The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-04 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN PRESS.

The New York Tribune says the late Legislature
of Mississippi passed four acts relative to freed-
men—

First—" An act to confer civil rights on freedmen, and
for other purposes." $
Second—"An act to regulate the relation of master
and apprentice, as relates to freedmen, free negroes, and
mulattoes."

Third—" An act to amend the vagrant laws of the
State."

Fourth—"An act to punish certain offences therein
named, and for other purposes."
In the fourth act, section four, is as follows :

Be it further enacted, That all the penal and criminal
laws now in force in this State, defining offences and
prescribing the modes of punishment for crimes and mis-
demeanours committed byslavos, free negroes, or mulattoes,
be, and the same are hereby, re-enacted and declared to be
in full force and effect, against freedmen, free negroes, and
mulattoes, except so far as the mode and manner of trial
and punishment have been changed or altered by law.
Some of the " penal and criminal laws" which
have been re-enacted for the freedmen are as fol-
lows :

Art. 58, Sec. Xi., p. 248, Rev. Code, makes it punishable
with death for a nogro to murder, commit rape, burn
houses, commit robbery, or attempt to commit such crimes.
White persons are not punishable with death for most of
the offences mentioned in this section, nor for the attempt
to commit any one of them.

Article 45, of the above-named act, page 245,
provides that a slave shall receive twenty lashes if
he be found away from the place of his employ-
ment without a pass. This is re-enacted for freed-

men.

Article 46, page 246, awards thirty-nine lashes
to the slave for buying or selling without written
permission. Re-enacted for the freedmen.
Article 476, page 24, allows civil officers and
others to appropriate to their own use any article a
slave may be seeking to sell. Re-enacted for the
freedmen.

Article 51, page 247, makes it punishable for
negroes to congregate at night, or hold schools, &c.
Re-enacted as above.

Article 63, page 249—80th ears are to be cut off
for false witness. (No white ears to be served so.)
Re-enacted as above.

These are some of the laws of a State, especially
re-enacted for the freedmen ; a State which has
" accepted the situation ;" a State which demands
to take pat in the action of Congress and help
to make laws for the benefit of the people. A white
murderer may escape scot free ; a negro shall be
hanged even for attempt. It would be childish to
deny that a Civil Rights Bill is needed in a State
not yet emerged from barbarism.
The New York Commercial Chronicle says :
" If we had been told at the opening of last
Congress that within sixteen months our national
debt would be considerably diminished ; that the
currency also would be contracted ; that gold would
fall from 280 to 130, or lower; that the price of
many other commodities would also be considerably
reduced ; and that all this would be accomplished
without any severe panic, or any commercial re-
vulsions, these predictions would have received
but faint assent, if, indeed, they had not been
disbelieved altogether by everybody, except here
and there, perhaps, by a single enthusiastic be-
liever in the destiny of our great republic. But all
these improbabilities have been realised. At the pre-
sent moment our people are full of confidence that
as the national finances have always heretofore
turned out so much better than expectation, so it
will be in the future. In illustration of this general
and well-sustained confidence we need only to look
at the financial doings of Congress. So available
are our national resources, and so abundant are the
receipts from taxes and duties, that in the new fiscal
measure introduced into the house on the 25th April
by Mr. Morrill, and now under daily discussion in
the committee of the Whole, we are about to remit
no less than 75 millions of internal taxation. Such
is the productiveness of our revenue system, and so
greatly reduced are our national expenses, that, after
the giving up of this vast amount of annual re-
venue, we shall be able to raise amply sufficient to
carry on the Government. Hence it is obvious that
we have thus far solved very satisfactorily the pro-
blem which has so long been agitated by financial
essayists and political economists, whether the people
of this rich, free, untaxed continent would ever
bear heavy taxation. We have settled the question,
and in such a-way as to establish on an unshaken basis
the permanent foundation of ourpublic credit. Now,
in the opinion of our wisest financial men, the time
has come for consolidating our vast public debt at a
low rate of interest. It is stated that the war debts
which England and France incurred during the first
quarter of this century were funded at rates about
equal to five per cent. This rate, it is assumed, is
the highest which we ought to pay, now that peace
has given the assurance that, however much the
demand for our securities may increase, the supply
has reached its maximum, and that henceforth no
Government bonds will be issued except in exchange
for other securities. These reasons have caused
Mr. M'Culloch to approve, and they will probably
induce the Senate Finance Committee to adopt, Mr.
Sherman's Funding Bill. • We do not vindicate all
the subordinate provisions of this measure, but its
main features we heartily endorse. We believe
that at no very distant day the whole of our
$2,800,000,000 of debt will be represented by five
per cent. bonds ; and that these bonds will sell at
par both in our own and in foreign markets. It
has been shown that the annual saving of interest
we should effect by funding all our debt at five
instead of six per cent. would be sufficient, if placed
at compound interest, to produce a sinking fund
which in 363- years would pay off the whole of the
principal. This fact is mentioned as an induce-
ment to us to make our new Consols more attrac-
tive to investors by exempting them from all
taxation.

