The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-16 00:00:00

perfect unanimity. How little did he expect that with
one voice the people of the metropolis would now be
prepared to declare that the time Fad arrived when the
cere-iaws should be repealed (ewe and for ever.
Whom have we convinced. ? From the Premier
in the highest regions down to Punch himself.—(Laugh-
ter ) Everybody is now with us. The Premier is with
us by deserting his friends, and we have now the secu-
rity that whether to-day or to-morrow, or the day after,
no Ministry can long exist whose aim shall not be the
total overthrow of the corn-laws. My friend has spoken
of those who will probably be some of the new Ministers,
but, I believe, public opinion would not be satisfied until
a portfolio was in his own hands. He should be Press.
dent of the Board of Trade.—(Applause.) He is the
man to hold out the hand of peace and of frieted,hip
to all nations.—(Hear, hear.) He is the man
to teach mankind, as he has teaigh t his
country-, that their interests are the interests of peace
and commerce and extended trade, and to give a new
tone to the character of the legislation of the land.
—(Applause.) Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer.
Yost ask obedience of your servants. You are
the electors, and the masters, and have a right
to ask it. You, in whose power the interest
of the country, and the country itself, is vested, have a
right to require, and you will require, that your views
and your opinions should be carried into Parliament
—namely, that Parliament should represent the
voice of the people, and let me tell you
that the voice which now echoes through
England, and, in fact, throughout the world, shouts for
the overthrow of monopoly, and calls out—Free trade !
Free trade for ever !—(Loud applause.)
The resolution was then read, and carried unanimously.
Mr. PATTISON, M.P., said they had heard the excuse
of Lord John Russell for not being there, and that was
quite satisfactory. Why their other two representatives
were not present was best known to themselves. For
himself, he had only to say that his principles were
known to them all. Now, what was the case with
the late Ministry? Why, they had fair weather
all along, and when a speck came on the horizon
they deserted their post. All they had now to do was to
support his colleague, should he be called on to take
the reins of Government. He could only say—
for he was not addicted to long speeches—that he re-
quired no instruction, but was ready todo his duty on the
question of the corn-laws.—(Hear.) In conclusion, he
would request them to give three cheers for their inde-
pendent and uncompromising representative, Lord John
Russell.—(The demand of the speaker was heartily re-
sponded to.)
Mr. WANSET said he had to propose to them that a
vote of thanks should be given to the Lord Mayor for
his presidency upon this occasion. He had earned that
honour from his having merged his private feelings in
his public character.

J. DILLoN, Esq., chairman of the requisitionists who
had gone to the Lord Mayor for the use of the hall, said
he felt bound to second that: resolution. He had waited
on his
,Lordship, who mentioned to him that he was
quite opposed to the repeal of the corn-laws, but, never-
theless, that he would not only give the use of the hall,
but also would agree to fill the chair on that occasion.—
(Hear and No, and some confusion.) The resolution was
then put and carried with a few tokens of dissent.
The LORD MAYOR briefly acknowledged the compli-
ment paid him ; and the meeting, after three hearty
cheers for the repeal of the obnoxious restriction on food,
separated.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTI

TUTION.

The tenth annual meeting of the members of the Na-
tional Provident Institution was held yesterday in the
large room, at the London Tavern ; Charles Lushington,
Esq., in the chair.
Long before the commencement of the proceedings the
room was crowded to excess, and at length the pressure
was so great that the gallery was opened, and that also
crowded. This full attendance was oviing to the circum•
stance of Mr. Gosbell, one of the Proprietors, having
given notice of his intention to move that the present
Board of Directors should be ousted, and a new Board
substituted in their place. This announcement brought
up several subscribers from the country, and it was evi-
dent throughout the proceedings that the large majority
of those present were in favour of the present Board of
Directors.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, briefly
adverted to the motion of which Mr. Gosbell had given
notice ; and having congratulated the members on the
prosperous state of the Institution, he called upon the
Secretary, who read the following
REPORT

" Encouraging and satisfactory as all former Annual
Reports have been, the Directors are much gratified, on
this the Tenth Anniversary of the Institution, to have
to present to the members a statement of the business of
the past year, far surpassing in amount every previous
one, and exhibiting as the Directors confidently believe,
an extent of prosperity which is unexampled in the his-
tory of life assurance societies.
" During the past year, 911 policies have been issued,
making an increase of 189 beyond the former year, and
producing an annual income of 16,335/. 13s. 7d., and
during the same period, the number of proposal; de-
clined have amounted to 113, the lives not having been
deemed eligible for assurance.
" This large yearly increase of business of the Insti-
tution has been effected, notwithstanding the competi-
tion it has to contend with from many new as well as old
established offices a convincing proof, that the more
the benefits of the mutual principle of assurance (on
which this Society is based) is known the more it is ap-
proved.
_ _

" The total annual income now amounts to the sum o
70,8191. 14s. sd.

