The Sun. — London, England, 1847-06-25 00:00:00

ago, at which a resolution was passed condemning the present poor-law, and an amendment proposed by Mr. Fergus O'Connor, to the effect that, in the opinion of the Working people, they would receive no redress either in or out of Parliament unless the charter became the law of the land, which was equivalent to universal suffrage. There was a large number of persons, moving in a higher walk of life, present, but. nevertheless, eight of ten of those present, held up their hands in favour of the amendment. What caused all this dissatisfaction ? Twenty years ago they heard nothing about the charter, but us the Reform Bill, for which the Whigs taught the people to cry, " the Bill and nothing but the Bill," de prived the people of their franchise, they thought it Would be well to give them some compensation, and they proposed the New Poor-law Bill ; but if the same feel log of dissatisfaction continued, the Government would find it a tar from easy matter to preserve the peace of the country. Year after year he had explained the grievance to the House, but still them and their peti tions had been treated with silent contempt ; and the same treatment which was pursued in the Andover union, also prevailed in other unions throughout the country. Why, it was only the other day that he was shown over a poor-house, which was stated to be a model—as a place in which the people were well fed and well treated—but he found that the rules of the Poor-law Commissioners were disre garded when the directors found the poor suffering from them, and that they had been complained of for doing so ; and it appeared that a gentleman was sent down by the Poor law Commissioners, who walked round the house but never entered it. No sportsman in Great Britain or Ireland would allow his dogs to be treated in the same way as the poor were treated under this law. Medical men, for instance, were paid fourpence for attending a case. He asked the Hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Wakley) if a medical man could properly perform his duties for a fee of fourpence or sixpence ? A medical man in his part of the country had told him that he could save a man's life with ease by giving him proper medicines, but that if he bad done so it would have cost him the whole of his S alary. Did they think that the poor would not brood over such cases—in their club-rooms, at their meetings, and in their shops ? He wished to have some pledge from the Government that the children of the poor would not be treated in the same way as at present, as it was now the practice to send children to the manufacturers, whenever they applied for them—a manufacturer was, for instance, in the habit of saying, " Send me the number you have, their ages, sex, health, and I will send a person to look at them ;" and he Would, no doubt, send an overlooker, who " took stock." They were, no doubt, taken to be " absorbed," for that was the term in the factories—children who had been reared in the open fields, and villages were taken from the union workhouses, to be destroyed in the manufacturing districts. But the Government, in the face of the opposition of the people, were prepared to carry the Bill by a large majority. He wished to know bow the Noble Lord, and the other Members of the Government could meet the people at the ensuing election, if they passed this Bill without Modifying any of the provisions of the old law. After saying that the Ten Hours' Bill had been carried by the agitation of the people, and that he had abstained from taking a part in an extensive agitation, which was proposed for the Whitsuntide holidays, on the ground that it would not be respectful to the Government, some of whom supported a Ten 'lours' Bill, he proceeded to say that he believed no man, with the exception of the Hon. Gentle man the Member for Finsbury, possessed more of the confidence of the people than he did, and yet, notwith standing all he had urged against the poor-law, no alte ration was to be made in it, and the only notice taken of his statements by the Noble Lord at the head of the Government was, that the statements which he had brought forward were unfounded. He repeated this ob servation of the Noble Lord to the 2,000 or 3,000 who comprised the meeting at the Crown and Anchor, and on bis calling upon them to say whether the statement was true or false, they all held up their hands in the affirma tive. That House, however, did not represent the people ; the Reform Bill deprived them of the franchise, and when the present freemen expired, instead of sending one hundred and twenty Members to that House they would not send one ; and when they bowed and scraped to them upon the hustings, they Would recollect that, at the close of the session a ques tion of the most vital importance to an immense mass of the people was brought before them, and that they re fused to redress the grievances of which they had com plained during the last 20 years—that the poor had still to walk forty miles to obtain relief, as the unions were still of an outrageous size ; that the pay to medical men for attending them when ill was at a rate which a man Would not pay for the treatment of his dogs ; that the aged and infirm were still driven into the workhouse when they sought relief ; and that their furniture was stolen from them, for he held that the compulsory sale of a poor man's furniture before he could receive relief from his union was nothing more than a theft, and that men were separated from their wives, and children from their Parents. How could they meet the electors and non electors? But did they think that a Parliament elected On the universal suffrage principle would pass such a measure as the one they were now discussing? The burden of the song of the Poor-law Commissioners to tlae rate-payers was " We have saved your money ;" but the Hon. Member for Finsbury had shown that the very co nverse„ had taken place. They saved it by starving t he poor to death, a fact which was recorded in the ver dicts of coroner's inquests, and if the verdicts of juries Were to be set at nought, they had better be given up, and the expense avoided, but they had proved that the Poor had been murdered by this law. Sir JOHN CAM. HOBHOUSE—By the order of the Co mmissioners? Mr. FERRAND—By the order of the Commissioners. ••"•e would give a case. fie attended a coroner's inquest , his neighbourhood upon a woman who was starved to death. He was present when the jury returned from Viewing the body, and in reply to the coroner, they stated that the deceased was a mere " bag of bones." The child of the dead mother could hardly give her evidence from the state of distress in which she had been plunged. She said she had gone to the relieving-officer, and that he had refused to afford her and her mother any assistance. The man Who was present admitted that this was so, and in the most insulting manner he put his hand into the pocket of a Sporting jacket, and producing a paper said," This is 43 ,Y authority." It stated that he should not pass out of boundary of his parish ; and this poor woman did not li ve more than twelve yards on the othe r s ide of the brook which terminated its bou ndar y . *Be verdict was that the woman was starved to death, , kli d he said that she was murdered. She had committed ;, e Offence, and yet because she lived a few yards from ;Lae boundary line, she was allowed to die from want of j ( 4 ° , (l . How long was this to continue ? How long was r ,„ --4 crying evil to continue ? If he used violent lan- Vtge, the treatment of which the poor had complained as also violent ; and he, for one, would never be a try to the oppression of the poor, and t hen ex p ect era to be loyal. Had not the poor cause to p ra y for a r evolution,_ whilst this treatment was inflicted up on them? 'tY change must be for the better for them. This Z i : ls the state of England, and he trusted that it would suffered no longer. Year by year it was growing *°r sek and he warned them to take care, for unless they t e dressed their grievances then they would have to redress ;pm after going through the horrors of a revolution. e Would, therefore, second the amendment proposed. „ Mr. ROEBUCK sa id th a t one would suppose that !ney were discussing the new poor-law, whereas they Were only discussing that portion of it which required certain number of gentlemen to form a commission for the administration of those laws. By the present System three gentlemen were appointed to carry the Act into effect, and by this measure it was proposed to substitute one acting commissioner, and certain nominal ..ommissioners, and the a c tin g commissione r was to have a seat, if he could g et it, in that House. The onl y Change they were discussing was as to the formation of t h e Board of Commissioners, and he asked what course 4 f discussion had been pursued by the Hon. Member t' Rinsbury, and the Hon. Me mber for Knaresborough. T he Honourable Member for Finsbury had dragged into Into the the principle of the who le law, and had entered the details and operation of that law which in its L ., - "`e,gral state was not before the Ilous e. With regard the charge which had been brought against the com "• ISsione rs , he did not think that ther e was an y cause of Co mplaint against them for adhering t oo strictl y to the ._ I SW itself, but for vacillation and fur yi eldin g too much i t 2 the p ressure from w i t h out, an d to the observations o f ° Press. Ch arges h a d been brought agai n s t those „g " en itnissioners in that House when they had no oppor !lillity of defending themselves ; and the most violent :ttltaks and strongest vituperation had been put into aeration again s t t h em . Under the new system th ese L a rges would no longer be made, for the answer would given on the instant. Those who read the