VOL. II. NEW SERIES. No. 4.] LONDON, APRIL 2, 1883.
Mr. REID'S Bill still stands for second reading on the 4th
of April, but our friends must not be disappointed if at the
last moment the pressure of business prevents it from being
brought forward. Should this be the case they must not be
discouraged, as every day the public feeling on our behalf
increases and the prospect of a favourable result when the divi-
sion takes place becomes more hopeful. Mr. Reid has been
most magnificently supported by the numbers of petitions
which have been presented, and our readers will see by the
returns on another page something of what has been done.
Up to the present date the total number of persons who have
signed presented petitions amounts to 16,565. Thousands
more are pouring in daily.
TO THE "Stranger" who happened to have secured a seat
to hear the debate on Mr. Anderson's Bill for the Amend-
ment of the Cruelty to Animals Act on the 7th ult., the
friendly feeling which was at once shown towards the member
for Glasgow and his measure, by the House of Commons, was
most encouraging. As the result proved, this pleasant
beginning was but the prelude to a still more inspiriting
division. By a majority of 155-the numbers were 195 for
the Bill, against 40 in favour of Sir H. Maxwell's Amendment
--the House decided that pigeon-shooting was not a legitimate
or defensible pastime, and ought to be put down. What a
change from last year, when the House turned its back on
the measure, and permitted a count-out to take place, thereby
causing it to be shelved for the session! So rapidly does
public opinion mature, however, when it is well and
judiciously led, that on the 7th ult., there was a good
attendance of members from the first, and by degrees there
grew up what was a remarkably full House for a Wednesday.
early in the debate, and when Sir Wm. Vernon Harcourt, the
Home Secretary, declared himself in favour of the
Bill, its success was, of course, decided. Our readers know
the result. Sir Herbert Maxwell's Amendment having been
disposed of, the formal motion that the Bill be read a second
time was agreed to without a division, so far as the clause
for the suppression of pigeon-shooting was concerned. There
will, no doubt, be regrets felt that the second clause of the
Bill, which was introduced mainly for the benefit of animals
kept in menageries, was not accepted. The words "animals
kept in confinement or captivity" which it contained, were
held to cover stags and other animals turned out for the
purpose of being hunted and retaken alive; and opinion, it
appears, is not yet ripe for the prohibitory step in that
direction. The suppression of pigeon-shooting, with all its
attendant barbarities, is now certain to be enacted. The Bill
in that behalf originated with the Victoria Street Society for
the Protection of Animals from Vivisection, and its passing
will encourage the members to entertain the liveliest hopes of
equal success with their principal measure at no distant date.
THE following appeared in the Standard two days after the
victory gained by Mr. Anderson for the Pigeon Match Bill in
the House of Commons :-
"We have reason to believe that the statement which was made
some time ago that the Princess of Wales would not again attend
any pigeon-shooting matches at Hurlingham, is thoroughly well
founded. The Princess, it is well known, acted on the suggestion
of a still more exalted personage; and the large majority by which
Mr. Anderson's Bill was carried on Wednesday has given the greatest
satisfaction in the highest quarters."
How often must every friend of humanity or pure morals
say from his heart: " "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, AND LONG
MAY SHE REIGN OVER HER LOVING PEOPLE!"
THE International Association which has done such vigo-
rous work for the Anti-Vivisection cause during a period of
nearly seven years, since its foundation in June, 1876, is,
we rejoice to believe, on the point of joining hands per-
manently with the Victoria Street Society, six months its
senior, with which it has long been co-operating in friendly
rivalry. We trust that in our next issue we shall be enabled
to announce the complete fusion of the two Societies, of
which the title will be The Victoria Street Society for the
Protection of Animals from Vivisection, united with the
International Association for the Total Suppression of
Vivisection. Lord Shaftesbury will be President of the
United Societies, and the office in Victoria Street will be the
sole central office, that in Cockspur Street being closed, and
other branch offices being opened as the work may authorise.
THE ZOOPHILIST will, of course, be thenceforth the organ
of the United Societies.
THE foundation of the first American Anti-vivisection
Society (announced in our Intelligence column), is a matter
of great importance. It is to be regretted that the devoted