gbe Ifletropolis.
A public meeting was held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, on Thursday morning, to petition against the New Poor-law Amendment Bill Mr. Walter, the Chairman, was accompanied into
the room by Mr. Thomas Duncombe, Sir W. Myers, and several other gentlemen. Mr. Wakley arrived afterwards. A body of Chartists had preoccupied the central seats and a part of the platform. Mr. Walter opened the proceedings in a long speech, comprising a general attack upon the law ; which he said was the parent of Chartism—not Chartism "in its simpler form of placid opinion on rights and privi- leges, but of Chartism in its most aggravated character of resisting authority and committing murder." He read two letters from Mr. John Frost, in 1837, one of them having been written to Mr. Walter himself. Mr. Frost had just been appointed a Poor-law Guardian, and his letters related to the dietary of the Newport Union, which he considered insuffi- cient. Dr. Maunsell moved a resolution denouncing the new bill ; and the resolution was seconded by Mr. Hanson. Here the Chartists entered the field. Mr. Cleave proposed an amendment, expressing detestation of the principles and administration of the New Poor-law ; but declaring that there appears "no efficient remedy for that and numerous other bad laws under which the industrious classes of this country suffer, until class-legislation be abolished, by every man capable of bearing arms in defence of his country exercising his constitutional right to vote for those persons who make the laws which all classes are called upon to obey." The amendment was supported by Mr. Spur and another Chartist. Mr. Wakley now interposed ; and avowing himself in favour both of the re- solution and the amendment, he begged the Chartists, as practical men, to withdraw the latter. Mr. Walter also tried to persuade them; but without effect. He then refused to put the amendment. A " remon- strance " to the House of Commons was read by Mr. Duncombe, amidst great confusion, and declared by Mr. Walter to be carried ; and the Anti-Poor-law party vacated the room. The Chartists appointed a fresh chairman, passed a censure on Mr. Walter for his partiality, cheered the Newport Chartists and Feargtts O'Connor, distributed groans for the Whigs and Tories, and then retired.
On Thursday, a numerous meeting, to hear a lecture by Mr. Sidney Smith against the Corn-laws, at the Three Tuns Tavern, in the Borough, was intruded upon by the Chartists. Resolutions pledging the meeting to agitate for total repeal of the Corn-laws, and affirming the Chartist axiom that no good measures can be expected without the Charter, were both carried.
On Sunday evening, a meeting, originated by a number of Irish me- chanics, was held at the Assembly-room, Theobald's Road, for the purpose of echoing the cry for Repeal of the Union. Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Steele, and several other Repeaters, attended by invitation ; and by their presence, which had been for some days announced, attracted a very numerous auditory. Mr. O'Connell spoke moral-force Chartism on the occasion.
On Wednesday evening, a public meeting of the friends and sup- porters of the Aborigines Protection Society was held in the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, for the purpose of calling; the attention of Parliament to the recent summary execution of natives in South Australia. A petition to Parliament was adopted, calling upon the Legislature to provide that the criminal law should be administered in the Colonies in the same way and with the same spirit as it is in this country.
The report of the Poor-law Commissioner, on the miserable state of the poor districts in the city of London, has stimulated the Inquest of Farringdon Within to take up the subject. They make a presentation -or report to the Court of Aldermen, not less appalling in its details than the former account;, and they recommend a remedy which seems prac- ticable, and much to the purpose- " It is, that the Corporation, in the course of the numerous improvements which they still contemplate carrying into effect, should, in a suitable situation, (say Farringdon Market,) cause to be erected, as an experiment, several -capacious houses, contiguous to or adjoining each other, to be called The Working-man's house,' or by any other name that might be deemed more appropriate ; in which should be constructed rooms of a comfortable size, which might be let to the industrious poor, for weekly sums varying from Is. to Is. 3d. each ; or if the Corporation should consider it preferable, that twenty-four small houses should be erected; each to contain four rooms, the two lower to be let at is. each per week, and the two upper ones at Is. 3d. per week, which altogether would amount to 4s. 6d. per week for each house."
Should the Corporation not assent, the Committee recommend that a piece of land should be placed at the disposal of any philanthropist who might choose to try the experiment ; as a precaution against mere trading, however, restricting the interest to be received by the specu- lator, The presentation of the Inquest was referred to a Select Corn- Illittee to take evidence on the subject.
A solemn thanksgiving was held in the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, on Monday, for the successful issue of Sir Moses Monte- fibre's mission to the East. All the leading gentlemen of the Jewish. persuasion in town were present. Amongst them were the Baron Rothschild, with several members of his family, Mr. Sheriff Salomons, Mr. Goldsmith, and Mr. D'Israeli. At three o'clock, Sir Moses Monte- fibre appeared, and the service commenced. Lady Montefiore was also present, seated beside her sister, Baroness Rothschild. The service was conducted is) Hebrew ; but books containing the Hebrew text with the translation on the opposite page were distributed. It consisted principally of singing and chanting. In its progress a number of offer- ings for the poor were announced. That of Sir Moses was stated at one hundred guineas; and from the number of donations given, the total sum must have reached a considerable amount. A sermon was preached by Dr. De Sole. He mentioned some changes which had been effected by Sir Moses in the East: the Jew in Turkey would now be admitted to all the rights of his fellow-citizens ; and the Turkish language would be taught in the Jewish schools, removing with the difference of tongues a great obstacle to the intercourse of the two peoples.
On Saturday last, at Marylebone Police-office, a woman named Ann Moore was charged with cruelly treating Mary Moore, her illegitimate child, eight years old. The child, who was brought into court, was covered with bruises and wounds. The Magistrate said that he had never seen a more afflicting sight. He committed the prisoner to Newgate ; the children being removed to Marylebone Workhouse. On passing down the passage to the van, the prisoner was with difficulty protected by the Police from the indignant attack of the crowd.
On Wednesday morning, a dreadful fire, with loss of life, occurred in Parson Street, East Smithfield. It was first discovered by a policeman of the H division; whose efforts to arouse the inhabitants were for some time unavailing. Several engines arrived just as a female appeared at the second-floor window imploring assistance. It was impossible to rescue her, as the fire reached completely across the street ; and thus the girl perished. The fire raged for an hour afterwards. On the af- ternoon of the same day, an inquest was held on the body ; when a verdict was returned to the effect, " That the deceased Ann Dillon was burnt to death at a fire which took place on the morning of the 10th March, but whether it originated by accident or otherwise there was no evi- dence to show."
Early on Wednesday morning, John Webb, an engineer on the North- eastern railway, met with a dreadful accident. On the arrival of the Broxbourue train at Shoreditch, be suddenly fell off the engine, and the whole of the carriages passed over him. He was conveyed to the London Hospital in a hopeless condition.
Edward Hubbard, with whom Eliza Grimwood cohabited some time before her death, and who was her cousin, died on Tuesday week, at the house of his brother, in Castle Street, Borough Market. His complaint was a disease of the lungs. Shortly before he expired, he exclaimed " Eliza, I see you! You have been waiting for me a long time : wait a minute, I am coming." A moment after, he ejaculated, "Release me now ! " and he expired, in the arms of his sister. Hubbard, who at the time was strongly suspected of being concerned in the murder, always declared his readiness to meet the fullest inquiry into his conduct.
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