The Sun.
London, England, 1818-01-05 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

VIENNA, Dac. 20.-,-The Advertiser of Milan,
of the 6th, announces that the Villa of Este,
which belongs to her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales, upon the -Lake of Como, is now to
be sold with all its dependencies. The greater
part of the suite of his Imperial Highness, the Arch-
duke Rainer, who is appointed Viceroy of 'Lom-
bardy, basalteady set out to travel by short stages
to 111ilan. It is said that this Prince, as soon as
he arrives in Italy, will espouse his cousin, the
Archduchess Maria Louisa.of Tuscany.
Count Lauraw, the. Governor •of Lombardy,
who. arrived on the 15th, has had a long confer-
ence with the Emperor. It is remarked that the
Governors of the Kingdom Of Bohemia, Italy,
Gallicia, and Illyria, are all at the saute time in
this city, whence' it is inferred that sonic changes
arc intended in the civil administration of those
provinces. A new system tor' the general arming
in time of war is also spoken.of.
BaussELS, DEC. 30,-•--Monsieur Matibretfil has
:ip;)caled to the. Court of Ca'ssatirin- against the
Decree made in this cause by the Royal court of
Donau. . The firs!: Chamber, iu one of its last Sit-
tings, has confirmed three Projets Of :Lawrstilt.up
fr,ini the second Chamber, ifiz'.---4114 concerning
the provisional continuation of the'rising.ot the
Revenues of the State after the Ist of January,
ISlS—That i chit is'e to the free trade in Tea—and
that on the Tax upon Inheritances.
HANovF.n, DEC. 19.—The opening of the. G-
eneral Assembly of the States of the Kingdom took
place yesterday, under the direction of Mr. 111.
"far, President of the Regency.

AWFUL VISITATIONS.—Friday last being the
animal meeting of-the Keelmen's Society ol'New-
castle, they diued together a,t the housent Mr. Mit-
cl.telson, publican, Situdgate. On sitting down to
Andrew lligrppon, from the Felling
short;, desired gracejnight be said, when, awful to
relate, he laid his liead on the toPle and imme-
diately .expired.7—An awful instance of sudden
death occurred yesterday, in the church at Cites-
ter-le-street : an elderly %roman,. named Mary
Carr, tvhilst attending at the'idt.ai.table, to receive
a part of the money usually distributed, there Oa,
New-Year's day tell down) and iusiadily expired.
(Durham Advertizer.)

FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT

OP THE

BRISTOL PRUDENT FRIEND SOCIETY.

The almost unexampled disfres:.% Of the labour-
ing cla&ses, (hiring the early part of the present
year, has greatly increased the demands on the
funds of this Institution. The number of Men-
dicants applying fo; relief has often been trout 20
to 501 u a 'day. The relief afforded to each indi-
vidual .wastherefore necessarily small, and would
have been . almost unavailing, but for the Soup
Shops.established by this Society. The benefits
arising froth the Soup Shops, howevtr, were by
nfr'itienlll confined to strangers, 'many hundreds
off he inhabitants of this city were, in
.a consi-
derable degree,. supported from them for several
weeks, by private Nenevolence Or patine subscrip-.
[ion, and but for the timely assistance they afford-
ed, there-can be little doubt that many mild(' have
perished from want of . fool. It would be in op-
position to the principles of this Society to foster
habits of dependence in the Poor, by continuing
assistance of this kind, in times of comparative
plenty and prosperity. By the bounty ot Pro-
vidence the usual food of the labouring classes is
now at a moderate price, and many of them, Iron'
the wages Of reviving trade, are able to procure
it for themselves ; one Soup Shop only is there-
fore continued. The balance against the Society
would have been large, from the encreaied eitpen-
diture this year, bad it not been met by libe-
ral donations from individuals, and a legacy of
50/. tree from all deductions, trout the late Rev.
3oliti Bull.