The New York Tribune, of May 16, has a charac-
teristic article on this subject, from which we quote:
—American influence in Europe moulded the recent
debate, and extends into all classes of society. In
other' days America was discussed by the English
press pretty much as we discuss the Republics of
South America or the countries on the African coast.
The journalists did not know whether Annapolis
was an island or an archipelago. They sometimes
placed Massachusetts in the State of Philadelphia,
and horrified Boston by making it the capital of
Maine. Their notions of social life in America
were gathered from the books of Mr. Dickens and
Mrs. Trollope, and from personal experiences
among the emigrant ships. They imagined that
everybody read the New York Herald, and that
children were weaned on Virginia tobacco. Our
Presidents were selected on account of personal
prowess in the prize-ring, and nobody but Mr.
Emerson and Mr. Everett could construe six lines of
Horace. There was a general impression that public
morals had fallen so low that a great statesman, who
afterward became a lexicographer, was hanged for
murder. Public life was very unsafe in our coun-
try places, and our colleges were tainted with
atheism. henry Ward Beecher was known to at-
tend chicken-fights ; and it was rumoured that he
was preparing to challenge Mr. Heenan on his re-
turn from England. Those of us who were not
positively debased were awaiting with anxiety an
opportunity to welcome the English sceptre back
to America ; but it was generally felt that no such
royal mercy should be shown until we had done
abundant penance. Who read an American book ?
Who bought an American picture? Who owned
an American stock or bond? Time, the tumult of
a mighty war, the sublime English virtue of suc-
cess, the triumph of our armies prosperity under an
extraordinary debt, have given the American name
and character an importance abroad which a century
of peace would not have gained. When the blockade
was established Lancashire moaned in poverty, and
the Exchange trembled. Securities rose and fell

