The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-08 00:00:00

it consistent with reason or justice that, when the law
allows two persons to pay but sixpence for any dis.ance
under one mile, if two more are added to the party, iach,
of the new comers will pay do,,ble the fare of the t vo
original passengers ? Surely the House of Lords will
not pass such an absurdity, even if the Lower House
should persevere in it, and be the laughing-stock
of the kingdom.—l am;sir, your constant reader,

Now, the absurdity of this clause is, of course, at
the first hasty glance quite apparent. Two cabs hired
by four people for sixpence less than those four
people would be compelled to pay if they only
took one cab for their accommodation ! Never
was there attempted by the House of Commons
any more blundering arrangement ! The Cab
question is to be considered once more in the
Lower House this evening. Let this silly clause
in the newly-planned enactment be revised, there-
fore, in time, or the public will be suffering
another grievance in the matter, if possi-
ble yet more irritating than any they have
yet experienced. Instead of each additional pas-
senger beyond the first two comers being charged
at the rate of another sixpence a mile, it were
only fair play to make them pay each at the rate
(per mile) of threepence. So that the cab-drivers
might demand for one person "sixpence" a mile
—for two persons " sixpence"—for three "nine-
pence"—for four a " In this manner
simple justice would be done to all parties con-
cerned, while the clause referred to would at once
be simplified.

The spirit of " Beadledom" is again rampant.
The mantle of the illustrious BUMBLE appears to
have descended with unimpaired virtue, not only
his more immediate successors, but on all per-
sons holding "parochar' offices, on the gate-
porters of the various Bastiles, and even on the
superintendents of the public baths and wash-
houses. Nay, more, the modern officials seem to
have followed the example of their great predeces-
sor, and to have secured the assistance of conge-
nial help-mates, of legitimate rivals to Mrs. CORNE;
to stimulate their drooping energies, and encou-
rage them to the stern and unflinching discharge
of the duties of their respective situations. It
might be supposed that an insolent brutality, a
reckless indifference to the sufferings of the miser-
able creatures whose exigencies require instant
-.snd suitable relief, was the chief, if not the only,
qualification looked for in candidates for employ-
ment under the several unions in the Metropolis
and throughout the country; and, if so, we must
congratulate the guardians on the efficient ser-
vices which they have been so fortunate as to

secure.
It has recently been our painful duty to direct
public attention to the case of an unfortunate
young woman, who, through the inhumanity of
some parties connected with either the " Wallsall
Union," or the " Brewood Bastile "—as it was
appropriately termed by one of the witnesses—
was driven to attempted suicide and consummated
murder. The decided refusal to retain her child
until she got a little stronger, and the stern order
to " take the baby out, and work for it herself,"
having led to the commission of the fearful crime
for which she would have forfeited her life on the
scaffold but for the exercise in her favour of the
Royal Prerogative by our gracious Sovereign,
whose exalted station has not lessened her sym-
pathy for misfortune, even when clouded and
tarnished by guilt. Since her condemnation
another conviction for murder has taken place ; a
murder directly occasioned by a similar act of in-
humanity, committed by some of the officials of
the Truro Union, and with even less excuse than
in the case of SARAH BAKER—a murder by a girl
only seventeen years of age, of a child deserted by
its parent, and cast upon the wretched young
creature who now lies in Bodmin gaol awaiting
the execution of the dreadful sentence of the law.
The case of JANE CHENOWETH is, indeed, one
of extreme hardship. Left a helpless orphan,
without a natural protector or guardian, she had
been consigned to the tender mercies of the Poor-
law guardians and their subordinates. While re-
maining in the Truro workhouse she became ac-
quainted with a woman named ELIZABETH BEARD,
who was there delivered of an illegitimate child.
When the child was some four or five weeks old
its mother was discharged in a state of almost total
destitution, with her helpless offspring to provide
for it, as well as for herself, as she best might.
The madness of despair, which might have tempted
to a double murder, was, however, tempered by a
strong feeling of maternal affection. She could
not support her child, but she resolved to give it
a chance for life, and in place of murdering she
only deserted the poor infant. She had given it
to the unfortunate JANE CHENOWETH, whom she
:net in a lodging-house at Truro, requesting her
to take care of it while "she went to procure
iome food." The really destitute are always
willing to render such offices for each other. They
have little within their power, but that little they
do cheerfully. JANE CHENOWETH took the child
Ind kept it until the prolonged absence of
the mother and the late hour of the evening con-
,inced her that she had been imposed upon, that
-he child had been abandoned, and that she was
-esponsible for its protection. Under such pain-
rill circumstances, she acted at first with much
irudence and discretion. She went to the near-
tst police-office, and applied to the inspector on
duty for advice. He directed her to take it to
the Union. She did so, but the door was shut
in her face, and she was informed that " the child
would not be admitted without an order." She
made her weary way back to the station-house
again, to consult the inspector. By him she was
Erected to the overseer, and at length obtained
the necessary order—the golden branch necessary
to charm the official Cerberus. She again went
to the workhouse, but nine o'clock had arrived,
the time having been consumed in her various
pilgrimages backward and forward to police-sta-
tion—workhouse—police-station again—overseer's
residence—station-house once more, and thence to
the workhouse. The balmy slumbers of the vigi-
lant porter could not be disturbed by an intruding
pauper at such an hour. She was suffered to
knock and knock at the gate, but in vain ; no

answer could be elicited from the drowsy official,
and she had to win her way again to the station-
house, where the compassionate bearing and cour-
teous demeanour of the inspector encouraged her to
hope for at least a civil answer, if not some relief.
Eler confidence was well founded. Inspector
NASH, whose conduct on the occasion is deserving
of great commendation, gave her a shilling, pro-
bably from his private resources, telling her to
get a bed for the night. She went, but returned
no more. It did not appear where or how she
spent the night, but it was probably in the
open air, without any protection or shel-
ter from the weather. She was next seen with
the child about twelve o'clock the following day.
She Was kneeling down drinking at a stream of
running water. The child was crying, and she
was jerking it up and down, as the witness
who
described
thU
hin this particulars had " seen her mother
hushing her
placelittle brothers and sisters." It was
at
found, its
head the body was subsequently
feet close to theand body in the water, and its
melancholy transactn
road.i It is possible that the
uoceurred in the manner
detailed by the unfortunate
rogated by an inquisitive landlady dcriminal when inter-,
COOT, at the New Inn, nshe lady, a certain Mrs.
said, 1
" The child
and when I
mud. and
,
was very cross, and I was very tired,
came there I dabbed it down 7,eid;he
water and went away, and left it!" The fati,
and anxiety she had encountered had driven b
her
almost to a state of phrenzy, and in the paroxysm
she committed the act, not, perhaps, intending that
the death of the child should follow. She has
been held legally liable for the act, and will pro-
bably expiate her offence by perpetual banish-
ment—we cannot conceive the possibility of her
life being taken. But on whom does the moral
responsibility rest ? Is it not on those who thought
they were performing an excellent jest in driving
her from the workhouse door until she should ob-
tain an order, and then pretending sleep when she
came armed with the Sesame—the signal that
should have flung open the workhouse portals to
the afflicted sufferer and the helpless child.
We shall not now expatiate on the conduct of
Mr. Pthe OOTE, Superintendent of the Marylebone
Baths and
Wash-homes, and of his wife, which