The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-30 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1857.

The Archduke CONSTANTINE, having been the
recipient of so much adulation in France, is about
to favour England, in its turn, with his august
presence. He will forthwith exchange the courtly
ceremonial festivities of Fontainbleau for those of
Osborne. And, simultaneously with the visit of
his Imperial Highness to the two Great Powers
of Western Europe (not to say of the world), his
illustrious mother, the relict of the late Czar
NICHOLAS, has been enjoying to her heart's con-
tent the applause and homage of the Sardinians.
It only remains now for the Empress Dowager
and for the Archduke to return homewards to-
gether by way of Constantinople ! So that each
of the four Allied Powers in succession may have
duly " eaten the leek," after the manner of "Mine
Ancient PISTOL." CONSTANTINE, of course, the
FLUELLEN ! France has, for her part, been par-
ticularly meek in that ignoble task of mastica-
tion. Sardinia in like manner. It only now re-
mains to be seen how it will be with England.
And to conjecture, after that, how it might be
with regard to Turkey.
CONSTANTINE is certainly coming in the Osborne
to Osborne. He may go further, and very
probably in that event may fare worse ! At the
most we cannot for an instant believe that, were
he to pass through London, his Imperial Highness
would be cheered by the people in the streets very
enthusiastically ! We don't think the English
multitude are so easily to be dazzled into un-
thinking demonstrations of applause by a haughty
title any more than by a grand uniform, or a
blaze of orders upon the breast of an
Imperial Highness. Wa are accustomed, a
good many of us in this country, to think
who it is inside the coat, whether it is a good or
a bad heart that beats under all that bravery of
gold and diamonds. When KOSSUTH passed, in
an open carriage, through our thoroughfares, he
came as an exile, without fortune, and without
power—and every lane and alley sent forth its
throng of working men, in their fustian jackets,
or in their shirt sleeves, to greet him (as though
he were some great prince in his pride and autho-
rity) with acclamations. When the Austrian
hyena, HAYNAU, came over here, on the contrary
his evil reputation brought him into trouble
among the burly draymen of Southwark, who
could not, for the life of them, understand why
they should not kick and hustle a Grand Foreign
Marshal, and all that. Why they should not
twist his long moustache if they could not get at
his nose in the skrimmage—knowing all the time
that he was accused (rightfully or wrongfully
accused, it mattered not to them) that he was
accused of Flogging Women I Or, which comes
of course exactly to the same thing, of ordering
them to be flogged ! KOSS UTI.I they cheered
and doffed their hats to. HAYNAIT
they yelled after and pelted. We don't think
either kind of reception would be precisely the
reception accorded by the Londoners to the Arch-
duke CoNsTAarrnra. We sincerely hope neither
would be—in the event of his extending his visit
to this country from Osborne to London. Cer-
tainly neither are his due. But as certainly, to
our thinking, silence, stern and profound silence
would be the most fitting welcome, on the part

very able speech, should ensure a speedy and effi-
cient remedy, sufficient to preven t the possibility
of the repetition of such atrocities as those above
referred to.

Bad as the case had been in England,
and the readers of the Sun must be
familiar with many such instances, it is far worse
in Scotland. Here there must be the certificate
of at least two quasi skilful persons, and, in the
case of a pauper lunatic, an examination before a
magistrate. But in the sister kingdom these pre-
cautions are frequently dispensed with. It ap-
pears that in the Edinburgh Poor Houses lunatics
were admitted without any license from the Sheriff,
and sometimes without any medical certificate
that they were mad at all. The responsibility of
the management rested solely with the parochial
authorities. Into what a fearful instrument of
oppression might this be converted ! What
facilities would it afford for the removal of
an obnoxious member of a family which
had influence with those in temporary
power ! The Commissioners declare that " the
reasons for abstaining from applying for a licence
appear to have been the wish to avoid payment
of the fees, and to be exempt from the inspection
and interference on the part of the Sheriffs I" This
is probably the chief cause, and it should subject
' those who have been exercising irresponsible
authority to stringent punishment. The Com-
missioners declare that there is " scarcely a poor-
house in the kingdom in which there are not
several insane persons, who have been irregularly
admitted in the same way 1"
We shall not go through the numerous cases
cited by Mr. ELLICE from the report. It would
be a sickening task, and would only disgust our
readers.. Those who wish to examine the details
can do so in the speech of the Hon. Gentleman.
Abundant reasons were supplied to prove beyond
the possibility of dispute or difficulty, not only
the propriety but the imperative necessity of im-
mediate legislation. Indeed the whole code
relating to lunacy not only in Scotland,
but in all parts of the United King-
dom, requires a searching revision and
the adoption of every precaution—l st. to
prevent the possibility of any person being unduly
incarcerated under an unfounded pretext of in-
sanity ; and 2d, to ensure the best care and at-
tention to those of whose unfortunate condition
there can be no possible doubt. If the parties
, are possessed of means, those means should be
applied to inorease their own comforts, not to be
absorbed by greedy relatives or keepers ; if not,
they should, even at the public expense have
every comfort belonging to the condition in which
they were born, and to which they had been
accustomed. The Workhouse tests are intended
to prevent persons from improperly claiming pub-
lic relief, which would not be required save from
sheer idleness. But they do not apply to
lunatics, who must„ whatever their own inclina-
tions, be placed under control and deprived of
the opportunity of earning their own livelihood.
The question in their case, should be not " what
is the lowest rate at which they can be main-
tained t" but, " what is best calculated to restore
them to society ?" or if that be impossible, to
render their existence as free from annoyance as
may be practicable.

