On this page
-
Text (3)
-
774 T HE _JLJE A P E R. [go^jgVAggyar 7,...
-
THE PUBLIC SERVICE.—MORE ABOUT WEEDON. W...
-
LADY BTJLWER LYTTON'S CASE AND THE LUNAC...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Ciiuhch In Eeal Danger. Tife Worst E...
paid off the debts . Now one would suppose that this sequestration was a matter not suffered to . travel out of the parish , and kept , for decency sake , as private as possible . But it appears that the Bishop of Winchester , in whose diocese the living of Camberwell is situated , is cognizant of all the facts , has lent his sanction to the sequestration , and has appointed curates to do the duty of the clerical fugitive . "Whatever odium attaches to the spiritual condition of Camber well and the disgraceful arrangements must , we liumbly conceive , be shared between the bishop and the incumbent . However tlie practice ot sequestration may have grown into a custom , the principle of sequestration reflects indelible disgrace on the Church of England , and
warrants the strongest measures of its worst enemies . But this resort to Sequestration by jolly clericals "who have overrun the constable , who have spent the revenues of their rectories , possibly in " riotous living " and mundane debaucheries , appears to be very common and on the increase . In the list we believe will be found St . Olave ' s , Soutliwark , Newingtoii , Wands worth , Hackney , Tormarton , Melton Mowbray , and others . Now as to these livings are attached large incomes , the more shame to the occupants that they-have , been unable to make the expenses of their style of living square with their - receipts . . . * . " - -
To our thinking , it is almost criminal to sequestrate the receipts of a benefice , and apply them to the payment of private debts . The revenue is presumed to be wanted to pay a clergyman for duties attached to the " cure of souls , " not to be squandered in high living or debauchery . The statement of Lord St . Leonards attracted attention from lay lords , fcut very little from , right reverend prelates . Although it was known the discussion , was fixed for a particular day , not a single bishop was on the bench . Bat Lord St . Leonards is not tlie man to let a matter of such vital importance drop . The matter
was again brought under the notice 6 f the House , and then the ' Archbishop . * . of Canterbury , finding it was impossible to blink the scanda . 1 , intimated that the bishops had taken the question into consideration , and that it was expected they would frame some hill to meet such cases , but it was impossible to-bring in the bill that session . And from what has transpired , there is reason to believe that the bishops , ^ ivill be disposed to deal tenderly indeed ¦ with their bankrupt and self-denying brethren . —
that they will decline to strike at the root of ' tire evil by turning the clergyman out of a benefice the duties of which he is unable to discharge , but they "will make some further provision out of the revenues of the living for additional curates . The "bishops have ere now been advised to " set-their Louse in order . " Let them lake care they do not give eanse for renewing that cry by their refusal to Ho what justice , honesty , . and the interests of leligion require to be done in tin ' s matter .
Comment on the circumstances we have referred to is superfluous . The Camberwell affair tells its own story , will shortly work an effectual cure , and that , too , in a direction little dreamt of by the dozing bench of political bishops .
774 T He _Jlje A P E R. [Go^Jgvaggyar 7,...
774 T HE _ JLJE A P E R . [ go ^ jgVAggyar 7 ,, l 85 s .
The Public Service.—More About Weedon. W...
