The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-12 00:00:00

LONDON JOINT-STOCK BANK.

tine General INV-yearly Meeting of the. Shareholders
the London Joint-Stock Bankwas yesterday held in the
.13oaid-room of the Bank in Princes-street, City, at
dye o'clock. Sir John M‘Taggart, Bart., M.l'.,
Chairman of the Board of Direetor, in the Chair. The
advertisement calling the meeting having been read,
Ti:e CHAIRMAN called upon the Secretary to read the

A PHOPRIETOR—Is there anything in the deed of set-
r dement about the absence of Directors ?
The CHAIRMAN—No Director can be absent without
leave for more than three months, but the Board has
power to give leave.
Mr. V. KNIGHT thought six months too sho. t a time
to fix. He agreed in the principle of Mr. Nroore's motion,
but he thought the term might be advantageously en-
larged to one, or even to two years; and knowing, as he
did, the value of Mr. Darthez, he was quitiwilling that
that gentleman should not be affected by the resolution.
Mr. Alderman H. HUGHES objected to the motion
being put, on a point of order. The motion went to
make an alteration in the deed of settlement, and that
could not be done at-a. meeting like the present, and
without going through the necessary preliminary forms.
AMBROSE MOORE, Esq., a Director, rose to repel the
charge of mismanagement in this matter which had been
brought against the Direction by Mr. T. Moore. The
only object they had in view was to show their respect
for a colleague who had been of the greatest service to
the establishment. What would have been said if the
Directors had availed themselves of the power, after his
absence for three month's, to exclude him from the Direc-
tion? But Mr. Darthez had been re-elected since his ab-
sence. Why had not the Hon. Proprietor on that occasion
proposed another candidate; he had had on that occasion
seventeen clear days to get up a little management on
his own account,. and yet he had not thought proper to
avail himself of it by proposing another candidate.
Mr. H. NICHOLSON—In what way did Mr. Darthez ,
offer himself for re-election ?

The CHAIRMAN—By letter. He is obliged to do so.
Mr. BORRODAILE had no doubt but that the present
discussion would produce a good effect. The Directors
had had an opportunity of hearing all that had passed
on the subject. No doubt they would well consider it,
and he should be inclined to leave the matter entirely in
their hands.

The CHAIRMAN observed that as Mr. Moore bad
pointed out one clause in Mr. Gladstone's Bill, he thought
he might point out some others which were most absurd.
One was that banks were to strike a balance every month.
Why, if that were the case in the bank the whole of the
time of the clerks would be taken up in striking
balances. Another absurdity was, the requiring the
names of two Directors on the back of every bill. The
Bill would require to be greatly altered in Committee.
Mr. V. KNIGHT thought they could not entertain the
motion without altering the deed of settlement.
Mr. SQUANCE, the solicitor to the Company, on being
called on, gave it as his opinion that the motion could
not be entertained in its present form at that meeting.
Mr. T. SAMBROOK, who had seconded the motion
merely to raise the discussion, would not object, if the
mover saw fit, to his withdrawing it.
Mr. Alderman HUGHES HUGHES hoped it would be
withdrawn.

Mr. T. MoottE did not object to withdraw his motion,
and had the discussion gone on he should not have ob -
jected to the substitution of twelve months for six. Not-
withstanding all that had been said, he could not help
thinking there had been a little management somewhere,
although each individual Director might disclaim all
-kliowledge of it. He was but an humble in-
dividual himself, but for all that, if he were
taunted, he might get up a little management out of doors.
With regard to Mr. Gladstone's Bill, it should be
recollected that among its provisions were the following:
—That all future banks should have auditors, and that
one-fourth of the directors should go out absolutely
every year, and remain out. These were most whole-
some provisions. He then withdrew his motion.
G. H. FOSTER, Esq., a Director, felt called upon
to answer the statement of the Hon. Proprietor
about management. On the last occasion he had stated
that he thought the thanks of his colleagues and himself
were due to Mr. Darthez ; that he had written to that
. gentleman, asking him if he intended to offer himself for
re-election and inquiring whether he might be expected
in England soon. He had then said he was happy to
state that he had received an answer, in which Mr.
Darthez offered himself for re-election, and :ex-
pressed his intention of soon returning to England.
He had hoped to have seen him before this,
and he trusted, from what he had heard from other
quarters, for he had not heard from Mr. Darthez him—
self, that they would soon see him amongst them.
The motion was then withdrawn. _ _

Alderman Mr. HtTGHES HUGHES then moved that the
especial thanks of the Proprietors are justly dee, and
are hereby respectfully presented to the Directors. for
their valuable and efficient services.

Mr. T. MOORE seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAY in the name of the Directors and
himself, returned thanks.
On the motion of Mr. RICHARD GIBBS, the thanks of
the Proprietors were given to Mr. Pollard, the Manager,
and the gentlemen employed under him, in conducting
the affairs of the bank.
Mr. POLLARD returned thanks.

