The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-31 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

above the average lot of female convicts. Perhaps, I passes but that in the police or law courts report 4
at some distant day, another confession will come may be found a case of child murder, or its milder
to light. form, concealment of birth ; and the cases which
THE SPECTATOR" ON THE POSSIBILITY OF RE- come under public notice mustbe but a tithe of those
FORM.—Are we to commence at once another thirty which actually occur. Yet how is the crime to be
or forty years of steady progress, removing disabili- prevented or cured ? The fear of punishment, be
ties, soothing hatreds, forming alliances with our it never so heavy, would not operate on the mind
colonies, linking Ireland more strongly to the Em- of a wretched girl who, having the will,has no dila-
pire, assisting in the emancipation of other European culty in, accomplishing the means of not publishing
races, or are we to waste another six years in a her disgrace to the world. It is a most delicate
sterile contest about the principles of motion, the subject, and one worthy of the attention of philan-
distribution of power, the number of revolutions thropists and students of political economy. We
which can safely be made per minute and all the cannot hope to eradicate vice from our country, but
other primary data of political mechanics? Are we it is possible to render vice so hateful and so difficult
to begin the battle in thorough condition, or only to to follow that virtue would be preferred. An asylum
chatter angrily about the true principles on which for deserted children, after the manner of the
training should be conducted ? Tadpole and Taper ancients, would perhaps be of benefit. As - bear-
say we are ; we say we are not ; and we will give ing somewhat upon this subject, we may allude
them the benefit of opening the case. Their argu- to a question which has been recently mooted,
ment, if we understand it, is contained in the an- more prominently in Marseilles than else-
dent joke that it is a shame to fritter away one's where. Does the present extravagance, espe-
money in merely paying one's debts. It is a pity, cially in personal adornment among females,
they say, to fritter away so splendid a majority in discourage men from marrying ? Two or three
passing a bill which will either bring it to an end or seasons back it was suggested by a correspondent of
render it unnecessary. That majority if wisely used the Times that no man with an income of less than
may accomplish very great things—things which £3OO a year should think of marrying. We fear
even Tadpole and Taper wish to see accomplished, that time has made the case rather worse than better,
changes in administration, in the law, in our colo- and that extravagant habits and notions are in-
nial relations, in the organisation of the huge club creasing not alone in the female sex, but also among
which practically rules the army. It may enable us the males. Luxuries are now so easy of attainment,
to complete the scientific adjustment of our finance, and the life of a single man, especially in London,
by applying sound principles to local, as we have is so full of charm, and so wanting in the cares and
already done to imperial taxation, may raise mate- anxieties which form part of the married life, that
rially the condition of the poor ; may even, as the we cannot wonder that Ceelebs should linger in a
speakers confess with a shudder, help to get that in- state of bachelorhood,when he sees of what stuff the
terminable ecclesiastical question out of the way. wives of the present day are made. Over education
If it does none of these things, it will at least secure may have something to do with this. Girls now-a-
to the party a long and easy tenure of power, avert days are not brought up to spin and work as their
divisions, tide the country over the chasm between grandmothers were. Sewing machines and patent
Lord Palmerston and Mr. Gladstone without any domestic utensils have changed all that. Middle-
Tory interregnum, and generally make the lives of class society, too, does not seem contented with its
all Whigs very pleasant to themselves. Above all, lot, but must have its box at the opera, house out
it would make the Government strong qua Govern- of town, and summer visit to the Continent, as well
meat, as a power which is not only to exist but to as those to whom formerly those privileges were
act, to urge, and lead, and restrain—by no reserved. And this alteration in the tone of society
means an unimportant point. Government must necessarily affect the condition of the young
has of late been a little weak, a little apprehen- women. They cannot spin, to toil they are afraid;
sive of interests, a little afraid of giving oppor- so, unless their parents can during their lifetime
tunities of controversy, perhaps even a little provide for them by marriage or otherwise, they
blind to the necessity of maintaining order, as in must come to grief. The governess market has been
the lax proceedings in Belfast, and the reluctance long overstocked ; now one can get a governess,
shown to keep the skeleton of Convocation strictly with accomplishments not dreamed of fifty years
chained in its tomb. All these advantages are to ago, for less than you pay a footman who can
be thrown away, and for what ? For a measure scarcely spell his own name. All this may have
which, so far as Tadpole and Taper can see, the something to do with that immorality which every
eountry does not demand. There is argument in day becomes more painfully apparent. A remedy
