The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-09 00:00:00

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LONDON:
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1841.

" Tile main support, we are told, which her
Majesty the QUEER DOWAGER has had through
all her trying illness has been her own unalter-
able fortitude. Her spirits never sunk." On
reading such a notice, the contrast between the
situation' of the QUEEN DOWAGER and that of
thousands of suffering mothers and wives of
the lower classes is forcibly brought to our
minds. Her Majesty was supported by her own
unalterable fortitude, and all the comforts which
unbounded wealth and the most assiduous at-
tention. of; we presume, devoted domestics
would supply. Her unalterable fortitude in
bearing the inflictions of an insidious disease, so
surrounded and so attended, was well supported
by the. highest medical skill continually em-
Ployedm.devising and applying means'to soothe
her sufierm,gs, procure her sleep, and lessen the
wearisomeness of being confined to bed. Grateful
changes of linen and diet were never wanted.
Even a change to a pleasanter apartment was
made. Some hand was always ready to smooth
her pillow, and give her whatever she desired.
Some eye was always watching even to prevent
might desire, and to pro-
ber asking for what she
vide and recommend whatever would lessen the
irksomeness of disease, and minister to her con-
venience. Her own unalterable fortitude had
all the support which human power could su 1
131)7.2 ,

and that it gave not way is the subject of de-
served eulogium.
What then must be said for those suffering
wives and mothers of suffering England, who
are a prey, like the QUEEN DOWAGER, to disease,
and who have no physician, no servants, no bed
perhaps, and perhaps no food, or so little as
merely to keep them alive without ever satisfy-
ing the cravings of hunger, and that begged from
a harsh relieving-officer, or supplied by the cha-
rity of friends? Many of them, too, while they
are hungry and sick themselves, surrounded by
children clamorous for food, and seeing, at the
same time, their husbands and sons unwillingly
idling away their time, unable to help them.
Many of them, under all these difficulties, find
support in hope, that emanation of the Divinity,
and through all these crushing difficulties they
struggle with unalterable fortitude, and set a
noble example to those who, surrounded with
all the helps of art, whine and fret, and tease
all around them whenever they are subject to
the least restraint.
We read a few days ago an account of an in-

quest held at Manchester, on a man who had
died from want, and his wife's evidence recounted
sufferings which needed much fortitude to bear
them. Driven from his employment, he had
asked relief from the parish. He was sent to
the stone-yard, where his want of skill exposed
him to a serious accident. On his recovery,
his repugnance to the toil and his appre-
hension of further accidents, induced him to strive
for an independent subsistence. His wife begged
a donkey for him from her relatives, and, though
sick and weak, he did what he could, by carrying
sand, to get a few pennies. Exposure to the
weather, and want of sufficient food, soon ex-
hausted him, and then the wife and mother had
nothing but what she could, as it were, extort
from the relieving-officer, or obtain from charity.
He repulsed her more than once; she still per-
severed, forced herself into his presence, and
begged for the life of her husband. One friend
gave her a little tea, another a few potatoes, and
boiled them for her because she had no vessel of
her own, and others gave her a couple of slices
of bacon. So she struggled on, day after day,
till her husband died, declaring that he wanted
food. Then came the Coroner's inquest, and her
struggles and her endurance were made known
to the world—a picture of what thousands and
tens of thousands are now suffering in this dis-
tressed and distracted nation. Her fortitude,
though it carried her through all these scenes,
could not master hunger, as the fortitude of the
QUEEN DOWAGER, surrounded with all the ap-
pliances of wealth and Dr. DAVIS'S skill, mastered
disease.

