The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-06 00:00:00

4
g 11,11,4

LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1856.

It is impossible to estimate too highly the im-
portance of the contest in which the Representa-
tives of the people of the United States are now
engaged. Like their English brethren, they are
the Legitimate Guardians of the National purse.
The power thereby conferred gives them the vast
influence which they exercise, and with which
they cannot permit any tampering without a
complete abdication of their functions, and the
surrender not only of their own rights and
privileges but those also of their successors, until
a revolution should replace them in the aban-
doned position. In this country the House of
Commons regard, with peculiar jealousy, any
interference by the co-ordinate branches of the
Legislature with money bills. Any amendment
is rejected, as a matter of course, and no discus-
sions or conference would be tolerated on such a
point. The vote must he sanctioned in the very
form in which it was transferred to the Upper
House, and the most trifling alteration in any
rider or clause annexed would be regarded as tile
virtual rejection of the entire measure.
It is oven more important that extreme vigi-
lance should bo exhibited at Washington that in
this country. Here, if the Administration adopts
a policy opposed to that of the popular branch
of the Legislature, it must forthwith retire, mak-
ing way for a new party, whose views will be more
in accordance with those of the tax-paying com-
munity. No Premier could remain in office oven
a single day in face of a hostile vote, similar to
that passed by the American Representatives.
There might be a dissolution—an appeal to the
country—but if that turned out unfavourably
lie must retire. It is very different, indeed,
in America. There the President is elected for
four years, and however unp)pular he may be-
come—however opposed to the wishes of those
by whom he was elected to his high position—he
exercises a degree of power far beyond that of
any constitutional sovereign. For that time he
pursues his own course without caring for opposi-
tion, and may involve the country in war, or
pursue the most reckless policy, without regard
to the consequences.

General PIERCE is well aware that there is no
earthly prospect of his re-election—that he will
not even be put forward as a candidate by any
party ; and he is striving, like the unjust steward,
to make influential friends amongst the friends
and advocates of the "domestic Institution."
He reads a carious lecture to the representatives,
but he does not seem to think of the obvious alter-
native of averting the impending danger by yield-
ing himself. Where there are two parties to a
question, it is absurd to place all the mischief to
one account. Mr. PIERCE explains the serious
consequences of stopping the supplies. Why
then does he not induce his supporters in the
Senate to accept the proviso, or pledge himself
not to send the federal troops against the Free-
Boilers in I ansas ? Either of these courses would
at once get rid of the
difficulty. But F. PIERCE
is determined to obtain a victory, and is contented
with protesting against the obstinacy of those who
will not come into his peculiar views.
The representatives are, however, nobly dis-
charging the duty they owe to themselves and
to their country.
They have exhibited an un-
bending resolution to brave all dangers rather
than relinquish a single point in the position
they deliberately and advisedly assumed. Al_
though they have not called for the abolition of

slavery, they are thoroughly determined that
there shall be no further extension of the
iniquitous system, and that a total stop shall be
put to the insidious attempts to set aside the com-
promise long since entered into between the
friends and opponents of the dreadful trade.
General CAss, in consequence, speaks of the ap-
proaching dissolution of the Union. It would
even be better that such a result should follow
than that the Northerns should permit them-
selves to be dictated to by a minority, and vo-
luntarily bring a curse on the land tlyht,
would paralyse all their energies. Is we Dave
frequently pointed out, the Southerns, if they
knew their real interests, would be the first to
deprecate the evil, and would find their account
in so doing— nay, may feel perfectly certain that,
all elements being taken into consideration, free
would be far cheaper than compulsory labour,
and that, in accordance with British experience,
one volunteer would be better than half-a-dozen
pressed men.

