The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

SHAKSPEARE CELEBRATION,

An adjourned meeting of the Shakspeare com
mittee was held in the Rooms of the Society o

Arts, Adelphi, yesterday afternoon. Mr. George
Godwin was unanimously requested to take the

chair.

Mr. HEPWORTH DIXON, hon. sec., read the mi-
nutes of the last meeting, which were confirmed.
Mr. THEODORE MARTIN complained of the pub-
lication of the report in the newspapers, and of its
being put forward as the act of the committee,
although an opinion was expressed at the last meet-
ing that such a document ought not to go forth to
the public. It was generally znderstood that they
were to adjourn till to-day for the purpose of consi-
dering whether they should adopt it or not. How-
ever, to his surprise, and he believed to the surprise
of most others, it appeared in the papers with the
_ _

names of the secretaries attached. (Hear.) Such
a proceeding was an outrage upon all propriety, and
was a breach of trust of the most serious kind on
the part of their representatives—or, rather, mis-
representatives. He did not know whether it had
tLe sanction of the executive committee. It also
appeared not as the draft report, but as the report
of the committee. It was an outrageous act, and
contrary to all precedent. It was a matter which
affected the whole corporation, and it was for the
general committee to say whether they would allow
such things to go on. As he came there to advance
and not retard matters, he begged to ask by whose
authority the report was published.
Mr. H. Dixon said that the report was read at
the last meeting, and circulated for information.
Mr. Martin must recollect that the reporters were
present at the last meeting, and were able to take
the report verbatim. Two of the reporters asked
him for a copy, to save themselves the trouble of

writing it out.
Mr. MARTIN was not satisfied with the explana.

tion.
Mr. Tommts said that the reporters could have
taken it it they wished.
Mr. MARTIN proposed, "That the report read at
the last meeting of the committee be rejected, and
that a special committee be appointed to prepare an
address to be issued to the public, stating the objects
contemplated by the committee, and the means by
which it is proposed to carry them out."
The CHAIRMAN( said that, in order to avoid dis-
mission upon the question, and that they might
proceed to other business, he would, on behalf of
the executive committee, withdraw the report.
(Hear, and No.)
Mr. MARTIN replied that it must be publicly
known that the report was published without the
authority of the committee. A mere withdrawal
did not meet the case_
Mr. GRUNEISEN thought it was a most irregular
document which was sent forth.
Mr. MARTIN was about to speak, when
The CHAIRMAN said that they were not prepared
to take any discussion upon the matter, as the re-
port had been withdrawn.
Mr. MARTIN, however, pressed the first part of
his motion, "That the report be rejected." If this
was painful to gentlemen who sent out the report,
they had themselves to blame for it.
Mr. ROBERT BELL seconded the proposition.
Dr. WESTLAND MARSTON; rose to order, as the
report had been withdrawn.
Mr. R. BELL said that the report not only did a
great many things whioh they ought not to do, but
left undone a good many things which they ought
to do. (Hear, hear.) It was requisite that some
steps should be taken to liberate them from such
mistakes in future. (Hear.) They must reorganise
the movement upon a totally different basis, or
abandon it altogether. (Hear, and No.)
Mr. DIXON pressed upon those present that there
was some important business to transact. The meet-
ing was technically adjourned for the consideration
of the report; it was substantively adjourned on the
general transactions of the day. It was therefore
extremely desirable that they should end the
discussion. The course taken was for the best,
and he thought that it should be clearly un-
derstood that this movement was not at all hostile
to the one in Stratford. (Hear, hear.) On the
contrary, it was quite the reverse. He begged to
move, as an amendment to Mr. Martin's proposition,
that they pass on to the business of the day.
Mr. CHARLES READE seconded the amendment,
and in doing so said he for one did not think that
thedocnment was to have been sent out to the world,
and it was unfortunate that it appeared in the
columns of the newspapers. (Hear, hear.) He
regretted that there had been imported into this

