Charity Voting.

CHARITY VOTING .

Our objections to some proposed " reforms , " as they are called , in our great charitable institutions , especially in regard to voting , ( and which

reforms seemed to us somewhat crude and uncalled for , and impractical ) , have been both strengthened and increased by the recent meeting of the subscribers of the British Orphan

Asylum , and reported in the rimes oi January nth . The views which we had in some preceding leading articles modestly put forward from

our own humble and personal experience , seem to have been the views of a very large meeting , and to be shared in by those whose reputation as men of business , stands very hi gh indeed in the City

of London . When among others we may mention Mr . Henry Huth , Mr . Thomson Hankey , and Mr . Alderman Figg ins , M . P ., we feel sure that our readers will . ' agree , that , from their high

character and practical experience , they are deserving of attention ' , and consideration , for the opinions they think it right to express on this important subject . The Rev . T . J . Rowsell ,

who is well known for his earnest labours and his practical sagacity also spoke on the occasion adversely ^ to the reformers while the views of Mr . Banting , whose short address was read by

Mr . Osborne , deserve to be . calmly weighed and carefully considered . Notwithstanding our able Bro . Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , endeavoured earnestly to obtain the

support of the meeting for his reforming suggestions , an overwhelming majority of a crowded assembly , determined to stand " super vias antiquas . "

And , to confess the truth , we do not see what else they could well do . To our minds , the argument is unanswerable , which we ventured originally to put forward , and which we see is

supported by so high an authority as Mr . Rowsell that the proposal in 1874 , to take away the election practically from the subscribers , and vest it in a committee , savours too much of despotism

and oligarchy , to be at all acceptable to Englishmen ; and , notwithstanding the remarks of our excellent Bro . Simpson and Sir R . Alcock , we venture to think that Dr . Davis ' s speech is a complete

answer as to the supposed necessity or value of these proposed alterations . That some slight reforms may be needed , may perhaps be true , but , the changes proposed ,

would entirely alter the character of our great and admirable charitable institutions , and would , we feel persuaded , seriously interfere with their present and future prosperity . Much

misrepresentation has been sedulousl y put forth , as regards the organization of the charities , and the motive of the managers , in resisting the proposed

reforms , while many of the allegations made as to special charities , turn out on enquiry to be greatly exaggerated , and even completely unfounded .

Lord Lyttelton , in a letter to the Times , complains of the expense of an election , and no doubt if all canvassing be done away with , some

saving will accrue . But we venture to express an opinion , with great deference to his lordshi p , that , such a policy would , after all , be onl y " penny wise and pound foolish , " inasmuch as

Charity Voting.

it is often by this very publicity , ani canvassingnay , expense—that new subscribers are obtained for the several charities , and the merits of the charities themselves are made thereby more

generally known . We doubt greatly , after some experience on the subject , whether a committee to select the candidates , would give satisfaction to the

subscribers , and we doubt also equally , whether much , if any , improvement can be made in the present system of elections , whereby as a general rule , the deserving candidates almost always

succeed . As we have said before , the test of the most deserving candidate is a very difficult one to lay down , and in this free and outspoken country ,

such will almost always be looked at and decided in the light of individual opinion . We therefore concur , with the result and resolution of the meeting we have alluded to , as

we feel convinced that , these great and off-hand changes are neither ] called for , or expedient , in the interest of the Charities , or of those the Charities so greatly benefit .

Weekly Summary.

WEEKLY SUMMARY .

Her Majesty is still at Osborne . •> Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales , after having been hospitably entertained at Berlin by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Germany have safely reached St . Petersburgh with Prince Arthur . They reached

the Warsaw station with their respective suites at half past two on the afternoon of the 15 th January . Their Royal Highnesses were received at the frontier by Russian officers of hi gh rank , deputed by the Emperor and by the British Military Attache , , and were greeted at a station called

Luga , more than 85 miles from . St . Petersburg , by the Cesarewitch and Cesarevna , who had left the capital earl y in the morning by special train . The Emperor , surrounded by the Imperial Family of Russia and by the Ministers and hi gh functionaries of the Empire , received the English Princes and Princess on the platform of the

Warsaw Station . His Majesty and the Prince of Wales and Prince Arthur exchanged the Royal kiss . The band of the Ismailovski Regiment played " God save the Queen " and " God bless the Prince of Wales . " After greetings and introductions the Imperial and Royal party drove from the station to the AnitcbkofF Palace in a

number of close carriages and sleighs . The broad streets were lined withpeople . and , although there was not a London crowd , there was a very good imitation of an English cheer as the first carriage drove away , containing only the Czar and Prince of Wales sitting side by side .

