The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-06 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1849.

overgrown comglomeration of bricks and mortar, consti-
tuting the modern Babylon, has entombed within its midst,
in its streets and thoroughfares, in its places of common
resort, has stowed away in cellars and blind alleys,
within a hundred years, five millions of dead bodies.--
(Shame.) Ouo wonders hew the practice of mingling
the living with the dead originated, but one marvels
much more how a Protestant Christian country should
permit it to continue.—(Hear.) I have witnessed the
religious ceremonial of the dead solemnized in the pre-
sence of scenes and acts that were disgraceful to
our very humanity.—(Hear, hear.) I have seen
the deep grave receive " the important trust, and heard
the impressive sentence, Dust to dust," tittered in
the midst of a throng of pedestrians, amidet the clatter
of coaches and various conveyances on the one side, with
the clergymen—the robed clergyman—reading the burial
service over the dead on the other.—(Cheers.) There are
gentlemen present who accompanied me, some weeks ago,
to a place in this town which came under the notice of
Mr. Mackinnon's Committee. We were introduced by
a stranger to the place, which, by the way, was
guarded by a policeman, who, it appeared, had been
called in to protect men in the exercise of what I shall
venture to term, my lord, illegal acts.—(Hear, hear.)
Now, my eye being perfectly well practised in the mys-
teries of these matters, instantly caught sight of a grave
over which a mound of earth had been raised, and I
could see Irons its appearance that it had been violated to
ascertain if the full price of money had been paid for it.
-s--(Hear, hear.) I saw at once that the centre
of the mound had been pierced by the
boring red. The iron instrument had gone through
the centre of the bodies.—(llcar, hear.) Within 14 cr
15 feet of this greve I counted 27 similar holes made
through a mass of human remains, all these holes passed
through the centre of many similar remains to the one I
first observed.—(Hear, hear.) This graveyard I shall
unhesitatingly state belonged to an undertaker. his
object in making these holes, which pierced the bodies
deposited there, speaking from my knowledge
of these matters, was in the first instance to dis-
sipate the I. fflu via produced from the putrefaction
of the bodies, and next to promote rapid pu-
trefaction, so as to make every inch of ground a
source of perpetual gain.—(Shame.) This graveyard,
I must tell you, contains barely three-quarters of an
acre—certainly not more—and in that ground, and un-
derneath the chapel, I am told there have been deposited
not less than 25,000 bodies.—(Shame.) To make the
subject a little clearer to you, I may inform you that an
acre of ground contains 43,560 square feet, and that 136
adult b' dies might find sanitary burial annually in an
acre of ground.—(Hear, hear.) Now, n hat are
the facts? Why, instead of 135 bodies—adult
bodies—being deposited annually in an acre of gronnd,
there are places in this town where they bury from 2,000
to 3,000 bodies per acre per annum.—(Shame.) Now
earth and air have limited appetites. A graveyard can
digest so much and no more. There is no example that
I am aware of of such places expanding themselves.
It is generally admitted, and I think you will
agree with me that bulk must occupy space
and I ask, how is it then that, instead of 136 bodies bes
ing buried in an acre of ground annually, they dispose of
from 2,000 to 3,000 per acre per annum ?—(Hear, hear.)
That is a problem which I would desire you to solve for
yourselves.—(Hear.) We know perfectly well how Spa-
fields was managed. I am aware that the coffin surround-
ing the dead offers little impediment to the grave-
digger, for tne fire of Spa-fields' bonehouse was constantly
fed by dead men's coffins, which were at first ignited
by the collies of still-born infants.—(Shame.) A fire
was kept burning continually, night and day, and the
ashes of the coffins were thrown over the denuded dead
bodies to consume them, and in this p!ace, which should
have held little more than 136 bodies annually, they
had contrived to dispose of 1,500 per acre per annum.—
(Shame.) I am now coming to the particular part of the
question, which, in fact, it concerns me most
to speak of, namely, the influence of this
practice on life and health. I think we may
leave the moral portion of the question to those who
may better understand it.—(Hear, hear.) Now as the
blood must be and is influenced by the purity of the
air we breathe, it is therefore of the utmost importance
that the atmosphere we take into our lungs, and cense,
quently into our blood, should be in a pure and uncon-
taminated condition. Now an adult breathes about
28,000 times in 24 hours, and the heart, beating about
75 times a minute, propels through the lungs about two
ounces of blood each time, and thus the enormous quan-
tity of about 13,000 pounds of blood passes through the
lungs in 24 hours.—(Hear, hear.) This, I think, is an
important consideration for yon to dwell upon. It con-
cerns you quite as much as it concerns me. I have
stated simply the circumstances of the case, and you can
determine whether I am right or wrong in my conclu-
sion of the effect it has upon the health of the vast
population inhabiting the metropolis.—(Hear.) The
Hon. Gentleman who last addressed you, and who
spoke too highly of my humble merits—(No, no)—and
deserts, has Alluded to facts in reference to the origin of
the plague. The other day I saw a gentleman just re-
turned from Constantinople, who told me that the
plague invariably broke out in Turkey, in the neighbour-
hood of burial-grounds. Madden, in his travels ,in Pa-
lestine, says that plague miasma originates in the putre-
faction of animal matter; and decidedly the best
authority who has ever written on this subject, M.Pariset,
whose name is well known, and possesses an European
reputation, says that with pure air and water,
with healthy food in moderate proportions, none
of these seingular mutations, productive of death, in
man and animals, could exist.—(Cries:of " Hear, hear.")
He says, as the result of his long experience and ob-
servation in the Levant, that there is only one country
in the world in which plague is permanent, and that
country is Egypt. He states, further, as the result of
his observation, that he believes its origin is entirely due
to the emanations from human and animal corpses, but
especially from human bodies.—(Hear.) Now, without
going so far for facts,
wene
Clem
are in
in a e
st.
have,c a le Clement
elittlea
t d
Danes; on the left of St.
e nt ,
which abounds with remarkable confirmatory proofs.
We have in the Strand the
higher up, in that narrow thoroughfare, what it called
the pauper ground, while a little higher up is that hor
rible place, Enon Chapel. Many of you have heard
s graveyard
a
of that abominable place, and its clearance out. It may
net be out of place or irrelevant for me to publicly re-
turn thanks to the proprietors of the Norwood Cemetery
for having been good enough to give me a grave for
the remains found in that chapel when other cemetery
companies had declined to do so, excepting at a price
which I would not pay--(Cheers.) I called upon Mr.
Baggaly, who, in the kindest manner, said he would
undertake to give me the ground on his own responsi-
bility, if,
PnhaPg, I would not object to pay for the
digging thereof. This monster grave, measuring 12
square feet by 20 feet deep, received the bones and
remains of the army of dead buried in Enon Chapel.—
(Hear, hear.) But to return to the question, we need
not,
I say, go to Egypt for facts, we have abundant evi-
dence, even at our own doors, to test the truth of state-
ments which I most earnestly desire to impress upon you.
—(Hear.) It is only some five or six months ago, and a
gentleman in this room can verify the fact, that a
poor fellow was employed to remove the remains
of about sixty bodies from under an auction-room in
Leicester square. .This poor man while engaged in his
occupation was seized immediately after he had entered
upon it with inflammation of the lungs, and eventually
died a miserable death from the worst form of corruption;
adding another victim to this system.—(Hear, hear.)
I believe that the man's wife has since died, I believe
also that the bricklayer, who assisted at the work, has
since died, and I think I should not be wrong in stating
that the bricklayer's labourer has died also.—(Hear.) Now
I think you will agree with me that it would be much
better to lay the axe to the root of the cause of
disease than to establish hospitals and other places to
treat it.---(Hear, hear.) It appears to me to be the
wildest and most insane policy to create and to per-
petuate disease by perpetually adding to its cause. I
can hardly believe that my countrymen are in possession
of their proverbial acumen, for which in other matters
they are so remarkable, when they are dealing with this
question, or they would pue a stop to the practice
at once.—(Hear.) It seems to me so strange that_
every
dead man knows that at least twelve-thirteenths of
dead body must dissipate—must go somewhere—either
into the water he drinks, or mix with the air he breathes.
—that he does not at once insist upon its abolition.—
(Holm) As I have
before stated, if the earth cannot dis
solve or absorb these dead men's materials in proportion
as the bodies are laid in our overcharged church-
yards, just in the same proportion are in-
creased all the risks we run of contracting various
forms of disease.—(Hear, hear.) Before sitting down
I may remark that we have facts to prove that consump-
tion is clearly traceable to this cause. We have facts to
prove that typhus fever is cl early traceable to this
cause; and I will prove this to you by just mentioning
an incident which occurred at Minchinampton, in Glou•
cestershire, to Mr. Smith, which is, perhaps, one of the
most striking examples of this nature on record.
About three years ago some alterations were
made in the church of that place, and it was
deemed necessary or thought expedient to alter the sur-
face of the grab eyard, and upwards of 1,000 loads of this
earth were removed. This earth was thrown partly on
the rector's garden, partly on the patron's garden, and
partly on the fields. In fact it was used as manure,—
(Hear.) Now the results in this case were clearly trace-
able to the original causes; and I think you will agree
with me that I am right in drawing the following con-
clusions. Mr. Smith, previous to the disturbance of this
graveyard, bad, during the 14 years in which he had
been in practice, scarcely seen a case of fever in
the same village. The results were so immediate,
so evident, so distressing, that Mr. Smith, having had
his attention drawn to some writing on the subject,
published the facts through Dr. Southwood Smith.
'To some inquiries I made, he replied that my re-
marks very much confirmed his previous impressions;
that he had had upwards of 200 cases of measles
and scarlet fever in children, with anomalous eruptions.
which he was unable to characterise. Now, I
hold that these are material facts, because the
corollary is, that the same poison that was
capable of producing disease in 200 children, produced
typhus f_ ver in the adult; for the rector's wife was
attacked by malignant fever and died, the rector's
daughter was also attacked and died; the gardener alto
died, while there were 14 other deaths from typhus
fever.—(Hear.) So that you have, at once clearly
traceable to one cause-200• affections in children, and
17 deaths from typhus, all I say clearly traceable to
the disturbance of the churchyard eartb.—(Cries
of " Hear, hear.") It is hardly necessary that
I should adduce any further examples, but I will men-
tion one other case, to which I beg to direct the special
attention of your Lordship, and the Honourable Members
of the House Commons who are present. Some few
years ago William Green was employed in digging a
grave in St. Margaret's churchyard, Westminster. This
team v hile digging the grave Was sects :o stag sr steel
fall ; he
was dragged out, taken home and seized with
a malignant disease and died. In a few days Mr.
Baskerville, the surgeon, caught the disease and

