NOTES OF THE MONTH. 465 



sense of justice, " according to law," that is, " according to a law of 

 their own/' police law. That magistrates should have the power to 

 condemn the unfortunate to share a jail with felons and malefactors, is 

 a monstrous dereliction from a sense of right on the part of those who 

 have delegated such power. That they have the will to place mis- 

 fortune upon a par with crime, but too many cases before us attest. 

 Such an abandonment of high and generous feelings can only be 

 accounted for upon the principle that a continual contact with misery 

 produces an extreme callousness of heart. This is a depravity of 

 feeling peculiar to bailiffs, hangmen, and magistrates. They are cha- 

 racterised by a want of sympathy with the wretched and broken- 

 hearted, a disbelief in honesty, an indecorous levity with misfortune ; 

 which hateful deviations can only be acquired by their constant 

 communion with the debased of our species in the exercise of their 

 several disgusting and disgraceful callings. That such repulsive 

 manifestations are quite wilful, and not allowed by law, we learn 

 from a case at Marlborough-street, when an unfortunate and talented 

 gentleman, Mr. Somerset, was charged with " singing his own verses 

 in a low tone of voice" for bread. Mr. Dyer was rather puzzled. 

 The straightforward way would be to have sent him to jail ; but 

 perhaps the press might have been impertinent ; he was therefore 

 allowed to depart. The awful announcement of Mr. Dyer, " You 

 have committed an offence for which you ought to be sent to jail ! " 

 has raised emotions within us of rather a personal nature. Many a 

 time have we sung under a lady's window, nor dreamt that our amo- 

 rous fervour risked the climax of fourteen days cooling in the tread- 

 mill ! Why was not the mercy shewn to Mr. Somerset, likewise 

 extended to the poor Irish girl, who endeavoured to support her 

 destitute brothers and sisters by selling trinkets ? The following is 

 the result of that disgraceful report ; 



Mr. GREGORIE. (To the Policeman,) "Did you hear her beg?" POLICE- 

 MAN. " No sir." Mr. GREGORIE. Has she ever been in custody before?" 

 Kaing the jailer said he did not remember her. Mr. GREGORIE. " Then I 

 shall commit you for fourteen days." YOUNG WOMAN. (Bursting into tear's,) 

 . " Pray .do not send me to prison! Oh! my poor mother !" She was then 

 locked up. 



We make no comment on this case. The magistrate found by 

 inquiring, that the poor girl was worthy and industrious that she 

 had offended against no law ; therefore she was a very proper person 

 for prison. 



THE BLACK BATTALION. The United Service Gazette has hu- 

 humanely suggested a most affecting method of providing for a large 

 body of men who are likely soon to be thrown out of employ, and 

 from their habits riot capable of any honest exertion. 



"An old officer has proposed that, as at the present time there are thou- 

 sands of blackguard lawyers and other reptiles creating distress, and plunder- 

 ing the unhappy victims, that two or more battalions should be formed en- 

 tirely of this class, to be entitled the " Devil's own," and that they be im- 

 mediately shipped off for Sierra Leone, there to remain under orders for 

 active service against the Ashantees." 



M. M. No. 94. 3 O 



