The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 5, It-Ir.

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VICE.CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Vice• Chancellor Sir J. WIGRAm )
WINTER V. WINTER.

This cause came before his Honour for further direc-
tions, the Master having made a report in consequence
of the decree of the Court in November, 1845. The, ause
turned upon the question, whether or not a writ
was brought under the operation of the new Will
Act. The circumstances were these : John
Palmer, the testator, made his will on the 13th of March,
1833, and after making provision for bequests, debts,
&c., directed that his property should be divided equally
between his children. One of the children, John Palmer
Winter, died during the life time of the testator, who
made a codicil in 1838, which, after some immaterial
alterations, ratified his will. It was contended,
on the part of the plaintiff, who was the eldest son of
John Palmer Winter, that the estate to which his father
was entitled under the will of the testator should devolve
upon him as heir-at-law, while on the part of the de-
fendants, who were females, it was alleged, that as John
Palmer Wintei died prior to the testator, the property
should have been converted into personalty, and be
divided equally between all the children.
The case had not concluded at the rising of the Court.

Mr. Iludderstone appeared as counsel, and Mr. Ro-
bertson as solicitor for the defendants, in both cases.

CLERKEN WELL.-(THIS DAY.)
Anne Nebors was charged, before Mr. Combe, with
stealing a pair of boots, the property of Thomas
Hornsby, boot and shoe maker of No. 15, Northern-
buildings, Somers-town.
Elizaboth Hornsby, the prosecutor's wife, said the
prisoner cane into the shop yesterday evening, and
asked to look at a pair of boots. Witness took down
two pair, and laid them upon the counter, when the pri-
soner asked to be shown some other articles, which were
down at the end of the shop, and during witness's tempo-
rary absence one pair of the boots were removed from
the counter, but the prisoner managed to effect her
escape before the theft was discovered. The next day
she was taken into custody, close to the prosecutor's
shop, with the boots on her feet.
Mr. CONDE committed her for trial.
A little urchin named Good, was charged with rob-
bing his employer, Mrs. Susannah Baker, of the Lower-
road, Islington, under the following rather peculiar cir-
cumstances :—The prosecutrix stated that she carried on
business as a dyer, and the prisoner had been in her
employment for some time as an errand-boy. Yester-
day evening she gave him a parcel to deliver at a house
in Red Lion-square, and in about an hour afterwards he
returned, and pretending to cry, said he met three men
opposite New St. Pancras Church, one of whom knocked
him down and robbed him of the bundle, when they ran
away in the direction of Paddington. Considering the
story very improbable, owing to the publicity of the
spot, and coupling his statement with the fact that on a
previous occasion she had given him money to pay a bill,
which he said he had lost, she sent for a policeman, and
ga4 him into custody.
A witness here came forward, and said that he met
the boy last evening crying in Maiden-lane, and that he
made the same statement to him. _

Mr. COMBE put several questions to the witness as to
the motives which induced him to come forward, which
the worthy magistrate considered him to have answered
so unsatisfactorily, that he adjourned the case, in order
to give time for further inquiries.

MARYLEB ONE VE STRY.

—•— •
i THE POOR-LAW COMMISSIONERS AND THE
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.
I The usual weekly meeting of the guardians of this
parish took place yesterday in the board-room of the
workhouse, in the New-road.
Sir James Hamilton was the chairman.
Some of the minutes of the last meeting having been
confirmed, when that relative to the communication from
the Poor-law Commissioners, was read for confirmation,
a discussion ensued relative to it.
Mr. Mr.ein asked what was to be done with that com-
munication. He apprehended that it should be an-
swered in the way that all such communications to that
board from the Poor-law Commissioners had hitherto
been answered—in a way to show them that no direct
interference on their part in the affairs of that parish
would be sanctioned by that board. The Commissioners
asked to be furnished, amongst other information, with
the books, registers, diaries, and documents used by that
board, which was a stretch of authority he would not
yield to. He had no objection for the Commissioners to
see such books as would enable them to judge of the
general management of the parish ; but he would not
accede to their request to be furnished with what they
had no right to ask for.
The CHAIRMAN—That is something like throwing de-
fiance at the Commissioners.
Mr. MECHI—Just so. I, for one, as a guardian of this
parish, will
never consent to be governed by the Poor--
law Commissioners, and if they should ever attain the
power in this parish at which they are aiming, I shall
cease to be a guardian or director.
Mr. POTTER said that he hoped the Commissioners
would be now met with the same spirit. that had been
hitherto opposed to them. lie begged to move, there-
fore, that the letter in question be referred to a com-
mittee, and they be requested to prepare an answer to it.
Mr. MECHI seconded the resolution, which was car-
ried unanimously.
A committee was then appointed, consisting of the
following gentlemen :--Sir Wniter Stirling, Mr. Ander-
son, Mr. Mechi, Mr. Perry, and Mr. Potter.
After the transaction of much local business the board
separated.

