The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-25 00:00:00

PRICE OF SUGAR.

The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed
from the Returns made in the Week ending March 22, 1842, is
395. Id. per Cwt., exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or
payable thereon on the Importation thereof into Great Britain.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.

GLOBE.—A custom appears to prevail in many of
the Union workhouses of turning out inmates who it
is alleged have no claim on the particular parish where
they have asked for relief—a practice to which we
should see no objection, if it were acted on with the
intention of transferring paupers to the place that
ought to be charged with the burden of supporting
them. Instead of this, however, destitute creatures
are, thrust out of the doors of a workhouse merely
to enter those of a prison ; for, finding parochial
relief refused to them, they have no alternative but
to transfer themselves to gaol by committing some
small offence which entitles them to a short period of
imprisonment. By this system the Houses of Cor-
rection are becoming inconveniently crowded with
criminals in spite of themselves—persons who can
get supported with less difficulty as delinquents than
as mere paupers, and thus the gaols are becoming, as
it were, refuges for the destitute who are driven
from the workhouses. Besides the immorality that is
occasioned by the obligation under which the poor are
often placed of committing an offence, in order to ob-
tain the food which is due to their necessity alone, the
system we are alluding to is unfair towards the payers
of the county rates, who are saddled with a burden
that ought to be borne by the contributors to the poor
rate. In addition to this, the individuals who are ac-
cidentally selected to have their windows broken—one
of the most usualways adopted by desperate persons for
obtaining an entrance to prison—have strong reason to
complain, as well as those who are subjected to the loss
of their property by thefts committed with the view
of gaining for their perpetrators the support that the
parish authorities withhold from them. It should
also be remembered that habits of robbery and vio-
lence, commenced from motives of want, are likely to
grow on those who practise them, and who thus be-
come confirmed enemies of society, and reckless vio-
lators of the rights of property. It is time that some
better course should be adopted than that by which
parsimony of the poor rates appears to be paramount
to every consideration of morality, humanity, and
justice, all of which are indiscriminately sacrificed
that the " parish" may be relieved as much as possible
of the burdens that press upon it.
STANDARD.—This day is the second of the two
sacred anniversaries upon which we have been always
accustomed to claim for ourselves an exemption from
the necessity of prosecuting political controversy;
an exemption in which, as we gratefully remem-
ber, our readers have never failed to indulger us.
The time, we trust, is not distant, when upon such
solemn occasions, the publication of newspapers
will be altogether prohibited by public feeling. We
think we see an approach to such a consumma-
tion in the. growing limitation of Sunday journals.
Meanwhile we adhere to our rule. If we could de-
viate from it, there are considerations connected
with the day which might be shown to have an
important bearing upon the subject which now
properly engrosses public attention. Why is the
duty of " preaching the Gospel to the poor"
so imperfectly discharged ? Why are so many of
our fellow-citizens—for whose spiritual welfare we
are as deeply responsible as for their temporal
happiness—deprived of the opportunity of conse-
crating this day to prayer, and praise, and gratitude
to Him, whose sacrifice for us this day commemo-
rates ? Why, alas, are so many without even the dis-
position ? The answer has been, because the finances
of the State will not afford the cost of extending the '
means of religious worship. Is this a sufficient
answer from the nation which Heaven has blessed
with more wealth, more abundant wealth, than
was ever lavished upon a people ? We are
told that our resources must be reserved for
war, and that to call them forth for the
works of peace and mercy, and preparations that are
the preservatives of peace, is forbidden. Is this ra-
tional—is it Christian ? Is it not, in truth, saying
that the goods which the Almighty has bestowed
)apon us are confided for the destruction, not
for the preservation of our fellow creatures ? It
is known that Sir Robert Inglis has a motion to
bring before Parliament for the extension of
the means of religious instruction ; but how can
this. motion succeed if the revenues of the country
aro to remain crippled, as they have been ? Who
can siay that he seriously intends to promote the ob-
ject of such a motion, when he withholds the neces-
sary instrument for its promotion ? We trust that
many will think seriously of this. The first income
tax ever imposed in England (it was 600 years ago)
was imposed for the service of religion—so false is
the pretence that it has always been a war tax. But
we are sure that we have said enough upon this point,
and we have said more than we intended.

TRIAL FOR THE GLASGOW BANK ROBBERY.—The
trial of Robert Smith, lately teller in the Glasgow and
Ship Bank, and James Wishart, wine and spirit dealer
in Glasgow, who were accused of abstracting and con-
verting to their own uses upwards of 10,7001., came on
before the High Court of Justiciary on Wednesday last.
The charges against them broke down upon the infor-
mality of the proceeding:, and they were obliged to be
served with new criminal letters, which was accordingly'
done the instant of their dismissal upon the old indict-
ment. _

P*
DEATH4OF SIR WILLIAM BEATTY, M.D.—.We re-
gret to announce that Sir William Beatty, M.l) , PALS ,
late Physician to her Mejesty's Fleet and Greenwich
Hospital, died at an early hour this morning, at his re-
sident::: in York-street, Portnian-square. He had semid
leis country long and faithfully in all clinics, and had
the melancholy tluty of being officially present at the
death of his distinguished commander, the Hero of Tra-
falgar. It may be justly said of Sir William Beatty
that his whole professional life seemed to accord with
the sentiment expressed in Nelson's last and ever me-
morable signal to the fleet.
SUDDEN DEATH IN THE STREETS.—Mr. Wakley
yesterday held an inquest at the Mother Redcap, High-
street, Camden-town, on the body of Thomas Overton,
aged fifty-six, a carpenter in the employ of Mr. Allen,
builder, of Camden-terrace, It-appeared that on Tuesday
morning the deceased came to his work as usual at six
o'clock, went home to breakfast, and returned in his
usual state of health, and was laughing and joking. About
/1-71'