died; h:s `housekeeper who had attended him also
perished.---(Hear, hear.) This was a nine days' wonder,
which soon passed over and was forgotten ; and so we
shall go on, unless we have a decided, positive, and un-
equivocal expression of public opinion. There is no
question clearer to my mind than this. It has often been
said, and I will repeat it, that there is a power behind
the throne which is some times stronger than the
throne itself. I should like to know exceedingly
how our Legislators should so far have forgotten
their duty in passing a Bill for the sanitary im
provement of this and every large town, as to give
only six miserable paragraphs to this which I hold to be
the most important question of all.—(Hear.) Before
concluding, I am desirous of mentioning a fact or two in
reference to a neighbourhood with which I am better :ac-
quainted than most others.—(llear.) S lint Clement's•
lane, of which I have before spoken, contains, on the side
next to the graveyard, 47 houses, and a dead body is
taken out of each house every year. That will make 47
deaths in 47 houses a year.—(Hear.) One day I was
accompanied by a gentleman to ono of these dwel-
lings—a place I remembered quite well. It was
this house that first excited my attention and
led to my subsequent inquiries on this subject, which
have been continued from 1835 until now.—Tear, hoar.)
I remember seeing in the back room of this miserable
house a poor creature there lying, as it were, cheek
by jowl with the dead, while the filth from the dead
bodies in the " green ground"—a very proper name in-
deed for the placa—was running through the wall within
a few inches of his nose. 1 asked myself then, and
I ask yen now—is it honast, is it just, is it equitable
in you to come hero to attend this poor creature,
perhaps visiting the place at the risk of your own life?
Looking five or ten'minutes at the horrid spectacle, and
returning home to rend a box of pills or a bottle of me-
dicine, which might mitigate the sufferings of the pa
tient, but could not remove the cause—(hear, hear)—
I thought not. I have since had repeated instances of
that kind, and the more I see of them the more am I
satisfied that until the system is entirely abolished--for
we have arrived at that point when we intend to accept
no compromise—(Cheers)—this frightful misery and suf-
fering can never be removed.—(Hear, and cheers.)
I say, in conclusion, that until this system
is totally and entirely abolished, we shall neither enjoy
health for ourselves nor secure repose for the dead.—
(Cheers.) I have very great pleasure in seconding the
resolution. . The Doctor resumed his scat amidst re-
peated cheers.
Mr. ROGERS supported the resolution, and mentioned
that in St. Anne's churchyard he discovered, some
years since, that 114 bodies were interred in each grave,
amounting in the whole to 95,000, and, indeed, at that
time, the church was heated on Sundays by the burning
of old coffins. There were 210 churchyards in London,
33 of which wens twice as bad as St. Anne's, 17 much
worse even than that, and St. John's, Clerkenwell, in a
much more lamentable condition than all put together.
After thanking the meeting for the manner they received
h.im, he sat down amid cheers. _ _

