The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

JULY 30, 1853.

THE CABMEN'S STRIKE.
Losnos on Wednesday morning awoke and found
itself eabless. The strike, often threatened by
drivers and proprietors since they came under the
harsh provisions of the new act, was carried into
effect on that day ; and the metropolis, from centre
to circumference, has ever since suffered from an
absolute destitution of this class of conveyances. At
the railway stations and steam-packet wharfs the in-
convenience was heavily felt, especially on the first
day, when the public and the companies were taken
by surprise. Since then various contrivances have
been adopted to supply the deficiency.
'Private vehicles and flies have appeared in more
than ordinary numbers. Indeed, in many instances,
some of the old cabs had been cleaned up, the num
hers erased, and thus became converted into private
carriages. Several of these vehicles were to be seen
slowly traversing the principal thoroughfares, evi-
dently with expectation that the public would avail
themselves of their services—in which proceeding
they have been much facilitated by the permission
which, under present circumstances, they have ob-
tained from the Inland Revenue Commissioners to
ply for hire without licences, and the promise that
they will not be prosecuted for an infraction of the
law, an action for which can only be instituted by the
law officers themselves.
An additional number of metropolitan policemen
are kept on duty at all the railway stations, in order
to protect the luggage of the passengers from being
transferred to the custody of improper persons,
several of whom are prowling about with the hope of
profiting by the confusion and disorder sometimes
apparent in the arrival and departure of the trains.
In the meantime the Legislature appear inclined
somewhat to relax the rigour of the new bill, as will
be seen by our report of the proceedings in Par-

liament.
The proprietors, however, demand much ampler
concessions, and still hold out for their " whole bill,"
its set forth in the following list of resolutions pro-
posed at a general meeting held on Wednesday, at
the National Hall, in Holborn :

For any distance within and not exceeding two milers, the fare
to be one shilling.
Sixpence to be paid for every mile or fraction of a mile after the
first two miles (as at present).
For any distance beyond four miles from the General Post-
office, or other central part, one shilling per mile to be paid (at
present sixpence).
When two or more persons are inside, any luggage which cannot
be put inside to pay twopence per package (lo present .e than
two persons must ride to render the payment compulsory).
When more than two persons shall be carried, sixpence to be
paid for the distance, for each additional passenger (at present
Inc extra sixpence is paid, whether the excess of passenger's he
one or more).
In eases of dispute about distance'', a book or list 'signed by
he police commissioner to be held conclusive, except either
party shall require the distance to be measured.
Drivers not to hi' held responsible for " neglecting" to de-
liver a number ticket to passengers, but only for " refusing" to do
so (both words eland in the act at present).
That II power of appeal against decisions of magistrates and
commissioners of police be allowed.
A deputation to whom these resolutions were en-
trusted waited on Mr. Fitzroy, and discussed the
various points successively, obtaining promises of
certain relaxations, which were accordingly included
in the clauses carried on Thursday evening in the
House of Commons, but on others a decided negative
was given. This result being reported to another
meeting held yesterday, the cab-owners determined
not to surrender, and the controversy is meanwhile
entrusted to a committee whose word of command
must be given before the strike will be terminated.
Subscriptions are also raised to carry on the war, a
most important point, as it is only by such means
that the men will be enabled to hold out. As it is,
they are said to possess funds enough to maintain the
blockade until Monday next.
The omnibus proprietors threatened to join in the
combination of the cabmen, but have not yet carried
their menace into execution, as these vehicles have
been running through their accustomed routes, and
more than ordinarily well filled with passengers. On
Thursday, however, a meeting of the metropolitan
omnibus owners was held at the Cmnbourne Hotel,
in St. Martin's-lane, when they adopted a petition to
the House of Commons, praying for the right of ap-
peal against any magisterial decision under the new
act, which allows one magistrate to send a driver to
prison for a month without any appeal from such
conviction. They have also convened, for Monday
next, a general meeting of all persons engaged in the
omnibus trade, to take their opinion as to the "ne •
cessity" of withdrawing all the omnibuses from the
public streets, "until a pledge be given that the said
cruel, oppressive, and unconstitutional power shall be
modified by granting a fair hearing, and the right of
appeal."
Legal opinions have been given in Parliament
and at police offices that by this interregnum of
work the cabmen have forfeited their licences. Mr.
Alderman Wilson. at the Guildhall, has put the case
thus
"As he understood it, a cab licence was like a public-
house licence—upon payment of a sum of money a oivi-
lege was granted which no one could exercise except upon
certain conditions—the publican, that he should keep his

