The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-20 00:00:00

eluning 2/int4

LONDON. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 20, 1845.

A case has occurred at Northfleet, in Kent, of that
character which so frequently enlists the sympathies,
and not seldom the judgment, of the public against the
existing law for the relief of the poor. There can de-
volve upon the Legislature and Government of a great
,ountry like this no duty more sacred, and certainly
few more difficult, than that of assessing and adminis-
tering the funds required for the maintenance of that
,ast proportion of the pauper community, who are
entitled by law and by the absolutely helpless nature of
heir condition to be the recipients of this national con-
tribution. In considering the numberless allegations of
cruelty, oppression, neglect, and mismanagement which
!Ire constantly preferred against local boards of guardians
and relieving-otlicer.z, we are bound to bear in mind the in-
vidious nature of the duties they have to perform, and of the
oifficulties which beset even the most honest and upright
•lotermination faithfully to administer its provisions. To
ascertain in each case bow far it comes up to the
statutable test of utter destitution—to distinguish aright
between the contrived or voluntary pauperism of the
able-bodied labourer, who will not work when he can
obtain employment, and the at least equal pauperism of
the well-disposed and industrious labourer who cannot
obtain that employment, which he anxiously seeks in
every possible direction—is, beyond all doubt, a work of
much greater perplexity than those who have never
essayed it probably imagiue. In like manner, much

