The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-01 00:00:00

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FESTIVAL •OF THE GENERAL
ANNUITY SOCIETY.
The annual festival of the Genetal Annuity So-
ciety was held la ,t. evening, at the London Tavern,
Lord John Russell, M.P., in the chair.
Shortly after six o'clock about 150 gentlemen at
down to an excellent dinner; dotisiging of all the de-
licacies of the season, which was put on the table in
admlSSble style. At the principal table, on the right
and left of the Chairman, we observed Mr. Baron
Platt, Hon. Robert Denman, and Sir John Pally,
A. W. Robarts, Esq, President of the Society; W.
Tooke, Esq., and Luke James Hansard, Esq.
After the cloth had been withdrawn, Non Nobis
was sung in admirable style by Messrs. G. Robinson,
N. J. Sporle, and Ran:ford.
After the toast of " The Queen" had been drunk,
the National Anthem was sung by Miss Steele, who
had kindly volunteered her services, sustaining one of
the solo parts.
The other loyal toasts having been drunk and re-
sponded to,
The CHAIRMAN proposed "The Army and Navy,"
and in proposing this toast it was always his custom
to give with it the name of an illustrious individual.—
(Cheers.) It was true that Nelson and Moore, and
many other heroes who had nobly fought in the
cause of their country, had been taken from us, but
there was one, the hero of a hundred fights, whom it
had pleased the Almighty yet to spare us—(Cheers)
—and whose name ought always to be joined with
this toast.—(Cheers.) He therefore proposed " The
Duke of Wellington and the Army and Navy."
—(lmmense cheering.)
The toast, which was drank with all the honours,
was followed by a duett from Messrs. Ransford and
Sporle.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the toast of the
evening, Prosperity to the General Annuity Society.
—(Loud cheers.) The Society bad been instituted in
the year 1827, not for the purpose of contributing
to the support of those who had fallen into low cir-
cumstances through their own carelessness or impro-
vidence, but to assuage the povery of those who,
having occupied the station of merchants, bankers,
clerks, and professional men, found themselves, in
their latter days, unable to struggle against adverse
fortune, or to relieve their widows and children, who
had been left under a load of misfortune to struggle
against the sorrows of the worll.—(Cheers.) When
he considered the objects of the society, he could
not but feel that it was entitled to the sup-
port of all those who were desirous of
succouring the sfffictesl.—(Cheers.) At the first in-
stitution of the society a larger amount had been
aNarded to the pensioners on its bounty than it had
since been found possible to continue. At that time
1/. 12s. a month had been awarded to men, and 11.45.
to wo:nen. But latterly the society had not been en-
abled to fulfil the expectations which it had excited—
it had not been able to continue the amount of al-
lowance. Now, he besought them to come forward,
so as to enable the Society to realize those promises.
which it had held out—(Cheers)—to enable the re-
cipients of the bounty to receive that small sum in
their declining years which the Society had origi-
nally awarded to them.—(Cheers.) On looking
over the list of pensioners, he found that there was
not one under 75 years of age, that there were several
who were upwards of 80, and that there were two
who were 87. He earnestly besought them
to make the declining years of those persons,
and they had but a few years left, more
comfortable than they otherwise would be.
—(Cheers.) No prudence or foresight could, under
all circumstances, ward off misfortune.—(Hear, hear.)
On ordinary occasions prudence might suffice, but
when misfortune followed misfortune, ro prudence
could guard against the consequences—(Cheers)—
and was it not too hard to say that, under such cir-
cumstances, those who had been thus unfortunate
should either:be suffered to remain unprovided for, or
be reduced to the degradation -of accepting parochial
relief. It was their duty as men and as Christians to
come forward to the relief of persons thus situated.—
(Cheers.) They had no right to impose on these un-
fortunate persons such hard conditions, and he asked
the public to come forward to assist this institution.
—(Cheers.) He saw the name og his friend, Mr.
Abraham IV. Roharts, as president of the in-
stitution.—(Cheers.) That gentleman was a man of
business, was well known in the City, and would not
have his name to any institution which he was not
convinced would prove beneficial to society.—
(Cheers.) lie chimed their support for this charity,
because he believed that it was truly worthy of it ;
and he did not think he was asking too much when he
asked them to enable the Society by their liberality to
give the recipients of their bounty the 1/ 12s. and thOt
V. 4s. a month, whirls had been originally promised
them. The pensions were now larger than they had
been two years since, but still they had not yet
reitclTd the original amount.— (Cheers.) On these
festive occasions he eosin not hut contrast the com-
forts a hich they were enabled easily to enjoy, with
the distresses which were suffered by others who were
struggling with poverty, and he besought them to
show their gratitude for those comforts by contribut-
ing to alleviate the distresses of their less fortunate
fellow-creatures.--(Cheers.) The Noble Lord con-
cluded by proposing the toast, which was drunk with
three times three and one cheer more, and which was
followed by an extempore, local, and comic song by
Mr. Brawn.
The Report was then read ; and amongst the long
let of donations and subscriptions announced by Mr.
Richardson, the secretary, were the following :
Luke J. Hansard, Esq., 1001.; Sir Thomas Baring,
Bart., 30/. ; A. W. Robarts, Esq., 101. 103., in addi-
tion to 1201.; Earl of Cardigan, 201.; H. Kemble,
Esq., M.P., 101. 103.; Arthur E. Campbell, Esq.,
15/. ; C. Pearse, Esq., 10/.103.; Chief Justice Tindal,
10/. 103.; Lord Ashburton, 10/. ; Samuel Gurney,
Esq., 21/. ; IT. M. Hoare, Esq , 10/.los. ; Lord Vis-
count Lake, 10/. 10s.; Sir J. IV. Lubbock, 10/. 10s. ;
Lord John Russell, M.P., 10/.
Mr. Baron PLATT proposed the health of the Noble
Chairman, which was drunk with enthusiasm, and
briefly acknowledged by Lord John Russell.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of A. W.
Roberts Esq., President of the Society, who re-
turned thanks.
The health of IV. Tooke, Esq., Vice-President,
was then drunk, and duly acknowledged.
Several other toasts were drunk in the course of
the evening, and the party broke up shortly after
eleven o'clock, highly delighted with the evening's
entertainment.
The galleries were filled by ladies, who appeared
to take great interest in the proceedings.
During the dinner the band of the Scots Fusilier
Guards performed several popular airs.

