of knowing that the necessary operation of taking life was done with the least possible suffering.

Such an establishment would be a model for others, which would soon spread through the whole land. We should see altars raised, not to the demon of Cruelty, but to the shrine of Humanity.

Wishing you every success in your attempts to alleviate the sum of animal cruelty, I remain, Sir, Yours, &c.

Wakefield, Jan. 20, 1831.

SIR,

JAMES WETHERALD.

To the Editor of the Voice of Humanity.

I most heartily approve of your design, and beg your acceptance of £1, in furtherance of the laudable object you have in view. I have many times witnessed instances of cruelty in the streets of the Metropolis, and several times have personally interfered, at the risk of being insulted by carmen, drovers, and others. At my representations to their masters, some of them have been discharged. I have expostulated with and threatened drovers with punishment, for suffering their dogs to worry the sheep; when, to my surprise, the answers have sometimes been, "Lord, Sir, the dogs cannot hurt them, for their teeth have been drawn." The poor dogs are made to suffer by the brutes their masters, yet they are still capable of tearing off the ear of a sheep or a lamb. If the Corporation of London would issue an order that no sticks above a certain size should be used by drovers, the cattle would escape the cruel blows inflicted by large ones with heavy knobs at the end: the knobs are intended for striking more forcibly; and I have seen the horns of oxen and sheep broken by them, and hanging upon their eyes, with the blood streaming from the wounds. If the scoundrels inflicting these cruelties are themselves attacked-cowards, as they are,-they immediately cry for mercy. I once saw on ox struck on the hoof, which instantly brought him to the earth; when he arose, he could not put his foot to the ground; and this, forsooth, was to make the animal move quicker! I am very sorry to see, by the newspapers, the reluctance of many Magistrates to punishing the miscreants who behave with cruelty to cattle. Such forbearance has a pernicious effect; it hardens the monsters in their practices: and my opinion is, that a man, who would wantonly ill-use a brute, would, without the least compunction, attack a fellow-creature, even to death, did not the law interfere with its strong

arm.

On the subject of dogs I quite agree with you in your remarks; but there is one you have not noticed, viz. that, if a double tax were laid on female dogs, the mischief would soon cease. Can you, Sir, inform me whether the Commissioners of Hackney Coaches employ any persons to look to the horses used, many of which are in a wretched condition,halt, lame, blind, and half-starved, drawing the coaches and cabriolets?

If so, these overseers neglect their duty.* I have seen some horses in hackney coaches equal in condition to those belonging to private gentlemen; and, if their owners can earn a livelihood, why are not other hackney-coachmen obliged to supply proper horses? I have been told that some hackney-coachmen employ men to drive for them, and that these fellows will frequently sell the provender intended for the horses, and with the money purchase gin, &c.

*

Richmond Herald.

I am, Sir, Yours, &c.

J. HAWKER.

Inspectors are attached to the Hackney-Coach Office, whose duty it is to examine and give an account of all the coaches and horses that are in a bad state. The manner in which this is performed is obvious to every one. Another cause of the numerous miserable horses is, that, on the husband dying, the Plates pass to the widow, as a means of livelihood; and, in such cases, the horses are little better than those in a knacker's yard. was of this description.

ED.

No. 829

THE

STAMFORD CHRISTMAS BULL-RUNNING. (Continued from page 75.)

We intimated in our last Number that a repetition of the disgraceful scene of the 13th November might be expected at Christmas. Notwithstanding the powerful discourse of the Rev. T. Roberts, delivered at St. Mary's Church, which so strongly impressed the minds of many of the most respectable inhabitants of Stamford, as well as our readers generally, -notwithstanding the protests and remonstrances against a repetition, and the uncompromising manner in which we held up all parties to the eyes of the British Public, the Corporation did permit another scene of lawless riot, profaneness, and cruelty, in the same part of the town, on Dec. 27th, the following month!

