702 
TWENTY-SIXTH ANNIVEESARY 
the next fifty years. A few might have advocated its principles, hut he held in his hand 
extracts from the Journal within the last two or three years, written or spoken by about 
eighteen of their most distinguished members, quite opposed to it, and read one from 
the Journal of December, 1864, where it says, “Examinations are the very foundation 
of the Society and the maintenance of their integrity, the tenure by which its privi¬ 
leges are held. Now, here lies the answer to any enemies {who chuckled over the notion 
that we were in extremis, offering a farce of an examination to all comers), the assur¬ 
ance to any friends who trembled under the idea that we Avere sacrificing principle to 
expediency to gain popularity in times of commotion (an honest fear which we must 
respect in them), and a proof to the public that men holding any diploma are worthy to 
be trusted.” He would ask if there are men equally good outside of the Society, as has 
been stated ? Why had they not years since contributed by their money and efforts to 
so valuable and liberal an institution ? and, if they are so qualified, why have they not 
shown it by submitting to an examination ? and, if they did not like that, why did they 
not come in without, Avhen the door was open ? By waiting till we have attained pro¬ 
perty, position, and privileges they show nothing but unscrupulous selfishness in 
clamouring for a full participation in them, and he, for one, would never assent to it. 
Mr. J. K. Collins hoped that before any resolution was come to they would adopt 
the maxim, “ Awc/f alteram partem.” The honourable gentlemen who moved the reso¬ 
lution and those who had hitherto addressed the meeting, utterly ignored the main 
points in discussion. Doubtless, if we members of the Society could have our own way, 
outsiders should only join us on our own terms, but when we attempted legislation 
affecting others than ourselves, they had a locus standi to criticize the conditions at¬ 
tempted to be imposed on them. In this room we might be A^ery unanimous, and 
applaud each other to the echo, but when w'e approached Parliament, and asked for 
powers which Ave had not hitherto possessed, a willing ear was lent to those AA-ho asserted 
Ave Av^ere interfering with their vested rights. Over and over again in this place had he 
attempted to induce the Council and the Society to accept a compromise in the spirit 
laid down in the amended Bill, but stimulated by the responsive cheers and aspirations 
of a united interest, the Council in an evil hour propounded a Bill having more respect to 
the imaginary position of the members of the Society than to the actual position of 
those Avithout its pale. What was the consequence? The Select Committee of the House 
of Commons became divided into two hostile camps, one division being inspired by the 
Pharmaceutical Society, the other by the rival combination, known as the United Society 
of Chemists and Druggists; the result Avas a dead-lock, and the report was that no legis¬ 
lation was necessary. He remembered being at the House of Commons Avhen the 
Select Committee AA^as sitting, and finding the President and sundry important members 
of the Council cooling their heels in the corridors, when presently Sir PitzBoy Kelly 
appeared on the scene and announced that there Avould be no Bill. He must confess to - 
surprise at such a result, but for different reasons to those advanced from time to time 
by the honourable member for Dartford, who, in spirit if not in words, has said Ave 
might “as soon expect roses in December, ice in June,” as expect the Legislature to 
enact any law restricting in any Avay the practice of pharmacy. In his opinion, the 
cause of the failure of the last application to Parliament was due, not so much to the 
disinclination of the House of Commons to legislate on the subject, as to the opposition 
of the outsiders, Avho were able to convince Members of Parliament that the interests of 
an important section of the community were not duly considered in the Bill promoted 
by the Pharmaceutical Society. And so the United Society remained masters of the 
field. But “sweet are the uses of adversity.” The Council, by a process of logical in¬ 
duction, now see what he had seen all along, that no legislation is possible without the 
co-operation of chemists and druggists without the pale of the Society, and without 
legislation regulating the whole trade the Society is doomed to destruction at no distant 
period; indeed, Mr. Bottle, of Dover, some years ago made an ingenious calculation as 
to when the last member of the Society would go doAvn the gulf of time. The Society 
Avas composed of tAvo classes, viz. those who from time to time Avere admitted upon pay¬ 
ment of an annual subscription, and examined members, and instead of examined mem¬ 
bers “ exalting their horn,” as some of them had, they should be only too thankful to 
the founders of the Society Avho had provided for them an almost gratuitous education, 
and extend something of the liberality with Avhich they had been treated to their less 
fortunate brethren. The seven remonstrants from Peterborough—he supposed Peter- 
