The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-01 00:00:00

THE WHEELER AND WILSON

LOCK STITCH. SEWING MACHINE :
At the Paris Exhibition, working sido by side,
was Machine No. 1 and No. 300,000 of the
Wheeler and Wilson Manufacture; the former
not differing in principle from the latter, and
doing as good work after fourteen years' use.

THE WHEELER AND WILSON
LOCK sTrrcii SEWING MACHINE
With all the latest improvements and additions.
Pricy from £B.

THE WHEELER AND WILSON
LOCK STITCH SEWING MACHINE
Prospectus Post Free. Instruction Gratis.

THE WHEELER AND WILSON
LOCK STITCH SEWING MACHINE :
139, Regent-street, Wrest ; 43, St. Paul's Church-
yard, E.C.

111GII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tins DAY.—Morning, 6h. 36m.—Afternoon, 7h. Om.
To-Monnow.-Morning, 711. 25m.—Afternoon, 7h. 50m.

;1;'.;
ttjgg,

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 1, 1868.

The great anxiety which exists among all classes
to give substantial and satisfactory relief to the
afflicted population of the East-end parishes has
lately been mingled with a good deal of apprehen-
sion lest public benevolence might be misdirected.
There seemed to be some reason to fear, not only
that designing persons might successfully impose
on the too credulous kindness of the donors, but
that even respectable labourers and their families
might grow too dependent on easily acquired gifts,
and thus become eventually pauperised. It is ad-
mitted by every social philosopher that it is of
vast importance to preserve that independence
and self-respect which so especially distinguish
the better classes of the English poor, and which
are entirely opposed to a system of begging. At
he same time these very feelings render it more
incumbent on those who really wish to reliove dis-
tress to seek out such cases. The East-end of
London- is a wide area, with a population num-
bered by hundreds of thousands, and the charity
must needs be active and discriminating which
would discover every case of real necessity among
them, and would avoid distributing public funds
to the idle, the drunken, and the undeserving. No
less than nine societies have been labouring for the
relief of distress in the East-end, but notwith-
standing their efforts much remains to be done.
No doubt all the members were actuated by the
best intentions, and addressed themselves to their
arc'uous task with energy and self-denial, but the
co ifusion which always results from divided autho-
rity necessarily resulted from their labours. Two
or more of their officers might be separately re-
lieving the same persons in the same district, while
others in equal or greater distress got nothing at

all. Those best acquainted with the population
have confidently affirmed, that while the improvi-
dent and worthless have obtained relief four or
five times over, the really deserving have often got
nothing at all. Some mistakes are, no doubt, in-
evitable among such a dense population, but the
machinery at work was ill adapted to guard against
them. Naturally enough, when the public began
to hear so much about the ill effects produced by
indiscriminate charity, subscriptions began to grow
slack, and amid all the outcry about the advantage
taken by the undeserving, people began to forget
how great and how widespread •ere the destitution
and distress which are now actually existing. It is
with very great satisfaction that the public will
learn that all the societies, with one exception,
have determined on combining their efforts, and
that henceforth the receipt and administration of
funds will be entirely vested in the hands of " The
United Executive Committee for the Relief of
Special Distress at the East-end." The principles
which guided the Manchester Committee through
the perils and perplexities of the Cotton Famine
have been- adopted by the societies. They have
determined to leave the parochial authorities to deal
exclusively with the pauper element, the guardians
taking care that the relief which is given shall be
sufficient to support life without supplementary
aid. The charitable societies charge themselves
with the care of those who most require their
aid, and for whom the contributions were
especially intended—the industrious poor who have
been reduced to want by loss of employment and
the stagnation of trade. It is members of this class
who will sit and starve in their wretched attics
rather than push through the crowds at the work-
house door, or go begging from one office to
another. It is they who need to be sought out and
assisted, and to whom timely relief during the
period of the distress, especially if that relief be
given by means of employment, is the greatest pos-
sible boon. There is room enough at the East-end
of London for the action of every member of
every committee, and as many volunteers
as they can got to help thein:; only it is
imperative that they should act from one
central point, so that the diverging lines may
not cross and re-cross each other. The public will
henceforth be able to subscribe with confidence to
the funds, knowing that unity of action is secured,
and that a system of communication has been
established with the guardians, so that there shall
be no clashing of voluntary relief and legal relief.
By this means imposture will be guarded against,
destitution will be relieved ; and while such pre-
cautions are taken against double being given
to one applicant, there will be much less danger
than heretofore of any case being altogether over-
looked.