The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. J. A. SMITH, M.P., in proposing the second reso-
lution, said—My Lord, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I
imagine that many of those I address share
with me the feelings which the dreadful and
horrible details we have listened to have pro-
duced. I came here knowing only in a most
general and incomplete manner the extent of the evil of
which we are hero met to complain, but I confess that
the details we have heard have filled me with a sense
nut only of horror but of shame, not only as one of the
community who have patiently endured such atro-
cities, but shame as a Member of the House of Coin-
mons that I have not before raised my voice, or
exerted my Efforts for the removal of so
vast an evil.—(Loud cheers.) But I shall leave
this room with a strong and determined resolution that
as far as in me lies I will endeavour to put an end to this
evil and filmy abomination—disgraceful to us as men—
disgraceful to us as Christians—and doubly disgraceful
to us as Englishmen, who pride ourselves in showing the
way in the advance and progress of civilization.—
(Cheers.) Your time has been so long occupied that I
cannot venture long to intrude upon you, but it i 3 the less
necessary because the resolution I hold in my band
points not to the past but to the future, and it alludes to
that course of conduct which is thought the best con-
ducive to the early and complete removal of this
abomination. The resolution which I hold in my hand
expresses the opinion that the removal of this evil must
be looked for from the House of Commons and the Legis-
lature of the country, and that the legislation to take
place on the subject, to be effectual, must originate
eith and be supported by the Government.—(Hear,
hear.) In both opinions I entirely concur, and
I hope you who are around me, and more
especially those Members of the House of
Commons who are present, will unite with
me in doing that which, if firmly, temperately, and
consistently carried out, will ultimately convince the
Government of the necessity for putting an end to this
abomination.—(Hear, hear.) I conceive, with my Hon.
Friend the Member for Leamington, that the members
of the present Government are heartily disposed to take
a wiso course in this matter, and I think it but just to
them, as it would be just to any Government with
whom I might not bo so much disposed to
support, that nothing but the pressure of
public business has prevented them from taking up the
question and paying proper attention to a subject of most
vital importance to the best interest of the country.—
(Hear, hear.) But the present Government has
given us a pledge upon this particular subject,
and I think when they have an opportunity they
will not be slow in grappling with this question,
which is of great and vital consequence to the people
who inhabit large towns. As far as Government had
already gone in this matter of sanitary reform it is a
great step in advance, and they had succeeled in carry-
ing their measure in the face of a most determined and
vexatious opposition.—(Bear, hear.) But lam pre-
pared to say, hero or elsewhere, that if they were sincere
in the principle they then commenced, they cannot re-
fuse what we now demand.—(Hear.) And what is more,
they cannot delay it, because I must say that I have
heard with some pleasure the remarks which fell from
my Honourable Friend with regard to the objections
which had been made against concessions of this kind—
righteous and calm objections, which appear to me to
deserve no such name.—(Hear, hear.) What! are we
ill to perish because the poor Orates are to be somewhat
increased? Are we all to perish because the mi-
eister's burial fees would be diminished?—(Hear, hear.)
I am a Church of England man, I am a devoted friend
to the Church, but vt hat are all these things, what are
fees upon burials, what are poor-rates, what are all
these things ? Nothing more than means to an end—
nothing more than means taken to secure the moral
and physical welfare of the community.—(Hear, hear.)
Surely such horrid details as these we have heard to
night would justify the abandonment of anything.
I can't conceive that any man can possibly, in face of
such facts as these we have heard to-night, stand up and
arraign any moral argument in their favour.—(Hear,
hear.) Can any one be found hardy enough to defend
these filthy nuisances?—(Hear, hear.) I hope not, in-
deed, I believe not. No man can openly support them in
the face of day.—(Hear, hear.) I will not take up
more of your time, but I must be allowed to repeat that
I hare learnt a most painful, but I trust useful lesson
this evening. I hope you will share the benefit without
sharing the pain; but I hope above all you will with me
determine, as I said before, both here and elsewhere, to
spare no effort in the furtherance of this
most just and holy cause. (Hear, hear.)
withl
which I view those men who, in the ace t?
respect
I dhope
most
t uynofue
gwni leldjoin t witho the
and danger, have persevered in
opposition, obloquy, a d nifeeeilninggisvionfggurattguafdncee;nai
predict, is not only
victory in their cause, I venture
e Cheers.) I have great plea-
certain but immediate.—(Cheers.) • (
consequences unavoidablyotvheornd:
areden,stu.l
canti
Lord, and ladies and gentlemen, in moving the
sure, my
ehymee
oa present
re eld
ss ibn2yt,
draggingrhat
t:liiissinseuebtjinecgt
believes
utbhl iateot
tnhoeti
manynotice,
a injurious
following resolution:—
abyys,themer olfraiinetsetyrr,sinGg
resulting
Thatn fyri
be
h ert
a legislative enactment, originated with, or supported
a Committee of the House of Commons reported to
Parliament, That after a long and patient investiga-
tion, they could not arrive at any other conclusion than
that the nuisance of interments in large towns, and the
injury arising to the health of the community from the
practice, were fully proved. That the evils of inter-
ment in towns and populous places had grown to such
a height, that no time ought to be lost by the Legis-
liture in applying a remedy. That this custom had
desecrated the repose of the dead, and injured the health
and feelings of the living, could not be denied. That
it had also exhibited the singular instance of the most
wealthy, moral, and civilized community in the world,
tolerating a practice and an abuse which had been cor•
rected for years by nearly all other civilized nations in
every part of the globe.' That these views of the
Parliamentary Committee of 1842 were affirmed by a
majority of the House itself in the year 1845. That
universal mischiefs require remedies, and, therefore, a
General Act, for the establishment of Cemeteries in
suitable localities, should be passed, as a measure of
wise Legislative economy, and of simple justice to the
nation."

Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON, M.P., rose to address the
meeting, and was received with vociferous cheering. He
said—My Lord, ladies, and gentlemen, I will occupy
your attention but a moment. I congratulate my friend,
Mr. Walker, in having at his command to-night a
superfluity of help—a, perhaps, somewhat novel
position for him to be placed in, one at least that must
encourage him, more especially after the very earnest
assurance he has received to-night from gentlemen of in-
fluence here and elsewhere, that their co-operation shall
be from this time forth given for the attainment of the
object he has in view. I had come prepared to make a
speech, but as we have had more than enough to-night,
both in the way of argument and illustration, and appli-
cation and exhortation, I shall carry my speech home
with me—(Laughter)—and whenever Mr. Walker shall
stand more in need of coadjutors than ho does
to-night, he has but to command me, and
the speech I intended to make to-night, I
will give under cirumstances when it will be more
acceptable than at a quarter to eleven o'clock at
night.—(Cheers, and laughter.) One thing must
.be ob-
kstiunpdenwdoouulsdnnui;nbcee.
vious to all who arc here, that we have in our colds! a
(Cheers.) Bills of indictment would be lotdblesdninuiesave
parish in the metropolis. Why thden.
it to be got
our country—suffered to exist, and.
tolerated A ny ot
other
rr
nuisance
twenty-fourof ah. hours.—
(Cheers.) similarr
general ignorance of
the extent of the evil. and of the dreadful consequence
resulting from it.—(Hear.) It is tolerated because of
—ridaoni:isalntceex,isptesrbehaepasu,sounthp.earrealiles lea
hinwistihse history of
the prejudices and customs that have grown no among
us; and yet the removal of this nuisance would not be
a course that would do violence to the tenderest or
finest feelings.—(Hear, hear.) It would not interfere
with the decorous and solemn performance of those

