Mendicity Society.
The Times, 1824-02-09T00:00:00

On Saturday, its pursuance of a public advertiernent a meetir, o,theSubscrbers2, the Mendicity Sodeey was held at ireemason gll, to receive a relport of the Board of Management, iD re-ly to some statement3s which appeared in TIhC Tmas jouryl. The meeting was bus thinly attended: at half-past 12 o'clocic the clsir was taken by Alr. STUROES BoutRNr: there were with bim on the platform, rdsC athorpe,Suffied Liford ocksavge, James Stewart; Sirs Thiomas R) Aelsad John S'wiAU and Rt. Birnie; Generals Austis, Browne, and Thornton; Dr. Bloom. field, &c. The CITATR:SAN informed the meeting that they wmere called togec ther by the Board of Management, in consequence of some imputa. tons which bad been lately cast ispon them, and the managers had prepared a repot, wlich would now be read. MIr. Isvrwn-8 litocx then read the report, asfoTl 6ss- "The managers oP the Society for the Suppression of Mendicitv /e judged it vnsableto convoke thisextraordinarymeeting of the subscribers, in consequence of certain articles which have recently appeared in T/e Times newspaper. The tendency of those articles is obvously to lower theSociety in the estimation of the public, and to destroy the good understandinghitherto existing between the sub- scribers in general, and that portion of them to whoin the conduct of the Society's Co.lcerns has been intrusted. " The managers feel all the irmportance of Preserving and cultivat- ing that good understanding. General confidence essential to the we -being of every charitable institution. but this Sodety, from its pecuoiar cliaracter coui d w sal than any other, survive the loss of pub: lic opinion, vwithout whhall its energies must be varaled, and the most strenuoas endeavours of its dircctors be rendered abortive. " Under this conviction, the managers have considered it their im- perative duty promptly to reply to the accusations of T/.e Tiwe:; and they hope that the method they have adopted of meeting this question is the one best calculated to remove any unfavourable im- pr ession which those accusations may have created. It has beense- ected in preference to any other mode, not only because it obviates the necessity of descending to controversial discussion in the public prints, and affoords the most complete means for deliberate investiga- tion and minuie scrutiny, but because it also offers to the subscribers an opportunity, should they be d:sposed to avail themselves of it, immediately to remove the managementofthe Societv's affairs into the hands of other individuals whom they may deem more deserv- ing of suen a trust. Tk the mai.agers will not stop to iniquire into the probable motives of the writer in Thec Timres, nor will they speak- of the spirit which pervades his letter ; stiU less will they notice the epithets applied personplly to themselves. Referring these matters to the good sense and discernment of the public, they proceed to an examination of the facts which have been alleged, and which the subscribers are probably aware are grounded uponI the statement of' the receipts and expenditere for the year ending Decemnber, 18L22, annexed to the fifth Annual Report of the Society's proceeding& ' Thiis statement has been reprinted, and the door-kee?ers were directed to deliver it to every person entering this room. ?he sub- scribers are nowv requested to reter to that account, while each item is unsler examination, that the explanation about to be offered may belearlv comprehended. " In the statement of receipts there appears only one item caling for reinark-natnely, the suma of1211. l3s. 1 d, deducted for pound- age froni the amount of subscriptions. It will be readily be- lieved that the collector to this institution is fully enmployed in receiving the subscriptions of three thousand onteibutors. He is restricted from pursuing any other occupation, is required to give security for tie correct perormance of his duty, and is paid, accord- ing to the practice of ll public institutions, by a per centage on the anount received, Mhich, by giving him an interest in the increase of the Seciety's supporters, operates as a stimulus to his exertuons. "The managers proceed to the statement of expenditure, which in the printed account is as follows:- "1st Item.-Deec 31.-Bv loans to mendicants . Z 160 8 1 1822. tisbursements on ditto . 1,U95 7 9 Ei::plovmentofditto . 205 16 1 Expenses at tile lodging- h)ouse for females . 133 18 6 Forming a gross sum of 1,595 10 5 "4 To the appropriation of this sum no objection l,as been made,and therefore the managers proceed to the subsequent itenis. " 2d Item.-Expenses of apprehensions, prosecutions, ant constables' wages . . . 461 1 10 nThis item is thus composed :_ 1st. NVages of constables who perambulate the streets for the purpose of apprehending mendicants. Their wages average about 27s. per week each. They are not per- mitted to receive any reward for the ap. prehension of vagrants, or any other fee or allowance whatsoever. The rewards are carried to the credit of the Sodety, as appears by the statemiient 2d. Fees paid at the police-offices, and cost of food, which the constables are instructed to supply to prisoners when any delay oc- curs in the disposal of their cases by the magistrates, anti when they are conimit- ted after the daily allowance of food at the gaol has been distributed . - 3d. Exoenses at the sessions, consisting of court fees, &C., the services of the Society's counsel and solicitor being on every occa- 402 19 0 44 3 68 sion gratuitous . 13 19 4 Making the total of . . 461 1 10 "3d Item.-Advanced to paupers, by order of pa. rishes in the country . . . 41 7 11 "Persons frequently come betbre theSociety who belong to parishes in the country, but whom it would be impolitic, for a variety of rea- sons, to remove. Through the interferenrce of the Society, weekly allowances are often granted to such persons, and sometimes they are paid through the Society's agency. But it is unnecessary .to dwell upon this item, because the money so advanced is of course repaid. "4th Itern.-Salaries, investigating cases . 473 11 7 "These salaries are paid to the foUowing officers, viz. 1st. The resident derk, who records the daily orders of the managers on the cases, and sees them carried into effect; keeps aU the books and accounts of the institu- tion, and copies the minutes and proceed- ings of the board and committees, anid assists in the correspondence and in the preparation of memorials to public offices. This officer resides in theSocicty's house, of whiclh he has the charge, as wvell as of all stores, books. and papers. Ile is also intrusted with the payment of monies on the Society's account, and gives security for the faithful discharge of his duties. His salary per annum is . . . 150 0 0 2d. The register clerk, who takes a detailed ex- anination of every applicant; his salary per annumi s .100 0 0 3d. The clerk of inquiry, upot whom devolves the duty of investigating the characters of applicants, and inquiring into the truth of their representations; his salary per annum is. 100 0 0 4th. The salary of this officer for the preceding year (1821) was 801., and a gratuity was votedt to hin of. 20 0 0 5th. The parochial clerk, who is the mediun of communication with parish officers, workhouses, hospitals, infirmaries, &c. He attends to tle passing and removing of paupers, and to the enforcement of their clains before magistrates,when necessary. His salary per annum is . . . 80 0 0 6th. The superintendent of theSodety's lodging house, for a period of ten months . . 