The sum expended in printing, advertizing,&c.
may at first sight be considered as unnecessarily
large; but the primary object of this Institution
was to tevire a spirit of independence among the
Poor ; and in diffusing infortuatioo on this sub-
ject, both among the higher and lower orders of
.society, the aid of the press is indispensable; and
your Committee feel a strung conviction that this
item of your expenditure has not been thrown
away.
The sum which has been granted in Loans since
December 1816, is 9171. 10s. making the sum of
5026/.los. since the commencement of the under-
taking in 1812.
The state of the Saving's Bank is in the highest
degree satisfactory. There are between 8a id 900
accounts open with different depositors, and the
sum received exceeds 20,0001. of which 13,000/.
have been deposited since the last annual meet-
ing. Your Committee have to congratttlate you
likewise on the recognition of the utility of Sav-
ings' Banks by the Legislature. Some Bills,
which hail been introduced into the 1-louse of
Commons, previously to the framing of the pre-
sent Act, contained a clause, the tendency of
which was to destroy the small remains of shame
still,attached by some .of the poOr, to receiving
parish-pay ; and being therefore utterly subvci--
sive of the very end for which Savings' Banks
were estabiished, your Committee thought- it their
duty to oppose it, hy"PetitiOns to both 'louses of
Parliament. Another clause in the original Bills
appeared also to be likely to lessen the goodetfects
of these lustitntions the clause which prescribed
that the stock of Savitigs' Banks should be in-
vested in Exchequer BillQ, or the Public Fonds
only. Many practical inconveniencies:resulted
from the first kind of secarity, among which was
the fluctuation in their value. In this respect,
however, they were infinitely preferable to the
Public Funds ; and yourCommittec think they are
justified in supposing, that if from the continu-
ance of the war, or any other calamity, the Funds
had fallen 10 per cent. in the last two or three
years, instead of rising as they have done, those
Banks which have made their Depositors Stock-
holders for the amount of their •deposits, would
have given a blow to the system of Savings' Banks
which it would never have recovered : it is true,
tinder present circumstances, the Depositor; have
been gainers, but it cannot be the wish of any re-
flecting man to encourage a propensity so nearly
allied to gaming or speculation, whichsuch a spe-
cies of gain would too probably create. The al-
-1 teration of this clause was likewise one object of
I their Petitions.

. .
The opinions expressed by your Committee ap-
peared to coincide with those of the majority of
both I-louses : and the Saving's Bank of this So-
ciety is now placed under the protection of a most
able, clear, and concise Act of Parliament. A
fund has beets crea►ed purposely for Savings'
Banks, which is subject to no fluctuation : and
Managers and Directors are allowed either to•in-
vest the money in it, or in other Public Securities,
or in Land.

When your Committee call to your recollection,
that six years have not elapsed siuce the idea ot
a Bank for the Savings of the Poor was suggested
in a small pamphlet, which was the first step to-
wards the formation of this Society, you mitst
feel the highest gratification in having been the
original promoters ot a plan, which has met with'
almost unprecedented approbation, is in rapid.
progress towards universal adoption, and coM-
bined with the general education of the Poor,
:your Committee are persuaded, will form a new
ra in the history of the moral character of the
British People.
The Reports of a Society which has for its oh-
iret,' not merely the of the evils raising.
from poverty, but the removal of one of the twist
fruitful sources of poverty itself, should not be too
strictly confined to a review of its own operations,
but should advert to the progress of th,Jse smut('
principles and enlightened. views, on the general
diffusion of which, the only rational hope of suc-
cess in such an undertaking twist be founded.