allowance should be made to the same authorities and
officers for the difficulties they experience in distinguish-
ing between the cases in which they will be justified in
administering wines and other restoratives, such as
medical or surgical cases of emergency and danger re-
quire, and those in which they may feel, as the stewards
of the rate-payers, that they would not be justified in
granting the issue of such costly indulgences. Giving,
however, their full weight to such considerations as
these, there are other circumstances, too frequently the
matter of such painful disclosures as we allude to, as to
which there can be no reasonable perplexity, or doubt,
or difficulty on the minds of guardians, churchwardens,
and medical and relieving officers, honestly intending to
discharge the duties devolved upon them in their several
capacities.
A case of this unquestionable and melancholy cha-
racter forms the subject of the inquest now being held
before Mr. CARTTAR, one of the Coroners for the
county of Kent, on the body of JOHN TUCKWELL, a
labourer and a pauper, but not a pauper within the
union house, or receiving parish relief in money, who
appears to have perished from the want of ordinary
medical assistance—and so far as regards some of the
parties implicated in the transaction, we must say from
the want of all ordinary feelings of human sympathy.
It appeared from the evidence gone into, that the de-
ceased had comedown to that part of the county, a few
days before, a fine robust young man of eight-and-
twenty, in quest of employmer.t in his business of a
bricklayer. Thepoor woman, at whose house he had taken
up his lodgings, applied to the overseer, and informing
him that TuciovELL was dangerously ill and confined to
his bed, induced this officer to visit the sick man, whom
he found in a state of great exhaustion, and suffering
under a formidable eruption. The landlady explained
to him that the man wanted stimulants, up .n which the
relieving officer observed (poor TUCKWELL having in-
formed him, in the course of their interview, that, when
well and at work, he could e irn five shillings a day) that
he could not comply with her request, the Poor-law
Commissioners, in such a case, having taken all power
out of his hands to administer any such assistance.
Subsequently, the assistant-overseer, Mr. lltociss,
having seen the man, addressed an order to the medical
officer to attend the poor man without delay. The
medical officer, a Mr. WHITcoMB, and a Mr. Wow),
one of the poor-law guardians, appear to have taken
grave offence at this act of Mr. Ilic.orsTs's, as a most
unseasonable, or, at any rate, unwarrantable act of
common humanity. The medical officer stated, on
his examination by the Coroner, that the eruption
which the man was labouring under he immediately
concluded to be the small-pox, for which he sent
him a powder, desiring the landlady to give the patient
some arrowroot and gruel from time to time, and he id
not visit him for some days after. He declared his
opinion at that time that the man had taken the disease
favourably, but admitted that the disease was approach-
ing its crisis. He only visited him a second time, on
being instructed by the overseer, whom he met at some
other part of the Union district, that TUCKWELL was very
dangerously ill ; so fast sinking, indeed, under the ex-
treme debility induced by the virulence of the disease
and the want of stimulants, that this Mr. Wurreomn
himself, who seems, by the way, to have formed a most
erroneous estimate of the intensity of the disorder and
the character of its " crisis," immediately directed
wine and brandy-and-water to be administered. The
poor man died, however, for the relief seems to-have come
too late. Now, we must designate the evidence given
by Mr. WHITCOMB as marked by a want of
candour and a want of feeling such as we shoal be
sorry to believe are often to be found in gentlemen,
members of his profession, and occupying such situa-
tions. It is clear, from his own statement, that his
sympathies are occasional only, and technical. He says
that—" had the case been brought under his notice in
the proper manner—that is, by an order of the Relieving
Officer—he should certainly have felt it his duty to visit
the man the day after his first visit." And, to be sure,
how could a practitioner of Mr. WHITCOMB'S eminence
be expected to visit a miserable wretch, mortally struck
with a terrible disease, upon an order emanating from
no higher or more dignified authority than an assistant-
overseer ? Accordingly, he took care to let the
jury understand that "he is not compelled to visit
any sick upon an overseer's order more than once,
even in cases of emergency." The assistant overseer,
Mr. Inconss, who, on the representation of the land-
lady, had given this order, was afterwards told by Mr.
Wool), the poor-law guardian, and SIDDILL, the reliev-
ing officer, that he had no business to have given that
order, and must pay the expenses of the medical atten-
dant and the medicines himself. From the testimony
of HEMMINGS, the cousin, and fellow-lodger of the de-
ceased, it is clear that Mr. WHITCOMB was excessively
annoyed at being twice applied to (and applied to in vain)
by linsimistos to visit TUCKWELL before he went to him
under the instructions of the proper officer. Mr. WOOD,
the poor. law guardian, was extremely wroth at the
evidence of BELTS, which contained, he said, not a word
of truth. But inasmuch as between Mr. WHITCOMB,—
who deposed that he made a report of this case on the
night of his first visit to TUCKWELL. .Iso Cif
we understand him) another after his second
visit to the Rochester Board of Guardians,—and Mr.
WOOD, those reports were not forthcoming, the Coro-
ner very properly adjourned the inquest to a future day,
in order to give time for the production of those impor
taint documents, which we must suppose to be in exist-
ence, for the further information of the jury; and also
to have the opportunity cf examining all parties whom-
soever who might have it in their power to throw any
light upon this painful case. We are glad to observe,
that on the part of the Poor-law Commissioners an offi-
cer has been deputed to watch these proceedings. They
owe it to their own station and authority, and still more
to public opinion, to make a most searching examination
into all the facts of the case, and we trust that should
ulterior proceedings against any parties be rendered
necessary by the result of the inquest, the Commis.
sioners will not leave us to complain of any indisposition
on their part promptly to adopt them.

The following letter from Halberstadt furnishes fur-
ther particulars relating to the preaching of Able
Ronge

" Halberstadt, Aug. 10.
"On Wednesday afternoon Abbe Ronge, who has nume-
rous partisans in this place, delivered his first sermon at
Halberstadt, in the open air, and in the yard of the cathedral,
before several thousand persons of every age and sex.
" As soon as he had pronounced the last words of his sermon,
which were these,—' Yes, brethren, Rome ought to fall, and
she will fall !' a rustling noise was heard among the por-
tion of the audience nearest the pulpit, when a salesman,
well known for the fervour of his religious belief,
rushed forward after Abbe Ronge, who had just left the
pulpit, and endeavoured to throw a stone at him. The per-
sons who were near this fanatic held him back and prevented
him realising his culpable intention ; but at the same instant
a young man struck, with a heavy stick, a violent blow upon
the back of Abbe Ronge, who immediately fell on the ground.
The Abbe got up and ran away, but soon afterwards was
further ill-treated by several other men ; and it was only with
great difficulty, and through the protection afforded him
by a great number of his friends, that he succeeded in gaining
the hotel he lodged at.
" Some moments after a crowd of his partisans walked
through the streets of the town, and threw stones at the windows
of the houses they thought to be inhabited by Roman
Catholics. The police put all their agents on foot to appease
the tumult, but their efforts were useless ; the rioters breathed
only rage and vengeance. The military were called out, same
detachments of infantry and cavalry appeared, and after having
ordered the rebels to retire, which was not obeyed, the troops
charged them, and blood flowed in abundance. The German
Catholics went in crowds to the Rue de la Digue, where dwelt
the salesman who had endeavoured to throw a stone at Abbe
Ronge • they barricaded themselves in this narrow street, and
demolished from top to bottom the house of this individual.
It was only then they separated, and that tranquillity was
re-established in Halberstadt.