with the victory or defeat of Grant's armies.
The American maps were studied with intense
and selfish interest, and true Englishmen felt
an impulse of pride when they saw men of their
own blood, with the same Saxon blue eyes, doing
deeds more marvellous than those of Wellington
and Marlborough. The aristocratic element, rich,
fashionable, and noisy, was attracted to the South
from the affinity of slavery and caste; but the great
heart of England was in union with America. How
earnestly the governing classes wished our over-
throw may be judged from the haste of Lord Rus-
sell to speak of the " late Union," and the enthu-
siasm of Mr. Gladstone (in one of his " pilgrimages
of passion" as Disraeli called them) over Jefferson
Davis and the empire he had founded. When a
Russell and a Gladstone despaired of America, what
could be expected from a Stanley and a Roebuck—
from the Tories, whose creed is to incarnate all that
is old and mossy, and destroy all that is fresh and
life-giving—from every enemy of progress and
truth? The governing classes wished our failure,
because success here meant agitation at home, dis-
content, perhaps revolt, a general commotion
among thrones, palaces, rubies, coronets, and all
sorts of ribbons and stars, and garters and parch-
ments, chaos come again, a new spirit moving upon
the face of the waters, and a new world coming into
being. If America had failed, its failure would have
been an example and a warning, teaching us to
beware of Republicanisms and experiments with
anarchy—even anarchy with a constable, according
to Mr. Carlyle. Now that manhood in America
has done so nobly, manhood in England demands
opportunity. Manhood pays taxes, and gathers
material wealth, and organises volunteer forces, and
makes the English flag the glory and terror of civi-
lisation. Why should manhood toil and spin, while
caste, the accident of birth and station, should wear
fine raiment? Why should manhood in Leeds be
merely work and sweat, and no voice in the Eng-
lish Commons, while 36 persons in Calne, who hap-
pen to be the dependents of an English nobleman,
should have the privilege of speaking with the
brilliant malice of Mr. Lowe ? The tendency of the
English mind is upward. Mr. Mill might have died
in retirement ; Mr. Gladstone might have sat in
ashes outside of Oxford ; Mr. Hughes might have
remained in genial seclusion ; the voice of Mr.
Bright would be silent in St. Stephens but for the
manhood, the toiling manhood of Westminster and
Lancashire, Lambeth and Rochdale. The England
that creates these statesmen is the England which
sympathised with our country, and which best re-
presents the true Englishman of to-day.

Annual Sale of the Middle-park Yearlings.

This important sale of yearlings, the greatest in Eng-
land, not only from the number of its lots, but from their
character and the prices they realise, came off, as usual, on
Saturday afternoon, at Mr. Blenkiron's residence at
Eltham, when the truth of the remarks which we offered
last week, that, although money was scarce in the city, it
could be found in abundance fora Royalyearling, received
an additional illustration. It is true that for some years
past the price of young racing stock has been gradually
rising, but never, in the recollection of the Tattersall fa-
mily has a yearling boon known to reach the sum of
2,500 guineas, which was given hero by the Duke of
Hamilton for a colt by Newminster, out of Lady Elcho,
and we imagine it will be long before we have to record a
similar purchase. The weather being fine the attendance
was very large, comprising the Dukes of Hamilton
and St. Albans, the Marquis of Hastings, Lords
Vivian, Doneraile, Falmouth, Count Batthany, the
Hon. Admiral Itous, Mr. Payne, Mr. H. Chaplin, and other
well-known supporters of the turf. The proceedings were
begun by a very handsome luncheon, and, after it had been
partaken of, the company took their places round a well-
constructed ring, into which the yearlings were brought,
and every facility was given for their inspection. Mr. E.
Tattersall, in his address to his clients, told them that the
present was the best lot of yearlings 'Mr. Blenkiron had
over submitted to the public, and before he concluded he
thought he should be borne out in his views by the prices
they would fetch, and he wound up by expressing the deep
regret he and the general company felt at the death of Lord
Chesterfield, who was so great a patron of Mr. Blenkiron.
The biddiugs then commenced, and, although the lots were
knocked down at fair remunerating prices, no real sensa-
tion was created until the St. Albans colt out of Elspeth,
the dam of Drumour, came up, when his fine size, corn-
mamling appearance, and racing-like proportions were in-
stantly recognised. A thousand from the Duke of Hamil-
ton was his opening price, and from that sum he sprung in
bids of two and three hundreds until he stopped at two
thousand, at which which price Mr. Henry Chaplin
secured him, amid great applause. This it was imme-
gined would be the top price of the sale, but the supporters
of the Newminster colt out of Lady Elcho clung to the last
to the belief that he would be placed at the head of the poll,
and they were right, for when he was brought into the ring
he came from 1,000 to 2,500 in less than five minutes, the
finish between Mr. Chaplin and the Duke of Hamilton for
the possession of him being very doss. At last the latter
prevailed, and can congratulate himself on having given
the largest price ever known in the world for a yearling.
It is needless to state that as far as looks go he possesses
every racing attribute, although ho is not on so big a scale
as the St. Albans colt. The other stars of the sale were the
Newminster colt—Queen's Head; the Weatherbit, colt—
Triangle ; the Marsyas colt—Beatrice ; and the Weatherbit
colt —Butterfly, while the pick of the fillies were those by
Lambton—Forest Fly, by Dundee—Defenceless, by New-
minster—Sacrifice, and the ono by Weatherbit—Frolic.
The proceeds of the sale realised the sum of £10,120, or
an average of £450, which is the largest on record of
Mr. Blenkiron's series ; and to mark his sense of it Mr.
Blenkiron has again placed £l,OOO at the disposal of
the stewards of the Jockey Club, to be run
for at Newmarket in 1867, and it was suggested by Admi-
ral bons that so noble an example should be followed up
by a prize of a similar amount from the profits of the Royal
Paddocks at Hampton Court, for animals bred there. Mr.
Blenkiron has also given £2OO to the Stockbridge Race
Fund. In the discussion that ensued after the sale on the
Green as to the merits of the new purchases, it was pro-
posed that a sweepstakes should be got up, which was ac-
cordingly drawn out as follows :