the press, but it is reasonable argument, not denun- must be found, or England will lose its character
ciation ; there are no meetings, no subscriptions, no for the purity as well as the beauty of its women.
monster petitions, nothing anywhere which can THE "ARMY AND NAVY GAZETTE" ON BIG AND
fairly be called agitation. A few members have LITTLE ANCHORS.—The late Mr. Brunel, the de-
been unseated for not being distinct enough in the signer of the Great Eastern steamship, had such
cause, but so have a few members for not being mammoth ideas in reference to all that concerned
clear upon the malt tax, a few moderates have his gigantic conception that he actually ordered
given place to men of stronger opinions, but at anchors of 15 tons weight to be hung at the bows
least as many Radicals have been unseated some- of the vessel. Mr. Brunel, who doubtless arrived
what unceremoniously. How are the Lords to be at his deductions from taking the Admiralty anchor
made to pass a Reform Bill if the country will as his model, the weight of which is calculated in
not stir? yet a rejected Reform Bill, if brought proportion to the amount of tonnage it is called
on in earnest, involves a dissolution, and so also upon to hold, would now, if alive, be surprised to
does one which has been accepted and passed. Mem- find that the big ship has been held in the impe-
bers will only be savage at the idea of facing their tuous tideways of the Mersey and Medway, and
constituents so soon, and the long expected defection rode out in safety the furious gale which destroyed
of the Liberal Conservatives will probably take the Royal Charter, by a comparatively small
place with that for its excuse. There is force in all n Trotman," which, ex its iron stock, weighed 5
these arguments, More particularly the last, but tons 11 cwt. 201 b. When the Great Eastern got
public opinion inclines, we believe, nevertheless to under way lately at the Nore, the Special Cone-
the replies. In the first place, the argument for de-
ependent of the Times paid this anchor a graceful
lay, based on the value of the existing majority, and deserved compliment. We may add, that from
implies that it is a homogeneous whole, a body of the moment the Great Eastern was launched up to
votes which can be relied on even when there is no the present time, she has had no other anchor in
central idea to hold them tightly together. It is use. Notwithstanding this, and that the royal
nothing of the kind. There has been no personal yacht, the Victoria and Albert, depends even when
cry in these elections to bind the party together, for she has a precious freight on board, on the holding
though Lord Palmerston has been defended, they powers of her " Trotman " the Lords of the Admi-
are Tories who have defended him ; and though ralty persist in stating that the anchor is unsafe.
Mr. Gladstone has been praised, the whole body There is no logic in this statement. If the anchor is
have not heartily assisted in the laudation. The
party is not a strong staff, but a bundle of staves by dangerous,why, in the name of all that is reasonable, is
it portioned out to that vessel specially reserved for
no means all round or square, though held together the use of the Sovereign ? The fact carries contra-
by a common desire to advance instead of standing diction with it. If, however, anything is -wrong
still, by a common resolve to oppose reaction, by a with the ground tackle of the yachts of the Tycoon
common fear lest a Tory Government should, on of Japan, the Emperor of the French, the Emperor
some one point or other, America, or France, or of Russia, the Pasha of Egypt, the Pope, or of
finance, or the Church, take some retrograde step. Prince Jerome, the Lords of the Admiralty will be
The pivot round which its common ideas revolve indirectly blamed, as all the distinguished indivi-
has been the question of Reform. There is scarcely duals named were probably induced, when ordering
a Liberal in the country who has not expressed in their anchors, to argue that what was good for the
some form or other, in a greater or less degree, a Queen of England would be equally so for them.
willingness to admit a new class within the pale of
The question is essentially a public one, as Mr. Seely,the Constitution, the single difference being the
when he made his successful onslaught on the Go-
width of the door to be made. If this pivot is
taken away the machine must cease to revolve, and vernMent, asserted that the nation was paying for
its anchors 50 par Gent. more than was necessary.
it will be taken away, if for the second time Par- This may at the first glance appear to be a haphazard
liament declines or neglects to recognise the neces- statement; but it should not be so regarded, as by
sity of new foe maelime. stenin,s..
t e Beals very plea-
cals alone can the employment of the patent and improved anchor
lock the whole a great portion of weight may be dispensed with.
.d.
santly, and in one way very truthfully, of the inn- For example, the established anchors supplied to the
mense majority the Government have secured, but Black Prince and Warrior, of 6,109 tons, and to
what is that majority worth if Mr. Bright, and Mr. the Achilles, of 6,121 tons, weigh 5 tons 12 cwt.,
Forster, and Mr. Stansfeld, indignant at broken ex stock, or a trifle heavier than the one by which
pledges, and aware that the one Minister they care the Great Eastern, of 22,000 tons, has ridden out
for is in opinion on their side, walk out on the next gales of wind and even hurricanes. We leave this
,
great division with their following at their heels . exercise in the rule of three to be worked out by the
The majority will not be able to accomplish much
