The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-25 00:00:00

EVENING, NOVEMBER, 25, 1851.

TUESDAY

have been set before us, end I shall feel still more
proud it I can in any way promote the prosperity of
a society which hes such noble, enlarged, and such
patriotic euds.—(Cheers.) But, gentlemen, there are
some who object to these principles, who say that this
10 r3r cent., and that 10 per cent., which you apply
to this or that :benevolent purpose ought to go into
the pockets of those who are policy-holders. Now,
what should we answer to those who say this ? Why
I would answer them i❑ their own way, and
as a conclusive proof that they are wrong I would
remind them that every 10 per cent. we devote
in this way brings to our receipts at least a hundred
per cent.—(Hear, hear.) Why, gentlemen, what
has placed us in our present positio❑ ? 'What is it that
has already given us nearly a thousand shareholders
in seven months ? What is it that has caused us to
part with so many shares ? What is it that has in
duced so many persons to insure with us to the extent
of 95,0001., in the short space of a few months? Why,
it is the popular favour, and the popular appreciation
of the principles which we are adopting.—(Hear,
hear.) What is it that has given us an income of
upwards of 3,0001. in the short period that we have
been in existence Why, the plain, fair, and equi-
table principles which we adopt.—(Hear, hear.)
What is it that has given us the respectable local
boards, such as we see established in Nottingham
and Liverpool, what ? Why, is is our excel-
lent principles ?—(Hear, hear.) And, therefore,
gentlemen, I say it is manifest to me that these prin-
ciples will have their way, that they will become
powerful through opposition, and triumph at last.—
(Hear, hear.) The only other part of the report to
which I wish to allude is that part in which we
earnestly impressed upon each shareholder the para-
mount necessity of individual exertion in extending
the operations and promoting the interest of the so-
ciety.—(Hear, hear.) I know, gentlemen, that there
are not many individual shareholders who could do
much, but all of us can do something, and if amongst
the number of those who are interested in an institu-
tion, each would only exert himself from a real faith
in its principles to the utmost of his power, the result
in the aggregate would be highly gratifying.—(Hear.)
Ido conceive that every person oho is a proprietor
here, or who is at all interested in this institution, ought
not to give way i►► his determination to do this when
he returns home, and make the principles of the so-
ciety known not only to his own family, but amongst
all persons with whom he may happen to be connected
in the remotest degree.—(Hear, hear.) If we all do
this lam perfectly certain we should even prosper
beyond our most sanguine expectations ; but above
all, gentlemen, this individual exertion is all that is
required to ensure our complete success.—(Hear,
bear.) With these convictions, gentlemen, fully ex-
pressed, I need not detain you any longer, except to
convey to you my gratification at seeing so many
friends around me, and in conclusion, I beg to express
my confident opinion that in adopting the principles
we do, and adhering firmly to them, we may apply to
the Trafalgar Life Insurance Society that which was
said of truth, namely, magna est et prevalebit.
Mr. J. A. DURHAM, 1H moving the adoption of
the report, said that for some years he bad given his
attention to the principles on which life assurances
were formed, and though many such societies had
been established, he thought there had been no cor-
responding inclination to support them on the part of
the public. Yet, notwithstanding his knowledge of
this feeling, he, as a large proprietor, could safely
congratulate the shareholders on being connected
with such an institution as the present.—(Hear.) He
had been connected, as he remarked before, with
some of the old companies ; but he saw neither
honour, nor profit, nor pleasure in belonging to in-
stitutions that had gone on a wrong system thr years
and years past, because it was now clearly ascertained
that the immense capital, he might almost say of
millions, belonging to some of the old companies was
placed in such a position that it did good neither to
the parties it belonged to nor the public. Money
merely heaped together in piles was almost useless to
any society, but more especially to insurance compa-
nies. They should take into consideration that with
all institutions commercially or benevolently con-
nected with the public, one of the important points
was the allocation of their funds. To what purpose
did the old companies add thousands and thousands
together, until they almost amounted to millions,
if they were not used ? The first idea of such
hoarding originated in the fact that the public placed
no confidence formerly in their abilities to pay policies
unless they had an abundance of capital. But what
was the use of hoarding money now in such a manner
when any able actuary could tell them what was the
average rate of human life, and the amount of capi-
tal really necessary to meet the responsibilities of
insurance companies, be their bonuses ever so great ?

