The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-18 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 1849.

the disagreeable necessity of confessing that Lord
ELGIN has acted with judgment and discretion.
The good sense of the Canadian public is quite
compstent to deal Rich the troublers of Canadian
peace. There is no war of nose impending, for under
the old " family compact" Frenchmen and Euglish-
men of honesty and independence, were alike op-
pressed, and injuries common to both fused them
into united resistance to the oppressors. All
that is required at the hands of the home govern-
ment is to allow the Canadian ministers, with
their overwhelming majorities in the legislature and
the constituencies, and the governor in whom they
have expressed their confidence, to go on to legislate in
the sense of the community, and suppress and punish
all lashes outrege.

Oanntian He did not altogether understand that ; and he
should take the liberty of moving :
" That Mr. Srener be recommended to the comositt.e,
and he is hereby neommended, as a competent and proper
person as such ammantant.'
Mr. PRANCE said it appeared to him to be very extraor-
dinary to appoint an accountant who was unknown almost
to tordyb sly in that room. (Hear.) He should move as an
amendment that no accountant be named, but that the rep
poistment be left to the discretion of the committee.
Mr. T. HUGGINS wooded the amendment, but the
digisel proposition was carried by a large majority.
A SHAREHOLDER from a remote part of the meeting
observed that it had been suggested in his port of the room
that Mr. Spooner was Mr. Crawshey's private accountant
Was that the ease ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that he had never employed
Mr. Spooner in his life, and that he had not seen him for dye
yeah. (A laugh.) He knew, however, that that guide-
man heel beau employed in several railway concerns, and
the' in every eau he had given the utmost satisfaction.
Mr. ROIIONTOX pr=l, and Mr. 811103 L seconded. the
following resolution, • woe carried :
" That it be a remanteadation to the committee to investi-
gate that part of the mounts called the Hull and Selby pur-
chase Account, with a view to ascertain by whom the pur-
chase of the shard stated tobelong to the company is the last
half-year's account was authorised mad of whom they were
bought, by whom transferred to the company, and whether
any proceedings of disapprobation had taken place is the
direction in regard to those shares."
The Hen. Mr. BROWNE begged to move that the best
thanks of the meeting be given to the chairman for his
kindness in calling the minting, and in presiding over them.
(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN thanked them foe this flattering =-
of their feelings, and stated that at the York C meet-
should evens' his desire to be made a director of that
line. If he should be so appointed, he pledged himself that
no
blot which his short-sighted eyes weld discern should ever
stain their proesenags. (Cheers.) At the present moment
be believed that the depreciated state .of their pro-
perty had arises from the went of econlidenes is Mr. Hudson.
(Heir, hear.) He was loth to east any aspeesioas on a Nana
man (and he celled Mr. Hudson a " fallen man" Imams
that he had tam from the highest pinnacle et
railway glory down to the lowest grade emild sot be denied),
bet he pitied him. He telt foe him from his heart sad soul,
and he never would be a party to kick a fallen man in any
way. He hoped and trusted that Mr. Hodson would be able
greatly to vindhate hie (Amster, although it was by no
mans ponible to my that be had been blameless. (Hear.)
After again thanking than for their courtesy, the meeting

THE SOUTH EASTERN.

