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232
In early 1860, the tide of battle ebbed and flowed, with Hall
spearheading one group, Bedford the other.
Both the Ibyal Society and
the rechanics ' Institute were subj ected to its influence;
in the Royal
Society the conservatives were so deeply embedded that Hal l was fo rced to
retire in protest against its anti-liberalism; 8
in the Mechanics '
Institute, however, the lecture hall itself was the scene of battle.
Established initially for the improvement of the working classes or
mechanics , the Institute - drew on the more affluent, better educated,
official class for lecturers and managers to assist in its development ;
these , however, accustomed to wielding authority and power , were not
content with their given role, as the Mercury pointed out in its Leader
on March 1.
A conservative element has been somewhat offensively intruded
into an institution which in its very essence is of a
democratic character , and the interests of those for whose
especial benefit the Institute was originally formed have
been overlooked and neglected.
Faced with their own inevitable destruction, the working class members
united with the more progressive, sympathetic elements in joint opposition
to the conservatives .
With an Annual General Meeting for the election
of office-bearers impending, the Mercury warned on March 1 against any
further violence on the floor of the Institute which was already in a
state of disorder and confusion in a headlong flight to ruin.
It now remains to be seen whether those members , who have been
foremost in bringing about this not altogether cred itab le
state of affairs , have the temper and the abi lity to secure
for the Institute the remedy of such evils as really do exist ,
without annihilating the Institute .
Hall, w.h o was displaced as Vice-President by Mi lligan on
February 27, 1858, and was now the spokesman for the democratic group,
accepted the Mercury 's cha llenge by taking on March 2 the only possiQle
step open to those he represented, that of exposing to the Public the
underhand methods by which the elections were engineered in favour of the
conservative group .
It was a desperate effort which clearly depicted
and concentrated the deep bitterness and uncomprom ising hostility, both
personal and collective, which had slowly grown between the two rival
social groups .
Hostilities commenced the moment the meeting was declared open .
Immediately Hal l demanded that the list of those qualified to take part
in the proceedings be laid before the Chairman, so that no person might
8
Courier , January 18 , 1858.