The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-15 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

We read in the Independance of Brussels of yester-
day :—" Baron de Drachenfels, having been received
by the King of the Belgians, and presented to his Ma-
jesty letters by which the Archduke John makes
known his accession to the central power of Germany,
the Count de Briey has received letters from the Go-
vernment, accrediting him in the capacity of Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from
Belgium to his Imperial Highness the Vicar-General
of the Empire, which letters were presented on the
9th. The Archduke gave our Envoy a most gracious
reception. He spoke of Belgium with the deepest
interest, and testified a lively sympathy with our li •
beral institutions, and the use we have made of them
without abusing them."

Mr. Arnold was engaged fora considerable time in
the investigation of a complaint, preferred by two
married women, named Anne and Emma Lofinck,
against a gentleman named Jachon, a member of the
City Mission, for having, as they alleged, been in-
strumental in promoting the emigration of their hus-
bands to America, leaving them and their children
behind-in a state of destitution.
The first complaint was made to the Magistrate
about a fortnight since by the woman Anne Lofinck,
who stated that, in consequence of the adverse cir-
cumstances of her husband, he resolved upon emi-
grating, with herself and child, to soo.e foreign
settlement, and for that purpose attended a meet-
ing at the Irish Ragged School, in the Minories,
at which Lord Ashley, and a number of other
influential persons, were present, when a subscription
was set on foot to provide a free passage for destitute
persons to New York, and the superintendence of the
undertaking was entrusted to Mr. Jackson, who con-
sented to place her husband upon the accepted list of
applicants. Both she and her husband remained un-
der the full impression that she and her child would
be allowed to accomfany him until a short time be-
fore his embarkation, when, to her surprise, she was
informed that the funds were insufficient, and that the
child and herself must stay behind. She subsequently
sought an interview with Mr. Jackson, and remon-
strated with him upon the hardship of their separation,
but he told her he could not assist her, and that,
rather than thwart her husband's prospects, it would
be better for her and the child to enter the work-
house. Her husband had since set sail in the Victoria
emigrant ship, leaving his family entirely destitute,
and if the magistrate did not interfere in her behalf,
she had no alternative than to throw herself upon the
parish.
The Magistrate relieved this woman's necessities
with a donation of 10s. from the poor- box, and to-
day Emma Lofinck, a young woman of 19, with a
sickly child in her arms, and sister-in-law of the
other, presented herself with a similar complaint, that
her husband had also been sent out under the au-
spices of Mr. Jackson, but with this difference, that
she had not the slightest notion he was going to emi-
grate, as he left her and her child in the morning
with a promise to be home in the evening, and that
she had never seen him since. She had been ever
since involved in the deepest distres, the child in
her arms was dangerously ill, and she had no means
of procuring support for herself or medical attendance
for her infant.
Mr. ARNOLD said that it was 'certainly the most
extraordinary case he had ever heard, and lie should
like to know what it all meant, as he felt perfectly
satisfied that Lord Ashley would never have contri-
buted his money to an undertaking which had for its
object the separation of husbands from their wives
and families, and placing the latter in the position of
destitute paupers. The fact of the second case coming
so speedily after the first, rendered it a matter of
considerable public importance, and he should im-
mediately send one of the warrant officers to the
house of Mr. Jackson, and request his attendance
with as little delay as possible.
Shortly before the closing of the Court Mr. Jack-
son attended, and upon being made acquainted with
the circumstances, stated that at the meeting before
referred to, Lord Ashley and the other gentlemen
present entered into a voluntary subscription to send
out a certain number of reformed criminals, and upon
referring to the list of those so selected, he found the
names of the brothers Lofinck, both of whom had
represented themselves as convicted felons, and in all
respects qualified objects for the intended bounty.
With regard to the wives, he was not at all aware that
the younger of the brothers was a married man, and
although he certainly knew that the other had a wife
and child, it was distinctly understood that the hus-
band would himself provide the means of conveying
her over to his place of settlement.
Holland, the warrant officer, said that the wives of
both the men declared their husbands had never corn
mitted any criminal offence, and their characters for
honesty had never been called in question.
