The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-01 00:00:00

SOUTH SEA. HOUSE.

A Quarterly General Meeting of the Proprietors of
South .Sea Stock was held yesterday at the South Sea
House, in Threadneedle-street.

Charles Frank, Esq., took the chair at twelve o'clock.
The CHAIRMAN said that the object of the present
meeting was to take into consideration the proposition of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The correspondence
which had taken place with the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer was printed, and he was sure the proprietors
were aware of the nature of that proposition. He would,
however, read it to the meeting.
The correspondence was then read, by which it ap-
peared that the Government proposed to complete the
guarantee
fund, and to transfer 610,0001. to the Com-
pany for that purpose.
After the reading of the correspondence the CHAIR-
MAN proposed a resolution approving of the completion
of the guarantee fund and the transfer, on the basis of
the correspondence.
A short discussion took place on the resolution,
some of the proprietors, Mr. Makatta, Mr. Manbert,
Mr. Hammond, and others, advocating a dissolution of
the Company, by which the Company would be saved
the expense of management, amounting to about 6,000 L
They contended that if the Company accepted the
proposition of the Government the expenses
of the management would fall upon the
Company for an indefinite period. They did
not think there was any necessity for keeping up so
large an establishment, when the Bank of England, or any
other incorporated body, might pay the dividends at
scarcely any increased expense.
The CHAIRMAN said that they were then met for the
purpose of considering the proposition of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and it would be open to them
to consider on a future occasion what they were
to do with regard to the Society. If they were
to negative the resolution, the effect of that
would be that the proposition of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer was unjust, and less than what they were
entitled to.

Sir J. L. GOLDSMID said that he would vote for the
resolution on the understanding that a meeting was to
be called on a future occasion with respect to the expe-
diency of keeping up so large an establishment. He
thought, however, that the old clerks of the establish-
ment ought to be provided for.
The resolution was then put and carried, after which
the meeting separated.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
mom THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The wrongs inflicted last year by the
French on the Sovereign and people of Tahiti, have not
merely remained unredressed—they have rapidly multi.
plied in severity and extent. The accounts just arrived
from the Society Islands, which were published in the
Globe of yesterday, have excited surprise and indignation
among men of all parties. These renewed instances of
aggression must, we apprehend, be sufficient to rouse
Lord Aberdeen from the indifference with which he has
hitherto treated the subject. The occupation of Ta-
hiti by French troops ; the deposition of its Queen ;
the confiscation of property ; the imprisonment of the
chiefs whose presence and influence with the people
might have been troublesome to the invaders—have I
been followed up by the seizure and imprisonment of
the British Consul. These acts of unprovoked vio-
lence upon a defenceless State have been committed
under the pretext of a "Protectorate," not merely un-
sought by the " protected" Queen Pomare; but earnestly,
and with touching simplicity, protested against and de-
plored by her. An appeal by the insulted and deeply•
injured Queen to the English Sovereign, for pro-
tection against the outrages which had been perpetrated
on her person and government, made last year, was at
first slighted. Tahiti and its dependencies are situated
at a vast distance from England—nearly at the antipodes.
They are also of slight importance in the scale of na-
tions—mere specks on the map ; and are manifestly too
insignificant to merit the interference of England, whose
sympathies are with great and powerful nations ;
to whose tender mercies she magnanimously consigns
the weak and the defenceless. Time was, when a
more noble spirit actuated the councils of Britain.
It is true that Britain was not bound by absolute
and formal treaty to maintain the independence of
Tahiti ; but there was an assurance, almost in the nature
of a solemn promise and engagement, given to Tahiti
by a former Foreign Minister of this country, that Eng-
land would watch over its safety and interests. That
interesting spot had been civilised and Christianised
by the labours of English missionaries, who had
settled there, and had introduced a form of govern-
ment closely resembling in its institutions that which
exists in this country. Under that constitution,
Tahiti advanced to a considerable elevation of civil
and social excellence. The arts were introduced and
cultivated ; commerce was established, and regulated by
recognised laws; and religion gave a tone to the morals,
and stability to the institutions, of the country. The his-
tory of nations affords no instance of an improvement so
rapid in everything which elevates and ennobles man as
Tahiti exhibited. Such was the condition of Tahiti when
the French Admiral Dupetit Thouars last year commit-
ted those aggressions by which he acquired inglorious
fame. With an apathy of feeling and tardiness of act,
which implied an indifference to the complaints of
French aggression that were made to him as the Foreign
Minister, Lord Aberdeen at length directed a represen-
tation of the case to be made to the French Government.
M. Guizot disavowed the acts, and promised to inter-
fere. Lord Aberdeen was elated with success ; and
puffed forth his own doings in Parliament, as though
his diplomacy was unequalled in its policy and unprece-
dented in its influence. Somehow, or other, the French
admiral was impracticable. The " Protectorate "—in
the propriety of establishing which Lord Aberdeen
had acquiesced—was followed by the occupation of the
island. All knowledge of this extraordinary proceeding
was also disavowed ; and a very courteous assurance
was given to our Ambassador that the French Govern-
ment
did not adopt the responsibility of the act. Still it
has been followed by yet more flagrant proceedings in
Tahiti 1)1 the French commanders. The Queen has
been deposed ; and has sought refuge from per-
sonal indignities on board a British frigate. The
British Consul (Mr. Pritchard) has been seized,
by military authority, and placed under arrest,
without any charge being alleged against him,
or any explanation furnished as to the cause of this out-
rage upon his person, and this insult to his country's
flag. Mr. Pritchard fortunately eluded the vigilance of
his keepers, and escaped on board the English vessel, by
which he has reached this country. He was to have an
audience with Lord Aberdeen yesterday. Summonses
were last evening issued for a Cabinet Council to be held
this day—it is conjectured, for the purpose of deliberating
upon the extraordinary conduct of the French Govern-
ment, not merely in tacitly encouraging, while it professes
to disavow, the acts of its agents in the matter of Tahiti ;
but for pursuing the same aggressive policy in Algiers
and Morocco. The quiescence of England, with respect
to the occupation of the former, has encouraged the
alarming invasion of the latter territory; and, combined,
assumes an aspect at once portentous to the preservation
of peace, and derogatory to the good faith supposed to
exist between France and England; on which alone pacific
relations can be preserved between the two countries.
We are—we have ever been, the advocates of peace.
But the maintenance of peace is not best promoted by a
mean and truckling acquiescence in acts which com-
promise the honour, and deteriorate the interests of
dtuaeinto. The h
arcountryaeter athat a exhibitsafety,i
a o indifference
the verge
fwdhi what
is
honourable and disastrous war. We do not
attribute
.to
the French Ministers a desire •
in a war. But we do cto involve two countries
war faction which exists ifieFranemce
withto yaineldeixntgentto get
I must result in war, if they do not pause in their aggres-
sive policy. They will otherwise find themselves com-
mitted beyond the power of retractation. Pacific as-
surances are but words. When the acts of a Govern-
ment are found in frequent antagonism to its professions,
there requires no extraordinary powers of prescience to
predict the result.
STANDARD.—The proposed embankment of the
Thames from Blackfriars to Westminster would be a