accusation tWil eu I d , in the same paper, read the defence , a nd th 'eYtnous slander would no longer be sent to at e, Press to be published, as the most instant 0 ; immediate refutation would be given. He did ',complain of these charges, for, standing as he did i ti ge midst of that circle, governing, as it did, by its "nee, the whole world—the slightest accusation, ev en L the utterance of the greatest slander upon this sub 1,7 1 ,' , became so important, that they could not, and dared L! refuse to listen to it. lie would ask whether it was t r ie la ri taing in a Member of that assembly—a Member of b e , Commons of England—to assert that the people had g s , :4 murdered under this law, and to bring forward the which were not substantiated, which went forth _to World and increased the cry which was already fie - i n g? A charge had been made against a gentleman pe 40• e _ aging to a generous profession—a surgeon—of' an ° OO which approached nearly to murder, and certainly 141`.00unted to manslaughter. In the name of the Com hrts °f England, he demanded the name of the person 4 Q had so conducted himself? By Person the law of England, was required to give the relief that was vitired by all those who sought relief under its pro aoeTl. "If " the statement had been made that a per il not administered that relief to a dying person ieh the law compelled him to administer, why did not talne e4 °°- Gentleman, who was himself a magist rate, at b - talts cognizance of so gross a breach o f t he law. y ir s r statement equally s trong had been made lier t ;, ° lion- Member for K uares borough. The eir. th e a nees were flagrant, and the order of h ftv Poor-law Commissioners was stated to N 6 been brought forward in justification. et hop he had gone to the wrong overseer, considering hung er did not kill except by slow process, there the time for her to have gone to the right officer. But e re 11 ° 11 . Gentleman charged with murder the high h`2 Te ers of the Crown, a crime which was only less than i t leb treason. He would be amazed if shame, that feel °f 44 ingenuous bosom, did not rise at the assertion of ment stic ; ll callimnv. He would take one of the cases th"°°eLl by the Hon. Gentleman. lie told the House at ,pidda„ Woman near her accouchement had engaged a e g. a surgeon, and a nurse, but she was `hovered whil e a l one . Wh y , t h e ve ry description wed her to be no pauper, Dut the Honourable THE S Gentleman attributed the consequences all to the opera tion of the law. The law l—why it arose from that shame with which society had chosen to brand the woman who had yielded at a moment of temptation, and she refused under these circumstances to reveal the true circumstances of the case. This was a case which the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Wakley) quoted, to show the ill consequences that followed the bastardy clauses, which he said led to murders and great mise ries. But he (Mr. Roebuck) asked whether it was the law that led to child murder in any single instance. Was it not the shame with which society branded the crime ? The woman that was care less, that was insensible to shame; was just the person who would go into the house and make use of it.—(Mr. Walilev here intimated that the food was inferior.) Ile (Mr. Roebuck) did not know any class in the country who were subject to worse diet than the agricultural labourers of Dorsetahire. He pledged his word and his authority on that against the word of the Hon. Gentle man opposite. But the Hon. Member for Knaresborough seemed to have been startled at the word absorb. He seemed to have all sorts of fancies stirred by the word. Now what was the meaning of it ? Why, in some of the counties of England labourers were found not earn ing half sufficient to sustain life, and as in such a county, such as Lancashire, their might be a demand for labour, the guardians were at the expense of having the poor people removed to a sphere where they might earn 20s. or 30s. a week. That was what was meant by absorb ing ; but the Hon. Gentleman seemed to think that the guardians must have swallowed the poor people.— (Loughter.) The Hon. Member for Knaresborough, however, indulged in portraying an aged courple - of three score years and ten," who had gone into the workhouse, and were separated ; nor only so; but that on being detected talking to each other, were incar cerated for it as an offence. Now if this was not mere declamation. The lion. Gentleman ought to have traced out the case, and to have had it investigated be fore the country. But he feared that the Honourable Member was too much accustomed to indulge in declamation, perambulating an inflammable part of the country, perhaps with a view to rising upon the backs of the people to a high place in the Hosse of Commons. But, the last time he (Mr. Roebuck) heard of him, he understood the people of England were about to be rid of him—(Laughter)—that he was going to Dublin.—(Laughter,) Well, he must say to the Right Hon. Gentleman that, in the estimation of the sound- thinking people of this country, careless declamation, wild expressions, and infuriated boisterousness, were proofs either of insufficiency of intellect, or a want of the love of truth.—(Cheers.) Mr. FERRAND wished to explain. merely in refer ence to what had fallen from the Learned and Hon. Member, as to the right the surgeon had to b 3 paid out of the poor-rates, that the payment was so small that gentlemen could not attend to the cases. He then quoted from evidence taken before a Committee on the Poor-law, in 1834, when Mr. Guthrie said that the salary was so insignificant, that no person qualified to have the trust could attend to the sick, and any one who did attend them, did it merely to keep out an interloper. Mr. ROEBUCK explained: Mr. HENLEY said the statement that had been made by the Hon. Member for Bath was so much at variance with the truth that he felt bound to say a few words. The fact was, that the sum paid to the medical doctor, was for medicine and attendance. He thought her Majesty's Ministers were making important alterations in the law.—(Hear, hear.) Why, since the alteration of the law, any person who was acquainted with the subject, must know that child-murder had increased, and so great was the evil, that the Government were obliged to come forward and make an alteration in the law, giving the woman a remedy against the putative father; but the law, even with this alteration, was found to be wholly inoperative. He thought that the change in the law left what was vice entirely untouched. Captain PECHELL said he thought that they should know who were to fill up the places which were to be made vacant by this measure. But upon this subject the Government was entirely silent. The officers who wero to be dismissed, were to be discarded without any reason being assigned. He could not help expressing his sorrow that these poor-law offi cers, whose services had proved so valuable, should be so unceremoniously, and so unjustly treated. This aas particularly the case with respect to Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Parker. It was said of the latter gentleman that he was not fit for the public service. Was that conduct that should be pursued towards a gentleman, through whose means, in conjunction with the other gen tleman, most valuable information had been ob tained. lie hoped that the change would give the country men perfectly efficient, and who would be able to deal with parochial matters. If he voted against this Bill, however, it was not upon the ground of the dismissal of the poor-law officers, because he thought, after the evidence brought berOre the Andover Union Committee, that it would be impossible for any Government to retain these gentlemen in office. Mr. P. BORTHWICK said, if the Honourable Member for Bath were correct in his accusation of the Honourable Member for Knaresborough, that Honourable Member was slaying the slain. The Honourable Gentleman had said that complaints were not made against the Poor-law Commissioners for acting up to the strict letter of the law, but for allow ing themselves to be acted upon by other influences. The present Bill was brought in to remedy that evil, and he (Mr. Borthwick) thought that it would do so to a certain extent. The present proposed Bill would be a remedy in part, but he thought that it was neither so deep nor so comprehensive a one as the House had a right to expect upon this subject. The Bill did not at all affect the question of the law of settlement or the general tenor of the Bill itself, but merely referred to an alteration in the administration of the existing measure. lle thought that it was a question fairly to be raised that this Bill did not go far enough in apply ing a remedy to the existing grievances. It was a great evil that medical attendance in workhouses was supplied by contract, and that in that contract was included medicine. An Honourable Member had stated that a medical officer had declined giving proper remedies in a certain case, on the ground that if he were to give medicine in every case he would run through the whole of his property. If that fact were so no one could doubt that the medical officer had been guilty of a great crime, but how much more was to be attributed to the law which permited, and in a certain degree enforced, such harsh and inhuman measures. If the union entered into a contract for medical attendance and supplied the medicine itself, Mr. Borthwick) thought that this enormous evil would be obviated. He, him self, could give an instance of the cruelties under this law. In a country union, the name of which he would not give unless required, a labourer had maintained him self all his life. He was married and had one .child. The mother died, and the child was left with the father, who was afterwards compelled to go into the workhouse. The father fell ill in the workhouse and the aunt applied for admission. She was shifted from one person to another, until, at length, she found the father dead and the child dying, the child (who was nine years of age, never having been allowed to see her father in his last moments). These were the evils arising under this law, and he would only ask the House whether it was safe to allow their imaginations to be led away by the eloquence of the Honourable Member for Bath in support of a law under which such Acts as these could with safety be perpetrated, He, for one, could not rest until a proper and salutary altera tion of the present law had taken place. Mr. BANKES said that he thought it justice to dis cuss in that stage those clauses which he objected to in this Bill. Sir G. GREY said that they had not as yet been pro posed.