The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 6, 1862.

the public in general look at these matters with
becoming seriousness. We all know that want,
undermining the vitality of a population, means
despondency, fever, death, and we are warned that
that work has already begun. Surely this will
drive us out of the path of mechanical routine. All
that is wanted to arrest the plague is an organiza-
tion to collect that money which the public is not
only willing but eager to contribute as soon as it
is fairly appealed to. We must be pardoned for
reiterating that system in charity is the great
want of the hour. The payments must periodically
recur, and they must be drawn from the whole
country. In urging this we do not mean to ex-
tenuate the duty of those who are under special
obligations to care for the distressed operatives.
Under any circumstances the millowners will be

required to make extreme efforts for this purpose.
The eyes of the country are upon them, and they
will be very fortunate, judging from experience, if
at this distance they get credit for half of the
sacrifices they make. Nor are they the only class
who must consider themselves peculiarly bound to
make extraordinary efforts in the cause. People
are beginning to ask whether the great landed
proprietors of the distressed districts have done all
they mean to do. We should like to know more
about what they have been doing since the Bridge-
water-house meeting, when great peers, whose pro-
perty has been doubled and trebled in value by the
cotton industry, earned the praise of princely
liberality by laying down less than the amount of
four days' income. It is the deceitfulness of a
lump sum which conceals the inadequacy of such
benefactions. The institution of a weekly or
monthly subscription would offer a starting point
for new and more worthy efforts on the part of
many who have sunk into the belief that they dis-
charged their obligations to the distressed people
of Lancashire some months ago. At all events, it
is what is called for by the exigencies of the time.
We are glad to observe that this conviction is
already gaining ground. Reports reach us from
various places of plans set on foot for collecting
money periodically by house to house visitation, as
Mr. BADLY and Mr. GREENHILL are doing at and
around Hampton Court. Lord LINDSAY and his
father have set a good example to their class by
undertaking to give 100/. a week for five
months. Engagements like these, pledges of
continuous supplies, whether by public asso-
ciations or by individuals, give a firm basis for the
operations of those who administer relief, and
enable them to act with greater energy and free-
dom. In order that such cooperation may become
universal, let the Manchester Committee be made
national ; let it draw the Lords-lieutenants of
counties and the Mayors of cities and boroughs
into its organization ; let them be invited
to form local committees and establish personal
communications with the cotton districts. In this
way we may save from calamity those who, besides
being of our own flesh and blood, have established
new claims upon us by the honour which their
virtuous endurance has done to the name of
Englishman.