THE MAYNOOTH ENDOWMENT
A public meeting of the electors and inhabitants of the
borough of Finsbury took place on Tuesday evening, at White
Conduit gardens, Pentonville, to protest against the grant to
Maynooth on the voluntary principle.
The great saloon was crowded with a most respectable
auditory. •
There were present on the platform—Thomas Duncombe,
Esq., M.P. ; Dr. Epps, J.H. Parry, Esq., Q.C., T. Hodgkin,
Esq., R. Begley, Esq., R. Taylor, Esq., Dr. Price, and a great
many other leading men of the borough.
Mr. BESLEY having been unanimously called to the chair,
briefly stated the object for which the meeting had been
called. It was to avow their opposition to the principle in-
volved in the proposed grant to the Catholic College of May-
nooth. That principle was one of endowment. The present
meeting were the friends of the voluntary principle, and
therefore they were opposed to the grant. He did not sympa-
thise with those who had started the " No-Popery" cry upon
this occasion. He was happy to believe that, bad as the
present times might be in many respects, they were infinitely
better in every respect than the time when it was penal to
harbour a Roman Catholic priest.—(Hear, hear.)
Dr. Errs moved the first resolution, to the effect—" That
in the opinion of the meeting all endowments by the State
for religious purposes were injurious to civil and religious
freedom." He did not object to this grant on the ground of
its pecuniary pressure on the country, but because he deemed
it an impertinent assumption of power OR the part of any
Government to dare to take on itself the right of taking
money from one man to supply the religious wants of another
man.—(Cheers.) It was interfering with that freedom of
conscience which all men should enjoy. By State establish-
ments in Ireland the people had been reduced to the lowest
degradation, and this was the real source of the power which
Mr. O'Connell now possessed.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BELLINGHAM seconded the resolution.
Mr. R. TAYLOR was opposed to the resolution. In France
they would find that Protestants and Jews were equally en-
dowed with the Roman Catholics. He had very great doubts
about the voluntary system. as it was embraced by a fana-
tical and bigoted class of religionists.—(No, no.) Look at
Exeter-hall.--(Cheers.) He feared that the electors of
Finsbury were playing the game of the fanatics who were
trying to resuscitate the cry of " No Popery " all over Eng-
land. Ireland had been so greatly injured by England, that
he was willing to countenance any step which would lead to
a reconciliation between the two countries.—(Cries of "No,
no," and cheers.) Mr. Taylor, though an old and much re-
spected inhabitant of the borough, was heard with impatience
—the meeting being all but unanimous against the grant.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Dr. PRICE moved the second resolution—" That this meet-
ing strongly sympathises with the Irish people in their
struggle against Protestant ascendancy, and declares that in
opposing the grant to Maynooth it is not actuated by the
slightest feeling of hostility to the Roman Catholic faith,
but solely by a desire to carry out in that country the great
principle of religious liberty."
The resolution haying been seconded by Mr. VINCENT,
was unanimously adopted.
Mr. PARRY moved the third resolution—" That this
meeting declares its solemn opinion, that the Anglican Pro-
testant Establishment in. Ireland is a national nuisance.—
(Immense cheering.) That beyond every other religious
endowment in the world it is opposed to the plainest prin-
ciples of justice • that it always hai been and still is the
principal cause of discontent and disunion among the Irish
people, and that this meeting pledges itself to co-operate at
all times with the Irish people, in every constitutional
manner, to abolish it." It was not to oppose the grant to
Maynooth, he said, merely that this-meeting was convened,
but to enter a protest against all religious endowments by the
State. By sending this resolution to Ireland, it would show
to Mr. O'onnell and the Irish people that the people of Eng-
land were not ignorant of the great grievanCe under which
they (the Irish people) suffered, and were not backward in
seeking to relieve them from it.—(Cheers.) At all events, the
passing of this resolution would separate the vast multitude
he was then addressing from all sympathy with thp odious
cry of "No ropery."—(Cheers.) Under that cry age. of
bsd tetZt, Perpetrated, NA um* Olt cry ri9tellt*
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ants had exhibited the vety Worst features of Popery which
the Protestants themseWes alleged pg4inst the Catholics.
Mt. seconded the resolutiOth

