The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-06 00:00:00

as anything in rendering the fall of the last Cabinet
ridiculous. Yet the Administrators who have suc-
ceeded Lord Jolter RUSSELL and his colleagues in the
offices of the' Government, have forthwith thrust
upon the attention of the Legislature a scheme
no less inadequate, to dissipate the dangers
complained of, than that introduced to the
House of Commons by the ex- Premier, and
upon the declared insufficiency of which the Noble
Lord and his companions in power were compelled to
tender their resignation. Entirely at variance as the
proposal of the HOME SECRETARY is to the real
feelings of the community, it is by no means surprising
to find the progress of the Bill pertinaciously in-
terfered with by Hon. Members representing very
important constituencies, with a view to impede its
course, and ultimately even to induce her MAJESTY'S
Ministers to consent to a reference of this among
other questions to the judgment of the population.
Aware, as Ministers must be, that the proposed mea-
sure is one most unpopular in its character, it is to
be hoped that they will be induced by motives of
patriotism to delay anything like active legislation in
the matter until such time as the next Parliament
shall have assembled. Otherwise they will un-
questionably be throwing another obstacle in
the way of an amicable settlement of the existing
electoral differences. The difficulty of their
own position will, moreover, by that means be-
come very materially enhanced. They will
appear before the country as the authors (im-
mediately upon the eve of a general electicn)
of one of the most unpopular measures ever
adventured upon by any Government, and this after
having disappointed the nation very grievously by
not introducing, in the course of the budget, reforms
like the modification of Schedule D in the income-
tax or the removal of the impost on advertisements.
Out of motives of self-interest alone, it were advisable
for the new Cabinet to consent upon this subject, as
it has already done upon so many others, to delay
the question until the period has arrived when, after
being weighed in the balance of public opinion by the
various constituencies, it may reasonably and
without precipitation be brought under the notice of
the newly-elected representatives.
It is not, we repeat, that to our thinking some effort
is not advisable with a view to increase the defences
of the United Kingdom. There is not, we are satis-
fied, a journalist in England who is more thoroughly
satisfied than we are that some extraordinary
proceedings should be taken in order to render
the national position one of greater security.
Throughout the whole of the discussion which
has taken place upon this matter, whether in
the Press or in the Parliament, we have insisted upon
the accuracy of the statements advanced by Sir
FRANCIS HEAD, and upon the truthfulness of the
warning uttered by his Grace the Duke of WELLING-
TON. Our anxiety, therefore, is to behold some
really comprehensive measure for the better conserva-
tion of our sea-bound frontiers—a measure which can
never be secured exclusively by the simple re-or-
ganization of the militia. This solicitude, therefore,
can never be allayed by the introduction of
any such oneesided scheme as that embodied
in the proposition of the HOME SECRETARY. Feeling
thus upon the matter, we rejoice to observe the perti-
nacity with which the Militia Bill of Mr. Waerne
is being night after night interrupted in its progress by
a series of ingenious and diversified amendments. Seven
of these instruments of impediment are down among
the notices of motion for this evening, namely, those
to be respectively proposed by the Hon. Gentlemen the
representatives of Oldham, Lincoln, Evesham, Bury
St. Edmund's, West Kent, Haddingtonshire, and
Westminster. Little, therefore, in the way of its ad-
vancement can be expected without another, and
perhaps another, and possibly yet another, adjourn-
ment.