This fallacy of immense capital was the one on which
the old companies had deluded the public. He re-
membered being struck with a remark of the late Sir
Robert Peel—and he was sure every one present
would do justice to the memory and value of the opi-
nion of that practical statesman; he stated in the
House of Commons that frequently advantages were
laid before the public—advantages of a commercial
nature, and from which all might derive considerable
profit or considerable saving with regard to the ex-
penditure of money ; but that they were not under-
stood until the time for improving them had passed
away, and he greatly regretted that such an intelli-
gent community as the English should not have per-

ceived those advantages sooner than they did. They
(the shareholders) should remember the importance
of the common saying, which advised them to buy in
the cheapest market and sell in the dearest. He had

acquired a certain knowledge with regard to the
companies lately formed, and he was happy to say
that he was a director and deputy• chairman of a
company (the Professional, we believe), the first that
had brought before the public such principles as
those which their Chairman had made known to
them, in which the present interests of the living

were combined with the future interests of their re-

presentatives. They had the g;e.dvantage that
belongs to a relief fund, whereby if sickness or poverty
overtook a shareholder, he could apply to that fund,
not as a person seeking alms, but as a matter of right,
and as having, by his subscriptions to it, a title to
have his requirements immediately attended to. He
looked on that as one of the grand features in the
new principle of insurance companies. The benefits
derived by a man who merely insured his life in one
of the companies had no comparison to this. The
other additional feature put forward by this associa-
tion was one of the highest importance also. By the
education fund a certain sum was set apart, out of
which was granted whatever was considered neces-

sary to educate the orphan childen of the shareholders
who might have left them in went of such assistance.

These things required to be thought over and pro-
mulgated,andera.a)tagne He did
fb edtcihadeumsne.
tt
This
wishehriea
association
speak
certainteiaokapodffi
se
disrespectfully
edegreeteetafurol
ydf,
ot i;
e apathyadvantages
the
amongst
oc
fot hmaenpya publicn
of
companies,
s ,th
ei
mno,
hl ndo o
companies.—(Hear,
takingsnieoare
rafla)
association,
( immediatea e a r
wealth, because their honour and rollinge
inte integrity
were:unimpeachable—(ilear, hear)—but they gwerye
living times when it was necessary for them to
think for themselves, and not only for themselves, but
for
proprietor those wohfo
Ic,2a mcoe
sharesaf t after t hi
ne them.—(hear.) s
onlleawodashae
wished sincerely that they were 12,000.—' (Hear.)
The amount of 1,000 shares after all was but a little,
and if it did not give him an opportunity of making
en immediate fortune, so far as regarded futurity, he
firmly believed that they would be a fortune to any
person to whom he might leave them. The only
office the Trafalgar could compare itself to was the
Rock. They had so far started on a new principle
that it was a different one from the old companies ;
and the shares of the Rock Company were now selling
at 71. the ten-shillings share. He merely mentioned
this to show the influence that offices of this kind had
arrived at in the public estimation. The Chairman
had expressed himself so clearly with regard to the
report that he did not think it necessary for him to
call their attention to it any further. That report
had only stated the business of the first six months,
whereas the business of the last six had been
beyond comparison more successful. They would
also see since that report was made two local boards
had come into operation—one at Liverpool and the
other at Nottingham. The zeal, integrity, and high
position of the parties connected with those boards,
would give an impetus to their association in future
years which they would hardly credit, and he thought
he might safely congratulate the proprietary on their
connexion with it, and say that their shares would
rise not to 1/. but to 51. before half-a-dozen years
were past.—(llear, hear.) He was not of that san-
guine and warm imagination to say this merely from
a gust of feeling, he said it from a firm conviction of
its truth, and from watching the effects produced
by the different companies upon the public mind.
Major STOVES briefly seconded the motion for the
adoption of the report. Ile congratulated them upon
the complete success which had attended their exer-
tions up to the present time. It was formerly thought
impossible to combine commercial schemes with be-
nevolence towards your fellow-creatures, but this
association gave the lie direct to any such assertion
' for the future.
Mr. J. BERMINGIIAM wished to add a few words
before the report was adopted. Even his conversa-
tion with their talented actuary, Mr. Baylis, had not
prepared him for the really astonishing amount of
business which had been transacted by them in this
the first year of their existence. They had now a
proprietary of several hundreds of persons connected
with their association, and such a proprietary as
would give the public a guarantee that they would
carry out faithfully and successfully their agreement
with them. They had heard the names of those gen-
tlemen connected with their local boards, and those
persons must have been persuaded of some important
merits in the constitution of their association, or they
would not have given their names to it. He had no
doubt that one of the strongest inducer:anta to their