H . R . H . the Duke of Edinburgh has been assiduously visiting the various establishments , and has held a reception at the Russian Admiralty . From all accounts his charming Fiancee and himself , have to lead a very active life , according to the following report : —St . Petersburg has

been busied this week solely with preparations for the Royal wedding , all actual festivities having been postponed until the arrival of the Prince and Princess ot Wales and the other principal guests . No fewer than eighteen entertainments will be given to the bride and

bridegroom . The Czar will give three balls , at the principal of which 3 , 000 are to sit down to supper , and which is intended to surpass in magnificence anything previous of the kind . There will be a ball given by the Cesarewitch , two others b y the Emperor ' s two brothers , the Grand Dukes Constantine and Nicholas , and

one b y His Majesty ' s sister , the Grand Duchess Marie . Lord Loftus , our Ambassador , is preparing a splendid / tffe for the wedding , besides a grand dinner before the marriage . Theatrical and operatic performances and a parade of troops will also form part of the Court gaieties . The British residents at St . Petersburg intend to offer an address of congratulation to the Duke

Weekly Summary.

and Duchess , and will then present the Russian Lifeboat Institution with two lifeboats in the names of the bride and bridegroom , having decided on this gift instead of a present of gold and silver plate to the Roval pair .

Captain Mansell has been committed for trial to the Central Criminal Court , by Mr . Newton , for his shameful assault on the Duke of Cambridge . It seems that he had sold out of the

army , receiving full compensation for his commission . His chief complaint seems to have been , that , he was not promoted , but the result proves , that , he was most unfit for command .

Dr . Kenealy has at last finished his wonderful defence , and Mr . Hawkins , Q . C ., has begun his rejoinder . Let us hope , that , his speech , marked as it is sure to be by his usual ability , will be distinguished by point and brevity .

Most Englishmen , and Freemasons especially , regret that the attack on Lady Radcliffes fair fame has been repeated in any shape whatever , even though that attack was made more by way

of covert insinuation , than by direct declarations The good name of a woman especially is a very sacred thing , and ought never to be lightly dealt with , or slanderously , assailed .

Mr . Whalley , M . P ., appeared at Bow-street , at Jean Luie ' s examination on remand , but Sir Thomas Henry declined to read his letters or hear

his speech . What the eminent chief magistrate would have said had that eccentric individual attempted to " sing , " we aTe completely unable to conjecture or to say .

By a curious coincidence , Mr . Guildford Onslow , M . P ., also appears in the Times with reference to a photograph of the famous " grotto , " but to which , strange to say , the photograph bears little or no resemblance . Mr .

Guildford Onslow says it is only the difference between summer and winter—leaves and no leaves ; but , as Mr . Samuel Weller would have said , it is no doubt owing to the " heye" of the photographer .

Mr . Cowen has been returnedin his father ' s place as M . P . for Newcastle-on-Tyne , by a considerabte majority over Mr . Hamond j and the enquiry into the last Taunton election has been commenced there , but is not yet concluded .

From the Gold Coast we hear that Sir Garnet Wolseley has crossed the Prah , and is advancing on Coomassie : as good old Field

Marshal Radetzky used to say of his grenadiers , " when once they get to work it will be soon over , " , so we can say of that fine brigade under Sir G . Wolseley ' s leadership .

Marshal and Madame Mac Mahon ' s reception at the " Elysee" turned out as we expected , a great success , and the Parliamentary difficulty seems over for the present . Let us all . hope that happier days are in store for France , and above all for Paris ,

In Germany the Papal Brief as published in the Cologne Gazette , and indeed elsewhere , about the election of a future Pope has made a great sensation , but whether it is not to some extent apocryphal remains yet to be seen .

There seems to jbe a little difference between portions of the Latin verbiage , and if the transmitter , as it has been averred , has reproduced it from memory , that may account for the variations in style , & c .

Cardinal Antonelh has been ill with gout in the stomach , but is better , Pio Nono could ill afford just now to lose his able adviser . Carthagena has at last fallen , and over 2 , 500 of the Intransigentes with their

leaders , are now in Algeria "internes" by the French Authorities . The Numancia iron-clad is to be restored to the Spanish Government , and as a large number of those now in Algeria are

" convicts" for civil delinquency , they will probably be also given up , to the Spanish authorities . Those who are merely political refugees will remain in Algeria most likely for the present .

The Carlists seem to be concentrating for a great action near Bilbao . We have to announce the death of Cadwallader Lord Blayney , and of Sir Montagu J . Chomley , M . P .