The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-02 00:00:00

baneful in its effects upon the social condition of the
country as would be a vigorous war. Better things,
or at least more decided measures, are promised in
the Spring. It is said that a two-fold movement
upon Richmond, one by the Peninsula route and
the other by the direct line of advance, will then
be undertaken, with what result remains to be seen.
It would almost appear to a bystander that the
combatants themselves are becoming aware of the
hopeless nature of the conflict which they have
undertaken, and yet they are not sufficiently aware
of it, for the conviction to produce any result be-
yond, perhaps, that of paralysing their efforts for
good or ill. Meanwhile, such " good-natured
friends" as Mr. MILNER GIBSON and Mr. BRIGHT

and middle classes, as other evils to the artisan and
the hawker. Diseases of the brain and nerves are
reaching an alarming amount, and from their in-
fluence neither food nor raiment will protect us.
Overwork brings its sure reaction alike to rich and
poor, and nature will exact her inevitable penalty
for the infraction of h©r laws. The returns of the
Registrar preaches many sermons, but the two fore-
most are those which teach us impressively the
duties of moderation and of charity, if we would
not add ourselves'to the victims of the over-worked
mental and moral system, nor see our poorer neigh-
bours swell the list of those sacrificed by undue
exhaustion of the physical powers.

The election intelligence just now is very full of
interest, and the circumstance of there being so many
vacant seats naturally leads one to surmise what
will be the result of the struggle. The days for
piece party contest are over, yet notwithstanding
the moderation of tone that has supervened there
must of course prevail to a certain extent a degree
of contention, and the different views of the rival
candidates will be advocated with more or less
success. There is one satisfaction in the reflection,
that whichever side wins it will make no difference
in so far as regards the actual state of things at
present. Merely to remain passive and quiescent
during the Parliamentary session does not require
any very elaborate enunciation of political opinion
or great degree of energy expended by the advocate
of a particular cause or upholder of a popular mea-
sure. It is all very well for proposers and seconders
at the nomination of a candidate to declare that he
is a worthy exponent of the sound doctrines of re-
form, that he will be a shining light, and a zealous
champion, to guide the course and guard the rights
of the constituents committed to his charge ; but
who does not know the fallacy of such an argument,
the illusory nature of the promise, the unstable
foundation of the hope expressed and the expecta-
tion put forth. When, as is now very rarely the
case, the independent boroughs return Liberals, of
what avail are their efforts, and what result ensues
from the vehement asseverations so eagerly noted
down by curious listeners. Nothing, absolutely
nothing, is done by any of the so-styled re-
formers and enthusiastic patriots. Some excuse,
va id or not, as the case may be, is of
course brought forward when the member meets
his constituents, but in the court of conscience how
would the matter stand. At all events, if it is
so absolutely impossible as they make it out for
reformers to introduce a reform bill, if the Ministers
cannot carry out their luminous intentions, let them
be honest, and not add the paltry offence of hypo-
crisy to the large list of their peccadilloes. Why
is it we notice this eager haste on th'e part of inde-
pendent Liberals and uncompromising Radicals to
rush to the poll and declare themselves the vindi-
cators of their country's rights, when they must
know all the time that they either cannot, or will
not, do anything when once installed in their places
at St. Stephen's. The temper of the country has
been pretty plainly manifested in respect to these
would-be heroes in a fight that never comes off, and
these martyrs to a cause that is never agitated. The
answer of the English people to such subterfuge and
chicanery, has been to ignore their teaching, and to
return their opponents. Every fresh member re-
turned for the Conservative cause, during the last
year or two, has been a greater loss to the Liberal
party than an acquisition to the Opposition. It is
true that to them the advantages that accrue are
considerable in the way of strength, and the oppor-
tunity of action, but their adversaries' losses are all
in the way of character, and in that respect the
damage is irretrievable. The unseemly haste with
which so many members of the same party seek to
possess themselves of a vacant borough is in itself a
scandal to the party they pretend to serve, and a
reproach to the consistency they advocate. At
Brighton, for instance, there was the spectacle of
four candidates in the field, all possessing the same
style of politics with but slight modifications. One
has since withdrawn, but the presence of three ren-
ders the affair quite preposterous. It would
be ludicrous did not the gravity of the
question forbid any merriment. It is, indeed, a
very deplorable circumstance to notice at this
critical juncture of affairs that the party which
professes to represent the spirit of the country in
its integrity and independence—to proclaim the
might of its moral strength, and infuse the influence
of its freedom to the uttermost ends of the earth—
should fail so signally and exhibit such signs of in-
ternal decay. " How are the mighty fallen !" may
well
be exclaimed when a survey is taken of the state and
prospects of the great Liberal party of England.
It was urged as a bitter reproach against the late
Sir ROBERT PEEL that he had destroyed the Con-
servative party ; but far greater is the damage done
to the Liberal cause by Earl RUSSELL. Want of
candour is the most fatal error that a statesman can
fall into ; and when Earl RUSSELL put himself so
unnecessarily forward in opposing the Reform Bill
of the DERBY Cabinet, and then backed out of
doing anything himself, he inflicted an injury to
the cause which he professed to revere that no
mere deprivation of power could ever have occa-
sioned. It was a loss of character which he sus •
tained, and political reputation once tarnished is
never the same. The manner in which he inveigled
the representatives of the City about the Ballot
question on a former occasion ought to have taught
his supporters more wisdom; but it is to be feared
that they were only too ready to follow their leader
when he marshalled the way to the land of promise,
which shone so fair with the treasures and glories
of official power. It would simplify matters very
much during the difficult task of electing a member
if those who are free to please themselves would
remember that the cause of Reform is not a whit
advanced by the return of a supporter to the pre-
sent Government, and therefore there can be no
reason to adopt that pretext or urge that plea when
an unfit candidate appears.