23 11 7 Forming the total of . . . 473 11 7 "5th Item.-Salaries. begging-letter department . 296 1 0 - This department is avowedly for the purpose of investigation alone. It is not ptofessed to relieve Srom the funds of the Society begging-letter cases, but merely to report upon their worthiness, tbr the information and guidance of the subscribers. In consequence, however, of the expenses incurred in this department, an extra con- tribution is required from the individuals who avail themselves of the privilege it affords. Ist. The clief clerk in this department receives per annum. 100 0 0 It is his duty tc receive and register all let- ters sent for investigation; to give them to the visiters; to copy and transmit re- ports on the cases; to attend the commit- tee; and keep all books and papers con- nected with this department. 2d. The remaining sum of . . . . 196 1 0 has been paid, in diffrerent proportions, to eight other individuals not on the So- cietv's establishrfient, who, during the year, were employed snore or less, as pressure of business rendered necessary, in inquirv into cases referred to the So- ciety for investigation. ._ 296 1 0) "The number of begging leters reportexl upon in the year 1822 was 1,804. " Of the necessity end utility of aU these officers, the managers will speak hereafter. At present, they wish the subscribers to con- fine their attention to the reasonableness of the salaries paid, regard being had to the duties performed, and which, in every case, itully occupy the whole of each person's time. It is scarcely necessary to tay, that no individual can hold any other appointment; for it is one of the Soiety's regulations, thatin addition:to the labours as- sig-ned to each departmnent, theclderks ate expected to employ them- aeve in te 'enlerrl business of the office, nor only d7iuring office hours, from 9 to 6 o'lock but at such later hours as may be found necessary. '6th Itein.-Votcd to the secretary, &c. - . 500 0 0 -To this item the managers will presently call your attention. They wish first to reply to the general, and atterwards to the par- ticular charge oF misappropriation. "7th Item.-Pent (for one year and three-quarters) 87 10 0 " 8th Item.-Petty expenses (including postages and other incidentals) . . . . ao80 1 11 "9th Itemn.-Advertisements .8. . . . 84 16 0 "10th Item.-Stationery. 108 16 0 "s Of this amount, the sun, ef 531. 8s. was for the paper on which the annual repprt is printed. 11th 1tem.-?-rinting. 146 7 0 " Of this amesnt,the sumiof 591. 10s. wvas for pristing the Annual Report. 12th Item.-Taxes. 17 5 2 "13tb Item.-Itepairs and furniture . . . 12 14 1 " In reference to the 10tb, Ilth, and 13th items, the managers have only to observe. that every thing done for, or supplied to the Society, is, so far as is practicable, made matter of competi ion and contract; and that by one of the by-laws, uQ indiMidualholding any office whatever is permitted to be concerned, directly or indirecy, in the supply of any artide for the Society's use. "Upon this statement, a charge of general misappropriation of the Society's fends has been made in The 7irnes newspaper, in the fol. lowing termns:- " ' Simpilied and stripped of its ambigty as an account, we learafrom it, in the irst place, and that, too, by taking it in the most,favourable ligbt fofis ficato that last year a suln vf S 812L 8s *a. 9 L b the Society for eft3*at y o a philanthgopic spost , if properly applied; ccondly, thst of. this stsm 1?95O Tnly was oipedendR aecoing to the. trjtr meaning and intention of the subscribers * and'thirdly that fh' managemnent -of thiscomparatively trifling st;m incurred &e enornouz and unprece dentedtexpense of- 2,SS9%M Ss. 3d! Hence we urether learn, that the simple ciargme of the establishmnent for one year alone, mioks s F(41 ttwo-thirds of the gros income, or 14s. in every guinea subbcribed! and once and a half sa much as was actually divided between all the poor who had applied during thxe year for relief_..namely, l,534L8a oilo^.; for of the sum len; and chartedl on one tide of the account, say 1601. Ss. Id., wre find repaid on the other 991. 6s.. 2d., which leavec a balance only of 6U. 1I lld. outstanding on account of loans.' "The managers think it proper to point out the following arith. metical errors in this paragrph ;_ '*In the that place, the sum received misd disposed of by tle#cely during the year, wns 4,096L l7s. 7dL, and not, a.s stated in this pa. ragraph, 3,612L 8se. 9d., being a varianCe of 414]. 8s. IOd. in the aecond place, ehe alleged expense of ' management, should be 2,231L 7s. 2d., and not 2,389L 9s. 3d., being a variance of "i2 the third place, the sumn said to have been ' actually divided amongst al the poor who applied for Ielief-rnamely, 1,634L 8a. 6d,' ougbt to be 1,49bl. 4s. 3d., being a variance of 381. 4s. 3d. " The writer, in a subsequent passage, also states, that in the Society's report, ' 827 are caledimpostors and confirmed vagrants,' whereas the number so designated is287, being a variance of 540. "These errors wiU be found to arise upon the writer's own mode of stating the account; and they are the more important, beciavse The Times, in some remarks subsequently published, has defiedanm person to prove the slightest error, evea of a letter or cipher, ii, their correspondeat's statement. " Extraordinary however, as are these miscalculations on the psart of vriters professing such scrupulous accuracy, they do not materially afrect the main question involved in the paragraph quoted "That paragraph imputes to the Board amisappropriation oftwo. thirds of the funds appropriated to its management. *"It wll be seen at a single glance, however, that this charge is founded uponatotal misconception of' the nature, objects, and prin. stitutior,; and were it not that this mibconception is SO glaring.y apparent, the friends of the Society would indeed have reason to view with serious alarm this grave accusatior., counate nanced as it has been by the conductors of a publicjournal. "The Society has never assumed the title of' charitab;e,"accord. ing to the comumen acceptation of the term. It bas never been tended that its funds are subscribed for the purpose of being vided among the beggars,' as The Times asserts. Mischievous in. ceed would be its Droceedings if such were its object. The sole end of the Society hai ever avowedly been to suppress mendicity ; toe lessen. and if rsossible to extirpate, a great moral aud political evil; to render beggn dangerous and unprofitable as a trade ; and by destroying the inducernents of some, and removing the necessities of others, to take away the reproach from our country, that while fihe was contributing millions annually to the reliefofher own poor, ant imost liberally to the wants of otler nations, the streets of her me. tropolis presented at every turn spectacles of misery and destitu vg " The subscribers are not, however, to understand that becEuse the Society is the happy instrument of removing this reproach, cuer. cive measures are generally employed. Coercion is reizdered unne. cessary in proportion as the Society's tickets are distributed, because the substitution of those tickets tends to discourage the importunity of impo,tors. It is no objection to the Society that many of these tickets are never brought to the office; and in respect of those wlhich are produced, a careful and minute system of record is invariably adopted ; a comprehensiveinquiry into the circumstances and habits of the pauper tak'es place, and on any future application of tbe same person, the managers can in an insrant possess themselves of the. information which has been thus recorded in the books of the office. " It ought not to create surprise, that so perfect and extensive a systern of record is attended with great expense; bat in any esti. muate of the cost of ' dlanagement' as compared with the amrsountL of positive relief granted, neither tc second nor fifth iteni of expen- diture ought to be included. " The wages of constables employed to clear the streets cannot be considered as formsing a part of the charges incurred by the ' management,- and the ex;penses of the begging letter department ate met by the extra contrbutions already mentioned. Subtracting, therefore, the two item s of 4611. ls. lOd. for constables' waes,. &c. and 2901. Is. for the begging letter department, ' the simple charges of the establishament' will be 1,4741. 