The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-06-10 00:00:00

VIVISECTION.

A general meeting of the members of the Society for
the Protection of Animals Li dela to Vivisection was
held, under the presidency of Lord Shaftesbury, K.G.,
at the Westmiuster Palace Hotel, Victoria-street,
London, on Friday, and the Bill now before Parlia-
ment for preventiug cruel experiments on animals was
taken into consideration.
Among those present were the Marquis of Bute, the
Earl of Glasgow, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol,
Sir Rutherford Alcock, Cardinal Manning, the Hon.
Evelyn Ashley, M.P., the Hon. W. Cowper-Temple,
Mr. A. J. Mundella, M.P. &c. There were also several
ladies in the room. It appeared from the report that this
society was organised at the close of last year, and had
for its sole object the obtaining the utmost ossible pro-
tection for animals liable to vivisection. The total re-
ceipts of the society up to the let of April last amounted
to £Bl5 53. 91, and the actual cash balance, after
settlement of all liabilities, at the came date, was
£421 14. The exertions and influence of the mem-
bers and friends of the society were earnestly invoked
by the committee in aid of the Bill, which, it falling
short of their desires, still represented a great improve-
ment in the present state of the la'y as regarded vivi-
eectable animals. It laid down a principle of protection
which might be thereupon reinforced should the pro-
vision of the Bill be evaded by the per Eons concerned, and
it would, without doubt, secure the immunity from
torture of a large number of animals during the euaiing
year.
The Chairman said this was a special meeting con-
vened for the purpose of taking into consideration the
Bill now before Parliament and expressing their firm
support of it. He should assume that the report had
been read, so that the proceedings might be abbre-
viated. He had received two letters, one from Lord
Coleridge and the other from the Bishop of Win-
chester, expressing their sympathy with the objects
of the meeting and regretting that they were unable
to be present. It was not necessary for him to
detain them, for they all knew perfectly well the
circumstances which had brought them together. A.
strong feeling had arisen against the cruelties prac-
tised by vivisection, and the result was that a Royal
Commission was appointed by the Government to in-
quire into the matter, and, after due consideration, a
measure was introduced by them. That measure
was not all they desired. There was a large number
of persons who wished for the total abolition of vivisec-
tion, but it was not possible to obtain all they wanted%
and, he believed, at the present time it would be impos-
sible to do away with vivisection altogether. Having
considered the Bill, he had come to the cenclusion that
it deserved the support of the country, and he hoped
they would be prepared to promote it by every means in
their power, so that it should become the law of the
land. He prayed them not to be discouraged if they
were not successful in carrying the measure which
they now had before them. They might be de-
feated, for it was quite possible that such alterations
might be introduced that would tend, not to protect the
animals, but to protect vivisection. That was not the
kind of Bill they wanted. He was certainly prepared
to stand by the Bill now before them, and he hoped they
would all do what laid in their power to sustain
public opinion in putting an end to this cruel practice.
Cardinal Manning then proposed the first resolution,
that the report of the honorary secretaries be adopted.
Having expressed the pleasure be felt in doing so, he
said that it was not becauEe man had been given power
over the lower creatures he had any right to convert it
into tyranny or abuse. He was of opinion that 80 long
as the Bill was framed on the report of the Commission,
it could not be said that they were leeislating against
men of science. It was obvious the Bill now before
them interfered with no man of science, and if he said
that he was driven to a foreign country to study phy-
eiology, the speaker would say that it was not so, for
the public raw. of England would give to all men of
science a proper certificate of freedom to exercise what
was right and legitimate. The resolution was seconded
by the Hon. W. Cowper Temple. _ _ _ _

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The following resolution was then propoEed by Mr.
Mundella, M.P. :—" That thi4 society cmsiders that
legislation is urgently needed for the protection of
animals liable to vivisection." This was seconded by
the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol. _ _ _

The next resolution, as follows, was proposed by the
Hon. Evelyn Ashley, M.P., and seconded by Mr.
James Graham :—" That this society thankfully ac-
cepts and supports the Bill now introduced by the
Government to prevent cruel experiments on animals,
and especially desires that the fifth clause of the Bill,
exempting dogs and cats from all physiological experi-
ments, should become law, and that a similar im-
munity should be extended to horses, asses, and
mules."
The last resolution—" That this society pledges
itself, should the Bill in question be thrown out, or
essentially weakened, to persist in its efforts to keep
the question before the public, and EO obtain an effec-
tive measure for the protection of animals" was then
peoposed by Dr. Walker, and seconded by the Earl of
Glasgow.
All the resolutions were carried unanimously. A
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vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding, proposed
by the Marquis of But; terminated the proceedings.