The Press. — London, England, 1853-09-03 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 3, 1853. In 1847.8 the maximum number of indoor and outdoor paupers re lieved in Ireland was In 1848-9 In 1849-50 In 1850-51 In 1851-52 In 1852-53 Nor should it be supposed that the mini mum of pauperism has yet been reached. The fearful depopulation of 1817, though in other respects its traces are well-nigh effaeed, has left ono mark of its effects in the multi tude of children, who, rescued from death by private or public charity, are now maintained in their orphanage at the cost of the State. Of these children, both male and female, the number is at present about 60,000. Many have em i gra ted —many find employment at home, and in a few years the whole will have ceased to be a charge on the local revenues. One remarkable fact is, the change which may be observed in the time of year when destitu tion most prevails. In every year from '47 to 01, this was either the end of June or the be ginning of July. It is now February, and the season of greatest prosperity is, conversely, the month of October. The cause of this change is worth notice. Hitherto the difficulty has been to obtain employment in summer pre vious to the commencement of harvest. Hence distress and consequent pauperism. Now the demand for employment is full as great as the supply ; and of able-bodied paupers the num ber is proportionably diminished. But the unions have assumed a new character : " 7. The fact that the greatest amount of pauperism and the greatest degree of sickness now occur at the same season of the year is one of several indications which show that, as the proportion of the able-bodied and youth ful inmates declines, the workhouses of Ireland are assum ing, especially in large towns, the character of hospitals for the reception of destitute siok persons, whether stiftlw ing from sudden or acute sickness, chronic infirmity, oi• contagious disease ; and the connection now established between the Board of Guardians and the execution of the Medical Charities Act is certainly favourable to the deve lopment of this peculiar characteristic of the Irish poor-law." So far has the extension of this principle been carried that applications for admission are frequent in the case of persons not desti tute, or having relatives capable of supporting them. Some doubt arises as to the legality of such procedure—that doubt being intimated, but net solved, in the Commissioners Report. The decrease of expenditure is considerable. In '52 it amounted to 883,000/. ; in '5l to above 1,140,0001., showing a diminution much ex ceeding one-fifth. But this is not all ; for we have an estimate drawn up which includes all expenses of relief for the six months ending March 31, 1853, those months, namely, in which pauperism is usually at its height. This estimate gives a total of 399,0001., while the corresponding expenditure during the same period of 1858-52 exceeded 441,0001. We have, therefore, double proof that Irish pauperism is really, steadily, and rapidly diminishing One of the results of this depletion of the workhouses has been unfavourable to the labourer and favourable to the employer, who, however, halving borne the whole burden of poor relief, is well entitled to enjoy any advan tage which may indirectly accrue to him there from. Wages have not risen in proportion to the demand for work, that demand being sup plied by the inmates of the unions, without any pressure of competition among free labourers. It is, nevertheless, certain that the condition of the peasantry is improved ; and it need hardly be remarked, that greater continuity of employment, even without any rise in wages, is sufficient to account for such improvement. Of the 70,000 children still dependent on eleemosynary support, 22,000 are orphans, and 26,000 have lost one parent. Nearly 4,500 are illegitimate—an enorma—ts proportion. Every care is taken to educa.e these youths, and, if possible, to launch them early into the world, a step on which their whole prospects of future success often depend. The boy of twelve easily accommodates himself to the necessities of a new position ; the young man of eighteen, whose life has been spent in the monotonous labour, and more monotonous seclusion, of a workhouse, is helpless as a child when first THE PRESS. thrown, at nearly mature years, on his own unaided resources. Among the provinces of Ireland it is strange that Connaught—the least advanced, and, formerly, the most disturbed of any—has made the most rapid progress. Since April. 'sl—a period of two years—the paupers of Connaught have decreased from 42,000 to 17,000, or nearly 60 per cent. Munster pre sents the dark side of the picture, containing. in April last, more than one-half the entire pauperism of Ireland. On the whole, comparing this Report with those which have preceded it, and looking at the prospect which it offers for the future, we think that, notwithstanding social neglect, religious feuds, and legislative blunders, we may safely reckon on the increase of that prosperity which the Irish people have, almost for the first time, begun to enjoy. CAPITULAR REFORM. Orm of the most important bills which, in the general " slaughter of the innocents" at the end of a session, has just been consigned to the tomb of the recess, is the bill of Lord 131.ANDF'ORD for the regulation of eapitular pro perty. We do not, however, mean to speak of the property of eapitular bodies at present ; but a sense of duty to the Church, ,joined to an earnest desire to promote its efficiency, in duees us to speak of the present position of the cathedral bodies, of their importance as integral parts of the Chureh system, and of their proper purposes and value. We are quite certain that these questions must be looked at courageously, and discussed iu a wise and liberal spirit, by those who desire to preserve those establishments. To resolve upon leaving things "as they are " is simply to pass sentenee of destruetion on them. These establishments were originally founded, and received subsequent endow ments, for the most important purposes. They represented, and were, in fact, descended from, the " schools of the prophets ;" and were intended not only to be collections of learned ministers of the Church, but also to be " schools " for the instruction and roaring of the young for