The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

i!

LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1852,

The Poor-law officials of Stony Stratford are
desirous of relieving themselves from the imputa-
tions to which the melancholy death of poor
;HENRY MORGAN or NEWTON (as it now appears
the wretched outcast should have been designated)
has rendered them liable. It is a good symptom
when " parochial" guardians, as Mrs. BUMBLE
would say, think it possible that economy may be
carried a little tco far, or that they are at all called
upon to apologise for the death of an " obstinate
pauper,' who died of " starvation" just to spite
the guardians, and bring discredit on the Union ;
and that, moreover, a casual, who had no
legal settlement in the district. The matter
might net, it is true, have been thought so much
of, had it not been for the extensive notoriety
it obtained, through the interference of one of
their own officers. That was " the unkindest cut
of all"—the Chaplain of the Union workhouse,
where the tragedy commenced and termi-
nated. Had it been some meddling stranger,
or prying philanthropist, that circulated the re-
port, they might possibly have treated it with
silent contempt. Unfortunately, however, if
rested on no anonymous or doubtful authority.
The Rev. BARWICK J. SAMS, Rector of Grafton
Regis, and Chaplain of the Union Workhouse of
Yardley Gobion, had, disregarding all personal
considerations, and with a chivalry deserving the
highest praise, afforded powerful evidence of its
authenticity, by affixing his name to the heart-
rending statement, and publicly declaring that he
" did so in the hope that it might be useful in com-
pelling a better treatment of destitute paupers at
Stratford, and generally in condemnation of such
unfeeling conduct towards a fellow-creature, to
the dishonour of our humanity." Here was a
trustworthy witness a gentleman of ur.-
impeachable cha,rao:;er, whose position as Chap-
lain of the workhouse not only gave him
facilities peculiar for ascertaining accurately
the fects and circumstances of the horrid trans-
actions, but who was actually present when the
unfortunate man was brought in, and who
exerted himself with a humanity and enthusiasm
befitting a Minister of the Gospel, to save the life
of his afflicted brother. An accusation from such
quarter could not be slighted or despised. It
Las accordingly elicited two letters--the one from
certain Guardians of the Poor, and Churchwar-
dens of the parish of
e' Stony St: afford—the other
.u.
from three neighbo •
fin Justices of the Peace.
The first of these epistles does not in any de-
greo controvert the matters so truthfully and im-
pressively put forward by the Rev. Gentleman.
It merely comments upon
his statement, the
same time giving him credit for " the best inten-
tion," and deprecates the indignation that might be
excited, by stating " that the town in
reality knew
nothing of the man, or never heard him until
the appearance of Mr. SAM'S letter : adding, « by
which it appears that the man had every kind
a'tention shown to him by the master of the
Workhouse, even to an excess of his dutl.,, This
last paragraph, however, if true, proveg
a "leetle" too much for the gentry who
make so strong a parade of their humanity.
What, is it indeed "an excess of duty" on the part
of the master to give a morsel of food to a starv-
ing and exhausted pauper ? The humane regula-
tions of the establishment, it appears, only sanc-
tion what in Ireland is termed " dry lodging;" or,
in other words, the mere shelter of a roof for the
miscreant guilty of the atrocious crime of poverty.
A judicious test of destitution is applied in the
, „ fin e
relieving t instance, by the residence of th
e lr )
,officer being situated three miles from the place
where the relief is to be administered ; so that the
grant who has the audacity to seek employment
'Here aloneit can be obtained, in his trade, will
,:jhAke at least three, and probably five or six, miles
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