Sweepstakes of 1,000 sovs, h ft, to be run over the Bretby

Stakes Course, on Tuesday, in the First October meet-
ing at Newmarket.
The Duke of Hamilton's colt by Newminster—Lady Elcho
Mr. H. Chaplin's colt by St. Albans—Elspeth.
The Marquis of Hastings's colt by Weatherbit—Butterfly.
Mr. Merry's colt by Dundee—Ennui.
We append, a list of prices and also the bets laid on the
Derby of 1868.

Bay colt by Amsterdam—Glance, dam of Narcissus
by Venison (Mr. Fobert) 50
Bay colt, by Amsterdam—Madame Landeau, by the
Libel (Mr. Pryor) ••• 160
Chestnut colt, by Amsterdam—Banshee, by the
Ugly Buck (Mr. J. B. Morris) 220
Brown colt, by Horror—Panpipe, by Bay Middleton
(Mr. Elliot) ••• ID" ••• ••• ••• 55
Brown colt, by Voltigeur—Chalybeato, by Learning-
ton (Mr. Maund) 100
Roan filly, by Lambton—First Fly, by Birdcatcher
(Mr. J. B. Morris) 250
Bay filly, by Wild Dayrell—Pandora (dam of Hope),
by Cotherstone (Mr. W. G. Bennett) 105
Chestnut filly (sister to Shrapnel°, by Weatherbit
—Shot (dam of Marksman), by Birdcatcher (Mr.
Chaplin) ••• ••• •.• ••• •.. ••• Iro
Bay filly, by Weatherbit—Fanfaronade (dam of
Gasconnade), by Gameboy (Mr. Pryor) ... 430
Chestnut colt, by Colsterdale—Birdtrap (dam of
Birdfinder), by Birdcatcher (Mr. J. B. Morris) ... 250
Chestnut colt, by Kettledrum, Goldfinch, by West
Australian (Mr. Cartwright) ... ••• ••• 360
Black it ' F-