THE PUBLIC SERVICE . —MORE ABOUT WEEDON . When we look to the calendars of crime which daily come before our courts of justice , we are struck , in the multitude of cases , with the ingenuity of the human xnind and the energy of disposition "brought into action to satisfy some mere temporary gratification where the prize is totally disproportionate to the acuteness of intellect displayed or the risk to be run j for example , the ready wit ¦ with which tlie habitual vigilance of a shopkeeper is eluded to obtain an article of jewellery , tlie ingenuity of the swindler to get IQ / . on false pretences , the art and science required to forge a bank-note , the dexterity displayed by the smasher to puss a counterfeit shilling , —each act exposing the offender to a term of penal servitude for that which might be honestly earned with less trouble , or by a day ' s or even an hour's labour . But what a contrast do such instances afford to our great public defalcations , where hundreds and thousands upon thousands of pounds are misappropriated with the greatest impunity and in the most bungling a « d barefaced manner without the ends of justice being satisfied , with littlo risk of detection , mid , indeed , if discovered , with an almost certainty of escape . For instance , a late secretary to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , who lives abroad with what he mny have of the 30 , 000 / . for which ho could render no account
—the Admiralty Registrar , with 50 , 000 / . —the Treasury Receiver of fees on intestable propertythe late accountant to the Council-office—and last , but not least , the immortalised Elliot , of Weedon ' who roams at large on the other side of the Atlantic , enjoying , with an opera-dancer , as reported , his reapings in this country , the amount of which will perhaps never be ascertained , and who adds open effrontery to . peculation by calling on the Government to remit him . his pay while taking his pleasure excursion with an undefined leave of absence wliieh he has granted to himself . It
is stated that jLlhot has actually written to the War-office authorities requesting that his pay , wliile absent , may be sent to him , as it is his intention , when his health has experienced a sufficient benefit "b y the chaiige of air and scenery , to resume his official duties at Weedon . We are led by such effrontery to ask ourselves , Is this the language and comportment of a defaulter who knows that the ministers of justice arc on his track ? is it the hardihood of a man who feels safety in the very act which ought to bind him hand and foot , and commit him to the hulks ? or is it the
confidence inspired by conscious innocence P As yet we are but feeling our way in the dark with this extraordinary ease , tlie like of which there may be many still smouldering under the heap of official secrecy , or buried in the impenetrable mystifications of Blue-books aud other books , for there are queer rumours , " gentle as the breeze , but dreadful as the storm , " meandering through certain quarters , until they have reached ears less confined , that all has not been right , and that matters will be exhumed referring to millions , the ghost of which will appal even the Great official himself . "We
shall wait patiently for tlie more open sound of what is at present only whispered ; but as regards Weedon , we hope we shall soon have added to the evidence taken before the . committee of the House of Commons on public contracts such a report from the Royal Commission as -will thoroughly explain the working of the system of accounts , both cash and store , at that place , which , with a staff of director , superintendent , storekeeper , inspectors , foremen , and some fifty . ot sixty clerks , has hot yet shown a debtor and creditor account of what has been received and issued .
Let us here ask a few pertinent questions . When Mr . ^ lliot absconded , is it true that officials , holding such important posts at headquarters in the management of the public business as to justify their being ; in the receipt of very large salaries , were sent to Weedon for several weeks ? How was it they could be spared ftom their regular duties ? Who conducted the business during their absence , or was it allowed to take its chance and so into arrear ? If not , was any one else paid for doing their work during their absence , or did officers with lower pay the hi
discharge gher duties ? Did they discover at Weedon that duplicate orders for the issues of the same stores ] iad been made from headquarters to Mr . Elliot ? Did such duplicate warrants for issues afford the means to Mr . Elliot of giving false certificates ( had he felt disposed to do so ) ot the quantities received , on which payment of public money was subsequently made at headquarters in London ? Were they the same parties who were connected with the payment of the money on Mr . Elliot ' s certificates who went down to inquire into liia proceedings at Weedon ? When at Weedon , did they work from sunrise to midnight P What did they do at Weedon during the time they there ?
