The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-27 00:00:00

history of the avoidance of assessments for the poor.
All parties have seen a greater evil in the extinction of
improvement under a heavy poor-rate, than in that
poverty of the poor, out of which they will gradually
emerge by the increase of current wealth and occupation.
Here, too, is the explanation of that system of aid
rather than maintenance, which has been so much no-

ticed, and which had for its object, as it were, to carry
on all parties in a sort of concurrent progress, whereby,
at some future time, there might be a far less number
requiring to be relieved. All this, however, does not
find favour with writers and speakers in the present
day, or with those whose ideas are formed on a know-
ledge chiefly of wealthier and longer founded communi-
ties, and who look on the system, right or wrong, as
doomed, and about to pass away.
It is, however, highly desirable that in creating a new
and more stringent poor-law, we should not at the same
time extinguish, or so seriously cripple the Scottish
landholder, and through him the whole body of rate-
payers, as to check completely that onward progress
which has been so remarkable in Scotland.

It has been demonstrated that if the law should give

to all who have hitherto been aided, a full measure of
maintenance, a third of the rental of Scotland will not
suffice, and hence the necessity of a clause expressly
enacting that the receipt of aid under the existing law
shall not give a claim to relief under the new. This
appears so obvious that we are surprised it does not
form part of the Bill. There is also a suggestion which
we would make, as preventive of vexatious and wasteful
litigation. We allude to the process by a claimant to
establish his first right to be considered a pauper. It
seems quite unnecessary that this should go farther than
the Court of the Sheriff, who is an unexceptionable
judge, and has the best means of deciding both on the
law and the facts, and to give an appeal in every case
from him to the Supreme Court, would only be to waste
the money of payers and receivers alike, and to fill the
pockets of those advertising practitioners who will not
fail to reap the harvest so provided for them.
On the whole, we need hardly say, that we look with
satisfaction on the prospect of a well-defined and limited
poor-law for Scotland.

It is the setting up of one of those periodical marks

which denote progress in a nation, as milestones and
almanacs do the passing of space and time. It is, how-
ever, above all things desirable that in thus realising the
fruits of past improvement, we do not arrest its march
or overburden its power.

The new treaty between France and England for the
suppression of the slave trade, agreed to by the Duke
DE BROGLIE and Dr. LUSIIINGTON, will be hailed with
satisfaction by the friends of both countries, and we
cordially hope, also, by those amiable, humane, and
persevering Christians who have so long exerted them-
selves to abate the sufferings of the African race.
Each nation engages to keep up a certain number of
ships, with the power to stop all Fuspicious vessels, for
the purpose of ascertaining whether they have assumed
a false flag, and of watching those parts of the African
coast where the trade is most likely to be
carried on. Thus there will be three squa-
drons, English, French, and American, fitted out
for abating this atrocious traffic, the greatest force ever
collected for such a humane object, and, in our opinion,
the most likely to be successful. Hitherto, in fact, little
has been done but mischief by all the schemes tried.
The sufferings of the negroes on board the slave-ships
were latterly multiplied tenfold, while every fresh colli-
sion between English and French ships threatened one
of the greatest calamities that could afflict the civilized
world.