1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ill 



have been issued only three days instead of seven days before the day 

 of election. The Council are informed that the irregularity of the 

 notices was remarked by several Members of the Society before the 

 meeting, but no one at the time raised any objection to the notices of 

 the meeting, that the business should not be proceeded with in the 

 usual course.' 



" And the meeting separated. 



" This will show that I am still unable to accept the office. 



11 The respect due to my fellow-members of the Asiatic Society has 

 made it necessary to make them acquainted with the facts. I cannot 

 submit to be a party to an avowed neglect of the rules affecting all 

 your officers, which is treated as of no importance, being one of a 

 number of other departures from the laws of your Society." 

 " I have the honor to be, 

 " Gentlemen, 

 11 Your very obedient Servant, 



u Thomas Oldham." 



The Chairman in giving notice of the following motion on behalf of 

 the Council remarked — 



That in the absence of a President, it devolved upon him 

 as senior Vice-President to explain to the Society the action 

 which the Council had felt it incumbent on them to take, upon the 

 receipt of the letters which the Secretary had just read. He pre- 

 mised, however, that according to the rules of the Society, (to which 

 he referred specifically,) the subject of the communication, which he 

 was about to make, could not be treated as matter of discussion at 

 this meeting. But it was necessary, under those rules, that a formal 

 notification of the proposals of the Council should now be made to 

 the Society in order that they might be legitimately considered and 

 determined upon at a subsequent Special Meeting to be convened 

 for the purpose. He then stated shortly the facts connected with the 

 election of Dr. Oldham as President of the Society, namely, — that he 

 was nominated to that post in the usual manner by the almost un- 

 animous voice of the Council, and that he was afterwards elected by the 

 Society, at the Annual Meeting, which is fixed by the rules to be 

 held not later than the third Wednesday of January for the election of 

 officers, and which this year took place on the 15th of that month. At 



