The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-17 00:00:00

cassed.—(Hear.) In one respect, however, the
League had undergone a remarkable change ; he
referred to the influence which it now exercised as
compared with that which it possessed five or six
years ago. Year after year they had witnessed its
growth, and he believed that at that moment there
• was no one political question which obtained a tithe
of the attention which was excited by the subject of
free trade.—(Hear, hear.) For many years they had
gone from town to town during the winter season,
and on every fresh visit they found that the cause had
made great progress. He believed no despotism ever
existed in this country which produced such terrible
effects as the operation of the corn-laws. In 1822
there were no less than 120 advertisements of sales of
farming stock in one single Norfolk newspaper, and
the condition of the agricultural labourer was too
well known to need description. In Wiltshire, Berk-
shire, and Hampshire, ani many other counties, the
labouring classes were in such a condition that the
most indifferent, besotted landlords, were beginning to
admit the necessity of doing something for their re-
lief. —(Hear, hear.) Hitherto they had trusted too
much to parties. The constituencies of the empire
could alone wrest the Government from the hands
of the factious ; and what constituency might so
reasonably be expected to take the lead as that of the
City of London ? He had not tile slightest appre-
hension that the oligarchy of this country would
drive the people to violence ; they would do so were
it not for the middle classes ; but with these latter it
rested to save the country from ruin. In order to
use their influence effectually, they must combine
together. Men who lived in the same ward must not
be estranged from each other; one ward must not be
estranged from its neighbour ward.—(Hear, hear.)
If they acted separately in municipal contests, they
must act together in Parliamentary contests.—(Hear,
hear.) He wished the City of London to
take its proper place ; if it did so, four free traders
ould, beyond all question, be returned at the next
election. Let there go forth a great and powerful
voice from this metropolis to the electoral districts of the
country; let the great manufacturing towns of Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire, the representatives of the na-
tional industry, be combined upon this great ques-
tion; let them know their true position, and act up to
it, and no squirearchy, no dukes, no oligarchy, would
be able to prevent that final triumph of their cause,
which would, at the same time, insure freedom to in-
dustry, and the general welfare of their fellow-coun-
trymen.—(Loud cheers.)
Song—" The Oak and the Ivy," by Mr. Ransford.
Mr. Woon proposed " The Liberty of the Press,"
which, he said, was the best security for that of the
public. He referred, at some length, to the manner
in which the press had been crippled within his own
memory, fifty years ago; and, congratulating the
company on the changes which had since taken place,
called upon them to respond warmly to the toast.
The toast having been enthusiastically responded to,
Dr. SHERIDAN acknowledged it on behalf of the
press ; and, on resuming his seat, proposed " The in-
crease of the Parliamentary franchise.'
Glee—" King Canute."
Mr. CARPENTER proposed, in the absence of Mr.
Wakley (who had been expected but was not pre-
sent), " The improvement of the social condition of
the industrial classes of society." He said they lived
in times when all the ordinary channels of wealth
were said to be full, and those who possessed
money were not able to find employment for
it.—(Hear, hear.) Yet a very large portion of the
people were steeped in poverty, dying for want of
that very employment which money was not able to
procure.—(Hear.) If they wished to see the people
studious of cleanliness, they must first enable them
to obtain bre sd, otherwise they could not be expected
to take any interest in washing-houses, and places of
a similar description. He was quite sure that in that
company there would be no diversity of opinion as to
the sentiment, however there might be as to the
means of carrying it into practical effect; and he,
therefore, felt great pleasure in proposing this toast.
The toast was duly acknowledged by the company.
Several other toasts were subsequently proposed,
and the hilarities of the evening were extended to a
late hour. Messrs. Ransford, Jones, and Turner,
contributed most effectually to the pleasures of the
evening by vocal performances, which elicited the
warmest applause.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTI-
TUTION.

The ninth annual meeting of the Directors, mem-
bers, and friends of this Institution, was held at one
o'clock yesterday, at the office in Gracechurch-street,
the principal business being to receive the report of
the Directors for the current year. The chair was
taken by Samuel D. Lucas, Esq.
The SECRETARY (Mr. Marsh) read the notice call-
ing the meeting.

