The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-06 00:00:00

SOCIETY.

AT the last meeting of this society, with which it closed
the regular business of the session, the most important
subject brought forward was that of union with the
Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. The dele-
gates from both societies had, in the discharge of duties
assigned them, prepared and submitted a report embody-
ing a new code of laws for the joint society. The society
was called upon to consider this report. It was gathered
front the treasurer. who acted in the absence of the secre-
tary, that a council meeting had just been held, and that.
in deference to the strong views of some of the older
members of the society, they recommended the union to
take place upon the old name exclusively, without addition.
or abridgment of the same. Four members of the council
had voted for this motion,—one voted against it, and three
declined to vote at all.
The meeting of the society was a large one, and the
members who took part in the deliberations delivered their
sentiments throughout with good feeling. It was clear that
the society was upon the point of a great crisis—either to
be united with a larger society, or to be split np once and for
ever. The proceedings of the evening were directed to the
preservation of the society and the furtherance of the
union. With this view it was proposed at the outset that
the name of the united society should stand as recom-
mended by the council, and this vote was to be taken prior
to the reception of the report from the delegates. Twenty-
three members voted for it, thirteen against it—this was
decisive. The treasurer urged that the society should be
polled upon the question ; but the laws had settled that
all votes were to be taken by hand or ballot, and a poll not
having.been asked and voted before the motion was put,
it -was not competent for the Society to adopt it. The
decision of the society on this important question was con-
sequently established. It was then moved and seconded
that, subject to this condition AB any alterations in the
code which may at a future meeting be made, the report
of the delegates be accepted. This seemed to give general
satisfaction to the members, and would have been carried
almost unanimously, had not an amendment been pro-
posed which seemed to embody the motion, and remove a
difficulty in the proposed union arising from an apparent
dissolution of the society. It was to the effect that,
subject to the last vote, the Historic Society should unite
with this society, and that immediately thereafter a new
code of laws should be adopted. This was carried almost
unanimously, and took the place of the original motion.
An attempt was then made to move the rejection of the
report, but it altogether failed ; and, though it was done
reluctantly, the mover agreed to withdraw a motionwhich
, was so offensive to the meeting generally. This closed the
business, and with a vote of thanks to the president, the
society separated.
The Historic Society will gather from these proceedings
that there is now but one way of bringing about a union
which will avoid a split and perhaps litigation about the
property. And it were better that they either fall in with
the views embodied in these resolutions, and that without
further delay, or reject entirely the movement for the
union. The Literary and Philosophical Society is pledged
to form a new code of laws the moment the Historic
Society joins them, and the difficulty which presently pre-
sents itself will be removed by bringing about the muon
in the proposed manner. It remains for us only to remark
that, in arranging the subjects for the sectional working of
the society, the delegates adopted an alphabetical order.
This removes the sting which some have fancied was
intended by placing Archeology first.