--(Divide, divide.) Mr. BANKES said that he thought that this was the proper time. He should discuss the Bill, instance, as it stood, statin g th a t i t was not t h e Bil l hhe what referred to. He wish e d t o k now, i n t h e fi rst were the duties that he assigned to these Commissioners which they proposed to elect, and whether the Govern ment thought that the present was a proper time of the session to bring forward a motion of this importance. He argued the great difference between the proposed commissioners and the rresident of the Board of Con trol. In the one case the Government proposed to make the official a legislator, in the other he was no legislator —he made no laws. But this was the proposal by which the Government proposed to remedy the evils complained of. What he thought they ought to do was to increase the power of the local authorities, and to throw the responsibility on the president, then if error was found in the working they would know where to throw the blame. The Member for Bath was wrong, when he said the question was, whether this was a better system than the other ; that was not the question. It was whether they could found a third system better than both. The Bill had been near five months before the House. At the last hour they brought up new clauses, which they were to add as a rider to the Bill, and they wouldwere about to prevent him discussing .these. He pport the this day bring t amendment—that thed leave B thebe read Government third In fact it was for ward a better system in a new sessio r n. the time of the not, perhaps, worth the trouble o House to fight about it, for tilieauwy Government Bill, rnm haveentm n ight o , after all, as in the case of the t serious ionuost without intention hop topero thatceed h w is ith their t n o e n w l c v l o a u u l s d es b . e ace cE great, d e d i t m o , p a r n o d v e h m e e f n e t l t in n o nt the i e n ce Bill. t s h u a g l t g i t e e f s w t i h a o s g i t h t w o t h u l a d ? b t e he one,p res e a n n t d Bill h g a s o n f o essential that am e th nd e m eo e u n n t t o r n y t yv h a e s e e x n i t s i ti tl n e g d to a much better one, he would most certainly oppose the present.—(Divide, divide.) admCoinlistSelrißn'gritlhOelptiolorthlaowugwhatsthaant the unc o p n r e s s t i e t n u t ti e m n o a d l e on o e f He always obj ec t e d t o the system of centra lisation, on the. ground that l oca l governme nt was infinitely better. The present Bill proposed only to change two of th s e a Co e mmmoidse sioners, and p u t i n two f res h ones, just in th . e same as was adopted when he used to exhibit his humble person in the country dance, where he was called upon , " to change sides, down the middle, and back again.' There was nothing good in the present Bill, and he should certainly do his utmost to prevent its further pro gress. The Bill was a trickery Bill, a Government pa tronage Bill, an ad eaptandum Bill, a Bill meant for the hustings, and not to pass through the House ; it was a Bill proposing to amend the former one, but making it infinitely worse ; it was nothing more than a Govern ment shuffle, and he thought with the Hon. Member for Dersetshire, that the country had better put up with the present Bill than pass the proposed one for five years. The new Parliament might perhaps be able to propose some better Bill, but he did not know what sort of a Parliament the new one might be ; the present was, if he might be permitted to use the expression, " a very dirty one," and he really had his fears that the next one might be even still more " muddier." —(Laughter.) He should give his most hearty vote in favour of the motion for rejecting the Bill. Sir G. GREY said that he had stated upon several oc casions the principle of the Bill, which was, that of esta blishing a general system of superint en d ence over t h e country. LONDON, The House then divided, when there appeared— For the third reading lO5 Against it Majority —7o The Bill was then read a third time. Mr. SPOONER, then moved the following clauses:— Clause 19. Provided always, and be it declared and enacted, that no rule, order, or regulation of the Poor law Commissioners heretofore made, or hereafter to be made, prohibiting the granting of relief to any able bodied person, except within the workhouse or union, shall remain or continue in force or effect from and after the passing of this Act. Clause 20. And be it declared and enacted, that it shall not be lawful for the commissioners appointed under this Act to make or issue any rule, order, or regulation, prohibiting the granting of relief to any able-bodied person requiring the same, except eithiu the workhouses of the union. Clause 21. And be it declared and enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act, it shall be lawful for every board of guardians of the poor, and they are hereby respectively empowered and required, to set to work, out of the workhouse of the union, all such able-bodied persons as shall lawfully require relief from any parish within such union; and to grant such relief as to the said guardians of the poor shall seem fit, out of the workhouse of the union, to all such able-bodied persons so set to work as aforesaid. There was no one who had a nractical knowledge of the pauper system, but would say that their prisons were conducted on a far more liberal system, in point of food, clothing, and education than their work houses. lie would not detain the House at any greater length, bur, he must say that he objected to the labour test, as it was at present carried out, but more parti cularly so, as they were now arrived at the last week not of a session, but of a Parliament. The question was deserving of a much fuller consideration than they were now able to give it. The country had frequently spoken upon this subject, but their voices had not been heard in that House. He trusted, however, that the House would now do the people tardy justice.—(Hear.) Sir GEORGE GREY said, if the clause of the Hon. Gentleman were adopted, it would be tantamount to a repeal of the existieg poor-law ; and as it did not directly relate to the administration of the law, he could not consent to its introduction into the Bill. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to think that the workhouse test was introduced for the first time by the Act of 1833 ; but he begged to remind the Hon. Gentleman, that so far back as 1772, the principle was in operation in the country, and sanctioned by a Legislative enactment. If the Hon. Gentleman's clause were adopted, he was afraid it might have the effect of inducing the labourer to rely more upon support from the poor-rates than his own exertions, and that was another reason why be called upon the House not to agree to it. The Hon. Gentleman, in his warmth, spoke as if the order of the Poor-law ommis sioners 83 to the workhouse test, applied to the poor generally ; but he could assure the Hon. Gentleman and the House that it only applied to the able-bodied pear, and not to the aged and infirm. Under these cir cumstances, he trusted the House would not think it necessary to pass the Hon. Gentleman's clause.—(Hear.) Mr. BANKES said the present rule of the Poor-law Commission did not apply only to able-bodied persons, though the order to be established by the future Com missions might ; but the House would bear in mind that a long interval might elapse before the provisions of this Bill were carried into effect. Mr. B. FERRAND said he could state from his own knowledge that in the vast majority of the workhouses of this country the test was applied to the aged and infirm poor as well as to the able-bodied, but if the rule did not apply to the aged and infirm why not introduce a clause into the Bill that should remove all doubt upon the matter?—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. and Learned Gentleman the Member for Bath had thrown out some insinuations against him, and he called upon the lion. and Learned Gentleman if he had any regard for his own character to speak out boldly and tell the House what he meant, because he (Mr. Ferrand) denied that there was any foundation for the inuendos of the Honourable and Learned Gentleman. The House would remember that, on a for mer occasion, the Hon. and Learned Member sought for the protection of that House ; and ever since then the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had been making these attacks with impunity, under the protection of the House.— (Hear, hear.) He was prepared to give l i the name of the medical officer he had mentioned to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Department. When that medical officer gave him information, as to the cruelty and oppression of the poor-law, he told him that the cost of the drugs he had to provide for the poor exceeded the salary allowed him under the rules of the Poor law Commissioners. —(Hear, hear.) With regard also to the statement he made as to a woman being starved to death, he was prepared to give the name of the Coroner to the Right Hon. Gentleman, and to render him every assistance, if he were desirous of seeking further information upon the subject.