THE PRESS.

house open for public accommodation, under prescribed
regulations, and if he did not conform to the rule laid
down or give the accommodation required he forfeited his
licence ; so the cabdriver held his licence upon certain
condit• that he did not overcharge, and that he treated
the public with civility, and for any breach of those rules
it was at the discretion of the magistrate to fine or im-
prison him, or suspend the licence, and the commissioner
of police had the power to take the licence away entirely.
This had been done already in many instances, and it was
his opinion that the present combination came under the
head of misbehaviour, and that the licences should be
suspended, if not withdrawn entirely."
Some doubtful points in the new act have been
settled by magisterial decision during the week, and
the public ought to know it has been ruled that a
cabman is entitled to add together all the odd
minutes lost in successive " waitings," and to charge
for every quarter of an hour which is made up in
the aggregate. Also it appears decided that when
hired by time the full 2s. may be charged for every
broken part of an hour, however small. Thus for
an " airing" of sixty-one minutes the passenger will
have to pay 4s.

The " strike" epidemic appears to be spreading in
various quarters. The bricklayers employed at the
new Houses of Parliament struck on Tuesday, and
the labo►irers were forced to follow their example.
In Hull a demand for increased pay by the police
force has resulted in the resignation of about thirty
men, anti the refusal to do duty by many more.
Nearly 2,000 waterside labourers in Southwark have
also struck work, to the great inconvenience of the
merchants and whartingers.

WAR-OFFICE, 29,
(From Last Night's Gazette.)
13th Regiment of l.►ragoone—Cornet William Leyland
Fie!den, from the 2nd I►ragoons, to be Cornet, vice I►avis,
promoted, July 29.
'bid Regiment of Foot—Lieutenant Francis Lionel Oc-
tavins Atty to he Captain, by purchase, vice Chute, who
retires; Ensign William Webber Martin to be Lioutemmt,
by purchase, vice Atty; Charles Squid, tient., to be Eu-
sign, by purchase vice Martin, July 29.
- - •

- . . .
and Foot—Ensign Henry G. C. lturningham to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Augustus Et'want Ellice, mho
retires; l'alltot Ashley Cox, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur•
cease. vice !turningham, July 99. _ _

1 ith Foot—Lieutenant Edwin Grove Helyar ham been
permitted to retire from the service by the male 14 his com-
mission; Lieutenant Edward D'Heillimer Fainlough, from
the illth Foot, to be Lieutenant, vivo Wilson, who ex-
clumges ; George Bridges, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase,
July 211
- -

17th Foot—Anthony Powell Traherne, Gent., to be Em
sign, by purchase, vice Castle, who retires, July :29.

20th Fait—Lieuteuant Valens Tonnochy to he Adju-
tant, vice Colvill, promoted; Ensign Frank Browne to be
Lieutenant, without purchase, July 29.

