The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-29 00:00:00

rairtoo.

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LONDON, THURSDAY, OCT. 29.

THE members of the Cabinet have not now met
for six weeks ; and it may well be supposed that the
topics for consideration have become amassed and
swollen to a degree, not summarily to be dealt with.
The state of Ireland, and the clamour there for charity,
not work ; the conflicting accounts of the paucity of
provision-supply in England ; and the cry that
government should take advantage of that paucity to
abrogate the remaining provisions of the cora law,
are said to have impressed certain members of the
Cabinet with the necessity of summoning Parliament
to a premature cession.
We doubt much if the weighty interference of
Parliament would be found so effective as a simple
order in council, issued on ministerial responsibility.
If the case is urgent, ministers have beforehand their
indemnity. If it be not, and the deferring it to a
parliamentary session, which cannot commence im-
mediately, and in which faction would prolong debate,
proves that it is not urgent, then there is little chance
of a salutary measure passing, or of the time of the
legislature being profitably employed.
We are as eager as any for the abolition
of the last dull vestige of the corn mono-
poly, that poor and needless compromise, which
the price of all agricultural produce has proved
to be so futile, and which has merely served
to fill the granaries of the continental ports opposite
to ns. But it is to be feared that the time for
abrogating this duty with effect, and with full pretext,
has been allowed to pass away, and that it would now
thicken political difficulties to attempt to effect either
by ministerial decree or by a parliamentary vote
the supplement of reform which would constitute
free trade in corn.

We must own that we have few expectations from
the Council, or ministerial meeting, held last night,
of interruption to the ordinary course of things.

THE Poor-law Commissioners have issued their
official report in the St. Pancras case. It acknow-
ledges the existence of the evils and abuses which we
have already denounced, and which the report of the
directors, headed by Mr. HowAurn, ignored or
denied. Instead of the commissioners being satisfied,

u Mr. HOWARTH announced they were, with the
management of St. Pancras workhouse, they con-
demn it in every particular to which their attention
has been directed. Guarded as is the official language
of Somerset-house, fearful as its Poor-law function-

aries have ever shown themselves of calling a spade a
spade, deeply as the credit of the system is in-
volved in the proceedings of every metropolitan
Board of Guardians, we defy Mr. Howarrra himself
toeztract from the ir report (which we printedyesterday)
anything short of unqualified condemnation both of
the workhouse system, and, by implication, the Board
of Guardians of St. Pancras. The assistant commis-
sioner, Mr. HALL, was instructed to institute an
investigation as to the state and management of the
ward referred to, and in making such investigation

they requested his particular attention to the follow-
ing points:-1. The admission of paupers into the
" shed," or room mentioned in the evidence ; 2. The
confinement of paupers therein, by keeping the doors
locked ; 3. Whether any and what distinction is made
as to the character of paupers, and the consequent dif-
ference in their treatment; 4. Thetreatment of paupers
ontheiradmission into the workhouse, and their alleged
punishment by being placed in the "shed," and on
low diet

The charge against the master of tricking the
guardians by false and unfair specimens of the pauper
rations, was not gone into by the assistant commis-
sioner.

How stands the case, so much of it as has been
investigated, between the guardians and the commis-
sioners? The guardians in their report denied that