The ruinous effects'of the system of a compul-
sory maintenance of the Poor, to which your
Committee. have so fregitently.called your atten-
tion, !have been demonstrated, by he elperience
-ot the last two or three years, with a elearne:o,
which foci:es convictinn on the minds of iheinot
sceptical. The sums raised by 'assessnant, and
expended npon the Poor, have increased e.:%-“kally
from the. yor 1770• in which it was 1,556.8041' to
5,072,0281.. in year ISIS, and in the year
,1816- it is-supposettto tall little'short of 0,C00,0001
In the Report,nf a Select Committ ce of the
House of•CoMmons„ the result of a hborioes. in-
Yestigatioli.ot.,Ore. Poor. Laws, their effect 'a.nd ten-
dency, it is stated, that "independently of the.

pressUre any ten'iparary, ilr accide. rt;il eirL.:,ll"
statiee, and Making every allowance fot an
.."'"
creased population, the rise in the pric'e
sinus, and• other necessaries of lite, acrd t nit ~l'"
pliCal'ion Of part of these hoofs, I- ai:yarent
both the number of parapets, and t,tie nfrlttttrit ''t
money levied by assessnreut, are progrrssiverV 1""
creasing—while the situation of the Poor appe.'"
nOt to have Deenin a corresponding degree
Ins-
proved ; and the Select Committee is of opinion,
that while the exiting 'oor Laws, and the syst",'",.
under ‘vhich they are antnioisteted, rent.tin
changed, there does ndt exist any power of arreste
tug the progress of this increase, , till it shall
louger be found ro augment the stow!.
raised by
.assessment " This alarn,Ltg state (!t
things is nearer at hand than might- have bee'.!'
preriom,ly to the Report of- the Select
Committee. lo a Petit iou nom the parish of
Wombwell, in Shropshire, it is stated, " That sirs
annual value of Land, Mines, and 'llottsei in this
parish, is not sufficient to mainoin the nomerous
and increasing Poor, even if the same were to he
set free of rent ; and that these eirctonstances will
inevitably compel the occupiers of Lands and
Mines to relinquish them, and the Poor will be
without relief, or any known mode of obtaining
it." The Select Committee add, that front " the
Petitions before them, this is oely one of mauy
parishes fast approaching to this state." Such is
the effect of the Poor Laws on Property; and the,
elects produced by them nu the Punt' theinse/reS
are thus forcibly stated by the Select Committee
" A compulsory contribution for• the indigent
from the funds accumulated from the labour and
industry of others, could nw fail, in process of
time, with the increase of population, which it iS
calculated to foster, to produce the unfortunate
effect of abating those exertions on the part of
the labouring classes, on which, according, to lire
nature of things, the happiness and welfare 0t
mankind has-beerrmade to rest. By diminishing,
this it atiiral impulse by which • men are instigated
to industry and good conduct--by superseding flit
necessity of providing, in the season or health
and vigour, for the wants-of sickness and ohtege,
and making poverty and !nisei y the conditions oo
which relief is to be obtain(d, your Committee'
cannot but fear, front a reference to the iticrctoea
numbers of the Poor, and. Irmo the increased and
increasing amount of the ruins raised for their re-
lief, that this system is perpetually euci-,uragin;
and increasing the ammo', of misery it was de-
signed to alleviate ; cleating, at the sante time, an
milimited demand on funds which
,it cannot aug-
`mem : and as every system of compulsOry enact.,
ments must be divested of (Ir.: character of belle"-
valence, so it is without its beneficial effects'; as
it proceed, front no impulse of charity, it creates
no feelings of gratitude, and, not unfrequeutly*
engenders dispositious calculated to ser:rate rather
than unite the interests of the hiiher and lo,ver
orders of the 'community. The result of the
system appears to have been highly prejudicial to
the moral habits and cotisegnritt happiness of a
great body of the people, ,Aho have been reduced
to the thgredation of dependence upon parochial
es tiiii,),pri(t)itti.t t
the trots ilitiethirsetsrti4f3
et::tesseest:nit:alsotit:ieteyn,
pressed by a vVeight of enottitutoi,;,,."_,• rut
there will always he a class of persons who fliol it
difficult, with their totnost letbOttr acid CACI"( iot; tis
maintain their families, atter having contributed
their quota to the assesSmeot. Such is the culti-•
vator of a small farm; of whom. it has been said
forcibly and truly, that.he rises early, and it is
late before lie can retire to rest ; lie works hare,
a(tsiactilgtaidtraict;.ayelr.yes 1 yet, i
roust
first lie ,4'
eo
tt subsistence
i
',f;)
tarie.
r:bl
hil)sit tr.) , be
titht ee
pretiltiti
he would porchase.warmef
clothing for his children, but the children of the
prostitute must first be clothed." In short, in the:
language of the Select Committee,. the effect 0'
" those compulsory distributions is to pull (low°
what is above, not to raise what is below; ~net:
levelhey depress t
twas originally i(;)g,,et.t.she
t.t:, n t h
Such ate the terrific consequences of an aPl'l"
rently humane, but erroneous principle in
lation. The system which oriiiinated in the. Act
of the 43t1 of Lliz, it is evident, must he =grada-
ally abandoned, or it will involve. all oraers of
Society in common ruin. The mode of doing, this
is a qttestioll of acknowledged difficulty, and wile.'
titer the remedies proposed by the Select Continittee
be the best which could be the devised, or whe-
ther a more simple and efficacious plau has not
already been proposed, your Committee will not
presume to determine. hot when the jexistence
of an evil is acknowledged, its Magnitude ascer-
tained, and its nature iinderstood, some of the
greatest obstacles to its removal are already stir.-
mounted. With the guidance Of the sound prin-
ciples which are recognized in the Report of the
Select Committee, with the power which they
possess of commanding information, and with
that deep interest which the subject must excite,
as involving the very existence of the empire, and
the happiness of every individual of which it is '
.composed, there is good gto,and to hope that,
though the disease has been neglected till it ha,
begt,„ to prey upon our vitals, it is riot beyond
the power of an enlightened legislature to rem.
wove.