The one society which has stood aloof from all
others is the East London Mission and Relief Com-
mittee, whose members, with more zeal than dis-
cretion, endeavour to combine religious teaching
with substantial relief. No doubt much good may
eventually coins out of this distress, by its bringing
the ministers of all denominations into contact with
those who had, in more prosperous times, kept aloof
from them, and by familiarising the wealthier
classes with the sufferings of the poor. But such
good must come indirectly, and we shall trace it, we
may hope, in enlarged schools, sewing classes, free
libraries, and other establishments, and in an im-
proved tone of feeling and sense of sympathy
among the population. lle who expects to make as
many converts as he gives loaves and blankets to
will be likely to make as many hypocrites as he has
pensioners.

g frreoamt perplexity au be
t outof thet
h eE
sa sh
p- ewnrdi di-
tress itss
arises
have done great mischief to their neigh-
bours by alienating the work from their yards, and
much interest was excited at yesterday's meeting by
Mr. SAMUDA, who is naturally familiar with the whole
bearings of the labour question. Mr. SAMUDA said
he was informed that while the shipwrights were
refusing Clyde wages here they did not scruple to
go to the north and accept the wages paid there,
sending up meanwhile their contributions to the
Unions. Further, he had discovered that many
men who had left him had gone to work in the
dockyards for ss. a day, though they held out against
a reduction from 7s. in private yards. Other
workmen have been equally to blame,
each department choosing its own time
to strike for an increase of wages. The
result of all these temporary successes has been
to drive work away altogether, and thus punish the
whole district. No doubt much valuable informa-
tion in connection with this subject will be brought
to light by the labours of the united committees ;
and their exertions will thus be doubly valuable in
relieving the present distress and in guarding against
the chances of its future recurrence.

The debate on the Press Bill was continued yes-
terday, and then was not completed, but will be
resumed to-day. M. J u ES FAVRE's speech was
worthy of 'notice, for he represented • '
the opinions of
the Opposition, and spoke with decision great ••on on
the complicated question. In soin,,
respects he
admitted that the bill might be complete so far as
it put a stop to the monopoly of pub]: • ishing and
printing, and did away with the necessity for pre•
vious authorisation. lie then went on to show the
harm that had been done by the " b• •
su jection of the
Press," as he very properly styled it,
maintaining
that the result of it had been the expedition
to
Mexico, and had made France play a secondary
part in the affairs of 1866, while at ho me it had
created a complete stagnation in pub •he business,
a new loan, anxiety, and disasters. This was strong
language, but who can say that it is too strong,
when we consider how completely, to all intents
and purposes, the Press has been gagged, while all
those matters should have been discussed. The
policy of France during the last two years has not
been so successful at home or so flourishing
abroad that strictures may not be passed upon the
inflexible determination which stops all expression
of opinion, and checks the inclination to discuss
the desirability and non-desirability of the changes
which are proposed by the Government.
M. FAVRE continued by denouncing the blows
which have been aimed at the Press, and which had
virtually condemned it to silence. A free Press
ought to be adopted without the authorities giving
way to any apprehensions as to the agitation which
might be the result of it. The Opposition were
not sparing in their criticisms on the measure, for
M. GRANIER DE CASSIGNAC made some condemna-
tory remarks. He asked why the bill was brought
in at all, for the Chamber did not desire it. It
would give trouble to society, and end by impart-
ing additional strength to the enemies of the
Administration ; besides, this speaker declared
that if they only waited awhile until political pas-
sion should have expended themselves, it might be
possible to adopt the system which prevailed in
England. This would indeed be a desideratum,
but we fear that there is little chance of it as yet,
for it would but ill accord with the present policy
of the Imperial Government. At any rate they
have had plenty of warning, and some home
truths were uttered during the debate which
might well arrest the attention of the most indiffe-
rent, and shake the self-complaoency of the most