Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-08
FROM OUR Observation-Disclosures


LONDON, SEPTEMBER Is, 1853.
London life, In the scenes which it daily exhibits
and the events which its journals every day record
presents so many things of directly contradictory
nature that we can scarcely imagine what wsuld
be the decision OF traveller who was taking notes
upon this great metropolis with view of construct
ing representation of its condition, the social and
moral character OF its people, and the nature of its
legal and municipal enactments, as deducibe from
4 their administration. Let us take glance at the
proceedings of the Police Courts, as exhibited by
yesterdays proceedings
Our traveller would scarcely believe the record
which testified that thief, who stole two cod fish
and three haddocks, was punished by years i'm
prsonment and hard labor whilst wretch who
made murderous attack upon police officer,
which placed his life in danger, was mulcted los.
| He would read, however, in the same column, that
the enlightened magistrates of London, in the middle
OF the nineteenth century, punish the pilferer of
eighteen pence with penal servude for four years. whilst
brute, who half murders woman is staggered" at
the severity of sentence which dooms him six weeks
hard labor. He would next find that the who ap-
propates about two pecks of -four pays for such appro-
priation by four years penal servitude whilst fero-
cous brute who bites and kicks policemen and the
clothes off their Backs has the choice Of either paying
20 lbs. for his amusement or undergoing imprson-
ment for six weeks. Can doubt what would be the
state to determine that Englishmen were people who
valued property above all other things and were careless
to strange degree about human fe or least human
pain? He would look upon the English as blood-thrsty
nation caring little about suffering DEATH but great
deal about money and would conclude, not without
shudder that SO long Engishman preserved his
property he cared little about protection to his person.
lie would be reminded of the old anecdote in Joe Miller
OF the sailor, Who when threatened by the hghwayman
that if he did not deliver up his purse he would blow
his brains out" replied I" fire away would rather be
without brains than money"
All that can be urged against such conclusions would
necessarily be unavaing whilst the daily police reports
narrate such award of punshments as we have re-
corded Might not file of any of the daily papers be
brought in support of the travellers conclusions still
more strongly We think the people of London ought to
do something only for the sake of common humanity
but for the yindcaon of the national character to wipe
off this STAIN and prove the world and poserity by an
alteration Of the laws that the Engshman of the nine
teenth century had better knowledge of the relative
value of life and property than might be inferred from
the present administration of the penal code.
We have great hopes that the opening of the new
Great Exhibition" which win certainly take place next
year, will be memorable epoch in the history of popu-
lar culture that it will be efficient corrector of
public morals and than any penal CODE however
formed and however administered, could possibly be
that it will prove most successful experiment. and that
being it will have its representative in every metro
polls and probably in every great city in the civilized
world IS no mean homer to England to have set this
great example of catering for nations amusement in
an enlarged, national, and truly worthy way. 1t
was, indeed, high time that such experiment should
be set on foot The theatre very frequently ques-
tlonaoe and always an expensive combination Of
amusement and instruction is practically more. One
by one nearly all the feasts and festivals the merry
markings and fairs have died out. There is an almost
than purianc dearth of amusement for the earth
isnot one of principle merely but it arises from the inca
pacy to derive pleasure from the old The gin
shop and the tavern reap from certain class the harvest
of this Indifference and oylessness This apathy too
apt to result in progacy and both deeply rooted
in the mental habits of thousands be by any
but somewhat startling ROME, when she had
reached her height and almost of civilization met
the popular cry for exciting by gladiatoral
fights and shows of and beasts destroying and de-
youring each other SPAIN, the present day. provides
bulhghts for her people Emeues and revolutions have
been-may hope their day past ?-the valves
Of FRANCE; whilst the novelties and distractions of
pseudo-phosophy like purpose for the morbidly
thoughtful and inactive GERMANS Your osten-recurripg
elections and frequent State and town meetings prevent
too great accumulation Of enui ENGLAND alone has
no broadlyrecognsed soace for the wearsomensss of
perpetual work The gin shop affords to too many Of the
laboring classes most mischieyous remedy DICKENS
THAoKERAY, and one two other popular writer's have
wide but not wide enough sphere Of beneficial action
Political agitation owing to the want of education and
adaptation through appropriateness has neither so safe
nor SO general an application it has with you nor do
Engshmen, as general rule possess the copia rer5or
the gift Of the gab, nearly penteousy as their
Transatlantic cousins do. The Literary Societies and
Mechanics Institutes often sink into Intellectual ollie
tantsms There is nothing in England to compare with
the gladiaoral shows Of Rome the bulfghts of Spain
French revolutions German philosophy in the way OF
palliatyes Of national ennu 1t is to be hoped that the
noble work which is going at sydenham will furnish
this efectua wholesome, and permanent desdsrotu1a
The money market and the harvest the cholera and
the Russia and Turkey dispute are yet the great ag
tatng questions here and well they may be- for prospe
rit plenty health and peace the four principal sup
ports Of all that is dear to man, either individually or ma
tonay To say that any Of these great elements Of hap
pness at present perfectly out Of danger would be
asserting much And first of that great criterion Of
commercial prosperity, the money market the returns of
the Bank Of England show:
Circulation. G22 ,o45 Decrease. e310 $50
Public deposites. 4,701,59 Increase. 909l9
Private deposites 11,017,3 Decrease. 1908 |
Discts advances l4,546,194 Increase. 1889 |
Coin and bullion. 16,500,06s Decrease. 462,s5O
The chief feature in this account the decrease Of
nearly half million sterling in the bullion and we ex-
pect that during the next three weeks at least
still further and considerable reduction may be looked
Tc~ 49, D.