The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON 4.9 MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1849:

munications which reached us day by day in the public
prints; but it would be idle to say such communications
on subects of deep interest, involving the happiness and
comfort and the lives of li.e humbler classes of society,
could be addressed to the minds of men without exciting
a certain degree of s3mpailly, and possibly crewing a
prejudice, at all events deep interest, of which it was im-
possible wholly to divest the mind. They would, however,
exercise their calm and quiet judgment on the parti-
culars that would be laid before them, and draw from
the facts that would be detailed on oath before them
their own sober conclusions, unmixed with any impres-
sions previously made on their minds by unauthorized
publications, however well intentioned Filch publications
might be. The charge in question was one of having
occasioned the deaths of as many as four children by a
degree of criminal neglect in administering of proper
food, and by the act of crowding the parties together in
an unwholesome atmosphere, and of inattention to
those precautions necessary to preserve the health
of children in a state of ordinary bodily health.
It appeared several parishes, under the direction t f the
proper authorities of those perishes, had found
it convenient to place in an establishment, at a stipu-
lated price per head, for the care and support of poor
children, at Tooting, a great number of children; and
that this number, though it was not clearly apparent
what that number was, appeared from the depositions to
have reached so high, that this establishment was incon-
venient for their proper reception ; that they were
crowded in rooms and beds together, to an extent that
was calculated to endanger their health, and to render
them liable to contagious disorders, or to the effects of
any epidemic. In any charge of that nature which
would be laid before them, it would be pro-
bably alleged in the indictment that it was
the duty of the master of that establishment to supply
necessary food and clothing, and to take the precautions
to which he (the Recorder) had referred; and probably
it would appear in evidence that that duty was cast on
the defendant by the contract with the different parties
for the support and protection of those children in this
establishment. He believed it would appear, from the
depositions, which were extremely voluminous and con-
tained a vast deal of matter scarcely admissible in point
of law, and conclusions from facts without stating the
facts from which those conclusions were drawn, that
these children died from an attack of cholera, and pro-
bably there would be a good deal of speculation how
that cholera was induced, and whether, with more care
and more food, those children would have been the ob-
jects of an attack of cholera. Ordinarily, when a man
was charged with manslaughter he was charged with an
act which was directly conducive to the death of the
party, In consideration of the case they must confine
themselves to the particular treatment of the children
who died, because nothing seemed more unjust than that
if a person who was perfectly well, and who did not die
had an insufficiency of food, to turn round and say that
that child had not a sufficiency of food, and therefore
was liable to an attack of cholera ; therefore, if the in-
quiry was what act was done in the management of this
establishment by which the child was being piepared, as

it were, to catch this disorder by some tr( atment or act
done by the master, then it was essentially necessary
that the accused should have conduced by some
act to the death of the deceased. Assuming
that the legal duty was cast on the defendant to supply
sufficient food, and not to crowd the parties together so
as to render the atmosphere unwholesome, and assuming
him not to have taken all the precautions proper and
ordinary, it would be necessary to ir.quire when did the
criminal act occur with reference to the particular chil-
dren who died. They would have to say what concur-
rent circumstances there were that occasioned the death
of the deceased by the defendant. They would have
to consider whether it appeared by the evidence laid
before them that the defendant did any act that caused
those parties to catch the disorder of cholera. Ile
might be properly responsible for neglect of duty if he
had given them insufficient food. It it could be proved
that the food given was unwholesome in quality, and
that by crowding them together in an unwholsome at-
mosphere their health was debilitated, he would be cri-
minally responsible. But the question was, when be
was charged with the felony of manslaughter, what act
they found proved against him, which he had done, and
which conduced to the death of these parties. There
were no parties who were more proper objects
of protection of the law than the unprotected
poor; they would proceed to that inquiry with a proper
sympathy with any sufferings that may be proved before
them; but they would know to discriminate between the
melancholy Ise!ing that was engendered by an awful
calamity, and the attributing that calamity to a party
without acts were proved to their satisfaction connecting
him with that awful catastrophe.
The grand jury then retired, and the Court was pro-
ceeding with the business before it when we went to
[ress.

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.)

CORN-EXCHANGE-(MONDAY.)

During the week ending on Saturday evening the
supply of English Wheat received up to our market,
coastwise and by land carriage, was small in the ex-
treme, and of very middling quality. The receipts of
all other grain, as well as Flour, by water carriage, were
trifling; but those of Malt and Flour, by railway, proved
tolerably good. From Ireland and Scotland the arrivals
were confined to a few parcels of Barley, Malt, and
Oats. A considerable decrease, on a comparison with
those of many previous weeks, took place in the imports
from abroad, which were confined to 8,405 quarters of
Wheat, 851 ditto of Barley, 1,387 ditto ut Oats, 130 ditto
of Rye, 300 ditto of Beans, 177 ditto of Peas, 210 ditto
of Tares, 93 ditto of Mustard Seed, 418 ditto of sundry
see,'s, chi, fly Clover, including 250 quarters of Indian
Corn ; 4,789 sacks of Flour from France, and 50 barrels
of ditto from Baltimore. Judging from the appearance
of the Sound list, it is evident that large supplies of
Foreign Grain are close at band. Offers for Wheat and
Flour have come in freely from abroad since our last.
A very limited supply of Wheat arrived fresh up for our
market to-day from Essex; but from Kent, the receipts
were slightly on the increase, though of very inferior
quality. The stands acre again scantily filled with
samples of both red and white ; nevertheless, the de-
mand for all descriptions of English Wheat was in a
very dull state. Really fine qualities—which were
scarce—sold at prices about equal to those paid on
Monday last. The out-of-condition sorts were certainly
lower to purchase. At the close of the market, the
bulk of the supply remained in the hands of the factors.
Although the imports of foreign Wheat, last week, were
small, we were well supplied with that article this morn-
ing. The inquiry for all kinds was confined to retail
quantities, at barely stationary prices. To effect
large sales, a decline of one shilling per quarter
must have been submitted to by the importers.
'The supply of Barley was very moderate, owing to the
falling off in the foreign arrivals. The best malting
qualities changed hands, at last week's currencies.
Grinding and distilliug sorts were heavy, and the turn
in favour of the buyers. There was only a limited in-
quiry for even the best Afalt, at late rates. Inferior
qualities were almost nominal in value, with a limited
quantity on cff,r. Notwithstanding the show of Oat
samples was comparatively trifling, that grain met an
extremely dull inquiry, and prices were from 6d to, in
some instances, is per quarter beneath those ruling on
this day se'nnight. The dealers generally are short
of stock ; but they are waiting future arrivals from
Germany, prior to effecting purchases. There
was scarcely tny demand for Indian Corn or
Meal, both which articles were lower to purchase.
Beans, though in short supply, were much neglected.
No change took place in the general quotations, yet
damp parcels were decidedly lower. White boiling peas
supported late rates. In other kinds of peas scarcely a
transaction took place. The top price of the best town-
made Flour remained as last. Country marks, as well
as barrelled qualities, were offering at reduced figures.
The large influx of foreign Flour is greatly interfering
with the trade here.