4s. 4d., anld not 2,3891. 9,. 3d. as stated in The 'rimes. Still this sum may appear large as compared with the amount of relief given directly frotm the Society's funds ; still it mav be in- sisted that the 'agency' aniounts to nearly as much as the relief given. This is granted. It is true, that during the year in ques- tion, 1,5951. 10I. 5d. was the amount of positive relief given by the Society, while an expense of 1,4741.4s. 4d. was, during the sanie pe- riod, incurrect for ' agency.' But it is bhi this 'agency' that the objects of the Society are principally prsmoted. The agents thus employed, all of whom have been already noticed, are not merely essemtial, they are indispensable to the operations of' an institutior acting far more extensively and beneficially by the influence which it exerts, than by the pecuniary relief which it dispenses. The sub- scribers, for instance, may recollect the case of a poor sailor, men- tioned in one of the annualreports, who came to the office in a state of the utmost wretchedness. After a minute attention to this man's story, it was ascertained that he was entitled to a share in prize money. The inquiry was pursued through some of the public of_ flees, and by means of the Societv's ' agency,' he was put in pos- session of up,wards of 401., which rnoney enabled him to enter upon a mode of earning an independent and permanent liveiihood. In the mean time, a fewv shillings sufficed to keep the man from want, although to establish his claim the institution was perhaps subjected to a much greater expense. The subscribers have only to suppose that a guinea was expended upon this case; 7s. in temporary assistance to the applicant, and 14 shil. lings in obtaining for him the mcans of future support: anti they will have an illustration of the erroneous, but specious assertion, in The Times, that bfoureen shillings out of every guinea subscribed are consumned by the I agency of the Society.' Again-armid the hasty decisions of somne parishes, the local re- gulations of others, and the conflicting interests of a l, many of the poor, who are proper objects for paroclial aid, give up their claim in utter hopelessness, and are thus cast upon the publicattention. Such persons are pressed by this Society upon their respective parishes, their claims shown, and, if necessary, enforced; meanwhile they are maustained bv the institution. The pecuniary assistance froui the Sodety is, perhaps, small, and the ' agency' expensive,; but the goad effected is substantial and lasting. rhe same reasoning ass- plies zo the sick, who are supported only until their admission into hospitals and infirmaries be procured. So it is with people of good character, who are mair,tained while the Society is employed in ob- taining situations for them; with soldiers, sailors, and a variety of persons having business with public departments, hundredsof wlom come tn London in the course of the year with no means of subsistence, but the casual bounty of the benevolent.. 'l'o pro- tect such individuals during their stay, to aid themt in their aflairs, to counsel them, if successful, so to husband their re- sources as to avoid agai falling into a state of nmendicity, or if successful, to assist em to their homes, are every-day occur- rences at the Society's office. The great object is to remove mendi- cants from the streets, and to prevent their return thither ; and this is effected, not so much by direct pecuniary aid, as by calling into action other sources of relief, those especially upon which the par- ties have a legitimate claim. it would be obviously absutd, even if it were not impolitic, to attempt to meet tle evil by such pecuniary assistance as this Society has the power to bestow. "Instances frequently arise in regard to foreigners, when little cat be effected upon the first app'ication to their Consul. The cons- mon answer is, ' We have already given this man the means of re- turning bome ;' but they generaliy add, ' We will do so again, if your Society will undertake to see him actually embarked.' o vwith the Irish, who, being entitled to ino parochial aid. naturally have re- course to begging on any emergency. Beggars of this class are fre- quently sent to their native country fhroughthe means Ot the Sociecy. 'l'he satme things occur in respect ot mendicants belonging to distant parishes, and the satisfactory disposal of such cases necessa- rily requires active and inelilgent agents. Innunerable are the oc- casions for their exertions, but the Board are unwilling to trespass by an y farttbet detail. They beg, however, to press upon the recollection of the sub, scribers, that, except in those particular cases which are entirely as- sisted by the Society alone, tle granting relief out of the funnds of the institution is purely incidental, and subservient to the main de- sign of suppressing mendicity, by euiforcing the laws against ins- postors, and by procuring assistance for the deserving, either front institutions adapted to their respective v ants, or from any source to which they may be entitled to appeal. " The duties and salaries of the offlcets thus employed have already been explained, and the managers iearlessly ask, if in the employ- menit of such agents thev have been justly accused of ' a lavish an'd unprinciplcd expenditure ?' or if their statement ought to be de- signated ' a flagrant unblushing document ?' ' Their explanation is not now oftered for the first time. It is con- isined in the very same Teport from which the extracts in The Timer ire taken, and the Board now quote the passage as evidence of the .xtreme disingenuousness of commenting upon their statemegt of !xpentliture, without at the same time publishiing the explanation by w-hich that statement was accompanied. " This is the passage alluded to, which trill be found at page 22 of he said report:- " ' The establishment is necessarily expensive; but when the sphere. tI operation, which embracesthe whole metropolis, is considered- when it is recollected that, in addition to the practice of recording e,, he examinations of aU applicants, (by which alone deserving obh., ects can be distinguished or imposture detected,) personal invesd- ration and inquiry are invariably made into their circumstances and h::racter-that experienced vfsiters, intelligentrclrks, and confiden. is! agents are necessarily employed_that coustables,paid by the So- iety, constantly perambulate the town-that incorrigible offenders Ire prosecuted at every quarter sessions-that active communication a held With the several pollee-offices, as weU as the various me* ropolitan parishes, hospitals, workhouses, and infirmaries-tgat hous is kept for the solc purpo,se of lodging females-that bere is a comsetant necessity