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 distance
under one mile, if two more are added to the party, each
of the new corners will pay double the fare of the two
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,
A. 7)

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 corners 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 " shilling." In this manner
simple justice would be done to all parties con-
cerned, while the clause referred to would at once
be simplified.

of " Beadledom" is again rampant.
haveirh The
em es spirit
more f the illustrious BUMBLE appears to
mantle 4
ertni
immediate d wi h
successors, unimpaired
butvirtue,
0 nn
ao
llt onlyper-
on lihi d
sons holding "parochal" 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. CORNEY,
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
znd 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 occasiom.d 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 SARAII 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 childoiout she resolved to give it
:1 chance for life, and in place of murdering she
inly deserted the poor infant. She had given it
to the unfortunate JANE CHENOWETH, whom she
Inet in a lodging-house at Truro, requesting her
to take care of it while " she went to procure
some food." The really destitute are always
willing to render such offices for each other. They
have little within their power, but that little they
(lo cheerfully. JANE CHENOWETH took the child
and kept it until the prolonged absence of
Are mother and the late hour of the evening con-
vinced her that she had been imposed upon, that
...he child had been abandoned, and that she was
responsible for its protection. Under such pain-
ful circumstances, she acted at first with much
prudence and discretion. She went to the near-
'.:st police-office, and applied to the inspector on
luty for advice. He directed her to take it to
•he Union. She did so, but the door was shut
n her face, and she was informed that " the child
vould not be admitted without an order." She
wade her weary way back to the station-house
tgain, to consult the inspector. By him she was
directed to the overseer, and at length obtained
;he necessary order—the golden branch necessary
charm the official Cerberus. She again went
the workhouse, but nine o'clock had arrived,
;he time having been consumed in her various
pilgrimages backward and forward to police-sta-
on—workh ouse—pol i ce-sta tion again—overseer's
•esidence—station-house once more, and thence to
i.he workhouse. The balmy slumbers of the vigi-
ant porter could not be disturbed by an intruding
pauper at such an hour. She was suffered to
'.pock and knock at the gate, but in vain ; no
tnswer could be elicited from the drowsy official,
Ind she had to win her way again to the station-
!rouse, 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.
Her 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.
d
She was kneeling down drinking at a stream of
running water. The child was crying, and she
Whuushij scrinbed the erg heking it up and down, as the witness who
particulars had " seen her mother
little brothers and sisters." It was
turn,is Islace that the body was subsequently
feet
melancholytotrausac
an
inclaidtivn.:altlet is possible that the
occurred in the manner
detailed by the unfott
criminal when inter-
rogated by
COOT, at the New Inn andiady, a certain Mrs.
• She said,d
the
"The he
wfeahtchild
Ie was very cross, and I was very
hade r mudiv e n andher
came there I dabbed it (104:rine
water and went away, and left hp
and anxiety she had encountered
almost to a state of phrenzy, and in the Paroxysm
i she committed the act, not, perhaps, intending that
the death of the child should follow. She
been held legally liable for the act, and has
pro-
bably expiate her offence by perpetual banish-
meut—we cannot conceive the possibility of her
life being taken. But on whom does the moral
responsibility rest ? Is it not on thosewhin who
drvthoughtjng
they were performing an excellent jest
her from the workhouse door until she should ob-
tain an order, and then pretending sleep when she
came armed with the Sesame—the signaltlasto
that
should have flung open the workhouse portals
the afflicted sufferer and the helpless child.
We shall not now expatiate on the conduct of
lk FOOTE, the Superintendent of the Marylebone
.-13atikr; and Wash-houres, and of his wife, which