coming forward had been the knowledge of the edu-
cation fund, and also that every person who joined it
was at least secure from want. Allusion had bean
made to Nottingham, Sheffield, and other pieces.
Now, Sheffield wes of all other places the one which
had thrown itself into the cause the earliest, and
met their advances so warmly that a mutual attach-
ment might be said to have sprung up between
them. Although they would be true to their first
entanglement of the heart, yet their affections were
not so confined in their objects as that they would not
admit other places to their embraces—(Laughter)—
and he would be glad to see other towns coming
forward like Nottingham and Liverpool. Allusion
had also been made in the report to a trifling loss the
association had met with. What might be to the
board of directors a trifling loss, perhaps to the eyes
of the meeting would be a large one ; and therefore,
to relieve their anxiety on this head, he would inform
them that it only amounted to 1001. To have met
with only one loss out of 325 policies, spoke in high
terms for the efficiency and caution exercised by their
medical officers.—(Hear, hear.) A popular prejudice
seemed to prevail against insurance. A gentleman
who wished to insure his life asked the opinion of his
wife upon the subject; but she opposed the plan en-
tirely, on the ground that if he did so he wes sure
to die.—(Laughter.) The gentleman, however, had
no faith in such objections, and he had actually in-
sured, and was a proprietor in this association
without his wife's knowledge. Madame de Steel
said she did not object to superstition if there was
nothing injurious in it ; but here was something
directly injurious. Some persons said it was better
for persons to put their money into banks than to
sink it in insurance companies ; and he should
quite agree with them if a person could be
sure of a long life, so as to enable him to save a suffi-
cient sum. Clergymen, he thought, might do much
to promote life assurances, by pressing the import-
ance of it upon the humbler classes, hundreds of
whom were daily cut off, leaving their families de-
pendent on charity. Let them impress upon them
the consolation it would undoubtedly give to a dying
man in his last moments, when, if his thoughts turned
on earthly matters at all, he could not but think with
comfort on having left his nearest and dearest ties
preserved from the pressure of want.—(Hear, hear.)
He concluded by appealing to the experience of me-
dical gentlemen, who frequently, when called in to
attend a patient in his last illness found their remedies
almost entirely baffled by the anxiety which preyed
upon the minds of persons who were leaving their
families at the mercy of the world, or dependent on
the cold claims of charity.
Votes of thanks were then unanimously passed to
Mr. Baylis, sen., Mr. Baylis, jun., and other officers
connected with the association, for the zealous and
judicious manner in which they had hitherto conducted
its affairs.

The usual number of directors who went out by
rotation were then re-elected for the ensuing year;
and after the transaction of some routine business the
meeting separated, with the usual vote of thanks to
the chair.

ENTERTAINMENT TO THE HON. R. J.
WALKER, LATE UNITED STATES

MINISTER.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY NIGHT.—This evening, at
half-past six, about seventy of the principal merchants
and gentlemen resident in Liverpool, and the mem-
bers of the American Chamber of Commerce, enter-
tained the Hon. R. J. Walker, late Secretary to the
Treasury of the United States, to a sumptuous ban-
quet, at the Adelphi Hotel. Mr. Walker is one of the
candidates for the presidential chair, and is favourable
to the participation by British ships in the carrying
trade to California. To him also the British mercan-
tile interests are indebted for the introduction of the
bonding system, and many ameliorations of the Ame-
rican tariff, which have proved beneficial to British
interests. He is considered the Huskisson of Ame-
rica, and is favourable to reciprocity.
The banquet on this occasion was of the most re-
cherche description, and served up ci la Russe, in ac-
cordance with the instructions of that useful little
manual, " London at Table." Mr. Radley is known
to possess the largest and choicest cellar of bottled
wines in the world, and the Moselle cup and Cham-
pagne flowed in abundance, It is now admitted by
London gourmets that Liverpool clear turtle is the
genuine " get up," and on this occasion the prece-
dence was asserted in the eleganoes of hospitality, as
well as in commercial eminence.

Wm. Brown, Esq., M.P., was to have taken the
chair, but owing to indisposition that gentleman was
unable to attend, and William Rathbone, jun., Esq.,
president of the American Chamber of Commerce,
officiated in his stead. The Mayor of Liverpool
(Thomas Littledale, Esq.) was unable to be present
on account of a previous engagement; the Earl of
Derby was prevented by indisposition ; and the Earl
of Sefton regretted his inability to be present, having
a prior engagement to meet the Earl of Carlisle in
the north.