:tsth Foot—Alexander John Cntickshank Warrand,
Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Cockburn, who re-
tires, .l my

47th Foot—Captain William Sankey, fmm the let West
India Regiment, to be Captain, vice Lloyd, who exchanges,
July 29.
- -

6:lth Foot—William Little, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Priestly, promoted, July •411.
70th Foot—Liententuat Falconer Wilson, from the I 4th
Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Fairtlough, who exchanges,
July 2!/.
97th Foot—Lieutenant I lenry licorge Woods to be Ad-
jutant, vice Vicars, who resigins the Adjutancy only,
July 29.
Ist West India Regiment—Captain Jesse Lloyd, frutn
the 47th Foot, to be Captain, vice Sankey, who exchanges,
July 29.
2ml West India Regiment—Edward Percival Vaughan,
Gent., to be Ensiim, by purchase, vice Streattield, whose
appointment is cancelled, July 29.
lloserro. STAFF.—William Stewart, M.D., to be As-
MiMtallt tillrgeoll to the Forces, vice Deakins, deceased ;
%Main Mackenzie Skues, to be Assistant-Surgeon
to the Forces, vice Roc, promoted to the tiold Coast Corps,
July 29.

BIM% ET.—eaptain James ihnalas Gregorie Tulloch,
nioott halfpoty, Kith Fot, serving with lss•al rank of Major
( Military Superintendent of Pensioners in North America),
to have the locial rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in North
America,' uly 'V; Captain James John Graham, on half.
pay, Unattached, Staff I 'nicer of Pensioner% at London,
Canada West, to be Major in the Army, Nov. U, NAIL
OFFICE (IF GRI)NANCE. Jt7i.v 27.

Ro}•al Regiment or Artille►y—Lientenant•l'olouel Thos.
Grantham to he Colonel, vice Ih►niey, deceased; Brevet
Lieutenant• Colonel Charles Herrick Burnaby to be Lieu.
tenant•Colouel, vice Grantham; Second Captain Hubert
Corcym Homer to be Captain, vice Burnaby; First Lieu-
tenant Hugh Bent to be Second Captain, v►ce Romer;
Second Lieutenant Robert William Gregory Leonard to be
First Lieutenant, vice Bent, July 22.

'ommission by the Queen.
4th Regiment of West Riding Militia—William Pollard,
EST, to be Adjutant, April 5.
Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of

Yorkshire.
4th Regiment of West Riding Militia—Adjutant William
Pollard to be C'aptain, July 20.