give approving encouragement (even !he pacific Mr.
BRIGHT!) to the continuance of the fratricidal
strife. No word of warning comes from any judi-
cious looker-on ; on the contrary, these mistaken
advisers seem only resolved to " fool them to the
top of their bent, and by word and deed to
encourage the fatal mistake of persisting in an
impossible effort to restore the Union—a mistake
which too late, perchance, the best friends of
America will have reason to deplore.

The statistics of the general health of the metro-
polis are a matter of common interest and impor-
tance. There are few of our social arrangements
which work better than the system of registration,
and if we attempt to picture to ourselves the con-
fusion, the alarms, the false rumours which would
prevail if we possessed no channel of accurate and
minute information respecting the spread of disease
and death, we can in some measure appreciate its
value. Besides dispersing imaginary fears, the
Registrar's Report is useful in detecting hidden
evils, in watching the progress of epidemics, in
noting the conditions most favourable and unfavour-
able to human life, in pointing out dangers and
abuses, and in many ways forwarding the public
interests. Every change is watched, every un-
favourable symptom noted. No sooner does any
disease show a marked increase than the attention
of the Registrar is immediately drawn to the fact,
and precautionary measures are recommended.
The statistics of births and marriages are likewise
important, and much collateral information is sup-
plied by these tables. The annual report, 'which
Dr. LETHEBY has just presented to the Corporation
of London, presents some noteworthy aspects. In
the first place it is to be remarked, that the births,
deaths, and marriages registered within the City
during the past year are all below the average.
Nor can we attribute this diminution to that change
in the habits and ways cf the population which
makes the City less and less a place of residence,
for the calculations are based, as we all
know, upon an average corrected according to
the increase of population. According to this
estimate the births have declined from an annual
proportion of 3,350 to 2,962 ; the deaths from 2,969
2,870; while the marriages have remained nearly
stationary, having only changed from 1,702 to 1,701.
The varioas discussions that have taken place re-
specting the salubrity of a city life will induce the
reader to look with some interest for Dr. LETHEBY'S
report on that point. It seems, according to the
figures before us, that a city life is not necessarily
unhealthy to persons in early and middle life. The
great mortality exists in childhood,under five years;
39 per cent. of all the deaths were those of children
under that age, and Dr. LETHEBY reminds us that
such a mortality is excessive, owing to the small
body of children in the city ; the limited number
of the births and the continual addition of adult
life, looked at under these conditions, it appears that
nearly 89 in 1,000 of all the children below five
have died in the year. In some parts of the city
one child in every five dies before it is a year old;
in others, one in seven. These facts suggest reflec-
tion, and enforce the necessity of inquiring into the
causes of so high a rate of infant mortality. It is
inconsistent with the rest of the facts brought for
ward, seeing that the circumstances of city life are
not generally unfavourable to men and women.
There is a general loss, we are told, of about four
years in the life of every man in the city ; but
when we examine into particulars, we find this
difference not to be altogether attributable to
city influences. The merchant and shopkeeper reach
the average age of 57 ; the clerk, 54 ; the tailor,
shoemaker, and other toilers of like class, 51 or 52 ;
the cabman and carman, 50 ; the costermonger and
hawker, 49; the printer, 45. It is, therefore evi-
dent that the duration of life mainly depends on a
man's habits and condition. A further proof that
any increase of mortality is not especially due to
their city homes is found in the fact that the death-
rate is much less among the women than the men.
The real dangers of a city life are poverty and over.
work—agencies whose fatal influence extends far
beyond the city boundaries. 145 of every 1,000
deaths in the city occur in workhouses, and half of
those deaths are among five labour classes. This
account pleads strongly for the adoption of the
scheme of city infirmaries recently proposed, to make
up in some degree to the poor of that part for the
removal of the workhouses to a distance. The city
has many rich and ample endowments which might
be thus turned to profitable account, unemployed
sums which are yearly accumulating or diverted
from their original purpose. Such weather as we
have recently experienced mows down the popula-
tion before there is time to look round and realise
the mischief. We should be on our guard before
the danger comes, so far as we may. The aged,
the infirm, the weak, the poor, those who habitually
subsist on insufficient quantities of food, who cower
in fireless rooms, who shiver in scanty clothing,
are ready to fall an easy prey to the first " cold
wave" of the atmosphere. Those who are in a con-
dition of life to avail themselves of adventitious
aide, should not fail to do so at the first approach of
keen winds and sharp frosts, and all classes should
join in distributing with an open hand, food, cloth-
ing and fuel to the needy. Our late experience has
taught us impressively that King Frost is our
enemy, and that the " fine, seasonable weather" so
often praised and rejoiced over carries the seeds of
disease and death to too many among us. Mean-
while these statistics of city life suggest some
reflections. In the first place, it is worthy of notice
that nearly four-tenths of the deaths in the City
arise from respiratory affections. Despite the close
lanes and crowded houses, fever is not by far the
most fatal agency. This points out very clearly the
necessity that exists of providing as much fresh air
as possible for the population, by carefully pre-
serving whatever open spaces yet remain, and by
encouraging
the opening of parks, cricket-grounds,
&C., within
ha
atrn responsibility
easy reach of the lanes and alleys of
tohaelleCdittyo.
t hrel tte
as of employers
.ptlohyaetrsdesvhoolvuolds
on
them with regard to the health of their workmen,
to the necessityof
ventilation in work-rooms, shops, and offices. Pure
air, pure water, sufficient food,
clothing, and fire,
and labour restricted within •
rational bounds—who
shall say what a change would be wrought in the
health of the population could these blessings be
secured. Their combination would be the nearest
approach to the Elixir Vitae which we could attain,
and the average span of 50 or 56 years might, under
their beneficent agency, stretch out to the old four-
score. But another point deserves attention. The
hurry-acurry of our lives is as fatal to the upper