Among the company we noticed, in addition to the
distinguished:guest of the evening, Thomas Thornely,
Esq., M.P., James Aspinwall Turner, Esq., presi-
dent of the Manchester Commercial Association; J.
B. Moore, Esq , chairman of the Brazilian Associa-
tion ; J. S. M,:nsfield, Esq., stipendiary magistrate ;
Harold Littledale, Esq., Charles M'lver, Esq , E.
Arnaud, Esq., collector of Customs; T. Bazley,
Esq, president of the Manchester Chamber of Com-
merce ; G. J. Duncan, Esq , secretary of the
American Chamber of Commerce; Miles Bar-
ton, Efq , chairman of the Cotton Brokers'
Association ; T. L. Crittenden, Esq., United
States Consul ; R. B. Grinnell, Esq., Robinson
Duckworth, Esq., chairman of the Mediterranean
Association ; H. C. Chapman, Esq., the Venerable
Archdeacon Brookes, Robert Ranken, Esq., chairman
of the Shipowners' Association ; General W. G.
M'Neal, Captain Nye, United States Navy ; Duncan
Macvicar, Esq., Francis Shand, Esq., chairman of
the West India Association ; C. W. H. Pickering,
Esq., Messrs. C. and F. Saunders, W. Stuart, Jacques
Myers, John Parker, G. Wilson, George Holt,
Washington Jackson, Rowland Edwards, G. A. Brown,
Esq., Colonel Colt, and many other distinguished in-
dividuals.

Upon the removal of the cloth, the Chairman pro-
posed, " The Health of her Majesty the Queen, Du-
chess of Lancaster," which was received with the
greatest loyalty, and followed by the National
Anthem.

" His Royal Highness Prince Albert and the rest
of the Royal Family." Received with every demon-
stration of cordiality and welcome.
" The President of the United States of America"
was responded to in appropriate terms by the United
States Consul, T. S. Crittenden, Esq.
The Venerable Archdeacon Brookes suitably re-
sponded to the toast, " The Clergy on both sides of
the Atlantic."
The PRESIDENT then said he came to the toast of the
evening—the health of their excellent guest; and,
after paying a handsome tribute to that gentleman's
distinguished talents and statesmanlike qualities, con-
cluded by proposing, "The Hon. R. J. Walker, to
whom both countries are so much indebted for his ex-
ertions to promote commerce, that great bond of union
between the two branches of the Anglo-Saxon family."
—The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm,
accompanied by musical honours.
Mr. WALKER, in an eloquent speech, replied—lt
was not to him, as an humble citizen, now without
power or patronage, they paid their honour that even-
ing, but to the country and policy of the American
Congress and to her commercial freedom. The speaker
then entered into a series of statistics to prove that
Americas in reducing her taxes more than one-half,
at the same time doubled her revenue. Comparing
the high tariff of 1842 with the effect of the policy
since 1846, he went on to say that duties had been
lowered 60 per cent. ; population had increased 19{
per cent. ; tonnage, 47i per cent.; railroads, 452 per
cent., and the official account of the first quarter of
the fiscal year received by the steamer the day previous,
announced a surplus of 4,500,000. High tariffs
reduced the amount of exports more than imports,
excluding them from foreign ports. In 1828, Ameri-
can imports doubled the present rate. Their com-
merce was not geographic ; it belonged to the world,
and it was a singular fact that America and England
were the only nations whose receipts exceeded
their expenditure. The surplus should be applied to
the extinction of their debt. Austria, in the last
spasm of financial bankruptcy, attempted to regu-
late the exchanges by policemen. Its protection was
essentially agrarianism, reversing the old Roman
meaning. The Hon. Gentleman derided the threat of
Louis Napoleon, whom he termed the Gallic Lopez.
The rainbow of peace overarched the Atlantic ; and
glory, equity, and good faith would halo the destinies
of England and America. The speaker concluded by
proposing "Prosperity to Liverpool."
The CHAIRMAN then gave the following toasts, some
of which were appropriately acknowledged by the re•
spective parties honoured :
"The Right Hon. the Earl of Sefton."
"Mr. Bazley and Mr. Aspinwall Turner, Presi•
dents of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and
the Commercial Association, and Prosperity to the
Manufacturing Interest, on which our own so much
depends."
"That active philanthropist, always foremost in
every good work, independent of country or creed, H.
Grinnell, Esq., of New York."

" The Mayor and Magistrates of the Borough, and
their excellent representative on the bench, J. Mans-
field, Esq.
"T. L. Crittenden, Esq., Consul for the United
States."

A number of other complimentary toasts followed,
and after an evening spent with the utmost con-
viviality and harmony, the company separated at a
late hour.

A farewell dinner is to be ,given to Mr. Sharman
Crawford, at Rochdale, on Friday reek.

