ABSTRACT
A very large sum was subscribed, contemporaneously with the Patriotic Fund, to render assistance to the distressed wives and relatives of soldiers in the Crimea who could not claim under the other fund, or at least were debarred from aid by its too stringent rules. The amount contributed to the first fund reached, we believe, the sum of £70,000, and was entrusted for distribution to a certain Major Powis,[sic] of the “Rifles,” a busy and officious sort of personage, who talked much, wrote much, and affected to sympathize much with the objects for whose benefit the fund was raised. The Major was appointed secretary, and scarcely was he installed, or installed himself, in the office than troubles environed him. His administration of the fund involved him in disputes with the press, and we have some recollection that the Major, or ex-Major, entertaining, no doubt, very sincere opinions about the injurious tendencies of Popery, displayed on some occasions, in connexion with the distribution of the fund, feelings not very creditable to his impartiality. We may be in error, but we have a faint recollection of some such practice, which public opinion, however, soon corrected. The Major, having rendered such signal and gratuitous services, conceives, or his admirers conceive for him, of course without his cognizance or approbation, that he is entitled to some more substantial mark of gratitude than the shadowy reward which conscience bestows on duty well discharged. How a public appeal would be responded to, had the Major’s friends adopted that mode of testing public gratitude, we may conjecture from his antecedents. A subtler and less creditable mode is adopted to present the national benefactor with “a piece of plate.” The plan recently came to light in Liverpool. It appeared several soldiers’ wives applied to Mr. Mansfield, the stipendiary magistrate, for some assistance to enable them to join their husbands at Aldershott. On being questioned by the magistrate, they admitted they had received some trifle from the Liverpool agent of the Major, the Rev. J. Connor, a Protestant clergyman, who asked them in return to give a few shillings a piece to the Powis Testimonial! We are not informed how much each received, but we can scarcely extend the munificence of the reverend gentleman beyond twenty shillings a piece, out of which some of the poor soldiers’ wives returned two shillings, at the solicitation of the agent for the Testimonial! When one creature handed him 1s. 6d., the reported reply was—“Oh, shame, Mrs. Kelly! Won’t you give more than that? Look at the amount of money you received.” That Mrs. Kelly or the other suppliants for aid could not spare eighteen farthings is proved by their subsequent appeal for assistance to the police magistrate; but that was no concern of Mr. Connor, and he had the good feeling to rebuke poor Mrs. Kelly because she was not more liberal in rewarding the services of Major Powis. The magistrate observed that this was an illustration of the manner in which testimonials are got up. He does not know half. The machinery is so secret and intricate that none but a person well acquainted with its operation could reach the truth. Mr. Mansfield would contribute to a Powis testimonial for “the ability he had manifested in dispensing the fund, about which, however, there is a wide difference of opinion; but he did think that there could be nothing more deplorable than the course which had been adopted to wring from these poor creatures the sum of two shillings, which they could ill afford to spare, as they were destitute." We hope this expose will have the effect of terminating the subtraction from the miserable mite afforded the soldiers’ wives and families, and if any considerable sum had been obtained in this manner to reward the Major’s sacrifice of time to the cause of charity, it will be returned to the fund. If the Major be conscious of having deserved well of the country, let him appeal to that tribunal—but let not his injudicious friends seek to have his great deserts rewarded at the expense of the soldier’s wife or child. A man of honour—as the Major doubtless is—would feel no satisfaction in contemplating on his sideboard such an involuntary testimonial.