From the experience obtained at the anniversary Bullrunning of Nov. 13, we were fully aware of the importance of combining the moral machinery of the press with personal interference, by sending a person, to aid those who were endeavouring to abolish it, to witness the scene, and to bring a faithful report of the proceedings; but our little funds, which altogether did not amount to what is collected for a Bull-running, precluded it. This source of anxiety was relieved by the exemplary liberality of Mrs. F. M. Thompson,

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from whom we received a carte blanche for the accomplishment of this important object, and Mr. Jackson was sent. We take this opportunity of acknowledging, with gratitude, the valuable services this benevolent lady has rendered the Voice of Humanity, in contributing to its pages, obtaining Benefactors, and extending its sale. If, by the support of the British Public, the moral machinery of the press be thus aided by personal interference, and also by correspondence with those persons who, in their various districts, are endeavouring, with us, to abolish similar demoralizing scenes, we conceive that the beneficial effect already produced at Stamford would attend other places, as Bilston, &c., and also Miss Alice Cottram's exhibition at the King's Arms, near Eccles, of baiting a Bull, Bear, and Badger at the Barton-wakes. At the commencement of this publication, we purposely selected the Bull-running at Stamford,—an example sufficiently important for the experiment, having existed upwards of 600 years. In consequence of such combined exertions, we are enabled, in our third Number, to appeal to the following encouraging facts:-the admirable Sermon of the Rev. T. Roberts, Rector of St. Mary's, against it; the abolition of the usual flagrant cruelties at the two last Bull-runnings, on account of the proceedings being watched;—the removal of that mark of importance which had been upheld for so many years-its being protected by charter; the Petitions presented to both Houses of Parliament from the Clergy, the Ministers of different denominations, the members of the liberal professions, and the respectable and well-disposed inhabitants, praying for its immediate legislative prohibition.

A most respectable correspondent at Stamford expresses himself thus. "I am persuaded that the notice which has been taken of the Bull-running in the Voice of Humanity' has considerably altered its character. Though its abettors are determined to continue their cruel sport (unless Parliament passes an Act to prohibit it) they act with caution; and we have not heard of those atrocious acts of cruelty which characterized the Stamford Bull-running for so many years, and without which it was not considered a sport worth attending; and I am fully persuaded they are kept back from these cruelties only by the knowledge that a report will be

made of their proceedings. The publication has done great good, and has received the grateful approbation of most of its readers in Stamford, except the Corporation."

To enable us to accomplish these important objects, we appeal, with a degree of confidence, to the principles as well as feelings of the religious, the philanthropic, the benevolent, and the humane portion of society, for pecuniary assistance; and to our friends, individually, for increased exertion.

Mr. Jackson arrived at Stamford Dec. 25th, and the Bullrunning, as we had been previously informed, took place on the 27th. In addressing the Mayor and Corporation at the town-hall, Mr. Jackson reiterated his former arguments, and strongly reprobated the aggravation of permitting another Bull-running, in the month following the last, when there could be no pretext for gratifying the rabble, as was urged at the anniversary of the 13th November. The Mayor and Corporation did not pretend to argue its continuance on the authority of any charter, but on the implied sanction of the Legislature, by no law having been passed for its suppression. We have already said that, were a charter for this purpose in existence, and invariably adhered to, it could afford no protection in a court of law to any one of the parties who promote this nuisance, riot, and breach of the peace. The scene of December 27th was similar to that of November 13th; but the bull was kept the whole time in the town, and was not driven into the meadow; and in the afternoon was baited with several dogs, most of which, in trying to pin the bull, were dreadfully injured. The houses of Broad Street were strongly barricadoed; the avenues were blocked up with waggons filled with people; and the same means of teazing and irritating the animal were resorted to. The sport was continued from eleven in the morning till one, when the rabble drove the bull into the stable at the Salutation Inn, to allow an hour for refreshment; and at two it was again turned out, with the addition of baiting it with bull-dogs, till nearly dark, when it was driven into the stable. Several persons were tossed and injured, as on the last occasion, of whom John Selby was carried off in a state of insensibility.

The Parliamentary proceedings respecting the Petitions now presented for the legislative abolition of the Stamford Bull-running, will be fully reported and commented on in the next Number.

SIR,

Oval, Kennington.

LEWIS GOMPERTZ.

Nov. 5 Denney & Yewen Messrs. Hone and

Mr. Hone
Messrs. Hone and
Chambers