The National Register. — London, England, 1816-07-15 00:00:00

182 MENDICITY. Tut: new Commission of Mendicity will effectually search and relieve the many places in and about this great metropolis, which are well known to the medical practi tioner, and the humane Christian; which are never free from infectious atmosphere--they become the resort of the most abject poverty. Numbers who never saw each other before,—who have nothing to lose, and are indif ferent hi life itself, are lodged in the same room or cellar, on terms which mendicity may always procure: many and different families reside on the f*IPI:` stair-ease, and several in the same room, without thy means uf cleanli ness ; and this want at last reduces them to the habit of not regarding it as an evil. The melitTatioa ofthis con dition of di ease and wretchedness must be gradual ; that it may be relieved is not to be doubted. Mach may hoped from Mr. Martin's exertions, la' has already done much towards it. The difficulty will arise from the mode of relief: if they are driven out of these pesti lential habitations, they carry their enntagion about with them ; and, while their bodies remain unwashed, and their clothing remains unburned, the consequences are fatal to ail who approach them, fresh from country air, or a wider and more salubrious place of residence ; these inhale an effluvia of which their organs are not sensible; but they receive a fever, the cause of which is never sus pected. Notwithstanding this melancholy view of some of our fellow -::matures, yet it is a filet that the scarcity in the winter of 1797 to 1800 produced a greater ameli oration to their condition ; for the price of labour was raised, which enabled those who were employed in ma nufactories to provide better means tier cleanliness, and to leave their former infectious abodes. Although the high price of labour and manufacture is to some productive of profligacy, yet it is not generally so : the ingenuity of a good workman will slacken and rink to indifference, if nut well encouraged ; and, if his wife and children live upon his skill, their share of his earnings arc more effectual towards preserving them in the very requisites which are above described : their con dition can be improved only by enabling them to acquire something more by their industry than is sufficient fur their immediate wants ; they then learn the value of mo ney, which at once teaches them economy—habits of order then succeed ; cleanliness supplies the place of pro fligacy ; and, as their children grow up, they have a desire to see them placed in some school for religious education, which effectually leads the ignorant parents to follow the example, and to cultivate the improvements of duty and regularity. Here religion holds out the best encourage ment, and the purest satisfaction. It is to be observed, that we only hear of those instances in whom high wages have preiuced as much irregularity as abject poverty— but we .10 not hear so frequently of the many who cherish the benefit ; who are enabled to clothe their children, as • well as themselves, decently ; and to procure for them the means of beneficial instruction, and to acquire virtuous habits :—these pass silently on the current of life ; but their number is far greater than that of the others. The new Commission will introduce themselves into many abodes of both sorts, and will find in their researches many opportunities of presenting to Parliament not only the evils and their wide extent, but also the remedies and cures; and while they are thus occupied, they will visit, with an unknown blessing, the rich and opulent ; for they will so effectually cleanse these abodes of poverty, as to prevent the means of infection from spreading in the works of the taylor, the sempstress:and the washing-wo man : at those seasons of the year when these abodes are more crowded than at others—when the danger is there fUre considerably increased, and an epidemic fever, mea sles, or small-pox, customarily return, we may anticipate the escape from the contagion which has so frequently ravaged the metropolis. The new Commission will do snore and better for us than the mere system of alms; the abodes of poverty are not always amended by money ; many a valuable life would be saved, if the benevolent visitor would send a plaistcrer, a chair-woman, or a gla zier, rather than a pound note. There is a solid reason why the opulent should, on any of these occounts, shrink from the duties of personal charity, fearing a too close in tercourse with those who have remained a long time in any unhealthy state of distress ; but they may readily find almoners who are more accustomed to breathe a tainted atmosphere, and whose benevolence is daily exerted in the walks of their most useful pmfession. Among the diseases of London, Dr. Willan says, that the scarlet-fever is most virulent in the months of October and Novem ber, and is most dangerous to infants on the 7th or Bth day : it is mildest during the summer months ; and thus, by the Commission, which will be probably in its active operations during this period, a large opportunity will be offered for the extension of beneficence in its most useful branches, and through hands the most faithful and capa ble of rendering it effectually serviceable. Methods for the extermination of these fatal diseases have not been undertaken, except for the small-pox ; and the abodes of filth and abject distress already mentioned, will remain as seeds for fresh fuel to these maladies, until either the active persuasion of the benevolent, and their actually paying the expcnce and costs occasioned by the needful cleansing, or the strong hand of legislative power, which would be a stretch beyond the limits of Magna ('harts, shall interpose, and teach the poor the comf o rts cf mere civilized life. A. 11. