The Late Contest For Secretaryship R.M.I.G.

THE LATE CONTEST FOR SECRETARYSHIP R . M . I . G .

WE intend offering a few remarks on this important contest , and ive have purposely delayed doing * so till the present time , in tho belief that , now that any excitement there may have been at tho election has calmed down , and any sense of disappointment on the parfc of the defeated candidates has ceased , or . at all events , been

considerably mitigated , our remarks will run BO risk of being misinterpreted . The result , which is too well known to need recapitulation , may bo described , in racing * phraseology , as to the effect that Bro . Hedges won in the commonest of canters from Bro . Storr , Bro . Matier being a bad

third , and the rest of the field nowhere . The result once published , tho successful candidate received , in the first place , the congratulations of those who had striven against him for the post , and then of the Craft generally , those among them who had predilections in favour of other

candidates being well content to know thafc the postwas occupied by a good man , in whose hands the interests of tbe Institution would not be likely to suffer . As to the arrangements on the day of the election , they were in all respects admirable , and reflect the highest credit on the authorities . Thero

were eight tables where voting papers could be obtained , five of these being sofc aside for London brethren , Lodges , Chapters , & c , aud three for the Provinces . Then there were two other tables , where , in one case , the voting papers were marked , and , in the other case , where information was furnished . Thus all confusion was

avoided , and a member wishing to record his vote had bufc to turn to the table—say No . 2 , E to K London—which included tho initial letter of his name , and he was furnished with the needful document , and having marked it at No . 9 , and deposited it with the other voting papers ,

he had nothing more to do than to wait for tho result , either in the Hall or its precincts if so minded , or till it was announced in the journals of the day . Nor must we pass over in silence the considerate kindness of Bro . A . Best , the proprietor of the Tavern , in placing the Great

Hall at the disposal of the Committee . But for this accommodation ifc is well-nigh certain thafc , considering tho numbers present , thero must have been a great amount of pushing and " sqneedging , " and these are for from being conducive to the maintenance of placidity and good temper .

Some men , too , are choleric , and albeit the most glorious fellows in the world when they are not being subjected to bodil y pressure , are apt to indulge freely in the vernacular . This is far from being an edifying spectacle , even though we havo it on tho authority of a Latin writer that

the Gods delight in seeing good men struggling with adversity . Thafc tlie good men and true who were present on the 11 th instant ancl recorded their votes did not afford the deities who preside over the fortunes of Freemasons ' Tavern any such amusement is entirely owing to the

kindness of Bro . Best , and wo acknowledge ifc accordingly and with much gratitude . We now offer certain remarks on tho manner in which the voting "was carried out . As our readers are aware , all ^ titled to vote are required to attend in person , and fill in

voting papers according to the instructions given on tho face . Many weeks before the election took place—indeed , long before the day was fixed for the contest—we suggested that steps should bo taken to amend the law on this point , so as to substitute proxy for personal voting . Onr object in offering this suggestion was stated at the time with suffi-

The Late Contest For Secretaryship R.M.I.G.

cient clearness . We were simply anxious that Provincial voters should be on exactly the same footing as their London brethren . "Why , " we asked , "should the voter resident afc Berwick-on-Tweed , at Penzance , or in North or South Wales , who has a right to claim the exercise of an

undoubted privilege , and lie who lives within a stone ' s throw of Freemasons' Hall , nofc be in every respect on a footing of equality ? What more has the latter done for the Institution thafc he should enjoy such privileges , while his unfortunate colleague must either lose his vote or

his money ? " This was written on the 11 th May , or two months before the day fixed for the contest , and the question had been mooted in these columns , and commented on by us at an even earlier date . No response , however , was made , that is , no one concerned himself to the

extent of taking the necessary steps to bring aboufc an alteration in the law . There was amplo time to have done ifc . A reference to the laws will show this , though some one , in criticising the proposal , was pleased to remai'k that whether the plan was worthy or unw orthy of acceptance ,

it could not be substituted in time for the election which , has just past . As the eventful day approached , many Provincial brethren entitled to vote began to realise the trouble to which they would be subjected . What a nuisance , ifc was said on moro than ono occasion , and in

more than one Province , that wo should be compelled to undertake a journey to London in order to hand in our votes ! And it might have been added with equal reason , what an injustice that wo should be called upon to spend a sum of money , moro or less considerable , in order to do this !

Had proper steps been taken , these brethren might havo voted -without incurring expense or trouble , and then London and the Provinces would havo been on tho same footing ; but what was every one ' s business , according to the well-known rule , appears to have been no one ' s

business , and the proposal was lost sight of . Now , however , that its merits have been brought home to at least some among the electors , it is to be hoped that . measures may be taken to secure an alteration in the law , so as to substitute proxy for personal voting , and the result of tho

contest on the 11 th instant makes it certainly desirable that the change should be made . There were , as we have said , eight tables , five London and three Provincial , at which voting papers wero issued , and a friend , who is curious in such matters , has kindly furnished the numbers , as far

as he could ascertain , which were issued from each table . The figures , ifc must be borne in mind , are nofc official , but we have no doubt they are substantially correct . At all events , though there may be errors in the statement , they will not in tho slightest degree affect the justice of our

argument . These numbers are as follow : London , table No . 1 ., individuals , nobility , and A . to D ., 181 papers ; No . 2 ditto , E . to K , 211 papers ; No . 3 ditto , L . to B ., 200 papers ; No . 4 , S . to Z ., 179 papers ; No . 5 , Lodges , Chapters , and other Societies , 38 papers : giving a total

issue for London of 809 papers . Provincial , No . 6 , Lodges , Chapters , and other Societies , 89 papers ; No . 7 , individuals , Berks and Bucks to Middlesex , 84 papers ; No . 8 , ditto , Monmouthshire to Ireland and Unknown Addresses , 66 papers : giving a total for the Provinces of 239 papers . Now ,

if we take a few of the more distant Provinces , we find that , for instance , East Lancashire has 52 individual voters , and 41 Locige , Chapter , & c , votes , together 93 ; West

Yorkshire has 211 individual voters , and 48 Locige , & c , votes , together 259 ; North Wales and Shropshire has 15 individual ancl 7 Lodge votes , together 22 ; Devonshire 17 individual and 18 Lodge , & c , votes , together 35 . These