tbr the preparaNorn of tmern orials on the part of applicants to the various public departments- Lnd that an extensive correspondence is unavoidable.it wil, hey are persuaded, be seen, that without adverting to the rrangecments for the preparation and distribution of foodx, lotlung, &c., such a comprehensive system cannot be maintaitted even according to the most sentpulous economy), without very ex- oensive nmachinery; and that it would be peculiarly painful to those .ho have long witnessed its benefic al efilets, to be obliged to render *ny branch languid or inoperative.' " The daily direction of these multifarious operations was, accord- ng to the original plan of the institution, vested in the mianagers, wo of whom sat daDily at the office for that purpose; but as the susiness increased, and the influence of the Society beeatue more ridely extended,it was necessary to insure a more strict adherence to ixtci prinoiples than could be accomplished during a constant sue- ession of managers, whose opinions might be natturally expected ometimes to vary as to the niost eligible aod of trcating the ases rhich came before them, and who had not an opportunity of direct- ng the progress of those cases in their subsequent stages. " At length, in March, 1821, the subject was fornatullv brought mder the consideration of the Board, by a nobleman on 'the list of rice-persidents, whe manifested at all timres a lively interest in the ,rosperity of the institution, and took a conspicuous part in its pro- eedings. The alteration proposed was, that one instead of two ma- agers should attend daily in turn at the office, assisted by a nanenstindiary officer, to be denominated' Assistant Manager,' ,ho sho. d sit every day ;. that this officer shoul d aft in concert with the manager in attendance, or on his ownresponsibility if alone. r'he advantages of this arrangement would be tosecure, ataRtimins, the pre6ende of a competent and rcsponsib e director of the Socity's aff;uirs, oinsure a care&ul and judicious decision upon the cases of' applicants, and to atttain that untiformity of action wbiclsexpezience proved, was an essential to the 'welfarefte ofti nsgtittioB i,.hioimt withiliawiogthe control ofthe mnagers..-' - : " TW* PropO5 i?ioi FM~ tefr"4. c~to m it5e;e2 oo e eW~ n ~umnot xceeing 301. er anumrould be a prOPCr salary, for ~u~han filer; theboad wee aout to adopt measures for caryin itint ciect whn i wa sggested that so important a enang shold udergosometria preiousis. to its finial adoption Thissueeston ws aproed b th bord,and the onily objection to hic itwasliale as he iffcuty of finding a comnpetent person to conduct suchi an ex c-riment; si was apprehended the tOrn o ttal igt epi or astrnge coldbecome thmiliar withthedutes o th siuatin. he ttetion of the boardl was thusdircte toMr.Bodin,who toa thorough knowledge of the subect aded otaderbleexpriecein the manners and liabits of te por, a inimat acqaintncewith the laws for their relief, andwit th moe i whch hos lws are administered. With conflidence in his zeal and ability, the board therefore were unanai- mous in intrusting to that gentleman the proposed experimnent, the question of remuneration being, at Air. Bodkin's request, deferred ulntil the year was ended, and the result ascertained. He imme- diately entereol upon the office; and so far from its proving a sine- cure, as intimated in The Timcs, he dlevoted himself to its duties to the exclusion of every other concern. From an early hour until the office closed, and frequently until much later hours, he was ac- tively engaged a nd he was not absenlt a single day when in health, and only daLys from indisposition. "4 Th,e result was most satisfactory; a conisiderable diminution wa-s effccted in the annual expenditure, 'and the benefits which had ac- crued to the instit-ution were acknowledged by an unanimous resolu- tiOn of the board, b-earing date thie 22d of April, 1822, as appears by the following extract from their minutes: " Resolved-The board are of. opinion that this Society has de- Xivellvery Considerable benefit fronm Mr. Bodkin's dKily attendance in the oflice during the past year; and that great advantages hiave resulted from the opinion of the sitting manager -being- uniformly unsinmitted to his successor, by which means the cases in the office have been more effectuallv and systematically disposed of. " Resolved-That 3001. be paid Mr. Boakin as a remnuneration fbr his services.' " The writer in The Times asks I W-ho are thlese voters ?' andc adds,I Let them coiie forward itt propria persona.' Thie board, therefore, subjoin the namies of thiose managers who were p esent when the above rLsolutionn passed, as they appear upon thle rat- notes:- Lord Vise. Beigr-ave LCapt Rwn R. N. 1Johin Griffin, Esq. WV. P. Crsufard,Esq. Hon. C. w.eShore. jJohn T. Hope, Esq. C. Francis, Esq. W1. C. Thomas. Esq. Rupert Ingleby.Esq. J. lR Gordon, Esq. _rig rcl,Bq. Sir J. W.' Lubbock J. I.I.arrson, Esq. L. Williams, Esq. IJamnes Allillar, Esq. Ja..lts Jack%, E'4q James Alley, Esq. A. G. 3lilne, Esq. SJ.L-syd,Esq., M.P. A. Corbett, Esq. IHenry' l'ownall,Esq. A. M acldew. Esq. I.EIwil, s J. S. Tavlor, Esq. B. i'iontagu, )E,q. A. A. Gol1da,mid, s`q. The lon. Capt. G.G. )latth. Martin. Esq. Petcr Poland, Esq. I Waldegrave, R. N. "The hoard row determined to appoint an ass;istant mainager, and conternplatinE; it as a permnanen t office, turned tiler attention to the duties whichn it wouild be Wroper to attach to that situation. In thu meani timec Mr. Bodkin vwas requested to continue his se7vices, and the scirimer of 18'22 had far advanced. before the report of acomimit- tee w ;zoin ted to define the duties of the new office was received. The int'i:ri,,n of za svrten of employmient whi-ch had been incorporat- edwtitd b e Societ;`s plans, also rendlered itidesirable that the same assistant uage hldbe continued until it had been sufficienltly tnatur-'i. Tfhenmatters being at length rom-pletc-d, an adveitisemient for catAditv, a was ibisected in the daily papers. "In consequence of 0dte advertisemnort, several candidates offeredI themselves, and 2iler mouchi care and deliberation, ai ballot took place, by whichi 31r. William Walker was electedi Assistant Ma. nager, in which office lie hias niow acted 12 rionths, and uinder this title his namte appears in the last annual report. " The sub'lcribers bearing in mir.d thlat the accusations against the board are grotunded upon the vcry same report, will be surprised to 6ind, that althoutrh Mr. Wi.alker'., nauie is thierein printed as Assist- ant Alanager, it is yet insinutated that the office wa., intended (to use the ha:- guage of T&t Times) 'a, a permanent birth for Air. Bodkin.' "Sites the aoipaintrncirt of Mr. Walker, Mr. Bodlkin lisa con- ti gCOSratulitously to perform the duties of Secretary ; and the btit- sincs- of thie insritution is conducted, in cvery departmenit, withi a peci'ion and ha ntonY whichl prove as beneficial to tie public, as the rse satisfactory to the managers. I he usianner of'tMr. WValkcr'zi nomnination, by means of a pehilic ndvertiscmnent...of M)r. Waslker, who was unknowen to the hoard, until their advert'Einems-t introduced hnim to their. notice-wvili enable the subscriber4 to judige hiow far tins tratn'action justifies the wiser- tion in The Times. tihat the Alanatrers ' combtine for the purpose of intrigue, prnate emolumnent, or disguised patronage.' W-Nlhether Mr. Blodkir. welto. ever since the foirmation of the Societv. had titscharged the duties, of Hotioraity Secretary, should have relinquished themr.because lie