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. L.IIV INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF KINGS BENCH—SATURDAY, JULY 13. THE RING V. IBENNE'IT Ash OTHERS. This was an indictment founded on the statute of the 9th of Anne, charging the defendants, Bennett, Reynolds, and 11111 Harley, with having, on the 7th of February, 1815, unlawfully won at a sitting of a gentleman, named Grimes, upwards of 501. at the game of hazard. The prosecutor stated, that he was an officer in the Artillery Drivers ; and on the night of the 6th of February, or early on the morning of the Ith,having been dining with some friends, and being rather fresh, lie went to a well known iiiiminc-tionse in St. Jamests.str,et, where he met the it, fetisliorit•, with %demi he imedzed its the Ltaisie isfliazarsll; and tiro, in the early part of Vie evening, he eil a Oh Itcrineit, Io whom he lswt near sol. auil a bill of exchange Sro 1231. ; after thi• lieynsslsl• and Hill Darley, the other defend tut-, came in, unit lie eonUnued to clay, Reynolds taking the 'lice, and lust 5 001.; having put slows' another bill of exchange for 125111. iczaiost which the defendant Remold: placed Bennett; Dailey ticiug by, awl sas inv his %sould go part in the ginslc• lisai the prosecutor had list elfin. Res suilit• took the bill sst e•clainge and gave the witness th i s hal:o l i v e, ;soil. iu Miiik•tiotes. The wane. , continued to tilde, and sossn Iss•t the ,Ol I. al•so. At onetime he stiTeetell Raynolsl• wit, not tin owing tarry, iv+ be threw the main thirteen or fourteen tiiiie• rumline. Issas Fitch, the porter at the how.e in proved that the parties were play Me together 011 tilt 01011 iu question, that he changed the too hills ofexchange at the bank of Ale‘sis. Hopkins's, where they were payable. A witness named It:triter:Oko pros ed. that in a conversation whirls he hail with the defendant Dailey, , the ilet'endant told him that the defendants had won two bilk of exchange of Capt. Grimes: that he Ili-Arley had pi nava Miss out a , a g I subject, and that Bennett won the lust bill, though he did it in so birigliug a manner that any (me bust a foul have found him out ; that Reynolds was employed to win the Issue bill; and after they won ull the moue, they, that is Bennett, Reynolds and Dailey, went to the Shades, in Jenny u-street, where they divided the spoil. Mr. Gurney, on behalf of the defendants, took an objection in this rase ; namely, that the statute mentioned money and nut bank-notes ; that no money except in the form of bank-notes hail pa , seil in the present instance, namely. the 3011. given as the balance of the large bill, and afterwards won back attain ; and that in this case, bauk-uutes could nut be considered as 131011ey. ...... land I:llenhoroneh said he wrthd save the point. Mr. Gunsy then adalrcs:•ed the Coact in favour of Bennett ; and contended that there was no cs ideuce tat prove that h st as a party in playing for anotte ; and that with respeet to the first bill, it not tieing properly set forth in the indictment, no verdict could be taken upon it. Mr. kipankie anal Ma. Nolan addressed the Jury for Mr. Darby avail Mr. Hes mild+, anal runt, tided that the prosecutor's evidence was not sufficient to convict them. Lord F:llcithorough having summed up the evidence, the Jury found the defendants Guilty of winning to the amount of 5011. MONDAY, JULY N. DAVIES V. lIARGRAVE AND OTHERS. This was an action by the plaintiff, a gentleman residing at Scarborough, against the defendants, proprietors of the leek Herald, for a libel inserted by them in that paper, reflecting on the plaintiff's character. It ;appeared that the plaintiff, having occasion to be absent front Scarborough sonic time on business, on his return an application was made to him bar 31. for popes'. sates. Mr. Davies demanded a stamped receipt, which the Officer refnsing to give him, Mr. Davies himself got a stamp, drew up the receipt, and the Officer signed it; upon which Davies paid the money, and demanded twopence back as the price of the stamp. The Officer still retu•ing, Mr. Davies af terwards lodged en information in the Exchequer against the Overseer, which information was afterwards dismissed, on the Overseer paying . - 11. and costs of suit. Shortly after a state ment appeared in the defendants' Paper, detailing the CirClllll stances of this transaction, and observing, that it would scarcely be believed, that the sum demanded of Mr. Davis•s of 31. was made up of four quarterly rates of 15s. each, then due, and of which the Overseer had refrained from enforcing