Sometimes these poor creatures fall under their
heavy burdens, and, like MARY TiromPsoN,whose
case we recorded on Saturday, they rush, un-
bidden, from a world which is to them an unal-
terable scene of misery. Then does the severe

law, made by the opulent and the much-at-ease,
heavily punish them if it can ; or the severe

tongues of censorious and rich neighbours,
rudely blame the weak creatures, because they
have not the unalterable fortitude of the QUEEN
DOWAGER. Then we hear from the much-at-

ease party a great deal of the consolations of re-
ligion, and great reproaches to MARY Tnomp-
SON and others, that they have not fortified their
minds by reading their Bibles. But the religion
which can sustain the mothers and wives of the
working classes of England in their present deep
distress, must be something very different from
the holiday sentiment which might suffice to
sustain the unalterable fortitude of the well-at-
tended and much-soothed DOWAGER QUEEN.
The auxiliary to all possible worldly comforts
may be wholly inefficient, as the opponent of
want, beating back black and creeping despair
out of the heart, which is struggling amidst the
cries of famishing children, and an unemployed
and dying partner. In such a conflict religion
itself; however pure, deep, and holy,. may be de-
feated ; and we would not have the much-at-ease
classes rely on religion to inspire the sufferers
with unalterable fortitude, unless their worldly
condition be improved. In truth, an education
more fertile in impiety,! atheism, and despair,
than that to which the suffering working classes
are practically exposed, it is scarcely possible to
conceive ; and what sentiments it will bring
forth in the rising generation, those who are

aware that the mind is not moulded by words,
but by facts, must tremble to think of. We find

some consolation from reflecting that private
charity is redressing to some extent public in-
justice. Individuals are infinitely superior to the
political system they support. They have learnt
humanity with time, that is the cruel emanation

of a semi-barbarous period, when laws were avow-
edly made to prevent an abundance of victuals,
_ _ _

If the nation be doomed to decay it will be the
fault rather of the head than of the heart, of
proud reason, so called, insisting on obedience to
barbarous laws and institutions, against which
the instincts of man testify and revolt.

A bank at Berwick has failed. In Berwick,
says the Gazetteer, " there are no manufactures
of any importance. Its chief trade consists in
exporting corn, pork, eggs, and salmon."
Berwick is the sea-port of an agricultural dis-
trict, and is not exposed to the vicissitudes of
commerce and manufactures.

Within a few weeks, banks at Canterbury,
Chichester, Arundel, and Petersfield have
stopped, every one of which towns is in an agri-
cultural district, and in nowise dependent on
manufactures. It would appear from this, that

the agricultural districts begin to feel some of
that distress, which, for their advantage as is
said, has been so stubbornly inflicted on the
manufacturing districts. The fact probably is,
that most of these banks have been making too
large advances to their agricultural and landown-
ing customers, and the prices of agricultural pro-
duce, notwithstanding the starvation inflicted on
the people, have not answered expectations. Far-
mers and landowners, like manufacturers, have
been unable to pay. No increase of real busi.
ness has followed increase of accommodation,
and the banks have failed, as Michaelmas has
come round, without bringing their expected for-
tunes to the farmers and landowners.

We reproach ourselves for not having found

time and space before now to notice and com-
mend an excellent " Address to the Inhabitants
olvbt.*Kit
With
heart-rending borough -n
connection with the Corn-laws."
Society collected
the present State of Trade in their
exception 'of those instructive and
g statist statistics s
an d which
published,th e Leeds
we Opera-
tivehaveseen no account so complete and authentic of
the present condition of the inhabitants of any
town.l
Nv
Association,
drawn upby the Kendal Anti-Corn-
aand does great credit to the
members.
says a Correspondent, cc
a lf.
our
the people,
such solid facts
be poured in from London
and o Proviint:eiallf
batteries, the Cabinet,
which has isolated
from the sufferings and sympathies
will either have to capitulate on termso of repeal,
or be drummed out of the citadel
which they
have usurped on false pretensions of relief to the
country."
We can now only copy the following spe-
cimen of the facts, and recommend other Corn-
law Associations to imitate the example of the
Kendal Association :--
In order to provo the existence of this distress from
other sources than the complaints of the labouring
people themselves, we proceeded to make inquiries
amongst those tradesmen of whom they purchase food
a

d clothing.
The first authority which we quote is that of the but-
chers, who acknowledge that about one-third less beef
is killed than was the case three or four years
ago, and that while they readily sell the " best part of
the carcass," they have difficulty in disposing of the in-
ferior parts, which are usually bought by the poor. The
labouring classes, living at this time upon food inferior
to what they formerly purchased, aro compelled to fall
back upon the great resource of the Irish polulation,
potatoes.
But the distress is not confined to the poor. The
tradesmen are suffering from want of customers. The
arrears due to them for goods supplied to their destitute
neighbours, in the hope of better times, amount to sums
almost ruinous.

