The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-19 00:00:00

THE SON, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 19, 1866.

child for dead in the ward of the St. Pancras
Y ent will not have profited much by all they living
have passed through lately if they rely much on Workhc 'u&e has shown what care the most helpless
" guarantees." Meanwhile Prussia is to have the class at sufferers receive at the hands of the official
Northern States and Bavaria the Southern ones for attendants,, and we are glad to find that the general
allies. It is very evident that will be a great feelings o f horror and indignation excited by that
stumbling-block in the way of coming to a case haws just found adequate expression.
settlement. In the event of a war, Prussia can Miss Butiarrr Coms, as a ratepayer of St.
easily persuade or intimidate Bavaria, and thus all Pancras addressed a letter to the guardians, in
the chief strength would be against Austria. In which she dwells, simply but forcibly, on the evils of
point of fact, we may conclude that the plan will the present system. She is aware, she says, that their
be defeated in
consequence of this audacious pro- position between the ratepayers on the one hand
posal. It is supposed, however, that much time will and the: recipients of relief on the other is a diffic
be occupied in the discussion of this plan, and that one, but it appears to her (and to most unprejudiced
some will gladly seize its introduction as a pretext observers) that they have unduly favoured the
for putting off the evil day of hostilities between former class. With sound sense, as well as kindly
Prussia and Austria. If so, it may be an advan- feeling, she points out to them that, putting
tage in the long run, as during the time occupied aside all considerations of duty and humanity,
in its consideration events may occur that will " a sick pauper is a costly burden on the rates, and
necessitate the retirement of Herr BISMARCK, and that a more liberal workhouse management would
revent the crowding of infirmary wards, while a
give a new turn to Prussian politics. p
Count BISMARCK may make another of his mis- wise administration of out-door relief would save
takes in thinking this ready acquiescence to con- many poor persons in temporary need from sinking
sider his scheme means that a favourable interpre- down to confirmed, and therefore burdensome,
tation will be put upon it, but at the same time be pauperism." The truth of this is indisputable,
may only wish to gain time, in order that chances and yet when the father or mother of a family
may turn in his favour, and that he may at any is temporarily disabled, the answer to any apical-
rate retire with dignity. He has several times cation for assistance is constantly " Come into the
during the last seven days tendered his resignation, house." In nine cases out of ten the alternative of
but the KING would not accept it. He may not, going without help is chosen, the family preferring
however, continue his objections to the proposal to depend on charity or " rough it" until better
much longer, and perhaps is waiting to find out the times. But supposing they do go in, breaking up
measure in which the Diet will receive the grand their little home and losing their connexion, if they
scheme of Federal Reform. Of course it would be a have one, what chance is there that they will all
vast advantage if HerrßismaacK retired; but at the come out again ? If they postpone the evil day
same time we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that until the sick person is past all chance of recovery
all the sin does not lie at his door, and that in the case is still worse, and. if our old Poor-law
reality he has been more the agent, the dishonour- system was wasteful and demoralising, the new one
able and unscrupulous agent, it is true, than the is not entirely free from those vices, for by its
chief party in all these plans of spoliation that have short-sighted parsimony it pauperises many who
disgraced Prussia and scandalised Europe of late. might keep themselves, and, by withholding its
Had not the KING sanctioned such a course it is help at the crisis, leaves many a family to break
certain that a stop would speedily have been put to down and come upon the rates for life.
the nefarious practices. It is greatly to be re- With respect to the management of the sick
gretted that so crafty and dexterous a Minister wards Miss Cotrrrs says that, before addressing the
should have been chosen by a SOVEREIGN so indiffe- Guardians, she has watched for some public state-
