The Express.
London, England, 1859-11-18 00:00:00

(Stamped ld. Mciatigag.) i T WOPENe_g:

• Another connected fact is that in pink!" v4ll4lCl'
every public-house has, or tries to have, its clu I
and thus there are several societies couaistieg 6f a
dangerously small number of members, instead of
one mature association, meeting rospectabiy in a
sehool-room or private house. The reforms which
have already taken place, and the petitions to the
registrar not to countenance any expenditure ou in-
toxicating liquours, afford at onoe a justification of
his view., aid encouragement to hope that the abase
is waft to an end.
Mr. Hardwick bad better throw out, on the first
epportuaity, his remarks on Mr. Tidd Prates sob-
stitution of other terms for the " regalia " af friendly
emisties. The truth is, Mr. Hardwick cad his eau-
melee are not aware that the registrar cannot allow
the term to stand in any legal document, bemuse it
is radically &ias applied-to the flap and symbols
of any clubs. The rymbols of royalty are "regalia,"
end neshiatalee can be so, as Johnson's Dictionary
shows. The clubs evidently thiak that any showy
symbols may be called by the name t but this is a
mistake. The crown, sceptre, orb, &c., of the
Sovereign, belonging to the throne of England, are
the only regalia possible in England, and the sooner
the clubs drop the word the bitter. If they can
find a better term than Mr. Tidd Pratt has been
able to hit upon, he will probably be happy. to
adopt it ; but any ridicule or scorn of him for draw-
ing his pen through it in revising rules which are to
be put under the protection of the law does not app*
to him, but to the blunder which he cannot endorse.

The most unfavourable influence still existing to
regard to the societies is the *lone 'pint of the
least enlightened members, who Amoy that they
have enemies in every clam, even in their own.
They fancy that parliament wants to fetter them ;
that the registrar wants to interfere with them ;
that their employers frown on their plan of in-
surance ; and that their own chosen offioers want to
wrong them, and domineer over them. As to their
own ezeoutive, they most look to that for,themselves.
Their policy and their duty is to choose men whom
they can trust, and • keep them up to their duty by
themselves taking an interest in their sick and aged
members, and in the :periodical revisions of their
offal, which ought to be a part of their system at
action. This natant and proper oheck being pro-
vided, there ought to be no room left for suspicion
and discontent, such as no honest office bearers can
be expected to endure. As for the rest, we trust
the Passed Grand Master, who understands the
whole matter, will use his great influence to convince
his comrades that the Act of Parliament and the
Registration Office have been provided in pure good
will and consideration for them, and that the whole
of educated society is in favour of the institution of
friendly societies, provided they are on a sound
basis. Clergy and gentry have abundantly shown
this by their assistance, and not nnfrequently
by becoming members, and placing their know-
ledge and their time at the service of the
members. Mr. Hardwick emphatically notion
this. It is, for that matter, the clear in-
terest of the whole of society that benefit clubs
should exist and answer. they tend to raise
the respectability of the working-classes, and to
keep down the rates. They benefit ►ll concerned,
and can hurt nobody, while they are so managed as
to answer their purpose. If there is one institution
more than another that'll olasses have reason to value
and wish well t% it is that of provident societies ;
and all elassjimloosy in regard to them le purely
gratuitous, mischievous, and absurd.
When the societies are rescued from danger, the
members will be independent of all criticism, if any
existed. Bo thinks our author ; and he shows how,
in his opinion, it may be done. His words are
worthy of deep consideration :

