The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-03-17
: cncs i'm london


The following is from the London Correspondent
of the Boston Atlas under date of Feb !, 1915;
Great wealth and dreadful poverty abound in thi,
metropolis; and the contrast is visible in every
At the West End the splendid equipages of the nobl-
ity crowd the leading ,horoughfare%; whilst in the
city the mserubly poor clad in rings. and without
shoes or stockings along holding out their hands
to the chariiaby disposed Passers-by These wretch
ed beings seek employment in vain, and they have
dread Of the work-house Even the middle classes
find it exceeding difficult obtain permanent and
profitable employment; and the columns ofthe daily
papers frequently contain advertisements, offering
large sums to any who will procure the advertiser
situation The following is a copy of advertise
men which appeared in the 7Imes,a few days since:
"Three Thousand pounds will be given for any
camille appointment, of adequate value, which
be made legally available. The advertiser is quail
fed for any duties. The strctest honors faithfully
observed, and none but principals treated with I'm
eAccponabIe references given and required Ad-
dress, free TO A. b, 5, Bishopgate street, withn.-
Smaller rewards are every day offered. through the
daily papers, TO persons who will procure situations
for the advertisers. When such powerful advanla-
gcs offered by the wealthy, how is it possible for
a poor, yet honest and talented person, to fad
ploymen in this modern Babylon? II is not to be
wondered at that the streets crowded with
wretchcd beings, and that such vast amount of
crime and misery is every day recorded, under the
police reports recent police report states, that
poor charged with having stolen broom
from shop; which broom she sold baker, for
eighteenth penny worth OF bread. In her defence, the
woman said that she goaded commit the theft,
by intense hunger; for neither She her children,
had tasted ofany food since the preceding morning
She was the mother of nine children; and what
dered her case particularly affecting. was, that she had
a clild in her arms, and surrounded by six 9th
ers, the eldest of whom not eleven years old -
Some were without shoes, and all werein rags-the
pictures of misery and wre,chedness awaiting with
tears in their eyes, the fate of their distressed parent,
who was committed for trial, and separated from her
chIdren II has been remarked, that. while one
portion of London society is rolling in riches, having
superintendent weah-another is prey TO distress,
in its most ghastly Corm-rotlng, by nches,in surrets
and cellars without food raiment. Is il 10 be won
dered at that crime increases at an alarming ratio?-
tina: whole families poisoned-now the mother
poisons her child and the daughter poi4ons her father
the widow poisons her daughter mother and broth
or and the husband poisons his wife!
week passes that similar cases not reported In
instances the parties had purchased tickets in
Burial Society, which in Of death in the fam
lily Of the purchaser, allows ten, fifteen or twenty
pounds more or less on account Of the ticket. This
system is strong temptation TO the starving mother,
or brother, or husband, whose reason is Devil
derod by dreadful want, to administer dead
ly poisons, and without this temptation, the hor
rors of dark future gond the miserable beings into
state of desperation and they scarcely conscious
of their criminal acts. Phanihropists say that the
"Condition Of England question is more imrortant
than any other and that it should receive the early
attention of Parliament. The lower cnsses in a
debased condition, ignorant, and the victims Of recL-
less desperation induced by the iron pressure OF dis
tross, which suggests all sorts of atrocities.
ANY person who is accustomed to walk in the lead
ing thoroughfares Of London, will find the miserably
poor at every corner, and their dreadful condition
will explain the Of so many cases brought be-
fore the police courts. These poor persons often
commit petty offences, for the very purpose of going
to prison. A few days since, young woman, nine
teen years of age brought before the magistrate
at the Lambert Office charged with breaking pane
glass ia public house. She had beena vest-ma-
ed every article she possessed, with the exception of
the clothes she had on to obtain food Her bonnet
she parted with last, for bread. She had not, at the
time she broke the glass; tasted food oil any kind Tor
twenty -four hours. Being weary OF her wretched
existence she had resolved to commit some act &C
cordng to her own admission that would cause her
to be sent to prison, feeling that gaol would be Tar
preferable to her then starving condition Her char
acer for propriety and morality was irreproachaoe'
At the Clerkenwell police office, on the same day.
a widow, with three fine boys, was charged win
breaking pane Of glass in the Hoiborn Union WORK
house. She and her boys had been admitted into
the workhouse on the previous night, as casual and
dss,;,r,e moor. When about to be discharged, the
following morning, she broke the glass In her de-
Csnce she said SCI knew was in the workhouse at
the time, but myself and my children were going to
he turned upon the streets, where we nave oeen
starving already. broke the window Tor the Pnr-