The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-27 00:00:00

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tion is excited, and indifference caused, by; the ti
demands made by the " casual" poor, as ti
phrase goes. This may sound very well„
in an argument, but neither TIMOTHY DALT
nor RICHARD GIBSON were to be classed under thill'i
category of " casuals," but were occupants of the,:
infirmary ward. The revelations that were fui:-
nished to the public of the manner in which tlin
sick fared were indeed of a painful and perplexing

kind, and many who thought that Unions were
some sort of a shelter to the homeless poor and
some solace to the sick and suffering, stood. aghast
to hear of the horrors which were to be found in
the infirmaries of Unions. The worst of it is that
it was entirely by accident that the public became
acquainted with the details. Both men stood a
good char,ce of departing this life as " nameless
martyrs," and therefore we may well ask
ourselves how many are even now circum-
stanced as they were, when the rules of the
place and the indifference of those around do
not permit us to hear of. The principle is bad
which permits such a case to occur as either of
those referred to, and while that principle is carried
out we can hope and expect no radical reform to
take place in the management of Unions or the

treatment of the inmates.
In the first place, the medical attendance is
wretchedly inadequate, and it is quite impossible for
any one man to do his duty satisfactorily if he has
so many to attend to. To make it worse he is paid
st, badly that he is compelled to turn his attention in
another direction to obtain sufficient means of support.
This is quite out of character with the necessary
provision which should be made for the sick who
abound in Unions. And when we remember the
immense sums supplied annually for the care of the
poor, it is monstrous to think how they must be
misapplied, and how faulty must be the mechanism
of those laws which permit these anomalies. Great
care will be necessary in the carrying out of the
Houseless Poor Act to prevent the better classes of
casuals" from being contaminated by coming into
contact with the wretched set who are almost hope-
lessly demoralised, and who tear up their clothing in
order to compel the parish authorities to provide
them with suitable apparel of some kind. It
may be said in epitomising these matters that dis-
crimination is the one thing needed in dealing with
the affairs of Union, and that it is precisely the
very quality which the powers that be most lack.
All are huddled together like sheep in a pen, and
about the same care is bestowed upon the necessity
of distinguishing which are deserving of extra
attention, and which need firm treatment, as is
taken to prevent the animals destined for slaughter
from indiscriminately mixing together.
It is satisfactory to notice that Mr. FARNALL has
arranged to meet the various boards of guardians
in the metropolis in order to decide upon
a uniform system of " dietary" and a
" labour test," for that gentleman is
always distinguished for his discernment, and like-
wise he always inclines to the side of humanity, in
thus showing a great contrast to many engaged in
directing the affairs of workhouses. Some step is
necessary in order to equalise the administration
of Unions; for, with one thing and another, "pau-
perism " is considerably increasing throughout the
metropolitan districts, and of course this circum-
stance will greatly increase the demands upon the
Guardians, and the difficulties they will have to con-
tend against. The real secret of the distress in
Unions lies in the fact that the chief object in
view is to save money, and not to find out how
much is really required, nor how it had best be
laid out to meet the requirements of the needy.
How different is the plan upon which prison man-
agement is carried on and hospitals are conducted.
Were these latter places arranged in Conformity
with the Unions, very soon would be the cure
effected, and nearly all the patients would
be transferred to the workhouse as their
last refuge in their incurable helplessness.
Pauper nurses are a fruitful source of misery
to the inmates of Unions and of mischief to
all concerned. Often and often have those best
qualified to give an opinion declared this fact, but
little or no heed is paid to the suggestion, because
the authorities in such places will follow the dictates
of parsimony, and rank a paltry saving of money
above and beyond an increase of human suffering or
a waste of human life.

The arrival of the City of New York brings us
intelligence of a somewhat startling nature respect-

ing the Mexican question. M. de MONTHOLON, the
French Minister at Washington, has thought the
crisis momentous enough to send the Chief Secre-
tary of the Legation to Europe to obtain the EM-

PEROR'S direct instructions. It is not surprising
that the Minister should feel embarrassed by the
gravity of the situation and anxious to shirk the re-
sponsibility of direct action from his own shoulders.
To produce a war between Fiance and
America, to apply the lighted torch to the smoul-
dering magazine, is an alarming responsibility,
while the Mexican question is rapidly assuming an
aspect which refuses to be left in that wise inaction
to which statesmen and diplomatists would gladly
commit it for the present. It is said that M. de
MONTHOLON intimated to the Federal Government
that in case a Federal Minister is accredited to
Juarez the French Legation would leave Washing-
ton. This scarcely appears reconcileable with the
previous information, since M. de MONTHOLON
would hardly proceed to such an ultimatum with-
out instructions, and if he felt confidence enough
in the intent ions of his Government to proceed
to such a step why should he send for instructions ?
The speculations as to the intentions of NAPOLEON
are full of excitement, since everything turns on the
course he may at present pursue. Fortunately he
has opportunity and time enough to withdraw from
the awkward situation without humiliating conces-
sions. France did not undertake to keep Mexico
ina
Esturbioepeeiaonnfloirm of like
a conquered country, or to force
government upon a reluctant
people. It was on the understanding, or the pro-
fession, that the government of MAXI3IILIAN was
based on the popular wish that the Mexican Em-
pire was established and maintained with the expec-
tation that the French troops would be withdrawn.
Unless the French EMPEROR is anxious for
some ulterior reasons to support the Mexican
throne by force of arms, and at all hazards, there is
no reason why
he may not withdraw from the con-
test before it has proceeded so far that retreat will
be construed into failure. In spite of the French
love for military glory, the war with Mexico
has never been popular with the people, while the
commercial class will view with considerable uneasi-
ness the inevitable alterations which such a step
would entail in M. FOULD'S financial statement.
Much will depend upon the conduct of affairs at this
crisis. Neither France nor America are nations
that will brook insult or defiance, and great care
and caution will be necessary to preserve amicable
relations. If the French Minister puts a pressure on
the Washington Government, or attempts anything
like defiance ordictation, the irrascible and sensitive
people of Nevi York will be up in arms immediately,
and may drive the Government to extremities, from
which it would shrink. If America, on the other
hand, assumes the tone which Mr. ADAMS and Mr.
SEWARD adopt towards this countri, the Frenoh