The Recent Exclusion From The Boys' School.

we give the brsis of what the two parties to the disagreement are working for , and in support of one of which all who are entitled to a vote at to-day ' s meeting will be called npon for a decision . The present members of the House

Committee , and of the Finance and Audit Committee , are nominated for re-election in a body , and in order to fill the vacancy caused on the former by the death of the late Bro .

Edgar Bowyer , Bro . John Wordsworth , Vice-Patron of the Institution , has been nominated . On behalf of the opposition we have a circular , in which it is stated that Bro . J . Motion recommends Bros . George Corbie , J . L . Dale and Charles Bearing for the House Committee , and

Bro . R . J . Tucker for the Finance and Audit Committee . We understand that Bro . Bearing has withdrawn his name from the list , being either disgusted with , the conduct of those who put him in nomination , or having other reasons for retiring .

Of course there is nothing calling for special comment in connection with these elections , simply on account of the nomination of twenty-four or twenty-five brethren for tbe twenty-one vacancies . That is , we may almost say , a

matter of every day occurrence , and in Masonry , at least , the elections which naturally follow are conducted wifcb good feeling and fairness , those who are defeated accepting the decision without murmur or complaint . It is the side

issues which on this occasion are being introduced into the matter which are so objectionable , and these call for the strongest condemnation at our hands , while we believe , and sincerely hope , that the result of to-day ' s contest will

prove them equally repugnant to those who support the Charitable Institutions of the Craft . As an . instance , we may refer to a circular which has been widely circulated during the last few days through the length and breadth

of the country—presumably to influence the result of today ' s election . Ifc is not only a disgrace to any one having the smallest desire to be considered a gentleman , but is , without questi . n , libellous ; while it further displays the

greatest possible amount of malice . We need hardly say its author is a coward , afraid to stand the results of his own utterances , and consequently publishes his circular

without any marks of identification , or anything which might be made the means to compel him to prove the truth or otherwise of his calumnies . If this is nofc tbe character

he shonld be branded with , or if he has the smallest particle of honesty about him , he will declare himself , and so allow those he slanders to clear their character in a court

of law , or before some other equally impartial tribunal . As he at present is acting , his remarks only deserve scorn and contempt . If he would make himself known , he would at least convince us thafc he was sincere when he wrote the

last paragraph of his circular , where he says : " Let no one suppose that this is written in anything but a fair ppirit , with the good of our Institution in view in

order that the matters herein referred to may see a little daylight , nnd be investigated . " Truly a case of "preserve us from our friends , " when such writings are published in "a fair spirit , with the good of our Institution in view . "

We should like to deal with the circular in detail , but in so doing we should only be serving the purpose of the anonymous libeller . His introduction , however , is so essentially im-Masonic that we give it in extenso . It reads : —

"Re The Royal Masonio Institution for Boys . We hear continually abonfc ' our glorious Institutions / ' protecting the fatherless , '' brotherly love , & o . ' It is as well for the subscribers to this Clmrity to occasionally see and hear a little of the other side .

Their attention is accordingly drawn to the following remarks and extracts , with the entreaty that this paper may nofc be lightly thrown a . idn , but seriously read and considered , with the object of inquiring into and remedying the evils referred to . "

As a further proof of his disinterested sacrifice—and tbe distribution of this circular as it has been distributed must have proved a heavy pecuniary sacrifice to some onetho writer goes on to say :

" All attempts to obtain any information from either the Secretary or House Committee having failed j this step is resorted to in tbe hopes tbat the general body of subscribers to the Charity will take up the cudgels on behalf of the Institution whose money is recklessly squandered . "

This argument , that " all attempts to obtain any information from either the Secretary or House Committee has failed , " has been used throughout the controversy , but

notwithstanding its frequent repetition we know it is unfounded . We imagine those who repeat the statement are either ignorant of what they are talking about , are -wilfull y stating what they know to be untrue , or have

The Recent Exclusion From The Boys' School.

some technical or fancied standpoint from which to defend themselves . Our advice is , simply to consider the character of the men attacked , and answer the question : —Is it likely such men would act in the manner described ? If

tho Secretary or Committees do not care to answer , or even recognise the six or dozen men who have forfeited their right to regard or consideration , by conduct they

should be ashamed of , there are none who would force them to do so ; while , on the other hand , their action has been strongly endorsed by those on whose behalf they act , and by whom they are chosen .

After stating that the Institution is everything that is bad , audits rulers quite unfit for the trust reposed in them , our anonymous critic quotes from the report of a " Committee appointed to investigate the Management and

Expenditure of this Institution , " but lest he should be considered to have written " in anything but a fair spirit , with the good of our Institution in view , " he omits to state that the Report from which he quotes was issued in

1874 , and that the grounds of complaint were then investigated , and found to be non-existent . There are equally satisfactory answers to the other complaints made in the circular , but those in whose discretion rests the decision of

the elections of to-day know enou gh on what to base their opinion , and they are quite capable of deciding for themselves whether they will show their approval of what

the present Committees have done , by re-electing them ; or whether they will attempt a change , by the importation of these untried reformers . There is no question in our mind what the decision would be if a fair number

attended . The opposition is using every means to secure fche presence of all its supporters , and ifc only remains for those who are true to their tried representatives also to attend . The poll takes place to-day , from four to five

o ' clock , and we imagine the gathering will be a representative one—it should certainly receive the attention of every subscriber , but as that is out of fche question , we can only hope for as large an attendance as possible .

In conclusion there are one or two points to which we should like to direct attention , and particularly the attention of those who are leading this opposition . They knew of the existence of the report of 1874 , and they knew it to

be anything bnt favourable to the Institution—although , as we have said , it was subsequently proved to be groundless , although nofc to them , it appears ; yet they must have taken considerable pains to secure the election of the

lad for whose supposed benefit and honour they are now enduring so much . Although at one time they were begging and praying for the help of the Institution , and have for years enjoyed such help , they pretend to have all along known ifc to be one of the worst in

existence . From the way m which they describe the School we wonder they are not ashamed of ever having sent a friend to its inhospitable roof . Further than this , have they been acting honestly in taking the charity of a

public Institution , when , by their own showing , they have long been in a position to provide for themselves , and such of their friends as wanted help ? Would ifc not have been more to their credit—when they rose to their present

boasted position in the social world—to have withdrawn the lad from the charity of the Craft , and also to have withdrawn another member of their famil y from the kindred Institution , or at least have offered to pay for

their education and maintenance , than to have taken the funds of those charitable enough to subscribe them year by year , and when they could reap no further advantage use every influence—though even with fche wealth of which

they brag it is not much — to bring discredit upon the Institution which aided them , and cause annoyance to those who took compassion on their misfortunes of a few years since ? Could ingratitude further go ?

The members of the existing Committees have jointly issued the following Circular to the supporters of the Institution : — A renewal of the trust which has been reposed for so

many years in the House Committee of the Institution is confidently requested by the exercise of your vote and influence in favour of the eleven Brethren whose names are attached hereto—with the addition of that of

BRO . JOHN WORDSWORTH , V .-P ATRON , Nominated by R . W . Bro . T . W . TEW , Prov . G . M . of West