The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-12 00:00:00

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
_PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCR.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY, OCT. 11.

No sooner are the labours of the British Asso-
ciation for the Promotion of Physical Science
*brought to a close than those, of a younger, but
kindred, association commence, promising to
throw a flood of light upon that particular
branch of science which, from its universal appli-
cability and special adaptation to the present age,
is popularly termed " social.".
It will be remembered that this associatic,n was
launched into existence under the presidfmey of
lord Brougham about this time last year, at Bir-
mingham, under circumstances which - gave pro-
mise of future success. Its special object -was then
stated to be " to form a point of union among social
reformers, so as to afford those engagQd in all the
various efforts now happily begun fox- the improve-
ment of the people an opportunity of considering
social economics as a whole."
Following the plan of older associations, it is
migratory in its character, and Liverpool has the
honour of welcoming it on the first anniversary of
its birthday. The programme for the week, which
exhibits a list of the papers to be read in the
various sections, abundantly proves that the ob-
jects of the society engage the attention of
many philanthropic minds, and of much earnest
and. original thought ; while the large number
of tickets already disposed of evinces a general
interest in the proceedings.
Lord J. Russell is the president for the year.
Iris. Lordship, accompanied by Lady John Russell
and the Misses Russell, arrived in Liverpool last
night, and are the guests of Mr. W. Brown, M.P.,
at his house, Richmond-hill. Lord Brougham
arrived to-day, and is also staying with Mr. Brown.
Mr. T. Rathbone entertains the Earl of Carlisle, the
Earl of Shaftesbury, and Mr. W. Cowper at Aller-
ton Priory.
Among the gentlemen arrived in Liverpool who
are to take part in the proceedings are Sir J. Pak-
ington, Lord Goderich, Lord Sandon, Lord Ebring-
ton, Sir J. Stephen, K.C.8., Mr. R. M. Mikes,
M.P., the Bishops of Chester, Manchester, and
Pennsylvania ; Sir A. Elton, M.P., Mr. S. Whit-
bread, Mr. T. Barnard, M.P., the Lord Chan-
cellor of Ireland, Mr. E. Akroyd, M.P., the Hon.
and Rev. W. H . Lyttelton, the Rev. C. Girdlestone,
Mr. Sergeant Woolrych, Mr. H. Mann, Mr.
J. Symons, Professor Pillans, Mr. H. J. Smith,
Rev. Dr. Begg, Sir C. H. Hastings, Rev:
J. G. Lonsdale, Rev. D. Melville, Mr. Gar-
-nett, M.P., Mr. Ayrton, M.P., Mr. Adderley, M.P.,
Archdeacon Allen, Mr. J. A. Smith, jun., Mr. H. G
Bohn, Mr. J. P. Gassiot, and others.

The Mayor, Mr. J. Holme, had made extensive
preparations for the reception and entertainment of
the distinguished visitors to the town, but the me-
lancholy intelligence of the death of his wife, which,
-took place in London on Saturday-last, has pro-
tracted these arrangements, and his worship will
take no personal part in the proceedings. His
duties, however, will be discharged by his brother,
Mr. S. Holme:

The proceedings commenced to-day by a private
meeting of the Council in the library of St. George's-
hall. At half-past 3 there was a special service in
St. Nicholas Church—the most ancient ecclesiastical
edifice in the town—when prayers were read by the
rector, and an appropriate sermon was preached by
the ,Bishop of Chester.
The first general meeting was held at half-past 7
this evening. The noble hall, which is capable of
accommodating 3,000 people, was crowded in every
part, a good sprinkling- of the audience consisting
of lathes. All the distinguished visitors whose
names we have given above were present, and the
utmost enthusiasm prevailed.
Lord J. RUSSELL presided, and delivered the fol-
lowing inaugural address :—The first meeting of
this association, which took place last year at Bir-
mingham, gave ample room for hope and encou-
ragement. Lord Brougham, who presided, explained
so fully and with so much ability the general pur-
poses and objects of the association that I shall not
:think it necessary. to travel again over that grOund.
The departments into which our business is divided
are-1. Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law;
2. Education ; 3. Punishment and Reformation ; 4.
Public Health; 5. Social Economy. I propose to lay
before you some general observations on each of
these topics, rather with a view to ascertain our
present position, and fix the point from which we
take a, fresh departure, than with any expectation
of being able to guide the vessel on her voyage. In
so doing I shall take the first and third topies—
namely, jurisprudence and amendment of the law,
together with punishment and reformation, as
subjects in a great degree connected, before I pro-
ceed to the other departments. At our meeting
last year the question which excited the greatest
interest in the department of jurisprudence was the
amendment of the Bankruptcy Law. After some
valuable papers had been read, and much practical
discussion had taken place, the association agreed,
upon my motion, to appoint a committee, consisting
of three delegates from the National Association
and delegates from each of the Chambers of Com-
merce and Trade Protection Societies in the king-
dom. This committee met on the 17th and 18th of
November at Birmingham. They agreed to a series
of resolutions, which were afterwards embodied in
a bill, and laid before the committee in London.
The provision of this measure has been ably ex-
plained by Mr. Hastings, in an address delivered
by him on the 20th of May last. I will shortly
advert to the main provisions of. the bill. In the
first place, the bill consolidates and amends all the
statute law relating to bankruptcy and to insol-
vency. It is proposed that the Insolvent Court of
London and the separate insolvent jurisdictions of
the County Courts should -be abolished, and that
the law of bankruptcy and insolvency should hence-
forth be administered by one tribunal. It is not
meant to contend by this proposal that there is no
difference between bankruptcy and insolvency.
The merchant whose expectations have been frus-
trated by a sudden fall in the price of silk, or a
sudden rise in the price of tea, is evidently in a
very different position from a man of little or no
property, who has obtained easy credit, and become
embarrassed by living at an extravagant rate. But
there are many cases which border closely on bank-
ruptcy, and yet are ranged under insolvency, or
which border on insolvency, and yet are ranged
under bankruptcy. There can be no reason why
one Court should not deal with both subjects, and
decide for themselves the proper character f the
transactions brought under their notice. There is
no greater mischief in this country than the mul-
tiplicity of Courts, causing delay, expense, confu-
sion, and frequently injustice. In the same view
of simplicity and equality, it is proposed to abolish
the distinction between trader and non-trader. A
landowner who is a shareholder in a company and
a physician who sells his skill in the shape of
prescriptions would be treated by the bill in the
same way as a partner in a mercantile house or an
apothecary who deals in drugs. Nor is it easy to
justify the distinctions which are now made. In
Scotland, where one Court administers law and
equity to the satisfaction of that enlightened people,
the distinction I speak of does not exist. I hope the
association will approve this portion of the bill.
Perhaps the most important portion of the proposed
change is that which relates to private agreements
among creditors. Agreements signed in the shape of
deeds or memoranda by a majority in number and
four-fifths in value will be held obligatory on cre-
ditors who have not, signed. Thus merchants will
be enabled to do in the face of the law, and with
the assistance of the law, that which they have
hitherto done apart from the law and in despair of
the law. Supposing, however, private arrangements
to fail and adjudication to issue, it is proposed that
an official assignee should instantly take possession
of all the property of the bankrupt. Within 14
days after adjudication the creditors are to meet,
and when they have proved their debts they
are to proceed to the election of a creditors' assignee, ,
who is to be the sole assignee of the bankruptcy.
In Scotland the custom is to apply to the Court for
the appointment of an interim factor, who keeps the
property till the election of a trustee. It is thought,
but not without doubt, that the maintenance of the
official assignee of England is preferable to the
adoption of the provisions of the Scotch law. It is
in this way that the committee have endeavoured
to keep distinct the mercantile and judicial elements
in bankruptcy. While on the one hand they have
left in the hands of mercantile men that that which
mercantile men are as competent to perform as
official men, and have a greater interest in perform-
ing speedily and well than official men can have,
they have avoided the opposite error of vesting
judicial functions in the hands of creditors. With
respect to the penal part of the bill, and the pro-
posed jurisdiction of the County Courts, I do not
mean to trouble you. Neither will I enter into the
differences which exist between the bill of the com-
mittee which I introduced into the House of Commons
and one introduced some time after in the House
of Lords bythe Lord Chancellor. In the department
of law these provisions and these differences can be
fully discussed, and the course to be adopted next
session can be determined. I shall be happy to give
my aid, such as it is, to the great purpose of amend-
ing the law of bankruptcy and insolvency in such
manner as may be thought most desirable. In case
of my proceeding with the bill, Mr. Headlam, who
has taken great pains with this subjectovill supply
the knowledge in which I am so greatly wanting.
I come now to a question of the greatest interest to
the community, upon which I may have the mis-
fortune to differ from some of my most enlightened
friends,—l mean the consolidation of our laws. No
one can doubt that it would be a great public bene-
fit if our laws could be set forth in a clear style,
and contained in two, three, or four volumes of mo-