Star. — 1828-01-10 (London, England)

SOMERSET COUNTY MEETING.  torlslic.Metting cf the Noblemen and Gentlemen lesident in the County of Soansi set was held last week ,t Wells, to take into consider ation the subject of Friendly Societies, and to establish a County F. iendls S ,ciety in Somersetshite; the Marquis of Bnati, Lord Lieutenant of-the County, in the Chair. At a former Meeting, it It .d been reoileecl, that a fund be raised to encourage the establishment of iendly Societies 01 more just and equitable principles than those which had hitherto prevailed; and that a Committee be 'appointed to piepare a set of tules for their G,,vernmento—The Report of the Committee, and the rules proposed therein, having been lead, The Bishop of BA ru and Wzoos addresed the; Meeting. After observing that the formation of Friendly S cieties,. on the plan proposed by the Committee, would tend materially to relieve the condition of the poor, his Lordship said he thought the-Meeting would concur with him in opinion, that Friendly Societies were now more than ever necessary—when crimes before unheard of were polluting the country—when occurrences were taking place at which an invnlun• tary shudder must pervade the frame of every feeling man—when murder, theft, and all the long train ofalarming and evil results which spring from an indulgence in the vicious passions of the human heart—when, in short, a species of great moral degradation had overwhelmed the lower orders of the population of the country. His Lordship was bold to assert, that one great cause of this moral degradasion was to be founded in the present system of Nor` LANs, the effect of which was, that t's.e poor man no longer maintained that firm and honest independence which was sd long attached to the character of the English peasantry ; he was not exciied by that proud feeling of libel!) which once actuated.him; be laboured not its his day• of strength to lay by a Ironton of his gain, wherewith to comfort his old age; he knew that when the period had passed When his ow n labour would little ava I him, he must be su, ported by his parish; he strove not to rear up his children in habits of labour and industry, for he was %wale drat in his old age they would no base :o maintain him. Thus he drudged on; and whet, i.o longer able to labour, he s, cello d the scanty pittance doled tut by the pari,sti officer. His Lordship knew of no means calaulated mote • ffectually to remedy these great evils than the estanlish went o, Count. Friendly Societies. By one. of these, the poor our, was assured, that whatever he subsctib d v:ould be retained to him, perhaps tenfold. *lsere could be fro greater induceinent to the Meeting to support the Society, than a conviction that it would mike the poor wan a better husband, a belle. lather, And a better man. His Lordship then expressed his approbation of the general rules proposed, but racomosendec, the giving he names of every Local Committee, arid advoe red the inc'ple of granting the annuity at an earlier age than s.xty-tive, which had been fixed by the Co tttttttttttt The Itii,ht Prelate, in conclusion, stated, that he should be always ready to give his cordial support to any plan which tended to torther the inter-st, the comfort, and happiness of the poor of this county, to which' he was attached by every feeling in the human heart, H. Hoist-rouse, E q. begged to explain why the Committee had given its preteience to the age of 65. It a, as well known that the Hours of Commoisoin its Re port, had recommend-d 70 as the most appropriate age. Tit Committee was, ho A evei, convinced that an annuity would he very deorab:e bef•'re that age; and well knowing that it fixed to commence at a much eat tier Period, it would cause the burden which would tall upon the contributors to be nearly doubled,.by 'demanding a great increase in their subscriptions, they determined on 65 as the most Iroper period. Every Local Society was, however, left to its own ditcretiono whether to fix the age at 60, 65, or 70. The Bishop of LiCHVIELD and COVENTRY was most happy in lending his sanction and support to a glair so admirably adapted as the present Committee's was for the purpose in view, and for introducing the people to a. better state than they were now in. Wm.