The resolution was tihatiiiiiiitisly agreed
It was then resolved that a petition; embodying the fore-
going relolutions; should be adopted; and presented to the
eof torrittionfi by their Mbinbev Duneoinlie:
Mr. lYtiN•coMlit came forward, and -was Very tinich tht erect
He was proud to find that his vote in the House of Com-
mons on this subject was in such perfect accordance with the
opinions of the great majority of the electors of Finsbury.
If it had not been so, he should have, felt it his duty to have
returned tilt tfdst into their hander lb Order that their sqn-
timents might have been better represented.—(Cheers.) Ile
should be most happy to present their petition to the House
of Commons, but he should be deceiving them if he were to
tell them that that petition would have the slightest weight.
—(Laughter.) There had, within the last month, been pre •
sented to the House between 7,000 and 8,000 petitions
against the grant to Maynooth, signed by nearly a million
of persons ; and what was the answer given to these peti-
tions ? Why, Sir R. Peel told them he did not care how
great was the opposition to this grant ; the greater it was—
the greater the excitement that existed in the public mind,
so much the stronger was his determination to force through
Parliament this grant.—(Hear, hear.) Under these circum-
stances, what was the use of petitioning?—(Cheers.) Of
course, the grant would pass; but it_ would leave bitter feel-
ings behind it. The Prime Minister said he thought the fer-
ment in the public mind was fast subsiding. On the contrary,
he (Mr. Duncombe) believed it was only just beginning. The
great oljection to the grant was, that it introduced a new
endowed ,State Church into a country which had one State
Church too many already.—(Cheers and laughter.) As to
the permanency of the grant, he thought the House of Com-
mons had assumed a power, in making a grant hitherto an•
nual a permanent grant, such as had never been assumed
by any Parliament since the one which passed the Septen-
nial Act.—(Hear, hear.) The assumption was founded on a
most unconstitutional principle.—(Cheers.) It was a
gross libel on the people of England to suppose that
they wished to do injustice to the people of Ireland.
What was their conduct last year when the State trials
were going on ? Did they not meet in thousands to
sympathise with Mr. O'Connell, believing that he had not
had a fair trial? Was it the electors of Finsbury
who approved of the packing of the jury, the exclusion
of Roman Catholics, and the partiality of the judges? Was
it they who sanctioned Mr. O'Connell's imprisonment for
three months without any legal conviction? No; it was the
very men upon whom Mr. O'Connell himself and the Roman
Catholic priests were now fawning.—(Cheers.) The Queen
would be welcomed as she ought to be. Peel and Graham
might be received with acclamations by the people; but to
suppose that a country so misruled as Ireland had been, was
to be bribed by a paltry grant to Maynooth, was too mon-
strous to be entertained for a moment. No; both Peel and
Graham would find themselves as much detested and de-
spised as ever, by the honest people of ]reland.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN stated that he bad received a letter from
Mr. \Vat ley, saying that his duties elsewhere prevented his
attendance at the meeting. but that he heartily concurred in
the object for which it had been convened.—(Cheers.)
Mr. lIELr then moved a memorial to be presented to the
Queen, in the event of the grant to Maynooth passing the
House of Commons, praying her Majesty to dissolve the pre-
' sent Parliament.—(Cheers.)
Mr. KNOX seconded the motion, which was carried unani-
mously.—The meeting then broke up.