thing they held classification to be, and an excellent
place for carrying it out, that same shed.
How far is this borne out by the report of the
commiasioners, founded on the same evidence, be it
remembered, as that of the guardians ?
They entirecla=of any arrangement which may be.adopted
for tbe due of the inmates of the workhouse with the
the mixture of the more respectable and well-oon-
view of
d with the profligate. Such a classification of the
Initiauctedtes, is emcee especially neceseary in the workhouses of large town.
Great are swat, however, be taken not to compound elimstrwation
with yonishasent, and the CONamissioners fear that this principle has
not been safficientlit attended to in the arrange
eras is the St. Pan-
cras workhosuic Is fact, the refractory wards Aare beets used indis-
criminately and aeowedly for both pwrposes.
On this point, then, the commissioners and the
guardians flatly contradict each other. When we
look at the evidence, we shall not hesitate with which
opinion to range ourselves.
With referents be the ern of the four points to which his attention
was especially dinned by the commindoners, Mr. Hall
are
That therms pieced in the refractory ward termed the fakum-
yid* le appropriated to male Inmate.), and the shed,"
RrZt eereeeperie in every respect to the oakum-ward) which is ap-
promined le Inhales, are persons whose character is betimed to be
beet, amid dad prow whose mama in the workhouse is disorderly.
The assuir appeart to exercise a discretionary power as to placing
iw hkeseranis, either on their admission into the workhouse, or so
owe afdisarderlyconduet therein.
And, again :
It ewers that these wards are used for two entirely distinct pur-
paseelltret,ler thereeeption of a particular class olpaupers,.aamely,
Mime, poen* irregular habits, sad for their separation from
the mere respetekelde sad well-eotidacted inmates ; sad, secondly,
=
es plogoboolt for yorsvou who hare hems Frilly of me-
n woorkkomo. Woo the mooed point, wady, the con-
losount et tin peeper la Ine all
refract yor wards, it appears that
the nentee re rib* hem the parts of the wads at
times. eel whit the areddow got the master Kennings gins an
brans leen efehesese for silky or two to try and
wily Ind took, they
eat bre dr t
hey If deeds to re
applyenre theorems forea
the 11111/idessie. They law dry
MOM' to to dr meter is
thdr drawn. amp the artykoryer and superintendents; boa it
mom from doo widow • / other ovitssotoes, sad eke f the
wader of the wombat himself; that their wilderness for die.
cheer are net ossoiliately attended to. A tonedtke of
dinners meet every Prlaq. and the NNW states,lw tare owes
445ication for • diseharge pain werthare, word take I
sbould apes
to damn the paupers rail Oho tooetior so Friday t
. gave me no good rem& why they should so, u
do if they
knew the partite, and felt sure that ossy would run the drone and
Morn immediately." With regard to tie third point, namely, whe-
ther mg. sod what, Melba** to ark with reference to the charac-
ter, Ina the consequent dillenage in their treatment, the evidence
diem Inds ham ar Oro rellmelery wards. both those placed thete
agleam ilaterar bed sharapar aid thaw who have been disor-
derly 11
sea. -tesrikeess, ••• the l'ede i^a•alcc
below sekleat to wreaks restristfass, mut supplied with isfrrior diet.
They are deprired of the pririteye of pang out of the workhouse on
Sunday, for the purpose*, attending dirine service, and also of going
out occasionally at other times; and they are allowed on three days
of the week, four ounces of went for their dinner instead of sir
Names, and is the men's refractory ward, every day. eim.aissi-a-half
ounce of chase, instead of two ounces!
These are, we should imagine, tolerably convincing
proofs that " tho shed " may, without any great
violence to language, be called " a place of punish-
ment." The picture given in these and other passages
of the report, of magisterial authority in St. Pancras,
is really startling. There is no English official (in-
cluding colonels of regiments and captains of ships)
who ;at all approaches the workhouse master in the
extent and irresponsibility of the authority he wields.
Colonel and captain, stern as martial law may be,
have yet martial law to control them. But the work-
house bashaw recognises no workhouse law except
his will, while he laughs to scorn the law of the
realm. Magna (Urfa and Habeas Corpus become
inoperative on the other side of the workhouse
threshold : the master of St. Pancras punishes in
violation of both.
Hear the commissioners on thin point :
The commissioners also think it right to notice the power asenmed
by the master of the workhouse to detain paupers there after they
have applied for their discharge. The commissioners had amigo*
formai), to consult the then Attorney-general and Air W. Follett,
upon the 91/411i0P1 whether any power existed of detaining in the
workhouse for twenty four hours adult paupers mote In mind and
body, and they gave it as their opinion that no inch pouter exists,
unless where some eaten has been committed. The master of the
workhosiee, therefore, exceeds his duty, and acts illegally in de-
taining paupers, although inmates of the 0ak606,00,16, who applied
for their thechuge, until the weekly meeting of thi committee of
direaors.
Not only does Mr. LEE habitually impose illegal
punishments, but even these he inflicts without record
or report. How far Mr. LEE is fit to be entrusted
with such unexampled power is proved by his use of
it hitherto. Here again the immaculate prolegif of
Mr. HOWARTH receives a hint from the commis-
sioners, followed by an intimation which must be
peculiarly pleasant to the guardians.

- -
Punishments, again, ought to be recorded. This appear not
to be done in St. Pancras Workhouse. The master says :
" Whenever I transfer an inmate from the body of the work-
' house to the oakum-room, I report the circumstsnees of the
case to the board. Ido not report in every ease of punishment ; there
reports are verbal, and no record is made of them." The commis-
' sioners ore of opinion that by way of chock upon any arbitrary con-
duct on the part of the master, he should be required to report, in
writing, to the guardians, all punishments, without exception, which
may take place In the workhouse, and an exact record of them should
be kept, also that the paupers who have been punished should be
brought before the board at their next meeting, In order that they
may. have the opportunity of complaining to the directors of any undue
punishment, and regulations to this effect are contained in the commis-
sioners' general workhouse rules. No punishment, moreover, ought
to last long. If the offence is one which punishment for such a limited
time as can be inflicted in the workhouse is not sufficient to meet an
offender, he ought to be taken before a magistrate, and dealt with
under the 55th Geo. 111., chap. 137. The commissioner. are of
opinion that the principles above ado-vied to hare not been snficiently
attended to in the St. Pancras workhouse, and they propow to issue
regulations with reference to the monagen.ent of the workhouse, which
may contain such directions on this ankiect as appear to the commis-
sioners to he necessary.

