The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-30

from We l>0uQOn ltmts. Decew0u >.
In our impression Of Saturday last there was the
the previous day before Mr.. Morton, which we
trust did not pass unobssrved. II was one Of those
stern realities which most nights Of the week
In the streets of London, and which might with
advantage occupy the attention OF the ~eet sym
pathsers" of Stafford House, or furnish occasion
Tor an ''iadignation meeting" in the choicest re
gion OF Mayfair. We will not talk at any length
Of stones and glass houses, of beams and motes.
Let Us, however. just venture to hint that if any
one Of the hghborn ladies who has set her name to
the remonstrance which is about to be handed TO
sour skaters in the United States" would wrap
her delicate form in her warmest mantle, hide her
features under her thickest veil. and sally forth
under proper guardianship into the streets Of Lon
don in the dead hour OF night, she might perchance
se<thing thai t0ouid make her pause before she
called foreign nations TO The bar If Stafford House
TO rtceios judgment. Let us invite one OF these
enthusiastic mOnitors in the excellent school
OF charity 70 take stroll with US in jmagina-
ton at . particular place and hour. The time
shall be Thursday night Of las, week-or
rather Thursday evening; the place, the neigh.
borhood of Lambeth Workhouse. Yonder is
the workhouse door. poor creature, young
English girl-to be sure she is not black
parcel of drenched rags clinging to her trembling
| form, every mark of agony and despair in her
countenance, lifts her hand to the bell. She rings
once and again, and at length the door-pOrter ap
pears, accompanied by person holding situa-
ton under the guardians--his name is Brooke
and he is policeman. She is starving, she is
pregnant and almost in the pains Of labor, but the
sern officials will not Ike her in. Why? Because
she had been in the work house until Tuesday morn
ing last, and had then been discharged by .'order
| of the guardians" Nor is this all. The tale Of
Parochiai bounty is not yet half told out. During
that long wet Tuesday she wandered about. She
had not friend in this great town to whom abe
could apply for the smallest assistance, and on
| Tuesday night she came back TO iinplore once
more the kindly shelter Of the parish workhouse.
For yet that night she wa. taken in, but the next
morning cast forth into the world again with
piece of dry bread in her hand. On Wednesday
the, same scene was renewed-the same fruitless
casting about for food and shelter, the same disap
pointment, and the came despair. But parochial
bounty can only 60 thus far, and no farther. Cha
rity herself was worn out with the importantly Of
| this persevering pauper, and on Thursday night
the doors OF the parish workhouse were finally and
| sternly shut in her face. ~ ra ..
But she was not alone in her sufferings. You
| might have supposed that the misery of London
enormous as the amount of London misery I'M
doubtedly is-could have shown counterpart to
the frghtful position of this unfortunate FEATURE
without home, without friend, without char
ac;er, without a shelter, without bite of food
betrayed by her sedScer and the mark for the last
Plore the fair sympathizers of Stafford House to
| be sure We are not in Uncle Toms country--to
look again. Can it be there two of them !?
Yes! Another young woman, precisely in the
\ same situation, knocks at the same workhouse
door, and ia refused admttance by the same stern
guardians OF the ratepayers' pockets The two
unfortunates club their anguish and their despair
together. and set forth in quest of some archway
or place Of shelter beneath which they may crouch
until the gas-lamps are put out, and the day
breaks once more upon their sufferings. Well, on
they roamed, until one Of the two, Sarah Sherford
was actually seized with the pangs of labor, when
they resolved to stagger back to the workhouse;
4 but again the door was shut In their faces. What
| was to be done? They were driven away from the
| house, and moved slowly along, with many pause
| of agony, no doubt, until they met with a police
| man, one Daniel Donovan, who directed them to q
coffee. house where they might hope get shelter.
The coffee house did not open till o'clock, when
| were again cast out, as tho keeper was obliged to
come into the street with his stal and attend to it,
| cat this time 1--WE will here copy the languag e
| OF our rePorD Sherford's labor pains had con-
siderably increased, and they again spoke to the
same policeman, Donovan, and told him that, un-
| less she was taken into the workhouse or some
other place. she must give birth to her infant in
the street." Daniel Donovan accordingly con.
veyed the two unfortunate creatures to the work.
| house once more, at O'Clock in the morning.
''The policeman on duty there,' said this witness,
''told him that they had been there before, and
seemed to have some hesitation about admitting
| them, but on being told that one was in the pains
| OF labor, he let them in" 81, .....a .a ....r q
| We leave this story without further comment to
the Select Committee of Stafford House. We doubt
their po,oer TO asstst the negroes Of the Southern
Ssotss 9r me dmutcun Ctsso1 sus resyIsfs,.i
they could do much TO amend such frightful scenes
at their oicn doors. Meanwhile shall await with
some little anxiety the result of Mr.. Walters in
qniries, which were directed to two objects-first
| had this hideous case been brought under the at
tention Of the Poor Law Board? Secondly, "Had
not the Poor Law Board power, in such cases. to
compel the guardians to do their duty without the
intervention oil the policeH' Are poor creatures to
suffer the last extremities of human agony in our
streets unless Deus ez machind, ticketed and
| numbered like a police constable, shall come to
the rescue! Sir John Trollope, in reply, could OF
course but state that the Boards of uardians had
no power to call in the police to aid them in their
| duty. With regard to the first and more special
inquiry, which was pointed at this particular case
1t Is satisfactory to know that all circumstances
connected with it are undergoing formal investi-
CATION, and that the result will shortly be laid be.
4 tore Parliament and the public.