1)R. WOLFF'S MISSION TO
BOKHARA.
MEETING AT EXETER-HALL.
A meeting was held vesterdoy in the large room of
Exeter-hall, of the friends of Dr. Wolff, for the purpose of
hearing the statement of the Rev. Gentleman relative to his
late mission to Bokhara, undertaken for the purpose of
ascertaining the fate of Col. Stoddart and Capt. Conolly.
The proceeding were advertised to commence at. two o'clock,
but long before that hour the large Hall was completely filled
by an assembly of highly respectable persons ; amongst whom
were several well dressed ladies. On the platform we observed
an Asiatic Mussulman dressed in a magnificent Eastern cos-
tume. Ile appeared to occasion much interest in the meeting.
At two o'clock, Admiral Sir E. Codrington, G.C.8.,F.R.5.,
took the chair, amidst the loud cheering of the vast assem-

blage.
Capt. Grover, the indefatigable friend of Dr. Wolff, was
seated by the side of the Chairman. Capt. Grover was not
recognised by the meeting at first, but when he
was recognised he was greeted with loud and long-con-

tinued cheering._
The advertisement convening the meeting having been

read,
The CHAIRMAN called upon the Secretary to read the re

port of the Committee. -
Previous to the reading of the report, however,
Captain GnovEn, by permission of the Chairman, read a
letter from General Sir Jeremiah Bryant to Dr. Wolff, ex-
pressing his regret that illness prevented him from being
present at the meeting, and testifying to the feeling of
admiration with which he looked upon the noble heroism
which Dr. Wolff had exhibited during the course of his
. .

mission.
The SECRETARY then read the report, which stated, that
after:Dr. Wolff had written from Bokhara, by order of the
King, stating that he had put the British Envoy to death
in July, 1843, Dr. Wolff was more strictly guarded than
ever—that thinking an advance of money might be necessary
for his ransom the Committee had applied to Lord Aberdeen,
who had authorised an advance to be made by the British
Representative at Teheran, on the understanding that repay-
ment should be guaranteed by the Committee—that 4001 had
been thus advanced,the whole of which had been immediately,
repaid to the Government by Captain Grover, and the Com-
mittee recommended that a subscription should be entered
into to reimburse Capt. Grover for the money thus advanced.
Captain GROVER then advanced to the front of the plat-
form, and said he wished to say one word with respect to
that paragraph of the report which related to him-
self.—(Cries of "It is Captain Grover," and loud
cheering.) With respect to the recommendation
of the Committee that an appeal should be made to the
public to reimburse bins for the money he had advanced for
the mission of Dr. Wolff. He begged. distinctly to state that
he would not receive any sum from any public or private sub
scription to reimburse him for the money he had advanced en
account of Dr. Wolff.—(Cheers.) 'When the money was ad-
vanced in February, Sir Joseph Copley had sent to say that
he would pay half.—(Cheers.) Their Gallant Chairman had
also offered to pay half.—(Cheers.) Ile had received letters
from Birmingham and from Dublin, offering to raise the sum
by subscription in those places—(Cheers)—and two ladies
had actually sent him subscriptions.—(Cheers.) These he
had returned, and had gratefully declined all these offers. Ile
felt delighted that his 4001. had been the means of restoring
to her Majesty such a subject as Dr. Wolff.—(Cheers.)
Before Dr. Wolff had set out on his mission some persons
had objected to him as a visionary and an enthusiast, who
would never be content to abide by the directions of
the Committee. lie had, however, but one obser-
vation to make on that point, and that was that
Dr. Wolff had carried out the instructions of the Com-

