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676 ©fje tLtftitt. [Sattbdat,
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A PRUDISH LORD. In the dismal district o...
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PRIVATE LUNATIC ASYLUM. In the beginning...
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ORANGE RIOT IN LIVERPOOL. The 12th of Ju...
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TRAVELLERS' TROUBLES. That ingenious con...
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.
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Transcript
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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.
Public Feasts And Shows. The Gaiety Of T...
learned often contained only comparisons between Snorthorns , Herefords , and Devona ( laughter ); and carried , perhaps , a specimen of wools , long and short . ( Laughter . ) Happy the country , and happy the times where diplomatists were so employed !** The proceedings closed with the health of " The President Elect , " Earl Dude , who , unhappily , was absent from indisposition .
676 ©Fje Tltftitt. [Sattbdat,
676 © fje tLtftitt . [ Sattbdat ,
A Prudish Lord. In The Dismal District O...
A PRUDISH LORD . In the dismal district of Spitalfields , a society of benevolent gentlemen have erected a large pile of buildings , intended for the use of the working-classes , and known as " Metropolitan Chambers . " The whole thing is founded on the principle of concert , and is in most respects an admirable institution . There is a large and handsome hall used as a coffeeroom beside other accommodations ; and the tenants , amounting to 130 , are single men paying each three shillings a week .
The other day , Lord Ebrington , one of the directors of the institution , called in ; and we may judge of his terror and disgust when we learn that he actually discovered two or three females sitting publicly in the coffee-room . This was not to be endured . Women were not to be trusted in a hall frequented by single working-men . Full of holy horror of the possibilities of this contiguity of the sexes , he is understood first to have forbad it on his own authority , and to have brought the momentous question before the board , who , after full deliberation doubtless , issued a ukase forbidding the admission of women within the walls of Metropolitan Chambers , or what would be more properly called Lord Ebrington ' s Metropolitan Abbey .
It was not to be expected that this order would be silently endured . The " single men" boldly protested and met the arguments of the directors with a moderate but manly reply . The authorities urged that , if females were admitted to visit any lodger , they must be admitted to visit all , should such a contingency arise ; and as there were above a hundred forlorn young men the thing was impossible . To this it was sensibly replied , that the contingency never would arise ; that there never had been above three or four female visitors at one time in the building , and that the consequence of excluding them would be , that the young men and their friends or relatives must resort to a public-house . Further , they said , in the fourth section of their protest : —
" The exclusion of female visitors under such circumstances is inconvenient , offensive , and absurd , inasmuch as , by invading the proper freedom of social intercourse , it subjects the tenants to a prison-like treatment of a degrading character , while , at the same time , it treats their female relatives and friends , not as Englishwomen living in a free country , but after the manner and according to the barbarous customs of Eastern nations . " The protest was signed by eighty-four inmates . The directors had very prominently put forward the argument of inconvenience , from lack of accommodation ; but at the end they stealthily inserted half a sentence , containing the real grounds upon which they had decided to prohibit female visitors . In their resolution , after reciting the above argument as to lack of accommodation , the following admirably illogical conclusion is slipped in : —
" They think they need say no more to demonstrate the impossibility of allowing tenants to introduce female visitors into the chambers , without the certainty of the character of the establishment being traduced , and great danger of irregularities actually occurring . " The inmates reply in this energetic fashion : — " The increasing numbi tb of t ! ie tenants , instead of creating apprehensions as to female visits leading to irregularities , is . in fact , a security against them . It ia erroneous to Hay , that the presence of female visitors under such circumstances cannot be permitted , ' without
the certainty of the character of the establishment being traduced , and great danger of irregularities actually occurring . ' Men are guilty of ' irregularities' with women chiefly in hiding-places , and not in public meetings of persons mostly of sonic age and experience , and many of them fathers of families . ' No females admitted here , ' if inscribed over the doors of the chambers , far from being deemed creditable in the neighbourhood , would Htamp a disreputable name upon the establishment , and would direct fingers of scorn to be pointed at the inmates .
• ' Without pursuing the subject further , the tenants desire to say , that the now ruin will be chiefly inconvenient to many of their number who are separated for u time from their families ; and that it will exclude mothers , wives , daughters , and sweethearts . More than that , it is an insult to J ' jiiglishworm'ii ; and further it says , in so many plain words to the tenants themselves , ' You ling-Hem working-men , who belong to that class which created the wonder * of the Crystal Palace , are not lit to * eit in the society of virtuous Knglish women . "
It is obvious thut this absurd order -will seriously compromise the success , of an establishment in which all who havtt the welfare of the working-classes at heart take a deep interest . Instead of meeting the wishes of the- working-men , the directors have , taken it into their heads to be " offended " at the " bold languago " of the initiates ! No doubt tho directors have a right to make what regulations they please ; but surely they are responsible for the wisdom of those regulations , and must not expect to escape from the criticisrn either of the inmates or tho public .
