception of
one widow who was disappointed in being
elected on the last occasion, he believed
he might say that no one who had applied for assist-
ance had not obtained it—(Cheers)—and he trusted
that on the next occasion, when three additional
annuitants would be elected, that the unsuccessful
candidate to whom he referred would he successful.
—(Cheers.) It was pleasing, on the other hand, to
observe that during this year they had received several
instances of goodwill towards the :association. He
would read the following letter from the chief clerk in a
mercantile house, of considerable importance, and
though it had already been published he thought that
the proper time to lay it before the members. The
spirit in which it was couched was one which he
should be delighted to see generally followed. He
troubled them with it, as he believed it a document
of a very 'important character, which was as follows:

" London, Jan. 12, 1848.

"Gentlemen,—On behalf of myself and brother
clerks in the establishment of —, I beg to hand
you a donation for the Provident Clerks' Association
of 161. Bs., the amount of which be pleased to acknow-
ledge. It is in consequence of our having been pre-
served from the disasters which have within the last
few months befallen so many of our fraternity, and to
lend them a helping hand, that we have determined
on making the donation in question.
"I am, Gentlemen, yours,
66
(Loud cheers.) Then one of the agents had generously
surrendered his commission, which amounted to
about Si. ss. a year, to the benevolent fund.—(Loud
cheers.) There was an excellent spirit in this spon-
taneous offer. He did not wish to single out the
names of parties who had shown themselves such
earnest friends of the institution, as they might object
to it. That morning they had received a letter from
a gentleman at Birmingham, stating that he had re-
ceived a guinea as an annual subscription from the
High Bailiff, in consequence of the recent visits
of the deputations of the association to that town,
and adding that the Lord Mayor had consented
to take the chair at their next visit—(Loud
cheers)—at the same time he enclosed a sub-
scription from Mr. Clark, an influential gentleman
there. He could mention many other equally satis.
factory results, but it was needless to do so ; that,
however, was the spirit he wished to see followed.
Before he resumed his seat he might mention that
they had issued this year in the assurance department
67 policies, amounting altogether to 15,0501.; that
was a good beginning to the year.—(Cheers.) In
the same period they had received donations amount-
ing to 28/. 95., 24 new subscriptions, gave two gra-
tuities of Si. each, and had granted 13 loans, amount-
ing in the aggregate to 2701. He wished to mention
that they had received letters from 'the following
warm friends of the institution expressing their re-
gret that unavoidable circumstances would prevent
them attending that evening :—Sir T. Pirie, Bart,
M. Boyd, Esq., James Blyth, Esq., T. Baring, Esq.,
M.P., J. A. Smith, Esq., M.P., &c. &c.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said—Gentlemen,
before the adoption of the report, which I have heard
read with a great deal of pleasure, is moved, I can-
not allow the opportunity which now pfeseats itself
to pass without offering a few remarks t yt,u v. i:;)
respect to this institution. A genEral feeling seems
to prevail in the meeting that the Chairman was
quite justified in the expression of astonishment
which he just now gave utterance to, that the number
of the subscribers to the institution have not increased
during the seven years it has been established to a
greater number than 500.—(Hear, hear.) On my
own part, having been one of the original subscribers,
and having always taken a great interest in its ob-
jects, I must also express my unfeigned surprise
when I look at the great benefits and advantages to
be derived from it. I confess I cannot,
in my own mind, really account for the
tameness with which it has been taken up by
those for whom it was designed, because On all hands
I behold its advantages. I see that it may confer
inestimable benefits on the subscribers themselves,
should their circumstances become reduced ; and if
they should not happily, require its aid, that in sub •
scribing to the institution they are simply doing that
which every man who wishes well to his neighbour
should do as a matter of duty.—(Loud cheers.) In
looking at the institution merely as a benefit, or an
assurance society, in the ordinary acceptation of the
term, you do it injury, for I beg you to recollect that
for a guinea a year you have the chance of receiving
251. a year in your declining years, and your widow,
in the event of your death, 151.: if you look at the
institution in this light, I am sure you will be of
opinion that it has much stronger claims upon your
support than any other benefit or assurance company,
for its object is to confer far greater advantages
upon you than they profess to give.—(Cheers.) It
appears by the report that three additional annuitants
are to be elected in the course of the year ; but you
have heard that there are more applicants than can
be relieved by annuities. There are, I believe, four
applicants; it is possible there may be more—but
being able to meet the wishes of three, is a very great
proportion of the number seeking relief. I, as a
matter of course, prefer certainty to uncertainty ;
but, it may reasonably be assumed, that if the
society receives the support it should, the uncer-
tainty of a clerk, in the decline of life, receiving an
annuity, should he be in a condition to require one,
will be in a great measure removed ; at any rate this
is perfectly certain, that the subscriber of a guinea a
year purchases more advantages than could be ob-
tained by the investment of a similar sum in any
other benefit or assurance company. (Cheers.)
Looking at mere personal benefits—and that is not the
only light in which you should view a matter of this
kind I think every clerk ought, merely as a
matter of business, to invest a guinea a year in this
institution.--(Loud cheers.) By the investment of
that sum you may have the satisfaction of knowing
that you can assist a man with whom you have been
in daily, I may say habitual communication. As a
charitable institution, I consider it ought to receive
the assistance of the whole country. An objection is
made to the institution, with respect to which I wish
to say a few words (I have heard the chairman
allude to it on a former occasion). It is this —that
clerks are afraid if they subscribe to it that it might
interfere with their promotion, and prevent their
principals from making that provision for them which
they ought to do, and which they would do if they
did not make any provision for themselves elsewhere.
In my own establishment we have a great many
gentlemen (and there are many like them in
other establishments), who are very careful, re•
gular, and attentive in their own affairs, and I
have invariably remarked that those who thus
distinguished themselves are the most regu-
lar and attentive to our own. This shows that those
who look to the future advantage of themselves and
their families have, from their assiduity, stronger
claims upon their employers ; therefore if those who
serve us best, and who are, in consequence,
promoted, subscribe to a charity like this. I am
convinced that they have our business as much at
heart as their own. Those who are careful of their
own matters, therefore, serve us the:best and have the
strongest claims upon us.—(Cheers.) I do not con-
sider on these grounds that there is any force
in the objection that principals do not suffi-
ciently attend to the promotion of their
clerks because they many subscribe to an institution
like this, which may afford them in the future ad-
vantages which, at present, they do not imagine
they should need. I have not heard of any other
objection raised against the institution, and I do,
therefore, hope and trust that the example which we
have recently seen of the necessity of supporting it
will have its due effect. I allude to the failure of
houses which but a short time ago occupied high