The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-18 00:00:00

THE MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.

The anniversary iesiival of this valuable and long-
estabiished charity was celebrate don Monday vening
at the Freemasons' Tavern, and although the number of
gentlemen present to do honour to the occasion did not
exceed seventy the proceedings were highly satisfactory.
The Duke of Northumberland presided, and am,:ng
the guests were—Sir W. Stirling, Sir G. Bathurst; gape.
Holland, Mr. W. Hawes, and many other influential
and benevolent gentlemen. The hospital was founded so
long ago as 1745, for sick and lame patients, and since
that time it has reeeived many very important
additions. By its present constitution the midwifery
patients are attended at their own homes. A ward is
set apart for the treatment of cancerous diseases ; a me-
dical school, has been established in connexion with
the institution ; and a Samaritan Fund has been raised
for affording, among other purposes, temporary relict to
poor convalescent patients whose residence in the hospital
is no longer necessary, but who still require aid as out- door
patients. These great benefits have been obtained by the
liberality of a succession of patrons, among whom the name
of the Northumberland family, Lord R. Seymour, Mr. S.
Whitbread, and Mrs. Aliases Maria Stafford stand con-
spicuous. Nor, in recording the merits of the institution,
should it be forgotten that the spiritual wants of the
patients are carefully provided for, a chaplain being ap-
pointed, whose daily care it is to direct the devout aspi-
rations of the convalescent, and to administer consola-
tion to the sick and the dying. During the past year
2,190 in-patients and 9,604 out-patients have received
relief ; and although this number presents a decrease as
compared with the results of the two preceding years,
yet, the circumstances of the times being taken into
account, the amount of good:done is large enough to chal-
lenge on behalf of the charity the strenuous support
of a benevolent public. Within the last ten years
104,694 human beings have had their sufferings cured
or assuaged by this institution. We are happy to say that
the amount of subscriptions and donations announced
was very satisfactory, showing a considerable
principal subscriptions were those of the Queen,
100 guineas; the Queen Dowager, 50 guineas; the Duke
of Northumberland, 100 guineas; and a clergyman, whose
name did not catch, the munificent gift of 5001.
Messrs. Bacon provided an excellent entertainment for
the
present, and every arrangement was made
guests ss ' e
calculated to promote the happiness of the evening. Mr
Hobbs had the direction of the vocalists, and Mr. Payne
was toastmaster.

ELECTION COMMITTEE.
LANCASTER
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE touk an objection to the list
of disqualified voters, which had been delivered by the
petitioner, but the Committee overruled the objection.
Evidence was then put in to show that one of the voters
who had polled for Mr. Armstrong was a pauper re-
ceiving parochial relief.
The Committee then adjourned till to-day.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES
YESTERDAY.
GROUP IL
(Mr. Blackstone in the chair.)
MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN-
SHIRE.

The case for this Bill was further considered and
adjourned.

GROUP VI.
(Mr. Walpole in the chair.)
NORTH AND
_SOUTH•WESTERN (HARROW

TO BRENTFORD):

The case for the promoters having Closed,
Mr. JAMES addressed the Committee against the Bill,
on behalf of the Great Western Company.
The Committee decided that the preamble was proved,
and introduced a provision that the promoters should
build a convenient and commodious station at nanwiell.
The whole of the clauses having been agreed to, the
Chairman was instructed to report the Bill to the House.

GROUP XII.
(Mr. Fitgroy in the chair.)
EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW.
The Committee passed the Bill enabling the above
company to make several branches, and to raise, upon
shares, 156,000/. for the purpose, with power to borrow
55,000 i. to pay off some of their pressing liabilities.

CHEAP LITERATURE NECESSART FOR THE AD-
VANcEmENT OF THE PEOPLE.—We believe we were the
first to commence a series of paragraphs relative to
the obnoxious advertisement duty, and our example
was followed by many of our contemporaries. In a
free country, a fettered press—that is, dear newspapers
—is not only an an anomaly, but an injustice. As we
have before stated,
a newspaper is taxed in the first
place by the duty on paper ; secondly, by the penny
stamp ; and, thirdly, by the scandalous tax on adver-
tisements. The press would have been utterly crushed
but for the intelligence and energy of the people, who
have the strongest desire to obtain information, while
the Government acts as if it were anxious that
they should remain ignorant. The newspaper is the
only medium through which they can learn what
their representatives in Parliament are doing ; it
instructs them in the working of our institutions ; in
its pages they witness the results of crime and virtue,
and by learning what transpires in different parts of
the globe, their sympathies are enlarged and extended.
Without newspapers the people would, in too many
cases, sink into a state of ignorance and indifference
which would be fatal to the welfare of society. What
could any of us do without newspapers ? What
would commerce do? Why, then, trebly tax it?
Why should Government, by the tax on newspapers,
endeavour to keep the poor man in ignorance of
what is going on around him? Why tax every man
who crosses the threshold of a newspaper _office?
op
Why tax a shopkeeper for making known that the
public can benefit themselves and him also by purchas-
ing at his sh ? Why impose a tax on a servant
girl who endeavours to obtain a situation ? And yet
this injustice is done by Government, which at all times
professes to do everything in its power to encourage the
spread of information, and to promote the employment
of the poor.—Slicffield Times.
A Supplement to the London Gazelle was pub-
lished yesterday, containing the ceremonials observed at
the baptism of her Royal Highness Princess Louisa Ca
-
same tne Alberta on Saturday last. The details are h
same" e
RA those which appeared in our columns 011
ALOrlday.