rites which accompany the burial of the dead. On the
contrary, wero the most sanguine hopes of Mr. Walker
realised, so far from there being any concomitant evil
with the measure that he recommends, privacy, security,
the decent and becoming performance of the funereal
rites, and the adjuncts that are suitable to the sepulture
of the human body would all be attained by the passing
of such a measure as that which he desires. I am sure
every one who has attended this meeting to-night
must have received valuable light on a subject of incal-
culable importance to the health of the community. I
should scarcely be surprised to hear of every individual
attending this meeting to-night resolving never to enter
a parish church in the midst of a graveyard until !mend
has been put to the abomination which now exists.—
(Cheers.) If the facts that have been stated to-night
be correct, why then I can imagine no atmosphere more
deleterious than that which we are likely to breathe
within the walls of the sacred edifices where we go from
Sabbath to Sabbath to worship our common Maker. In
the midst of accumulated corpses, penetrated day and
night by a subtle and pernicious effluvia, impregnated
and pervaded throughot by all that is noxious end fatal,
I cannot conceive any place in the world more like!), to
prove injurious, if not fatal, to the human frame than
those edifices, which, while they are decent in their
external appearance and suitable in all their appoint-
meats, should also be at least paces that are not de-
structive of health.—(Cheers.) It may be said by some
here, "I have gone backwards and forwards to and from
church for years, and am not sensible of any injury de-
rived from this habit." That may be so; it may be that
the high blessing of a strong constitntion—(Hear)—the
consciousness of any derangement never occurring for an
instant—it may be that a comparatively slight iflisposi-
tion may not be ascribable to the tainted atmosphere
breathed in the church—it may be possible that en in-
dividual has no idea of that danger; but remember there
are thousands and tens of thousands walking the streets
of this great metropolis every day that carry with them
a predisposition to receive infection, and though we may
have gone again and again for years to that church
without being sensibly affected by the impurity of the
atmosphere, scores of others may have been carried
away in the bloom of youth, smitten down by this in-
foe, to which frequent reference has been made to
night. I shall attempt to state no facts in further illus-
tration of the subject now before us; but we have certain
difficulties to overcome, and they must be overcome. We
have had a good meet to-night, and a large amount of
intelligence among us; but what are we among the teem-
ing thousands and millions of this great metropolis? He
who would serve this cause must become a missionary in
it—(Hear, hear)—he must infuse throughout the circle
in which he moves the facts and information he gathered
up to-night. We have a great deal of ignorance to dis-
pel ere we can create that public opinion which has been
justly styled to night the most potent instrument in ef-
fecting any great social change. We have an overworked
House of Commons to deal with, and when there are so
many measures, all important in their way, consigned
session by session to

" The tomb of all the Capulets"—(A laugh).
we cannot expect, though the Hon. Gentleman who has
addressed you is so sanguine on the subject, that the
measure which is now recommended will meet with
a cordial acceptance and concurrence unless it be backed
by a visible and unequivocal manifestation of public
sentiment out of doors.—(Cheers.) And then there are
interests to be conciliated; and I do not wonder that the
Noble Lord stood somewhat in fear of an army of grave-
diggers, pickaxe in hand—(Cheers)—and undertakers in
the distance, and mutes too, and a number of other
worthy personages who are all mixed up with this great
subject—(Laughter)—and, above all, with his respect
for dignitaries and " the powers that be," that he should
stand in awe of the recipients of fees for burials in our
various parish churchyards; but I do agree with the last
speaker that these interests are not for an instant
to be considered in the presence of. those unmitigated
evils arising out of the present system. If there are
interests that ought to be considered, let them be con-
sidered; but let the object we have in view be attained,
and I shall be the last person in the world to deny the
claims which can be reasonably set up, or compensation
to whom compensation is due. Then we must put our
shoulders to the wheel, if we would effect the reform
that is so much required, and when it is effected there
are no feelings which animate the breast of a human
and religious being which will not be gratified by the
accomplishment of the end we have in view.—(Loud
cheering.) Such revelations as have been made to-
night are sufficient to carry the thoughts of all
who are here back to those sari events in their history
when they have been called upon to consign to their last
resting place the bodies of those whom they have loved;
and, lest a repetition of those sacrilegious violations of
the tomb shall occur—lest again there shall be witnessed
the horrifying spectacle of Enon Chapel and Spa-fields
burying-ground—and even where most decency is ob-
served, in a repetition of the scenes of the best con-
ducted burial grounds there was much to grieve the
mind—l say, if we would not witness a repetition of this,
let us endeavour to accomplish this most wholesome and
desirable object. We have ground enough round the me-
tropolis—roads enough round the metropolis leading into
all the suburbs of this great city; we have the means of
conveyance ample, and, as fur the matter of expense,
every shilling of the extra expense, if there were any,
occasioned by the burying our dead out of the immediate
precincts of the city, would be more than realised to the
common fund at last by the preservation of health, by
the diminution of the pour, as by the saving from pre-
mature widowhood those who are deprived of their
husbands, as we have been told; and in a variety of
ways we shall be actually relieved from our burial bur-
dens, instead of augmenting them with almost contemp-
tible trifles which may be added to the expense of burial
under those altered circumstances. I know there
is one impediment to the creation of a strong public
opinion on this subject, and which I think is this, that
our considerations have reference to the human body.
Now, lam disposed to respect the human body. I know
how tender are the feelings that are called forth in re-
ference to the dead bodies of those who while living
have become the objects of love. I would see that body
treated with decency and respect, both on account of the
associations connected with it in the minds of others, bu
because it has been the tenement of a soul of deathless
and illimitable powers.—(Cheers.) But if, instead of
those corpses being those of men, women, and
children, they were the dead bodies of any
other animals the system would not be tolerated
for a day.—(Cheers.) And yet remember that once de-
posited a few feet below the surface of the earth, the
exhalations arising from the decomposition of that body
are not less, but more pernicious than would arise from
the decomposition of any animal that you might deposit
in your midst. Let us, therefore, look at the matter in
connexion with this age of improvement, and through
the light of those facts which medical science and che-
mistry have put in our hands, and with whatever is de-
corous and solemn, and we shall come to the conclusion
that the measure is demanded, and should at once receive
the respectful attention of the Legislature. This is all
that I have to say to-night on the subject. I shall
cordially co-operate to the best of my humble ability in
the exertions now being made, and I have only to say
that I cordially second this resolution, and fully ngree
with the opinion which it records that to the Legislature
we ought to look for a remedy—a remedy not simply
applicable to the evil as it exists in this metropolis, but
throughout the United Kingdom, on this important
subject.—(Loud cheers.)
The resolution was then put and carried:with accla-
mation.
Mr. WYLD, M.P., in moving the third resolution, said
he had no idea of carrying his speech home in his pocket,
because he wanted to get rid of the abominable system
of accumulating dead bodies by millions in the metro-
polis. What must the foreigner think when he passed
through some of our noble streets, to see them obstructed
by great mounds of human putrefaction, and yet when
the subject was broached in the House of Com-
mons the Honourable Member for Lymington and
himself were the only parties to raise their voices against
it.—(Hear, hear.) They were told then that sufficient
petitions had not been presented against the system to
justify the House in interfering with it, but he hoped,
when the question was next agitated in the Legislature,
no such objection would be raised up against them.—
(Hear, hear.) He did not agree with those who thought
they were likely to meet with opposition from the clergy,
for at a recent meeting of the vestries of St. Clement's
Danes, the Russell court burial ground was ordered to
be abolished.
A VOICE—It has not been abolished yet.
Mr. WYLD said it was to be closed forthwith, and in
order to get rid of the difficulty of removing the nuisance
the Rev. Mr. Denham, the incumbent of St. Mary-le-
Strand, had consented to forego his burial fees.—(Hear,
hear.) But independently of that circumstance, let him
remind the meeting, that in all Cemetery Bills provi-
sion was made to reserve the payment of fees of
clergy; and he thought, therefore, in discussing this
question, they were not likely to meet with much op-
position from the clergy.—(Hear, hear.) But in carry-
ing out this great measure of sanitary reform, if they
wished to make it acceptable to the poor man, they must,
at the same time, endeavour to get rid of the horse tax,
which yielded to the revenue about 20,0001., for if the
poor man had to pay that tax, it was not likely that they
could remove their dead to a distance.—(Hear, hear.)
He trusted, therefore, that this measure, which he
heartily supported, would be accompanied by some such
suggestion of that sort.—(Hear, hear.) He concluded by
moving the following resolution:—
" That, in accordance with the foregoing resolutions,
the following petition be signed. by the chairman on be-
half of the meeting; and that he be respectfullyree o
qtse
to take charge of its presentation to the House of
Com-
mons, and that the metropolitan Members be also re-
quested to support the prayer thereof.
" ' To the Honourable the Commonsir_eland in of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and
Par-
liament assembled,
,indguring mannot only
y
" e
Sheweth—That your petitioners haarvies
years, had just cause for comp
from from the number, but the overcharged state of the me-
tropolitan conviction that the
tropolitan and otherburil
" That your petitioners
numerous and incalculable evils
inseparable from a state
of things at once destructive to health, degrading to re-
ligion, and insulting to humanity, will never be remedied
unless your Eonourable House interposes its authority.
That your petitioners desire to express their un-
feigned satisfaction that this national grievance was the
subject of inquiry by a Committee of your Honourable
House in the year 1842, who reported, that, "after a long
and patient investigation, your Committee cannot arrive
at any other conclusion then that the nuisance of inter-
ments in large towns, and the injury arising to the health
of the community from the practice, are fully proved."
That, from the evidence adduced before the Committee,
and many subsequent exposures of the terrible conse-
quences resulting and necessarily arising from the pre-
rent syreern of interment, your petitioners venture to ex-
press their earnest desire, that the burial of the dead in
the 'midst of the living may be instantly and for ever
prohibited, by the closing of all burial-places in cities
and towns, and by the adoption 9f such tnekturel as may