gress.
The CHAIRMAN then put Mr. Dixon's amend-
ment, when there appeared. 27 for it and 26 against
it. Several gentlemen demanded that they should
divide, which was done, but the two parties had to
be taken before the actual numbers could be given,
when there appeared 33 for the amendment and 34
against. It was consequently lost.
Mr. OTTLET seconded Mr. Purnell's amendment.
Several gentlemen attempted to speak upon the
amendment, and a somewhat irregular discussion
arose, some contending that it was not in order to
speak upon the amendment, and others that it was
perfectly in order to do so.
Sir J. PAXTON—It cannot be put without allow-
ing a discussion upon it.
Ultimately the chairman put the original resolu-
tion, " That the report read at the last meeting be
rejected," when the numbers being 24 for and 27
against, there were cries of "Divide, divide." Ii
division accordingly took place, and after both sides
had been repeatedly counted,
The CHAIRMAN declared that there were 33 for it
and 32 against it, and cousequently that the motion
was carried by a majority of one.
Mr. MARTIN, who said that he did so in no hostile
spirit to the movement, then proposed the latter
part of his resolution. It was desirable that inti-
mation should he given of what was proposed to be
done, and whether £5,000 or £50,000 was required.
Mr. BELL seconded the proposition.
Dr. MARSTON referred to what the executive com-
mittee had done, and said that the list of,names was
a homage to Shakspeare.
Dr. VAUGHAN, ventured to predict that, if the
meetings were to be of this complexion, their object
was gone. (Hear, hear.) If the resolution were
passed, the executive committee would resign, and
they never could get the confidence of the country
after that. (Hear.) They would be looked at as
a very Babel, Let them work together better for
the future.
Mr. MARTIN then withdrew his motion, in order
to further the common object amidst applause.
Dr. VAUGHAN suggested that the executive com-
mittee should appoint a certain number, and the
general committee a certain number, to draw up the
address. (Hear.)
Mr. H. DIXON then made a statement as to the
progress of the business. Arrangements were being
made for holding a public meeting at the Mansion
House, et which the Lord Mayor would kindly take
the chair. He (Mr. Dixon), on behalf of himself
and colleagues, utterly disclaimed anything like
personal feeling in the matter. ',Hear.) It was
thought desirable that the following committee
should be appointed to arrange the details of the
meeting : The Lord Chief Baron, Sir Hugh Cairns,
Sergeant Parry, Mr. Gruoeisen, and Mr. Deputy
&All It was also recommended that the following
gentlemen should act as a committee for the purpose
of considering the best form of a monument, viz.,
Archbishop of York, Duke of Devonshire, Earl of
Clarendon, the L ord President of the Council, Pre-
sident of the Society of Antiquarie, President of the
Academy,President of the Society of British Artists,
President of :he Architectural Museum, Master of
Trinity, Professor of Sculpture, Royal Academy,
David Roberts, Daniel .Maclise, Clarkson Stanfield,
George Godwin. The council had also to propose
the following programme:—" The 3Joth birth-
day of Shakspeare shall be celebrated by
laying the first foundation-stone of a memorial
in London. The committee shall use its
influence to procure the observance of Sa-
turday, April 23, as a general holiday; and
they propose to offer a gold medal, silver medal, and
bronze medal, for the best, second best, and
third best poem on Shakspeare. The committee
proposed that the foundation-stone be laid at noon ;
that an afternoon performance be given at Covent,
garden ; that a Shakspearian performance be given
at Drury-lane in the evening; and that a grand
soiree be held (by permission) in Westminster-hall,
at which Shakspearian books, prints, and other
relics, may be exhibited." Members of the special
committee were by that fact members of the council.
Dr. Vaughan, Mr. Theo. Martin, Mr. Tom Taylor,
and Mr. Shirley Brooks, were then appointed by
the general committee to act with the executive
committee.
Upon the proposition of Mr. LUCAS, seconded by
Capt. W. KNOWLES, the programme was accepted.
It was understood, however, that, though the pro-
gramme had been accepted, the general committee
would not publish it or act upon it until the address
had been prepared.
Mr. MARTIN said, if it were otherwise, he would
not act.
The meeting then adjourned until Monday.