The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-19 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1861.

There is nothing that requites more care and de-
mands the exercise of greater caution than the treat-
ment of the insane. Every motive eems to induce
us to adopt this course, and to farther this desirable
end, whether it is the due regard for the safety of
the community, the desire to benefit the unhappy
beings entrusted to our care, or the influence of
those humane feelings which should animate our
minds when the most afflicting malady to which
flesh is heir comes under our notice. The difficulties
of treating these casei of lunacy are so great, how-
ever, that it is not surprising that many mistakes
have been made in the performance of the task. At
all events at the present day we are happily spared
the pain of perusing the details or hearing the state-
ments which harrowed the feelings of our earlier
generation, touching the treatment of madness. The
good sense of the nation has been employed in set-
ting this wrong to rights, and the steps taken to
prevent the recurrence of the sad events that too
often took in asylums have been generally success-
ful. It is a matter for great rejoicing that such
should.be the case, Enid great praise is due to those
public men who have done so much to attain this
desired end. The chief flaws that are now met
with in the system seem to proceed from careless.
ness, and not adopting the due line of demarca-
tion that should exist in certain cases. The re-
cent tragedy at Colney Hatch again calls public
attention to this disteessing theme, and suggests
several ideas to the thoughtful on this important
topic. It is too much the custom when these
sad events occur, no matter in what class of life,
or what are their distinctive features, to summon
up a sudden attention to the facts, to make an
exhaustive examination of all the details, and
then very probably to fix upon some person or
persons to bear the blame, and thus afford a vent
for the expression of the excitement which has
been called up by the occasion. After a nine
days' wonder the subject drops into the shade
where so many things good, bad, and indifferent,
are cast when they have served their turn of con-
tributing to the excitement, or entertainment of the
hour. This is not at all the right way of treating
an important subject, and the prevalence of such
an injudicious practice is the cause that so
little is gained by experience in these untoward
events. It is a solemn duty to society not to
neglect to improve the opportunities that are
afforded by the disastrous and fatal occurrences
which from time to time cast a shade over the sun-
shine of existence, and turn the thoughts to the
contemplation of suffering and misfortune. The
apathy or indifference that is so universally exhi-
bited when the first excitement is past, is the reason
why improvements are always so slow in arriving
and so seldom witnessed in all establishments and
institutions. When an amelioration dce3 take place
it is generally because some thoughtful members of
society take np the subject in a theoretical form,
rather thin the agents who perform the work
' effecting any change by the instrumentality of
practical illustration. This is to be regretted,
because though the former is of great service, the
latter influence is greatly wanted ce a remedial
power. Nothing can compensate for the want of
thinking minds among the labourers in any voca-
tion, and if one more than another calls for atten-
tion and claims regard it is the care of the insane.
It must appear to all who study the subject care
fully that in the recent tragic occurrence at
Colney Hatch there was a want of due precaution
and an absence of watchfulness that may with ad-
vantage be rectified on future occasions. The mo-
tion of placing the two men together when the one
was a violent lunatic and the other a harmless
imbecile, was a very strange one, and the occur-
rence of the tragic event proved that it was a
dangerous oue. It is impossible to exercise too
much skill in the right discernment of these difficult
and complicated cases; but wherever there is a doubt
it is well to err on the side of over-caution. There
could have been no occasion for placing these men
together, and it would be well if, not only at this
establishment, but at other similar ones, the direc-
tors and managers would profit by the warning
thus conveyed, and institute more careful inquiries
before they take things so much for granted, and
put temptation in the way of those so little able to
resist it. Another, circumstance which requires
notice is, that there seems to have been some un-
necessary delay in sending for the medical man
when the accident occurred. Doubtless at first the
symptoms exhibited were not serious, and the same
course is often followed without any serious
results occurring, but the practice is not a safe
one, and the jury very properly maimed
verted upon it. They gave it as their opinion
that the visiting justices should issue directions to
the attendants to seek the assistance of the " medi-
cal superintendent," wheneveran accident occurs to
the patients. They also appended the notice that
the gas pipes should be covered in such a manner as
to render the recurrence of such an accident as this
impossible. It is almost beyond calculation to
divine how and in
what manner the unfortunate
beings who are sufferiEg
from this distressing
calamity will injure themselves and each other. It
is well, however, to profit by every means that can
be attainable to remedy defects in a system, and to
substitute different modes of treatment when „5
particular plan has failed or not been
altogether
successful in its adoption. The wonder is, not that
such untoward events sometimes occur, but that
they do not much oftener take place, and are not
more serious than they are. Considering the nem_
ber of establishments that exist for the reception of
the insane, both public and private, it is surprising
how little we hear of anything faultless in manage-
ment, or serious in occurrence. A great part of
this fortunate state of things is owing to the super-
vision that is so judiciously exercised, but at the
same time there is credit due to those who have
he directions and hints con-
wisely profited by t
veyed to them.