payment from civility to Mr. Davies during his absence. The paragraph then went on to state, that the information which Mr. Davies had preferred against Mr. Hutchinson, the Overseer, in the Exche quer, hail been discharged on his payment of costs of Snit ; and further, that such was the sense entertained by the inhabitants of Scarborough generally of this transaction, that at a vestry meeting subsequently held, a Resolution had been come to, de claring Mr. Davies's conduct litigious, nnneighbourly, and vexatious. This was the libel complained of by the plaintiff•. The defendants had put a justification upon their plea, and called evidence to prove, that at the time the 31. was demanded, four quarterly payments were due, and that it was not the prac• lice of the Overseers at Scarborough to give stamped receipts; and further, that the vestry had come to a subsequent resolu tion, expressive of their opinion as to the conduct of Mr. Davies, such as was stated in the publication in question ; and further and principally, that the proceedings in the Exchequer bad been dismissed, upon payment of costs only. It appeared, however, that the 51. paid into the Exchequer was paid as a mitigated penalty. His Lordship observed, that under these circumstances, the justification not being made out, the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict : it was for the Jury to say what damages they would give. The Jury, after a short consultation, found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages One Farthing. TUESDAY, JULY 9. BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE. wooTTon V. PEACE. The Attorney-General stated, that the plaintiff in this case was a widow woman, anent 40, and the defendant a gentleman, possessed of some property, about the name age. The plain. tiff's husband was a barge-builder, of sonic repute. He died about nine years ago; and leaving his widow with a family to support, her friends advised her to take a lonise, and fit it up for the ace datiou of gentlemen, as boarders. This she ac rordinglY did, and shout an inmate in her family. This he continued for several year ; and during that time he had the best oprortunity of observing her conduit, with which he was so well satisfied that he at last offered her his hand in marriage; a day was fixed ; he has taken measure of her finger tier the ring. and she had every rea son to believe her marriage was near taking place. She on one occasion proposed to give up her house an , ' est tblisl nt ; but this the defendant dissuaded her from doing, saying he should soon be master of it, and t. would then siieeced bett'•r than it ha•l lately done. At this time. however, lie was nay hoard:tit; with her, Out was a regular vistior three or foul t.iiies a tv , vk The plaintiff, however, obsei ring that his spirits were not so good as usual. enquired the reason; when lie acknowledged he was extremely unhappy on accoaut of having formed an int- JULY 15. proper connection with a female of lithe character. ately on hearing this, the plaintiff pointed out to bitn the im propriety there would be in deserting this unhappy young woman without making some provision fur her and the de. fendant then declare ti that he would instantly tweak off the connection, and allow the woman in question a guinea a week fur her support; and, iti fact, he afterwards assayed the plain tiff he had made this are angemsost ; but this assurance was a mere deception ; the connection in cpsestion continued up to this very day, and the consequence had been the breaking off the connection with the plaintiff. For the injury which the plain tiff had sustained, she now came to seek compensation at the hands of a Jury. The present was not a romantic. high co. loured ease, hot one in which the inane , e rre arrivret at an ace 'Atari, tell the' dekcidant less exensaltle than be - wileel4 have been in an earls ;cr. , . M chit tlei• statement he would lea% e tilt. C.ISP to the sober eunsirlr•ratiull of the J y, 1111011 the ( - vale - nee Ire wenl.l lay het', e them. . mr. (i,...11.1h• w at 101114i1ltril 14 Oh the plaintiff, alio keep , a hoarding-lions,. iu Ntahletlbo.place, Harton-crescent. Witne•• had hoarded in her house five years, the defeitilatit W. 1.1 there two or three year. before. The witness learnt about ear a=ZO• frOin the 11. - tendairt himself, HIV lit paid WS aillitt'SseS 10 the plaiotiti, in the way of marriage, but had newer hearii him fix a day. lii quilted the plaintiff's bonne a , out two rm.; a2O, mid for a short time discontinued hi. visits, hurt soon renewed them , tel came two or three times a week, ur oftener. These visits he emitiiiiied till within the last tarn month.. Lord filleoliormigh -Yon have heard the detindatit declare his intention to mar} the planitilf. %. tines , -I have, iiiy L.urd. Mr. Searlett- -My Lord, I :1111 for the defendant; myself anti the Attorney-General have coniiilted together, and I am con tent that a verdict should be taken for the plaintiff for 15.'1. A verdict WAS accordingly taken fur that MIDI and costs. 