MEETING OF MIDDLESEX
MAGISTRATES.—FRIDAY.
The report of the visiting justices of the Westminster
Bridewell was read. It appeared that in the cases of cer-
tain juvenile criminals who were too young, or in other
respects unfitted for Parkhurst, a sentence of imprisonment
had been substituted for a sentence of transportation. A
warrant had been transmitted from the Home-office for
their reception into this prison, which it was intimated
in the Communication from the Home-office would not
cause any augmentation in the county-rate, as the addi-
tional expenditure occasioned by their maintenance
would be defrayed by Government out of a sum voted
by Parliament last session for such purposes. If this
system is acted upon it will virtually put a stop to the
transportation of certain classes of young offenders.
The report gave some detail of the increased duties
devolving upon the officers of this establishment, and
especially upon the governor, since the demolition of the
new prison, which gave rise to the necessity ad interim
of constituting it a reception prison ; and concluded by
stating that the Governor (Lieutenant Tracy) had dis-
charged his arduous superintendence of the two depart-
ments of the prison in a manner which entitled him to
augmented confidence and the highest commendation.
The visiting justices had spontaneously, in the Gover-
nor's absence, deemed it their duty to record this fact,
and to recommend the court to present him with the sum
of 1001.
Mr. WILY. then moved that the court concur with
the visiting justices of the Westminster Bridewell, in
the expressions of approval of the manner in which
Lientenant Tracy, the governor, had superintended that
prison during the past year, and ably and discreetly met
the extraordinary duties imposed on him, in consequence
of the vast number of 6,300 prisoners, who would have
gone to the new prison, having been committed to that
gaol, and under circumstances that required special vi-
gilance and prudence in him, and that as a proof of the
particular approval of the court he be presented with a
gratuity of 1001.
The motion was seconded and agreed to.
A vote of 1001., under similar circnmstances, was
carried to John Levis, Esq., the surgeon; of 50/. to
the chief warder, Mr. Cree; and of 201. each to the gate
porters.
The salary of Mr. George Hoare, the chief warder
of the Middlesex House of Correction, was augmented
from 2001 to . 2501. per annum, after some debate.
There were nearly 60 magistrates present, and only
three dissentients.

LITERATURE
THE KNIGHT OF GWYIVIVE.

.No. XII. By

Charles Lever.

Harry Lorrequer rattles on with his story with as
much volubility and pleasantry as ever. From the
closing scenes of the present Number, we may an-
ticipate a change in the fortunes of the principal
characters, a removal of the Darcys from their seclu-
sion, and in the end a retribution upon those de-
plorable parvenus, the O'Reillys. If the person
described as Counsellor O'Halloran be, as_ we very
strongly suspect, an intended satire upon a great
living statesman and . patriot, it is a most monstrous
caricature and a most ungenerous and flagitious libel.
We hope sincerely that our conjectures as to the in-
tentions of Mr. Lever in delineating this character
are mistaken ; if not, we would tell him that he is
playing with dangerous tools, that he is traducing
under a mask, and morally stiletoing in the dark.
The intervie in which Mr. Dempsey's newspaper
" creates a sensation," is humourously described and
excellently illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne.

NEWTON'S REPERTORY OF ARTS,
SCIENCES, AND MANUFACTURES. No.

CLXXX.

The enterprising and industrious conductor of this
periodical, Mr. W. Newton, continues his labours
with unabated zeal. In neatness of arrangement, in
clearness of illustration, and in excellence of ty-
pography, it ttill claims our commendation. The
specifications or descriptions of new patent inven-
tions are given in their completest form. Besides
this, the " Scientific Notices" are superintended with
much discrimination ; they are copious only when
copiousness would be most desirable, and condensed
whenever there should be condensation. The publi-
cation must necessarily command a circulation in

" This patent age of new inventions
For killing bodies, and for saving souls;"
and it merits all patronage.

THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE.