Amid the varying vicissitudes of political life,
changes and difSculties that beset the molt
honoured and prosperous career, it is pleasant to
turn to a connection between a constituency and
its representative which has stood the most start.
ling political changes and outlasted successive
Parliaments. The contemp'ation of such an union
is rendered more gratifying
when we see it com-
pleting its utmost passible duration without any
diminution of respect on either side, and dissolving
by force of circumstances and expressions of mutual
esteem and goodwill. Such has been the career of
the first 13aroa HOUGHTON, better known as
RICHARD MONCKTON NILISES, QUd tha close of his

connection with the borough of Pontefract reflects
honour alike on the representative and the repre-
sented. At a very interesting meeting held on
Tuesday at the Town-hail a large number of Lord
HOUGHTON'S late constituents assembled to present
him with a substantial token of their approval of his
parliamentary conduct, and to express their satis-
faction with the manner in which he had fulfilled
his duties as their representative for a period of
time extending over a quarter of a century. Lord
HOUGHTON, in returning thanks for the gift, natu-
rally took advantage of the occasion to address them
at some length. His speech was what might have
been expected from a man of his refined taste and
moderate sentiments, and was certainly quite out of
the beaten track of the ordinary political discussions
of the day. It is refreshing to read or hear a speech
which contains no reference to Schleswig-Holstein
or Federal and Confederate, and which deals rather
with the great events and characters of the past
than with the passions and convulsions of the pre-
sent. Looking back on his past career end survey-
ing so important a period of his political existence
as his life in the House of Commons, a speaker
would naturally soar above the mere partisanship
and prejudice of the hour, and deal with affairs
rather in that large and liberal spirit which allows
for exaggerations and mistakes on both sides, which
can recognise reason and good intention in principles
opposed to its own. Surveying so large and event-
ful a portion of the life time of his generation, the
moat hasty and narrow-minded of men must be some-
times forced to confess that the wisdom of the wise
has erred, that the eager advocacy and the obstinate
opposition have been often alike mistaken. The
great measures which were on the one hand ex.
pected to ensure universal peace and prosperity,
end on the other foretold to occasion national ruin,
have fulfilled neither augury, and both parties have
learned something, we may hope, 'rem the modera-
tion of their results. Lord HOUGHTON is a man
who is especially well qualified for an address of
this character, since he has never taken part in the
angry extremes of political discussion. He says of
himself that he considers one of the drawbacks to
his parliamentary success has been the difficulty
which he has always felt in believing his own side
to be entirely in the right and his opponents entirely
in the wrong. He hes never, he says, possessed
that fortunate faculty which has enabled some
eminent lawyers to accept their client's cause as
readily as his fee, and to put undoubting faith in
the right of the side which they advocate. How•
ever useful such a faculty may be to its possessor,
and however common it may be to earnest and
ardent men, it is very fortunate that we have some
parliamentary representatives who do not share
it, who are able by the enlightenment
and toleration of their views to modify the bitter-
ness of political debate, and temper the harshness
of angry controversy. Lord HOUGHTON has always
belonged to this class of thinkers, and it is to the
influence of such candid minds, aided by the in-
creasing enlightenment of the age, that we may
attribute the dying out of much of that party spirit
which placed of old so insurmountable a barrier
between Whig and Tory. The years of Lord
HOUGHTON'S Parliamentary life have witnessed
great and striking changes in many respects; but
though the present aspect of affairs may not be alto.
