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    November 26, 1853.] THE LEADER. 1135

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    WHO IS TO HAVE THE SANDWICH ISLANDS ? Ti...

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    OUR SANITARY STATF. Tmc mortality for la...

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    THE STRIKES. The operatives of the north...

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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.

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    Corporation Reform. In His Evidence On T...

    " 24 . That the Central Criminal Court be under the management of the aldermen of the central council ( who shall be magistrates ) , and the expenses borne by a rate on the whole metropolis . " 25 . That , after the general Act of Incorporation , all commissioners exercising the functions of commissioners of improvements , sewers , & c . j be abolished , and the works placed in the hands of the central council . " 26 . That the Mansion-house , Guildhall , and such premises as might be required by the central . council , be valued and paid for by the united municipalities . " 27 . That all funds left in trust to the City of London be held sacredto the purposes for whioh they were so left ; that all * charities be consolidated and administered by

    one committee ; that all property left by individuals , or arising from property granted by charters , for services rericlered or money paid in . times gone by , so soon as the obligations are cancelled for which they have been mortgaged , be appropriated to improvements within the City . In like manner , the Bridge-house estates , when relieved from their present burdens , be devoted to the purposes of maintaining the old , and building new , bridges over the Thames—thus fulfilling the original intention , and observing the corporate right of property as jealously as the property granted to private individuals for similar services Tendered in times of national peril . Under such a system —a system calculated to benefit the entire community of the metropolis , from the squares of Belgravia to the docks

    of Limehouse , embracing the whole valley of the Thames , and the Thames itself—we may fairly conclude that the nobleman taking any interest in his neighbourhood , and . the merchant desirous of extending the commerce and trade of London , would willingly and cordially associate to carry out an enlightened system of independent municipal government , which could only be secured by the highest intelligences heartily co-operating . With such a corporation , far removed from paltry bickerings and petty jealousies , we might , in a few years , see the Thames embanked from Putney to Blackwall—its waters purified , new streets opened , bridges constructed , sewers perfected , and the whole metropolis exhibiting a striking contrast to its

    present aspect under conflicting jurisdictions . ' While the establishment of a central authority is advocated in the foregoing scheme , it is centralization springing out of , and controlled by , the principle of representation , and not that dreaded system of centralization—the tool of individual will or arbitrary power . " Officers of new municipalities need only be—Town clerk ( a solicitor ) , 1000 Z . treasurer , 5001 ; mayor , 5001 . ; committee , clerks , & c , 600 ? . ; total , 25002 . " The officers of -the central council must be determined hereafter in accordance with the duties that have to be performed when they are definitively known ; but the judicial functions of Recorder , Common Sergeant , and Judge of Sheriffs' Court , as at present understood , should be

    transferred to judges appointed by the Crown . The Lord Mayor , aldermen , and councillors of the central council , nhould continue to possess all the rights and privileges now enjoyed by the Corporation of London—viz ., the Lord Mayor to be ex officio a Privy Councillor ; the right to approach the Throne with addresses ; the right to petition both houses of Parliament through their sheriff ; the right to be represented in Parliament by an official , and such other privileges as may have been granted by charter for services rendered to the Crown in bygone days ; that two stipendiary magistrates bo appointed by the Crown , and paid by tho municipality of the City of London . "

    Complaints were made before the Commission on Thursday , by oyster traders against tho metage porterage and City dues they hove to pay for sea-borne oysters , while their competitors who get oysters by rail are subject to no such charges ; and by the parish of Marylebone against the injurious operation of tho coal-tax ( 20 , 0001 . annually ) on that district . Mr . H . Bateman presented a scheme for a series of municipalitie s with a central council selected from them , aa a , niimicifKil corporation for London . It is not as complete and sound as Mr . Bennoch ' s plan , but proceeds on tho same principle .

    November 26, 1853.] The Leader. 1135

    November 26 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 1135

    Who Is To Have The Sandwich Islands ? Ti...

