The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

The public have not wholly forgotten, though
most willing to forget, the frightful revelations
made awhile back in connection with the metro-
politan graveyards—revelations which not only
stirred the gorge of humanity in revolt, but
awakened apprehensions for personal safety. That
exorbitant greed that, for its unrighteous in-
dulgence, outraged every finer feeling of our
nature, and converted the precincts of the temples
of religion, and the hallowed resting-places of the
dead, into nurseries of pestilence and seething pots
of corruption, where torn and mangled mortality
reeked horribly in the light of day, is at least
occasionally remembered with mingled indignation
and regret ; and for our part we wish the record
of these things could be suffered to fall into
oblivion. Unfortunately, however, it has not yet
served its turn. The public are still in danger—
not, perhaps, from a- recurrence of the grosser
scenes which have been presented in connection
with the burial of the dead, but from inhumation
where inhumation there should be none, and
from overcrowding, where, to say the least, the
propriety of burials taking place at all is question-
able.

The ghoulish greed that would profit by the
dead, even at the expense of the living, is not,
by all accounts, yet extinct in the race of church-
wardens. Though the unanimous voice of society
has pronounced the most signal reprobation of
the unrighteous traffic, individuals are still to be
found to whom more than a suspicion attaches of
a hankering after it. Though science has demon-
strated the pestilential effects of overcrowding—
and it is known that the practice cannot be pur-
sued without imminent risk to the lives of thou-
sands) it may be, in a neighbourhood—church-
yards, AL all events churchwardens are to be found
Yawning for forbidden prey, and something more
than the letter of the Burial Act is required for
the safety of society.
must be deemed
moreDeplorsao whenbleas it
thisis
taken
s
keint
VII
into consideration that
the Rome-office is not
guiltless in the matter, but • s
,
by it
has aided in undoing what the public had effected,
and re-opened sources of danger Whil
e they slept.
The salutary awe which public indignation had
inspired has by no means been increased, but the
contrary, by the repeated permissions for the re-
openinr, of graveyards which the public were led
to believe were closed for ever. And unless the
public, remembering what evils they had escaped
from, stir vigorously in the matter, they may
d a state as they
find themselves in almost as ba

were at first. It is true there are penalties, as

nowadays, a days, to deter
well as enlightened opinion
churchwardens from so unholy a traffic)
but with-
out constant watching opinion has but little effect,
and penalties may be evaded.
The burial ground of St. Mary, Ef aggerston,
according to information we have received, would
seem to furnish a case in point. Prior to its
closure under the Burial Act as many as from
40 to 50 burials took place in this ground every
Sunday, the Churchwardens, with disgusting
avidity, taking advantage of time before the man-
date issued to turn an honest (?) penny. Such
keen traders were they, that we are informed, as
positive fact, ,no fower than 42 bodies were
a
huddled into seven graves ! the only precautions
taken to prevent danger from these fermenting
masses of putridity being the sprinkling of three
Or four inches of charcoal between each coffin.
Nay, with a long-
headedness that, in a righteous

traffic, would have done them credit, they prae-

appearance of liberty in Italy is peculiarly dis-
pleasing. Nothing could be more gratifying to
the Red EMPEROR than the opportunity of picking
a quarrel with what he considers, perhaps
erroneously, his less powerful neighbour ;
and when a party has determined on a course it
is easy to find a plausible cause. The precedent
established by the wolf in his celebrated dispute
with the lamb has never been lost sight of by
those anxious to discover a pretext for aggression.
Never has there been a more futile or uncon-
scientious one than on the present occasion. It
is one directed as much against Tuscany as Sar-
dinia, for it completely igaores the most trivial
portion of independence in the Florentine Court,
and treats the GRAND DtTKE as the mere vassal of
the FATPNBou. A wanton insult was offered at
the dictation of the Austrian Minister—an insult
not merely uncalled for, but in direct opposition
to the previous acts of the Tuscan Court ; and it
is avowed that it has been occasioned by instruc-
tions sent by the Imperial Government, and that
the EMPEROR considers it a matter personal to
himself, and that if the question be not settled
within a specified time he will take measures
accordingly !
This is an insolent threat against our faithful
ally, whom we have pledged ourselves to defend ;
and it is consequently one against the Western
Powers, and must be received and acted on as
such. Our measures should be prompt and ener-
getic. Nor should there be the slightest hesi-
tation in taking up the gauntlet which Austria
has so arrogantly flung down. If we linger or
negotiate the golden opportunity will be lost, and
Austria will still continue her insidious and
treacherous policy, and the name of England and
France will be disgraced throughout Italy and
Europe. Where can we hope to find an Ally, if

we permit one who has merited the highest praise
to be bullied and humiliated, because he has
continued faithful to his engagements, and
acted as became a high-minded, consistent, and
independent Sovereign ?

We have heard with deep regret that the re-
presentative of Great Britain, at the Tuscan
Court, has not behaved with the decision and

vigour imperatively required under the peculiar
circumstances of the case. The Marquis of Non
MANBY has been long closely connected with the
Tuscan Court. During his father's lifetime he
was for many years Envoy Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary at Florence, and was on
terms of great intimacy with the reigning Grand
Duke. Subsequently he passed through more
elevated positions, was Governor-General of Ja-
maica, Lord Privy Seal, Lord-Lieutenant of Ire-
land, and Secretary of State for the Home and
Colonial Departments. Then he was made Am-
bassador to France, and, we believe that, in con-
sequence of certain difficulties with the Emperor
NAPOLEON, was removed from that position, and
sent back to his first love, the minor Court of
Tuscany. There he is enjoying the " dolce far
niente" and recruiting his health, which had been
somewhat impaired by too keen a relish for Court
attractions. It is possible that a desire to avenge

himself on the EMPEROR may have in some degree
influenced his proceedings. But whatever be the
motive whetker personal displeasure to the
French EMPEROR, friendship to the Grand Duke,
or infirm health and failing energies—he cannot
be permitted to sacrifice the interestsor the honour
of his country, or to act in a manner inconsistent
with the position he occupies. Should Lord
NORMANEY disregard the positive instructions he
has received it will be incumbent on the Govern-
ment to recall him from the situation for which
he is not qualified, and to replace him by a more
vigorous diplomatist, whose opinions are more
in accordance with the feelings and wishes of his
countrymen of all classes and grades in society.