MR• COBDEN AND THE FREE-
BOLD LAND MOVEMENT.
Last night a large meeting was held in the Music-
hell, Long acre, for the purgose of promoting the
extension of freehold ]and societies. Mr. Scholefield,
M.P., presided, end among the gentlemen on the
platform were Mr. Cobden, M.P. ; Mr. Lecke King,
M.P. ; Mr. George Thompson, M.P. ; Mr. John
Williams, M.P.; Mr. Sadleir, M.P.; Mr. Latti-
more, a tenant farmer in Herefordshire ; and Mr.
Rogers, Q.C.
id—AtM
nC, o
rinnhneafiNr,
supportstinms speaking
this
sgwr
nthooi cNo,hen bee
hadth, thebrieos
hol pleasurelotrigniso
st
ao
tr
nated with h;s friend Mr. Taylor, of Birmingham,
whom they delighted to honour on that
oc
cesion he
remembered stating his belief that it would
requirel
some seven of years persevering and continuous at-
tention on the part of the people who took an in-
terest in the movement in order to realise its practi-
cal effects. He always expected that the freehold
land movement would, as it advanced, become less
and less of en exciting topic of agitation or discus-
sion with the public, that it would settle down into a
continuous business-like labour day by day, and week
by week, and that the public and the politicians would
not awake up to the full importance of this movement
until they were told some day by those tadpoles and
tapers who belonged to the political parties, that there
were some counties which had been altogether wrested
from the domination of the old influences, and eman-
cipated by the operation of these freehold land so-
cieties.—(Laughter and cheers.) Now, it seemed
they were very likely to realise the fruits of this
movement sooner than even he expected, for he was
told by his friend, Mr. Taylor, that there was more
than one division of a county in the vicinity of Bir-
mingham which was already safe from the clutches of
the old parties who had ruled there, and that come an
election when it might, the effect of the 403. freehold
movement in Birmingham would be materially felt in
those quarters.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Cobden) did
not look to the realization of those wishes with the
view of establishing any particular principle which he
himself had at heart. He did not wish to be gua-
ranteed that what the members of the freehold land
societies might choose to carry out in the polling
booths might be proceedings which he himself wished,
nor to presume to dictate to them the course which
they ought to pursue ; all he wanted was to see and
feel the effects of an independent self-respecting, and
self-acting body of constituents in those counties
which had hitherto been coerced and controlled by
certain magnates or large proprietors, and where the
mass of the constituencies, as they all knew, had no more
of an honest and independent voice in the choice of
representatives than the sheep and cattle sold in their
own markets.—(Cheers.) He therefore would not
violate the rule alluded to by the gentleman who had
preceded him (Mr. Rogers) by introducing any of his
(Mr. Cobden's) views on politics. He was perfectly
prepared to take his chance with that description of
the people of this country who were likely to be
added to the electoral lists by joining the freehold
land societies.--(Cheers.) Let them not suppose it
I was necessary, in order that the full effects of this
movement might be felt by politicians, that they
should show they were in a position to win so many
counties from their present political proprietors as to
influence the numerical majorities in the House of
Commons. It was not necessary that they should do
that at all. There was a lively apprehension of the
coming influences of this country which would lead
politicians and parties to shape their course in the
constituencies with what they believed was going to
be the destiny of things.—(Cheers.) It was like
what they read of in respect to the use of the bayonet
in war. An army surgeon would tell them be had
seen a great many bayonets, but never a bayonet
wound; and why ? Because there was always a sort
of moral or mental feeling in the breasts of each
column of men who were pittied against each other,
which told them which side was going to win.
—(Laughter.) Therefore, before it came to the final
shot in the battle field or the polling booth one
side or the other was sure to run away.—(Cheers.)
He adhered to the doctrine which he had always ex-
pressed with regard to the freehold land societies'
movement. He knew of no proceeding going on in this
country so certain of producing salutary effects on
the political action of parties in it as that self-springing
moral and economical principle which was implied in
the operation of those freehold land societies. It was
not merely that they were creating votes. They
were creating votes in the only way that would enable
that class of the people that were now excluded from
the franchise to obtain political power without peti
tioning Parliament or anybody else to give them a
vote; therefore this was a process entirely of inde-
pendence, both with respect to the will of the majo-
rity either in the Cabinet or in the House of Com-
mons ; and the process by which many people were
acquiring their votes was one which brought the po-
pular influence to bear precisely on those parts of the
representative system where they required the most
aid, and where he suspected they were least likely to
