The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

PROVIDENT CLERKS' yfiTTUAL
BENEFIT ASSOCIATION AND BENEVOLENT
FUND.
A public dinner took place at the London Tavern,lBlt
evening, to celebrate the second election of annuitants in
connexion with this institution, and in aid of its benevolT
fund. The election took place in the morning, J. A. Smith
Esq., M.P sin the chair, when two individuals were elected'
annuitants; the one an aged clerk, 65 years, to a pens*
24,1 the other, the widow of a clerk, to a pension of 15
neither case had they•contributed more than four guineas toes _A
association. The Earl of Dalhousie, President of the Board
d Trade, took the chair; was supported, on his righ4.
Lord John Russell, and on his left by J. Wood, Esq., chair
man of the Excise. Upwards of 200 sat dawn to dinner.
Amongst those present we observed J. A. Smith, Est'
err,
M.P.; W. G. Prescott, Esq.; J. Mackillop, Esq. ; CX
Esq.; M. Boyd, Esq. • J. W. Gilbert, Esq. ; 112°Lnss°1
Hankey, jun., Esq ; H. 'Davidson, Esq. ; W. Thornton, lc
J. Cook, Esq. ; J. Fletcher, Esq. ; G. W. Roberts, Est-'e
Davidson, Esq. ; C. Cave, Esq.; G. Pollard, Esq. ;
Esq.. W. Fraser, Esq ; the Rev. F. Dollman, M.A., chill' key,
R. H. Jones, Esq. ; T Price, Esq.; Thos. Alers
Esq. ' • S. Anderson, Esq.; J. Anderson, Esq., &c.
'1 he following gentlemen sent letters, apologising for
see
inability to attend from various causes :—Sir J. 1-18Isl' e
Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England'
Rev. J. Vane, M.A. Sir J. Easthope, Bart., M.P., Aluei;se,
Lucas, II D. Blyth, Esq., J. Deacon, Esq., J. Labour so
Esq., Sir G. P. Glyn, Bart., Sir C. Price, Bart.,
Thompson, M.P., Raikes Currie, Esq., M.P., Sir J. Lubbooco's
Bart., Sir G. Larpent, Bart., T. Baring, Esq , M.P., (irl,c G.
sequence of an accident), A. W. Roberts, Esq., 'Esq.,
Thornton, Esq., G. F. Young, Esq., G. G. Barton,
J. Alexander ankey, Esq., Samuel Jones Loyd, Earl-
" Benedictus" having been sung,
+droll°
The CHAIRmAN, who was received with the most raP-vry
applause, rose and said, there was one toast which, on eshia
Alderrn„.,
occasion, and in every company which could meet wl:i00
the three kingdoms, commended itself without introduSL it;
and without comment to those who were invited to drink
and he should think from thAt he would pay but a poor.t
pliment to that assembly if he seemed to suppose tl3;oftt
needed either hint or word from him to call forth I
them loud cheers in drinking the health of "The Queen'fol-
The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm, and was
lowed by " God Save the Queen." noel
The CHAIRMAN then proposed, in succession, the `oss'
Dowager, and Prince Albert, and the rest of the Ps.'ss
Family, which were equally well received. He then ;I' of
the " Army and Navy," arid in doing so trusted thateeire)
would drink the toast in an overflowing bamper.—(Gsb o-eve
Under any ordinary circumstances the toast woul,",
been passed over as a matter of course, but with the 114`lied
of the last few weeks fresh in their memor:,—with the e° rt,„
of the Tower guns still in their ears, when, in fact, they ht
collected that the mails of the last few weeks had brotiln
tidings of victory after victory—he thought lie should
be doing his duty to that assembly, or satisfy the eslnee
tion which, occupying the position which he did in 511,
councils of her Majesty, they had a right to form of Onto
he did not give them an opportunity of "doing honour vfrtee
honour was due"-.-of paying a tribute of respect te,,,,re
British army and navy.—(Cheers.) They had nothing tulle
to do with the causes of the war and its consequences, but, it
did think it was a matter of high congratulation and of 16",1
pride to them to know that after so many years of
profolfis
and prolonged peace, the experienceof the last I`se
years, above all, the experience of the last sod
months, had fully proved to them that the soldiers
officers of the British army were at that moment as ...Ise('
endowed with those soldier-like qualities which distinga7its
their predecessors and led them to fame. It was ttee
needless that he should pause for a moment to say that but
army with which they had to deal was no ordinary fee's' of
one of undoubted valour, and reared in the strictest sch,°, tee
tbei
discipline, by European officers, and well skilled in at'
science of European power ; and in the face of that of
had an army only partially trained in the arts of war, n° of
experience, like those who were in the service at the off their
the year 1814 ; but they proved in India that the edge
able bled
sword was not lees sharp, and their hands not less caPassed-
wielding it, and that they were as capable of enduring ea
Keane'
ships as those who had preceded them.—(Cheers.)
i
forbid that for many long years they should be ags'ociceo
gaged in war, but if occasion should arise for their servo
they might rely with the most unswerving confidence
them.