unidertookaniother totallfdistinct office for a hitilited period, is a question which it was scarcely worth while to taise ant upon whicit each subscriber can exercise hiis opt. ninn ; but it rIscs not, in arr" way, bear uponi the chiarge of inalvee. satian preferred against the general managemtent of the Society's affairs Air. Bodkin was understood to occupy tte offlie of Assist. ant Nanazer temporarily and estperimentally,and asalt had beeni cotn- ferred ots hirm berhe subscriber% at large, he asprobably reluctantr to lay zt down ;'and perhaps, consideretl that his retaining the title would* not br, obJected to h;im, since he was so soon to resumie thie situation in its literal sense. '.In regard to one of the form-er auditors being related to AI1r. B3odimin, it is inconceivable hiow thi.s fact could forni a pretext for the insinuation intended to be conveyed : for tieither that getitle;onI no-r lie other respectable auiditors withi w,;hom he was associated could. as ussh. have any influence whatever up~on the retaiunerationl voted to AIr. Bodkin, 'the province of' audiitors being to comnpare the entries in thle b(otka with) the proper voucher,-, to see that the accounts are accurately stated, andI to ascertain titat they accord withi rtle orders of tie board or house committee, who alone possess the power of signiniz checks ots the Treasurer. "The managecrs have now appli,ed themnselves to every part of the flagrant deception.' and the.'- sham-eful disclosure,' whic'h Thte TI'ors affects, to hiave promulgated. Tieyv feel no uneasiness, as to thecor.sequences of censure so wholly groundless--so etitirely unde- served. T1he sub,cribers will, noa douibt, think WiLk tltenit thiat ira- putations whichi admiit euf such easy refuitation mnay be expectedI to advance rather than impede thie pma pesir:, of the 'itistitutioti. Tue explanation those imputations hiave calledl fisrh will probably gain an access.ion of supporters, now for the first rime satisfied wvithi the capability of this etrtablishmncnt to diminish the sum of huriati suf- fering. and to direct thie generaul flow of benevolence into useful andi proper channels. Thleundeviating attention of theimanagers to the trust reposed in them f1or aix years, in whichi periodi more than 23IOtI cases have bee-n treated with caLre aiid humianity, mutst render thecm compezent judge-s of vwhat is thie true nicaning and intention of thie subs,cribers ;' anti in regard to thte suiccess wliceh lisa crowined their exertions, tue inipooved state of the public arrests affords une- quivocal and underinig evidence. In their connexion whit; the MNendicit-y Sociiety, the managers have beeni engag.ed in entdea vours to tetnov'e, or assuage, thie die. tresses of thleir feliow.-creatures, and to pirevenit the artfuLl and urtduleitifrom puarticipating its fuinds ititendled for the relief of genuine mnisery. They hav been. acting, for an object oif great public utility, in the pursuiit.of w'hich object they could hiave no feelings to gratify blut thoseC that may be supposed to acconmpany theconscientious' tliseliarge of an imprortanPt hlutv. The;je suoncribers -will lu-ow how to estimnate their claitTis to ge- nrlconfidence. Their namnes are before Itle wvorli." (AppIaus-e). Lor Z~FT Dsi, that nor being able to pique hiniself upoil dfie possession of anyv powers of, oratorv', he could at once give them agisaranriee that the s'liould detain. thern only a f'ew utiiriotus; anti the stae o lia ealh atera ate accident was anothier reason for himn to be brief. He anticipated that in the part wvhichi he was shout to take, the exposed himself to the hostility, of an influiential part of' that great. giitear tic, and overwxhelming powKer, which, he thiankeul Goli. no oman's station in this country, however high, enabled hitis to die-pise or disregard. Hfe regretted to have recently seen in a part of' the public press, anonrymous umid e-aluninious attack-s upoti thiat ,I aSociete. a society whiceh had his sincere andl conscientious support. Hlainented rhecse attacks the more, front the sense, indecri the ad. rniration, he felt for the hiigti cliaracter and putblic spirit of rtie free press of this coutntry : lie was here speaking mierely his own senti- menits, but having secen she animadversions to whichl he alluded he camte there on that day to listen to whlatever vindication should be put=frt on die part of those who- c conduct had been aspersed. H caeto Judge dispassionately for himnself-helie hd read the at- tacks, he hail heard ithe defence, 'and was now ready to prenounce hiii udmn.He did not attend to defenid the Society, or any partieu. lar indiriduash connectedi ith it, indeed, whien lie first read the cbArmnC5, he entertaLined' great doubts of Ithe trtith of their founda- tion:. but being a friend to public mneetiags, to every species of pith. lic investigation, he highily approved of this miode of' ineertiig the charge, and chest fully attended, whlich he shiouldl not have donie were their proceedings secrct or Clandestine, or in any other wee than eq-tn to all thie subscribers~, whlo hadl an undouibte(I righit to be strict. Jlyinformed of'the aPpllcation oftbeir funds. (Hear, hear.) In re- pearing otlithe was aware of the hostility to which lie was iikel ' to lie exposed, by the coursec wluich he was rLiuctantly about to take, hS~ wrest also add that lie never shrunk from oPoin power, whien his duty compelled him to act ; indeed, it had been trie fom tune of his life -hen hie appeareth in public, to be always opposed to power, andI if a blow were struck at htim for his conduct on thie Dresent occasion, trom that Parr of the public press whose sEpirit he 'had miostly ad- swimed. he could nor say, that he should kiss the rod that smote bim, hut he wvould cbsrih the con-solatioti, that though he badl himse;lf been ninjtired., y*et it was fromn a source which nevertheless would costirue to give its support to every other honest Englishl man who was engaged in the pertbloarmace of anv great public duty... a w9eMOrl ttlat was calctulated to afford himn ;omn ere of Gom- en,tn.No man enitertaned a highier sense than he didl of the valueand mporanceoftheli free przess of this cotintry thetiteatmest in station when found worthy wvere exalted by its praise, and the highest 2and the mnoat ennobled were shaken by its censure ; even majes-tY itself could nor disregard its support. But the otine had not vet coats, wnenl the declaration of his opinions could be checked by anry p-ower howevergreat, and he therefore, in the, performiance of his ,duty.l'sgowed, that the report contained so, full a refuatation of the~ charfes urgedi ag-ainst the Society, that nothin, remiainied for Ibins to add in its praise. For the MlastW )To year he bad nor the opportunity of Per-sonally attending a-s often as he had previously, to the affairs; of tlhis Society ; still he knewv enough of it to know that the re poct was accurate in its description of the proceeditigs whiien had cled forth the animadversion of an anonymous writer. He particularly niuded3 to) the circumta-e atendi the apoitm- of anacin becaced not fore tat writer, and wished- he was presenit on this os_c casion, for to h;is teeth he vould teU him, that so far from that ap- itra3Cut breug a job, or done in a corner, it WaS done by men who jobs as much as that writer could, who were as ftond ws he ,could be of open-door proceedings, and as great friends of the freedom of the press as they were the eneissies of corniption. (Applause) I'hey werealso men who assembled for no other ob- jects than thepromotion of benevolence and public