The adjourned half-yearly meetiog of this company
was held yesterday, at the Bridge-house HOW, for the pur-
pose of recAving the report 01 the committee of investigatien
appointed at the last half-yearly meeting. Mr. Matosioon
is the chair.
The ehiJratan sad directory on suturing the room were
received with &burst of applause, mingled with a few hisses.
Mr. L MOZLBY, the chairman of the committee of in-
vestigation, said, it would be in the recollection of the meet-
ing that on the Bth of March, at a court of proprietor( held
there, • resolution was passed, the objet of which was the
appointment of a committee to investigate the affairs of this
°moan ,so far as related to any miseonduet which had
occurron the part of the executive in any depart-
ment, as well as in reference to any question
which might arise in connexion with the manage.
nt. The resolution was adopted by a very large
majority. The committee so appointed were requested
to attend there on the 12th of April, for the purpose of pre-
senting to the company the result of the Investigation. But
previous to the arrival of that day, so anxious was the duty
devolved upon the committee to make their report in a satis-
foram meaner, that they gave notice to the board of clirece
ton that they were aot then prepared to make their report,
and wished foe a further adjourment from the 12th of April
to the 17th of lit iy. It was the feeling
theire committee of
investigation that it was decidedly duty to
their inquiry under seal ; but taking into consideratrZet
length of time which bad elapsed, and the natural anxiety
la the publie mind that what had been done should at all
events be in possession of the proprietors at large previous
to assembling, it was only necemary for him to state that,'
sifter the devotion of eousiderable tune, great application
and 1101i0119 thought, to the mode in which the report should'
he drawn up, it was mid-day on Monday before the final
sentence was attached to it, and the signatures of the cora-
mines given. It was then banded to the secretary
for the purpose of being printed, and, with es
much expedition as possible, simultaneously communi-
' cited to every proprietor, copies being also forwarded to
the public papers for Insertion on Tuesday morning. Ha
was happy to say that although four o'clock struck before the
report was in a position to be issued it was posted the ems
evening not only to proprietors in koadon and the neigh-
berarbood, but also to proprietorsw o resided at a distance.
(Hem, beer.) With regard to the report, he had no hesita-
tion in saying that, whatever errors of judgment there might
be, it contained the truth, and that the verdict pronounced
was the unanimous verdict of his colleagues and himself.l
Misers.) It was his duty to present that report formally to
less chairman; and supposing the meeting desired to have it
lesod—(Cries of " No, no,")—at all events such a resolution
dined be proposed as would enable every gentleman present to
comment upon it, in order that the object might be fully at-
tained. The presentation of the report entitled him to move
the following resolution --" That the report of the com-
mittee of investigation, now presented, be received, entered
on the minutes, and adopted ; and that the directors be re-
quested to carry into effect the recommendations therein an-
tented as speedily as possible."
Mr. G. P. DIXON, deputy-chairman of the committee,
seconded the resolution.
Mr. THOMPSON (one of the dissenting directors) said—
It is stated In the report that the chairman is fairly on his
trial. Ifni, he is a most fortunate mat, for be nominated
kis own jury. (Cries of " No, no," and " Yes, yes," and
ersoftmloo.) lam also on my trisl, and anything that takes
plisse at this meeting—(load groaning and hissing, amidst
which the onclusios of the sentence was lost). I will not
be put down. Hiss as long as you Lice, I will be heard.
(Hissing.) Anything that takes pha in this room and at
this meeting will not be conclusive as to the sentiments of
the pablis. I shall be judged by the public through the
public pesos, sad not by the decision of this meeting. (In-
) Gentlemen (continued Mr. Thompeon)
the report of the committee of investigation ap-
pointed on the Bth of March has now been
made, and I claim your indulgent attention to a
few observations which I deem n in answer to its
remarks on me personally. Gentlemen, in now addressing
you, it is not my object to make unnecessary strictures upon
the sanded of that committee ; but is the remarks essential
to my defence from the attack which they have thought
lit to make upon me, the same freedom of expression
will, I am sure, be allowed to me which they have assumed
for themselves. Your committee, gentlemen, have, in pogo
19 of their report, given an opinion that directors should,
before exciting distrust In the minds of the proprietor',
avail themselves of the powers of their office to investigate
fully the grounds of any doubt hennitly entertained with
respect to any pert of the computes affairs. In so far as
the committee may mean by this to insinuate that I did
not endeavour fully to investigate. or that my doubts were
not honest, I repel their chary. Bat, gentlemen, to desire
to investigate is (in South Eastern affair) one thing—to
succeed in doing so is another—and the " undue assumption
of individual responsibility" which the committee truly
attributes to your chairman, operated most effectually simian
procuring any satisfactory investigation in this board. My
plain duty was to declare to you my opinion, that that investi-
gation which • large proportion of you were then demanding
was, in truth, necessary. And I appeal to that report (even
anxious as it is to softendown and initiate the mismanagement
it exposes) for my justification. (Hissing and interruption.)
Now, gentlemen, to advert to the mode in which I sought, in
common with others, to promote before the committee those
points of inquiry which I bad suggested at the meeting of
the Bth of Much—l prepared a statement of those matte/v.ll
I believed I knew in what way to elicit the evidence from the
officers and books of the company, which would establish
them. I plainly and unequivocally acknowledge that I had
ae coolidenee that a committee, nominated by the chairman'
hinsed4 mould pursue their inquiries with that determine-
tha whisk was necessary. I was anxious to see that fall
Noise (but still no more than justice) was done to the
=; and I ask you whether you ever beams baud if ea
In which a
sh person tasking • charge is denied, by
these who are to be e judges, the opportunity of previa
W mos on the one hand, or of hearing the evidense
adduced ooziest him on the other ? Is is next
meted that from March to September, 1848, I had signed
288 cheques, and this is used by way of argumentative con-
tradiction of my fanner statement that I had not been sum-
moned to attend the finest* committee. Gentlemen, my as
that I was summoned only once to attend the finance
committee, up to the month of August, and that I wee kept
in the dark as to the proceedings, was a plain and tangible
assertion, and was susceptible of direst confirmation or
direct oontradiction. The straightforward course would
have been for the committee to inquire into the dilute
evidence upon the point, as I would have done, if they bad
not rotund to let me. But the secretary, with a dexterity
worthy of a better cause—(laughter and cries of " Oh,
oh,")7exhibited my signature to these cheques, and the
committee catch at the inference which these present, and
evade the direct inquiry. (Cries of " No, no.") But I re-
pat
al
alissitile.
and I defy the committee to disprove it.l
6044 dififfulds certainly, but not at any meetings of the
finalise committee. I signed them at meetings of the board,
sad in conationos that they were properly authentisated to
me by the signatures of the chairman and others; and it is
My substitute attempt to break through this system of
blindly imiasisi every set of the chairman, and to assert my
right, se it tress my duty, to inform myself of the company's
While MB placed me in opposition to the manage-
ment of tee m4seity of this board. (" Hear, hear," " Oh,
eh," sad mehmien.) If you, however, approve that all
pow Abeam below the chair should be mere puppets—an-
midi/ Mrs Wei he palls—countenancing all bad as well
Yal psi mmosinsanit, and supprening all allusion to the
Mil mil Os is ruined, rather than risk its tempol
wig by a more timely exposure, then you will
MOM the oimmittee's observations en my pert in this
ems. wen then you will not alter my sense
of what was my duty to you. I ask now, what
is the result of the investigation into the points
to which I called your attention on the Bth March?
I alluded to the share transactions engaged in by the board.
What sus the report as to that? Ise t omits
lees tall to tall you,oool. that
the loss upon that provident step
not an 24
Bat it states that the investment was made to meet disputed
seconds of solicitors and engineers. Such was, inded, the
ostensible object of the resolution. But those diesputed '
claims have long since been settled and paid, as I believe.
(Hear, hear.) Yet these shares remain on hand. Is sot
that • practical contradiction that the investment was made