" A heavy blow and great discouragement" has
been inflicted on a numerous, and by no means un-
distioguished, body. One of the most shining
lights of the corresponding society of " begging
letter writers" has paled its lustre for a time. Yes,
THOMAS HENRY STONE, a gentleman of great tact
and experience, of high imaginative powers and un-
questionable eloquence, has, by the cruel sentence of
Sergeant ADAMS, been consigned to banishment for
seven tedious years. For him there will be no
more early lamb or forced asparagus ; his blan-
dishments will scarcely melt the hearts of
the grim officials under whose superintendence
he will be placed. He cannot indite epistles either
as " Fanny Mertor," " Fanny Hamilton," " Fanny
Lyons," " Mary D.invers," " Mary Whitmore," or
any other of the numerous appellations which be re-
sorted to in his palmy days, before the cruel" Mendi-
city " nipped his hopes in the bud by their heartless
revelations. No more can he appeal to the " Hero
of a hundred fights" as the destitute daughter of one
of his gallant followers, whose life had been for-
feited in the very hour of victory. He has now to
expiate his offences where his imaginative
genius must be kept within bounds. Every
letter that he sends off must be previously
examined, and even if he could succeed
in again deceiving his dupes, the money would be of
little service, as he could not obtain any of " the deli-
cacies of the season" in exchange. He may, however,
possibly be enabled to mitigate some of the evils of
his situation. It appears that it is not the first time
that he has been under sentence of transportation,
and his former experience may now become really
valuable.

Seriously speaking, the trial and sentence will be
exceedingly beneficial in many respects, not only as
a stlutary caution to persons who have resorted
to false and fraudulent pretences for the purpose of
extracting money from charitable individuals, but

ills° to those who have heretofore been largely victi-
mised. It will show the necessity of the greatest
care before any application is responded to, in which
the accuracy of the allegations is not personally
known to the party applied to. Stories, however
piteous or heartrending, must not be received with
implicit credence. There is no case, however urgent,
that cannot be postponed for fitting inquiry, or at
least a very trifling assistance would be amply suffi-
cient to enable the applicant to go on, until
answers from trustworthy persons could be
obtained. The mere fact that an inquiry would
certainly be' instituted would deter impostors from
resorting to their flagitious schemes and desires. A
really deserving object would court the most search-
ing investigation, while the impostor would slink
away abashed the moment any test were proposed.
It is, then, an imperative duty on :every person who
indulges "in the luxury of doing good" to see that
he is not deceived by tne spurious metal, but that it
is a case of genuine distress by which his pity has been
excited. The enormous injury to the cause of humanity,
of real charity, by hasty and reckless benefactions, is
incalculable. The only possible excuse is thereby
afforded to hard-hearted selfishness to ignore the
most meritorious claims, to disregard unequivocal
misery, lest there might be a possibility of
deception.
The adoption of ordinary precau-
tions on the part of really kind-hearted per-
sons would prevent the possibility of this heartless
excuse,tand strip the cloak of hypocrisy from unworthy
shoulders.

The facts of the case were exceedingly simple.
The bait was thrown out in the shape of an adver-
tisementartfully and artistically framed, which
a morning contemporary, to the fol-
lowing most
was inserted in
T THE CHARITABLE ANDO
most unfortunate
the
"o effect :
adistress to solicits fronnfortunate lady is
lthose charitable
Young and
anddelreiiv eleventh
humane by
hngreat
persons
Tho ad-
's condition is almost he el assistance.
'
be-
nevolent acts some little pecuniary
Verti3er
friendless, and reduced to the l
a
pst
ts 3, being, alas:
extremity.k The
smallest aid would bo most thankfully
and the fullest explanation given. Directae mnowledged,
ar., Post-office, Great
Randolph-street,Camdenlss T. C.
New
Town."
There were few persons possessing the means of
affording relief who would not be caught by such an
appeal. 11.1 r. RICHARD FORSTER, a gentleman de-
serving of the greatest credit for his exemplary con-
duct in the transaction, responded to the call. He
wrote to the direction indicated, demanding further
particulars, and received an answer informing him
that the writer was the daughter of a deceased mer-
chant, who had died suddenly in a railway carriage
about two years since, that during her father's
life she had been comfortably provided for, but that
she had subsequently been deceived under a promise
of marriage, the licence having been actually pur-
chased, Mr, Folioln transmitted Reit-efacs
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