utility, who were led by societies like these to visit the abode of wretehetbess. (dear hear.) lVhen the writer enldeavoured to depreciate the ieendicity Soacty by alludin& to that of the Strangers' Friend, in wvhicbd' said the visiters all acted gratuitously, he failed in his object; , al must respect the ltttter society, because it brought the higher caLsses, who were in a great degree removed f'roi the means of ac- Cur:tel knowing the distresses of the ooorer, to have the opportu- nity 0ta more direct communication ;;Iifi those to whose wants they could then more practically administer.' (Hear.) Recurring to the ecpasrt, he had to remark, that before the appointment of the acting rna'aag&r, the board was composed of rotatory menbers, those of one dtay often not being those of the next, wwho 1iad to sit investigatiog cases in a close and infectious room filled with paupers, and oftein reqiring burned vinegar for its fumigation. There was this nils- chief inseparable from such a mode of transacting busineus-their 6ws ficr relief were exposed tO inconsistency, there-was- no station- ary person to regulate or explain past transactions, which was faund ts be an embarrassing deficiency. It was that experience which led. lie beieved himself, to proposees an experiment the appointment of somE s:atioaary o.'icer, who could froni day to day explain at the s;o?,vc sittigs of the board what had been aaI*y 'done in the swbich bad gsomec before t4em, gnd to give th9.ve dther neceWary explatations whichi were essenitial for thteir guidnnce. Now the acttvsty- anI zeaL- ana knowledge of their business, of Mr. B;3kin, in the first instance, pointed him ouit an a fit person to fill the office. Undlerstanding that he was a gentlemnan who either had left a profcs. sian, or that it had abtrndon~a him owinig to his close attendance upon the Society, he thought it onlyf just that he should receive some renmuneration for his trouble ; bu~t there was no express stipu- laLtioni at the outset-.the services preceded the reward ; and he was far from thinking that the amouint Was esLimated on the side of libe. rality. (Hear.) WVith respect to M1r. B3odki;i's retention of' the title of "1Honorarv Secretary," after he haid received pecuniary re- muneration foe hii' services, there, perlhaps. that gentleman was wrong ; but it wa-s a matter of' pure taste, which miight be good or bad; they had, however, nobmng to do with it. The ex,e mnt of nn acting maniager was triedt, and had. succeeded ; ana, ;=wa now filled by an individual. on cheaper terms tit.n those given to Mlr. Bodkin: but it shouldI also be remembered, that the successor of that gentleman fotund every thiing ready fittod to his hand, and had of course comparatLiVely lessi trou'ble than his predecessor. Of the anonymous writer whio hiad attacked the'Soiety, he kitew nothing, nor did he wish to inquire about bunm it was, at the same time, quite clear that hie had toEally mistaken (1ierhaps unintentionally) the na- ture and object of thie institution. The noble lordI then described the orign of the Society ; how it grew out of the small beginning made by a gentlem-an of the'namne of Mlartin ; and that its object was to comb ine the suppression of mendicity withi the incuen- Ltal relief or distress :their prof'essed public object was to clear the streets of beggars, and prevent thie trad(e of beg'ng : !ci- dentallv, and only so, they could be called a charita I society, in the comminon acceptationl of the term. He had now to analogize for having occupied so much of their time, a,nd to express a hope that the proceedings of this day would have the effbct of promoting their object by &iving greater publicity to the mnerit whichi belonged to it. Ilie hadl himselif, in various parts of the country, and in one or two laTge Cities. introniuced similar soicieties, whiich were, he believed, foiind equally beneficial to thec community. As he came quite un- prepared, he 'was unprovided witlh a writte'n resolution, and slhould conclude by verbally moving, "1That tbereport jsstread be approved. and that it is the sense of the meeting, that the charges against the MNendicity Society have undergone a must complete refutation." (Ap- plause.) Mlr. WetsLroO HORTONr, MI.P., said, that in neconding the mo- tionl of' his noblec friend, it was un:necessary for him to trespass upon thetr attention, after the l'ull and satisfactory explanation ceontained in the report. As a member of the Board of Management, lie felt it necessary to explain the principle which hiad his con'currence in call- ing thte present mieetilig. Ile did not, indeed, t1tink on principle. that thley were bouind to notice anonymous accusation; but when the course of attack was such that in c'ffect their general fame and re- putation mright suffer t'ram silenice, then he thought it becamie ad- visable ro show the public and the siibscribers that thecy were not only f'ree fromi blame,but above even the suspicion of it. (Applause.) T'hey were nov,, after liearing that report, called upon to say, whethier or not the charges whichi a sssteni of determined attack h'ad levelled against thiem, were succeas%fatly refuted, in all and every one of their parts. (I-lear, hear.) In declaring the affirniative, as he nowv openilv did, he could not consider with his noble friend, that he wvas exposinig himiself in any manner Lto te hostility of any portion of the publiz press ; for hie could not bring himself to aniti'cipate, that af'ter thei comrplete refuiation of thiese charges by ttie report. a-ny re- spectable poztion of that press could be found to persevere in re- asserting r-ef'uted charies, he should, on the contrary, raLther in fiairness expect, that whatever were the miotives of th'e individual who hadt instigated the attack, no part of the press would comntit itself, or its character, in upholding that wvhich wvas demonstrated to be wrong. (Hear, hecar.) He knewv no- thling of thenwriter; hisi motives mightlbermaliCious, they miighit be dictated bv personal hostility to an inidividual, or they mnight spring from ilipp'ancy and( ignoraince; it was, hiowever, thie bounden dluty of suchi an assailant at least to have beeii correct in the forin of his charge nstead of' whichi, he had enti-rely mistaken the purposes of the. Socity, which were not, as his noble friend lhad said, chari- table in the ordinary meaning of the word. Wlith ret~rencc to the ratio of expense bearing away so large a portion of their receipts, that was thec fault of dfie public, whio wouldi nowv, he hoped, make that appear ance less remiarkable, whest thiey becamie apprised of thle proceedings of tite day. (1Hear, hear.) I'rhe real question was niot thle relative propor-tioni o1' tile expense of mianagemnict to the generail receipts, but could tile great object of the Society be accomplished with letsexpensiveimaclhinery, or could theylhave the same efficient pirinciple of action ott cheaper't'erns ? Thec Society were, he thought, houndi to dliscountenance that part of the cliar'ge whiich savou'redi of ani attack upon personAl character; it was their duty to give aut tyto teir proceedings ; and as to the paymnent whiichi had been reflected upon, arnd the allusions to unpaitl servics elsewhlere. he would ait once say, that lie thought the principle of gratuitous assist- alice wvas objectiotiable. lie dlid not mecan to argue, that if in the progress of business, or the applicationi of pecuniary remuneration, any defects shiould be fouind, they ought not toube remedied; but he titoughit they svoaldI entirely concur withi him in thinking, that the renitidy ough, not in be applied by the malevolence of aiionymious accusation), hut by platin attni intelligible statements, openly submlit. tedl to the test of ~fair exattiiination. (ifear.) With respect to M r. Bodki.n's retainitng thie name of honorary secretary, while he actedi as assistantnitanatger, he saw no reaonable objection ; the miana- ger's office was a miere experiment-it was not looked upon as a per- mianent arr-angem-ent;- it hiad, however, beeni tried and succeeded and thlat poilor established, Mlr. Bodkini relapsed ntro hiis formier of- fice, leaving tile nesv appointmient complete and inimplified.,to be exe- cuted by liis succeassir. Feelingz, as, he did, that thecre was not thte slightest founciationi for the attack welich had beeti made, he trustedt that the Society wouild receive tliereport withi a unanimocus expression of sentiment. (.