" The number of the killed and wounded is not at present
known ; that of the persons arrested is upwards of 150. The
Royal Court of Magdeburg has instituted an inquiry into the
affair, and will judge it when the inquiry has terminated."
The Post Ainpt Gazette of Frankfort states, from
Leipsic, the 13th, that the number of persons killed is
nine, and the wounded from thirty to forty, and adds,
that the municipal authorities, in order to prevent new
excitement, had refused to allow the dead to be buried
publicly. A Leipsic letter of the 14th, in the Universal
German Gazette, has the following:—
" The number of dead up to this time is fourteen. Lather's
hymn, sung by the crowd, produced a deep sensation in the
whole city. In addition to the infantry, we have new several
battalions of cavalry. There is the best feeling here towards
the King, but this is not the case as regards other members
of the Royal Family. A meeting has taken place of 700
students and 2,000 citizens, in which it was declared that the
murder of the citizens should be avenged, but only by legal
means. It was resolved to send a deputation to the King, with
an address of loyalty and devotedness. The following is the
address of the Municipal Council to his Majesty Sire, we,
in common with our fellow-citizens, friends of law and older,
deeply regret the sad events which have occurred here. We
declare respectfully, from a sense of duty toward! your Ma-
jesty, our fellow-citizens, and ourselves, that we are tne more
grieved the Communal Guard was not employed to reestablish
order, as it would have prevented the calamity which has fallen
upon us. We supplicate your Majesty to order a rigid inquiry
as to the conduct of all who took part in these events, on what-
ever side they may be. In this period of agitation our hope is
in the wisdom and justice of your Majesty, and in your un-
failing solicitude for the welfare of the country. Your Ma-
jesty will deign to receive the expression of the devotedness of
our city and of our unshaken "
'rho University has adopted measures to induce the
students to abstain from taking part in any turbulent
demonstration ; and the Municipal Council has ordered
that all public places shall be closed at nine o'clock, and
has issued a proclamation inviting masters of houses to
keep their families within doors after ei;ht o'clock The
rural guard are charged with the maintenance of order
in the town.

The Swiss journals state that the Chamber of Com-
merce at Geneva has received the postal treaty concluded

between the Confederation and France relating to the cor-
respondence of Switzerland with France, Algeria, Eng-
land, and other countries whose letters pass through
France. In virtue of this treaty, the inhabitants of Ge-
neva will have to pay for letters to the arrondissement
of Gex only 10 centimes, the Geneva postage included ;
fur those of the departments of the Ain and Jura 20c.,
instead of 40c. ; that of Lyons remains 40c. ; but that of
Paris, Bayonne, Brest, the rest of France, and Algeria,
is to be no more than 40c. ; that to England is to be
80c. Letters between Paris and Geneva may be franked
at 40c. ; the present postage is lf. The treaty pro
vides that in case of the postage within France being
reduced to 20e., the Geneva letters shall be reduced to
30c., including the Geneva charge.

Madrid papers of the 11th and 12th have been re-
ceived.

They all comment on the order for thQ restitution of
the Church property to the secular clergy, which is re-
garded by all parties as a retrograde step towards
Rome and absolutism, and applauded or lamented
accordingly.

The Commandant-General of Malaga, CA9IINEIIO,
has been dismissed. FRANCISCO FuLcosio has been
named to replace him.

According to the Espectdor, many officers in garrison
in Madrid, bad been dismissed from their corps and
ordered to take up their residence in various towns,
thirty or forty leagues off, without any reason being
assigned for such orders.
A Madrid letter of the 11th informs us that the taxes
are become more productive, and are more readily paid,
and that the Minister has demanded an advance of 14
millions of real: from the bank of St. Ferdinand, with
the certainty of its being covered by the receipts of
October.