rent to the rights of his people and the claims of his ment of the measures which they propose to adopt
allies, as the KING has shown himself to be ; but to cure the evils complained of, but has seen none.
it stands to reason that if he be removed the KING As a ratepayer she feels the position very strongly.
would not agree to the policy of a Liberal Cabinet. " The law compels me to pay a rate for the benefit
The proposal of a European Congress may per- of the poor, but in its administration the law not
haps be carried out ; and, if so, will prove the merely fails to secure the object of the rate,
most effectual check both to the KING and his but exposes the recipient of parochial re-
Minister. The Emperor of AUSTRIA has shown die- lief, according to the evidence before the
cernment in mentioning to the French EMPEROR coroner, to being " laid out" before death, when-
that he will not object to a Congress deciding ever the nurses or matron may choose to think the
upon the vexed question of the Duchies. Tbis victim of their neglect cannot " last long," or is
would, in truth, be a power before which the pre- " nearly gone." In another place, she says re-
tensions of the Minister and the pertinacity of ferring to the samo case, " Such a hideous instance
the Monarch of Berlin must succumb, and it of callousness makes those shudder who feel that
may, perhaps, be the best way of settling they are forced by law to pay a rate which places
the matter, now that it has gone so far. We the sick in similar hands." Against such a system
have yet cause to regret that LOUIS NAPOLEON'S of administration, which actually exposes paupers
idea of a European Congress some time ago was to the danger of being buried alive, she feels bound
not carried out, because Prussia could never have to enter a protest not only on her own behalf, but
gained such ascendancy as she now unhappily does, on account of that large body of struggling rate-
and Denmark would not have been so shamefully payers on whom the rates press heavily, andwho are
despoiled. The preparations for war are not unjustly treated when their hard-earned money is
abated, so that it is really quite impossible to de- not strietly applied to the paupers for whom they
cide as to the probability of what may or may not pay ; " and if, through misfortune, they or their
take place at any time. In Paris it is a theme of families are obliged to seek shelter within the work-
constant interest to watch the course of events, house they have previously been rated to support,
and naturally great anxiety is felt in return they should not, at least, find within its walls a
to know what the French would do living grave."
in case of war breaking out. The Prus- It is to be hoped that this just and indignant
sians are trying to console themselves by the protest may induce the Guardians to believe that
thought that the Emperor Louis NAPOLEON will all their ratepayers are not satisfied with the mere
keep neutral, but such is not likely to be the case ; fact of paying the rates demanded of
and indeed we see no reason why it should be, be- them, but that they are sensible that
cause the French would rejoice at the prospect of there . is a serious responsibility attaching
regaining possession of their long-desired territory. to the charge of such an army of sufferers, although
Time was when such a reclamation would not have the Guardians are troubled with no such feelings.
been popular in Europe, and especially in England; The whole system must be remodelled ; and it can
but so great has been the indignation felt by many in fact, not find one defender. The management
at the rapacity and greed of Prussia that of the sick must be entirely removed from the
no sympathy will be felt for her. The un- local authorities, and a general sick rate levied over
reasonable compact into which Italy has en- the metropolis, which would lighten by equalising
tered will give the French EMPEROR another the burden, and tend to relieve the miseries, while
pretext for interference, there being no just cause it diminished the lengthened sufferings of many
to prevent France from taking part in a struggle in thousands of our afflicted fellow -creatures.
which other parties have engaged who are not
directly or immediately concerned in its issue. It
is strange, indeed, that we should now be nearer a
general war than we were two years ago ; but it is
the best satire on the policy of expediency tout was
adopted and the dishonourable course pursued by
this country in order to further the designs of
Prussia.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS•

