162 
titled “ Abstract of the Public Laws 
enacted by the British Legislature,” we 
occasionally fiid an enumeration of acts 
for ainending acts, acts tor repealing 
acts, bills for explaining acts, &c. but 
du these enumerations we have not yet 
discovered any abstract of “* An act pro- 
viding against the formation of societies 
fer the benefit of old age, widows, &c. 
unless their plans be previously submitted 
to the reviston-of persons competent to 
judge as tu their efficiency.” Such an 
act would be productive of more real 
benefit, and do more credit to the vo- 
luminous roll of legislative enactments, 
than many of those by which it ts 
swelled. VYould it not then be be- 
coming, and highly expedient, that the 
legislature should now resume the sub- 
ject, and declare the formation of any 
such societies to be illegal without 
parliamentary sanction: and provide 
against that sanction being obtained, un- 
less the justices of the pesce, at their 
quarter sessions, were satisfied that the 
propesed schemes were in strict con- 
-ferority with certain fixed plans of per- 
manent utility, by wich alone’ their 
sanction was to be regulated. The pre- 
amble to the act 33d Geo. Sd, chap. 54, 
-entituled, “‘ An act for the encourage- 
ment and relief of Friendly Societies,” 
suns thus: “ Whereas the protection 
** and. encourayement of friendly so- 
cieties in this kingdom, for raising by 
* voluntary subseription of ‘the members 
‘ thereof, separate funds for the mutual 
* relief and maintenance of the said 
tembers in sickness, old age, and iu- 
firmity, 1s hkely to be attended with 
very beneticial effects, by promoting 
the happiness of individuals, and at 
the same time diminishing the public 
* burdens,” &c. That protection and 
encouragement, on its hitherto feeble, 
hmited, and defective plan, is not calcu- 
lated to prodmce, nay, cannot possibly 
preduee, those beneficial effects pro- 
fessedly aimed at by the legislature, 
whilsta toleration 1s given tothe erroneous 
and consequently pernicious schemes al- 
most universally adopted. So long as 
such a toleration is given by the legisla 
ture, they frustrate their professed in- 
tention of encouraging associations for 
public benefit. instead of being the 
encouragers of schemes calculated to 
produce beneficial effects, they become, 
ee 
in this instance, only the encouragers of 
public evils. Societies, whose schemes 
are wrong-founded, in availing them- 
selves of parliamentary sanction, by 
7 
Importance of forming Friendly Societies, on 
[Sept. 1, 
getting their rules confirmed: under act 
53d Geo. 3d, chap. 54, do not thereby 
avert or ward off the bankruptcy, and 
consequent calamity and distress, which 
is the hecessary and unavoidable conse- 
quence of the errors of thei schemes. 
Although the legislature have mot yet - 
thought it expedient to patronize them 
aright, they might at any rate prevent 
the societies, through inadvertency and 
ignorance, frou forming their constitu _ 
tions on principles ineffective in their 
nature, and consequently ruinous in their 
operation, to the individuals conceried. 
Mrs. Cappe’s elegant observations 
cannot fail to be perused with a lively 
interest by all who are solicitous: for in- 
formation on the present subject: as 
also P.’s, who has, 10 narrow compass, 
exposed the glaring fallacy and insuih- 
ciency of the scheme which I have sub- 
mitted to public opinion, although neither 
he nor any other person has as yet stated ~ 
an opinion of the extent of single, 
quarterty, or annual paynients, requisite 
to support it. This I still anxiously 
look for in complete tabular form. It 
was from my own conviction of its in 
adequacy to stand the test of ume, that 
I was induced to trouble you, Mr. 
Editor, with the few hasty observations 
with which it was accompanied: ana 
that for the two-fold purpose, ist of ob- 
taining such information as might enable 
me to put the projectors to mghts with 
regard to their scheme; and, @dly, by a. 
public exposure of its errors, to warn 
the. proposé¢rs of other societies of the 
dangers which may arise from, tay, of 
the evils which are the certain and inévi- 
table consequence, of not previously con~ 
sulting persons sufficiently qualified to 
farnish the calculations necessary for ~ 
ensuring. the pornanaey of the instie 
tutions. i 
It cannot be too extensively known, 
or too strongly impressed on the public 
mind, that a few illiterate town or country 
persons, or those who have never studied 
the subject, aye by no means qualified 
to form schemes for friendly secieties on 
such principles as to ensure the -perma- 
nent usefulness of the institutions. This 
is amply verified ly the failure of all the 
societies instituted by persons of that 
description. In the name of wonder, 
what else could be expected? The forma- 
tion of such schemes is a matter of 
more importance, and attended with 
much greater difficulty, than the great 
majority are aware ef,’ or can possibly 
be expected to know, It should wai 
ore 
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