mittee to the very letter. When urged to remain at Con
stantinople, and to send on to Bokhara, Dr. Wolff had replied
No ; I have my written instructions, those I will follow,
and from them I will not swerve—(Cheers.) He would
now beg to introduce Dr. Wolff to the meeting.—(Cheers.)
The Gallant Captain having retired for a couple of minutes,
reappeared leading in Dr. Wolff, who was greeted with the
most enthusiastic cheering. The Rev. Gentleman, who held
a small Bible in his right hand, looked much better than he
did on his first arrival in England, but he still looked far
from well. He was accompanied by Mr. J. S. Buckingham.
Dr. W OI.FF then commenced his address, and said that,
before stating to them the motives of his journey to Bokhara,
or entering into its details, he must there make a most de-
cisive declaration, in order to quiet the anxieties of the friends
of the victims on whose account he had undertaken the jour-
ney. That brave and valiant officer, Lieutenant-Colonel
Conolly, and the brave, excellent, and religious Captain Stod-
dart, have been put to death by the order of the King of
Bokhara. Many others, among whom were six English
officers and an Italian nobleman, have also met with the same
melancholy fate. He then proceeded to say that his object
in undertaking such a journey was, that he might put into
practice the knowledge which he acquired from the religion
of Jesus—that mere preaching the Gospel was not enough,
but that he would be ready at any time to lay down his life
for the brethren. He was not an Englishman by birth, but
he was naturalised as such by his late Majesty George the
Fourth. Having heard that these English officers were im-
prisoned in Bokhara, he was determined to go, and if pos-
sible to effect their liberation. It was in 1841 he first heard
the report that Captain Stoddart was a prisoner there, and
having been himself in Bokhara in 1832, and having while
there received the kindest treatment from the present King
and his prime minister, and the whole nation, he doubted
not but he would succeed in the enterprise he had resolved
upon. lie had heard after that an account in the news-
papers of their murder, but he did not believe it, and he
wished to go there to ascertain the truth. Captain Grover
promised him his assistance, and if necessary that he
would go with him to Bokhara. A Committee
was then formed, and it was decided that the Government
should be applied to for every assistance they could render.
He must there, also, take the opportunity of giving his most
cordial thanks for the assistance which had been obtained.
And his acknowlegments were especially due to the British
Ambassador at Constantinople, Sir Stratford Canning—the
Commander-in-Chief at Malta—the Prime Minister at Te-
heran, and Sir James Graham. No idea could be formed of
the excitement which his journey caused at Malta, and in-
deed wherever be went. When he was at Malta, Sir Edward
Owen most kindly gave him letters of introduction to his
friends in Athens, where lie was also very warmly received
by King Otho and his Queen, who wished every success to
his undertaking. After some delay at Athens, he then set
out for Constantinople, and on his arrival there every account
he received of Colonel Conolly and Captain Stoddart was
favourable—they were still alive. He was the more con.
firmed in the belief that that this was the fact from having
met with Captain La'ard, a traveller, who informed him that
he had lately received an- account from Bukhara that
Captain Stoddart was still alive. The Rev. Gentleman then
proceeded to state that Sir Stratford Canning obtained for
him letters of introduction from the Sultan and his Prime
Minister to the Pachas of Jerusalem, Trebizond, and the
Governors of other Pachalics on his route, and that the
most active interest was taken in his success by the Austrian
Ambassador and other influential persons at Constantinople.
He sat out from Constantinople on the 24th November, in an
Austrian steamer, furnished with a telescope and a pair of
compasses, kindly provided by Sir Stratford Canning, and he
arrived at Trebizond on the 24th December following. The
Rev. Gentleman here detailed the particulars of hls journey
from Trebizond to Teheran, during which lie met with the
most cordial reception wherever he went—post-horses and
every other requisite for his journey being provided without
a penny expense to him. The only danger he experienced
at this stage was from being overtaken one day by a heavy
shower of snow, by which ten people were killed. The Rev.
Gentleman here detailed the particulars of an interview he
had with the person who had imprisoned him twelve years
ago, and who was now himself in a dungeon. His name was
Mahomet Khan, and he was said to have made slaves of no
less than 60,000 people, whom he had overpowered in that
country. From the cruelty which he exhibited to
them he was called the "Head-tearer." 'He (the
Rev. Mr. Wolff) escaped from him at the time •he
had referred to without suffering any other loss than that of
his money. He did not wish to reprove him in the state in
which hethen saw him, and the unfortunate man appeared
most anxious to Co all in his power to serve him. He told
him (Mr. Wolff) not• to ga on without having letters of intro-
duction to the King of eersia, and it would be well for him
to take a man from the Viceroy along with him to the King
of Bokhara. When he arrived at Teheran he was received in
the kindest manner by Colonel Shiel, who was then
Charge d'Affaires at that city. He told him that his
Majesty the Kiug of Persia wished to see him, and had all
the letters for Bokhara ready for him, and would give him an
audience next day. He (Mr. Wolff) was quite surprised to
find that his Majesty recollected him, and all the particulars
connected with his former visit to his dominions. The Rev.
Gentleman having received lettersof introduction to the King
of Persia and the Prime Minister to the different governors
through whose dominions his route lay, proceeded on his
journey, from Teheran, in the month of February. He had
apprehended that the dangers which beset his journey in the
territory adjoining rirSia would be even greater than any he
was likely to meet with in Bokhara itself, for in the year
tante against the ChristiWl and so completely IS* the greatest fanaticism prevailed amongst.the inhabi-
regard,