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Wednesday Evening.

The papers are more than usually barren to-day,
but the following appreciation of the position of
affairs in Germany by the Siecle will be read with
interest :

The independent public, especially such portion
of them as are ratepayers, are beginning to take
active measures respecting the treatment of the
sick poor. Every householder has some time or
other grumbled at the rates, and unless he inhabited
some of the highly-favoured West-end parishes has
complained of their unequal pressure; but it is
somewhat startling to find that after all his pay-
ments the sick paupers suffer from absolute neglect,

" The Gazette d'Augsburg is of opinion that
Federal Reform in Germany cannot be established
unless all the Powers interfere. It therefore con-
siders a Congress to assemble immediately to be
absolutely necessary. Upon this the Siecle says it
can hardly consider that such a course will be
adopted. At all events affairs do not assume a
very pacific aspect. The military preparations con-
tinue both in Austria and Prussia, and later accounts
confirm the news we have already given of a con-
centration of Russian troops on the Prussian fron-
tier."

if not from actual ill treatment. For many years
past the Workhouse Visiting Society has been la-
bouring to call public attention to the important
difference between the able-bodied vagrant or
thriftless idlers, whose own vices or indolence
have reduced them to pauperism, and the hap-
less man or woman whom the iron hand of dis-
ease has, perforce, restrained from labour. if
any one will picture to themselves the amount of
exertion which a person suffering from acute dis-
ease, or even chronic maladies, is capable of un-
dergoing, they will very soon ascertain what chance
such an invalid would have of getting a livelihood
out of doors. Sometimes husband or wife, son or
daughter, may be able to_ support them, but the
burden of a helpless invalid is a heavy one on slender
wages, especially if the breadwinner has also to be
sick nurse. Very often, too, the disease abso-
lutely requires medicines and appliances which
are hopelessly out of reach, 'and if the sufferer
has only him or herself to look to there is no
other resource than the infirmary of the work-
house. To this refuge come the broken-down
servant, the widow and orphan, the strong man
smitten down in the midst of his labour, the
aged man and woman who have supported
themselvesduring a long life of work and privation,
the struggling tradesman, the broken-down rate-
payer—all enter those doors, over which might well
be inscribed DANTE'S famous motto about leaving
hope behind. What hope is there for the weary,
suffering frame, tossing on those hard narrow beds
(from which careful guardians in one house extract
half the stuffing), tended by rough, ignorant
name,ranhands,tand
who know nothing of sickness but the
take the charge of a ward full of helpless invalids
for the
of sake of a few perquisites, with the benefit
of the attention of an overworked doctor at the
a minute and a half a day, and the chance
of getting the right or wrong medicines, and the
oprledaseruedre?of
T seeevigsn:atthtiihasneg nurse take the wine or beer
stantly, andhha
s
against the cumbrous and costly
t aroused have
been
popularreiteratedsystem
t iavctoei
ononf-
such miserable results. The cases of TIMOTHY
DALY and RICHARD GIBSON excited the greatest
attention, and left an uncomfortable conviction in
the public mind that they were by Bo means isolated
instances. Very recently the case E
o- laying out a

The following is the programme of the extra
steeplechases which are to take place to-morrow at
La Marche :—Prix de Ville d Avray (handicap),
1,500 f., for all horses; Prix de Garches (gentlemen
riders), 1,000 f., added to a sweepstakes of 50f.
each ; Prix Reclamer, 1,000 f., for all horses. The
winner to be claimed for 600 f. Match between the
Duke of Hamilton and Count Evry. 49 horses
entered.

Some interesting facts respecting the commerce '
of France have been elicited during the discussion
in the Legislative Body relative to the merchant
nary. M. Emile Pereire said that the subject of
the mercantile marine was essentially a question of
external commerce. The traffic, which represented
7 milliards, was thus divided :—By sea, 5 milliards
135 millions ; by land, 2 milliards 193 millions.
Yes or no, was it important to free from absurd
imposts 5 milliards of our traffic ? Was
it important to furnish, at a low price,
means of transport for the foreign commerce
of France ? England was not like France, a con-
tinental Power. What formed its strength in the
past might well be the cause of its weakness in
the future. M. Forcade de la Roquette had elo-
quently said that France was admirably situated
for commerce ; yes, but it was on the condition that
she should not have her hands tied, and that she
should be able to send anywhere her intelligence,
her industry, and her capital. Freedom of trade
had not led to an inundation of products into France,
and French commerce had not been crushed by it.
A great king of former times wished that the people
every Sunday should have a fowl in the pot. Modern
civilisation and universal suffrage had higher ambi-
tions. They desired that the people both of the
towns and country, not only on a Sunday but
every day, should be well clothed, well fed, and well
lodged. M. Ozenne, on the part of the Government,
► denied that free trade had produced the depression
in some branches to which allusion had been made.
The number of foreign vessels trading with French
ports had increased. In referring to exports, the
speaker said, that in 1859 the value of ostrich fea-
thers exported was no less than 6,800,000 f. The
principle adopted at the Custom House was, that all
merchandise which had paid duty by that fact be-
came naturalised, and became part of the general

commerce.
Another frightful case of murder and mutilation
has occurred. The body of a young man has been
found in the canal of La Villette which has been
almost cut to pieces. The skull has been cut in
two with a chopper, and a large incision has also
been made in the otomach, The arhafi have been