-Applause.) Let, if there were any, those wvho dissent- ed fromn the report, state their reasons f'rainkly, silence oughit to be eonstrucdt into assent, whatever miighit he the opinion else- wvhere enter-tainedl of their motives and corndutct. He trust- edi, thlat at least one practic-al good wouild ensue fromi thecir proceedlings this day-..tliat they wouldl have the benefit of thec mnore general circulation of the principles of the Society, and that th-usands o.fpersona would be found disp,~osedI to give thei'r superllmmi- ties tin the funds of this society, where they miust feet tliey wvouldI hbe admiinistered withiout the risk of inllpro~er application. He felt cotnfident, lie wouiluI repeat, that the public press would do them jus- tice, and not su.fler itself to be influenced by a vague, a vituperative, andi an uticmrcurinstantial clharge, against a clear, consistent,and firmn rectittation, which was complete in alsl its pacts. (Applause.) Mr. A. GOLDSMITn (a manager) said, that after the able manner in, whiich the nioble lord whio had proposed the miotion then before the society, ancl the hon. gentlemnan who hiad secondIed it, had ex- pressed themselves on the sub4ect, he wouldl take the liberty of ad, dressing to them hut a very tew observations. It had been insinu- ated in Thne Tize3r niewspaper withi great violence, that Mre. Bodkin ought not to hiave styledi himself honorary secretary whilst he wasL acting anul receiving a salary- as assistant mianager to this institution. To such insinuatiotis lie svould reply, that if M5r. Bodkin lied re- ceiveth the salary of assistant tinatager, or if he had kniown that hie should receive that salarv before lie undertook tile performnance of tile duties of that office, ihien perhaps hie oughit to have resignedI the ofiierof honorary.secretary; but havitilg undertaken, the offieceof a!ssistant m)anager w;ithout any expectaLtion of receiving tiie slightest, retiitunOrrtion lbr his trouhl-e, andlhav,ing perfomnied alI the duties of that office for miore thian atwelveontoth bef'ore any offer of remune- rationt wasiltade to hlint, he could, nut see ott whatgroundMr.liodkin couldi be expected to res,gn tlieoffice of honorary secretary, fur whichl hecneer hiad, and ihover wisned to receive any remuneration, It was likewise said that Mlr. Bodkin liad received too large a sumi of moneyv for his exertions, because a lest sum was note paid to rthe intdividlual who lied stiiceedted hiim as assistant maniager. It ought howeever to be rcco)ilected, that whilst Mlr. Bodkin hield that office, thle Office itsNelf vras mierely an ex~Perimnent; it was niow foand to be very benieficial, aind thev aLl knewv that whien a salary was given for tempray service, it was always given on at larger scale than where the service was likcely to he permanent. T.he only objectiozi whichi lie could find to the'grant madle to MNr. Bodlkin by, the board of ma- I aguitent wvas, that it was ton small. If thiey conlsilered the ex- ertions whiichi Mlr. Bufikin hadl made for the Society fromn its first, institution dovwn to the present moment, he was sure they srould see ritat thiey hadl not griven sufficiently from their fundas to the man who hiad' reideredt the Society' as efficacious as it was now alm-ost unanimiously acknotwletiged to be. Wlhatever ntight have been ihe tnotivei of the wvriters in Tine Times in bringing forwvard tlitis attack ott the Society, he thioughit that the attack. itself had been productive of miuch good to it, by calling forth an able defence of eve,y portion of its conducet ; and he was therefore of opinion that thyoughit, in comimon gratituide, to send a vote of thanks to the proprietors of that paper. (Hlear, hear.) Attacks so unfounded as those made by Tute Timies were real benefits to tite Society. They created discu'ssion, aoul discussion was always favourable to such fair and open dealings as were practised by the board of mantage. ment. The Society hiad already done much good, and the more tie. quently its affiris camne before the public, the niore clea.-rlv would its imerits be seen, and its efficacy be proved. It had tilreildy strong elaiuTs upon the public-, and siurelie was thiat those claims woi.ild be- come still stronger, if' its ftiture conduct were similar to its past Vires acqusirct eunudo." 31r. W1t.t.IACM FtEsND said, that as he had had the honour of beitig a manager of this Society at its original institution, lie woulul shortly state to thie meeting what hadl tak-en place prior to the aPpointment of' an assistant mnanager. At the first institu- tion of the hoardI of mtanagement, tihe business, as was almost natural to expect, was nor conducted exiacly inL the manner that it oughzt to have becit. The regulation was,' that a mnanager slhtuild presidto every day in thie room allottedl for tdie business of the Society, an'd that tite inanagers should attend day by day in rotation. The evil of this regulation was soon apparent hit the want of consistenicy and unity in their determinanions. To ob- viate the mischief thus4 occasioned, it was proposed that the Board of Management should hiave the assistance of a speci.sl officer, to be namned Assistant Mlanager, whiose duty it should be to attenul every imeeting of ithe mnanagers, to inform them of the usual practice of the Ssociety, and so prevent thie occasional deviations from it whichi took place in consequence oif their ignorance of one another's proc-eedings. .ite proposal was thought worthy of attention; an officer was created who bore thername of Assistant M1anager; andI it was ittiderstood that lie wtms to continue in hiis office for the space of r.ne3ear, by way of experiment. ~~~~~On the experiment beingtre,t was found to be very beneficial to the interests of the Society: and he believed tha~t the real cause ofteosntoswI had been made upon it in Tee Times, was not so much a de- fect in the office itself, as a dislike which that paper had to the individutal who was appointed to hold it. Now lie wished to ask the mecting whetimer, after the boatd of management had determined to create ani office of the description he had metitioned, they could have selected a more suitable individual for it than Mr. Bodkin-a man whlo had taken an active part in the formation of the institution, who had watched over it with parental tenderness from the day of its birth down to the moment of their selection, who had a great I knovwledge of the manners, habits, and customs of the poor, who was intimately acquainted with all the complicated difficulties of our system of poor laws, whose assiduity to business was notorious, whose integrity was unimlpeachablc, and wlho had devoted more of his tune to the puiposes of their institution than