40 THE COMMONS SOCIETY. 



wholesale encroachments of the Commons.* Among its 

 members were the late Mr. John Stuart Mill (who 

 thenceforward, till his death, took a most prominent 

 part in the Society, and rarely missed being present 

 at its meetings), the late Mr. Charles Buxton, Mr. 

 Cowper Temple (afterwards Lord Mount Temple), Sir 

 T. Fowell Buxton, Mr. Thomas Hughes, Mr. Burrell, 

 an eminent lawyer, Mr. Charles Pollock (now Baron 

 Pollock), and others. 



The Society, thus formed, elected me as its Chairman. 

 I have acted in that capacity down to the present time, 

 with the exception of the periods of 1870 to 1874, and 

 1880 to 1885, when Mr. Andrew Johnston, Sir Charles 

 Dilke, and Mr. Bryce occupied the position ; but even 

 when unable to act as Chairman, on account of official 

 work, I have always taken an active part in directing 

 and maintaining its policy. Mr. Fawcett, to whom 

 the cause owes so much, became a member of the 

 Society in 18(56, but did not attend its meetings until 

 1869, when, at his instance, its work was extended to 

 other Commons than those in the neighbourhood of 

 London. Thenceforward, till his death, in 1884, he 

 was a most active and devoted member. 



Mr. P. H. Lawrence acted as honorary Solicitor to 

 the Society, and was professionally engaged in all the 

 earlier suits till 1868, when he was appointed Solicitor 

 to the Office of Works. He was succeeded by Mr. (now 

 Sir Kobert) Hunter, who, on being appointed in 1882, by 



* As I have often occasion to refer to this Society, I have, for 

 the sake of brevity, called it " The Commons Society." 