There is something very revolting in the notion
that human cupidity should pursue its gratifica-
tion at the risk of the lives of the poor, and some-
thing still more revolting in the fact that that
pursuit meets with so few obstacles from autho-
rity. It is impossible to read the report of the
inquest held yesterday, in the City, over the
bodies of the unfortunate victims of the frightful
catastrophe in Swan-alley, without having these
reflections forced upon us. Here we have an in-
dividual in the habit of constantly visiting the
fallen house to receive his rents, and, as a matter
of course, in a position to know that it was in a,
tumble-down condition ; yet we find him extract-
ing the last penny, turning a deaf ear to all re-
monstrance, and taking no steps whatever to
insure the safety of his miserable tenants. Three
weeks ago one falls through the worm-eaten floor
three times, and is told, " you must make the
best of it." The same individual is called upon
by his landlord on Sunday last for one shilling
and sixpence arrears, and, not having it by him,
is coolly told, "if you do not'pay you know the
consequences." Well would it have been for him,
and still better for the poor wretch cut off in the
bloom of his sins, and for the bereft mother, if
they had been in arrears of rent a month backs
and had taken " the consequences." Disastrous
as these might have been, what comparison could
they have borne to the hurrying of four human
souls before the presence of their Munn, and
the maimed limbs or affections of those whose
lives were spared. The feri natures court repose
in their wild haunts in comparative safety : the
poor of this great metropolis how many of them
retire to their (for them) costly places of
rest in the dread uncertainty of waking
to the crash of falling rafters, and being
suffocated or crushed to death by the dust en-
veloped ruins !
" The jury earnestly recommend to the Com-
missioners of Sewers that they would authorise a
special survey forthwith to be made of all the
buildings in the City of London that, from age or
other cause, may be supposed to be out of sub-
stantial repair." Such is the rider to the verdict
—a recommendation which must be regarded as
conveying a well-merited rebuke. How came it
that the buildings in Swan-alley, to say nothing
of any others, were not examined before ? They
were known to be of remote antiquity—pro-
bably built immediately after the Great Fire,
and one of them, that in ruins, was pre-
sented a decade or more ago. The locality
is the very heart of the City—in the imme-
diate vicinity of the Mansion-House, within
hail of the Bank. In the very nature of things
houses so old, so tenanted, were likely to be
in such a condition as to call for oversight,
and so situated as to be in the way of it. The
very contrast they presented to the palatial struc-
tures of the neighbourhood, one would have
thought, would have insured adequate supervision,
if civic pride should fail to insure it. Why then
were they not duly surveyed ?—why was such an
opprobrium to the civic authorities—why was
such a painful shock to humane feeling—why was
such a sacrifice of precious life not prevented ?
The officer of the Commissioners holds himself
blameless. Does the blame exclusively rest with
his employers ? This much is certain :ifhe is
not blameless the blame rests with them of ap-
pointing and maintaining such an official ; and if
he is blameless they should have soeu to an ex-
tension of his duties even at the cost of an in-
crease to his salary.
The Metropolitan Building Act gives the Com-
missioners abundant powers of inspection and pre-
vention. They have the appointment of surveyors
—the prescription, we suppose, of the duties of
those surveyors—and the power to authorise them
to enter any building of the safety of whicii the
latter may entertain doubts—and, o:i a report of
" clinger," the further power to take immediate
steps to avert a catastrophe, and to give notice to
the owner or occupier requiring him forthwith to
take down, secure, or repair the endangered and
endangering structure. Was it the prescribed
duty of their surveyor in this ins+ance to see per-
sonally to the condition of the houses in Swan-
alley, as well as elsewhere in his district ? If so,
it is pretty clear be neglected to do his duty ; if
not, the Commissioners neglected to do theirs. It
is worse than ridiculous, the notion of a surveyor
waiting for the police to tell him what, in a com-
mon-sense view of the matter, a surveyor should
ascertain himself. If it was the surveyor's duty
he must have been indifferently looked after, and
certainly has incurred a heavy responsibility.
The public, however, have the materials for form-
ing an independent judgment before them, and it
is too much to expect they should be satisfied
with the assurance that "it is my intention to
ask for authority to survey the same (the not yet
fallen buildings in Swan-alley), in conformity
with the Metropolitan Buildings Act." What
with cupidity here and official neglect somewhere,
four lives have been lost, and we cannot tell how
many endangered. This sort of thing won't do,
and nothing must be left undone to prevent its
re-occurrence. Such a catastrophe to have for
its scene the heart of the great metropolis ! More
than startling ; it is disgraceful !