S

MARRIED.
11t Mary-Te-bone, ..tLidifen, Esq. of Golden-square, to.
Mary, youngest daughter of Ji,eim Hickman, Esq. of Et*st-•
street, Laaibeth. After the ceremony, the haßity coup,l4.st.
off to sp.nl the honeymoon in Hertfordshire.
Wedne,day, the :list nit. William nix Lane,. Esq. sr.,'
cond son of James Fox Lane, Esq. 'Of Branihain Park,. Yorkl-
iltirr, to Gil-ohne, youngest daughter of !the Hon. Jolla,
Douglas, and grat»l-tlangliter of the Earl of Harewood.

1:IED.
. Of a rapid decline, in the fourteenth year of her age, Eli-,
satieth, the daughter of t Thorpe., Esq. L. L. I). as
inia tile, beam-aid, and accomplished young lady.
Lately, at tiontliampton, aged 7; years, Sir Richard Orklow,
Bart. G. C. B. Admiral of the lied, and Lieutenant-GeAral
of the Royal Nla rine Forces.
New Year's Day, Mr. James. Fitch, of the fifth of Jarrie4,
and George Yitch, Leadenhall-street, in, the 5(.5111 ye it
age.
At'Newliurgh, on the 19th ult. fraud a gradual decay 'of na-
ture, aunt wil.;ln nn /,filer: if (WO`]r. David II eiilfrsoeh„
aged. 7,4, and Salle his stMe, al..;e:(1 7i, after a lung and Iti.roia-
nious matrimonial union of 4. ,y 6,1 s•

LONDON: Prlotcd by ,T. B. CA RSTAIRS, of No. 4.9, Ureat
Ormond-stita, Qoven:!:,o,oa'ru; and pu4lislird by W.
SCRIPPS, of No. 7, S'%ont h Molton-streut, SUN
()lice, No. I 'S',t rand ; w Intro - kieuor o%*; ;:41,Js
Letter,, Bcc. (post-paid) %unit by. ad4russlgt,..

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