The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-24 00:00:00

qrn EIsTV

Tn the present as during the last year the
pressure of poverty seems to fall Most heavily in the
month of February ; a fact of which the explanation
is not obvious, since up to lttsl the heaviest ex-
penses of unions were incurred in the month of
June. Farther observation and experience may
serve to clear up what is at present perplexing.
An increased Mortality is perceptible in the Irish
workhouses; not. however, attributable So any pecu-
liar unheakthiness either there or in the country at
large. It is obviously due to two causes—one the
extent to which of late years the unions have teen
made to assume the character of hospitals; the
other, the diminished number of young paupers, a
fact which is itself the result of recent emigration.

This movement continues unabated-. About
2,' 00 persons have been sent out at. the public
expense, at a cost of 12,800/. ; and 1,100 more
have been assisted out by friends or relatives beyoud
the sea.
The value of agricultural labour has increased, at
the rate, it is supposed, of about Is. weekly above
the prices of 1815.0, the years preceding the
famine. From our own calculations we should have
been inclined to rate the incniase higher ; but it
must be borne in mind that the demand for labour
is not only more urgent but more continuous than
formerly; thus the mere weekly payment, taken
alone, forms no fait measure of the labourer's im-
proved condition. It is not simply that he now
receives 7s. where be used to receive tie., but that he
receives the augmented pay throughout the whole
year, instead of, as formerly, at irregular intervals.
Industrial training is attended to in all the unions
except seven; „little difficulty is found in supplying
employment for workhouse children ; 5,371 were thus
provided for in 1852 ; and the services of pauper boys
are everywhere in request. Greater difficulty is ex-
perienced in the case of.girle; and these accordingly
constitute the majority of emigrants. .
Not the least remarkable featute of Irish poor-
la* adininistration is the establishment Of a complete
system of gratuitous medical assistance for the -poor.
This is an advance on English practice; but 'though
we believe its introduction to have been a jnilicious
act in Ireland, undeethe peculiar circumstance* of
that country, it is obviously liable to abuses, which
indeed are a frequent subject of complaint.

MR. GLADST4CONE AND' THE 418NE&L
BURSARIES." '
IN the year 1079 a Mr. SNii.x. died, having be- ,
lusathed certain estates in WarwiCkshire to found
exhibitions at Oxford for the benefit of students, of
Glasgow College. ;At that period 'Episcopacy hall
not ceased to be by law the national religion of Scot •
land,. and on that ground certain EPiseopalians who
entertain extreme opinions recently endeavoured to
close theie exhibitions againA all but Episcopalians.
The process to wln4h they bad recourse was,a spit et
law, the que.stian involved was the construction of
Sintu.'s will, and in 1548, upon appeal to the House
of Lords, the case was decided in fatour •of the
general body of the students. The expense of these
proceedings ' was defrayed by stilysetiption ; and,
according to astatereent inDlachlvood's Mago-aine, the
most active instigator of the suit has since jointid of
Church ,Of •Route, while amongst thosi who soh-
secibed,.to carry ,it an was the. Right. Honourable
WILLLAK EWART 4141,DWZOALE,, now Chancellor of I 4
Exchequer. A similar itaternent was made in the
Edinburgh Adrer(iser, and' a correspondence his
ensued between Mr. Ottrositis; 'land the ecßtot of
that paper. rimt, "Mr. W. Vtir..ins.rome," 'in the
third person singular, withnnit wasting time .. in
presenting Ma compliMents, "requests to be informed
" upon whet atithority "p; the statement • has been
made. The •editor replies as curtly that he received
the information " from a source which he was entitled
"to credit," and reminds the Guano:Lima of the
ENQREQUER that his " note, perhaps from. Waa-
1, vertence, does not contradict, tOe statenietti,—r-
"a circumstance which, if it be erroneous, the
" editor very much regrets, as he purposes
" writing again on the subject in next publication.
"If. Mr. GLthsrear inform hint -by Monday night
"'that the statement is 'unfounded; the editor wilt 1
" contradict it as publicly as it was melte."' •• • t. -f" • I
The cold and studied formality of the third person
singular 'he now cast aside, and;—that Better on .his !
genius remevcd—the CHANCELLOR ,o 1 thIVEXCHRQE&R
thus touchingly relieves his outraged faelingsp----.
TO I,llt MOTOR Or TRY IDIXDOROH ADVlCirrtitli. '
Sir,-1 hold myself entitled .to couipluM of your abuse
of your privileges and neglect of your responsibilities as a .
public journalist. Tii making agkinst me chafes hi' a •
most offensive character, you ltave'coseplett Orem with, aryl;
in met founded them upod;csie 'single litatesnent which i
worts to be aatatement of factsouid.•which is ennuis;
..i :f • . . . ,
.1 hsa A tight to vaguest of you that you, should usnie
your author' y ; and you have done a fresh wrong to me,
and what is far more important to publiclitsßce-andlin;

579

gent redly high charseter of our press, by refusing to give
up to ine.tho author of a statement for which, and (which
is far more material) for the joining of which with dis-
graceful impillations, you uow stand exclusively respon-
sible.
I have no further wishes• to express upon the subject
than this—that if you contradict your statement you will
publish the oorrespondence.—l remain, sir, your obedient
servant, W. E. GL. DSTONE.
Downing street, June 3, 1851.
Mr. GLAPSTONB is celebrated as ft letter-writer;
but we wish some Birmingham clerk would ask
him to explain what he means iu this! whether he
intenas to deny that ho subscribed towards the
fund in question! and also what is " a statement for
" which, ands(which is more material) for the join-
" ing of which with disgraceful imputations?"
Mr. GLADSTONE is an old author; it is somewhere
about twenty years since he published a work ;

but, in perusing the last paragraph of his note, one
is irresistibly reminded of the advice to a young
author," Whenever you think you have writteu any-
" thing particularly good—burn it!"