The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The examinations, trials, and confessions of the
men, who were executed, affords matter fur very serious
reflection, as regards the surgical profession. It is strange
that none of the Jury asked the witness Hill if the ap
pearance of the dead boy was the first subject which had
ever excited his suspicion as to the means of death. The
matter cannot rest as it is, but in discussing what should
be done, it is very important that the Press and others
should not abuse sacred and hallowed expressions. The
culprits called themselves body-snatchers and church-yard
robbers, and they are proved to have been murderers.
Some of the medical profession designate them resur-
rectionists and resurrection-men. Surely the slightest
thought on such a term will prevent the shameful prosti-
tution of that hallowed expression in cases so entirely inap-
plicable. I really think the heads of the clergy aught to
remonstrate against such profanation.

Yours,

MEETING OF ANATOMISTS.

A meeting of the professors and lecturers in anatomy
.00k place last night, on the subject of the atrocities
lately discovered, as having been resorted to for the sup-
ply of anatomical subjects. It was proposed and adopted
by the meeting, after some discussion, that the professors
and lecturers of the metropolis should discontinue their
classes for the present, until some measure should be de-
vised by Parliament for a supply of subjects under the
sanctio❑ of law, and without the risk of giving encourage-
ment to mercenary murderers. This resolution was ac-
companied with the condition that all the other anatomical
schools throughout the kingdom should be shut up at the
same time—a condition in which, if they expect the Go-
vernment to enforce, they will find themselves disap-
pointed. It has not transpired whether any step was
taken at this meeting to show that the professional men
of the metropolis are themselves superior to the prejudice
against dissection of which they so much complain. It
does not appear whether any of them have declared their
readiness to submit their remains after death to the pur-
poses of science. We have repeatedly thrown out the sug-
g stion to them, and we think it ought not to have been
.linked at such a moment. That a charge of careless-
ness hangs over the medical schools of this kingdom no one
can deny. We shall rejoice to find that they are able to
acquit themselves before the world ; but it is not by such
a resolution as they adopted last night that either that or
any other useful purpose is likely to be answered. In the
course of the evening several extracts were read from the
leading articles of the Morning Hcrald, on the subject
upon which the meeting was called. I❑ those articles the
negligence of the medical men was often alluded to, and it
was admitted, last night, that in some cases there was
reason to apprehend that the charge was not without some
foundation. The accidents to which subjects are exposed
in the hands of unskilful persons, legs and arms being
sometimes broken in their conveyance to the lecture-room,
.vould naturally cause them to overlook appearances which,
under other circumstances, they would feel themselves
round to examine. Now, however, that murder has
'seen brought to light, we trust the most rigid scrutiny
will be adopted. It is likely that other meetings of the
profession will arise out of this, and, should such be the
case, we trust they will adopt some course more calcu-
lated to produce practical benefit than the one to which we
have been alluding.

It is said that a memorial, numerously signed
by the principal Directors of the Assurance Companies,
and large land-owner sin the southern and western counties,
will be immediately presented to the House of Commons,
urging, in the strongest terms, the immediate adoption of
more effective legislative measures, for the prevention of
incendiarism in the agricultural districts.
BURKING.--SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
—On Wednesday night last (the day upon which Mr.
MILLS, the dentist, of Newington-causeway, the person to
whom MAY disposed of the set of teeth, attended before
the Grand Jnry, at the Old Bailey), two ill-looking fel-
lows called upon him at half-past eleven o'clock, and knock-
ing violently at the door, told the servant who answered
them from out of the first floor window, that they wanted
Mr. MILLS directly to draw one of their teeth. Mr.
MILLs, who had retired to rest, refused to get up at that
lite hour, for such a purpose ; but told the servant to in-
form them that they might come as early as they pleased
in the morning, and he would attend to them, which the
gill did. One of the fellows, however, said be was in
dreadful pain, awl both appeared exceedingly urgent in
their endeavours to induce Mr. MILLS, on the score of
h!inzanity (?) to attend to them ; which that gentleman
peremptorily refused to do. As these fellows were walk -
i4g away, they both shook their fist at the girl, and, with
horrid imprecations, cursed her and her master too ! A
gentleman, who was passing at the time, heard distinctly
,ine of these fellows say to his companions " him ;
we would have done for him, if we had got pear him."
There is no doubt but that these two scoundrels formed
pint of the gang connected with BISHOP, MAY,; and Wm-
r.tAads ; and that their intention was to injure;lllr. Muth,
so as to have prevented him giving the important evidence
which he did upon the trial on Friday. The twofellows
were dressed in smock frock 4, and had large bludgeons in
heir heads, which they used as walking sticks...