effect any very material reform. He believed it was
generally expected that whatever might be the fran-
chise established for the boroughs by any measure
that might be in contemplation, there would be a
higher franchise for the counties than for the bo-
roughs. Now, the 40s. franchise was always
the cheapest of all, because it required no pay-
ment of rates. They might be householders or they
might be lodgers ; but, possessed of the 40s. fran-
chise, they need not pay poor-rate, or any other rate.
All they had to do was to save 231., 241., or 25/.,
purchase a freehold estate with it, which would pay
them better interest than the same amount of money
invested in any other savings bank, and they had
their vote for nothing. He therefore said, if there
were that sturdy independence and that inherent love
of freedom which they were told existed in the breasts
of the people of this country, there was a door open
by which access would be obtained to the very citadel
of the constitution, and those who once obtained
admission might help others to follow them.—(Loud
cheers.) It was a cheering thing to find his Hon.
Friend the Member for Carlow (Mr. Sadleir) endea-
vouring to introduce the freehold land societies into
Ireland with a view of ameliorating the condition of
the people in that country. He (Mr. Cobden) did
not wish to lay himself open to the charge that they
had got a panacea which would cure the evils of Ire-
land, but be thought the gentlemen who had made
those ills their peculiar study, by adopting the prin-
ciple of those societies, might contrive to distribute
among the people of Ireland a portion of that land
which was now disposed of under the Encumbered
Estates Act, many of whom were now fleeing to
other countries, urged by the incentive that
there they might possess themselves of land.
They were told, forsooth, that they must not attempt
to give the Irish possession of land and keep them in
Ireland, because that race could not raise itself in the
scale of humanity, but that it must be banished to
America or somewhere else.—(Elear, hear.) There
was nothing he detested or loathed so much as to hear
anybody attempt to close up an argument by the use
of that phrase, " race." Why, if the possession of a
bit of land was found to have an elevating tendency on
the people of every country of the continent, where
the land had become the property of the people, surely
they might try whether, if the Irish people became
the proprietors of each a piece of land, it would not
also have the effect of increasing their self-respect,
their frugality, and their diligence.—(Cheers.) To
talk about the Anglo-Saxon race perpetually was a
vulgar species of flattery. Had not the same argu-
ment been applied by every other race ? Where not
the Jews at one time, in their estimation, the only
people in the world that were good for anything ?
Did not the Greeks, the Romans, and the Arabs, in
their turn, arrogate the same superiority to them-
selves ; and at that moment did not the Chinese con-
sider themselves the only race ?—(Laughter.) Why,
one might think that Socrates, Cicero, Plato, and
the great specimens of mankind who could be found,
had all been Anglo- Saxons.—(Laughter.) He
begged them not to be seduced by such absurd flattery
as that. It was a very easy way of getting over the
injustice which he thought they had inflicted on the
Irish people by stigmatising them as a race. Let
them rather see whether by treating them as men
they could not make them like other men. He
thought it was worthy the experiment to buy some
of the estates sold in the Encumbered Estates Court
in Ireland, and distribute them in small farms to some
of the Irish peasants who were now emigrating to
America—many of them with small capitals at their
command—in the hope that it might tend to the im-
provement of that people. and be the germ from
which might spring the fruits of industry, while it
might beget a body of proprietors who had not yet
existed in Ireland, but who might have a beneficial
effect on the whole population.—(Cheers.) He had
been asked frequently what were the conditions of
the tenure of land in this country ? He said if ho
founda country where the people were in the possession
of the land of that country, that indicated a thrifty
and a painstaking people, characterised by forethought
and a desire to preserve themselves from sinking
in the scale of society. If he found, on the other
hand, that the whole of the land, as in the Papal
States in Spain, and in Russia, was monopolised by
large proprietors, by Church establishmenttbs,ator by
e
the Crown, he invariably found also,
in hopeless and
great mass of the people were sunk
abject misery, careless of the future, indont in the
present, and without the slightest prospect of raising
themselves in the scale of sobcio hadety.— preceded him,
that any extension (Cheers.) He
agreed with Mr. Lattimore,ftbe w
franchise in the contem-
B'll °
which did not include the ballot
plated Reform
part of it would, inhis opinion, be little better than
as
a mockery and delusion.—(Cheers.) He wanted the
ballot, not merely because it was a safeguard for their
403. freeholders against the influence of their neigh-
bours, whether great employers or great, landowners,
or anybody else ' - bat he wanted it also for its moral
effects. They had seen in France and in other coun-
tries on the Continent—ke had seen it himself in