Avero Do the vouchers from which Mr . Elliot ' s defective store accounts are now being posted up bear evidence of having been all cut out of tlie same book ? Bo such vouchers bear tlie signatures of inspecting officers for stores said to have been received by Mr . Elliot , and do those signatures , which purport to havo leen written by the same party , appear to be in the same or in totally difFcrcnt handwritings P When Mr . Elliot returned in 1854 from tlie duties he bad discharged in Canada , and when there was difficulty felt in allotting to him a situation suitable to his rank , did he not tell Mr . Monsell , who was then at the head of the office , that he was willing to 50 on half-pay , and did not Mr . Monscll say that his services were loo vnlunblc to bo spared ? Was not Mr . Elliot at work for some
time at head-quarters P Was it not after this that ho was appointed to conduct the business at Weedon P Had the parties who patronised Mr . Elliot ever patronised those who , on his becoming n defaulter , went down to investigate ; his proceedings ? What report have they made of the
information they collected at Weedon m- TTTT duties they discharged there ? Who arc U , what are their names ? These are Sg ^ fee must deeply concern the interest o ? & , /' and m which the public will take an interest S ' fuse to be satisfied unless they areclearlv min t ?' and fullv answered , for we ^ re couvgccWat system oi secret intimidation prevails by which tW mouths of those Ayho could speak are Closed if any doubt exists in the minds of our readers as \\ the possibility of such a fact , we will rcfaMJ cm 0 a parliamentary paper ( No . 421 ) called for W Mr Macartney , the member for Antrim , which shows the names , appointment , age , date of appointment aud - salary of every person in the W . nffinl *
where it will be seen that men wlio have i ^ l grey in the public service , and who for-parioiis virv ing from twenty to forty years have discharged important duties , have been passed over by yo u ths not so long m the world as they have been in the service of their country ! What an induccmcut to youth to be meritorious !—what a salutary warning to the veteran against disobedience J / ° . ¦
Lady Btjlwer Lytton's Case And The Lunac...
LADY BTJLWER LYTTON'S CASE AND THE LUNACY LAWS Considerable attention has lately been drawn to the Lunacy Laws , in consequence of the occurrence of two or three cases of more than usual interest Much may , no doubt , be said against the lax Vidmi * nistration of the Lunacy Board ,, and nvueh loo against the occasional acts of barbarity , to the com - mission of which there is so strong * a temptation , when the keeper , of frail patience and indifferent self-command , feels the necessity of controlling an obstinate and furious lunatic . We can scarcely
conceive any circumstances in which the temper and judgment of even , a cool and self-possessed person would be more severely tried . We are not therefore prepared to reverberate the-declamatory denunciations of a portion of the daily press against both the existing laws , and the individuals whose names have come before the p . ublic in connexion with their administration . Violence will do no good either with lunatics" or sane men ; and most assuredly the : exaggerations and
misrepresentations of facts which characterised the publicity given to one of these cases are likely to be most prejudicial to the interests oftrutliandthe attainment of the end in view , which , as we understand it , appears to be a thorough revision of the system . If the alleged facts upon which- an amendment of the law be demanded be proved false , great injury will be done to the . efforts of those wlio are conscientiously and seriously -working for a reform of all obvious abuses .
r lhe first , and in some respects the most remarkable of these cases , is that of Lady Bulwcr Lylton , concerning which the most extraordinary statements have been promulgated . We have been informed that she-was the victim of a foul plot , that she was " kidnapped , " certified to be insane by two " obscure apothecaries , " rudely handled by two policemen , and hurried away to a " notorious madhouse . " Very portentous would these assertions be if they were only true ! It is the absence of this important particular that constitutes the step from the sublime to the ridiculous . There would , indeed , be a peremptory necessity for a reform of
the system if these assertions had been founded in fact , for who would be safe ? Even the promulgate !" of those remarkable hallucinations might be doomed insane , or , at least , oscillating on the brink of that horrible condition which would justify two medical certificates in his behalf , and a merciful conveyance to a sliady retreat where he might learn to temper the violence of his passions , and recover the right use of his faculties . It appears , however , from facts that liave come to light , that the lady wns not "kidnapped , " having come to town by her own fr . ee will , unsolicited , in nusto , and accompanied by two
female mends , that she was not examined by two " obscure apothecaries , " but by two eminent practitioners , Mr . Hale Thomson , consulting surgeon of the Westminster Hospital , and Mr . Koss , a wellknown writer and practitioner , and editor of one of tho medical journals ; that she wns not touched by two policemen as was alleged , and that she wns not hurried away to a " notorious madhouse , " buttuken to the private residence of Mr . Hill , the benevolo "' originator of the principle of non-rcstruint in tho treatment of lunatics , from whom and whoso family she received the kindest and most considerate attention . So much for this fabrication of miastutcments . We have now recited with brevity tho
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 7, 1858, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07081858/page/14/
-