hv.

Cases. Died.
From the Commencement of the. Disease, on
the Stith October, 1831
(Signed) 6. sTEPIIENSON,
Secretary to the Sunderland Board of Health.

OPENING

PARLIAMENT.

This clay his MAJESTY went down in
state to the House of Lords to open the
Parliamentary Session. A more important
question than the one now immediately to
be discussed, never yet occupied the attention
of the Legislature. Of course we allude to the
Reform Bill, which for months past has kept
the country in a state, we may almost say, of
unparalleled agitation, and which will continue
so to do, more or less, until it is brought to
a satisfactory and triumphant termination.

His MAJESTY left the Palace a few minutes
before two o'clock, accompanied by the usual
State attendants, and passed through the Park
to the House of Lords, where he arrived at a
quarter past two o'clock. He was much cheered
during his progress.

After the usual preliminaries, his MAJESTY
delivered the following most gracious

SPEECH.

" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
p " I have called you together that you may resume,
without further delay, the important duties to which
the circumstances of the times require your imme-
diate attention ; and I sincerely regret the inconve-
nience which I am well aware you must experience
from so early a renewal of your labours, after the
short interval of repose allowed you from the fa-
tigues of the last Session.
" I feel it to be my duty, in the brat place, to
recommend to your most careful consideration
the measures which will be proposed to you
for a Reform in the Commons' House of Par-
liament. A speedy and satisfactory settlement
of this question becomes daily of more pressing
importance to the security of the State, and to the li
contentment and welfare of my people.

" I deeply lament the distress which still pre-
vails in many parts of my dominions, and for
which the preservation of peace both at home
and abroad will, under the blessing of Divine Provi-
dence, afford the best and most effectual remedy;
I feel assured of your disposition to adopt any prac-
ticable measures, which you will always find me
ready and anxious to assist, both for removing the
causes and mitigating the effects of the want of em-
ployment which the embarrassments of commerce,
and the consequent interruption of the pursuits of 1
industry, have occasioned.
" It is with great concern that I have observed
the existence of a disease at Sunderland, similar
in its appearance and character to that which
has existed in many parts of Europe. Whether it
is indigenous, er has been imported from abroad, is a
question involved in much uncertainty, but its progress
has neither been so extensive nor so fatal as on the
Continent. It is not, however, the less necessary
to use every precaution against the further extension
of this malady ; and the measures recommended by
those who have had the best opportunity of ob-
serving it, as most effective for this purpose, have
been adopted.
" In parts of Ireland a systematic opposition has
been made to the payment of tithes, attended in
some instances with afflicting results; and it will
be one of your first duties to inquire whether
it may not be possible to effect improvements in
the laws respecting this subject which may afford
the necessary protection to the Established Church,
fop and at the same time remove the present causes f
complaint. But in this and every other qua 4,
affecting Ireland, it is above all things necessa x o
look to the best means of securing internal peace and
order, which alone seem wanting to raise a country
blessed by Providence with so many natural advan-
tages to a state of the greatest prosperity.
' The cotiduct of the Poituguese Government,
and the repeated injuries to which my subjects
biTe been exposed, have prevented a renewal of

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