The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-26 00:00:00

found a willing co-operator in Mr. Justice Perrin, who
boasted, and with some just pride, that since his ele-
vation to the bench he has always inculcated and
enforced the justice of economy in the public depart-
ments.

The National Art-Union is taking steps to have ex-
hibitions in the provinces. Applications have been
made by Waterford and Clonmel, whose committees
ffer, in case the prizes and such other works of the
society could be rest down for exhibition, to be
responsible for their rare, and bear the expenses of
transit and superintendence. The effect of such an
application of the uses of the society would be bene-
ficial, and could not fail to exercise a refining influence
on the provinces.

ELECTORAL DlviSlONs.—Tifit POOR LAW.—The poor
law comrnissior.en have refused to be parties to the project
suggested by the trustees of the estate of the Earl of Devon,
namely, the consolidation of those estates in Limerick into
ono electoral division. The commissioners very justly say,
that the suggestion is neither more nor lees than that the
estates of landed proprietors should become an area of taxa-
tion for poor law purposes, and, " after mature considera-
tion," they state that they have arrived at the conclusion
that, even suppling that the principle were in
itself, both practicable and expedient (on neither
of which points do the conunissionen propose to ex-
press soy opinion on the present occasion), it would
be improper for theist, so a purely administrative body,
to act on that principle, unless it previously received the de-
liberate sanction of the legislature. That the legislature has
not thought fit to sanction this principle the commissioners
assert, for though in some eases the areas of taxation may
hare the same boundaries as particular properties, still " the
making an estate as such, the area of taxation is a principle
wholly unknown to the law ;" and as this " cannot proceed
from any indifference or from the idea not being presented
to the consideration of parliament," they conclude that the
legislature "considered'itaimmcdiate adoption not desirable."
The weight of their objections, however, and the immediate
cause of the commissioners' refusal is thus summed up :
The coniraiss.oners are fortified in this view of the question by
the consideration that eves usurping the principle to be in itself
practicable and expedient, ite adoption would produce obvious
conveniences and injustice, unionism...stunted by further alterations
in the law of rating, and of chargeability on electoral divisions. For
example, it is evident that one of the immediate effects, as the law at
present stands, would be, in many instances, to cause the polling
clown of cottagew, to give a stimulus to clearances from estates, and to
throw an undue and overwhelming burdenoncertainlomlities, such as
small towns or large villages in which, owing to the great number of
proprietors, there would be nn systeruatin unity of action to
prevent the influx of ejected tenants and persona bordering oa
pauperism. The fact that such localities would become unduly taxed,
In the present state of the law, Is fully conceded ; and in order to ob-
viate the palpable injury which would be inflicted on them. it is pro.
posed that when their poor.ratee exceed a certain amount, the balance
required for the relief of their deaUtution should be levied either as
a onion or a national rate. But, without entering on the question
whether a union rats or a national rate, in such cases, would Sc
would not be expedient, it es evident that no such rate could be made
without an alteration of Me law, and without admitting principles of
taxation for poor-law purpoeeo, different from theme sanctioned by
parliament in any part of the United King& m.

SCOTLAND.
EDINBUROH, Nov. 24.
The Queen's speech was telegraphed to Edinburgh
by half-put fire o'clock, being four hours after its
delivery in London. The negative character of the
speech in reference to the points chiefly exciting inte-
rest in Scotland, viz., the Bank Act, the colonies, law
of entail, &c., has caused some disappointment.
Fever in Glasgow is re-acting fearfully on hospital
and other officials. The new parochial inspector has
scarcely commenced the duties of an officer, vacated
by his predecessor falling a victim to the pestilence,
than he is himself laid up. The superintendent of the
Clyde-street Fever Hospital has been seized ; so have
his clerk, the apothecary, and eight nurses; while ene
porter has died. If this be regarded as extensive
havoc, let the provocatives be duly considered. Since
Juno 3,000 patients have been under treatment by
this one superintendent, and, as a local authority
coolly remarks, "of these we understand less then
250 have died." How many poor wretches would
these phlegmatic statists wish to die ? In the mean-
time, talking about remedial measures continues as
rife es ever, every orator at parochial, police, and
council boards holding forth learnedly and in leech
fashion, about the connexion between fever and filth ;
but as closes must be swept by brooms, not words, it
is a pity that so much eloquence should be wasted.
Take a sample of this. The Board of Supervision
writes to the Glasgow board about the Nuisances Act.
" Oh," says the chairman, " that act does not apply to
us, and I hope the Board of Statute Labour and
Police will see to it." And very likely the members
of the latter body will administer the opiate to their
'consciences that the Board of Supervision did net
apply to them. Then the district surgeons have
hitherto received twenty-five guineas for risking their
health anti lives. Forty pounds was modestly pro:
posed as their future remuneration ; but it has ac-
tually been carried that they shall receive a gratuity
of tea pounds for the current year, this munificent
sum on no account to be regarded as a precedent for
future years, should these sinecurists live to see them.
But after all, the Glasgow surgeons are better:off than
the physicians of the Edinburgh Infirmary, who
literally do not receive one farthing.
In Dumfries things are looking better. Mr. Ewart
writes his constituents whether they have any facts
or statements to make about Dumfries, in order that
they may appear in the Health of Towns Report ;
and this leads to a sanitary discussion, which results
in a resolution to appoint an inspector of nuisances,
and to remit to the committee of wurks the execution
of drains for the town. Of all towns Dumfries
should be up and doing at this emergency ; when
visited by cholera, of 837 cases officially reported the
deaths amounted to the appalling number of 422. Ia
Dundee the deaths at present are above what they
were during the prevalence of cholera; and in that
town, as well es in Perth and Glasgow, catarrhs are
so prevalent, that in churches the voices of the clergy-
men can scarcely be heard for the coughing of the
congregations. Coughing in Scotch churches, like
snoring in American chapels, is often the result of
bad habit, not disease ; but at present physical causes
are really at work.