any other sub- ..sriber upon their list ? (Great cheering.) Certainly, lilr. Bodkini o of all men that could be selected time most proper to be appoint- ed assistant-fmnanmger; and that being the case, the next question was, was 3001. too large a sum for the payment of his services for a twelvemonth? Pe was sure tbat every body who knew any thing of the nature of the emplovment in which Mr.Bodkin was then engaged, would see that thesum granted to him was not too large, and that it did not warrant any Tnan in saying, tlhat in paying it the funds of ttle Society lied been shlaniefully and Lavishly expended. If, then, the sum was not too large, wihat became of the objections stated in the paragraph in Thee Tines 9 He again repeated his opinion, that that para4raph would never have found its fay into TIze Times had it not contained an attack upon Mr. Bodkin. The direct attack was made upon the Society but the covert attacik was 'made upon Ar. Bodkin; and that gentlemnan was the only person wvhom itrsught to injure. Indeed, the anonymous writer in T/le Times, in his desire to wound Alr. Bodkin, had cntirely mistaken or lost sight of the ob- jectoftheinstitution. Thie Mendicity.Society was not, in thestrieo sgrse ofthe term, a charitable society; it did not seek so mmmuch to :stscyo tbep~op; by S thwU iioncy a- to 4tvr' tbei NQI R t. tempting to obti.n it byy eglng. The vcte firrt subpec oD hilh the board of management deliberated aftet its formaitons was not how much, but how little they couild give to thosewho were proper objectsforitsnotice. Aatheirwish.was toQsupprcsg adlOtrtoten- courage rnendicity, they souglt to fix a ininisras,.and aot a maxi- snsivn, for tie donations which they might be obliged to bestow. tQuestion, question.) Aftera fev further observations to the sme efuect, the worthy get,tleman concluded hisspeech. IUr. S;. ;sors said, that though he was only a subscriber to this institution, be must be permitted to say a few -word. on thiir occa- sion. He had waited for some timne, in expectation that somebody would rise to vindicate the statements wbich had appeared in Tlre Times; but if any perss.n had come to the meeting with such an in- tention, the report was so overpowering from the facts it disclosed that he (the writer in The Tinmes) hsd detcrmined to keep silence, rather than come forward to acknowledge hii defeat. The hon. gent. then proceeded to eulogize the Society for the benefits which it nad conferred on the public, and stated that at present, when he re- turiled from church on a Sunday, he met only one or two persons asking him for charity; whereas, before this Society.w&s instituted, he recollected that he as on one occasion pestered by five andctwenty- yes, he was certain it was fiveaudtwenty-beggars on his road home. (A laugh.) He then returned thanks to the board of ma- nagement for the explanations which they had given to bim a day or two ago upon certain points which he had referred to them; but complained that they had refused to let him inspect their books as to two cases which he had sent to them. He could wish that this had not been so, as it would ...... (Cries of " Question," with mur- murs of disapprobittiosi.) Lr. STURGES BOURNE, the chairman, called the gentleman to order, observing that the present was not the opportunity for ar- raigning the decision of the board of management on any patticular case which had been submitted to their investigation. Alr. Sirmroxs.-* As the meeting is not inclined to heat me on this subject, I shall sit down." Thec question on Lord Suffleld's motion was then put, and carried unanimously. (Thunders of applause.) Mlr. Sirt'ieos Bou;n2sc wished, before the meeting separated, to say to it a few words. It was, with painful feelings, that he saw s desire existing in a part of the public press, to fling calumny, upon all occasions. on those who were engaged in the public service. He therefore congratulated the meeting most heartily on the result ol thAt day's discussion, not only because ithad given a satisfactory re- futation to certain charges which had becn anonymously brought against most respectable individuals, but because that refutation had been rendered more complete by the non-attettdance, or at least the non.appearance, of the individual who had devised them in se- cret, and thten malignantly given them to the public. lie hoped thal rhe publie press would receive a lesson irom the events of that day. Why were charges to be thus publicy and unfoundedly brought tbrward against individuals, who were nmost disinterestedly giviq their tine and labour tO the service of the public ? (Cheers) E1t was. Iike the last gentleman who had addressedthem, no nanagei ef; but only a subscriber to, this institution. He wished that he coulk boast that he had spent his time so meritoriously aS it appeared thal the managers of this institution had done (cheers); for he had nm hesitation in saying, that, possessing their real and intrinsic merits, hi should have no objectionto share the obloquy whicb had been disgust. ingly arraiyed against the- for this excelleit appointment. (Cheers. He rniihtappear w-arm in naking this statemoent of hisopinions ;bu, recollecting as hedidthebenefits whicl thisSociety had conferred uor the mctrololis, anti knowing, as he also did, tbebenefits which it a produced in other partsof the country where its examnple had been fol. l owed, he could not feel indifferent to any tbing which affected it character, especiallv when he recollected that institutions likc thi present derived ther whole efficacy from the support and confidenc of the public. In conclusion, he repeateA his hope, that the eventi of that day would render those who condiscted the press cautioui how they admitted into their columns anonymous charges against in. lividuals of high honour and unimpeachablc integrity. (Lout clicering.) A Alanaker of the Society moved that the report which had beer Just read should he printed but a?rerwards withdrew his motion on a suggestion fromn MAr. Tooke, that the anniversary meeting o the Society was in the beginning of Milarch, when this report could bi printed along with the general report annually presented to thi subscribers. Mr. W. WILLIAM3s, Ai. P., in moving the thanks of the meet inc to the chairmnan, observed, that he was authorized bv Sir R Birnie, who was present, to say, that no society had ever giver more efficacious assistance to the police of the metropolis than thi Societv for Ehe Suppression of Alendicity. (Cheers.) A Mlanager, in seconding the motion, observed, that the presen Vlecting had already been productive of great benefit to the Society A noble lord, who had attended to hear the vindication of the ma nagers, was so satisfied with it, that he h.d declared his intention o making a further donation of 201. to its funds. ((ries of " Nanie n ame.") It was Lord Liltord. Lord Althorp and Sir T. Acland who had been obliged to leave the meetng from the pressure of othei engagements, had also declared themselves perfectly satisfied by thi explanations which had been offered. (Great clieering.) Could thi board of managers wish for any more satisfactory testimony to thi correctness of their conduct ? (Cheers.) A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman, who, in return bowed his gratitude. A similar vote of thanks was given to the board of management. Mr. WI1LLIAMS acknowledged it in a short speech, and the inect. ing was then dissolved. Witli the exception of the managers, there were not more than 161 persons present. The number of subscribers is 3,000. EfBADICITY SOCLETY.