EXTRAORDINARY RACES AND LIVING
ANOMALIES IN LONDON.
(From a Correspondent.)
SHOWNIEN no longer bring from afar apes and other strange
beasts as a marvel and a wonder, but catch the wild man
himself, and contrive to make coin out of the very colour
of his skin, the configuration of Ins skull, or the exaggers
t' of his features. London► is at the present time full
of these strange varieties of the human race brought over
by speculative travellers. The Zulu Caffres have their
kraal in the St. George's Gallery ; the Earthmen make
their burrow, fur aught 1 know, in the ccUars of 71, Regent-
street ; and the Aztecs crouch like ancient \lexica► idols
on the carpet at the liauovcr•square Rooms. The party
of t7affres chiefly owe the interest they excite to our late
warfare with their race, which they have manag►d to pro-
tract so long and to maintain so boldly. The public are
naturally curious to see specimens of a people who have
put our twat sentient upon their mettle, and more than
once conic off evenhanded with them. The party consists
of thirteen—eleven men, and a woman and child, funning
as wild and savage•loking a group when excited as ever
dapped upon the canvas of a showman at Bartholomew
fair. The ('ann•, however, in his ordinary mood, seems
mild and docile enough : the nose is more aquiline, and
the facial angle is many reinoven from that of the negr►,
although, in this particular, then• exists considerable differ-
enee among the wen themselven ; several of them being
evidently of a mixed breed, with a strong flavour of genuine
Uncle Tom in them. It is by the face, and ',Teeter depth
of colour only, however, that any adulteration in the race
is perceptible. They are all exceedingly well made, having
none of the protrusion of the tin calcis, or high insertion of
the heads of the muscles funning the calf, which
mark the genuine nigger race. The chief incidents in
Caftiv life are acted by thew people so energetically and
truthfully that the spectator has before him a series of
living picture. of the manners and customs of a savage
nation. Thus he is moved with a certain horrible suspense
whilst the grotesquelysttired witch•finder is smelling out
from his fellows the aorcerer who Net br►ught sickness
into► the tribe, and whose puninliment will be immediate
death. By-the-bye, as OW of the Clans% is in in St.
George's Hospital, I trust the wadi-tinder won't smell out
Dr. Wilson, its senior physician. Again, the marriage-
dance affords an instance of the very accurate " titre "
which most savage raves seem to possess, the moat
grotesque attitudes anti rapid movements being executed
by the entire number with an exactness which seemingly
only n►a:hinery emild product'. A tight is als► represented
between two tribes, with a savage vigour which is quite
startling. The steady, noiseless, tigerlike stealing on of the
watchful scouts, and then the horrible yelling and act'
of the closed continuants, pictures to you only tor► str►ngly
the nature of savage warfare. I was not a little amused to
find myself, together with ■ mob of ladies, after the per-
fontiance, in what may be exiled the green-roo►m of the
establishment—a large empty apartment, wherein civili-
tuition and barbarism for the nonce rub shoulders ; anti
it was not a little curious to see fair maids of Tybun►ia and
Belgravia walking about su unconeernedly among rattles
in their full dress, patting their backs and smoothing
their skins as calmly as though they were only eaxwork at
Madame 'rimmed's. Really the ladies are growing dread•
fully inquisitive ; and 1 would advise them, with these
people at least, not to put too pointblank quest. 3, for
they have not the happy art of using Innguage to disguise
their thoughts ; apropea of which advice 1 will tell a little
circumstance which occurred in my own presence. A
lady of a certain age, observing nue of these dusky children
' noticing herself and young friend, and gabbling something
laughingly to one of his fellows, eagerly asked the
interpreter what he 11144 saying. The savage, on being
interrogated, deliberately tipped some snuff from a cayenne-
pepper spoon into his nostril, and translated him speech
from I 'mere tongue:—" I would give four cows for the young
woman, and three for the old fine." The impression
left of the I'mfilr•s is certainly not unfavourable to
them, and the young afire woman and child are
grest objeets of attraction to all. The pa•rso►n who
brought them over evidentbydes•s not intend to produce incr.
lion by aflOrding them too many of the comforts of civi-
lised life. " What is that row of dog•kennels for I asked,
pointing to a low kind of dresser which runs round the
walls, with mall openings herr and there. •• That, sir, is
when• they sleep," was the reply ; nevertheless, they all
were in excellent condition, and in no hurry to get back to
Wide as are• the differences in the genus man,
we question if a much greater contrast could be afforded
than between the Aztec and the CoftVe. In the one we
see the representative of an aggressive barbarism, in the