The toast was warmly received.
Duet—" The Army and Navy." . 1111116
The CHAIRMAN again rose and said—Gentlemen,
now the honour to propose a toast to you which
turally and necessarily must be one of the ra°ls,nostit I
portant interest to those whom I have now the +''s FYI
of seeing before me. Gentlemen, I am about te,;001
pose to you to drink " Prosperity to the Provident l-iLtik
Association."—(Cheers.) It is a matter of extreme
,;;Let!
cation to me that in standing here to propose that tv-0i
am not standing as the advocate of a falling scheme, °r; plO
asking of you to drink the toast in the hope of prosPe'slek
that which might have hitherto been a falling undertB;
Gentlemen, I am not in either of these positions; °;',oo
contrary, we can say that prosperity has hitherto artwoiel
this institution, and that, its prosperity with every 1:41 ) ,
year increases in great and rapid proportion.—(Cheersiisill
will not trouble you by stating any facts in detail, but
sietS
confine myself to mentioning only the several P's so
which the worthy and learned secretary has be bed
kind as to furnish me with. It is stated ia
oto4
papers that although the year 1845 was the 06
prosperous since the formation of the SecietQ.
period from the 31st of January to the 31st of March
year has not only been equally prosperous, but doubly "fess
(Loud cheers.) In 1845 the number of members feed
added was 211, the number who joined the benevolenses
was 133, making the total number of members who Pl' the
1845, 344 ; but the quarter just ended, viz., from 101
Ist of January to the 31st of March, there were r
oleaG
new assurances, and 40 new members to the bersocolser°
fund ; that is, the total number of Ins co
e
this quarter was 147. If the proportion shoula,
co ,o.
tinue, during the present year, to the same extent as Ibrde
menced in the past quarter, then there will be llPvira al
600 members.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I am sure it sYles•
entirely unnecessary for me in a company such as this,,c o
he
posed, I apprehend in a great degree of the members 0,1„0.4s
society, and at all events fully versrd in matters of burin re
it must, I say, be utterly unnecessary for me to pause
-„
of
moment to mention anything with respect to this port Wis
the business Every man in his experience, every 10%0
this room knows, that in all the many evils which tint
suffers in life, "all the ills that flesh is heir to," that :`O-0;
anxiety is felt by every man, however high his posirite
life at times, and must have been felt, as to the fate of 'thir
in the future, who are both near and dear to him—as ,t° that,
fate when he is disabled or when he is gone; and if Beat
Gentlemen, is felt by those moving in a more indePtilt
sphere, how much more, allow me to say, must it be '.obese
the the class of society whose claims I am advocatingts'eser
means, though comparatively limited, may ;04
theless afford them an opportunity of Pr?otioti
11 against the future, in however limited an 11'" if
And I am sure, although they will not perhaps say sn' here,
were to appeal to the experience of many of those I see
as team truth of what I have stated, that there are shics
thousands who, before this Society was constituted, Of_.,iwto/
they are now members, had nothing to look forward
they would answer in the affirmative; and that this ?t, , l''
has been the means of relieving much of the anlssig
which I have referred, by preventing persons from 50 ,
are all the pangs of adversity. But, when these feelings t
by persons in comparative prosperity, they must lqeiti•
thousand times more when entertained by those in actsc the
This, then, shows the necessity of persons joining ore,
Society who might say, " My circumstances may be,-gt pe
than they are now, and if anything should happen, W earth would become of those who depend upon Ine;0
(Cheers.) Gentlemen, in that question as put there i 5
c"- be
found an answer. That answer is to be found in this Assysloll tion, of which you are members, and whose anniversary the
are met to celebrate. He may do that which it is in hi power of man to do, to anticipate and control the future'tbs
means of mutual assurance. It will not, perhaps, raisese
curtain which shows the events of that future, but its: red
great way to provide for that future. And it has ""ipaP
commendation, that there are none whose means are so snot,
but that may obtain advantage from it—no man is se, ribs
no clerk so humble, but may join, in order to provide 11011 i
wants of the future by contributing towards its funds, W ths I
will be fostered and cherished and paid to sty
uttermost farthing.—(Cheers.) Such associations are °I et •
greatest value in this country, whose yearly intro of
wealth rivals and surpasses that of princes. It wool a thi
be well for me to enlarge on this subject, inasmuch es
address ought not to be permitted to degenerate into a 08
ture or sermon ; but I must be permitted to advert t° the
paint. And permit me to say that that which I takehier
liberty of recommending to you and to others of our hurl's da
brethren, is not that which Ido not practise myself
bb
not preach other than I practise. I feel the full value of "gecl!