The December Number lacks a biographical notice
and an accompanying portrait. In that particular
alone it is inferior to its predecessors. Among the
most interesting and important of the many interest-
ing and important contributions is the one upon the
" Improvement of the Cottages of the Agricultural
Labourers." The subject itself demands the most
earnest consideration—it demands the consideration
of the patriot and the philanthropist, equally—for in
it is comprised the health, the happiness, the morality,
and the enlightenment of the chief glory of a country
—its peasantry. The writer insists with some
emphasis and very great reason upon the necessity
of elevation in the cottages, so as to insure good
drainage and a wholesome circulation of uncontami•
nated air. The aspect of the cottage again he
regards as a matter of no little importance, and
strongly recommends a southerly aspect as the
warmest. This valuable article is to be continued,
and we shall watch for that continuation with interest.
According to the Farmer's Magazine, the season for
preparing the ground for the recepaon of the seed has
been most favourable, and " a larger breadth of land
has already been sown than is usual at this period of
the year.' With a. divine blessing, therefore, we
may hope for the prevention of a spread of the vege-
table murrain, and the infusion of fresh enterprise
into our agriculturists.

THE ECLECTIC REVIEW. Nos. V., VI.
In the November and December numbers of this
intelligent monthly review, now lying beside us,
there are eighteen distinct contributions. Among so
many papers; and papers, moreover, exhibiting such
general ability, it is difficult, if not even invidious, to
make any selection. In morality and ethics, there are
disquisitions upon Tayler's " Retrospect of the Reli-
gious Life in England," upon " A Report of Discus-
sion in the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church," upon the " Wycliffe and Hanserd Knolly's
Societies," upon Dr. Fletcher's " Memoirs and
select Works," upon Brown's " Philosophy," upon
Alexander's " Switzerland and the Swiss Churches,"
and upon the " Evangelical Alliance." In history
there are articles upon "Civilization struggling
with
Barbarism," upon Carrel's " Counter-Revolution in
England," upon Miss Strickland's " Lives of the
Queens of England," and upon—we smile at the
recollection of many guffaws—Gilbert A'Beckett's
" Comic History of England." In biography there
are memoirs of Thomas Wilson and Dr. Heugh.
Besides these there are divers miscellaneous contri-
butions of various merit. We would, however,
particularise a very charming analytical and
synthetical article (it is both by turns)
Upon the poems of Elizabeth Barrett Barrett—a
poetess whose writings only appeared some
two years back, but who is already a familiar
favourite with a large portion of the public. She
deserves to •be the favourite of a still larger circle.
While we coincide, however, with the reviewer in
regarding the similarity of tone which is discernible
among contemporary poets, as attributable in a
greater measure to the character of the generation in
which they flourish, we think Miss Barrett's mind is
manifestly imbued with the individualities not only of
Tennyson, but also of Carl) le. She unconsciously in-
terpolates here and there distinct peculiarities of those
eminent men. With all her indisputable originality
and genius, she has inadvertently culled from the
beauties which the perusal of their works had im
printed upon her memory. When, in her "Drama
of Exile," she speaks of the archangels as sweeping
out into the universe

" Divine,
With thund'rous movements, earnest looks of gods,
And silver-solemn clash of cymbal wings,"
we are at once reminded of the composite words of
the author of " Teufelsdrocht," and recur to that line
in Tennyson's "Mariana in the Moated Grange," de-
scriptive of the poplar tree,

" All silver-green, with gnarled bark."
The termination of the criticism in singularly
graceful.

THE ANNUALS.

ACKEI?MAN'S FORGET-ME-NOT for 1847.
The first of the annuals bids fair to be the last.
Almost all " its lovely companions are faded and
gone," but the Forget-me-not still lives ; as it pre-
ceded, so it survives them. The present is truly a
most beautiful volume; but, beautiful as it is, for us
it has rather a retrospective than an intrinsic value.
We welcome it, we gladly welcome it—not so much
for what it is, as for the thoughts which it inspires.
Accustomed to encouiter it year after year, we look
on it as an old friend, " applealing "—to quote the
beautiful lines of L. E. L., inscribed on the title-
page: _ _ _