" The accounts of the Institution, made up to the 20th
of November last, have been subjected to the usual
audit, from which it will appear that the capital stock of
the Society on that day amounted to the sum of 241,4601.
13s. 3d., being by far the largest annual increase which
has hitherto been made.
"By the deaths of members since the last report,
claims amounting to the sum of 21,230/. 25., have
become payable to their representatives er nominees,
and which have been duly discharged: this amount paid
to the representatives of deceased members fully demon-
strates the benefit of life assurance, most of the
members whose deaths are referred to, though in
health at the time of effecting the assurance,
did not live long enough to contribute more than a small
proportion of the sum paid to their respective families
ho are now deriving the benefit of the provision thus
made.

" The death of six annuitants has caused the sum of
1,6871. to fall to the credit of class 3.
" The next division of profits will be made in Novem-
ber, 1847, and the Directors have no doubt that the re-
sult will prove perfectly satisfactory to the members.
" In the early part of the year, in consequence of the
large increase that had taken place during the two
former years in the number of proposals, and the great
accumulation of general business consequent there
upon, presented weekly for the consideration of the
longer
ler matterst
Directors, it became obvious that it was inn"-
getpre s s hn
gr e
nu gp ho
n,
th ein a
at soantei swfaceetkorlyy
nisibalnenerl,
meeting ; and to relieve this pressure, and to afford
greater convenience to persons attending, to make as-
surances, a second weekly board, to be held every Fri-
day, was adopted. In confirmation of the necessity and
expediency of holding an addional weekly meeting, the
Directors refer to the extraordinary increase of business
since its adoption.
" In conclusion, the Directors confidently trust that
by a perseverance in the course hitherto pursued to in-
sure the stability of the Institution, and which has led to
the successful results herein detailed, the members may
have the satisfaction to witness a long continuance of
that prosperity which has throughout so signally marked
its progress.'
In answer to a Proprietor,
Mr. CASH, one of the Directors, said that the Direc-
tors had expected that the price of Exchequer-bills
would fall, and that they had accordingly been prepared
to take advantage of the fall, by purchasing those
securities. He assured the meeting that no more funds
than were necessary were left in the hands of the bankers.
The report was then agreed to unanimously.
Mr. GOSDELL then rose to propose the election of
several gentlemen in the room of the present Directors.
He had no fault to find with the present Directors,
who had done all they could for the prosperity of the
Institution, but they had too much power. There were
several of the rules of the Institution which required
altering, and as the power of altering them was lodged
in the Directors alone, he, with a view to get those altera-
tions made, proposed his new list.
Mr. LLOYD seconded the nomination solely for the
purpose of affording an opportunity for discussion.
Mr. TYLER, who represented the great body of those
who were desirous of seeing the rules altered, bore
testimony to the honour, integrity, attention, and effi-
ciency of the present Board of Directors, but it was
to prevent any future Board abusing their power,
that he wished to see them altered, and more power given
to the subscribers at large. The Honourable Proprietor,
in the course of a long speech, went through the rules
of the Institution, pointing out those which he considered
required amendment, and concluded by moving,
as an amendment, that the meeting do adjourn, in order
to give the Directors an opportunity of more fully con-
sidering the subject.
A long and somewhat acrimonious discussion
followed, in the course of which it appeared that
the Directors themselves had already taken steps for
the alteration of many of the rules. After this
discussion had lasted nearly four hours, it was suggested
that the amendment should be withdrawn, as the Di-
rectors had already taken the subject of altering the
rules into their consideration.
After a few words from Mr. G. TRosisosi in favour of
altering the rules for the purpose of giving the general
body more power in the direction of affairs,
The CHAIRMAN said that he had consulted those
Directors who were present, and that he thought he
might say, on the part of the Directors
generally, that
they would be prepared at the next annnal meting
to pre pose certain alterations in the rules, anal
that the proposed alterations should be printed and cir-
culated among the Proprietors two or three months be-
fore the meeting.
This announcement was received with loud applause.
The amendment ani the original motion were both
withdrawn. The Directors were re-elected, and a rote
cf confidence in the Board of Directors carried by accla-
mation. Thanks were voted to the Chairman and the
officers of the Institution. and the meeting separated.

SOUTHAMPTON.-ELECTIONBERING MOVEMENTS.-
We understand that, owing to the near prospect of a dissolu-
tion of Parliament, Mr, Beste, of Botleigh Grange, is about
to issue hie address to the constituency of Southampton, in
accordance with the resolutions of the Reform Protection
and Registration Association, and with the requisition pre.
sented to him last year. From what we know of Mr. Beste,
we are assured that no energy or exertion will be wanting
on his part to secure the triumph of those principles which
have recommended him to the Liberal Electors of South-
ampton.—Hampshirs Independent.

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