COMMUNICATION FROM II. VINES. 
369 
Also “ that the Chairman here called him to order on 
account of the irrelevancy of his remarks, and soon after he 
resumed his seat.” 
I am willing to admit that the substance of the above is 
perfectly correct, so far as it regards the general statements 
then made by me, but if what I said had been given more in 
detail, my observations would have been much better under- 
stood by the body of our profession who had not an oppor- 
tunity of hearing them. 
I reminded the few members then present — about thirty- 
one in number out of a body of more than 2000 — that we 
had been told at various times that unless we were unanimous 
we could not expect the advancement of our profession to 
take place. And, as a proof of my statement being correct, 
I here introduce an extract from the Annual Report, as 
follows : 
“In conclusion, the Council regret that another year has 
passed without the veterinary profession having become that 
united body which was so fondly anticipated on the obtain- 
ment of the Charter. May the question be asked, for the 
last time, Whose fault has this been ? and may it be replaced 
by this, — How can it now be accomplished? If party views 
are abolished, if personal differences are laid aside, and if the 
one great and good object — the advancement of our pro- 
fession — is steadfastly and disinterestedly kept in view, no 
power on earth can prevent its accomplishment; and we 
might then hope to hail the approach of the period when it 
shall be considered an honour to become a member of the 
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.” 
After I was called to order, Professor Spooner observed 
that “allusion was made in the Report to parties. Where 
numbers of individuals met together, ‘party’ always did and 
always would exist. Party, indeed, rightly conducted was 
the very essence of legislation, but was too often rendered 
the matrix of abuses and all kinds of disturbance. He did 
not object to party, but he objected strongly to the personal 
animosities and bickerings which had prevailed among them 
as a body, and he hoped that these would give way to a 
united and anxious desire to support each other in the 
position they are all desirous of attaining — that of honorable 
members of a liberal profession.” 
From the above it appears that since obtaining the 
Charter things have not gone on so satisfactorily in the 
governing body of the profession as could have been ex- 
pected, and if so, the fault is not mine, I having been excluded 
from having any voice in the management of our affairs ; 
