The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-28 00:00:00

111- Itentna

LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1850.

Before another week has elapsed the question of
extramural interments in reference to the metropolis
will be again revived in the Legislature. Monday
next being fixed for the consideration of the Govern-
ment scheme in a Committee of the Commons, we
may "anticipate that the subject will receive due
attention from the sanitary reformers in Parliament.
Since the time of its introduction to the House, in-
deed, since the period of its second reading, the merits
and demerits of the proposed measure of improvement
hare been conspicuously revealed by the agitation
excited without doors among its advocates
and opponents. 111-feelings of the bitterest character
have been aroused now against the antagonists of the
Bill in its present form, now against the entire pro-
ject of the Administration. Between these angry
disputants we have throughout endeavoured to insu-
late our judgmeut, not from any indifference or
apathy, but from an eager solicitude to consider the
whole matter dispassionately. Our endeavour in this
particular has only been enhanced in its earnestness
from observing the indecent fury engendered by party
spirit and mere class-interests in the undertaking. The
disgraceful disturbance witnessed only very recently
i❑ the principal apartment of the Crown and Anchor
Tavern, of itself, affords a sufficiently painful evi-
dence of the kind of passions actuating the wholesale
assailants of the movement. Against the execrable
proceedings of these miserable pests of society, bat-
toning as they do like so many gouls or vampires upon
the death and bereavement of their fellow-creatures, we
would exert the whole of our influence with the po-
pulation. Anything more thoroughly detestable
than the selfishness and avarice displayed by them in
regard to a great wrong which, while tending to
" fleece" the pockets of the humbler classes, promotes
the spread of contagious maladies in our largest cities,
and perceptibly increases the amount of the annual
mortality, we cannot call to our recollection. It
must not be imagined, however, from this—that like
some enemies of the present system of carrying on
the business of undertakers, we would deny that body
of traders all the ordinary enjoyments of convi-
viality, that we would restrict them perpetually
to "the dejected 'haviour of the visage," as well as
the " customary suits of solemn black," turning their
hours of relaxation into ridicule, and treating their
laughter as an enormity. Heaven knows they are
destined quite frequently enough to come in contac
with the miseries recurring to humanity, to have al
their hours embittered by an uninterrupted affects.
tion of sorrow. Preposterous as such a notion obvi.
ously is, it would actually appear to be the belief o
some of the most systematic satirists of the under.
takers. Now, while we would permit them, of course.

a certain latitude in this particular, we would with

only increased ardour protest against the disgusting
claim put forward in their behalf for pecuniary com-
pensation in regard to the proposed plan for extra-
mural interment. It is argued by their spokesmen,
we are perfectly aware, that they are quite as fully
entitled to compensation as the clergy of the Esta-
blishment. The argument is reasonable enough in
itself, and demonstrates in glaring colours the shame-
lessness of the Cabinet in bribing the ecclesiastical
functionaries in the manner they have done, so as to
render the proposed innovation in some degree accep-
table to the clergymen.
From indications we have recently observed it
would appear that the cause in which, until very
lately, we stood altogether alone, has at length in -
cited a number of the true and energetic friends of
the movement to an opposition against the
scheme: of the Government. The plausible cha-
racter of the Bill introduced to the Lower
branch of the Legislature, although for a time suc-
cessful in deceiving the unwary, has proved inca-
pable of passing through the ordeal of an attentive
scrutiny, and has at length become sufficiently trans-
parent. Those who were foremost in applauding the
advance step taken by the Government are now
shrinking from any complicity with an arrangement
in accordance with which a large amount of
power will devolve upon the clergy of the
Establishment. It has become too apparently
the intention of the Cabinet to truckle to the eccle-
siastical party for any real representative of the
popular interests to connive at a proceeding so pecu-
liarly dangerous. Hence it is that we perceive men,
who were among the most eager in welcoming the
Ministerial measure on the occasions of its first and
second reading, preparing now at the eleventh hour
to oppose it energetically in Committee. Having our-
selves been the first to expose the evil tendency of
the Metropolitan Interments Bill, before the public
judgment was aware that its influence was calculated
to prove most pernicious, it is, of course, unnecessary
for us to remark that our sympathies will accompany
all the opponents in Committee of the scheme as
planned out by the Administration. Yet, while
sympathising most cordially with the antagonists of
the measure, we are anything but anxious to witness
the total discomfiture of the whole of the project of the
Government. All that we are anxious to witness is the
purgation from the Bill of those clauses which we
have already specified and enumerated as being cer-
tain, if carried into effect, to prove most detrimental
to the interests of the population. Let the plan be
modified, not rejected ; and, ultimately, not merely
the metropolis, but the whole of the great cities o

the United Kingdom, will have reason to exult in the
;Humph of the benevolent movement undertaken of

[ate years in behalf of a general system of extra

mural interment.

There can be but little doubt, that the evils so
oudly complained of in the system of Chancery pro-
cedure, the vexatious delays, enormous expenses, and
practical injustice inflicted upon the suitors of the
so-called " Court of Equity," are in a great degree,
if not altogether, ascribable to the numerous avoca-
tions and unremitting toil imposed upon the Lord
High Chancellor. That learned functionary has been
compelled to devote his entire time to the discharge
of the actual and imperative duties of his situa-
tion. He had no fitting opportunity to
apply himself to the consideration of the
ameliorations, so loudly demanded by the voice of
public opinion. He was, in fact, but too happy if
he could discharge his political duties, and prevent a
considerable increase of the arrears of business in his
court, which had been continually augmenting for
many years. Official etiquette and gentlemanly cour-
tesy alike demanded that he should be consulted upon
any contemplated reforms before they were finally,
determined. lie would naturally be considered re-
sponsible for every change carried into execution with
his own sanction and approbation. He had no leisure
sufficient to enable him to calculate their probable
operation, or to provide adequate remedies for any
deficiency that might arise in their working. There
were many contingencies to be guarded against
which he could not possibly provide for. Necessarily,
therefore, he was opposed to every great and compre-
hensive measure, such as was demanded by the ad-
vanced spirit of the age, and the greatly increased
population and enhanced property brought within his
jurisdiction. His exalted- situation demanded that
bis approval
should b. e' received in the first
e r o
duties disabled him from bestow-
ingPe
ra t
ti ns
thatitvaenl instance
required
anddu °i
beforeg attentive
he czsdi dati nso
c
conscientiously-
express his assent and approval.Whi l e
the
improvements were effected in the procedure
courts of common law, Chancery still remained com-
paratively unchanged, the only ameliorations intro-
dueed—the appointment of additional Vice-Chan-