Mr. Jackson said the men themselves had given
him a very different statement, and their self-accusa-
tion was confirmed by their general .appearance, and
the intimate knowledge they appeared to possess of
the haunts and habits of the thieves and felons who
were associated in the same object with themselves.
He could assure the magistrate that he had used every
exertion in his power to prevent imposition, and had
only been actuated by a desire to effect the deliverance
of a set of ruined and desperate men, who had ;lost
their characters, and who had no hope of retrieving
them in this country.
Mr. ARNOLD inquired whether he had taken any
steps at all to corroborate the statement of the men as
to their professed character and circumstances.
Mr. Jackson replied that their looks and languag
and apparent intimacy with the thieves who accom4
panied them, were a sufficient guarantee for the fact
and he deeply regretted the consequences of the de4
ception they had practised upon him.
Dlreutpioonlicheaadnidioot
thbeerenautuhseendticinsoausrcceerstaoifniinngfo,rtmhraotuiognli,i
ARNOLD. expressed his opinion that sufficient
ca
frome such
to
become
coirmce umos-
f
what the characters of the men actually were , but
admitting that they were felons, nothing could ju. stify
here,their
and t h
separatione g question was, whatwives u
wasndr
u es
their
stances. It was manifest that the case could not re sot
these unfortunate women, who were clearlyentitled,
to share the free passage of their husbands, or
.to;
to
be provided for if they were compelled
behind.remain:
Mr. Jackson said that he was wholly at a loss h
to suggest for their benefit, and repeated that
he vf
act
been grossly misled, and had all along
acted wkh ' the;
very best intentions.
Mr. ARNOLD observed, that the parties who had:
taken upon themselves the obligation of sending al
number of men out of the kingdom, upon their merel
representation that they were leaving no one behindt
them, without proper inquiries to ascertain the fact,l
had placed themselves in a rather awkward positiond
and he should recommend Mr. Jackson to take the;
matter into serious consideration, with the view of!
effecting some arrangement for the permanent benefit;
of their destitute wives and children.
The 'MAGISTRATE then ordered the case to stand
over for that purpose, and in the meantime presented
the women with a small sum from the poor-box, for
their immediate wants.
SO UTH RK.
John Sharp, a printer in Kent-street, Southwark,
was brought before Mr. Cottingham, under the autho-
rity of a warrant granted upon an information charg•
ing him with exhibiting in his shop and vending
for sale books and prints of an obscene description.
Thomas Evans stated that he was the person that
laid the information against the defendant, in whose
employ he had worked as pressman for the last six or
seven months. During the greater part of that time
informant, under the direction of the defendant, had
printed and struck off 1,000 copies of an obscene song,
and also 500 copies of another song of a similar inde-
cent character. On Tuesday last, while at work in
defendant's shop, he saw him sell one of the songs in
question for half a crown. He added, that on the
preceding day he observed a great number of the in-
decent publications alluded to on the shelves of a
bookcase in the defendant's shop. Most of the infor-
mant's time, while in the defendant's employ, was occu-
pied in printing indecent books and prints, which were
sold in the shop. Several of the publications were
here put in, and presented the character spoken of
them by the informant, who added that he procured
the copies without the defendant's knowledge before
he quitted his shop that morning.
Guest, the summoning officer, stated that he went,
accompanied by the witness, to defendant's shop, for
the purpose of taking him into custody, and making
a seizure of all the obscene publications on the pre-
mises. On their approach to the shop, there was a
cry of " they are coming," and on their entrance, the
place was in a state of confusion ; the bookcases were
thrown open, and it was evident that the parties be-
longing to the premises, having had some previous
notice of what was about to take place, removed all
the obscene books, songs, and prints, to avert the con-
sequences. The officer added, that he seized the songs
and pictures produced, and also took the defendant
into custody.
Mr. COTTINOLIAM, having glanced at the publica-
tions, said it was evident that they were of the most
obscene description, and he then asked the defendant
what he had to urge in his defence ?