the office of clergymen. Schools will generally, if not always, be found attached to capitular bodies ; but the revolutions pro duced by ages in manners, society, and intelli gence—and, in particular, the revolution pro. duced in the matter of education—have ren. dered such capitular schools incapable of themselves to fit a student for the office of a clergyman. It is, however, greatly to be regretted that the proper business of the capitular bodies viz., the instruction of men in the knowledge and duties of the ministry—was ever lost sight of. These bodies existed for centuries before a university was thought of, but the universi. ties have gradually usurped their office ; and now, as a general rule, a candidate for orders is expected to have taken an academical de gree. We by no means wish to deny the advantages of a university education ; but we say this, that, if any person who wishes to take orders must be a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge, the Church ought to insist on a large diminution of the present expenses of a college education, As long as the present scale of expenses remains, the various Protes tant dissenting bodies will reap the advantage by gaining the services of men of ability, whose mediocrity of means shuts the doors of a university against them. Perhaps no ahem tion of system could now render the capitular establishments perfect substitutes for other education ; nor should wo wish that tho edu cation of the clergy should bo inferior to that of the best educated orders of men • but the cathedrals skauld be rendered auxiliary to the Universities; the process of education for the elem should be canied ua by them ; and we have no hesitation in laying that this educa tion ought to be se far efficient, that to have passed a course of cathedral instntetion cre ditably ought to be sufficient qualification to entitle a 111M1 to Prevent himself for orders to the Church. A rich person who is highly educated will of course fiend his son to the University, whethir he is intended ti►r the Church or not. Hut there are many men whose sere ices should nut I►u lost to the Church bemuse they have n►.t this advantage in their reach. And, with all our afreetiaill din• our old college, wo must admit that the University is not an ane.rrcp tionahle pla•e of preparation ti►r the ministry. We would suggest that every eapitular body slronld be made more immediately and etlec• Wolk benctieial than it now is, by having (slum duties attached to eve►•y stall. Eve►y dean and prebendary should be re►luired 10 preside over some department of ecelesiastieal education: every ono should be professor ► f some branch of learning. Courses of lectures should be regularly given, embracing all the subjects which it is accessary for a clergyman to understand, viz., the evidences, doctrines. history of the Church, &e. These lecture shoubi on no account be gratuitous ; but tiny should on no account be expensive. lf tht y are gratuitous, they will probably degenerate ; and if they are expensive, they will defeat their object. We would further suggest that erevy ►u►e who holds a living of a chapter should betequired to take Mon! or less part in thew lectures. awl in examinations of persons who attend them. At present, those who hold chapter livings have nothing whatever to do with the cathedr a l--an obvious and crying defect. Above all, the students at such schools should be practically t►mght the duty of visiting and rending to the poor and sick. Tow•, we cannot hell► thinking that, if our cathedral bodies were turned to such purposes As we have sketched, they would perform most iutl►ortt►t►t service, and be converted from being what they are too much at present—a splendid ►mminent—into firm 'imports and entontial bulwarks of the Church. lint the subject is so large that we must reserve what we have to say for future discussion. GUANO. To TILE Kl►lT►►lt " THE enEss." Sir,—Pcrhap►► the following information respeetiog guano okay be interesting U► your readers. In 1140 a gentleman came to England tOr the put'lN►se of pm curing pecuniary aid to enable him U► carry out a de. sign for growing sugar with free labour at Mergnie. lie, however , and niftily others with similar views, was foiled by Lord John Russell's pro slavery bill. I saw his estimate or cost, and, among other items, guano— whieh he repceset►ted to lir abundant an the Tenoseerint coast—was put down ut :Nis. per acre tor manure. Ilan this locality any relation to !dr. Caird's mys terious island between Mauritius and Calcutta? It certainly is not far from the direct track, and, us ships are daily passing near, it is to be hoped that some one of them will ascertain if the above state taunt be correct.—l am, sir, your most obedient ser vant, 11. C. IL Abbey-place, Aug. 19, 145:1. GREAT CONSERVATIVE BANQUET AT HALIFAX.-011 Tuesday, the 30th of Angt.st, the Conservatives of this good old town ;taro a semptuons dinner to the:r champion, Henry Edwards, Esq., who represented theta in the Parliament of Isl 7-1852, and so gal lantly fought their battle in the two subsequent elec tions. As a lasting testinu of their regard and attachment, they presented to him on this occasion a magnificent centrepiece of plate, executed by Messrs. iiarrard ft.r 1,000 guineas, the contribution of Isoo subscribers. About that number sat down to dinner in the ruling-school, which was admirably Mud up and decorated. At the north side there was an e levated platform for the principal guests at the era--; tattle ; anti along the >uutit side galleries were erected for 500 ladies. Geutv,e Haigh, Esq., pre sided, as chairman of the testimonial committee, and was supported by Henry Edwards, Esq., Lord Vis count Galway, Samuel Waterhouse, Esq., Mayor of Halifax, and several distinguished magistrates and members of Parliament. t 1 .- of a new position ; the young man of eighteen, whose life has been spent in the monotonous education ; nor should wo wish that the e count Galway, Samuel Waterhouse, Esq., Nla) or of labour, and more monotonous seclusion, of a cation of the clergy should bo inferior to that Halifax, and several distinguished magistrates and workhouse, is helpless as a child when first of the best educated orders of men but the members of Parliament. 11111111111111111111111111111111111M1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111