0/4

. ~ ~' ~`
/~`, ~
~~ ~~~

secure the public from th. sea . ' ac-
tices at prE se at existing. 't itiOAttitiver
pray.' --re.."Aae °see
" That, for the purpose o. teew eacts of
the petition, and of obtain] ;:1 "4 'grit g es we sup-
port, a fund be immediately raised by Eitigptions and
donations, which will be received by the honorary se-
cretary, Mr. Charles James Thicke, 17, New Bridge-
street; by any member of the committee; and by the
following bankers:—;Messrs, Coutts and Co., Strand;
Messrs. Mesterrnau, Peters, Mildred, and Co., 35, Ni-
cholas-lane; Messrs. Spooner, Attwood, and Co., Grace-
church- street; and the Commercial Bank, Lothbury."
Mr. Geo. Ross, surgeon, seconded the resolution. He
stated that the shameful condition of the St. Bride's
burial•ground, at the back of Farringdon-street, which
had already been stigmatised by the general reprobation
of the public press, evidenced the absolute necessity of a
comprehensive measure of legislation for the purpose of
abolishing these evils. The City Sewers' Act was totally
incompetent to check the atrocities perpetrated under
the plea of beryitbee the dead. By a clause in that Act
it was required that at least five feet of soil should be
between the surface of the ground and the top of the
coffin, and the gravedigger attached to that burial-
ground, in order to meet the requirements of the Act,
had been actually obliged to dig through successive strata
of dead bodies, and to toss up their offensive remains,
for the purpose of fresh interments, thus increasing the
evil the Act was intended to remedy.—(Hear, hear.) Ho
(Mr. Ross) state l that the inhabitants of the adjacent
houses were shocked by the gross indecencies they were
compelled to witness, and petitioned the churchwardens
to close the ground. After alluding to the intelligence
and humane feelings of one of the churchwardens, who
desired to carry out the views of the petitioners, he said
that the eollectiva wisdom of the vestry decided that
the ground sliculd be still further turned up, to ascer-
tain what accommodation for burial might yet remain,
and that they literally ordered the opening of the ground
in those several places, turning out upwards of a score
of decaying bodies from one place, and in another ex-
posing what is termed the " bone-hole," the desecrated
spot where the rotten carcases that are removed from the
graves to make room for fresh interments aro deposited
in one festering, putrefying heap.—(Hear, hear.) The
authorities who went to visit the scene were so disgusted
with the result of their own operations, that he believed
they had resolved to close the ground; if they did
not, he was resolved that they should hear more about
the matter. Thirty years ago the inhabitants petitioned
for the closure of the ground, and since that time there
bed been nearly 3,000 bodies deposited there. It ap-
peared, however, that the local powers were very. in-
adequate to carry out the object, even if the authorities
so desired, for any parishioner could demand, as a right.
to bury a relative in the parish burial-ground.—(Heap
hear.) It was, therefore, imperatively necessary that a
general Act should be passed to place these matters on
a different footing. He (Mr. Ross), in advocating the
institution of a central superintending authority, by no
means wished to curtail the powers of local boards; on
the contrary, he thought that their powers ought to be
increased; but that, tor the security and well-being of
the public, they should be compelled to do their duty,
which, considering the sectional interests often para-
mount in these boards, could net always be depended on.
Another circumstance also showed the urgent necessity
that existed for the appointment of inspectors to certify
to the cause of death, and the proper disposition of the
dead, viz., the evidence given by Dr. Russell, Rector of
Bishopsgate, and cited in Mr. Walker's most able and use-
ful lectures, to the effect, that out of 1,244 persons who
died within three years in that parish, my 795 was ascer-
tained to have been buried either in the parish ground or in
public cemeteries, a fact involving so horrible a suspicion,
that it became the high moral character of the British
people to vindicate their humanity, and to demand from
the Legislature the astablishmeut of a system that
should place the sepulture of the dead under com-
petent and responsible control.
The resolution was put and carried with acclamation.
Mr. GLADDEN directed the attention of the meeting to
the circumstance of the corporation of London receiving
the burial fees at Bunhill- fields burying ground, which
he thought would be a difficulty in the way of their cos
operating with the society.
Mr. BRISCOE proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Walker
who, he said, was the earliest and greatest champion of
the holy cause which they had assembled that evening
to support. He trusted that as Mr. Walker had con-
ferred on the people a national benefit he would also re-
ceive a nation's gratitude.—(Cheers.)
Dr. ALDIS briefly seconded the resolution, which was
put and carried unanimously.
Mr. W. SIMPSON moved a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, and said he was rejoiced to find him so attentive
at all times and in all places to the welfare of the working
classes and the poor, whose interests and feelings had
been hitherto sadly neglected, which was also put and
carried unanimously
The Noble CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, wished
it to be distinctly understood that in mentioning that
the clergy were likely to oppose this measure, he did not
mean to convey the impression that they ought to be
disheartened by that circumstance.—(Hear, bear.) A
great general upon going into action always looked to
the worst side of his prospects, and in the same spirit he
had adverted to the opposition of the clergy as the
greatest obstacle they would have to contend against.
The obstacle, although the greatest they perhaps would
have to contend with, was not very great, and if it were
raised he had but little fears of being able to overcome
it. -(Cheers.)
The meeting then broke up, at about ,half.past eleven
o'clock.

DREADFUL OCCURRENCE AT
SAINT JOHN'S WOOD.

During the last two or three days the neighbour-
hood of St. John's .wood has been thrown into a must
painful degree of excitement, in consequence of a
report obtaining circulation, that four young wo-
men had been destroyed by inhaling the fumes of
charcoal, at the residence of Miss Caroline Mann,
the keeper of a boarding-school, No. 2, London-
road, and within a short distance of the Eyre Arms
Tavern.

It appears, upon inquiry, that the reports in
question are not without foundation, and that three
young women, in the service of the above-mentioned
lady, have fallen victims to the inhalation of char-
coal, whi's; the fourth remains in a very hopeless
condition.

