The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-03 00:00:00

art atilt

LONDON, MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1850.

Nothing, we trust, will interfere with the determi-
nation, now grown prevalent among the real Sanitary
Reformers in the House of Commons, to effect a com-
plete and comprehensive emendation of the several
clauses specified by ourselves as most objectionable
in the Ministerial measure relating to Metropolitan
Interment. Any decrease of energy in the opposition
displayed to these clauses, arising out of an over-
anxiety not to obstruct the first movement of relief
taken in the matter by her MAJESTY'S Government,
would be not merely shortsighted but most reprehen-
sible. Rather than have the Bill now before K. &la-
ment accepted as a boon in the way of improvement,
we would gladly see the whole scheme rejected, and
thereby doomed to a yet further postponement. Our
preference in this regard arises from our sense of
the extreme danger incurred by the rights of
the population, if the powers of administration in re•
ference to the proposed cemeteries be banded over to
the clerical party in the unconditional manner inti-
mated by the plans submitted to the Legislature by
the ruling Cabinet. Supposing their plans in their
present form, and without undergoing any modifica-
tion whatever, were allowed to be carried practically
into effect, the preponderance of the evil produced
over the good secured by the change would be very
speedily perceptible. It would then be discovered,
when perhaps too late, that the superior advantage of
extramural over intramural interment would be
scarcely recompense for the circumstance of the ex-
orbitant compensation accorded to the ecclesiastical
functionaries, especially as the option would still remain
with those authorities to close or open the present
metropolitan graveyards, precisely as they might find
it convenient. This we have demonstrated already
more than once, by direct reference to the different
clauses of the Bill about to be considered in Commit-
tee. To be plain—the measure is altogether a mere
clerical measure, and not one tending to develope
the popular improvement. The very principle upon
which the whole Bill has been constructed indicates
this with sufficient clearness. It is there perceptible
that the Ministerial promoters of the project have
set out in the undertaking with the notion that before
any change can be attempted in the way of establish-
ing a system of extramural interment, justice re-
quires that the clergy of the Establishment should
receive a certain amount of compensation. Now against
this idea we protest altogether, regarding it, as we
do, as wholly and totally preposterous. The plain-
spoken undertaker, who claimed for himself and for
the other traders in his line of busines', an equal
right with the clergy to compensation, was only
speaking the bold blunt truth, however ridiculous his
demand may have appeared. If compensation is to
be given to the clergy of the Establishment, com-
pensation ought also to be given to the undertakers.
True enough, the undertakers want pecuniary com-
pensation, while the clergy are contented to receive
compensation in the way of power and so forth ;
but against the naked principle of compensation
altogether we protest, as against an odious wrong to
the people, a shameless concession to the ecclesiastical
authorities, and a miserable and most culpable abne-
gation of dignity on the part of the Government.
No compensation whatever, we maintain, is neces-
sary as an antecedent to the change in the way of
extramural interment-eabe it either compensation to
the clergy, or compensation to the undertakers.
The origin of all these wretched concessions made
by the Cabinet to the clerical party must at any rate
be sufficiently comprehensible. The Government, in
making the first great movement in the way of sani-
tary amelioration, were aware of the extent of the
opposition they might have to encounter; and con-
sequently looked around them for the purpose of ren-
dering a disagreeable change at least in some re-
spects palateable. For this purpose they have en-
deavoured to gild the bolus of alteration with the
charming tinsel of power, in order that it might be
swallowed more easily by the clergy of the Esta-
blishment. It is almost needless, we should
imagine, for us to protest that in acting
thus we conceive that the Cabinet has acted in
a manner derogatory to its dignity. Its derogation
of dignity, in fact, consists in its thus truckling to
the ecclesiastical influences in a matter intimately
affecting the popular rights and the popular conve-
nience ; and we are satisfied that its members have
thereby materially diminished their already suffi-
ciently deteriorated reputation. Happily the con-
cession has been detected betimes. The pernicious
tendency of the different clauses, enumerated and par-
ticularised in the columns of The Sun, has been dis-
cerned even before the formation of the House of
Commons into a Committee ; so that the aspirants
for an unexceptionable system of extramural inter-
ment have ample opportunity for modifying
and perfecting the skeleton plan submitted to
their consideration by the Government. Should
they allow this inestimable opportunity to
pass by without availing themselves of it,
in any adequate manner, theirs and theirs alone
will be the responsibility, theirs and theirs alone
will be the culpability. This evening the subject will
be revived in Parliament. This evening, therefore,
we shall look with confident expectation to Mr.
MACKINNON and the rest of the Sanitary Reformers
in the House of Commons, sanguine that they will
correct by a timely and resolute opposition the errors
and demerits arising from the concessions made by
the Government. If any apathy be evinced in
reference to the particular arrangements about to be
enforced by the new enactment—the friends of the
movement contenting themselves with the self-
gratulatory reflection that the old evils
arising from miscellaneous burial in city
graveyards are about to be dissipated—we dread
to anticipate the pernicious consequence of any such
disrelish for vigilant pre-investigation. Our solici-
tude upon the subject arises from a knowledge that
this, of all contrivances, would be the most certain to
lead the way to the rendering of the most important
of all the branches of sanitary reform unpopular.
Extramural interment would very speedily be asso-
ciated in the public mind with the annoying con-
sciousness of clerical encroachments upon some of the
most cherished rights of the multitude, if the Bill
now before the Legislature were accepted without
emendation. The whole scheme would become de-
testable so soon as the people found the ill effects
of an almost irresponsible ecclesiastical manage-
ment. Rather than see the direction of the
projected cemeteries reposed unconditionally in
the hands of the clergy, we are satisfied that the
population of the metropolis would even prefer the
indefinite postponement of all the desired changes
until
,ouch time as the Parliament and the Govern-
ment could recognise the indecency and shameless-
ness of these most unnecessary concessions. Unless
the Cabinet yields upon this particular, allowing the
measure to undergo wholesome emendation in Com-
mittee the results of the enactment will prove—in-
evitably prove—most detrimental
to
their own and
,
other estimable interests • it will bringinto discredit
and it will
the agitation for sanitary
improvement;
3i Inisotferial advisers of
the
eclipseth the
SOVEREIGNwith unp oapnudl at rhi
et y
membersthe
Ecclesias-
tical establishment.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY has given notice
that he will move certain resolutions condemnatory
of the Bill now pending before the Commas Houle