682 THE VETERINARY PROFESSION — THE CHARTER. 
Subscribers of the Veterinary College to the Secretary of State, 
shewing — after some preamble, very questionable in its tenor — their 
“ surprise” that “Her Majesty should have been induced, in accord- 
ance to the petition of certain veterinary surgeons, founded entirely 
on the public advantages which have arisen from this (their) 
College, to grant a Charter,” &c. &c. Now, with all due submis- 
sion to the concoctor of the said petition, it strikes us, the 
“ surprise” must have been caused by our being enabled to make 
such a representation of our necessities to our Most Gracious 
Majesty as induced her, in her wisdom, to grant our prayer ; and 
not by the kind and most proper act itself of our best of Sovereigns. 
But the burden of their (the Governors’) complaint is, that the 
Charter was obtained “ without the knowledge or consent” of the 
said Governors ; and although it was signed by the three Profes- 
sors of the Institution, yet “ the full draft of such instrument never 
was submitted to them, previous to its ultimate presentation;” and 
further, now that the Charter is obtained, that the Royal Veteri- 
nary College is thereby “rendered subservient to the corporation,” in 
consequence of the latter being vested with the power of appointing 
a Board of Examiners, granting Diplomas, making By-laws, &c. 
To which gratuitous charge of the Charter having been clandestinely 
obtained, what is the reply of the Committee, as contained in the 
President’s letter to the Secretary of State : — “ The aspersions 
made in the two petitions are entirely groundless /” And the 
Committee (since become the Council) has proved them to be so 
by documents sent (with the letter) to the Home Secretary, and 
published in the last Number of The VETERINARIAN. 
Annexed to the two petitions it will be remembered there is a 
“ Prayer,” beseeching Her Majesty, that, should it prove “ in- 
consistent with the spirit and intention of the Charter” to make 
such “ insertions and alterations” in it as shall suit the Governors’ 
purpose, the Royal Veterinary College maybe “ altogether with- 
drawn from the operations of the said Charter,” and “ be permitted 
to re-assume the same independent position it has hitherto held.” 
Most certainly, so far as has regarded the profession, the Col- 
lege has shewn sufficient independence : our alma or rather DURA 
mater has cared as little for her children as her children, when 
they came to know her want of regard for them, cared for her. 