gether encouraging, there is much reason to rejoice
over what those 25 years have effected for the
good of the people. Reform, which formed one of
the leading topics of Lord HOUGHTON'S address,
was viewed by him on its general principles rather
than in regard to any particular application. We
cannot agree with his convenient interpretation of
the present humiliating position of the Liberal
party with regard to this—the corner stone of their
policy, He gets out of the difficulty by saying that
in respect to Reform both sides of the House art
alike, and neither can say a word about the other's
conduct, for each has had a Reform Bill that has
failed. Unfortunately for Lord HOUGHTON'S argu-
ment, however, Lord DERBY'S Government was
defeated on their Iteform Bill, were driven from
office, and have never since had an opportunity of
renewing the attempt. Lord RUSSELL'S Bills were
withdrawn, and five years of office have not enabled
the Whigs to give us their successors. Under
these circumstances there is a difference between
the position of the two parties, which does not speak
very favourably for the sincerity of the Government
side. It would be well if all politicians would
adopt Lord HOUGHTON'S enlightened and sensible
view of this important question. He makes it
rather a matter of individual fitness than of class
restriction. On the one hand he denies the right
of universal suffrage which takes away the dignity
of the vote and confers upon the thief and the
vagrant the same voice in the direction of public
matters as the honest, upright, and intelligent
citizen. On the other side Lord HOUGHTON main-
tains that there should be no positive exclusion, that
it should not be said that such a man should never
come within the pale of the constitution. " Let it
be clearly and at once understood that it was neither
the interest nor the desire of any class in this coun-
try to prevent the admission within the pale of the
constitution of any body of men who combine an
earnest desire to possess that privilege with a de-
termination to exercise it honestly and indepen-
dently—let that once be clearly understood, and
there was an end to all danger on the question of
reform." This is the principle on which our reforms
should be founded, but to make an arbitrary dis-
tinction on account of a pound more or less in the
rent which cannot certainly affect a man's compe-
tency to judge of political questions, is to raise angry
opposition, and to create a sense of injustice. Lord
HOUGHTON touched of course upon many other
topics of the day, and his review of his career in the
Lower House was chequered by the memories of the
friends he had lost, but on the whole the retrospect
was
.a pleasant one, and he had convincing testi-
mony that he had been fortunate enough to acquire
and to retain the confidence of an ancient constitu-
ency through many years of change and trial.

Several petitions emanating from the Custom
House clerks throughout the United Kingdom have
found their way to the table of the House of Com-
mons. The petitioners allege that their salary
is insufficient to meet the expenses incident to
their domestic wants and personal respectability ;
and, taking the statement set forth in the said
petitions to bo true, the case is evidently one en-
titled to attention and redress.

Much of this dissatisfaction has apparently
arisen from the want of perception in tho heads of
the several departments, as to the requirements of
the service and the interests of the clecks placed
under their supervision.

Unlike the Military and Naval Departments,
whose paucity is more than counterbalanced by their
effectiveness, the Customs establishments ere
Equally regardless,of modernizing and simplifying
their system of accounts, and of oaring fur the com-
forts and welfare of the clerks.
That such a system should produce a discontent
which has at length ripened into a sense of a
wide-spread grievance, is nothing more than might
have been expected. Who can reasonably suppose
that young gentlemen, possessing the necessary
education to enter the public service, will passively
settle down upon a ealary of £75 a year, with a