lack colt, by-Chanticleer—Whimsical (dam of Fan-
tastic), by Launcelot (Captain Cooper) ... 470
Bay colt, by Wild Dayrell—Restless, by Burgundy
(Mr. Angerstein) ... 50
Chestnut colt, by Marysas.- Q.E.D., by Kingston
(Prince Soltykoff) „. 125
Bay colt, by King Tom—Lady Vernon, by Poyntpu
(Mr. H. Goater) 360
Bay filly, by Weatherbit—Governess, by Chatham
(Mr. Ten Broeck) ... 350
Bay filly, by Dundee—Calcavella (dam of Money-
spinner), by Birdcatcher (Mr. Norton) ... 190
Bay filly, by Dundee—Defenceless (dam of Carac-
tacus), by Defence (Mr. Jacques) ... •.• ... 420
Chestnut filly, by Newminster—Sacrice (dam of
Jeannie Deans), by Voltaire (Mr. Chaplin) 400
Chestnut filly, by Dundee—Magic (darn of Magi-
cian), by Melbourne (Mr. Maund)... 400
Bay colt, by Wild Dayrell—Furbelow (dam of
Queen Mary), by Cotherstone (Mr. Ten Broeck) 520
Brown colt (brother to Neptunus, by Weatherbit
Athena Pallas, by Birdcatcher (Count Batthyany) 610
Bay colt, by Amsterdam -Mrs. Fowler (dam of
Sabrina), by Heron (Mr. Chaplin)... ••• ••• 300
Chestnut colt, by St.. Albans—Elspeth (darn of
Drumour), by Birdcatcher (Mr. Chaplin)... ... 2,000
Bay colt, by Newminster—Queon's Head, by Bay
Middleton (Duke of Hamilton) ... ••• ••• 700
Chestnut colt, by Dundee—Dinah (dam of Com-
motion), by Clarion (Duke of Hamilton)... ••• 650
Black colt, by Dundee—Ennui (dam of Saunterer)
by Bay Middleton (Me. W. Robinson) ... 700
Bay colt, by Marsyas—Duchess of Kingston, by
by Kingston (Count Batthyany) ••• ... 610
Bay colt, by Dundee—Curse Royal, by Mildew (Mr.
Cartwright) 300
Bay colt, by Newminster—Lady Elcho (dam of
Elcho), by Sleight of Hand (Duke of Hamilton) 2,500
Bay filly, by Newminster—Madame Stodare (darn
of Wildrake), by Sleight of Hand (Mr. Pryor) ... 410
Chestnut filly, by Newminster—mare by Hampton
(dam of Gaspard) (Duke of Hamilton) ... 500
Brown colt, by Weatherbit—Triangle (dam of Pro-
blem), by Epirus (Mr. Chaplin) ... ••• ... 900
Chestnut colt, by Marsyas or Dundee—Beatrice, by
Birdcatcher (Duke of Hamilton) ..• •. 550
Chestnut colt, by Marsyas--Perfection, by Bird-
catcher (Mr. R. Herbert). ... ••• ••• ... 260
Chestnut colt, by Marsyas—Leprosy, by Mildew
(Mr. Jacques)...

280

Bay colt, by Woatherbit—Maid of Palmyra (dam of
Verdant), by Pyrrhus the First (Mr. Jacques) 310
Chestnut colt, by Weatherbit—Butterfiy (dam of
Eltham), by Knight of the Whistle (Marquis of
Hastings) ... •Oa ••• ~, .., 900
Bay filly, by Weatherbit—Frolic, by Touchstone
(Mr. Fobert) ~, ... 310
Bay filly, by Horror—Eltham Beauty, by Kingston
(Colonel de Butze) 115
Brown colt, by the Prime Minister—Actress (dam of
Who's Who), by Annandale (Captain Cooper) ~ 300
Bay colt, by Oulston—Medeia, by Pyrrhus the First
(Duke of Hamilton) 420

DERBY, 1868.
10,000 to 200 agst the colt by Newminster—Lady Echo.
25,000 to 250 agst the Dundee Ennui.
10,000 to 100 agst the colt by King Tom—Lady Vernon.
25,000 to 250 agst the Brother to Neptunus.
25,000 to 250 agst the colt by Newminster—Queen's Head.
25,000 to 250 agst the colt by Dundee—Dinah.
10,000 to 100 agst the colt by Marsyas—Duchess of King-
ston
25,000 to 250 agst the colt by Newminster—Triangle.
25,000 to 250 agst the colt by Weatherbit —Butterfly.
10,000 to 75 agst the colt by Weatherbit—Maid of Pal-
myra.

Choice Localities.