    WHO IS TO HAVE THE SANDWICH ISLANDS ? TiIKSK inlands , so important as a naval station in the I acific , are at present under tho go void merit of King Kaimsliameka III ., whose Ministers or jVliriiflter is an American . A movement in favour of annexation has been begun there by some American merchants and others , with a view of inducing the King to alienato r ,, , . ' r « ignty , and negotiate a treaty of annexation . ¦ I ho British and French Consuls have remonstrated ngainHl . this . They lay down these doctrinca ;—

    ' We consider it our duty to remind you that Great "main and Franco have entered into Holenm treaties with " ><> iMench nnd Drilish Bubjectn the mnne advnntngtw and l » nvil (^ (! as may bo granted to mrbjectH or citizens of tlio •'"> « . favoured nation , and thai , the joint resolution of ¦'' "ff'aM and Franco , of tho 28 th of November , 184 i \ , wan ' <> umled upon tho clear un < lcrHtundi * ng that your Majesty « 'an to prcHorvo your kingdom a « an independent titnU \ rp « , * . * * " » ' J *'"* nuiLuvnu t \ n ii . ii ju «* 13 Jm iiuriiii MMIM " , of

    ti # ° * " ** WO < ' (! ' > i * " ^ nft »» o our Uovornmontfl , ¦ Uftl nny attempt , to nnnnx the Handwich IhIutmIh to any oreipri , J > owcr whatovcr would ho in contravention of ox-*« "iig tr ( ia ( , i ,. Hj nm {

    or to enter into a _ : negotiation with that view , without the concurrence of his people . We , therefore , consider that the time has arrived for us to remonstrate ; and we do hereby remonstrate against your Majesty becoming a party to the scheme recently got up , or to any other project which existing treaties and tho Hawaiian Constitution do not sanction . ' This remonstrance was submitted to the King in Council , on the 1 st tSeptember ; and his Minister , Mr . Wyllie , returned a reply , promising the royal consideration . The Consuls published their document in the Polynesian ; and the American Commissioner , Mr . Luther Severance , has replied to it , giving the same publicity to his answer . We subjoin the essential parts of his reply to the Consuls : —

    " You are aware that the Government of the United States has never made any propositions to His Majesty ' s Government to annex the islands , though the matter has undoubtedly engaged the attention both of citizens of the United States , and of subjects of the King " . To me it is not surprising that the ' merchants and landed proprietors , ' whether Americans or others , should perceive great commercial advantages in such a connexion , considering that the principal part of the commerce of the islands is with the United States , and that the islands must look almost

    exclusively to the Pacific coast of the United States for a market for then * products , and the means of paying for their heavy imports . I perceive , therefore , nothing very extraordinary in the project remonstrated against . And . if now , or at any future time , it shall be found to be decidedly for the interest of both countries to unite their sovereignties , I am unable to perceive any treaty or moral obligations on the part of either to forbid the desired union , or any good reason for foreign , interference to prevent it .

    " French and English subjects might still be entitled to the privileges of the ' most favourecf nation ; ' and on the score of commercial advantages , cannot well complain of being subjected in these islands to the revenue laws of a country which consumes and pays for French manufactures , and other products , to the amount of forty . millions of dollars annually , and of British goods fo the amount of one hundred millions annually—the revenue laws of a country rapidly growing , and whose trade is now of more value to Great Britain and France than that of any of their colonies , if mot , indeed , of ah * of them addedtogefcher , vast as English colonies are .

