Star.
London, England, 1815-12-22 00:00:00

vantages of such Institutions.
Mr. Rost: then observed, that after so satisfactory
a statement, he should hardly have thought it neces-
sary for him to trouble the Meeting ; but from a per-
suasion that the information he had acquired from a
long correspondence he had been engaged in with
the principal promoters of the Edinburgh and Bath
Societies, would enable him to shew the certain bene-

ficiAl effects, proved by experience, that must result
from this establishment, if it should be effected. He
was the more desirous of this, under a conviction

that on snail proof being laid before them, many
would encourage the undertaking, who would not
otherwise, on the most probable speculative sugges-
tions, come forward in its sul.port, from the former
failures of well intentioned plans for the benefit of the
Inwer classes of the people. It was the consideration
of the value of experience alone, that had induced him
so long to withhold a proposal of the sort in this
Bounty.—Before, however, entering on that, Mr. Rose
requested that he might be permitted to say a few words
respecting Friendly Societies ; because the institutions
of the nature now under _consideration, had never
beets mentioned, without referring to the defective
system of the former, which, of itself, would not
have induced him to, allude to the subject, as he ad-
mitted most distinctly the infinitely superior advan.
takes of the latter. At Edinburgh and at Bath, the
promoters were content to show that superiority in a
just and reasonable manner; but in a publicetion, de-
riving importance from its being the production of a
Gentleman who has applied himself much to the mat-
ters of police, there are statements of facts so much
mistaken, as to induce him to refer very shortly to
dime, feeling as he did that this was not an occasion
on which he ought to enter on any reasoning on the
subject. In the publication ailuded to, the waste of
time and money, and inducements to profligacy, are
most strongly urged ; on these charges it is necessary
only to remark, that the Members meet only once a
month, and then after the bouts of labour are over;
at which Meetings the Members are limited to one
pint of beer. But the respectable Author alluded to,
in his eagerness to run down establiihments that have
not met with his approbation, computed the money
spent at the Meetings at AG420,000, on a supposition
that these ale held sixteen times a•year, exclusive of
the annual one ; whereas, he had reason to believe,
Om was no instance in any part of this county where
there are more than twelve ; in many less ; in the
town in which he was speaking there were only four;
he expellee, even in such a place as this, subject
r eie before-mentioned limit ; the Author is appre-
raistve too, that the £5 frequently allcwed by the
rules Co the widow of a labouring man, will enrich the
mitliner and niantmenvik.a ! Mr. Rose admitted that
v.ere very great deLcti in the system, which no
our could mole deeply regret than himself, some of
which, however, might be corrected, if not cured, by I
the interposition of neighbouring Gentlemen, if they
would apply themselves to it ; but he believed no one
could better than himself conceive the difficulties of
removing those by any further legislative measure;
be bad done what he could by the last Act, which
could not have been enacted when the first was passed;
this he ascertained from a correspondence at the first
period, in 170, with a great number of those Secie.
ties, male and female, throughout England ; he had,
however, a firm persuasion, that with all their im-
perfections they were eminently useful ; and was an-
xious, therefore, that individuals and the country
might not lose the advantages derived from such So-
climes, by unjust prejudices being entertained against
them. He thought it not tit to detain the hfeetteg by
entering on a justificstion of all he had dcne respect.
ing them ; he %visited merely at present to press on
the minds of Gentlemen, that they do not stand in
fie way of establishments like the one now proposed.
If they di 1, he was so firmly persuaded of the supe-
rior benefits of these, that he should not hesitate a
moment about giving the others up.' Having pre-
mised that, Mr. Rose said he %%enlist very briefly sug-
gest to the Meeting, not speculative advantages of
institutions of the kind now under consideration, but
incontrovertible facts, confirmed by positive evidence
and then make a few observations upoir
The Edinburgh Society was the first regular esta-
blishment of the kind, and it has been conducted with
a judgment, attention, and perseverance, above all
praise, and it is going on with eecouraging prosperity;
the deposias there are constantly increasing, and the
interest allowed to the depositors, which at
.first was
£4. per cent. is already £5. That description of
persons who had availed themselves of the opportunity
afforded them of making little savings were chiefly
journeymen in trades, hucksters of small wares, por-
ters, carmen, and labourers. Many instances, he
added, had occurred, of emulation among persons
working in the same manufactories, shops, and ware-
hous,s, who should have most to deposit on the fol-
lowing Monday. Respecting the establishment at
Bath, which is of a more recent date, it would not
become him to say much, as he had die honour tobe
a Vice-President of it from its origin ; but as, from
his residence being remote from thence, his tommuni-
2ations had been in correspondence only, the labours
had of course fallen exclusively on the Gentlemen in
liat city and its neighbourhood ; he might be per-
mitted to say he never had witnessed more zeal in any
-auseof humanity than in that instance ; from which
also considerable benefits had been derived by the
lower classes, but. hitherto not by so wide a descrip-
.ion of persons as at Edinburgh, owing to circuna-
itances quite intelligible. •
Mr. Rosa then, inferred, that he had adduced posi.