The names of the deceased parties are Elizabeth
Tidd, aged twenty-one. Fanny Carter, aged seven-
teen, Elizabeth Griffiths, aged sixteen. It appears
that these young women, and another, had removed
with Miss Mann's establishment, to the house No. 2
London-road, a few days ago ; and that one of them
being taken ill, went home to her friends, and re-
turned to Miss Mann's establishment on Tuesday.
She appeared to be very ill, and went to lay down in
a lodge attached to the house, in front, on the bed
usually occupied by the page. She seemed worse to-
wards evening, and Miss Mann told one of the servants
that she thought some of them had better remain
with their sick companion during the night. Miss
Mann at the same time expressed her fears that the
place might be damp ; and there being no chimney or
fire-place in the apartment, she recommended that a
patent stove, which consumed the prepared charcoal,
and which was usually employed in warming the
hall of the mansion, should be removed to the place
in question, in order to air it. This was done, and
it is supposed that the whole of the four parties above
mentioned agreed to sleep in the place together on
Tuesday night.
On 'Wednesday morning, neither of the servants
making their appearance, as usual, some alarm was
created, and on Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper, open-
ing the door of the apartment, the most appalling
spectacle presented itself. Three of the young women
lay in one bed, whilst the fourth lay in a small bed
which had been made up in another corner of
the apartment. The survivor lay between Tidd
and Carter.; and whilst they, as well as the
poor girl Griffiths, appeared quite lifeless,
she was still alive, but appeared in the last
agonies of death. Neither of the deceased females
had their nightcaps on, their hair was dishevelled,
their arms extended, and they had the appearance as
if they had struggled violently. On making this dis-
covery, Mrs. Wilson alarmed the inmates ; and Mr.
Crellin, surgeon, of the Wellington-road, was in-
stantly sent for. lle at once pronounced, with re-
gard to Tidd, Carter, and Griffiths, life to be extinct,
and nearly so with regard to the fourth sufferer. He
however, instantly resorted to bleeding and other
remedies, and had her removed to another apartment,
where symptoms of returning animation, after some
hours, began to manifest themselves.

WORCESTERASEA-FORT.—On Monday last the
Two Brothers, bound for this city, from Dunkirk, ar-
rived at Gloucester, where the Custom-ouse autho-
rities would not allow her to proceed till she was
discharged. The consignees accordingly determined on
discharg'n; her, and having paid the duty, she will be
reloaded ; the object in this instance being to show
the possibility of sea-borne vessels coming up to Worces-
ter. We believe that, in these days of free trade, the
Commissioners of Customs might be induced to relax
a
this rule in favour of so important district as that
embraced by the Severn at Worcester
; but at all events
we have to congratulate the trading and mercantile in-
terests of the city on the fact that all coasting traffic is
allowed to pass unimpeded by the port of Gloucester up
the river. Already arrangements are being made for
freighting a vessel with guano, for this city, from one of
the principal ports of Great Britain; and there is no
reason why the Droitwich salt may not henceforth be
shipped at Worcester for the coast of Ireland and else-
where.— Worcestershire Chronicle.
DEATH OF THE HON. ANNE RUSHOET.—This
estimable lady died at her house, IVansted Grove, Essex,
on Wednesday, the 4th April, after a long and painful
illness, which she bore with the greatest fortitude and
resignation. She was the daughter of the late Lord
Northwick and sister to the present peer. Her loss will
be long deplored by her relations and friends, and by
her death many distinguished families will be placed in
m o arning.
LORD PANMURE.—Much anx'ety has been felt
during the past week regarding the state of the health
of this nobleman. His Lordship has had an attack of
very serious illness ; and, though the fever has consi-
derably abated, there is little prospect of his restoration
to his u.ual state of health for a considerable time.—
Edinburgh it itness.
EXTRAORDINARY INCREASE.—Mr. George Smith
of AO Kettleby, near Melton, has now 36 lambs from
11 ewes, out of a flock of only 50 ; 3 ewes having
yeaned 4 lambs each, and 8 ewes 3 each; and they are
all alive and doing well. The whole 50 ewes are rearing
109 lambs.

* Patrick-street 5, Parade 16, South Mall 8, and Great
George's• street 6, and 15 shops in Arcade.
t Inglis's Switzerland and the South of France.

ST. STEPHEN'S, WALBROOK.

An adjourned vestry meeting was held in the vestry-
ro,im i,f the church yesterday, chiefly for the purpose of
considering a proposition for the immediate payment of
the s4laries for the current year of the various parish
officers. Dr. Croy, the r, c:oe, presided.
The VESTRY CLERK acid he had taken the opportu-
nity of stating to the Master in Chancery that the rents
fcr the parish estates for the current year, amounting to
a large sum, were in the hands of the receiver, and also
of asking him whether the salaries of the parish officers
for the same period might act very properly be defrayed
out of that sum, and he was of opinion that they might,
and said he would allow such for payment when the
accounts were presented to his inspection, provided such
a course met with the approbation of the parishioners.
The Court of Chancery had decided that there should
be eight gentlemen appointed to act as trustees of the
parish estates; that, in fact, their trust should be an an-
nual one, and that the rents of each year should be ap-
plied to the expense of each year.
Mr. ROCK, one of the churchwardens, congratulated
the vestry upon the satisEctory appearance which the
parish affairs now began to assume, and said, as ho
imagined that it was the wish of the parish to begin by
paying their debts, he had collected all the claims
against them, but many of them were so exorbi-
tant, that in his opinion they would require the
most strict investigation before they were paid. The
parish of St. Benet Sherehog had always Lorne part of
the expenses, and he thought it but right and respectable
that they should act in unison with them. He begged,
therefore, to propose the following resolution:—" That
Mr. Flight, Mr. Rock, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Murrell be
appointed by this parish to meet two gentlemen of the
parish of St. Benet Sherehog; such six gentlemen to
form a committee for the investigation of the claims on
the parish in respect of the church, for the past year,
to the payment of which the parishes are jointly liable."
Mr. WILS6N seconded the resolution.

Mr. ROCK said, that since the last meeting all the ar-
rears, with the exception of one, had been paid up, and
they would now find that for the first time for many
years they had a very considerable fund at their dispo-
sal.—(Hear.) Litigation being now virtually at an end,
he hoped for the future they would go on pleasantly to-
gether; but unless the parishioners devoted a little more
attention to their affairs they would get into as much
disorder and confusiorias they had been in for twenty-
six years, while under the administration of Mr. Gibbs.

Mr. FLIGHT, churchwarden, said there was scarcely
a man in the parish who was aware that they possessed
any property at all, and it was by the merest accident
that he, from au interview with the Archdeacon of
London, discovered that about 111 years ago they bad
property producing 1111.—(Hear, hear.) He then told
the Archdeacon that if that were so the 1111. would now
be worth 1,0001., and it turned out now that he was cor-
rect.—(Hear, hear.)

The VESTRY-CLERK said that Mr. Gibbs had paid
the 600/. which was due from him.