" Appealing, by the magic of its name,
To gentle feelings and affections kept
Within the heart like gold."
Of the individual merits of the present volume we
need say little. The days of the annuals are gone
by. An elegant volume of fanciful illustrations and
improbable tales is valuable rather as a vestige of
what has been ; it possesses an hereditary claim to
our regard. Indeed we might almost compare this
very volume to some ancient aristocrat, remarkable only
for his former celebrity and his glittering adornments,
really insignificant among our humbler aristocrats of
mind, and yet nevertheless, an object of interest and
attention. Perhaps we are -speaking too censoriously
of our old friend—let us briefly consider its attrac-
tions. The tales, and the poetry, and the engravings,
for the most padresemble the tales, poetry, and en-
gravings of most annuals; as such they will no doubt
find many admirers. A story by Miss Pardoe,
" Matilda Mortimer," and another by Elizabeth
Gonatt, " The Good Angel," are greatly superior to
their companions ; both are beautiful tales—the first
is rendered attractive by the nOble character of its
heroine; the second by the good moral and good ad-
vice which it contains. One of the engravings "The
Two Suitors," represents two ladies in a garden ex-
amining a letter; the expression of the countenances,
more especially the roguish smile beaming in that of
the younger one, is very felicitously conveyed. The
binding of the " Forget-me-not for 1847," is of ex-
ceeding beauty, we might almost say that its outward
appearance is its greatest attraction, and such an as-
sertion, though in general little complimentary to a
work, would not -in this case be necessarily deroga-
tory to its inward merits. The green morocco bind-
ing is of the most delicate hue, and on it is entwined
a graceful and luxuriant wreath of garden flowers.
From a little poem 'entitled " The Hunting of the
Lady Maude," we transcribe a verse, the latter lines of
which convey a beautiful idea—

" 0! scare not from his green recess
The shy and graceful deer!
Break not the forest silentness
With sounds of strife and fear!
The joy of every living thing
In river, field, or grove,
Is Nature's glad thank-offering
Unto the God of love!"

It is stated to be the intention of her Majesty and
his Royal Highness Prince Albert to honour the Smith-
field Club Cattle show with their presence.
THE FIRE IN THE NEW-CUT.—On Thursday after-
noon several men belorging to the Fire Brigade were
busy searching among the ruins for the remainder of the
sovereigns alleged to have been lost in the fire. During
their search they found a cat which had escaped from
the Banes by creeping into an empty cistern. They also
found upwards of 45 sovereigns. Mr. Ferguson had in-
sured the life of the poor little dwarf, but not to a large
amount. Morris, one of the firemen! met with a severe
accident, by a piece of burning material falling upon his
head and severely burning him. He was taken to the
hospital.
THE LATE CONFLAGRATION AT NEWFOUND-
LAND.—The Court of Common Council have given the
sum of 315/. towards the public subscription raised for
the relief of the sufferers by the great conflagration
which occurred on the 15th of July last, at St. John's,
Newfoundland. The amount already collected amounts
to nearly 7,0004