The CHAIRMAN then said that the meet-
ing was called to render an account of the
progress of the Institution during the past year.
lie would have been glad to have seen a
larger assemblage than that present, but the fact
seemed to be that, notwithstanding that year by year
hundreds upon hundreds more members were added,
these gatherings were not larger than that which had
distinguished their first anniversary. He did not think
that this ought to be looked on as discouraging, for
he at least drew the gratifying inference from it that
the depositors reposed a continued confidence
in the Directors of the Institution. He
would add, in behalf of himself and his
brother Directors, that as long as their confidence
was continued they would endeavour to merit it by
their attention to the interests of all. The report
would be read by the Secretary, and they would see
what was the progress and what the funds of the In-
stitution. Any member asking further information
would be answered to the best of his (the Chairman's)
ability.

Tlie report was then read. It congratulated the
meeting on the increasing prosperity of the Institu-
tion, which was mainly to be attributed to the con-
fidence the public had in the principle on which it
Was based. The report of the preceding year had
alluded to the great increase of business in
that over former years, the result it stated of the
gratifying division of the profits in November, 1842.
The statement to be laid before them would
exhibit a still larger accession of members
in the past year than in any of the previous ones.
The Directors could only attribute this success to the
causes already referred to. The number of poli-
cies issued during the past year had been 722, and
they (with scarcely an exception) were of that class
which secured sums of money at the decease of
the members, the annual premiums on which
amounted to 11,476/. 12s. id. The num-
ber declined was eighty. The annual income
in the previous year was 44,219/. 175., but it now had
amounted to 55,0371. 9s. 2d., and this large increase,
nearly double that of any preceding year,
had been realised, notwithstanding the reduced rates
in 1842. The capital of the Institution was audited
at 202,1621. is. 9d, the increase in last year
35,0821. 10s. 7d., and the claims arising from deaths
of members, 8,2501.
Mr. HARDWICLE said that it would be quite unne-
cessary to prefer any question, as the report con-
tained all the information that could by any possi-
bility be given—(Bear, hear)—for, indeed, it con-
tained everything. There could be no doubt that they
were going on very prosperously, and he believed that
that prosperity might be assigned, first, to the excellent
principle on which the Institution was based,
namely, that of a perfe:Aly mutual as‘urance.
The Institution had only to pay its really
necessary expenses, and then to divide the profits
arising from the various class of insurances.
The public were convinced that they had got a most
intelligent direction, and he could fully add to that
his own humble assurances that it was so; there
was none more so in London. The members of it
I were not to be found now here, now there. No!
they were also at their work.—(Hear, hear.) He
begged leave, then, to move that the report and
statement just read be approved of, adopted, and
entered on the minutes for the use of the members,
and for general circulation.
Mr. Wm. `ALLEN seconded the resolution, and it
was carried unanimously.
Mr. SOW TER proposed that the thanks and con-
gratulations of the meeting be given to the Chairman
and Directors on the successful labours of the past year.
Mr. MASON seconded the resolution, which was
also carried.
Mr. CROFTS rose, on the part of himself and his
brother Directors, to return their best thanks for
the resolution which had just been passed.
It would be their best reward for past exertions and
powerful incentive for the future. The main success
of the Institution, as had been well observed, was
chiefly owing to the sound principle on which
it had been based, and to the unanimity
that reigned universally in the Court. That was
their ninth anniversary, and, in that time they
had only lost two of their original Directors,
so that, in fact, the same hands, the same
beads, and the same hearts, if he might say
so, were at work for the success of the Institution
now as at its original opening. They hoped to
meet them on many future such occasions, and he
trusted that the Institution would go on increasing
in giant strength until it took its place with the
first in the City of London.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. SCRUTTON proposed a rote of thanks to the
medical directors for their efficient assistance. It was
seconded by Mr. Smyth, and Drs. Conquest and
Bevan returned thanks.
Thanks were also accorded to the other officers of
the Institution, and to the chairman, and the meeting
then broke up.