The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-12-06
axe physic, ponp;

"Tdke physic, pomp
Expose myself to feel what wreiches feel;
That thou may S, shake the superlux to them
And show the heavens more just
In a country calling itself free, and Eng
land pretends TO be free country, wealth
should not be possessed in such excuses
and dispalites. Contrast the enormous
splendors Of fete at Windsor with some
official reports respecting the state of the
poor. Here is the description Of the
Queens dinner TO the King Of the
French:
THE long table on which The dinner
was served was covered with magnificent
candelabra, epergnes, placed alternately
several of the former Of circular form,
being filled with artificial flowers. A row
of candelabra with wax lights were placed
on each side, and beyond those at both
sides Of the table were numerous vases,
winecoolers, and dishes Of the most ele-
giant forms and designs. AT each end of
the hall were elevated sdeboards Of equal
dimensions, containing choice selection
from the numerous and valuable articles
of plate in the Royal treasury, remarka-
BILE for their excellence of workmanship,
antiquity, or historical interest. Flax
mans celebrated Shield Of Achilles
The Armada Urn and some ancient
sconces were displayed on the west side
board.-And large shield sculplured in
rich relief with the representation Of
battle, and the Neptune Epergue' richly
embellshed with marine emblems, and
surmounted with statue Of the marine
deity, were on the east sideboard. Nu-
mcrous tankards, vases, shields, and bulb
cups, richly chased, were tastefully ar
ranged on background of crimson, and
were very brilliantly Illuminated with can
delabra and sconces of silver gilt, bearing
waX-lighls. The Prince of Wales's
epergne, crowned with his Royal High
ness's plume, was placed at this part Of
the table, between two other epergnes Of
great beauty, sculptured in gold at the
base, with dancing launs; these eperg-
mes had on either side the 'IIesperides'
candelabra.' There is something ridicu-
lous in the extreme in exposing the baby
Prince of Wales's feathers in an epergne,
on dinner table, and having looked at
the one case, let us advert to some 9th
ers. In the senatory report made by the
Secretary of the Poor Law Commission
ers, one Of the investigators into the con-
dition of the poor says that, in the Coun-
ties of England 24,577 persons have died
in one year, in houses that wanted drain
ing and roofing Those who died from
other causes make the whole obituary
amount to 2lG,39 persons in one year.
Oae would suppose that this alone would
be sufficient to thin the population. In
England and Wales the deaths in 1888
were 2s2,940. excluding deaths by vio-
lence, by suicide, or other causes, which
the Parliamentary and parish papers do
not specify. In 1898 the deaths amour
ted TO 81 per thousand. Mos, of them
had taken place in swampy and unwhole-
some localities. Mr.. Gilbert, one of the
Poor Law inquirers, stated that he found
the open drains and sewers had been the
cause Of malaria, and consequently Of
death. In this rich and beautiful country
the poor often live in mud cottages, with
little or no roof and with floors of abso-
Lutte mud. A Mr.. Fox, medical officer,
says that the poor were badly fed, badly
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