LEVASSOR, THE FRENCH COMEDIAN, is at present
acting in various cities in Italy, where his entertainment
enjoys considerable success.

THE ENGLISH SYSTEM OF TRIAL BY JURY will
very likely soon be adopted in Denmark.

---
Major Kennier committed suicide, says the Court
Journal, by shooting himself, on Wednesday morning, at
his residence 13, Lambridge, Cheltenham.

"WE ARE ALL Low PEOPLE THERE."—Lady
Pasley, of 7, Esplanade, Plymouth, has recently
been relating in our chief morning contemporary, a fright-
ful story of the misery of a little fishing village, called
Beer, in the neighbourhood of Axminster. The place is
actually plague-stricken rith measles. The inhabitants
are all fishermen, and at this time of the year always in
want. The children do not die of the disease, but of weak-
ness and starvation after it. Mrs. Bingham, Lady Paeley's
sister, who lives near Axminster, " writes, " the bell is
tolling constantly, and five or six children brought over
here in a cart to be buried daily. The village altogether is
like a thing you dream of. The mothers themselves look
like hungry wolves, without a feeling left for their dead
children, I have only seen one woman crying, until I said
a kind word, such as The summer is coming, and better
times, please God,' and then they sob as if they would go
into hysterics from weakness. In one den to-day there
were six children lying before the fireplace, and I asked the
woman if they were hungry. No,' she said, 'thank God
they are not as hungry as I am, for I have nothing to give
them. I could eat the table-board l' These poor children
die in the dark, and the mothers have to watch for daylight
to see them, not having a candle in the house." 'Who is
the clergyman of this parish? It is curious that Lady
Pasley only gives her own address at Plymouth, and her
sister's, at Keaton, near Axminster, and does not refer to the
clergyman who must be employed burying, and we will hope
also visiting, these poor wretches,

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1864.