    " The right to cede or acquire territory , or to unite two independent nations by compact , is regarded as inherent in all independent sovereignties . It has certainly been practised from time immemorial . The Power which can cede a part can cede all the parts . Modern history abounds in examples , and none more than English and French history . Annexation is neither a new thing nor rave in our day , as the Turks and Arabs of Algeria , the Caflres of South Africa , and more than 130 , 000 , 000 of people in India , can testify—people , it is hoped , who may be benefited by tho change ; but whether so or not I cannot admit that annexation by voluntary consent is any more illegal or reprehensible than annexation by conquest ; but whether it be done by one process or the other , the Government of the United Statos can have no colonies . Whatever territory is added is but an integral part of tho whole , and subject to tho samo national constitution and laws . * * *

    " The agreement or joint declaration of the 28 th of November , 1852 , that neither Great Britain nor France ; would take possession of these inlands as a protectorate or otherwise , was creditable to those Powers . The Government of the United States was not a party to the engagement , neither was Kmnehama III ., so far as appears . The parties to it , by their naval forces , had both mndo hostile demonstrations upon tho king ' s sovereignty . " Tho United States has not , but both before and . since ,

    though their interests were far greater hero than those ot any or all foreign Powers ^ they have constantly respected tho Government , of tho King . They have never nought to limit , the right of his Government to I ' m me its own system of finance , enact , itn own revenue Ijiwh , regulate its own Hystein . of public education , establish its own judicial policy , or demanded any special favours , and they were tho fir . st to recogniso tho complete and unqualified national independonco of fcho kingdom , by tho treaty of tho 2 l ) th of . December , 1840 .

    " Tho treaty having been faithfully observed , there i « nothing in tho policy of tho United Slates towards t . hoso islands which requires concealment , or deinai ids explanation ¦—nothing to disturb tho harmony which hapj > ily exists between tho United States and tho great commercial Powers of Europe . " ( Homo Protestant miRnionarioH are accused by th « Consuls of being mixed up in tho American agitation , but they have publicly denied the ohargei .

    Our Sanitary Statf. Tmc Mortality For La...

    OUR SANITARY STATF . Tmc mortality for last weok ( according to the report of the Registrar-General ) 'hIiowh but a small reduction on tho previous return , which was rather high . In fcho week that ondod on / Saturday tho number of deatlin registered in London was 11 ( 52 . in tho ton corresponding weeks of tho years 184 , ' } -52 the average uumlnirwuH 102 . ' 5 , which , if raised in proportion to increase of population , becomes . 1 J 2 /> . Therefore tho actual mortality somewhat exceeded tho estimated amount . It is satisfactory to perceive that tho mortality from cholera whh not ho great aH in tlio four previous weokn , tho number of deaths having fallen to 72 , whilo that from diarrhuMi was only tf <> . ] , ' , t , lu > three woolen of November oholora carried oil' 102 , !) H , and 72 porwmn . The moan weekly temperature , which rojio so high as 55 ' 5 dog . in the last weok of October , declined in the

    two subsequent weeks to 48 " 9 deg . and 457 deg ., and last week fell so low as 38-5 deg . Of last week ' s deaths Irom cholera , 5 occurred in the west districts , 11 in the north , 3 m the central , 20 in the east , and 33 in the distnctson the south side of the river . To this report he has added an important supplement , showing that impure water supply and cholera are to be found together ; that there was a certain proportion between the deaths from cholera and the water supply in 1849 ; and that that supply is still from the . same

    sources . In 1849 the mortality from cholera was lowest in districts whieh have their water chiefly from the Thames , so high as Hammersmith and Kew . Tho mortality was greatest m districts which derive their water from the Thames so low as'Battersea and Hungerforrt-bridge . The districts of the JNew River occupy an intermediate station . In six districts supplied from Kew and Hammersmith 15 in 10 , 000 inhabitants died , and the mortality ranged from 8 to 33 . In 20 districts supplied from the Amwell , the Lea , the Ravensbourn 48 in 10

    e , , 000 inhabitants died of cholera , and the mortality ranged from 19 to 96 . In the 12 districts supplied from the most impure part of the river between Battersea and Waterloo-bridge 123 in 10 . 000 died , and the mortality ranged from 28 to 205 . Elevation or depression of site co-operated With the , quality of water to produce these relative results ; the mortality of the third group of districts was three times aa great as in the second , though the density of population in the third ( 73 persons to an acre ) was little more than half of what it was in the second .

