CHARITY AT THE POLICE-OFFICES.
HOItAMJEE FRAMJEE, a native of Bombay, should be a scion of that illustrious race which gave its name to Persia, supplied the authors of Arabian Nights with the blackest villains, and con- tributes to Anglo-Indian commerce some of its moat princely merchants. But he is a poor man. He came, it appears, from Sydney, on the very rational speculation, that a compounder of Indian condiments might find employment in London : and truly, it is almost inconceivable that one learned in the art of making that most noble of condiments, chutnee, should lack employment. It reminds one, by contrast, of the more fortunate Beder-ed- deen, who could only make a sort of cream tart and yet was in- dependent of want. Horamjee Framjee can make curry ; which implies a most blessed rescue for your true Indian from divers traps set for him in that hallowed name. And the Parsee can command other dainties to be. But he ought to rest on chutnee alone. To think that this Indian Soyer should be driven to the Police-office for advice and charity, is surely a reflection on the national intelligence.
To Southwark, however, he went; and he was comforted. Mr. Cottingham gave him advice and money. Otherwise his case was hopeless; for he had no legal "claim" on anybody; and although he had the highest testimonials to his character, he must have starved, had it not been for the poor-box at the Police- office, which is supported by voluntary contributions.
To that box also many a poor man owes a rescue from death and destruction. Because, observe, our poor-law, which will confound indigence and vagrancy, is obliged to treat vagrants very much like deserving poor, and the most deserving in- digent man very like a rascally vagrant. Horamjee Framjee was not even a vagrant. At the Police-offices, by a kind of licence within the Magisterial discretion, the dispenser of ustice may deviate into sense, and, preserving the distinction between the calamity of indigence and the crime of vagrancy, he is able to award punishment and comfort accordingly. It is for such reasons that, at this season, we always urge the claims of the poor-box on the truly charitable: we believe that charity never is dispensed with such ample usance in the shape of benefit conferred as it is in our Police-offices.
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