In other words, the commissioners will take out of
the hands of the guardians a discretion they have
shown themselvesuntit to be trusted with.
Dr. Fenno, who accompanied Mr. HALL, reports on
the state of the wards and the sufficiency of the
dietary. He declares the one to be damp, over-
crowded, and ill-ventilated, and the other insufficient
for refractory paupers :

" The columbium= are desirous, further, of drawing the careful
attention of the Abeam to the circumstances mentioned by Dr.
Farre, in hie report is to the state of the wards inspected by him.
The ands glow to oxford inewileind accommodation for the another:
oeccudatea/ppilmed ia them ; to be generally deficient In the moans of
rentilaelass; mad, in sosioamme. to be damp,.
The cagmaideakmars are dadrour of being informed of any steps
which aim be takes by the directors in pursuance of the suggestions
made by Dr. Farm, for remedying these defects. They lime every
that the matter will hare the immediate attention of the
dir i and that nothing will be omitted to be done which the
eelZe the premise. admits of for the of improving the
ereememededat et the wards. They request tikersiae to brow whether
aumbere so be admitted into each ward will be strictly Limited
within the numbers recommended by Dr. Farre. The commissioners
also desire to dram tie anodic,* of the directors to the °pluton of
Dr. Farce, as to the *efficiency of the dietary allowed to the paupers in
W refractory yards.
-- - •

The last point to which the commissioners direct
the notice of the guardians is the case of the poor
old man Winn..

The commissioners cannot conclude this letter without adverting
to the evidence of the master of the workhouse given before the
committee of directors on the 24th of September with reference to
Wbitt's ease. It appears to be admitted by the master that Whitt
has been deprived by him of the work he as previously engaged in,
and consequently of the allowance made him, on account of the evi-
dence he gave before the committee of directors on the 22nd of Sep-
tember. . . . . . .

The occomissioners are of opinion that the practice oanctioned by
the St. Pancras Local Act of allotting remuneration to the inmates of
the workhouse for work done by them is liable to great objection. 8o
long so it exist., however, and so long as such employment is looked
on as a privilege, to deprive an individual of It unnecessarily bears
the character of punishment or of revenge. The commissioners are
decidedly of opinion that no alteration, an regards the employment of
any inmate, should have been made which might in any way have the
appearance of punishment inflicted on such ifunnte for evidence given
by him on the inquiries which have recently taken place. They re-
quest to be informed whether the act of the master, as regards the
case of Whitt, has been confirmed by the board of directors, or wi.at
has been done with reference to it.—l am, Sir, your most obedient
servant, W. 13. WILEY, Assistant Secretary.
To John ',Maher, Esq., Clerk to the Directors of the Poor
of St. Pancraa Parish, I, Gordon-street,Gordon-square.

We are surprised to find that the commissioners do
not go into the alleged fraud of the master, in pre-
senting to the Board of Guardians, as specimens of
the ordinary allowances, rations superior in quantity
and quality to those really furnished to the inmates
of St. Pancras workhouse. We are still more
surprised that with the misconduct of this man,
LEES, so distinctly proved, in almost every
point in which such an official can show him-
self unworthy of trust or authority, the commis-
sioners have not exercised the power they pos-
sess of summarily dismissing him from his
situation. Do they leave this task to the guardians ?
Is not their previous conduct during the investiga-
tion, followed by their report, a sufficient warrant
that they will not remove the present master, simply
because it is their obvious and bounden duty to re-
move him ? We maintain that the commissioners have
left their task unfinished ; that they have neglected
the most important part of it. They have pointed out
the evils which exist; they have not removed the
author of them. They suggest remedies, and omit
that step without which all remedies will be defeated
—the removal of a tyrannical, lawless, revengeful,
fraudulent, uncontrolled, and irresponsible despot.
While a LEES continues master of St. Pancras Work-
house with a How.urrn to support him in the board-
room, it is idle for assistant-commissioners to examine
and commissioners to report. The one must be die-

missed, the other shamed into silence, before a single
abuse can be rectified, or the slightest amelioration
effected in the condition of the wretched paupers of