The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-01-12 00:00:00

extraorlriary specimen of argumentation, and
that is, Mr. TEMPLER:9 rooted aversion to any
mode of satisfying the requirements of the case
but that which shall prove to be the most costly
to the county. When the Commissioners urge
upon Mr. TEMPLER "a very simple and inex-
pensive description of acoommodatiou"—by
rendering available the outbuildings on the
proposed site, Mr. TEMPLER discovers that, in
that case, "every accommodation that an asylum
"requires must be new," and he can see in the
Commissioners' recommendation nothing that
differs from "two lunatic asylums" two
"separate and complete establishments ;" and
he says, immediately after declaring the total
inadequacy of the asylum "for any enlarge-
" meat"—" I should think that the enlargement
"of our present Asylum can be effected cheaper
"than these small separate asylums." (I)
Now, what will the ratepayers of the county
of Dorset think of all this 1 How far can they
applaud the judgment of the Bench which
commits to the hands of a gentleman who talks
in this way such important interests, and allows
him to deal with pecuniary transactions of such
a grave and weighty character? Why have Mr.
TEsinza's colleagues of the Visiting Committee
left all these important matters to be dealt with
by him alone, as by one of proved adminis-
trative talent, and loaded with the honours of
undoubted competency and brilliant success
Let us hear from Mr. TEMPLER himself how he and
his brethren in office have discharged the simple,
ordinary duties imposed upon them by the law as
Visitors :—"There was a chime in the Act of
"Parliament he freely confessed had never been
"carried into execution, and that was the clause
"to the effect that two Visitors at least should
"visit once in every two months the asylum for
"lunatics. Once or twice he had picked up
"gentlemen in driving about—Mr. FLOYER was
"one—to comply with the law; but this was a
"fault into which he trusted Visitors would not
"again fall." Why, when two magistrates
cannot be found to visit the unfortunate lunatics
of the asylum "once in every two months,"
there is a lamentable lack of official vigilance
and zeal which ill accords with that professed
exuberance of consideration for lunatic paupers
which is made the chief ground of extravagant
demands for their increased comfort and protec-
tion. But this is not the only "fault," the only
illegal act, of recent date, which lies at the door
of the Visitors. To Lord PORTMAN the
county is indebted for the publication of the
fact, that the Visitors have charged the county
with a sum, on account of the Asylum, of
upwards of £l,OOO which is clearly an illegal
impost the said amount being properly
chargeable to parishes and not to the county.
The case as stated by his Lordship admitted of
no manner of doubt, and the actual illegality of
the act was confirmed by the learned Chairman.
But here again Mr. TEMPLER'S perverseness and
strange obliquity of vision displayed themselves,
and he refused to be satisfied without Counsel's
opinion upon the point. In vain Mr. TEMPLER
was informed that it was under "the new Act"
that the illegality of the transaction was esta-
blished. "As to the new Act," he said, "he
"had not even compared it with the old one,
"and was unprepared to say whether it was
"right or wrong." Still, he would move for
Counsel's opinion, if he stood alone. Ho did
move the question, and he did, very deservedly,
stand alone in his glory. In this important
matter, again, the Visitors will probably en-
deavour to "do better for the future."

Whether this virtuous resolution—as it applies
to the complicated irregularities and manifold
misadventures in relation to the asylum business
generally—is likely to be satisfactorily carried
out, is more than we can say; but it may be
observed that the singularly confident and
defiant tone of the learned Chairman of Quarter
Sessions himself, when summing up the whole
business at the conclusion of the debate on the
subject, is hardly calculated to inspire the
Asylum Visitors and the Court with a becoming
sense of their position in relation to this long-
vexed question, or to lead Mr. TEMPLER to
meet, in a spirit of conciliation and with common
sense, the suggestions of more competent men.
The Chairman "advised the Court to make a posi-
" tive stand against the Commissioners, because
"he believed they were requiring from the Court
"more than the Act demanded ;" whereas the
Commissioners agreed to the limited extent of
the site, namely 35 acres ; and the only ques-
tion remaining was as to the desirableness and
the possibility of purchasing more land from
Mr. SHERIDAN and Mr. STURT, and leasing for
a longer period the land which was to be taken
on lease of Mr. SHERIDAN. What there could
be in these suggestions of the Commissioners to
elicit this hostile feeling, it may not be very easy
to discover. Mr. YEATMAN said—" He should
"be glad if a gentleman would move a decla-
" ratory resolution, showing that the Court
"would do what was necessary," lm.; and that
if the Commissioners were resolved to oppose
them, "let them do so and move the Court of
"Queen's Bench for a mandamus." With all
proper respect for the learned Chairman, the
confidence of the public in the Court of Quarter
Sessions, touching this matter, has been too much
shaken to permit of a willing concurrence in so
chivalric a movement as is comprehended in the
"declaratory resolution" aforesaid; and it is
matter of congratulation that no member of the
Court was sufficiently indiscreet to attempt to
place the Court in direct antagonism to HER
MAJESTY'S SECRETARY Of STATE upon grounds
like these.

Lord PORTMAN, it will be seen, has obtained
a large addition to the list of Asylum Visitors,
in the hope, as it would seem, of strengthening
the hands of the luckless old General at their
head ; but unless a man should arise out of the
number and show himself equal to the occasion,
by virtually superseding the Rev. JAMES
AOLAND TEMPLER—directing those important
matters to some raional and speedy conclusion
which have too long been boggled by that gen-
tleman—the importation into the Committee of
so much now blood will be assuredly abortive;
and the good intentions of the members, being
frustrated and misdirected, will result only in
disappointment and prolonged mortification and
embarrassment.

DORCIIEf4TER PITCHED CORN MARKET, Saturday.
—We had a full attendanoe at market to-day. The
inipply of wheat was large, and farmers commenced
asking advanced rates which could not be obtained.
A fair business was done at about last week's prices.
Barley was in demand, and beet samples realized
from Is. to 24. more money. Oats nominal.
On Sunday morning the annual sermon for the
benefit of the choir of Dorchester 83. Peter, was
preached by the rector, the Rev. Kaden Colson.
The contributions after the close of the service
amounted altogether to XII 17s. 411 d.
POPERY—On Friday evening a lecture was de-
livered at the school-room, Grove Buildings, by the
Rev. A. Handley, the subject being "Popery
shaken to its base at the Reformation." The Rev.
Henry Moule opened the proceedings by prayer,
after which the rev, lecturer dwelt in an interesting
manner upon some of the prominent portions of the
life and work of Martin Luther. The attendance
was but limited.

LONDON AND SOUTH•WISTERN RAILWAY.—The
directors of this company have just made their
financial declaration to Parliament in respect of the
powers they seek under the Bill in the ensuing
session for making a branch railway to Topsham to
improve their junction with the Southampton and
Dorchester at Southampton, to alter span of bridges
and levels on line of the Exeter Extension, to take
additional lands at Misterton, Exeter, Basingstoke,
Eling, Seal, and Feltham, to enter into working
arrangements with the Wimbledon and Dorking and
Exeter and Exmouth railways, to lease the Salisbury
and Yeovil, and raise further capital. The directors
report that, so far as the Bill relates to works of the
second class, proposed in substitution for works
previously authorized on the Exeter Extension, they
are to be made by means of funds which the company
are authorized, under the Act of 1855, to raise by
borrowing on the security of their undertaking,
amounting to £1,000,000, which are applicable
exclusively to the expenses of the railway, and that
the actual surplus of such funds will amount to
£145,000 and be applicable to that purpose.