other we are told to witness the living evidence of an ex-
tinct civilisation. In the bird-like face of the diminutive
Aztec we are called upon to see the living lineaments of a
race whose existence is only &satirely hinted at in the
sculptured monuments of buried Eastern cities ; iu his at-
titude, as he crouches upon the carpet in the Hanover-
square Rooms, we are told to behold the immutable pose
of the ancient Mexican gods. Brother Jonathan has found
something in the New World older than the oldest in the
Old one, and we are called upon to pay our silver and to be-
lieve. The story told of the antecedents of these children
is indeed calculated to awaken curiosity tend to excite in-
quiry. Two Americans and a Spaniard, having heard of a
certain mysterious city in Central America, supposed to be
the last remnant of ancient Mexican civilisation—a city with
gilded domes and minarets—a sort of little .Japan, holding
no intercourse with anybody, and preserving its secrecy so
strictly " that the very cocks were kept underground for
fear that their crowing should lead to a discovery," de-
'ermined to explore it. The two Americans paid for their
temerity with their lives; but, if we are to believe the picto-
rial advert/elements put forth by the proprietors, the Spaniard
VeLueques escaped, Bolls-like, with these two children in
his arms, stolen, as it is represented, from the sacred altars
where they were placed as objects of worship. Of this
wonderful tale we wish to say nothing ; and of the children
little more than that they are clearly half-bred imbeciles,
curious from their dimunitive stature (only thirty-eight
inches) and extraordinary appearance, but of no interest in
an ethnological point of view, as they most certainly are
the type of no race, as their guardians wish to prove, but
simple aberrations from the human form. Professor Owen
says very justly that their peculiarity consists in an arrested
development of the brain-ease ; indeed, the heads of both
male and female are fu'tal, not measuring five inches in dia-
meter, although one is about twelve and the other sixteen
years of age at least, as nearly as can 1w judged by the
dental proof. The facial single of these children, as we
have before observed, is the facial angle of a bird rather
than that of a human being. We should rather say facial
angles, for the chin retreats as much as the forehead,
proving that they are as deficient in the animal as in the
intellectual qualities ; and how any sane person could sup-
pose that individuals with such configurations of cranium
could maintain their own existence, much less that they
are types of a race, passes my comprehension. The press
in noticing these children seem to have overlooked the
fact that they are evidently not of the same parentage.
The boy has long curly black air, and is very probably the
offspring of a Spaniard and an Indian woman ; the girl,
with the same singular expression of features, has woolly
hair, derived doubtless from a negro father. We hear
much of the intelligence of these children, but I confess
I looked for it in vain. Eternal restlessness they have, it
is true :so has the monkey. How comes it, I would ask,
if they possess such intelligence, that they neither speak
nor appear to understand a word of English or any other
language, although they have been two years in the United
States? Are we to look for this singular muteness in an
idiotic chaos or in an " educated silence" ? If these
children have been trained so as never to appear
to understand anything that is said to them, 1 give up
all the rest, and admit a wonder beyond that even of their
supposed lineage; but with such skulls their ignorance is
capable of a much easier solution.
Front these little monstrosities we turn with no
small pleasure to the Earthmen, now exhibiting at
71, Quadrant. These two children, a boy of fourteen
and a girl of sixteen, are specimens of a diminutive,
race to be found in South Africa, in the Orange,
River district. They are called earthmen because
they build no habitations, but seek shelter in caves
and holes in the earth. These little creatures, however,
seem not of the earth, earthy. I suddenly opened a door
and found myself in a drawing•room, and a very Puck
with his Titania, in the blessed livery of nature, barring a
few foxes' tails round their waists, were playing at ball, not
crouched, like the Aztecs, in a well-studied mystic posture,
nor tottering as they do when attempting to walk, as
though they were affected with rachitis ; but bounding.
leaping, and running, the very pictures of fairy grace,
neither of them being more than thirty-nine inches in
height. Matinee, the boy, is much more beautiful in
figure than his sister Flora ; more exquisitely-formed limbs
of the purest brown-bronze colour I never beheld. These
children, although so young, have not the half-developed
forms of Europeans of the same size ; on the contrary,
they seem set and matured in limb, and graceful and
assured in action like men and women. Their faces
are pleasing rather than otherwise ; the forehead is high,
iz t'Zrit aidithe lips not too thick. The chief peculiarity is the
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THE PRESS.