The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. Rock thought that was a fit occasion to say a
word about the projected repairs of the church. Atter
paying all their debts he found that they would have re-
maining 1,0001., which would be amply sufficient to re-
pair and decorate the church so far as was necessary for
the next seven or eight years.—(Hear.)
Mr. FLIGHT said, as he held the plate at the door last
Sunday a gentleman put in half-a crown, and at the
same time whispered into his ear, " If I knew it would
go to the repairs of the church, I would put in half-a-
sovereign."
Mr. TEBBUTTS said, six years ago it was estimated
that two or three thousand would not be sufficient.
Mr. FLIGHT—Then, in that case, we must raise a
" rate in aid."—(Laughter.)
Mr. HORNER said he was a member of the select
vestry, and wished very much to get out of it.—
(Laughter.) He, however, begged to say that hehad no-
thing to do with the law suits.—(Hear.) At the same
time he thought it right to put the trustees who had
been appointed upon their guard, for he c nild assure
them that their would be two claimants for the money.
—(Laughter.) The gentleman who called himself the
vestry-clerk bad conducted a law suit on the part of the
parish, and endeavoured to get the costs out of the funds.
Upon what authority bad he done so?—(A laugh.)
They might laugh, but he could tell them that the gen-
tlemen of the select vestry would not be satisfied with
a plain refusal. _ _

The VESTRY-CLERK—Who are the select vestry?
We cannot ascertain.

Mr. HORNER said he had attended it the other day,
and found a good deal of fresh blood in it, which he
could assure them would not be trifled with.—(A laugh.)
He thought he was not fairly treated in being laughed
at and ridiculed, especially by Mr. Rock. He was sorry
that legal proceedings had ever been commenced, but he
begged again to say that he never had any hand in them.
Mr. CROSBY said he was bound to say that the pro-
ceedings had been carried on in a wicked and litigious
spirit, but certainly not on the part of Mr. Rock.
Mr. RCCK said he had been accused of laughing at
Mr. Horner. He begged to say that he would laugh
him utterly and entirely to scorn. He was one
of those very few individuals in the parish
who was opposed to the just wishes of the
parish, bad carried on a system of litigation for years,
and who endeavoured to gf4 the property of the parish
out of the control of the parishioners; and after having
c irried on his opposition for years, and been utterly and
entirely defeated, he came to him bewailing, bemoan-
ing, and he might say almost crying, and told him if he
could endeavour to get Mr. Phillip'a bill paid, he would
make an eff)rt to pay his (Mr. Rock's) bill out of the
parish funds. [Mr. Horner denied this.] But he (Mr.
Rock), although not a rich man, would not sacrifice his
character in that manner.—(Hear, hear.) The parish
might stand by him or not; but he would say this,
that he would even undergo privations to pay
the expenses of the proceedings, and sacrifice
every thing but character, in order to obtain justice for
the parishioners.—(hear, hear.) He scorned him as
much as he did his proposition. If litigation was car-
ried on against him, he begged to say that
for the interest of the parish ha would stand
up and fight against it. He would tell
Mr. Horner that the last person who opposed him, and
in him, justice, payed a penalty of 4,0001., without him-
self being put to a farthing of expense. He was pre-
pared to throw down the gauntlet if Mr. Horner was
prepared to fight him for another six years. He had
told the parishioners that they would at last get justice
done them, and so it had turned out, to the cost of Mr.
Alderman Gibbs.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HoaNEn denied that he had made any such offer
to Mr. Rock with respect to Mr. Phillips. Mr. Rock
had told him that he would blow out of the parish any
man who dared to interfere with him.
Mr. Rocx—lt is a falsehood.

Dr. CROLY said he would not listen to this alterca•
Lion. The vestry was at an end, and he would leave the
chair.

A vote of thanks was then hurriedly proposed to
Dr. Croly for presiding,' and he was about to leave the
chair, when _ _ _

Mr. HORNER said—Really, Dr. Croly, I am not
treated fairly, and I suppose simply because I don't
happen to be upon what is called the Liberal side.
Another Mr. HORNER—I am astonished, Dr. Croly,
that you allow such blackguardisua as has been used in
this vestry.
Dr. CROLY —I know nothing about a Liberal or a
Conservative side, but I beg to say that I will not allow
the word blackguardism to be used by a person who
calls himself a gentleman.
The Rev. Doctor then left the chair, and the meeting
broke up rather hurriedly.

OURT OF COMMON COUNCIL
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of a grew
deal of public business.

A letter from the Recorder, upon the subject of the
appointment by that functionary, as Steward of the
Borough Court, of certain officers, for the performance
of the business of the Court, was referred to a Com-
mittee.

THE REMOVAL OF SMITHFIELD MARKET.
The REMEMBRANCER having mentioned to the Court,
amongst other subjects for Parliamentary investiga-
tion, that notice had been given in the House of Com-
mons of a motion for the removal of Smithfield market,
and that notice having been referred to the Markets
Committee,
The LORD MAYOR rose and informed the Court, that
in consequence of a communication which had been
made to him by the Remembrancer. he had felt it to
be his duty to go to the Home Office for the purpose
of expostulating upon the circumstance that four
Members had been added to the Parliamentary Com-
mittee on a subject of such interest to the metropolis,
not one of whom was a metropolitan Member.
At that interview he was assured that the Bill
would be postponed until after the recess, and he took
the opportunity of stating that it was quite a mistake to
suppose that the corporation were opposed to the in-
terests of the public upon that question, and that, on the
contrary, the corporation would be most happy to carry
out the views of the Government and the public, but not
the views of any private speculators.—(Hear, hear.)
With respect to another subject of City interest, he had
corrected another error, which seemed to have been cir-
culated, and that subject had also been postponed for a
similar period. _ _ _

Mr. li. TAYLOR said that a petition of a very extraor-
dinary kind, to the prejudice of the corporation, had been
presented in the House of Commons.
Alderman COPELAND said that a more gross set of
allegations against the corporation had never been heard
than the petition alluded to contained, and he had inti-
mated, that when the subject should be brought forward,
he would be ready to notice the misrepresentations.
With respect to the question of the removal of Smith-
field market, to his knowledge several members had
withdrawn their support and approbation of that mea-
surebetter informed upon the subject. As
f or himself,, up o n in
biefhge were to be on the Committee again, he
would call for all the evidence which had been already
given before Committees of the Lords and Commons
before he.should consent to examine fresh witnesses.
, and
Committee,s e n d i
notn
. Mr. ANDERTJN suggested the propriety of print-
Igntshe petition which contained such offensive allega-
tions,
could gITI surprised at the appointment of a
newthe members. The
together for the
members attended a
nd presided at a public meeting called
they
of saw
advocating
that
theof their
r e m
removal
vwa own
of the market.
read a passage from a
report in a newspaper
that Mr. Bennoch, thewhich it was stated
had taken the chair at a commonpu councilman'
to discountenance what was called thblic meeting held
whole trade usurped by the corporationmonopoly of the
pruoueuerunp
odthseecn" i e s to
imagine how a member of the corporatio.n He could not
witnessed how the question had been disposed.af tee; having
n
Court, could preside upon such an occasion.—_(Hear.)
that
Mr. T. 11. HALL said the communication which
been made was most important, for the present was the
third or fourth time that Parliament had been called upon
to make inquiry. lie WU desirous or the M 91); searching

investigation into the merits of the question. He was
anxious that the Corporation should be relieved from the
odium which had been cast upon them for maintaining
what it was their duty, to maintain.—(Hear, hear.) It
Parliament would remove the market, Parliament would
be responsible.
Mr. BLAKE was opposed to the monstrous doctrine
that would prevent a man who h conscientiously de-
clared his opinions in one place, from repeating them in
another.