—(Hear, hear.) After a few words from Sir C. BURRELL, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER appealed to those who had acted as guardians to bear him out that the statement of the Hon. Member for Knaresborough, that aged persons were forced into workhouses, was un founded.—(Hear.) He had acted as a guardian of the poor for several years—in fact since the law came into operation, and except under very special circumstances no person above sixty years of age had, in the union with which he was connected, been sent into the work house against his will. He had, it was true, ordered persons above sixty to be taken into the workhouse ; but the special circumstances of each case warranted him in doing so ; for instance, in order that they might obtain better care and attendance than they could out of the workhouse. Capt. PECHELL reminded the Right Hon. Baronet that the report of the Committee on the Andover Union stated that it was the custom in that union to make persons seeking relief perform a certain quantity of labour before they acceded to their request—whether in the shape of money or food—and that Committee was of opinion that such a system ought to be abolished, as it inflicted the utmost hardship upon the poor, and besides was an objectionable mode of applying the test. An instance occurred of a man com ing a distance of ten miles to seek relief, but he was not allowed to carry food home to his family until he had performed a certain quantity of work which had been assigned to him. He was sure this never was the inten tion of the law. Mr. WAKLEY repeated that old persons were forced in ;o the workhouses against their will, and that they were refused relief except in the house. Under the 27th clause of the Poor-law Act, infirm persons incapable of working who objected to enter the house, were to be maintained out of it; but in the face of this, old persons were refused relief except within the walls of the work house. He would relate an instance: an old man, wholly incapable of working for his living, applied to the guardians of his pariah for relief; ho was, however, re fused, unless he consented to come into the House. He went before the magistrate, and Mr. Waddington, the surgeon, afforded him temporary relief. He received out-door relief from his parish for a week, but at the expiration of that period, they refused to continue it. He returned to the magistrate, who told him that they could not furnish him with any more relief, and that his remedy was by action against the guardians. This was one of the cases, which, as soon as her Majesty Govern ment became Poor-law Commissioners he intended to bring before the House. Mr. CHRISTOPHER said he should support the amemdment. He said there were instances in which out-door relief was given to persons who were neither disabled nor infirm, and who were moreover under the age of sixty. This showed that one general unvarying rule could not be applied to all parts of the country, and that the Poor-law Commissioners and the boards of guardians should be invested with discretionary power. —(Hear, hear.) He hoped the Government would take the whole subject into their serious consideration, and in the next session remodel the law as he had pointed out. Mr. ETWALL said aged persons had been forced into the Andover workhouse in opposition to the law. Mr. SPOONER, explained. The gallery was then cleared, and the House divided, when there appeared— For the clauses . Against them .... 37 109 Majority against the clauses... 72 Lord G. BENTINCK moved that the House de now adjourn. Lord JOAN RUSSELL thought that was most un usual. They were near the end of a Bill, which the House had agreed to read a third time this night. But there were some amendments to be considered, which would not take long, arid he thought it was most unusual in the Noble Lord to move, before twelve o'clock, that the House do now adjourn. Mr. BANKES reminded the House they were to meet to-morrow at twelve o'clock. After a few words from Mr. Henley, Sir G. Grey, and Mr. Ferrand, Captain EGERTON said he thought it would be very unfair to adopt the course recommended by the Noble Lord, as it would interrupt public business. Colonel SIBTHORP thought this a very unreasonable motion. Lord G. BENTINCK having stated that he would withdraw his motion. Mr. BORTHWICK then moved the following clause: Provided always, and be it exacted, that when any two persons, being husband and wife, both of whom shall be above the age of sixty years, shall be received into any workhouse, in pursuance of the provisions of the said recited Act or of this Act, or of any rule, order, or regulation, of the commissioners appointed by au thority of this Act, such two persons shall not be com peller to live separate and apart from each other in such workhouse. Sir G. GREY thought the clause would be produc tive of very great inconvenience, and he could not accede to it. Mr. ROEBUCK entreated the Right Hon. Gentle man to give way. He was sure that two old persons who had passed their whole lives together felt the sepa ration as most painful. Sir G. GREY explained that the whole objection arose from the inconvenience in the case of the House being full. Mr. FERRAND and Mr. HUME hoped the clause might be passed. Mr. B. DENISON hoped the clause would not pass, as it would give the paupers tho se a d van t ages w hi c h th e y were not entitled to. Thcy must have a right thereby to claim a room by day and by night for themselves. Mr. BROTHERTON recollected that when he was an overseer several years ago, he saw an old couple very needy, whom he asked into the house. Why, said the old man, my old woman and I have lived together these forty years, and if we were separated now, it would break our hearts. He (Mr. Brotherton) thought the clause ought to pass. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK was surprised to see , his Hon. Friend who was returned for the West Riding of Yorkshire upon an Anti-Poor.law cry, resisting a proposition for mitigating the severity of the poor-law. FRIDAY_EYRNING, JUNE 25, 1847. His Hon. Friend told them that persons above sixty years of age were invariably relieved out of the work house. How small then would be the accommodation to be provided it this clause were agreed to.—(Hear, hear.) They knew very well that soldiers and their wives lived together in the same apartment, and therefore he thought there was not the slightest pretence for resisting this modifi,:ation of one of the severities of the law. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he believed the Poor -law Commissioners had endeavoured to embody the rule proposed by this clause; but, from the difficulties men tioned by the Hon. Gentleman the Member for the West Riding, it had not been fully carried out. If, however, it was thought desirable to introduce the matter into this Bill, he should have no objection to agree to the clause, provided words were introduced into it to place the discretion of putting it in force in the hands of the guardians. Mr. WAKLEY said the Hon. Gentleman the Member for the West Riding had given them the declaration of the chairman of the board, and that afforded the House a most decisive evidence of the impolicy of adopting the suggestion of the Noble Lord. He did earnestly entreat the Government to agree to this clause without altera tion, for he firmly believed that many of the aged poor had absolutely died of starvation, rather than go into the workhouse to be separated. Mr. HENLEY agreed in the view taken of this clause by the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Salford. Captain PECHELL did not see any difficulty at all in carrying out the arrangement proposed by the clause. Dr. BO WRING thought that it would not be right to leave this subject in the discretion of the boards of guardians. It was a point upon which the Legislature ought to decide. Mr. P. BORTHWICK hoped that the Noble Lord at the head of the Government would not object to the clause as it stood. Lord J. RUSSELL felt it his duty to propose his amendment. Mr. BANKES would be glad to see the Noble Lord leave the whole question of the poor•law in the discretion of the boards of guardians. Mr. ETWALL supported the clause as it originally stood. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, when there appeared— For the original clause 7O For the amendment 55 Majority in favour of the clause as originally proposed —ls On the motion that the clause be read a third time, Sir J. PAKINGTON opposed the clause; he did not anticipate anything but contusion from the operation of the clause. Mr. ELLICE supported the clause. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he wished to insert the words he had proposed, in the clause, in the same sense in which the existing rules of the Poor-law Commis sioners were interpreted. One of the provisions in the poor-law was to the effect that as it might be desirable, in some instances, to depart from the rules laid down for the government of workhouses with re spect to married couples, they should be at liberty to have a sleeping apartment set apart for them specially, and separate from the other paupers.