Star.
London, England, 1814-02-11 00:00:00

, .

AVAIYTERS.ART* DIivAIER OF THE REFUGE

FOR THE DESTITUTE.

•The Seventh Anniversary of this Huthane and
Benevolent Institution was celebrated yesterday at
the City of. London Tavern. His . Royal Highness
the Duke of YORK was in the Chair, supported by
his Royal Brother the Duke of KENT, Viscount SID-
MOUTH, Lprd POMFRET, the Right Hon. CIEORGE
Rose, MT:WILBERFORCE, the RECORDER, Mr. PARK,
Mr. PROTHEROE, &C.. &c. The company sat down
to dinner a little after six ''clock; and as soon as the
cloth was removed, Non nvl4. r Domino, was sung by
Mr. Diotiom and other professional gentle Men. The
usual toasts of " Tie King"—" The Prince Regent"
The Queen and Royal Family"—were drank.
with the customary applause. •
• Lord Stostou•rx then proposed 66 The health (Allis
Roy-al Highness the. Duke of York, and prosperity to
the Refuge for the Destitute." In associating the
two, continued the Noble Viscount, he believed be'
not only conformed to what was the established prac-
tice on similar occasions.; but anticipated the wishes
sat every gentleman present. He also begged leave,
before he sat down, to express his sincere and cordial
approbation DI the Society whose interests.they were
that day assembled to promote. It was an institution
that involved in its practical.consequences all the
best sympathies of the human heart, and the per-
formance of all the best duties of the human charac-
ter. The object was not only to relieve the indigent,
but' to reclaim the profligate; not only to snatch'
victims from the gulph of vice and misery, bin to
provide for them the means of honest and beneficial
indostry. These were =icing its ordinary purposes
of benevolence, but he believed he should also be
right in stating that its primary purpose waste
suc-
cour th.e penitent criminal, who- had incurred the
penalty of the offended laws of his country ; against
him the finger of scorn was pointed, and every door
shut except that of this benevolent institution. To'
restore such individuals to the happinessot virtue
and religion was' one of the happy labours of this
society, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that
eke most important results had ensued from the exer-
tions of the benevolent and intelligent individtials to
whom the details of this Society had been entrusted.
Nearly 600 persons had felt the blessings of this so-
ciety, which had been not, only an instrument iu the
. hands of Magistrates .to reclaim offenders; 'but a
powerful auxiliary to justice. , He' could not, how--
ever, but lament that the tun& were inadequate to
those wiee and generous Aim% which-formed nn es-
sential part of the duties and objects of the society;
WI while he expressed this regret, he felt some satis-
faction in being
.ahle to state, that oripublic grounds
public aisibtance would be afforded in cleating away
all impediments to the air plies of the hinds in
the mast' henefici it and benevolenr Manner.. Ile
could not .conclude, how:_•rer, without adhaing to
• one •circuurstance, viz that duri.ig . the last twenty,
years—a period in which we had not been free front.
clanger's and alarms-,—a period during which. a salt,
geinary war 'had raged—enormous public burdens;
had been iaevitably endured, and commerce bad fre-,
quent)y. experienced the most severe checks, We had
still been mindful of the distresses of others, and nu-
merous public 6arities had been instituted. 'This
ardent benelialence he willingly attributed in part ter.
the native geUerosity of the national character ; but•
he.believed it was also bottomed upon the-Charac-
teristic charity and kindness of that religion _which
we all professed. *He would not trespass longer upon
their attention, but should conclude by proposing--
as the/health of the Duke of York, and the prosperity
of the Relage for the Destitute."'
The toast was drank with load acclamations, and•
three tines "three. His Royal. Highness the Duke of
YORK returned thanks in a brief speech, in which he
expressed his sincere desire to promote all the bened
volent purposes of the Institution.
The-Treasurer then made his report, and aCcoid.'
ing to 'a subsequent declaration, it appeared chit:
a€B2o had been collected 'on the occasion.
Mr. WILBERFORCE' then rose to propose the health
of 66 the Duke of Kent," prefacing his proposition
'by afew observations upon the•general alacrity testi-
fied by all the Royal Family on every occasion where
humanity and benevolence were to be displayed, and
upon the uniform support•which they afforded to all
institutions having-such objects in view. The health
was drank with great applause, and with three* times
three. . •
His Royal Highness the Duke of Kiwi' returned
thanks in a short but impiessive speech, and observed,
that as a‘proof of the anxiety which he felt for the
prosperity of the Institution, he bed declared his in-
tention of serving the office of Steward foe' the
erisu-
• ing year.
Mr. VROTHEROE proposed the health of Lord
Sidnioutb," which being drank with much applause,
his Lordship returned thanks, and reiterated his
assurances of a cordial participation in all,that Might
concern the. interests of the Institution ; hoping that
when they met again-they would find, from the exer-
tions of individual benevolence, the funds enlarged,
• and by the labours of those to whom were confided
the details of the Institution, its sphere of operation

increased. •
, Mr. Alderman C. Swiss theoproposed " the health
• of Mr: Rose," observing, that the Crown did not
pos-
seas, nor had ever possessed a more faithful servant.
• Mr. Ross returned thanits, but hated for some in-
dulgence limn the perturytation of hisleeliugs.
Mr. PARK, bearing testimony, from his 'own pro-
- fessional knowledge 4 Leth, utility of the Society, cent
proposed " The Health Of the Corporation of the
. City of London." and thanks were...returned by Sir
. Stephen *Claudius Hunter.
Mr. Tnisttritin proposed cc The Health of the
• Reverend Gentlemen who hud preached in behalf of
tie Institinion,",eod,ihatiks wOre returnedliyffie Rei.
. Mr.. Dodd.. . •
s The " Health of Lord Moira" was also deer* with
• great applause • and that of" Lord 'POlnfrat and the
Stewards,!' Lord Pomfret` retorting tharks. . •
Mr. Rosa proposed the health of his friend " • Mr.
• Wilberforce,"' which being reedved with distinguisbetl
A'PPtausep .11e, Honourable Gesdemazi, in:returnint
thanks, ascribed it rather to dttgenerosiry- qf the emu:
pany than to any merits of his own. •
,•
Several other healthy were given; and at half-past
ten the Royal Dukes left, when the company broke np