Mr. T. H. HALL felt deeply on the sxbject, fur it
deeply interested the constituency for whose benefit
Smithfield-market was kept up. Inquiry would show
that the evils which were inevitably attached to a market
were more endurable in Smithfield than they would be
in any other place, and it would effectually remove the
stigma under which the corporation suffered at the pre •
sent moment.

The LORD DIAYOR observed upon the irregularity of
raising a discussion upon his communication to the Court,
and the matter dropped.
Mr. R. TAYLOR moved that the report of the Secon-
daries and City Court Committee, so far as relates to the
fees and emoluments of the Deputy Registrar, and for
fixing the emoluments of the office at 300/. per annum,
be taken into consideration.

The report was, after some discussion, agreed to.
_ ELECTION ACT.
-- _

Upon the motion of Mr. PRIOR, the report of the
Freedom Committee, for authority to extend the provi-
sions of the 13111 for amending the Election Act to elec-
tions in Common Hall, was brought up.
The Bill, it will be recollected, underwent discussion
in the Court of Aldermen a short time ago, when several
amendments were made, emocgst which was one to limit
the elections in Common Ilan according to the rul of
election of members to serve in Parliament. One of the
clauses then adopted, provided that the police-rate must
be paid six months before the election, in order to qualify
a person to vote.

The Court agreed to all the amendments adopted by
the Court of Aldermen, with the exception of that which
referred to the payment of the police-rate.
Mr. Deputy OBBARD brought up the report on the
proce 'ding of the House of Commons in respect of the
Henley Waterworks and Navigation Bill, and as to the
effect that Bill was, if carried into a law, calculated to
have upon the navigation of the Thames. The report
certified that the Committee had referred the Bill to a
sub-Committee, who had since reported that the object
was to make a navigable cut foP the transit of goods
from the Henley Reach to the River Thames, on the
Grand Junction Canal, near West Drayton, for altering
such canal, and the Paddington Canal, and for construct-
ing reservoirs between Paddington and Primrose-hill,
and for better supplying with water the inhabitants
of certain parts of the metropolis ; and it was con-
sidered necessary to have the opinion of an emineut en-
gineer upon the probable effects of the proposed scheme,
if carried out, upon the navigation of the Thames. That
Mr. Walker was requested to take a survey, and had
proceeded to do so. That the second reading of the
Bill had been postponed for six months, and was there-
fore lost for the present year, but it was the opinion of
the committee that it was of the utmost importance that
Mr. Walker should complete his survey in the event of
any future application to Parliament on the subject.
The report was, after a few observations, agreed to.

THE REPRESENTATION OF

SHEFFIELD.

A meeting of the Sheffield Refurm As-;oointion was
held in the Council hall on Wednesdv evening, to con-
sider what steps should be taken to supply the elpeet(d
vacancy in the representation of the borough, exise•
quent upon the appointment of M. H. C. Ward, M.P.,
to the Chief Commibsionersbip of the lonian Islands.
Mr. E. SMITH took the chair, and called on the mover
of the first resolution—
Mr. W. FlSHER—(Cheers.) Before moving a reso-
lution, he would first state, that on Monday he attended
a meeting of about 20 influential Liberals of both sec-
tions. The result was, a determination to convene a
meeting of the whole Liberal electors, and to propose
Mr. J. A. Roebuck.--(Cheers.) Immediately after that
meeting, the committee of this society met, and also
prepared a resolution in favour of Mr. Roebuck, on con-
dition of being assured of his adhesion to the principles
of the society. He (Mr. Fisher) was instructed to write
to Mr. Roebuck on the subject. Since he came into
that building he had received the following reply to his
letter:

"Reform Club, Tuesday evening, nine o'clock.
"My dear Sir,—l have this moment found your letter
here, and haste❑ to answer it, in the hope that my letter
may be with you in time for the meeting tomorrow. I
can havo no difficulty in answering any ques!i9ns you
ask. My whole political life has been spent in support-
ing free trade, ballot, extension of the suffrage, and
financial reform. And some of the last opinions to which
I have given expression in Parliament were declarations
against any extension of religious establishments by the
State. To these opinions I adhere, and must refer you
to my past life as the guarantee for my future conduct.
"I shall, therefore, be quite ready and prowl to ac-
cept your flattering offer, with all its provisos. I shall
remain in London until I hear further; and beg you to
believe me yours very truly (but in haste),

"J. A. ROEBUCK.
" I say sincerely in haste, for I write in fear of the
He now moved the following resolution:—
, C
Thchleoaestrisnt.
this
meeting, recognizing Mr. Roebuck as an
post(a
able, powerful, and zlalous advocate of those political,
commercial, and economical principles which this so-
ciety was established to promote, will rejoice to see him
adopted as the candidate of the whole Liberal party for
the representation of this borough."
With the full conviction that Mr. Roebuck was a man of
very considerable talent—with the full conviction that
he would go as far on all politicalsubjects as any rational
man could expect to succeed with in the House of Com-
mons, he very cordially moved this resolution.
Mr. It LEADER, jun., said he had occupied some time
during the last few days in examining the speeches and
votes of Mr. Roebuck during the last Parliament, from
1841 to 1847, and this review had augmented the plea-
sure which he should otherwise have felt in seconding
the motion. Mr. Roebuck had spoken and voted on all
the great questions that had come before Parliament, and
in reference to all he had shown great information, and a
steady adherence to his principles. Mr. Leader, jun.,
then, at SOMe length, recapitulated the votes given by Mr.
Roebuck whilst in Parliament, and concluded by heartily
seconding the motion. —(Cheers.)
Mr. M. BEAL thought they could not have a more
eligible candidate than Mr. Roebuck. He thought the re-
turn of Mr. Roebuck would do credit to Sheffield. No town
could better suit Mr. Roebuck—(Hear, hear)—and no
Member could suit the town better. He thought they
should make a very wise selection in naming Mr. Roe-
buck, and he cordially supported the motion.
The CHAIRMAN did not know that he could indorse
all they had head from Mr. Roebuck. But that was
not the question. The real question was whether, on
the whole, he was the likeliest man to represent the
town. His (Mr. Smith's) views might perhaps be pecu-
liar, but it was a recommendation to him that Mr. Roe-
buck was not a man of aristocratic family and connexions.
—(Cheers.) As to any little faults of temper, they
might go very far before they would find a perfect man.
He hoped these faults might not have the quality which
Jeoffry Crayon attached to, a woman's tongue—that it
was the only edged tool that never grew duller by using.
—(Cheers.) Re hoped that in this case, if there was
any fault, it would grow a little quieter and duller.--
(Cheers.) Ile had reason to suppose that Mr. Roebuck
would embody more of the approbation of the people of
Sheffield than perhaps any other man ; and since there
had been some little difference among them, it was im-
portant that they should concur in electing a man who
had so many excellent qualifications.—(Cheers.)
Mr. W. BAEHR, as a non•elector, expressed hii ad-
miration of Mr. Roebuck, and the unbounded satisfaction
he felt that they were likely to be unanious in returning
a man whose public character and intellectual worth was
so well known.
The motion was then put to the vote, and carried
unanimously. _

A vote of thanks was proposed to Mr. H. G. Ward for
the many services he had rendered to the liberal cause
during the time he had represented Sheffield. There
was considerable opposition to the motion from a feeling
among the electors that since Mr. Ward had been in
office his conduct had not been satisfactory. Eventually,
however, the resolution was;carried by a majority of two
to one of the meeting.