The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-03 00:00:00

TILE _RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

A large and influential meeting of the supporters
of th© New Society for the Relief of Distress in the
Metropolis was held on Wednesday atthe Thatched-
house Tavern. The meeting was for the most part
composed of those who had tendered their support
to the undertaking. The chair was filled by the
Duke of Manchester, who, after introducing the
subject, called upon Mr. W. Davenport Bromley,
the originator of the society, to afford any further
information to the meeting which it might be
desirable to give. Mr. Bromley then explained
fully the object and prospects of the society, its
distinctive features being—First, that the entire
expenses were to be defrayed by the committee,
who thus guarantee to the public that the money
intrusted to their charge shall be applied without
deduction to the relief of distress. The balance-
sheet would therefore merely have to deal with the
following items :-1, the amount subscribed by the
public ; 2, the amount given to the poor ; 3, the
balance in hand. Second, its universal and com-
pletely unsectarian character, no distinction of
religion or nation being allowed to influence the
just exercise of its charity. Third, the recommen-
dation of all persons, whether subscribers or not,
would be uniformly attended to at publicly adver-
tised houses of relief in every district. Fourth, it
would co-operate with all existing charitable and
religious institutions, the clergy and ministers of
every denomination, and the magistrates, for the
purpose of affording the strongest protection against
imposture on the one hand, and neglect on the other.
The machinery for carrying out these objects con-
sisted-1. Of a general committee, by whom all
expenses of management will be defrayed. 2. A cen-
tral board of management, composed of members of
the general eommittee,who would make sucharran ge-
ments as should secure the presence in London of a
sufficient number of members at all times of the
year to insure the efficient working of the society.
3 District committees, consisting of such residents
in the various localities as would be prepared to
give their gratuitous services. 4, Visitors. 5. Volun-
teers, agents of existing societies, &c. Mr. D.
Bromley then read out a long list of those who had
promised their support to the society. Among the
names were those of the Dukes of Beaufort, Wel-
lington, Argyll, Marlborough, and Manchester, the
Duchess of Sutherland, the Dowager Marchioness
of Londonderry, Lady Ashburton, the Marquis of
Abercorn, the Marquis of Stafford, Lords Ashbur-
ton, Annesley, Bess borough, Chesterfield, Lichfield,
Portarlington, Sefton, Darnley, Dartmouth, Hare-
wood, Shelburne, Coventry, Craven, Aylesford, and
Grosvenor, Baron Rothschild, Viscount Somerton,
Sir Augustus Clifford, Mr. Meynell Ingram, Mr.
Lane, Mr. Hankey, Mr. Murray, and many others,
the satisfactory result being that upwards of £2,000
had been already subscribed for the purposes of the
society, which hoped to begin its operations at a
very early period. Mr. Murray, of Philiphaugh,
one of the promoters of the project, then moved a
resolution to the effect that the meeting approved
the object of the society, and pledged itself to sup-
port it in every way. He was followed by the Hon.
G. C. Norton and other speakers, after which the
resolution was carried unanimously. A vote of
thanks was then passed to the Duke of Manchester
for his conduct in the chair, and the meeting
separated. Among those present were Earl
Grosvenor, Earl Darnley, Lord Frederick Fitzroy,
Lord Charles Bruce, Mr. Bass, M.P., Mr. Sheridan,
M.P., Mr. Kingscote, Mr. W. Lyon, Mr. Lane, &c.
[Mr. Davenport Bromley's benevolent scheme
having now been formally "ventilated" through
the medium of this public Private Meeting in the
Thatched House, St. James's—we do earnestly
trust that the promoters of the project will not I
relax their efforts until such time as a substantial
association shall have been fairly organised. Until
this one good result of the humane movement cora-
mensed by W. D. B. shall in truth have been fairly
effected, we shall continue, as we have done from
the first, to watch the progress of its development
with the liveliest interest and the warmest solici-
tude.—ED. Sun.]