    The cholera , although it has not ceased , is sensibly abated in the country . In London , the number of deaths last week fell to 72 . In Scotland , we still hear of its ravages in Dundee , but the y are not greater than we should expect from the filthiness of the town . Elsewhere the deaths occur few and far between .

    The Strikes. The Operatives Of The North...

    THE STRIKES . The operatives of the north seem to be fast reverting to their original position . Preston , it is true , is still firm , and the contribution last week amounted to 2200 ? ., a larger amount than any they have yet received . Meanwhile , however , great hardships are endured by the people earning nothing . Indeed , the distress is so great at Burnley that it lias attracted the attention of the Board of Guardians , and they have written ou t a statement of the case to the Poor Law Board .

    The Guardians '' feel they have entered on a period when those who either on account of misfortune or improvidence have failed to make any provision for their families , will graduall y exhaust such resources as can be raised by selling and pledging clothing- and furniture . The number of such cases of destitution must , from ^ veek to week , increase and become complicated with sickness , aggravated by insufficient food , clothing , and fuel . Your authority extends not only to the definition of the law , but to the regulations of the proceedings of Boards of Guardians , even in their most ordinar y duties . In circumstances so extraordinary as those in which this Union is now placed , we therefore tt

    feel ha you and not this Board of Guardians have to define to what extent rateable property within the Union is liable to the support of the working-classes who are now destitute of employment . When a felon is sent to gaol , or when a drunkard wastes his resources , the law does not suffer his family to perish of hunger , though it does not intervene until a degree of indigence has occurred which no right-minded man will voluntarily suffer his dependants to encounter . In clearly marked cases of indigence , in which not only weekly wages have ceased , but all other resources arising from the sale of furniture and clothing have Leon exhausted , are we right in conceiving that the Board of Guardians

    , without reference to tho origin of the indigence , are bound to extend relief administered in strict conformity with your General Order ? Such cases are obviously more urgent when complicated with sickness . In this cbisn of eases we conceive that , wo recognise tho operation of the principle which provides security for life-, without which them can Ixi no security for property . On the other hand , if there be any cases short of this degreo of indigence caused by ( lie susponHion of employment in the cotton mills of thin district , for the . support of which the rateable property of the Union is legally liable , you are requested clearly to define them for our guidance . "

    Lord Courtenay has forwarded a brief but full answer from the Poor Law . Hoard , in whieh the doctrine of relief in the oases alluded to in laid down-

    " . In reply to tho question Ntihmillcd to fliciniii thatcom - lminicatinn , iim to tho'prinriplcN by which ( lie CiimrdinnN ought he guided in trenting nppliniliniiM for relief from the i \> or-linfen ; 1 tun directed by the itoiml to slnfe , that , they consider those principles to bo few and dimple . II , will ho for Hie ( JuiirdiniiH to upply them , niter a careful inquiry into Iho cireuniHtiuireH of each pnii . iciilar mw » . Ineiuli ( lie ( jucHtion will bo , whether t . lio cmno in one of actual ( Iohtitutioii . Where the applicant . Iiiim the pecuniary mounn of milmmtoucc for himself and liin family , from whatsoever fuudu those mcanit may he derived , or \ iliero ho may , if ho plenty , immediatel y obtain work , nnd ho earn tho meum of HulmiKtonco , tho Hoard are of opinion that , h <> ought , not to ho considered an actually dnslitute . If on MuvoMior hand , he him neither money nor work , nnd i . s reidly without ; the pronent , means ) of obtaining oillior , no thai , iiid ' froin tho Poor- ( fates in absolutely necewiary for tho nubHint ; onco of himaolfiuidhiH family , ( lie ChuutliiuiH ought loivlicyo him

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 26, 1853, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26111853/page/7/