mathematicians at. Whitehall ; and if they are un-
Y. equal to the task, we would suggest that they should
after that, even of its ordinary work, will certainl
not be able to secure to the departments pleasant or be handed over to Dr. Woolly, at his school at
easy lives. These men are in earnest, and there is South Kensington.
no American question now to keep them, like con-
scripts, willing or unwilling, still obedient in the
ranks. The Government would be driven on every
serious emergency to renew the policy of last ses-
sion, and look to its opponents as a reserve, a course
fatal not only to progress, but even to the strong
Government Tadpole and Taper love. E very in-
terest would be dangerous, and a new idea
merely a _ ladder to facilitate hostile escalade.
11r. Gladstone would be paralyzed, and
every other Minister, except Sir Charles Wood, who
sits in the pleasant shelter of a mound of popular
ignorance, would be compelled in self-defence to
proclaim a policy of quiescence. Any corporation
would be too strong for the Government, any com-
pany too formidable, any clique, even the reduced
band of Ultramontanes, too dangerous to be slighted,
and every improvement would be clipped, and pared,
and mutilated, to avoid a factious opposition. The
great majority would be useless, and when Lord
Palmerston gave up the reins Mr. Gladstone would
be compelled to appeal to a constituency weary of
watching year after year the Liberal waste of power.
Even therefore on the party ground, we believe that
it would be safer to introduce a well considered,
moderate bill, a bill based on information collected
during the recess, a bill which could be carried with-
out resistance, more especially if it were not followed
by an immediate dissolution. Why should it be fol-
lowed? The workmen who have waited so long
would, once their object had been secured by law
beyond all chance of revocation, wait patiently for
another year or two, and every other class professes
that it is already represented. The argument that
the House would no longer represent its own con-
stituency is not an argument, but only a reminis-
cence of 1832, of the time when a few great families
possessed a clear majority in a House in which they
now seat rather less than a fourth. If the bill is a
wise one it will make no such change as to throw
electors and constituencies out of rapport ; it will
take one session at least to pass, there must be time
to register, and opportunity given to reorganise,
and in the interim Parliament can go about its
daily work as placidly as at present. The Govern-
ment would at all events not be weaker than it will
be if the earnest Reformers split off in disgust from
the majority which at this_moment inspires it with
such hope.
TIIE 4 4 OBSERVER" ON INFANTICIDE.—From the
days of Moses, who, as an infant was exposed by his
parents in an ark of bulrushes, with the hope of
saving him from a more certain death, to the pre-
sent day, infanticide has not been an uncommon
occurrence. It was a usual thing for certain ancient
nations to expose on the highway or river's bank
those infants they could not support, and a benevo-
lent country took charge of them. The most whole-
sale act of infanticide on record was committed in
1772, in which year a woman was executed at Lis-
ben for the murder of thirty-three infants committed
to her charge. It is hard to believe that such a
barbarian, especially in a female shape, should exist
in the nineteenth century, but a reference to the re-
port of the law proceedings in the Western Circuit
during the past week will show that a something
(we canot call her female), named Charlotte Win-
sor, has made a business of " putting by" the
chil-
dren of women to whom they were an inctunbrance
or a shame. Charlotte Winsor is charged with
the murder of the infant of one Mary Jane Harris,
and the latter, in giving her evidence against the
infamous woman, relates one of the most eitraordi-
nary stories ever told in a court of The
,
indeed she wished
of j
mother of the child swears that '
it to live," but that the prisoner had so " filled her
mind up" that she was actually present when the
poor infant was slaughtered. Three distinct
cases, besides the one before the court of
" putting children away," were sworn to by
Mary Jane Harris as having been ,confessed to
by the prisoner, and these were spoken of in such a
way as to lead to the inference that child murder
was made a regular trade by Charlotte Winsor, the
remuneration or blood money varying from £3 to
£5. The past week has also witnessed the trial of
a married woman for the murder of her female
child (suggested on the part of the prosecution to
have been illegitimate, although no evidence was
produced to prove it), which resulted in a verdict
of "Not Guilty ;" and the trial of a girl under 20
years of age for concealment of birth, a sentence of
" Guilty," with six weeks' imprisonment and hard
labour, being passed upon her. Scarcely a week

COUNTRY MARKETS

NO T TINGIIAM-SATURDAY.

Tho show of wheat at our corn market to-day was mode-
rate, and the attendance was limited. The demand was
slow at is per qr. decline. Little barley on offer, and sales
were made at last week's rates. Oats in moderate request
and supported their previous value. Beans scarce and firm
in price. . . _ _ _

Old white wheat, 44s to 48s ; old red, 40s to 44s ; not'
white, 44s to 48s ; new red, 39s to 44s per 36 stone. Bar-
ley, new malting, 27s to 35s per qr ; old grinding, 26s to
28s ; new, =s to —s per 30 stone. Oats, old, 25s to 30s ;
new, 21s to 25s ; old foreign, 22s to 26s per stone. Beans,
old, 42s to 46s ; new, 40s to 43s per 38 stone.