ing that he would soon be at the top form in any of our
public schools. Although these children have only come
from the interior of Africa sixteen months, they speak
English not at all badly; indeed, I beard Martiues call
his sister " a muff," because she could not catch the ball.
The girl plays little tunes on the piano, and the boy sings
nigger songs with a capital notion of time and tune. They
are, in fact, getting quite civilised, although a touch now
and then of old habits and recollections appears in a very
odd manner. "Do you like worms ?" said he, looking
into the astonished eyes of a pretty young lady that was
nursing him. " 1 do; nice long red ones," remembering
with evident delight a favourite dish at home. Our con-
tenqxwariea, iu speaking of the Earthmen, confound them
with the Bushmen, a distinct race : these latter, a most
vindictive get of people, poison► the cattle of the Boers,
and main► those they cannot manage to lift. The con-
sequence is, that they are shot down like vermin, by
both Calfrea and Dutch colonists, as Gordon Cumming,
in his exeiting work, has shown. Very probably the savage
Caffre, and the scarcely less savage !Intel' settler, do not
care to make the distinction when they are out sport-
ing, as they never neglect "to bag" these poor little un-
offending beings when they come across them. The con-
sequence is that the race is very nearly extinct. The
parents of these children were swept off in this manner.
It is the intention of their guardians to raise a fund for
their support and education. The Ethnological Society
intend to take bronze casts of the Earthmen for the gallery
illustrative of different races in the Crystal Palace. We
trust the society will not fail to add to this collection by
taking similar copies of any other undoubted specimens of
race which may from time to time appear in Lon-
don. After speaking of so many foreign celebrities,
we must not omit to notice home productions, in the
form of the Suffolk prodigies now exhibiting at the
Cremorne Gardens. Ilere, too, we have a pair of chil-
dren, the girl three years old, the boy five years : the
latter weighs 1401ba., and is worthy of a place at the
next cattle show ; the girl is coming on nicely. My
own impression is that they have been stall-fed on oil-
cake to order, and the only legitimate curiosity that any
person can have about them is to know into how many
of candles they would melt down.

THE AZTECS.
TO THE EDITOR OF "Lo THE PRESS."
ndon, July 25, 185:1.
Sir,—l went last week to visit the so-called Aztec
children, whose supposed origin has been made the
subject of so much criticism. What I saw fully con-
firmed my preconceived impression, that the show is
an ingeniously got-up trick, probably the work of
Barnum or some less distinguished performer in the
same line. The children are unlike other children,
no doubt. They are almost, I should say quite,
idiotic—express themselves by signs and noises like
those of an intelligent animal, take little notice of by-
standers, and appear indifferent even to their keeper.
It would be impossible to guess their age or sex.
The peculiarity in their organisation which instantly
attracts attention is the size and shape of the heads.
These are disproportionately small, smaller than that
of a new-born baby : the forehead recedes to an ex-
traordinary degree, and there seems to be hardly any
brain. The face protrudes like that of a negro or
monkey, more so indeed than that of any African I
have ever seen : the lips are large and pouting, the
nose prominent, and not flattened as in the ease of
negroes, while the chin retreats as sharply as the
forehead It would be difficult, if the face and head
were seen alone, to conjecture whether they belonged
to a human being or to some new species of baboon.
The hair is coarse, not woolly, resembling that of a
quadroon or half-mulatto; the complexion dark,
muddy, and in no way distinguishable from that of
Central American Indians generally. Altogether
their appearance was to me very disgusting; notwith-
standing which I saw them kissed and fondled by
several well-dressed women—l suppose they would
have done the same to an orang-outang. The children
are fancifully dressed, and allowed to run about the
stage or platform, like a large billiard-table, so as to
be completely en eridence from head to foot. I
watched them for nearly an hour, and you may, there-
fore, rely on my description being accurate. They
stoop in their gait, which makes it difficult to judge
of their height, and there is no spring or elasticity
in their movements.
You of course know the story that is told about
them. A veracious pamphlet, professedly translated
from the Spanish, asserts that two American tra-
vellers, one from Baltimore, the other from Canada,
incited by Stephens's well-known description of an un-
discovered Indian city (of which he. Stephens, had
only heard by report). set out in 18-18 to seek it. In
Central America they got acquainted with a rich na-
tive, named Velasquez, whom they persuaded to join
their party. The three, travelling together. found
the padre, Stephens's host and informant, and obtained
guides for their journey of exploration. They crossed

