Copying Book: Secretary's Letters, 1860 (page 225)

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My own impression is that the use of proxy
votes, at all, does more harm than good, by
giving encouragement to some designing or malicious
man to obtain a large number among a constitu-
ency so scattered, and overthrow or build up
as he chooses: and especially, it does harm by
leading members to send their proxy instead of
personally attending the meetings.

Before the year 1855, I am informed it was
not usual for a dozen persons to be present at
the annual meetings, and since then, with one excep-
tion, I doubt whether more than seventy five have
been present). I believe the number will not average
more than fifty voting members out of 3500
proprietors. Any device which would secure
the attendance of a larger number of persons ought to
be adopted by the Trustees -- whether by personal
notice, or regulating the manner of voting by proxy.

Of course proxy voting must be allowed, unless
an amendment of the Charter is obtained. If you
desire to restrict it, a certain definite time, as three
[missing word] six months, within which proxies shall be obtained
ought to be adopted. Then an acknowledgment before a
Justice of the Peace or other magistrate would probably se-
[cure?] some further restriction. But both, in my opinion,
will not prevent the operations of a malicious person:
[missing word], I think you will find that such mischievous works
[are?] generally brought within the span of one month.

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