The factious correspondent of the Racing Times
writes on the above subject as follows :
There are many streets, squares, lanes, and
alleys, blind and thorough, in the great metropolis
named during the long run of and after the four
Georges. A very celebrated yard in Lombard-street
was one of them, wherein stood for a series of years
the George and VultUre, one of the greatest hostels
of a past generation. There Mr. Pickwick took.up
his abode, but, like most other quiet places, it has
since been converted by the mighty strides of
Mammon, aided by the demon of destructiveness,
into gigantic and heavily-rented chambers, club-
house, and offices, so that the ghosts of its former
patrons would recognise the scene of their for-
mer gaieties no more. It is not, however, of this
highly respectable and wealthy locality that I am
about giving anything further than a passing allu-
sion ; but to say that there is another George-yard
where vultures congregate in force in what still
remains of the ancient Snow-hill, situate between
the late lamented Smithfield and the broad mass of
ruins known as Farringdon-street or road. Here,
since they have been prevented by the city autho-
rities from polluting the larger thoroughfares, have
for sometime congregated as choice a collection of
London's dismal dregs as could be brought together
by any other attraction less than a public execution;
but, strange as it may appear, there were occa-
sionally seen many persons of credit and general
decent appearance which rendered the contrast so
much greater. .

The— present entrance to this retired spot is
through a small short court, at the end of which is
a doorway, formerly a back way to the celebrated
Old George Inn. The Court, consisting of some
ten or a dozen houses, includes Polley's Hotel, a
couple of chandlers' shops, and a cat's-meat store and
mangle. The doorway referred to, which contains
only half a door, is now the sole way to get into the
yard, which is of a singularly dilapidated appear-
ance, in many respects resembling its owners, the
London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company.
There are remains of stands for waggons and
cranes to lift goods. The sheds are roofless, and in
the left corner is the ancient hostel, and behind it,
in another large square space, the old galleried bed-
rooms, now gradually disappearing from the scene.
It is the spot immortalised by Hogarth, and, no
doubt, was a place of busy resort. The paving-
stones partake of the general ruin, for, instead of
being fixed in the ground, they are loose like the
pedestrians who tread on them.

Some of the most solvent of the smaller tribe of
bookmakers plied their calling, and not a few of the
still less important pickers up of half-crowns and
shillings stood against the posts and boards whereon
were nailed lists, as in the palmy days. A sinister
look now and then betokened a " Bobby," or de-
fective, sometimes speculating bona fide himself,
but oftener looking out for victims of folly who
had drifted into difficulties. There was the usual
suppressed hum of voices—" Back anything, sir ?"
" I'll lay again so and so. Ten to one bar one," and
so on.

" What can I do for you, this mornin' Pipy?"
was asked by a goodnatured-looking scamp, with a
card on his hat and another on a post. " I'll lay
agin the lot."

Pipy Peters had formerly been in the army
occupying the important position of lance cor-
poral, or full private, and after having passed
successively through a number of troublesome
operations ultimately was drummed out of
the regiment. He had been professional tout or
hanger-on at street lists for several years, and was
a real commission agent, that is to say, waited out-
side shop-doors and at the corners of courts for
sporting lads who could not get to the arena them-
selves, but hurriedly entrusted him with half-
crowns to invest according to special instructions,
or at his Pipy's discretion. His fee of 6d. in each
case mostly enabled him to scramble through the
day, but when he was instructed to back,
" dead'uns," or horses who could not, or were not
meant to win, of course he was plus the investments
which it need hardly be said he forgot to lay out,
but carefully reported the contrary.