—(Hear.) He, therefore, did not wish to throw upon the board of guar dians the odious task of making a selection as they were empowered to make such an order themselves, and to place it on their minutes, and to send it t o th e P oor -l aw Commissioners for confirmation. He wished to take away this necessity, but if the clause was to b e agree d to without such a limitation as the one he had proposed, he was not certain that it would have the humane effect which those who voted in the majority seemed to suppose. The Honourable Gentleman the Member for the West Riding had stated that the system would become most inconve nient where a number of persons were admitted. Then the guardians were empowered to say they would relieve them out of the workhouse ; but he was not sure that that was desirable in every: case. Married Per sons, of seventy years of age, without friends or relations might, for instance, find themselves more comfortable in a workhouse than out of it— (Hear, hear)—but when they were admitted those mar ried persons might demand a separate apartment. This, he was afraid, would be the effect of the clause as it stood ; but he did not think it would be desirable to take another division upon the clause, in order to amend it as he had in the first instance pointed out. Mr. S. WORTLEY did not see the difficulty which the Noble Lord pointed out, i as these aged marr i e d per sons might be either taken into the house, or have relief afforded to them out of it. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK explained that what he said was that married soldiers slept with their wives in the barracks. If there was any indecency in the work house with which the Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Pakington) was connected, it must arise from the bad management of the Hon. Baronet and his colleaguesin their directions ; he had known instances in which four or five married couples slept together in one room, in a barrack, and he never found that they were guilty of any indecency, or that they violated the rules of decorum.—(Laughter.) The clause was then read a third time. On the motion of ➢ir. ETWALL, the following clause H as agreed to:—That all meetings of boards of guardians be opened to the ratepayers of their respec tive unions. Sir GEORGE GREY said he had no objection to the insertion of the clause. Mr. \VAKLEY thanked the Right Hoe. Baronet for his ready acquiescence to this clause. The Right Hon. Baronet had done more service to the poor by adopting the clause, than he was probably aware of, and he (Mr. Wakley) was sure it would be productive of great good. After a few words from Mr. FERRAND and Mr. HUME the clause was agreed to. Mr. BANKES moved the insertion of a clause, pro viding that all the present rules and orders of the Poor law Commissioners should cease after the expiration of six months, and the same or others adopted upon the re sponsibility of the new officers. Sir G. GREY opposed this clause. Mr. 11UME said he thought it was not right to inter fere with the operation of the new commissioners in the manner proposed. Alter a few words from Mr. SPOONER, who sup ported the clause, Lord J. RUSSELL said it was the intention of the new commissioners immediately to consolidate the exist ing orders and rules. Mr. FERRAND said if that were so, they ought to know who the new commissioners were. Some time ought certainly to be named when they should become responsible for the new rules and orders that might be issued from the offices of the Poor-law Commissioners. Mr. HINLEY thought, with the Hon. Member for Birmingham, that the House should have some seourity for the consolidation of these rules. The gallery was then cleared, and the House divided when there appeared— For the clause 35 Against it 7l Majority against it —36 Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved the insertion of a clause to the effect that the appointment of the President and Secretary should be vested in the Crown, and the salary mentioned in the Bill. After a few words from Sir G. GREY, The House divided, when there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majority against it —39 Mr. WAKLEY moved an amendment limiting the Bill to one year. Colonel SIBTHORP hoped, if this amendment was carried, that no salaries would be allowed these com missioners during that year.—(Laughter.) Too much money had been spent already on the poor-law. Sir GEORGF GREY reminded the House that this amendment had already been before them and nega tived, and thought it was unnecessary to divide upon it again. After a few observations from Mr. HuME and Mr. SPOONER, Mr. DUNCOMBE begged to know what the salary of the president was to be ? The CHANCELLOR forhat question of the EX w C o d turn ECiER to morrow night, w h en th e est i mates f o r the Poor-l aw Commission e r s wou ld come on w i th the fi rs t vote. U rn_ up said, the opportunity Mr. BANKES said by that time the Bill would have passed. It was, therefore, desirous that they should know now what the salary will be. After a few words from Mr. FERRAND, Mr. lIUDSON said he would move the adjournment of the House unless Government would disclose what would be the probable expense of carrying out this Bill. Lord J. RUSSELL said the Goverment would be prepared to state to-day what the salaries would be, and then would be the proper time to discuss them. Lord Ingestre, Lord G. Bentinck, and Mr. T. Dun combo contended that the passing of the Bill ought to be postponed till the salaries are disclosed. Lord J. RUSSELL said there would be no increase upon the expense of the present Commission. The House then divided, when there appeared_. For the motion Against it 7l Majority ........ 45 The Bill was then passed. THREATENING LETTERS BILL. This Bill was read a third time. REMOVAL OF THE POOR. Mr. BODKIN obtained leave to bring in a Bill to ameed the Act 9 and 10 Vict., c. 66, for amending the laws relating to the removal of the poor. The Tithe Commutation Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. MONAHAN obtained leave to bring in a Bill to limit the time for taking the poll at elections of Members to serve in Parliament for counties of cities, counties of towns and boroughs in Ireland, and for the University of orders of the day were then di sposed of, Tiie Dublin. and the House adjourned at Half-past Two o'clock. We are enabled to state, on the best authority, that Lord John Russell, Mr. Patteson, Sir George Larpent, Bart., and Baron Lionel Rothschild will seve rally stand for the representation of the city of London at the ensuing election. As Mr. Masterman and Mr. Aid. Johnson, late Lord Mayor, are to come forward in the Conservative interest, we may expect a keen contest for the first city in the word. Doubts are expressed whether Baron Rothschild could take his seat, in the event of his being returned. There can be no question that he could vote in the election of a Speaker, as that ceremony takes place before the oath is administered. Whether, as in the case of Mr. Pease, the Quaker Member, the usual oath would be dispensed with on Baron Rothschild's being sworn, it is impossible to say. But there can be no doubt that, should he be returned for the City, the question of the Jewish disabilities will be brought for- ward under circumstances which can hardly fail to pave the way for their removal. The result of the coming contest for the City will be looked forward to with great interest.—Advertiser. THE LATE DR. LYNCH. We gave a prominent place, in our columns of Satur day, to a communication from one of the first medical authorities in this country, on the progress of epidemic disease in the metropolis. Yesterday we re corded the death, at the early age of 38, and after a few hours' illness, of one of the ablest and most energetic advocates of sanatory reform, Dr. Lynch, of Farringdon street. The cause of death was inflammation of the throat, which, from the accounts we have received, we conclude to have been of an endemic character, or at least to have been aggravated by the tendency which at present exists in the atmosphere to generate affections of that nature. In ordinary years they are not commonly dangerous, unless to delicate females, or persons of ad vanced age. But during the past year the bills of mor tality have shown a large increase of deaths from this class of diseases, amounting to nearly double the' ordi nary proportion. The last quarterly returns of the Registrar-General state, that "in the summer of 1846 the mortality was greater than it had been in any quar ter of the last seven years ; and in the last winter quar ter, ending March 31, 1847, no less than 56,105 persons diefon the districts•which make the returns; a number greate7 than has been registered in any corresponding quar ter, and 6,035 (or nearly 11 per cent.) above the cor rected average." In the next paragraph the report pro ceeds—" the registrars in their notes ascribe the in creased mortality generally to inflammation of the lungs and air tubes, to typhus, and other diseases, and to the effects of cold upon the aged ;" inflammation of the lungs and throat being placed foremost among the ag gravating causes. We notice this case, not only to tes tify our regret for the untimely loss of an indefatigable worker in the cause of sanatory reform, but likewise because the most determined effort yet made to awaken the City authorities to a sense of the awful respon sibility they are incurring, by a neglect of the sana tory condition of the City, was duo to the exertions, and sustained by the professional testimony of Dr. Lynch. It is precisely a month (25th May) since the churchwardens of St. Bride's, St. Dunstan's, and other parishes in the ward of Farringdon Without, gentlemen who, as they stated, had personally inspected the dwellings of the poor, waited on the Lord Mayor, to re present the awful condition of that " worst of the thirty six metropolitan districts." Dr. Lynch was the spokes man on the part of the churchwardens; and we know no document containing a more powerful and comprehensive statement of the sanatory condition of the City, and the dangers resulting from its present state, than the elo quent address which he delivered on that occasion. A brief abstract of it appeared in our next day's publica tion ;. but we are not aware that a full report of it has been published in a separate form—an omission on the part of those more