Private Lunatic Asylum. In The Beginning...
PRIVATE LUNATIC ASYLUM . In the beginning of the present year the visiting magistrates in Gloucestershire discovered some suspicious appearances in some entries in the official book of a lunatic asylum kept by Dr . Henry Hawes Fox , at Northwoods . Patients were discharged on the day previous to their visit , and readmitted on the day after that visit . On being asked for explanations ) Dr . Fox merely replied that he had been advised to have the process effected . Upon this the visitors requested to see the original
orders and certificates of admission , which was refused on the ground that the papers were all correct except some " trivial inaccuracies , " " such as the t ' s not tailed nor the i's dotted . " Ultimately the documents were produced ; and as they did not accord with the description Dr . Fox had given of them , the visitors determined on further inquiry . " The result of this inquiry was that " as regarded the six cases first investigated , in two there were originally no orders ; that in three the orders were illegal ; that at least four of the certificates were so : as was the
admission of at least three of the patients upon the authority of one , instead of two certificates , without cause assigned in the orders . " This led to an inquiry into the whole of the documents connected with the admission of patients . The visitors made a detailed entry of their search in the book kept at the asylum for that purpose , and arrived at results of which we present the following : — " Of orders and their statements filled by Dr . H . H . Fox , there are not legal 43 ; of those filled by Mrs . Hawke there are not legal 4 ; total , 47 . Of orders and statements there are altogether not legal 80 . Of the medical certificates there are filled by Dr . H . H . Fox , and not hf the certifiers , 77 ; partly filled by him , 20 ; and by Mrs . Hawke , 3 ; total so filled , 100 . Of medical certificates there are not legal , 50 . Of orders and of medical certificates , there are altogether not legal , 130 .
" Of patients illegally received by Dr . H . H . Fox , upon the authority of one certificate only , without due cause assigned for the same by the person making the order , there are 54 . Altogether of patients illegally received there are 105 . A wife has been admitted into the asylum upon the order of her husband , and upon the authority of one certificate only , and that certificate signed by her husband . A letter from Dr . H . H . Fox to a person making an order states— ' If there be any inconvenience in getting a second certificate , it can be dispensed with until after admission . ' And to another—1 The second ( certificate ) can , be procured at my house if more convenient . '
" Of notices of the admission of patients which the act directs should be sent to the clerk of the visitors , Dr . Fox had only signed 19 himself . Of such notices filled in and signed Henry Hawes Fox , proprietor , Northwoods , by Mrs . Hawke , there are 125- Of such notices purporting to be signed by Dr . H . H Fox , but so signed by Mrs . Hawke and others of his establishment , there are 144 . [ Dr . Fox had authorized Mrs . Hawke to sign for him . ] " There were not altogether 112 true copies of orders and statements . There were 25 medical statements of the health of the patients on admission , made by Mrs . Hawke , and signed by her ' Henry Hawes Fox . '" Irregularities abounded on every side , and the forms prescribed by law had been almost entirely ignored or violated in the admission , discharge , and death of patients . The entry of the visitors Bums up thus : —
" The visitors have benrd Dr . H . H . Fox , since the Epiphany Quarter Sessions , refer to past laxity in his attention to the forms of the act , in extenuation of what they have found to be illegal . But they cannot but remark , that they consider the term laxity to be inapplicable to the system which has been pursued by him . A system in which all the barriers created by the law against illegal and improper orders and certificates , and against the illegal reception and detention of patients , have been broken through and utterly disregarded . A system in which what he should sedulously have avoided , has been principally performed by Dr . II . II . Fox ; what by law he should himself have
done , has been principally performed by others ; a system in which patients have been received and detained for various periods upon illegal and invalid documents , but a system in which the forms of the act have been fully complied with in the copies of such documents transmitted by him to the visitors , in which all the illegalities of the originals have been carefully made good , inducing the inference that such originals , which w « re never referred to , were in all respects perfect and according to law . A syntcm , then , which they fed compelled to dein it
signate as one having less of laxity than of deception , and one which they regretted to observe continued uince his last licence in the examinations on March 1 , though not subsequently . By his acts , Dr . H . II . Fox has rendered himself amenable to prosecution for misdemeanours , especially created by the act to the number of above 280 . It seems astonishing that such a system should not have been long since exposed , but that appearancea disarmed suspicion , prevented inquiry , and induced a mere superficial inspection at the hurried visitations of past times . "
The whole ciiho was heard at the last Gloucestershire Trinity SetmionB , before seventy magistrates upon the application of Dr . Fox for a renewal of hia licence . IIo defended himself chiefly on the ground that the legal informalities were such an would not subject him to a penal prosecution ; that ho Imd pructiaed no " wilful deception ; " that the documents had been oxamiued and passed by the Lunaov Commissioners and tho viflitwg jueticca ; that tho
irregularities and informalities had ceased j and that it was well known how highly his establishment had been spoken of . Ultimately the Court granted a licence to Dr . Fox , as proprietor of Northwooda , fo » the reception of insane patients , and his son * Dri William Fox , and Dr . Green , as superintendents and medical attendants thereof ( they alone to carry out the provisions of the act of Parliament in regard to the funds and books in the house ) . This 'was o \ y , viously a compromise * and so * the matter rests .
