"The charitable objects of the society were first to grant allowances to deserving foreigners in their old age. Pensioners were elected by the governors, and the Board of Directors paid the pensions annually. The second object was to grant temporary relief in time of sickness. These cases were inquired into with the greatest care, and sums from a few shillings up to £5 or £10 were sometimes given where the cases required it. A third object was to afford temporary assistance to the younger members of families when the heads of the families were by infirmity or ill health unable to support them; but when such relief had been once afforded to any extent a period of eight weeks was required to elapse before any further help was rendered, unless in cases of great emergency. The fourth and last object of the society was to afford means by which foreigners might be able to return to their native country. As many as 243 families had been enabled to return to their native country by the assistance rendered to them by this society. Several of the families so assisted had been induced to quit their native land in that unfortunate expedition to Mexico. They had engaged in what they thought was a good cause, but when that fell to the ground, owing to events that occurred last year, those poor creatures were totally unprovided for, and then it was that the society granted them the means of returning to their native country.
"There were some almshouses at Lower Norwood belonging to the society, in which several families were comfortably lodged and maintained. Since the origin of the society as many as 116,000 cases had received its attention and aid. Last year 3000 persons were assisted, not including the 243 families that were enabled to return to their native home. Similar societies had recently sprung up, but they all differed from the one they were then celebrating in this respect, that they confined their assistance to the natives of certain countries, while this society had for its object the giving relief to foreigners of all nations. He had one more statement to make which had only been mentioned to him a few minutes ago. There was a gentleman present who was well known to them, but did not wish his name to be announced, who had already given £1000 to the society, and who had expressed himself ready to give an additional £100 if he could find nine other gentlemen who would each give a like sum. He hoped the society would be able to find those nine gentlemen to assist them. Having made this brief statement, he begged to propose that the toast be drunk up-standing with three times three."