immediately concerned which is much to be regretted. N ow, not a month has elapsed, and this eloquent denouncer of City filth and City negli gence is struck down by the invisible enemy whose for midable presence he denounced. The cause of his death might be summed up in one of his own expres sive sentences on the occasion referred to, that amid atmospheric influences such as he described, "the most simple diseases become malignant." The petition which these churchwardens of the parishes comprised in the ward of Farringdon Without put up to the City authority was lucid enough, and easy of execution. In the words of Dr. Lynch, " they en treated his Lordship to name an early day for the consi deration of the public health, included in the memorial of the ward, urging the Corporation to adopt sanatory measures for the benefit of the poor." (And just in the same proportion, we conceive, for the benefit of the rich; and the latter, we may hint to the worthy church wardens, being an argumentum ad hominem, is likely to be not the least effective with corporators.) Dr. Lynch continued, " The gentlemen of the inquest"—(an appro priate term that; for what was the scrutiny into the filth of their neighbourhood, which at such peril to themselves these gentlemen carried out, but a coroner's inquest on the wholesale murders, committed, say at the rate of 100,000 per annum, by persons in authority, from Lord Morpeth down to the Lord Mayor, and from the Lord Mayor down to refractory dustmen, who refuse to cleanse the out-offices of the poor, unless they treat them to extra drink—who know their duty, bat will not do it?)—" suggest to his Lordship the propriety of calling a Common Council, as soon as possible, to apply to Parliament for a short Bill, empower ing the City authorities to enforce the abolition of cess-pools, and other nuisances which were of mortal injury to the community, to compel landlords to trap and open the drains of every house into the sewer, and to appoint an inspector to take care that this law was enforced. They indulge the hope that the Govern ment will render every facility in the laudable endeavour to accomplish such good." After further details of the peril that was daily incurring, and of the precautions taken at Liverpool and elsewhere, the appeal continued— " every precautionary measure which science can sug guest ought to be had recourse to, to prevent the spread of such an appalling calamity amongst us. To delay, in such a moment of imminent danger, would be criminal in difference to the safety of society." Alas !it was easy for him who uttered these powerful appeals to the authorities to indulge in hopes ; but it is the reverse of easy to make any real impression —any impression that will induce to action—on Lord Mayors or Lords Com missioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests. The Common Council have taken, so far as we are aware, no steps like those so impressively urged upon them. They have asked for no " short Bill." On the contrary, they and the great majority of their class, intra-mural and extra-mural, in the Mansion-house and in Marylebone, have protested against all sanatory measures, long and short, that threatened to " Molest the ancient solitary reign" of immemorial uncleanliness. Perhaps, however, the City authorities, though they heeded not the voice of the living, will pause at the mute appeal which is made by the dead to their better sympathies as well as their fears. Dr. Lynch, by virtue of his political activity, as well as his professional skill, enjoyed considerable popularity, if not with the immediate authorities of that Corporation whose abuses, as well as all other social evils, he sought to reform, at least with great numbers among the most influential and respectable of his fellow-citizens. It is strange, however, if anything connected with this subject could be strange, that Lord Morpeth, in ascertaining what the wishes of the City were as to the measures which he had brought forward, did not apparently make any account of this appeal, publicly addressed to the City authorities by the churchwardens of a whole group of parishes in the most crowded part of the City. Surely this one voice, uttered, and by parish authorities too, in behalf of the stifled, poisoned poor, had a better right to strengthen his Lordship's wavering purposes than the minatory growls of these aldermanic dogs-in-the-manger, who will neither wash themselves nor let other people wash them, ought to have had to wring from him concessions which in his heart he knows to be not only weaknesses on his part, but actual sins, which, ere the year is over, most probably thousands of his fellow-subjects will have to expiate with their lives.— Chronicle. CHARGE OF FRAUD AGAINST THE MAYOR OF LIMERICK.—The Limerick Reporter contains the follow. ing extraordinary statement:—" By order of the Go vernment informations were exhibited before the bench of petty session in this city on Friday, against Thomas Walnutt, Esq., mayor of this city, as one of the firm of Stein and Co., for having defrauded the finance commit tee by substituting a different description of Indian corn for that sent to their mill to be ground. The facts are already before the readers of this journal. They are briefly these:—Mr. Walnutt is charged with having ab stracted a portion of the sound corn, and substituting in its stead, and mixing with the remainder, unsound and damaged Indian meal of his own. The informations in clude those of the Messrs. Stein, the other two partn e r s of the firm. Mr. Walnutt h a d left town on the previous day, and we believe has not yet returned. This is a sad h is ow blow, own, that the mayor trust for the will b charactera able to vindicate himself Limerick,and for himself at the assizes. It seems strange that he should wise b e i so t eu h ti e nt h o ve n i r l tt y ruaen m so e a cf m ht b ii os e n r o, ffi o tc f heo. t ,u h , g e h fi s r o m n i w n h e o h k e nn engage w y a g eadn other thing . aeionkptiyoneorgtuillt FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CROYDON RAILWAY.— An accident of a very distressing nature occurred near the Anerley "Station of the above railway, at about a quarter before six o'clock last evening. The Anerley Tavern and Tea Gardens form a picturesque object on the right of the Croydon Railway. They are tenanted by Mr. Buckmaster. The son of this gentleman is the victim of the unfortunate occurrence, and the manner in which the accident took place may be thus briefly de tailed :—lt appears that Mr. Buckmaster holds some land lei t go l i fin e esml. d s aA. o n n wte on the opposite side of the railway to that on which the tavern is situate. On this land some labourers were em ypr:lietadlyrwes. ad. beforey. fr yesterdaysuperintending ietuhnei unfortunate ra h tvtu a eh y nre Buck master, a remarkably fine young man, aged only nineteen a m :: mentioned the deceased was in the act of crossing the clearp i lot t e hne gine on its way to town passed the stationatrapid a pace, line he was struck by the off buffer and thrown a distance of several yards, falling with great violence on the back of his head, and fracturing his seull to a frightful extent. The accident was observed by the driver of the engine, who immediately brought up, and, assistance having been procured, the deceased, who still breathed, was placed on a truck and brought immediately to the London-bridge terminus, whence he was removed on a stretcher to Guy's Hospital. Mr.. S. Abershaw, the house-surgeon, on making an examination, at once pro- 1 nounced the unfortunate man to be quite dead. ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON THE BISHOPSTOSE AND 1 SALISBURY BRANCH OF THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAIL WAY.--WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23.—This morning a ponde rous mass of earth suddenly gave . way about a quarter past nine, at the clay cutting within three miles of Salis bury, burying several of the labourers 'there at work. Two of the poor unfortunate workmen were some time before they were extricated. When they were got out, both were found to be dreadfully crushed, blood flowing from their mouths, nostrils, &c.; they were placed in a truck, and taken to the Infirmary at Salisbury, where, on being examined by the surgeons, one was found with a dislocated ancle, and the other with his knee cap forced from its socket, besides other external injuries. It is hoped that they have not suffered internally se much as was first feared. Fortunately, there being many men at work on the spot, their united exertions rescued the poor fellows before they were suffocated. This is the unfortunate cutting where so many accidents have occurred during the progress of the works for the South-Viiestern Company, although the utmost care is taken to prevent such happening. Tag WATERLOO DINNER.—We regret to find that Major-General Sir Alexander Cameron, K.C.8., Colonel of the 74th Highlanders, was unable to attend this festi val from severe illness. The gallant General came every year from his seat in the Highlands expressly to join where his distinguished friends in the commemoration of the glorious victory. Sir Alexander served with marked distinction in Egypt and throughout the Peninsula cam paign, and at Waterloo, with the Rifle Brigade, . hs was very severely wounded.