Orange Riot In Liverpool. The 12th Of Ju...
ORANGE RIOT IN LIVERPOOL . The 12 th of July , the anniversary of the battle of the . Boyne , is a sacred festival , religiously kept by the extreme Orange party . As is well known , it is but too often the occasion of desperate conflict ? , attended with fatal results . The Orangemen of Liverpool met as usual on Monday , in the large space in the London-road , where stands the statue of George III . The aggregate number could not be less than 2000 , and were probably nearer 3000 . The banners were fixed in " lorries , " a species of long low cart , that , being readily turned , can be formed into an impassable barricade , at a cross-street , without a moment ' s delay . The officers of each lodge had an orange and blue scarf , und each member was decorated with the same colours in festoons and rosettes . Eight bands of music -were engaged .
The ** tylers of the various lodges had each a drawn sword , and as these altogether amounted to upwards of a hundred , and many of the Orangemen had halberds , and others truncheons , while some carried pistols in their pockets . The procession was met on its way by a body of Irishmen , armed only with stones , and assaulted the Orangemen , who repelled the attack with their fatal weapons . The conflict was fatal to some . A great many were wounded ; but , strange to say , there is a mystery and confusion about the accounts . Riot reigned in many places ; people wearing orange colours were insulted and beaten . It is said that the pistols of the Orangemen were loaded , but there is much doubt about it . The swords were certainly used , as one of the wounded , an Irishman , was carried to the
hospital with a desperate sabre cut in his head . After the first conflict the Orangemen again formed and marched off " , the bands playing triumphantly " Boyne Water , " and a body of 200 police following . The authorities did not interfere to stay the procession . It was anticipated that a serious riot would commence when the dock labourers returned from work ; but happily those anticipations were disappointed .
Travellers' Troubles. That Ingenious Con...
TRAVELLERS' TROUBLES . That ingenious contrivance of the Continental authorities for trying the temper , wasting the time , and getting hold of the money of travellers—the passport system—is , every now and then , subjected to a fierce or a humorous attack from some indignant or spoliated Briton . Thus " Scotua" sends the following lively letter to the Times : — " I shall give you a small bit of my travels as now fresh in my memory . On leaving Florence , a few mornings ago , en route for Home , by sea , I observe in my hotel-bill a charge of 10 pauls ( about 4 s . 6 d . ) , as being paid to the police for visiing my passport . I reached Leghorn the same day at two p . m . ( having stayed three hours at Pisa ) . Here I had to go to the British Consul and Papal Nuncio to get my passport visdd . The former
charged 5 paula , the latter 6 pauls , for this work . I embarked at Leghorn for Civita Vecchia at five P . M . the same day , and arrived in Civita Vtcchia harbour at six o ' clock next morning ; detained on board for two hours i . e ., till eight o ' clock , till the police could examine our passports . At eight o'clock a police authority came on board , and gave a printed paper to each passenger in lieu of his passport . We now Unled , and were oonducted to the Custom house to hare cur luggage examined , i e . when it should be the pleasure of this department to perform that duty , which was not soon . In the mean time I sent a messenger with tho printed paper received on board to the
police-omce for my passport . He returned some time afterwards , informing me that a mistake had been committed by the police in the said paper in designating me as proceeding to Naples instead of Borne , and that I must myself go to the police-office and get it rectified . I went accordingly , under a very Lot sun , to the police-office , which was at some distance , and « ai there told that I must first go to the British Consul for his signature , and that then the police would si « u it . Accordingly , conducted by a guide , I proceeded to the ofhee of the hnftlish Consul
, where ( it being now nine o clock ) I found nobody , and no proceeded to the Consul * * House , aa the diligence was ahorlly to start for Roma . I asked the Consul to sign it in his house ; but he could not do bo irregular a thing ; and , though I told him I had already been at his office and found nobody , herequested me to return again to his office . I did 80 , and now found tho clerk , who visit ! the passport , demanding « pauls for this ceremony . The passport was again taken to the police-office , where it was viatld , and a furt her payment made . At eleven a . m . the diliirenee started for
ltomo , at one of the gates of which we arrived at eight I ' M . the same day . We were thero detained for more than an hour by the Custom * ' officers , ostensibly examining tho luggage to see whether it had been opened during the day ' s journey , but obviously with the object of getting money from us ; for , finding nobody offered aoy , they cam * o each , of us and demanded some . "
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 19, 1851, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19071851/page/8/
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