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There has been little stir in the capital this week; the activity being almost limited to Whitehall and the public offices. There, indeed, even the most peaceful transfer of office has necessarily caused a good deal of bustle; which has been reflected in the daily newspapers, throughout the week, under such heads as " Ministerial movements," with ever-changing rumours of appointments, notices of significant interviews, whispers of contemplated overtures, and the like gossip of a " Ministerial crisis." The result we have presented to the reader in our Political Summary. Of the gossiping reports, one alone retains a living interest: it is the following, appended by the Times yesterday to a list of the new Cabinet- " We believe we may say that Lord John Russell has spared no pains to in- crease its strength by the addition of new elements. On receiving her Majesty's commands to form a Ministry, he sought an interview with Sir Robert Peel. The Ex-Premier received him with every sign of cordiality; gave him a general pro- mise of assistance; and undertook that he would not oppose any measures Lord John might bring forward, simply because they proceeded from that quarter. To this he added expressions, the force of which may have been overrated, but which implied the absence of all wish for a return to power. On this, it is said, Lord John ventured to ask for what he considered a fair pledge of Sir Robert's sincerity. He requested that the Ex-Minister would acquiesce in three of his late e es, whose names our readers will probably anticipate—Lord Dalhousie, LoratTneoln, es and Mr. Sidney Herbert—accepting seats in the new Cabinet. To
this Sir Robert is said to have replied, that he felt unwilling to interfere in so de- licate a matter; that he would offer no opposition, but could certainly not recom- mend a step which would be liable to unfavourable comment, as indicating a too great tenacity of office on the part of those youthful statesmen. As we yesterday intimated to our readers, Lord John Russell returned on Wednesday from Osborne House, charged with an expression of her Majesty's wishes that the Duke of Wellington would still continue in command of the Army. To this request his Grace yielded a dutiful compliance, in conformity with his views under somewhat similar circumstances in 1827. At the same time, he said that he considered his political life now ended, and that be should now never open his lips in Parliament except on subjects connected with his office. Lord John Russell here upon felt himself encouraged to make the same request he had previously made with imperfect success to Sir Robert Peel. The Duke at first returned much the same answer as his late colleague. He was subseqently, however, induced to give his consent to a letter, of which Lord John sent copies to the above mentioned three members of the retiring Cabinet. Their replies left Lord John Russell no hope of their assistance as members of his Govern- nient—for the present at least. "Some of our readers will possibly be grieved to find that a Cabinet which heft risen into power on the back of the measure carried by the League, should bear so little outward sign of sympathy with that body. In the first place, however, they will discover some pledge that their misgivings are not founded in fact in the circumstance that Lord Grey now views in a more favourable light the difficulties that led him to break with the Cabinet attempted last December. The question, too, of offering a seat to Mr. Cobden, received, we are informed, long and repeated discussion. Of course the admission of a great and triumphant agitator to the councils of her Majesty and the Executive Government of the nation was a proposal likely to present some unfavourable aspects to persons such as Ministers, Whig or Conservative, usually are. We have reason to believe that no unbecoming jealousy was displayed. There are circumstances, however, which will occur to all our readers as offering at least a temporary impediment in the way of that gentleman's acceptance of office. His business, it is well known, is one peculiarly dependent on personal superintendence ; so much so that Mr. Cobden himself considers a period of political retirement necessary to make amends for the loss he has suffered by his generous devotion to a public cause-' and on the same ground a magnificent subscription has been set on foot by his friends and admirers. However, a communication has, we believe, been made by Lord John Russell, with the acquiescence of his intended colleagues, expressing his deep sense of Mr. Cobden's services and consequent claims, and conveying also the prospective offer of a seat in the Cabinet, contingent on Mr. Cobden finding himself some day in sufficient health and wealth to discharge that great responsibility without danger to his life or fortune. Proposals have also, we have reason to believe, been made to two other prominent members of the LLeeaag�uue; and, although in one case they were, also from private reasons, unsue- cess ul, it is not improbable that at least one gentleman who has distinguished himself by his public advocacy of Corn-law repeal will enter Lord John Russell's Government."
A meeting was held on Tuesday at the chambers of Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, in Sergeant's Inn, to devise measures for providing for the widow and daughter of the late Mr. Haydon. Lord. Morpeth presided. The first resolution embodied an expression of deep regret at Mr. Haydon's death, caused by distraction of mind consequent on his pecuniary embarrassments. The second and third resolutions follow-
" That, without presuming to offer any judgment as to the place which Mr. Haydon will ultimately fill in the annals of his art, or any opinion on the contro- versies in which he was sometimes engaged, this meeting feels that the efforts of his genius, and the circumstances of misfortune which obstructed them, justify an expression of public sympathy with his widow and daughter. That such ex- pression would be most fitly conveyed by securing a permanent provision to his widow and daughter, left wholly destitute by his death; and that a public sub- scription be opened for that purpose." Mr. Sergeant Talfourd read a letter from Sir Robert Peel, expressing regret at being unable to attend, and mentioning that the Queen had granted Mrs. Haydon a pension of 501. a year from the Civil List. In the event of the meeting determining on a subscriptiOn, Sir Robert tendered 1001. from his private purse. Further proof was given of Sir Robert Peel's humane attention to the distressed family: Lady Peel had assigned a pen- sion of 251. a year to Mrs. Haydon, out of a fund over which she had control; and Sir Robert Peel having found that a son of Mr. Haydon, who held a situation in the Customs, was of sufficient standing to receive promotion, immediately gave him a step in rank. Lord Morpeth, Sir John Hobhouse, Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, and Mr. W. Hamilton, were ap- pointed trustees of the subscription; and a considerable sum was subscribed on the spot.
An important regulation with respect to the Occupation of cellars in London came into operation under the Metropolitan Buildings Act on Wednesday. The act declares, that after the 1st July 1846, " it will not be lawful to let separately for hire as a dwelling, nor to occupy or stiffer to be occupied as such, any under- ground room or cellar of which the surface of the floor is more than three feet Wow the surface of the footway of the nearest street or alley ; unless there be an
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area on one side three feet wide in every part, and six inches lower than the floor of such room or cellar, and at least five feet in length in front of the window, and open, _or covered only with open iron gratings ; the window opening must be nine superficial feet in area, and filled with glazed sashes, four and a half feet being made to open for ventilation ; the room or cellar must also be seven feet at least in height from floor to ceiling, and have an open fire-place with a proper flue therefrom. For the future, any person letting or suffering to be occupied as a separate dwelling any under-ground room or cellar contrary to the provisions of this act, will, on conviction before two Justices of the Peace, be liable to forfeit for every day during which such room or cellar shall have been occupied, a sum not exceeding twenty shillings ; one half to go to the person who sues for the same, and the remainder to the poor of the parish in which such unlawfully occupied room or cellar is situated."
An inquest has been held this week in Cross Street, Drury Lane, on an infant which was supposed to have died frompills administered by a non-medical man. It appeared that a Mr. Lowe, a retired officer of the East India Company's service, ninety-four years old, is in the habit, from mere benevolence, of giving pills to poor people who apply to him for aid in sickness. These pills, Mr. Lowe's son declared, were the discovery of an eminent practitioner, and were procured by his father at Apothecaries Hall. Dr. Farre analyzed them, and found that they were chiefly composed of hemlock. He stated that the child had died from natural causes. The Jury found a verdict accordingly, but with this addition—" But at the same time, we strongly reprobate the practice of Mr. Lowe, in administering medicines which are proved to be of an injurious character; and the more so that he is totally ignorant of medical practice."
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