SATURDAY,

the mountains, saw the city, descended into its neigh.
bourhood, were attacked by and defeated a party of
Indians, finally obtained leave to enter, resided there
some months, watched but unmolested, awl finally
escaped, taking with them these children, whom they
represent as objects of worship, together with the
priest who guarded and tended them. It is singular
that the two Americans are described as having
died, one in the city, the other during his homeward
journey ; so that the whole tale hangs on the un-
supported evidence of Velasquez, a native of the
country, of whom nobody has since heard. The es-
caped priest has likewise disappeared.
I have seen this narrative gravely discussed, else
it would scarcely be worth criticism. There is a total
deficiency, in the first place, of proof; and the story
itself is in the last degree improballe. How can a city,
three or four miles round, subsist without commerce,
and unknown to the rest of mankind? If warlike,
its inhabitants must have sallied out to plunder; if
industrious, they must have become traders; if timid
and retiring, they could not have kept their frontiers
inviolate. Then the incidents and description are all
evidently modelled on earlier writers ; and there are
some blunders of detail (such as con;using the
Mexican with the Egyptian style of architecture)
which look very suspicious.
Stephens, though a traveller, was a man of truth,
and his story I believe. There are plenty of Indian
villages scattered among the hills and woods, whose
inhabitants neither pay taxes nor obey laws ; some of
these, more remote and difficult of access than others,
may never have seen the face of a white man. That
this is not only possible, but likely, every traveller
who knows Spanish America must acknowledge ; and
this conceded, it is only necessary to suppose that the
good padre from whom Stephens got his information
magnified a little the size and importance of some
such village which had been pointed out to him from
a height. Neither he nor his reporter makes any
mention of palaces and temples, priesthoods and
human sacrifices, though the latter, by the way,
may be real enough. The Bheels of India practised
them until lately ; and some tribes of Hindostan do
so still in secret. In a word, until some better wit-
ness is brought forward for this tale than any we have
yet heard, I shall rank Velasquez and the Aztecs,
like hat-moving and table-turning, among the many
attempts at imposture on the public which have not
imposed upon

A TRAVELLER.

PARLIAMENTARY BORES.

Dear Mr. Press,—The letters of one of my bro-
therhood will prove to you that if we do not spsak
it is not from ignorance ; and the number of us
whose names are to be found in every division will
prove that it is not from indifference we are " silent
members." I think this will be acknowledged. Then
why should the loquacious propensities of those who
have no idea—or, at least, no prospect—either of
elucidating a subject or converting their opponents,
be encouraged at our expense, and at the sacrifice of
the time of the country ?
For my part I should not grudge my time while I
listened to the speech of any member who introduced
a measure ; and I should be equally willing to listen
to the member who opposed or moved an amend-
ment to the original proposition. I should even be
so generous as to accord my attention to a second
speaker on each side, if I only were relieved from
the dreary squeaking, interrupted by harsh cries of
Divide, divide !"—from "pigs without teats." Divide !
I wish we could divide the teats so as to satisfy a
greater number of pigs. But, while I would stop
their squeaking, I would not deprive these embryo
bores (boars) of all opportunity of enlightening the
country. Let them write their notions, and let these
treatises be printed by the house, and distributed to
the members with the parliamentary papers every
morning. We could then, if we chose, read what
any clever man had to say on the subject—but allow
the pork.butcher to appropriate the productions of
his victims. We might then allow Mr. Drummond
to enjoy the country in summer, and yet not work
ourselves so much in the winter as to lose the com-
pany of our hunting members.
I am at least disinte:ested in my proposal, as I
should then cease to exist ; for, with such arrange-
ments, there could scarcely be such an anomaly as
your obedient servant,
A
July 26, 1853. W EARY MEMBER.

Several of the omnibus proprietors have, daring the last
week, raised the threepenny fares to fourpence ; since
which it has been determined by them generally to make
the whole of the rates fottrpence, instead of threepence, as
formerly.
The hey. W. H. Anderdon, lately vicar of St. Margaret's,
Leicester, who left the Church of England some months
since, was ordained a deacon on Sunday by Cardinal Wise-
man, at his eminence's private residence.
Mr. S alis Swabe, one of the leading merchants of Man-
chester, died somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly on
Saturday morning last.

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