The sorer the afflizatment is effeeted by all theold esteem
tbe batter. But bow is it is b. secemplishel P Tlr " way'
lees we retrying's& sweemy suppose when tbe ...lir is
guided by fatalness. Lee eke prase members procure a
comet valuation of their sweets and liabilities, and consent to
receive only such a dividend on their claims as can honestly
be pad to them. Thee, new members might be edmitted on
the equitably graduated rates of contribution indketed by
statistical science, without injury to their legitimate inters"
either
.present or prospective. • •
Thus it will be seen the difficulty of adjustment is not very
great, when the omicron ie fully understood. It
merely requires a little moral courage, a firm
determination to we justly to both ourselves and
other., and the thing is accomplished. Even if we look
apes It in the most selfib light, ts It not (esting aide its
justice) well worth the trifling sacrifice in use shape of the
additional contributioo, when the reward is all that white
truly brave men prize beyond all others—au approving cap
science f Nay, when we eee friends of the people and of
social miner voluntarily expending both time, money, sad
labour with the view of advancing the interest mad happiness
of the masses, is It too mach to expect from the most Swill.
'set portion of the people the little sacrifice alluded to,
when that sacrifice will be the means of placing for the future
on • sound foundation those institutions in which they justly
take the highest pride, the offspring of their own forethought,
tree independence, sad honourable self•respect ? This finan-
cial sdjuatment, pregnant with such important melts, may
be easily accomplished, if we make up our minds to practically
exhibit our &kb in one of the great doctrines
of Clarienazity and Oddfellowship, namely, to "do unto
others as we wish they should do untous."
If we promise an assurance, we have made a contract ;
and It is at least our duty to make the engagement in good
feith, and to do all that lies in our power to provide for its
future fulfilment. No smount of ostentatious benevolence,
or even truly cheritable almsgiving, though it may perhaps
slightly palliate in the eyes of some, can ever justify, to the
consciences of honourable men, systematic deception, or false
pretension of any kind, however amiable its adjuncts sr vane-
rable its formulas. (p. 2u6.)

Yesterday being the fifth anniversary of the
death of Lord Dudley Coutte Stuart, so well hams for his
exertions is behalf of Polead's rights sad the Polish sails.
la this country, a meeting we. held by the Polish Historical
Society, at Sttwel.chambees,Daks.street, St. Jams's, am-
usemorative of his loss.

THE PONTEFRACT ELECTION PETITION.—The rase
of " Childers v. Overend" still remains unsettled. It was
referred for settlement to Mr. Juana' Coleridge. It iti ,
however, known that Mr. Roes, the agent for Mr. Overeud,
hat thrown up the oats, on the ground that when It Demme
known that Mr. Leeman, Mr. Childers agent, signed the
document under the imposed= that the said document meant
that the dispute Involved a claim for the scat on the part of
Mr. Childers. Mr. °reread ought in honour to bare con-
sented that this claim should be rehered.—Leeds Mercury.
A CASE FOR THE BALLOT BOCIETY.—A oorre-
spondent of the West Aiwa Gazette write. to that journal as
follows •—"I am a draper residing at Midburst, and have many
customers amongst the labouring population in the village of
Eastbourne, who are members of what is called a penny
clothing club, to which they subscribe Id. per week, or
4.. 4d. per year. In former years this het entitled them to a
ticket for clothing to therein. cf (hand., the enema being the
gift of the Countess of Egmont; and the invertible rule has
be= foe each member of the club to take the ticket to which-
ever of the shops in the town he or she pleated. Bat this
year, previous to the irons of the ticket. I was told by several
of my customers that they had been told that they would not
have tickets if they came to my shop to lay cat the money.
I immediately tent an assistant to Mite Wbdces, the lady
who manages the club, for an explanation ; and ante enough
he was informed not only that the report wee tree, bat that
the interdict put upon my shop was by order of Lad
Egmont on account of the election, and the added that I
ought to have thought of the consequences of supporting
Mr. Mitford against the interest of Lord and Lady Egmont,
and it was understood that Mr. hiitfortre supporters were not
to aspect any rupport from Cowdray. I did as I pleased in
giving my vote, and Lady Egmont would exercise her right
lof having her money plant where the thought proper. The
"snit was, instead of supplying se usual about half the mem-
bers of the club with their six and tenpreay iota of clothing, I
bad the pleasure of supplying such of the members only
who refuted to accept tickets on such terms, received back
*eh 4t. td., and ware not to be admitted for the future."

ST. GEORGE'S-IN-THU EAST.—It bas been stated
that notices have hens issued to the inhabitants of St.
oserp'edn-the-But, that the third anniversary of the
smog of the mission Mond tq Cdlvert-street would be
cominanorateci on Tuesday, the 24th instant, on winch ceos•
eke the pennon would be preached by the eiej Lee.
Tree* Dean of Westminster. The Bishop et London bee
impressed upon the rector the undestnbleDer of such a
earmeony in the present agitated state et the perish, and Mr.
King has promptly yielded to the blehop's suggestion.
There will, therefore, be no oommemoration this year. The
rector has issued a letter in which he states that it never was
hie intention to diecontinne the Holy Communion on Sun-
days. All he wished to do was, is order to prevent de•ecra-
lion, to discontinue the celebration at the end of the eleven
o'clock *writ:co, and to have communion at the eight
o'clock early eerrice on Sundays, and also on Tuesdays and
Thursdays.