THE POOR MAN'S GUARDIAN
SOCIETY.
Last evening a public meeting was held at the
Literary and Scientific Institution, John-street, Fitzroy-
square, for the purpose of forming a St. Pancras
Auxiliary " Poor Man's Guardian Society," "in conse-
quence," to quote the words of the advertisment conven-
ing the meeting, " of the cruelties and oppressive treat-
ment to which the poor are exposed in their adversity,
when applying for relief from the Board of Guardians,
and the deep sympathy awakened in their behalf in the
breasts of the parishioners of St. Pancras. The attend-
ance was not numerous.
Mr. C. COCHRAN said, the Rev. -Mr. Stoddart had
consented to take the chair, and availed himself of the
opportunity to state, that the principal reason of the
paucity of attendance was the holding of another meet-
ing in the neighbourhood for an equally good object—
namely, the abolition of the punishment of death.
The CHAIRMAN briefly addressed the meeting. He
said the poor-law, and the practices adopted in the
various unions formed in accordance with that law, were
a blot on the escutcheon of this country, and that it was
a wonder that, ere now, the people had not arisen, en
masse, and demanded its entire abrogation.—(Cheers.)
The system dealt in the grossest barbarities—child
murder, forced divorce, and numerous other cruelties.
Instead of the present system, the aged and indigent,
and all who could produce a good character, should re-
ceive out-door relief, instead of being hurried into hos-
tiles which were worse than prisons. The poor had a
a perfect right to have more relief than the law now
allowed them to receive. Now, the relief was on a mini-
mum scale; the whole expense being only one hundredth
part of the taxation of the country.—(Cheers.) After
stating that he should use his utmost exertions to bring
about an alteration of the system, he intimated that Mr.
Cochrane would address the meeting.
Mr. C. COCHRANE, who was warmly received, proposed
the first resolution, which was to the following effect :
" That this meeting is of opinion that the sufferings
and privations now endured by the labouring population
on,account of the high prices of all kinds of provisions,
must be greatly aggravated during the present inclement
winter seas-Orion:id
.being thereby inevitably compelled to
seek parochial relief, to which by law they are entitled,
it is the bounden duty of all boards of guardians and re-
lieving officers (more especially as it is strictly enforced
by the Saviour of mankind)- to dispense their relief
kindly, readily, and liberally, and in accordance with the
Christian principles of the good Samaritan, and not to
make such relief to the necessitous and deserving de-
pendent on their abandoning their homes, and entering
the precincts of a cheerless and harshly regulated work-
house or union."
He referred at some length to the way in which the
poor were treated by the parochial authorities of St.
Pancras and Marylebone parishes, and stigmatised it as
most unchristian and barbarously inhuman. The case
of the unfortunate young girlwho destroyed herself rather
than return and subject herself to the cruelties prac-
tised in the " shed" was a painful illustration of this, and
the case of the child Joseph Woodward, who died from
sheer starvation and neglect, also exemplified the
necessity of "a society which would enforce the
rights of the poor.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
It was true the guardians came to the mother after her
child was dead, and offered to supply her with money
and bread, she having only been supplied with bread
before, as a gentleman, whose name was not mentioned,
called upon her twice, and left two shillings and two
loaves of bread, and told her that the guardians wished
to see her. But these atrocities were not confined to St.
Pancras, as the " shed" system. was adopted in Peckham.
There 70 to 80 poor were crammed into a shed not larger
than the space allowed for three persons in the London
Fever Hospital.—(Shame.) And, in Marylebone, a
young woman, named Mordaunt, was so neglected by
the parish authorities that she died from the want of food
and neglect, and she and her sister were blamed by Mr.
Messer, the assistant overseer, for " want of energy."
He said " the sooner they were tested with the work-
house the better." The one that died was in ill health,
and they had to pay half-a-crown a week for their lodg-
ings, and to support an aged mother. Such an unmiti-
gated and heartless insult was never offered. The board.
in order to shield themselves, dismissed Mr. Messer, but
they were to blame for not issuing proper and humane
orders to their assistants. No one under sixty,
however good his character might be, could
obtain out-door relief. A coachman named Carter, who
was nearly blind, committed suicide because they would
not admit him into the workhouse, as he was under 60
years of age, and because he would not bring his wife
and family, who were earning a few shillings a-week,
and whose earnings he told the guardians he could not
bear to consume, into the house with him. But he
pleaded in vain, for they refused, and he hung himself.—
(Shame.) He concluded by passing a glowing eulogy on
Mr. Walter, of the Times, tor his exertions to remodel
the poor-laws, and concluded by moving the adoption of
the report.
Mr. ROPER, honorary secretary to the Distressed
Needlewomen Society, seconded the motion, which was
carried by acclamation.
Mr. ELUS proposed the next resolution, which was to
the effect—" That taking into consideration the frightful
circumstances connected with the death by destitution of
two of the parishioners of St. Pancras, namely, Mary
Ann Jones and Joseph Woodward, this meeting is of
opinion that they are to be traced to the cruel manner in
which the suffering poor are treated by the parochial au-
thorities ; that in the preceding cases of death, the one
from suicide from apprehended punishment within the
" shed" of the St. Pancras workhouse, the other
from the want of the necessaries of life, this
meeting is of opinion that murder has been com-
mitted, and that the parochial authorities
are morally responsible for the same, and that the best
protection the poor can have against future tyranny and
oppression is in the formation of a St. Pancras Poor
Man's Guardian Society.
It was seconded by Mr. POYNTER, and carried unani-
mously.
The following resolution was also adopted :—" That,
taking into consideration the fearful disclosures relating
to the death of Louisa Mordaunt on account of the
harsh administration of the Poor-law by the parochial
authorities in Marylebone, as also the published decla-
ration, of the disgusting rules practised withinthe Mary-
lebone Workhouse, in connexion with the wasting
of the persons of the poor inmates, a public meeting be
convened on Monday, the 14th inst., at Hall's Riding
School, for the purpose of further inve'tigating the dis-
closures and practices referred to, with the object of pro-
viding such remedies as will guard against their future
repetition ; and that the members of the borough be in-
vited to attend, and one of them invited to preside, and
that notice be given to the Vestry and Board of Guar-
dians of the parish.
A motion, approving of the appointment of the Auxi-
liary Society, was also adopted, and a vote of thanks
having been awarded to the chairman, the meeting cc-
perated.