The thanks of the meeting were then unanimously
voted to the Chairman for his able conduct in the chair ;
and the compliment having been acknowledged by the
Chairman, the meeting adjourned

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
MOM TEE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
STANDARD.—Grievous was the descent of the
House of Commens from the consideration of Mr.
Cowper's proposition to the Committee upon the
Gamblers' Protection Bill. This is a Bill upon which
we have no opinion, and in which we take no in-
terest whatever. We certainly should not grieve to
see the scourge fall heavily upon the aristocracy
of the turf and the gaming table. The aristocracy,
generally, would be the greatest gainers by the inflic-
tion; but then one does not much like to see a restive but
not:repentant gambler filling his pockets by writs and
declarations merely as the substitute of horses, or dice,
or cards, " made safe." It is a matter in which one
can afford to be quite impartial. We must protest, by
the way, against calling horse-racing a manly sport ;
there is nothing manly in it—rowing, yachting, fox-
hunting, wrestling, &c., are manly sports, because in
them men perform the whole, or at least the princi-
pal part ; but what manliness is there in looking
at a nobe horse running with the smallest attain-
able weight of humanity upon his back ? Who-
ever considers the extenuated specimen of mankind
in the saddle, except to ascertain whether he has
or has not sold his employer for a bribe ? There is no
manliness in all this, or if there is, it is a manliness in
which the subscriber to " a Derby," who has handed
over his sixpence, with the price of his pint of beer, in
a Spitalfields' pothouse, has as much right to boast as
the king of the course, and owner of half the horses in
the field.
GLOBE.—The new tariff determined on by the Bra-
zilian Government has reached this country. Although
not published by official authority, the source whence it
has been derived gives assurance of its accuracy.
The increased scale of duties, thus imposed by the
Brazilian Government on the manufactured produce
of this country, clearly shows the absurdity of main-
taining a system of restrictive duties upon' the
produce of foreign States. As a nation, Britain is de-
pendent for her commercial prosperity on the demand for
our manufactures by foreigners ; yet, with a folly which
exposes our legislators to reprisals by other countries,
and their acts to condemnation in our own, we find
them labouring to uphold a system of restriction
which provokes retaliatory tariffs by foreign States
The Brazilian tariff at present in operation levies
a nominal uniform duty of 15 per cent. on articles of
British manufacture imported into that country ; in
practical operation, the real amount of duty thus im-
posed amounts to 21 per cent. ad valorem. The tariff
now proposed will come. into operation in November,
next, when the commercial treaty with England will
terminate ; under its operation the duties will vary in
amount ; but their combined effect will be to increase,
to a considerable extent, the duties now payable upon the
principal articles of export iato this country. We give
in another column the rates of duty to be charged upon
different fabrics. A duty, ad valorem, varying from 30 to
60 per cent. upon the bulk of the exports from this
country, will, as regards many articles, be a practical
exclusion of British manufactures from the Brazils; and
cannot fail to work an incalculable amount of mischief to
our trade and commerce. For this we are indebted to
the combination of class interests, which compels Sir R.
Peel to a course of commercial impolicy that he has vir-
tually denounced in Parliament, and which, we believe,
he would willingly abandon for a more generous and
healthful system, were he not fettered by his political
in
terests
who The tenacity with which the
who are " protected" at the expense of the community,
cling to each other, is easily accounted for. They
derive strength from union, and supply a cogent
argument for reiterated and constant resistance
to the monopolies to which they belong. The
separation of one member of the confederacy would
leave one restriction less to be appealed to as a
justification fur others ; add something to the mimber
and strength of those interested in freedom of trade; and
take something from the mass of interest enlisted on
the side of restriction. The corn-laws, for instance,
are not merely to be viewed as the cause, of those evils
which directly and immedikely flow from them. They
are to be judged, not merely by the evils which they
do, but by the good which they prevent from being
done. If the landlords had no longer a monopoly of their
own, they woad no longer uphold the monopolies of
others. It is not the interest of landowners that Bra-
zilian sugars should be excluded from consumption in
this country. Nor would they assist in effecting that ex-
clusion, but that, by thus assisting the classes which de-
rive an interest from that exclusion, they may purchase
their aid in preventing the introduction of foreign corn
to the British market.. The same may be said of the
British-colonial interests. They would gladly admit
foreign corn to the British markets, because that ad-
mission would be beneficial to themselves. But were
they to 4etach themselves from the confederated band
of monopolists, they would lose the advantages which
they derive from the union of protected interests. The
landlords would no longer uphold the colonial monopoly:
their support is obtained by the aid which the other
protected interests afford to the existing restrictions on
the importation of corn.

TRIAL OF THE RIOTERS AT LEEDS.—This trial
terminated on Tuesday last, having occupied four days of
r the borough sessions, and twice as long as the other thirty-
, six- cases put together. Of the military, four were found
• guilty and eight not guilty ; of the civilians, four were found
guilty • and three not guilty. The sentences en the former
were. different periods of imprisonment ; of the -latter, one
was fined 41., the others were sentenced to short periods of
imprisonment.
A discovery was made at Buckingham Palace
yesterday morning that a man employed in the
upliclatery department of the Lord Chamberlain's-office
had committed puicide in one of the store rooms. The
deceased was of regutar 4,l;td sober habits, and the cause
which has led to the sad catastrophe was unknown.
At pke present time passengers are conweyo from
New
pr had i

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
ROME ClRCUlT—Hertford, July 11.

The commission for this county-was opened on 'Wed-
nesday by Mr. Sergeant Channel, neither of the Learned
Judges appointed for this circuit being able to be pre-
sent, by reason of their being compelled to attend the
writ of error in the House of Lords.

This morning the business of the circuit commenced
in both Courts. There are only twenty prisoners for
trial, and none of the offences charged are of a very
serious character. Mr. Baron Gurney sat on the Crown
Side, and Mr. Baron Parke presided in the Nisi Prius
Court.