can be done by MUTUAL ASSURANCE, for I believe withourS'sh
a system I should not estimate fully the advantages
sirh'-e be
am enabled to confer upon my children, who may perhal/tei‘
poor enough at any time; but without
such a society Asissi
your children would not, with any certainty, be pr
nl-eft
for at all. —(Loud cheers.) You have heard it, pes,Tsse 0' I
said, that although this Society may put it in the pel'"00 I
any man, however poor, to pay something towards its 'sot
for his own behalf in the time of need, still the pittance titV
which many are called upon to subsist is so poet., ey
they cannot afford to spare any portion of 24,
it is swallowed up in his present expenses,.,oce
therefore he trusts to the mercy of prowl, si3
for the future. Gentlemen, I am the last man who vir°,l,l
say to you, or to others, not to trust in Providence ; 100 t
.
not say that it is not right to trust to the mercies of co
Providence ; but, gentlemen, whenever that is addressePiero
you in public, I would advise you to make this rejoio,"
that no man has a right to trust to that Providence, wine Qt,
the attribute of heavenat,ondu submitnm
whose
o shete 0 has used his utmost
tions to avail himself of the advantages which Provid,e,Tcor
envoewryessmtaenndaspetho him, and
decrees it is) the drsijoe,
Gent.e,,,os
I shall not detain you from drinking "Pro
spe;*ty to the
but before I sit down perrnit jot
vident Clerks' Association ;"
uasnyhyh enireanwybwo
hhoasveennsonit
to offer one word of supplication in its behalf. If there eet,
names
solalpoweeadr tuhpeonadmthisiralbtslet. efxeratnraP4iir:
the most eminent of this to r 6
vide the Benevolent fund great city have subscribed
sots
of relief to attain the 'Pep i•
, or are seeking to
themselves and others in the time of need, els
would earnestly entreat We
you to induce them to be.cons 0 yotlf
bens of this Association.to impress this also sre
And I wish
os
that when you •
aid those Who wish to aid themselves Y
benefiting yourselves likewise; and you are sure that duties of the committee who have the management °`
co ,
Institution •
ion will be discharged with integrity and wilus,se" stancy.—(Hear hear.) If any gentlemen have not fo"-set,
re's"
this praiseworthy
example, permit me, with every ,en
to suggest how good a work they will promote if tbe•Yietr
deavour to induce others to become members of this Sccsour
You cannot be wrong in inducing, as far as it is in iv,.
power, men to be provident for those that belong to tila ed•'
provident for the future—you cannot be in the wrong.e/et t°
vocating the claims of a Society which has for its ollateer
succour the poor, to aid the widavr, and to rescue the 's.
less. The Noble Earl resumed his seat amidst loud cheerper,
THOMSON HANREY, jun., Esq., said he had receive% Sias
mission of the Chairman to propose a toast, but before 'el, of
an, he wished to explain that the Governor of the lift,' basis
England was unavoidably absent on account of urgen",e re'
ness, and that he had desired him to express his extrefis re-
gret for the circumstance, and deputed him to he
e“ Ass
presentative. The toast he was -about to prof° coo °
the health of the Chairman, who had so nobly no
forward to aid them.—(Loud cheers.) They had ni.e%vst to
ordinary occasion. The Institution was known AliTitereq
every one present, and they knew how deep an co, 00,
every merchant in the City took in its rise and progr,steresS:
it was, in his opinion, calculated to promote the best i 0 `yids
of those who were in. daily and constant communierts!r„,eete
them. But, independently of the circumstance of thelirriisca
ing to celebrate an anniversary of the Institution, 's
Were a
remind them under whose peculiar patronage they
sembled. They had received
that day a mark of the the
sanction of—he would not nay a nobleman connected s
the commerce of the City—but of a nobleman filling eat
highest office which any man could do in this 'OlO-
country, as he presided over the great mercantile and And
naercial interests of- this great Ci (Hear, beg_rl„toeS
cheers.) lie would not enter into his private s'siollt
but he did think he should ill discharge Its_stotett
if he were not to call attention to his public ca row
and to say that it PM in a great degree to Ms Pubw#