111rTH I. ► 0113:C7ER. The plaintiff in this case was proprietor of one of the board in -horses at Eton College, and the defendant a gentleman of rank and fortune, residing in IVorcestershire. The present action wa- brought to recover the sum of 8431. di. the amount of the plaintiff\ demand fur the eiipenres of board and rdne I lion for the defendant's %011% for two years, from December Isl 3. to December ($l3. The items were--two years hoard for three boys, at 110 guineas a year each, 6931.; allowance t servants, one guinea and a hairy - early for each young gentle man, amounting to Isl. lbs. for the two years; to Dr. licate, fur the two years, 271. 6-.; for pocket-money for two years, lid.; money advanced fur the young gentlemen's j nits home, .481. Is. There was also a charge of .4'l. Vis. fur a quarter's board for two of the young gentlemen, who had been remoted from the school without the regular notice being givi n. These items together arismuted to the sum of 8131. Us. The Rev. Mr. Drury. one of the Masters of Eton College, proved these the usual charges. There W.O no defence to the action, and the Jury Wand a verdict fur the plaintiff fur 8131. 6s.—costa 4Us. OLAND v. ►ITZROT. The plaintiff in this caw was a livery-stable keeper, and the defendant au officer in the army, son of Lord Charles Fczroy, and nephew to the Doke of Grafton. On the departure of Blionaparte from Ella, and his landing in France, the defend ant, being at that time it 4 England, was anxious iinim &barely to join his regiment, which was on the Continent ; and having previously purchased a horse and gig of the plaintiff, he glise his bill for the purchase. money, 911. On flue bill becoming due, however, it was ant paid, and the plaintiff was tinder the necessity of bringing the present action; to which the defend ant, as IA defence, set up the plea of infancy. To prove this fact, the steward of the Duke of Grafton was examined, who proved that Lord Charles Fitzroy was the father of the de fi•mFant. Lord Charles was married to Miss Munday in June 1795, and the present defendant was born in the May followitur. The certificate of the marriage of Lord Charles anti airs unday at St. George's, Hanover-square, on the %nth of June, 179.1, was put in, and also the register of the birth of their son Charles, the present defendant, which took place on the 10th of May, 1796, and therefore he will not be YI till the loth of May neat.---Upon this evidence the plaintiff was uonsuited. THUSISDAY, JULY 11. ADAMS O. LLIGH AND OTHERS. This was as action against the sheriffs for a false return of aria bona, upon a writ to levy execution on the goods of Lord Alvanley. The defence was, that the property had all been absorbed by pre t ions executions; but, before the case had proceeded to any length, it was agreed that a verdict should be taken for the plaintiff for 8001. subject to a reference; the sheriffs undertaking to produce to Cu.! arbitrator all the evidence in their power. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. WYATT G. GORE. This was nn action brought by Charles Perkin Wyatt, Esq. against Lieut.-General Gore, Governor of the Province of Up per Canada, for the publication of a fake and malicious libel, and for having suspended the plaintiff from his office as Sur veyor-General of the Crown Lands in that province, without any sufficient ground, whereby he sustained considerable da mage.—Verdict for plaintiff, 3001. damages. CAPTION TO THE LA VI ES.—Ladies who are accustomed to wear their dresses extremely low in the back and bosom, or off the shoulders, are particularly requested to beware of a person who has for some time past frequented all places of public amusement, and many private parties. He is an elderly gen tleman, of venerable appearance and correct manners his constant practice, when he observes a lady dressed in the man ner above described, is, with an almost imperceptible and ap parently accidental pressure of a little instrument which he carries in his hand, to imprint the following words upon her back or shoulders, Naked, a n d not oshu.iiid. The stain is like that produced by lunar-caustic ; washing will not remove it, and it becomes more visible by exposure to the air, so that no thing hut a coverile! can conceal it. It is said, that several lathes were marked last surruncr at various places of fashionable resort ; anti that they calm° , even now, "tripfor company, with. oit displaying this indelible bailee of disgrace. Faatins.—A banking-house in the city has reo:ntly met with con siderable losses from the fraudulent conduct of two of their clerks. One of them, after having elllbt'AZltA w the amount of med. disap. laared. This circumstance induced the house to be more upon the alert in iterutin:hing tile balances up .coy ni ; ;lit by tt.c clerks; when it was round, a few nights ago, :hat t: untle.suwal us orrect was en , irely h&c; and that tne of , e , aut 17t5.1. rt.erred to as in the pos.,-ssion of the house, had peen t. sea. away by the clerk, who had given in the falc statement. and thertk, i , ,posed upon the r it of his colleagues. On Tuesday morning, when h.e clerks were all at breakfast, the error in the balance was announced, .4. to Lurnaliate :nquiry into the affair was ortleroin but before ths inv , .44;ation WAS „one into, the ps•rsou who had purloined the money wide his escape front the house.