The Three per Cents. closed at 31+ cash, 311 at 60
days-13,500,090 reals done ; the Five per Cents., 22
cash-3,000,00C reals done.

We have received the Paris papers of Monday.
A letter from Toulon appears in the Cow ier Francais,
from which it appears that en the 11 th and 12th inst•
several matches similar to those found at Marseilles
were discovered in various parts of the arsenal. One of
them was placed under a frigate which is en the stocks.
La Reform does not hesitate to ascribe the origin of the
Toulon fire, and of that which recently occurred at Algiers,
to the ins t igation of perfide Albion. Dues it not strike these
gentlemen that the late continuous rains which have de-
stroyed the harvests in Poitou are also to be attributed
to the instigation of perfide Albion ?
The Conmerce says that the Duke DE MONTPENSIER
has given up the intention of visiting Constantinople.
It appears, says the Commerce--
"That the Prince has among his suite- several officers, na-
tives of Algeria, whom he intend, 'd to present to the Sultan.
Chekih, on being informed of this fact, told M. Borqueney that
such a proceeding would give displeasure to the Ottoman Go-
vernment, because if the Sultan was to receive those spahis as
French officers, it would be implicitly recognising the right of
France to the possession of Algeria. Baron Bourqueney, on
receiving that intimation, immediately dispatched a messenger
to the Prince, requesting him to postpone his visit to the capital
of turkey." " lhe cordial understanding between the Ambas-
sadors of Great Britain and France," adds the Commerce,
" so seriously compromised by the events of last year, is be•
ginning to be re-established. This change is viewed with
satisfaction by the reasonable men of both nations, and particu-
larly the merchants. Everybody feels that when those two
representatives are at variance they are unable to watch over
the interests of their respective countrymen, and lose all the
influence they bad acquired in the country. Russia alone
benefits by their disunion."
The National has a long article on the subject of the
cruelties practised by Marshal BUGEAUD towards the
troops in Algiers. It is generally believed that ho is
recalled, but many persons who ought to be well in-
formed on the subject doubt the truth of the report.
The weather was fine in Paris on Monday, and con-
tributed, we are informed to the firmness of the money
market on that day. The promises of shares of all the
Companies proposing to bid for the Northern Line rose.
Promises to :deliver RoTuscnu.o's shares, should the
line be (as was generally expected) adjudged to that
house, brought 3501. each.

The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse, on Mon-
day at 84f. 45c. ; the Five per Cents. at 121 f. 85c. ; Orleans
Railroad shares, 1,2951. ; Rouen, 1,075 f.; Vierzon, 795 f. ;
Havre, 907 f. 50c.; Avignon, 1,070 f.; Basle, 2831. 75c.; Bel-
gian and Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 59 ; Spanish Domestic
Debt, 304.
Orleans and Bordeaux, 2151. premium ; Boulogne, 130 f.
premium ; Troyes and 31ontereau, 55f.; Paris and Lyons
(Laflitte), 35f. ; ditto (Calon), 7f. 50c. ; ditto (Ganne-
ron), 12f. 50c.; ditto (Lapinsoniere), 31. 50c.; Northern Line,
(Latlitte), 57f. ; ditto (Rosamel), 29f.; ditto (Pepin Lehal-
leur), 15f. ; ditto (Decan), 121. 50c. ; Tours and Nantes (Mac-
kenzie), 151. ; ditto (Drouillard), par; ditto (O'Neill) sf. ;
ditto (Jacques Lefevre), I ; Lyons and Avignon (Lecointe),
17f. 50c.; ditto (Talabot), 401.; ditto (Compagnie Merl-
dionale), 71. 50c.; Bordeaux and Cette (Mackenzie), 2f.;
ditto (Espeleta), 151. ; Cecil and St. Quentin (Kysaens),
par; ditto (Carette), 6. ; ditto (Colbert), par; Paris and
Strasburg (Ganneron), 121. 50c. ; ditto (Bechet), 121. 50c. ;
Hainguelot, 121. 50c. ; Dieppe, 351.
Al.ticsuiLLEs, AuG. 13.-Boulogne, 640 f. ; Orleans and
Bordeaux, 685 f. ; Vierzon, 790 f.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, AUG. 19.
Boulogne and Amiens.. iOrleans and Bordeaux 12
Bordeaux &Mediterran ,OverYssel .••
--
Bordeaux and Toulouse 'Paris & Lyons (Lafitte) 3
Do. and Cette 214, \ Ditto (Ganneron's). 2%
Dutch Rhenish
Dendre Valley ...... 1% Paris and 0r1ean5...... 491/
Dieppe & Paris Junct. rails and Rouen 4114
Dijon and Mulhouse Paris and Strasburg
East Indian
Grt Northern.of France Do. (Compte de L'Est)
(La flitte'o
Ditto (Rosamers)
Great Paris and Lyons — Royal North of Spain. 23/4
Jamaica Junction Sambre and Meuse ....
Do. North Midland — 'Strasbourg and Basle .
Louvain and Jemeppe 4% Tours and Nantes
Lyons and Avignon 274 (11PKenzie's)
Luxembourgh.. 2l Do. (Lefebvre's)
Namur and Liege 4% Verona and Ancona.... 3%
Orleans and Vierzon

DREADFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

A frightful accident occurred on the Manchester and
Leeds line last night.
The Express train, which leaves Leeds at six o'clock,
P.m., started with a powerful engine and two first-class
carriages only. It proceeded at a very rapid rate, and
about seven miles from Leeds it attained a very high
speed. A witness of it, who lives close to the line, told
me he never saw a train going so fast ; he thought it
fifty miles an hour.
The engine sprang from the rails, ran along the
ground thirty yards, and then down an embankment of
about forty feet. The engine was very much damaged,
the first carriage shivered, and the next carriage much
broken. All the passengers were horridly cut and shook.
A lady and gentleman, and daughter, were taken
to the infirmary, all horridly mangled. The stoker was
much hurt. The engineer appeared to come off the best.

I trust that this accident will call forth your able pen,
to ene.eavour to put a stop to travelling above twenty-
five miles per hour on narrow gauge lines. Parliament
must interfere, or we shall have murders upon a whole-
sale scale.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)
LONDON, AUG. 20.—Wind this day at noon, W., fresh
breezes and fine.
DEAL, AUG. I9.—Wind W. by N., strong and squally.—
Sld. Arab, M‘Lachlan, Cape Coast Castle.
PLYMOUTH, AUG. 18.—Wind variable and squally.—Sld.
ILM.S. Caliope, New Zealand.
1.1V1.(.r00L, AUG. 19.—Wind S.E. to E.N.E.—Arrd. Alex-
ander Baring, New Orleans; Great Western steamer, New
York, sld. 31at ult. Sid. Otterspool, Wickman, Calcutta;
Nightingale, Hunter, Cape of Good Hope ; Margaretha Bar-
bara, Warmaud, Jamaica ; Franklin, Sawyer New Orleans;
I'arthenon, Woodbury, Boston ; Oxnard, Henckley, ditto ;
Hermitage, Badger, ditto; Thomas Brown,:St. John's, New
Brunswick; Emerald, Leighton, ditto; Caledonia steamer,
Lott, Halifax, &c. ; Abigail, Daly, Quebec.
AUG. 19.—The Thomas and Margaret, Judd,
for Sunderland, in leaving the harbour to-day, got on shore
on Point Reach, and remains, but is expected off next tide
without damage.
BIDEFORD, AUG. 18.—The Fanny, Fisher, which sunk at
the entrance of the harbour, 16th inst., has been raised and
brought into the port with considerable damage.
MARIPORT, AUG. 19.—The Isabella, Thompson, on pro-
ceeding to sea last night, got foul of the spile work on the
south side of the harbour, but will proceed without damage.
The Wellington, Merry, also got foul of the spile work, and is
lying on a cub winch, holed in the garboard strake.
SHIELDS, AUG. 18.—The masts of a schooner, painted
black, supposed to have been run down, were passed 15th
inst. off St. Abb's Head, by the Reaper, arrived here.