The nation is indebted to Mr. ELLtOE, junior
for his very judicious efforts, we trust he will not
relax them, until he has produced the legitimate
results, and freed the United Kingdom from the
scandal and reproach to which it is now liable.

We fully concur with Mr. DISRAELI in the
desire that the English Sovereign for the time
being would retain his or her hereditary revenues,
and not be compelled to make repeated, and we
may add humiliating, applications to Parliament
for assistance. But we cannot agree with the
Right Honourable Gentleman in thinking that a
very good bargain was not concluded on behalf of
Queen IrrcroßlA when she surrendered her private
income, and trusted to the liberalityand generosity
of her people. That income, according to Mr. Dm-
RAELI, amounted in round numbers to 260,0001.
per annum—a handsome provision doubtless, and
one with which most persons would be well con-
tented. But from that 'gross sum the expenses
of management, or rather mismanagement, which
amount to a handsome per tentage, must be de-
ducted. But even if the 260,0001. were net
profit, and that every shilling thereof found its
'way into the privy purse, we find, per contra, Ist,
the Civil List, which amounts for her MAJESTY to
385,0001., and charge for pensions, which any
nobleman or wealthy gentleman would defray
from his private means, 11,4571. 10s.—total,
396,4571. 103. The annuities for the Royal
family 151,7881. 4s. 4d. (including the 30,0001.
for His Royal Highness the Prince Consort.
Then for Royal Palaces and public buildings,
170,7791. 174.—then Royal Parks, 79,3211.
then some special items relating to Buckingham
Palace, 5,9371.—then for Buckingham House,
11,0001.—then for Windsor improvements,
3,718/., and finally, for the Duchy of Cornwall
office, 6,5001. We have thus, on one side of the,
balance-sheet—Hereditary Revenues, 260,0004 ;
and, on the other side, Civil List, 396,4571. 10s. ;
Annuities to the Royal Family, 151,7881. 43,
4d. ; Royal Palaces, Parks, dzc., 277,2551. 17s, ;
total, 725,5011. 11s, 4d. ; leaving a deficiency
of 465,5011. lls. 4d.
According, then, to COCKER, the benefit to
Her MAJESTY by the " improvident bargain," is
465,5011. 11s. 41, or nearly half a million
sterling per annum. This statement is taken
from the accounts for the year ending 31st March,
1856. The annuity and dotation for the Princess
Royal is therefore not included, but still we can-
not see that the loss to the Crown (1) gives only
claim to additional liberality. There is little
doubt that the hereditary revenues might be im-
proved, or that they would be improved, in the
hands of an individual whose interests it was to
make the best of them.. All we can say is, that if
the advisers of the Crown decide to get rid of the
bargain, and to provide for all the private ex-
penses of Royalty therewith, we, on behalf of
the over-burdened tax payers will yield a ready
assent, and thus far contribute to the thorough
independence of the Crown, by freeing it from the
necessity of preferring any applications for pecu-
niary assistance to the Parliament or People of
the -United Kingdom.

EAST INDIA. CIVIL SERVICC—Mr. J. H. Crawford
has resigned the Company's Civil Service. Major
Strachey it is said, to officiate as Secretary to the Go-
vernment of India in the department of Public Works
on the retirement of Lieut.-Colonel Baker, until the
arrival of Captain Yule from England, who will be the
permanent incumbent. Sir Henry Davison, the newly-
appointed Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court in the
Madras Presidency, has entered upon his judicial func-
tions. Two additional judges have been appointed to
the Bombay Sadder Court, and an Assistant-Registrar.
It is reported that Major Ommanney, Superintending.
Engineer, Lower Provinces, will succeed Col. Fraser.
C. 8., as Officiating Chief Engineer, Punjab.—Civil
Service Gazette.
WARD OF FARRINGDON-WITRIN.—It is understood to
ba the intention of Mr. Alderman Eagleton to resign
the office of Alderman of the ward of Farringdon-within,
iz, t e course of a few dap. Mr. Phillips, of the firm of
Fati,Ll and Phillips, a member of the Jewish commu-
oity, who has for several years bean one of the represen-
USZIVB9 of the ward of Farringdon-within in the Court of
Common Council, and Mr. Thomas Parker, of St. Paul's
Churchyard, who has also for several years been a re-
presentative of the ward of Castle Baynard, are spoken
of as candidates for the alderrnanio gown.