In proof of these statements, we adduce the testimony

of different shopkeepers, whom we shall distinguish by nu-
merals. The following are only samples of much more
extensive evidence which we possess, all corroborating
the same painful statements.
No. 1 states that the quantity of flour sold to the poor
is much diminished of late years.
No. 2 supports this statement, and says they sell much
coarser flour to the poor than formerly.
No. 3 complains that the sale of cheese to the poor is
almost extinct, but they sometimes buy a quarter of a
pound when ill.

Other testimony confirmatory of the foregoing:_
No. 3 for the last three years has been compelled to
give credit to his poorer customers to the amount of 50/.,
the greater part of which he sees no hopes of recovering
till trade mends.

No. 4 sells less of such commodities as meal and flour
than he did three years ago by one-third, and as for tea
and sugar they have fallen off three-fourths
No. 5 sells very little compared with what he did four
years ago, and that little in very small quantities, such as
a quarter of a pound of bacon, one pennyworth of herring,
one pound of meal, four pounds of coarse flour; and says that
he can point out dozens of his customers, men with fa-
milies of four or five children each, whose dinner five
days in the week does not exceed for the family more
than a quarter of a pound of bacon or a pennyworth of
herring mixed with potatoes.
The grocers complain as equally and as reasonably as
those already quoted :
No. 2 says that his business is reduced one-half, and
that he dare give no more credit.
No. 1, wholesale, feels the effect of the reduction of
demand through the small shopkeepers.
No. 3. Trade so fallen off that be will be compelled to
give up, as he cannot get money in.
No. 4. Trade fallen off two-thirds within the last year
or two.

The drapers, accustomed to supply goods to the work-
ing people, give a still more discouraging report of their
business :

No. 1 states that the sale of clothes to the poor is di-
minished three-fourths ; the sale of goods for charities
and for distribution is much increased ; has a great
amount in small debts, which appears to be irrecover-
ably lost.

No. 2. Sale to the poor nearly gone ; they buy no
blankets, and but little bedding.
No. 3. Trade with the labouring people diminished
from one-half-to three-fourths.

No. 4. Trade with the labouring classes is less by 30
week.

No. 5 supports the preceding statement.
No. 6. " The quantity of wearing apparel and bedding
is much less than was sold three years ago ; the profits,
consequent on competition,_ are seriously affected and
very small. He thinks that were it not for private cha-
rity the poor would be almost destitute of both clothing
and bedding. We find it useless to apply for the liqui-
dation of debts contracted by the working class and
country people who used to be good payers, and who still
are honestly inclined. A vast amount of debts among
the labouring class is irrecoverably lost, and to my cer-
tain knowledge many of our small provision dealers are
ruined from this cause."

The announcement, in another part of the
Paper, of the liberal sums subscribed within the
last two days for the relief of the Spitalfields
weavers, must be gratifying to every humane
mind. Mr. Justice BOSANQUET has subscribed
501., a clergyman of the Established Church,
to his honour, has given the munificent sum
of 2001., and three other subscribers' names
make the contribution amount to 450/. This
is a noble specimen of British liberality and
charity, and proves that in this country it is only
necessary to show that distress exists, in order
to have it relieved. We have no doubt that
many will imitate this charitable conduct, and
that while such general distress prevails, the
merchants, and shopkeepers, and fundholders,
will not be outdone by Clergymen and Judges.

The Divines of Oxford are incessant in their
labours to remove the few obstacles that yet block
up their passage to Rome. Their past success
must have more than realized their most san-
guine hopes. The journey is, in a great mea-
sure, performed already. The practice of auri-
cular confession, which Professor BADEN POWEL
asserts prevails within the walls of the Univer-
sity; Mr. PALMER'S advocacy of the doctrine
of purgatory, as defined by the Council of
Trent; and Mr. NEWMAN'S erection of
monkish cloisters, and endeavours to make
candidates for holy orders take the vows
of celibacy—are such rapid and decisive
strides towards St. PETER'S Chair, that but little
now remains except the open celebration of mass
to make them as good Romanists as his Holiness
GREGORY XVI. could desire. To retrace their
steps to the sanctuary of the old Fathers of the
Reformation would now be a long and toilsome
journey. They can reach the girdle of FRANCIS
of Assisium, or the white habit and beads of Do-
MINICK, in a third the time that it would take them
to rejoin the ranks Of LATIMER, RIDLEY, JEWEL,
BARROW, and TILLOTSON.

