The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-06 00:00:00

mon sense let the Conference decide upon its course,
or let it make way for Parliamentary decision. Oar
national sympathy with Denmark, still more our
national sympathies for the weaker side—for the
powerless and oppressed—our national honour
which is concerned in behalf of those whom we
have encouraged to their own destruction—our
national energy which is becoming a fiction—our
high place in the councils of Europe, which is
becoming a nonentity, all combine to render a
prompt decision necessary. Let the Conference
save Denmark while it is possible to save her, or
let them make way for more determined men.

It is certainly not for want of due attention being
paid to the subject that the state of the poor in so
many parts of the metropolis is so deplorable; but
the question is how can the present evils be rea
media, and what steps should be taken to rectify
the serious errors that have crept into the systems
now extant. Day after day there are new horrors
to be heard of, and all through the past winter in-

numerable horrors have been recorded. It is time
that some striking change be made in that depart-

ment of the law which relates to the relief and
maintenance of our starving and suffering poor, for

at present it reflects disgrace upon all connected
with it ; through its very faulty structure, in the
first place, and secondly, from the unsuitable

manner in which the officials carry out the task

devolved upon them. Two letters in the Times of
yesterday throw some light upon this complicated

subject, and as all fresh information on this im-
portant point is desirable, they had better be
perused by all those who are giving their attention

in this direction, whether as active agents, or as

merely collecting information and gathering hin

for others. One of these letters informs us that
there are certain restrictions which interfere with

.he working of some of the societies which are

Formed for the visitation of the poor. Many o

,hese prohibit their members from administering
,emporal relief at ail, intimating that " secular

work" interferes with " strictly spiritual work."

The writer of the letter referred to observes that
these restrictions are not likely to further thq pro

press of the work in view. There seems eansider

able truth in this, for any rules that tend to excite
irritation and promote controversy are always pre-
judicial to the working of a system, and must

more or less mar the interests of the undertaking

they concern. It is also mentioned in this cora,
munication that the Bistop of London's Fund pur.

poses to provide for the extension of the system

of lay agency. It is consequently necessary to

decide without loss of time how far the presen

practice shou d be continued. The seeond letter

on this subject suggests a very good scheme for

the succour of the distressed ; it is that an or-
ganised visiting society should be established

for the inspEcticn of the outdoor poor,
on the same principle as the one orga•

nised by the Bishcp of LONDON for the visits.
tion of the Unions of the metropolis. Such a plan,
it is remarked, would greatly decrease the number
of cases of starvation. There can be no doubt that
it would be a very desirable arrangement, and at
all events there can be no reason why it should not
be tried. A convincing proof is here given of its
efficacy in the fact that in Lancashire, notwith-
standing the great calamity that occurred, there
were hardly any such cases of death from want as
occur so frequently in L)ndon—the reason being
that "out-door relief" is so general, and voluntary
almoners were very active in their exertions.
Surely, then, argues this writer, " the wealth, the
organising power, the good intentions of the capital
are at least equal to those of the people of the
North," and there must be every reasonable ground
for expecting the same satisfactory results, if only
a right understanding is come to as to the best
mode of assisting the poor. Tne defects that have
hitherto existed in all our systems of " relief," as
they are called by courtesy, but which really seem
named on the principle of lucus non lucendo, have
caused the most lamentable results to take place,
and no one, however sceptical as to the feasibility
of proposed alterations, can venture to assert that
no change is required. There '2as been so much
dreadful suffering recorded, and so many untimely
deaths have taken place, that a long list of ghastly
witnesses are arrayed in answer to any who would
attempt to deny the failure of the present systems
of poor law regulations. There is no valid reason
to be given in extenuation of this grievous state of
things; the extreme sold is not enough indication,
because the rules and regulations of the system are
worth nothing if they do not and cannot provide
for such an emergency. Preparations ought to be
made every autumn for a severe winter ; too much
care and caution cannot be exercised, and if a little
unnecessary expense is incurred, that should not
enter into consideration compared with the lives
that are at stake, and the sufferings that are so
cruel, Bethnal-green, in particular, has furnished
instances of excessive misery and destitution which
have been treated with the grossest neglect on
the part of the authorities in many cases. It
is difficult, and perhaps impossible, to say what
line of conduct ought to have been adopted in so
many conflicting circumstances ; but one thing is
certain, at all events, that they did what they ought
not to have done, in refusing admission to the Union
on many occasions. The practice that prevails in
so many places of refusing to let one member of a
family enter the " House," unless all become in-
mates, is a most abominable one, and cannot be too
severely censured. If it were open to no other
criticism, it is enough to stamp it with reprobation
that the discussions that always ensue concerning
the matter waste precious time, and while one side
argues this way, and another asserts that state-
ment, life and death are struggling in the balance,
and too often the stern messenger decides the dis-
puted point, and the poor sufferer is hurried away
from the world that has been so weary, and the
worldlings that have been so cruel. There must be
something radically wrong in the workings of a
system that proves so unpalatable to the class for
whom it is designed. Many die immediately after
their admission to the Workhouse, and this because
they have waited till the last possible moment
before seeking for an entrance therein. If all was
arranged as it should be this mortal dislike would
not exist, and it is a scandal that it should. The
real way of treating this question of the manage-
ment of Workhouses should be considered by the
Poor-Law Board. If the institution be not a sham,
or a sinccare, surely its members can act, and show
themselves wise enough and humane enough to
devise a remedy for the starving and suffering
dragging on wretched lives, and
Pwohoors'e who
deaths
are
from actual want are a stigma on
our
asorceiparloascyhs tteoms,
oac e
t disgracey.
It
it so
oof unro
consequence
what red-tapists are offended, or prejudices sacri-
ficed. In such a cause, to break through precedent
is a high and holy work, and the zeal that effects a
sweeping
change will be meritorionsond cannot fail
to be appeciated. There ought to be no further
incitement required than this, that
er
low-mortals demand relief, and thaptoivsherintag feskeld-
strength, inexperienced youth, and toil-worn eld
age, seem to have no refuge appointed for them by
the law, but are where chances of support are very
problematical. Something must speedily be done
to rectify this very unsatisfactory state of things,