As somebody once said somewhere, " A change
came o'er the spirit of my dream." I only quote
from memory, and the owners of capital found that
the more they put down in the yard the less they
were likely to take up, and so the civic autho-
rities, who generally lavish their substance in
absurd investments, were resolved that the betting
fraternity should once more, if possible, be driven
thence to exercise their calling in another locality,
which resolve was hastened by some brutal fellows
grossly maltreating an unoffeuding constable in
plain clothes, and a champion was enlisted by call-
ing a green-grocer, or herbalist, in the vicinity, to
whom the spot in question was not by any means
a nuisance, it not being even within sight of his
house, nor had he any interest to serve, except the
dogmatic one of seeking to meddle with other per-
sons affairs and omitting to mind his own business.
This gentleman, "Topper" by name, entered into a
negotiation with, and finally succeeded in taking
from, the eminent railway company aforesaid, the
Old George Yard, at a rental of nothing per week,
and then assumed the right of dealing with the
place, and so shutting up all access to the un-
lucky hotel, posting up a notice that all persons
found trespassiag on the premises would be prose-
cuted according to law, and began fencing off with
a few old barrels and some wire, a portion of the
area which, as the tenant of the George considered,
was a gross interference with the liberty of the
subject, totally uncalled for on such a holding, and
resisted the proceeding accordingly. The opinion
of the City justices having been taken they dis-
missed the summons, so that Topper took nothing
by his motion. In the present aspect of affairs,
therefore, the ancient yard is still open for the
exercise of al fresco betting. The George itself is
a nice roomy place, and the curious antiquarian
may look with a longing eye at the wretched Van-
dalism which is quietly wiping off the civic
map some of the spots consecrated to the
glories of former days. If the stray reader
will proceed to Snow-hill, enter the court
and walk straight up into the enclosures, he will
find ample space to contemplate, especially if he
goes in an afternoon, when the exciting scenes of
external betting are over. The host is a very intel-
ligent Yorkshireman, and has a moderate stock of
all sorts of good things on the premises. It happens
to be, while it lasts, the very place which prudent
persons would favour with a wide berth; I mean by
this that the class known by the term have generally
very little to do with racing speculations, but by no
means deny that there are many parties indulging
in the harmless practice of backing their own judg-
ment who are equally as prudent as others. It
follows that a greenhorn may have been a silly and
a betting man, and, in the course of time, becomes
a wiser and a better man, regulating his investments
by the certain standard of experience. The most
scrupulous personage need not be offended at enter-
ing the Old George, where there are large printed
notices that betting is strictly prohibited within
its precincts ; and he may probably take his lun-
cheon in comfort at old-fashioned tables, instead of
the modern improvements of standing up in front
of long bars, without cloth or cleanliness, and known
as " sixpenny uprights." The excitement of the
outer ring may be deemed an agreeable addendum,
not without a practical lesson or two of the manners

and customs of the strangest of all miscellaneouS
classes, who generally contrive to get a livelihood
of some kind without the necessity of continuous
labour. Vendors of various articles of commerce,
from Birmingham jewellery down to paper collars,
mix with the spectators. All kinds of certainties
may be had on a trifling outlay, and if any person
is disposed to entrust ready cash to gentlemen
who return after the event, he will have a chance
of getting the product, assuming that his predic-
tions have been based on correct principles. The
Christian names of many betting men are ex-
pressively indulged in with playful brevity, and
they are freely ventilated as reliable personages.
I have not any acquaintance with them, nor should
I dream of investing any of my small surplus carpi'
tal either in backing horses, or in shares of public
companies, particularly finance or hotels. Each 0f
the latter is commonly based on fraud, and the pro'
moters are little or no better than the welcher who
gets his victim's deposit, never intending, under anY
event, to part with principal or profit. Both classes
seem to prey with much the same motive, and the -
result may be calculated with unerring certainty
The City of London, who can expend a milli°
sterling in spoiling the finest of its thorough'
fares for some little comfort for the future
race of London horses of labour, and also
throw away nearly a hundred thousand pounds in
a new roof to their ancient hall, may probably leave
the betting fraternity alone, provided they can find
some retreat apart from the public streets, taking
care to exercise a supervision by seeing that lid
breach of the peace is committed, and suppressing
brutality such as was recently practised in the spot
under notice, and for which the perpetrators wet
with proper punishment. To do this would be a
graceful piece of toleration towards a class who, in
the course of time, by the advance of civilisation would
improve in their habits, and the old George-yard/
or a locality of the kind, seems to be the place
where the humbler followers of Tattersall's may
may perform their minor transactions, and where
members of that celebrated institution condescend
to act as commission agents.