The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-02 00:00:00

br ening ItS4

LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1847.

Centralization is a word abhorred in the vocabulary
of Englishmen. We sympathise in that abhorrence.
Yet we are decidedly in favour of the system of cen-
tralization as applied to the sanatory reform, In this
we protest that there is not the slightest contradiction-
or the least perceptible approach to inconsistency.
Detesting centralization as an instrument of a partial
and one-sided, and, in the majority of instances,
despotic legislation; detesting it from the dismal ex-
periences afforded by the French Revolution; despis-
ing and rejecting it as incompatible with the great
principle of civil liberty, we are yet willing, we are
yet eager, we are yet most desirous to waive all our
antipathies to the political influence of centralization
and to see that' influence turned to the moral and phy-
sical amelioration of the multitude, by the establish-
ment of a central commission for the improvement of
their sanatory condition. We only abhor the system
of centralization for its prejudicial operation as a
political weapon. For, inasmuch as it may be applied
without endangerment to the remedy of many social
abuses, we do emphatically and cordially maintain
the ads antage of its application to the scheme pro-
pounded by Government in the Health of Towns
Bill, now passing triumphantly through the Lower
House of Parliament.

So extraordinary is the majority awarded to Lord
MORPETH'S measure by the popular representatives,
so unanimous are the Commons in hastening the pro-
gress of this benevolent Bill through the Legislature,
that we are immeasurably more than sanguine as to
the immediate and practical commencement of the
most necessary of all innovations—the innovation
upon an uncleanliness that generates disease,
and an economy of space and comfort which
generate both disease and immorality. Before
the present Parliament is dissolved the labour
of love and charity will be begun. Before the new
Parliament has assembled at Westminster, the
tendrils of health and virtue will have already begun
to vegetate, tending at once to the elevation and adorn-
ment of the people. This is the true ESCULAPIUS :
here may the worship of HYGEtA be revived without
any of the degrading consequences that flowed from
an idolatrous mythology. Here throughout tke land,
in the city as in the homestead, in the hamlet as well
as in the parochial " close," in the village green as
well as in the pestilential rookery, the
footsteps of UNDINE will be traceable—
strewing the ground as it were with moral
flowers, and fertility, and fragrance. Utopia
will in some sort be realised—Atalantis will no longer
be a fantastic vision—Arcadia will be reduced from
the romantic to the natural--when the frouzy rabble
of yore is contrasted with the cleanly population of
the nineteenth century a population rendered
cleanly by statute, and restored from debility to
health according to the forms of law. Society will
be based upon a nobler foundation than the golden
sands of Cathay, when the rod of the sanatory
commissioner,
_like the wand of the Prophet, has
made the waters spout from the granite, and afforded
a perpetual moisture where there was formerly
a continual drought. Better than the jewelled
pavements of El Dorado will be the systematic
hollowing of our streets with drains, and the free
admission of light and air to the hitherto darkened
and pestiferous tenements of our populous towns and
cities.

When the opposition which is evinced by a ludi-
crously small minority to the admirable Health of
Towns Bill, introduced by one of the leading mem-
bers of the Administration, is considered, it only
enhances our conviction of the universal joy with
which the measure is regarded by the really sensible
members of the community. It is insisted by its
antagonists that this Bill will interfere unconstitu-
tionally with the rights, the prerogatives, and the
authority of bodies corporate. We acknow-
ledge that it does abstract the rights and
prerogatives of certain local authorities ; but
it only abstracts them when centuries of mis-
management have shown the incompetence of those
authorities to fulfil the duties upon the implied con-
dition of fulfilling which they were originally in-
vested with those rights and prerogatives. Those
corporate bodies have exhibited their incapability of
ensuring to the persons subject to their local legisla-
tion the very necessaries of existence, such as pure
air and wholesome water, and of guarding them
against the demoralising accessories of a filthy and
promiscuous habitation. Seeing that disease and
demoralisation are the only conspicuous results of
these independent authorities, the State is resolved, if
possible, to effect a comprehensive reformation by
organizing an appropriate body with a central com-
mission. To speak plainly, the Government is de-
termined to effect a reduction in the periodical Bills
of Mortality by the introduction of a permanent Bill
of Sanatory Improvement.

The third report of the Irish Relief Conimissioners,
which has just been published, has excited the anger
of many of the Irish Members. They conceive that
a charge has been made affecting the honour and
character of the people of that country, and imputing
to the gentry of Ireland, as a body, the grossest mis-
conduct, if not dishonesty, in their proceedings, as
members of the several relief committees, when car-
rying out the provisions of the Relief Bill. Such at
least was the view taken by the Member for Mallow
in bringing the subject before the House on Wed-
nesday ; and several others appeared to coincide with
him in that opinion. With this impression it is not
surprising that an anxious desire should exist on
their part to exonerate the really innocent from every
imputation of so grave an offence, and to fix the
guilt firmly and unequivocally upon those who
have acted in so disgraceful and scandalous a manner.
There appears, however, too acute a sensibility on
the part of those who have generalised the charges
contained in the report, who will insist on their uni-
versality notwithstanding the express limitation of
the censure.
The finance committees have honourable testi-
mony borne to their merits. They are stated "to
have, with very rare exceptions, acted with zeal and
intelligence, correcting in many instances errors of
system introduced by the relief committees." No per-
sons connected with these bodies, therefore, can have
any possible grounds for complaint, while in the class
more immediately impeached the Commissioners
admit " that in a great number of dis-
tricts the charge is not applicable." Where
there are so many wholly exempted, it cer-
tainly betokens an extreme degree of sensi-
tiveness to insist that any particular persons
are included, and to feel that it is necessary for
their vindication that they
if they reliedshould specially be
exonerated. It would exhibit a much higher feeling
why, in justice to amply
sufficient
ttaohnetshiwre
shoulderunimpeachable
o le
Thereo f Eisn,England
h characterso‘v
ev e r
, a r
ea
as s ao nn
land as well as of
in its present state, but should Ireland, the matternotu be suffered to rest
perfect investigation which us
receive that full and
v
mortange requires.
Large sums have been devoted_,
Ireland, our own hard-working an
arti-
zans have consented still to bear the burdene-
r of tolied c t'a • the relief of
, ,
heavy
and oppressive taxation, in order that their
starving
brethren in the stater kingdom might be fecc;
they made, the sacrifice willingly, and without hesita-
tion, but-_,liitly aware of the additional difficulties
they thethiselves would have to encounter. They
knew tht the tax on light and air must on that
account at least be continued for a longer period than
might otherwise have been the case—that they must
postpone for a considerable time the hope of obtaining
many of their humble comforts at more reasonable
prices, and such as would bring them within
their means of purchase. -They have a right,
therefore, to know . that their liberality has