-----
Spain--the ballot going on where millions of people
voted at an election in one day, which was conducted
with as much tranquillity as their Sunday duties in
England were performed when they walked to their
parish churches or to their chapels.—(Hear, hear.)
On the other hand, they could not have an election in
a vile dirty little place like Harwich but it was a
scene of indescribable confusion during the whole of
the canvass, and ended very likely, as it did the last
time, in a mob storming the hustings, and nearly run-
ning away with both of the candidates.—(Great
laughter.) After a few more observations the Hon.
Gentleman resumed his seat amid loud cheers.
Mr. LOCKE KING, M.P., and several other gentle-
men addressed the meeting, which did not separate
till a late hour.

RAIL WAY IN TELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND BLACKWALL.
A special meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at the London Tavern for the purpose of con-
sidering the propriety of raising money for the en-
lrgement and improvement of the station at Fen-
church-street, and for the accommodation of traffic
from other railways; and of uniting with the Eastern
Counties Railway Company in an application to Par-
liament for powers to make a railway from Ilford to
'Tilbury (opposite Gravesend) and Southend, Mr. J.
N. Daniell in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that the advertisement conve-
ning the meeting would convey to the shareholders a
clear idea of the business they had to transact. The
great difficulty of the Blackwell Railway Company
had been to obtain such an addition to their ordinary
traffic as would ultimately compensate the proprietors
for the great loss they had sustained by
getwt
ooar work
admit
to their out-
laylndict seoirrmatobhtleieveo
gauge,bpjoe
wcte
rwa,
and
dso tt
aoosproportionate
on the undertaking. The first step towards that
waiting se-
veral years for a dividend
otefotfthr ea
trainsffic rope
by tfrr aocmtl
brought
means°')
otherto
o
lines running upon the Blackwell line to the Fen-
church-street station. The passenger traffic f
on the line by the Dock Junction Railway Com-
pany was considerable, and there was every proba-
bility that it would continue to increase. They
also have the goods traffic from the London and
North-Western Railway in the course of sixmonths, which would be brought by the Dock Junction Com-
pany
over their line to the goods station at Haydon-
square. They had come to an arrangement with the
Eastern Counties Company, by which they expected
that a great deal of the residential passenger traffic of
that line would be brought to Fenchurch-street, in
consequence of its being more conveniently situated
than the Shoreditch station of the Eastern Counties
Company. But in order to accommodate this traffic
it would be necessary to enlarge the terminus, as the
present traffic at the Fenchurch-street station, with
quarter hour trains, was quite as much as they could
accommodate. Up to the present moment they bad
carried 1,500,000 more pas,engers than had ever been
carried over the line in any year. It was therefore
necessary for the safety of the public, and to accom-
modate the additional traffic, that they should increase
the terminal accommodation, and for this purpose they
proposed to raise money on debentures. The Eastern
Counties Company were to pay the Blackwell Com-
pany five per cent, per annum on the outlay, inde-
pendent of certain sums to be paid for each
passenger brought to the station by the Eastern
Counties Company. The sum proposed to be
raised for improving the station was 60,0001.,
upon 50,0001. of which the Eastern Counties are to
pay a rent of five per cent. for the use of that station,
and the remaining 10,0001. was for the purpose of
providing additional accommodation for the present
traffic. The agreement with the Eastern Counties
Company was to the effect that the latter company
were to have the use of the Blackwell line between
Bow and the Fenchurch-street station on the pay-
ment of ld. per passenger in cases where the fares for
first-class passengers did not exceed Id. per mile on
the Eastern Counties Railway, and for passengers
with return tickets lid. each. This applied to first,
second, and third class passengers, without distinction.
For passengers by trains where the first-class are
charged at the rate of 2d. per mile the sum paid for
each passenger is to be 2d., and for express trains 2id.
per passenger. The Blackwell Company is to pro-
vide station accommodation for the Eastern Counties
trains at Fenchurch• street, for which the latter are to
pay 5 per cent. on the cost, which is not to exceed on
the whole 50,0001. It had been calculated that this
sum would be sufficient to provide the requisite sta-
tion room for the Eastern Counties traffic, which
would not interfere with the existing traffic on the
Blackwell Railway. This arrangement was not
to include any traffic from the intended
Tilbury line. He then adverted to the re-
jection by the House of Lords of the South-
end and Tilbury extension line in the last session
and for which the directors could not assign any rea-
son, as the Bill authorizing it had been approved by
the House of Commons. The object of the directors
in promoting a similar scheme in the ensuing session
in conjunction with the directors of the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway was to bring an additional traffic on the
Blackwell Railway, and, if possible, to get back the
Gravesend traffic they had lost, and which now passed
over other railways. If the extension line should be
carried out, it would he a most advantageous thing for
the Blackwell Company. If any of the proprietors
wished in their individual capacity to subscribe to the
undertaking, they would have the opportunity of doing
so. The proposition with regard to that scheme was
to form au independent company to construct the line
from Ilford to Tilbury and Southend, and also to es-
tablish a ferry between Gravesend and Tilbury, to
meet the trains to and from London. The whole cost
of the undertaking would not exceed 420,000/. The
length of the new line, from the Eastern Counties at
Ilford to Southend, would be 37 miles. The board of
directors fur the new line would be constituted of an
equal number of Blackwell and of Eastern Counties
directors ; the shares to be allotted to the pro-
prietors of both companies, one half pf the whole
number to each ; but in case the Blackwell proprie-
tors should not take up their proportion of the new
shares, the residue to be offered to the Eastern Coun-
ties proprietors, and vice versa, after which the re-
mainder, if any, would be offered to the public. The
capital to be 450,000/., in shares of 101. each, the de-
posit to be 255. per share. He thought there would
be no difficulty in getting them taken up, as he be-
lieved the Eastern Counties proprietors would take
the whole if allotted to them. lie concluded by
moving a resolution to the effect that the meeting ap-
proved of the arrangement with the Eastern Counties
Company, and authorized the directors to affix the
seal of the company thereto, and to carry the same
into effect.
Mr. J. WresoN seconded the motion, and in doing
so stated that the arrangement with the Eastern Coun-
ties would prove very advantageous to the 131ackwall
Company.
Mr. LEVY strongly objected to the proposed exten-
sion line to Southend, on the ground that it would
never pay.
After some further observations from Mr. Smith,
Mr. Siaintsby, Mr. J. Wilson, Alderman Thompson,
and the Chairman, in favour of the arrangement, the
resolution wos carried, ae was also one authorizing
the directors to raise 60,0001. for the enlargement of
the station at Fenchurch-street.
The CHAIRMAN then brought forward the motion
authorising an application to Parliament in the en-
suing session, in conjunction with the Eastern Coun-
ties Company, for a line to Tilbury and Southend;
the capital to be 450,0001., in shares of 101. each, de-
posit 11. ss. per share.
Mr. LEVY recommended the proprietors to take
more time to consider the scheme, and to wait and
see what their other arrangements would produce.
The CHAIRMAN said there was no time to be lost,
the question was whether they were to take the traffic
themselves or to allow other people to have it.
Mr. LEVY said all the North Kent Company re-
ceived for the Gravesend traffic last year amounted to
only 20,0001., and he did not suppose that they would
get more than one-fifth of that amount, because par-
ties would not come from the West-end over their
line.