But what are the Prelates doing? Are they
slumbering, as usual, upon the watch-towers of
the Church ? Does the business of secular legis-
lation engross their minds at a time when the
foundations of the Reformation are undermined

—when the pillars of that creed which they con-
tend secures Gospel light to the people of Eng-
land are shaken by the no longer shrivel-
led arm of Papacy ? These dumb dogs
of Israel, so enormously overpaid for protecting
the sleeping flock, hear with voiceless indiffer-
ence the ravages of the wolves among them.
We are aware that in their visitation Charges
three Prelates condemned verbally the pro-
ceedings of the Puseyites, but such tepid condem-
nations have not produced, and were not intended
to have produced, any beneficial effect. It is not
thus the lordly prelates would act were a single

tithe pig withheld from the voracious maw of the
Church. Then would their loud and angry
barkings be heard from the summits of holy
places. Then would the ecclesiastical courts be
in a ferment of episcopal zeal; and citation follow
citation, and costs be added to costs, till the ruin
of the body, and the excommunication of the
soul of the loathsome offender served as a warn-
ing to all future lay-devourers of tithe-pigs of
the dreadful consequences of any inroad upon the
prescriptive rights of Holy Church.
The Liberal Press and the people might leave
the Church to take care of herself, were her pro-
fessors driving in any other direction.than that
of Rome. But as a junction with the Papal See
would remove every chance of a peaceful refor-
mation of those civil and religious abuses
which deform our National Establishment—as

it would fill the country with mummeries
totally at variance with the simple and severe
piety of the English character—as it would more
or less restrict freedom of opinion—as it would
increase and confirm the power of the priesthood,
by enabling them, through the means of confes•
sion, to impose cruel shackles upon the minds of
the working classes—as it would bring all these
evils upon us, we consider it the duty of the Li-
beral Press and the people to discharge that duty
to the Church which is so shamefully neglected
by pampered Prelates, and rosy-gilled Doctors
of Divinity, wallowing in pluralities of fat rectories.

The Session of the States of Hanover was
opened on the 2d instant by Commission. The
Royal Commissioner, chosen to be the mouth-
piece of King ERNESr, whose disinclination to
meet his Parliament face to face is natural
enough, on political grounds, was Prince BER-
NARD, of Solms-Braunfels. The following is a
translation of the speech:—
" Gentlemen,—The King, our gracious master, having
resolved not to take part in any public solemnity during
the period of mourning in which a painful loss, which is
felt by all of us, has plunged him, has confided to me
the honourable task of opening the Session, and of
making the following communication to you in his
name. In the first place, the King had no intention of
convoking the Assembly at so early a period, but the
settlement of the indirect taxes requires a new law with-
out delay, for which your co-operation is necessary. This
affair is urgent, for at the beginning of next year the
Duchy of Brunswick will cease to form part of the Customs'
Union; the present Session will also have to take into
consideration other important objeets. His Majesty in-
vites you to resume the deliberations which were only
interrupted by the necessity which:compelled him to dis-
solve suddenly the last Assembly. Among them are
Project of measures concerning railroads, the extension
of the institution of redemption of forced work for the
State, the regulation of contracts between peasants, and
the civil position of the Jews. The King does not doubt,
but that in this respect you will take into consideration,
and will support in earnest his benevolent intentions
towards the country. The Government will also
submit to you propositions concerning the army ; they
are founded on our duties towards the Germanic Confe-
deration, which has the high mission to regulate, and
maintain the general force of the armies of our com-
mon country of Germany. A conscientious anxiety for
the internal and external safety of the state, the prin-
ciple which demands that the State should be powerful
in order to defend the rights of all Germany like our
own ; the political duty of never exposing ourselves to be
taken unawares by events, and paralysed in our means
of action ; all these considerations permit no hesi-
tation nor useless reflection. His Majesty hopes that