—Observer. when enl could Mr.a hour ab ov LITERATURE. THE POETICAL LANGUAGE of FLOWERS. By Thomas Beautiful Annuals, and Keepsakes, and Drawing room Scrap-books, we have seen in abundance, but a little volume more dainty in its conception, more exquisite in its embellishment, more delicate in its binding, or more, unaffectedly poetical, and natural, and graceful in its literary contents, we cannot call to our remembrance. Thomas Miller has recounted his Pilgrimage of Lore with a heart alive to tha sweets and glories of that Nature which he has so often apostrophised in verse. Herrick yearned over the blossoms of the ield, and so does Miler. Burns sighed for the daisy " crushed- amang the scour,'.' and cried out, as if in the sorrow of his soul— " To save thee now is past my power, Thou bonny gem ! ' _ _ Miller would have leaned over the shafts of his plough as pensively had he been a working farmer. Perdita laments in the Winter's Tale— " 0 Proserpina, Fur the flowers now that, frighted, thou let'st fall From Dis's waggon ! Daffodils, That come before the swallow dares, and take The winds of March with beauty ; violets dim, But sweeter than the lids of Juuo's eyes, Or Cytherea's breath ; pale primroses That die unma rr i e d e ' er t h ey can behold Bright Phcebus in his strength ; bold ox-lips and The crown-imperial ; lilies of all kinds, The fleur-de-lis being one ! 0 these we lack ! " Thomas Miller would have sympathised with Perdita, and he would have hearkened tenderly to the mad song of Ophelia—" There's fennel for you, ' and columbines :—there's rue for you, and here's some for me." - Robert Nicoll in a similar strain, though not so melancholy withal, carolled thus of the wild flowers— " Beautiful children of the woods and fields! That bloom by mountain streamlets 'mid the heather, Or into clusters 'neath the hazel gather— Or where by hoary rocks you make your bields, And sweetly flourish on through summer weather— / love you all r Those words we feel are echoed in the heart of Thomas Miller. So earnest indeed is the affection of our author for flowers that we suspect he draws from them a subtle philosophy, such a philosophy as that of Herrick when he lamented to the daffodils— " We die, As your hours do ; and dry Away Like to the summer's rain, Or as the pearls of morning dew, Ne'er to be found again." Finding sermons not in stones, or books in the running brooks but in the green leaves and the young buds, we can fancy the joy poor Thomas Miller had before his eyes failed him and he grew blind, in wandering through the lanes and among the brambles, seeing may-be the sweet verse of Bryant realised— " When beechen buds begin to swell, And woods the blue -bird's warble know The yellow violet's modest bell Peeps from the last year's leaves below." Stumbling now about the meadows he might think like Thomas Campbell of the days— " When daisies and buttercups gladdened his sight, Like treasures of silver and gold." As the utterance of the author's love of flowers, this book is touching and grateful to us; the thoughts it contains have a perfume about them of poetry. And of the graceful manner in which Thomas Miller defines the origin of the symbolic language of his favourite blossoms we cannot speak too highly. Here is one description :—tracing the attributes of humility to " broom, of constancy to " blue-bells," of purity to " water-lilies," and of remembrance to " rose mary." " Who can tell what sad feelings hung about the heart of the fair Saxon Princess Rowena, when standing in the twilight on the broom-covered steep hill side, she saw from the distance the fires kindled by the hands of the desolating Dane, and beheld the flames which devoured the home of her childhood reddening the evening sky ? It might be, that whilst she found a couch amongst the waving gold of the wild, surrounded by her houseless attendants, and pillowed her beautiful head upon the broom, she selected it as the emblem of humility. And when she saw the waving blue-bells spring up on the very spot where the stormy sea-kings had encamped, where the tide of battle had raged, and swollen and subsided, leaving no other trace of its course than the silent ridges which had heaved up over the dead. She selected the blue-cupped flower as the true image of constancy, which, though crushed, and bruised, and buried, for saketh not the chosen spot where its beauty first bloomed. That, when she sat mournful beside the moorland lake, wearied through carrying water to quench the thirst of the brave Saxons, who had been wounded in battle, she saw the pale water-lilies sleeping upon their darkgreen velvet leaves, spotless as the clear ele ment upon which they floated, and leaving no vestige of the gross earth from which they sprung ; and she thought how the heart of a woman, ennobled by virtuous deeds, might become so purified that, if looked into by the eye of an angel, he could not discover within either blot, or blemish, nor aught that varied from his own divinity but the fond humanity of love. Musing, she might conjure up some grey old Saxon abbey, nestling amid the silence of a green sequestered valley, with its quiet graves, around which the rosemary grew, hal lowed the more in its remembrance through having been brought by holy men across the pathless sea ; and she might think that, even as that plant put forth its flowers in the dead midnight of winter, so through the deep clouds which hung over and darkened hernative land the morning of peace might yet break, and see many a ' battle-field again overgrown with flowers." The plates, drawn and coloured by James An drews, are exquisite compositions ; they cannot be mentioned in language of too much eulogium. From the frontispiece—a dainty conceit, expressive en tirely of the purport of the volume, being a sketch of the antique group of Cupid and Psyche exchanging the hymeneal kiss, and partially concealed in a maze of honeysuckles, blue-bells, lilies and roses—down to the final embellishment—a bunch, consisting of the crocus, the pimpernel, the Lancaster rose and the cowslip, and representing the sentiment, " Your youthfulness causes me to fear that you may change : once united I shall be no longer pensive"—every line has a graceful truth, every hue is brilliant as in na ture. For the satisfaction of our lady-readers, we will catalogue a few of the most usual flowers in our parte Tres and orchards, so that, without having robbed the book in any flagrant manner through our columns, they may be enabled to talk very prettily without speaking when roving in their gardens, or when strolling through the meadows "when the bloom is on the rye." Apple-blossom Preference Apricot-blossom Doubt Balsam Impatience Bindweed Insinuation Bramble Envy Buttercup Ingratitude Canterbury Bell Coastancy Convolvulus Repose Cowslip..... Pensiveness Crocus Youthfulness Daisy Dandelion Foresight Eglantine or sweet-briar Poetry Fuchsia Taste Harebell Happy retirement Heath Solitude Ivy Friendship Jasmine Amiableness Jonquil Desire Lilac First emotions of love Lily of the Valley Return of happiness Marigold Grief or pain Mignionette Unconscious beauty Myrtle Love Nettle Cruelty Orange Blossom Chastity Pansy Thought Pimpernel Assignation Primrose Forsaken Rose Beauty Rosebud, Moss Confession of love Snapdragon Refusal Snowdrop Youthful hope Sweetpea Pleasure Tulip Declaration of love Violet, Blue Modesty Violet, White Candour Wallflower Fidelity in misfortune Wild Plum Blossom lndependence Withered Leaves Sadness Yellow Day Lily Coquetry Knowing these rudiments in the science of the symbolism of flowers, it may become a question at law possibly whether the presentation of a particular nosegay does not render a man liable to an action for " breach of promise," especially if the nosegay should consist of myrtle, a moss rosebud, a white violet, a snowdrop, and a tulip. It may become a question, again, whether a scrap of pimpernel may not signify " half-past seven in the Temple Garden ;" or whe ther a presentation of ivy, retorted by a sprig of fuchsia, may not justify the offering of a yellow day lily ? This charming volume by Thomas Miller is suggestive of a multitude of similar conjectures. As a pocket companion in the green fields, as a favourite decoration of the boudoir, as the resource of continual amusement, this book, explanatory of the " Language of Flowers," is one of the gems of the season. BRITISH AND FOREIGN ScuooLs.--Yesterday the fortieth annual examination of the boys (GOO in number) educated in the above schools, was held in the School. house, in the Borough-road, St. George's, Southwark, the Earl of Chichester in the chair. There was a nume rous assemblage of ladies and gentlemen present, amongst whom were Lord and Lady Ebrington, S. Gur ney, Esq., and many popular friends to the promotion of education. The Noble Chairman briefly addressed the meeting, expressive of his continued attachment and approval of the system of education pursued in the esta blishment. The examination of tho younger classes in prose and verse, and the higher classes in geography, map drawing, general history, menta l a rithmetic, d their speci mens (500 in number) of figure and other i drawings, was o f the most satisfactory nature , and ei cited th e warm approbation of the N o bl e Chairman . those present. Th e p roce edings closed with sin g ing several pieces of m usic on litillah's system, and wh i ch were admirably executed. !X COURT CIRCULAR - I The Queen held a Court yestirday erten:l9o l l- ingham Palace. Count de St. Aulaire, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from his Majesty the King of the French, bad an audience of her Majesty, on his return to his Embassy at the BritiSh Court. His Excellency was introduced by Visehint 'Palmerston, G.C.8., her Majesty's Principal See'retary of State for Foreign M ajesty Affairs, and concluated:DrColcinel the Hon. Sir. Edward Cus t, K.C.H., hie - 's Master of the Ceremonies. The Queen was attended by L or i Byron, Lord in Waiting, and Admiral Sir Edward Codrington, Groom in Waiting. Viscount Palmerston had an audience of her Majesty yesterday. The Queen and Prince Albert visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday; at Marlborough House. The Equerries in Waiting, Lord Alfred Paget and Colonel Bouverie attended on horseback. Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough House ; the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House ; and the Duke and Duchess of Cain brid;:e, at Cambricl- e, Home. Their Royal llighnesses the Duchesss or Gloucester and the Duke of Cambridge visited their Majesties the Kire;. and Queen of the Belgians yesterday, at Bucking ham Palace. The Royal dinner party at Bucliingham Palace yes terd Ly included their Majesties the King and Queen of the ttelgians, the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de er, the Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Caroline Le t, en Gower, the Countess Vanderstraten, the Earl Spel:cer, M. de Moerkerke and 1)r. Carswell. Tile Band of the Coldstream Guards was in attend ance during dinner, and performed the following pieces - Overture---" Leonora"—Beethoven. Waltz—" The Garland"—Kcenig. Quartetto and Semi-Chorus " No, no, ahica (Joseph)—Mehul. Quadrille—" The Phantom Dancers"—Jullien. Polka—" The Presburger"—Snoboda. The Queen had afterwards an evening party. Their Royal Highnesses the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar arrived at nine o'clock, accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, and attended by the Countess of Assenburg, Count de Beust, and Baron de Ziegesar. His Royal_Highness Prince George arrived soon af terwards. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at ten o'clock, attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan and Mr. Edmond Mildmay. Her Majesty's private Band attended. The following had the honour of receiving invitations: —His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, his Serene Highness Prince Lowenstein, Princess and Princess F. Leichtenstein, the French Ambassador and the Countess de St. Aulaire, the Austrian Ambassador and the Countess Dietrichstein, the Netherlands Minis ter, the Saxon Minister and Baroness d e B eus t, t h e Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, the Ladies Mary and Adeliza Howard, the Marquis and Marchioness of Dou glas, the Marquis and Marchioness of Westminster, Lady Carolina Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor, the Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn, the Marquis and Mar chioness of Worcester, the Lady in Waiting to the Queen Dowager, Lady Augusta Cadogan, Mr. Edmond Mildmay, the Countess of Assenburg, Count de Beust, Baron de Ziegesar, the Countess of Mount Edgecumbe, the Misses Macdonald, the Earl Howe, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, Count Potocki, the Right Hon. Sir John and Miss Hobhouse, Lord and Lady Alfred Paget, Mr. G. E. and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, Lady Harriet Anson, Lord and Lady Colb orne an d t h e H on. Miss Ridley Colborne, Lord and Lady Beauvale, Lord Edward Howard, Lady Adelaide Paget, Lady Elizabeth and the Misses Dawson, and Captain Francis Seymour. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of Cambridge visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday at Marlborough House. The Duchess of Gloucester honoured the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort with her company at dinner last evening, at their residence in Arlington-street. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan and Baron Kneseb eck, honoured Viscount and Viscountess Combermere with their com pany at dinner yesterday evening, at their residence in Belgrave-square. Bishop Wilson had an interview with Earl Grey yes terday at the Colonial - office. A deputation consisting of Mr. Macgregor Laird and Mr. J. T. Clay, on behalf of the Birkenhead Dock Com pany ; Captain Charlwood, RN., on behalf of the Cheshire Junction Railway ; Mr. Rigge, on behalf of the Chester and Birkenhead ; and Mr. Davies, on behalf of Mr. Vyner, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. The Hon. William Temple transacted business yester day at the Foreign -office. Mr. P. S. Carey had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. Sir Robert Price, Dr. Bowling, and a deputation, had an interview with the Right Hon. Edward Strutt yes terday. The following Ministers were present at the Cabinet dinner given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Wednesday :—Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, Earl of Auckland, Sir John Hobhouse, Lord Campbell, Viscount Morpeth, Marquis of Clanricarde, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, and the Right Hon. H. Labouchere. '1 he Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a general meeting yesterday. Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from the Colonial Office for the Governors of Hong-Kong and Ceylon. ROYAL COMMISSION of FINE ARTS The exhibition of the oil paintings sent in pursuant of notices issued by her Majesty's Commissioners of Fine Arts in 1844, will be thrown open to the public on Monday next,. The exhibition, as on former occasions, will take place in Westminster Hall, the interior of which has been ap propriately fitted up for the reception of the paintings. The notice issued by the Commissioners required that all pictures sent in for competition should be delivered during the first week in June, 1847. The terms of this notice were strictly observed, and the intervening period has been occupied by the Commissioners in arranging the various subjects, and determining on their respective merits. The final arrangements were only completed on Wednesday last, and yesterday afternoon the judges met to award the premiums, which, as our readers are doubts less aware, consist of— Three prizes of 500/. each, Three prizes of 3001. each, and Three prizes of 2001. each. The following is a list of the successful artists:— Is the First Class, 5001.—Mr. F. R. Piekersgill, 8, Leigh-street, Burton-crescent; Mr. G. F. Watts, 48, Cambridge-street, Edgware-road; Mr. Edward Armitage, 13, George-street, Adelphi. In the Second Class, 3001.—Mr. John Cross, 85, Fetter-lane; Mr. Paul Falconer Poole, 1, St. John's place, Lisson-grove North; Mr. Noel Paton, Wooer's alley Cottage, Dunfermline, N.B. In the Third Class, 2001.—Mr. James Eckford Lau der, 35, Upper Charlotte -street, Fitzroy-square ; Mr. Charles Lucy, Tudor Lodge, Albert-street, Mornington , crescent; Mr. John Calcott Horsley, The Mall, Ken sington Gravel-pits. Only two Royal Academicians, Sir William Allen and Mr. Henry Howard, have competed on the present occasion, but there are many contributors whose names are a sufficient guarantee for the excellence of their works. The exhibition contains altogether 120 paintings, many of them of very large dimensions. The pictures excluded by the Commissioners are understood not to have been very numerous. No official announcement of the awards having as yet been issued, we are unable to give a complete list of the successful subjects. A few have, however, trans pired; and among them we may mention those of Mr. Pickersgill, who has chosen for his subject " The Burial of Harold, at Waltham Abbey, A.D. 1066;" of Mr. Ed ward Armitage, who has selected "The Battle of Meeanse, (Sinde), fought on the 17th of February, 1843;" of Mr. Cross, who has delineated the incident of " Richard Coeur de Lion forgiving Bertrand do Guerdon ;" of Mr. Poole, who illustrates an historical incident in the life of King Edward during the siege of Calais in 1346 ; of Mr. Lucy, whose picture de scribes " The Departure of the Primitive Puritans," or " Pilgrim Fathers" to the coast of America, A.D., 1620 ; and of Mr. Horsley, who has chosen the incident in the life of Henry V., when he, while Prince of Wales, believing the king his father to be dead, takes the crown from the cushion, and places it upon his own head. " The Banishment of Aristides, illustrative of the injustice of Democracy," the latest effort of poor Hey don, has been admitted to the exhibition by the Com missioners, though not strictly within the conditions of the notice. The exhibition also contains three pieces of sculp ture, executed respectively by Messrs. Marshall, Fo ley, and Bell, who, it will be recollected, were suc cessful in that department of art in the competition which took place in 184 - 5. Mr. Marshall's work is the only one completed, the two others being merely plaster models. Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince Consort, and the King and Queen of the Belgians, will honour the exhibition with a visit this afternoon previous to the private view, which is arranged to take place to morrow. THE C R OPS AT E disease havi ng taken plaxcEeTTEnitib—e A toes must be cons id ered at prese E n lni t g crop Th y lpisr d he e m c a is t i . o r n oe.f a p s ota to ; Agricultural Society of Ireland have decided against its existen ce ; and it has been found in some cases in this county, that plants partially struck with the disease, and from which the most disastrous consequences were fore boded to the whole crop, have recovered from the stack This suggests the possibility of the disease being on the wane. It looks as if the root was recovering strength, and shaking off its foe. Should the potato crop prove a moderately favourable one, it will, co-existent with the magnificent prospect of a corn harvest here, as well as throughout the whole continent of Europe and Ame rica, cause imports, especially in corn, as a natural con sequence, to be lessened, and exports to increase ; and thus there will be a tendency to an influx of the precious metals into Great Britain for the purchase of her manu factures, whilst the speculators in grain having realised large profits by their former conversions of funded and railway property for the former purpose, are likely to re-invest in such securities, now that they are at so low a value.—From the circular of Mr. R. Tripp, share. broker. We learn by the Levant mail that Dr. Bell, the physician of the English Embassy in Persia, had died at Erzeroum, on his way to England, for the recovery of his health. ~O J ~r jt.Buck-