The eII.AIRMAN differed in opinion from Mr. Levy,
and explained
it;xplamed that the Eastern Counties Company
would traffic take the whule"of the Gravesend at that
side of the water, if the Blackwell proprietors re-
jected and in reply to a question, stated that if
the Bill bhould be lost in Parliament, the subscribers
to the new scheme would not lose more than ss. per
share ; but if the undertaking should be carried into
effect, they would have the opportunity of receiving 6
per cent. on their shares.
Alderman THOMPSON, M.P., having simplified the
question before the meeting, the resolution approving
the scheme was carried, Mr. Levy dissenting.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to
the Chairman.

POLICE STEATAGEM.—Strange statagems are
often resorted to by creditors in pursuit of dishonest debtors.
At a meeting at Leeds last week, of a Society for the Pro-
tection of Trade, one of the. speakers related an instance in
point. A poor fellow arrived in Liverpool from the W est
Riding in pursuit of a fugitive, who had carried away 3001.
of his money. He applied to an attorney, to the magistrate,
and to the
,chief of police in vain. Turning sorrowfully away,
a police officer offered him a bit of advice :—" Go you to theship's side to-morrow at ten o'clock—the ship sails at twelve,
and ask your debtor ashore, civilly. Will he come, do you
think ?" " Oh, yes, he'll come, for he says I cannot touch
him." " Well, that's all right. Ask him to come to you on
the quay. As soon as he comes, knock him down. I'll be
close at hand, and take you both into custody for a breach
of the peace. You will get to the police-office just as the
magistrates are gone. The next day is Sunday, and he'll
have to stop till Monday. You'll have time then to force
him to give up your money." The man took the policeman's
advice—knocked the runaway rogue down—both were taken
to the station-house, and the fellow in the eud was glad to
disgorge the whole 300/.
The Duke of Northumberland has given orders
for the construction of no less than a thousand new and corn..
fortable dwellings for the labourers on hie Grace's estatao e
Northumberland.