The Press.
London, England, 1853-05-14 00:00:00

dation even in those restricted territories to which I have
alluded. ( Hear, hear.) To Western Australia we may con-
tinue to send them ; but I do nut deny, on the contrary I
quite agree with tie' noble earl, that the project of other
penal settlements being founded would not answer the pur-
pose at present, if transportation were intended to be
earried on as formerly. ( Hear, hear.) To be sure a noble
lord said the other night that we might send them to Falk-
Lend Island or to Greenland. Ido not know what sort of
discipline the noble lord meant to enforce there ; but that
shows how little people whose position entitle anything
they soy to respect really feel what the nature of the trans-
portation is to which we now allude. ( Hear, hear.) It is
not. such a system as could be' carried on in Falkland Is-
lands or in Greenland that is required, but what is required
is the gradual absorption of the convicts into the popula-
tion of the colony to which they are sent. That for many
years would be impossible in any new settlement that could
Ito formed. ( Hear, hear.) However, I ant not one of those
who think it is impossible that some use may be made of
Falkland Ishmd tier the purpose. It is a subject at all
events that deserves inquiry ; and in the deficiency of
means we have of disposing of those persons I do think it
is possible that some facilities might he thus aibmied:
To meet this necessity of reducing the number of
transported conviets, large extensions and great im-
provements had been introduced in the 'orisons and
reformatory establishments at home. These had been
attended with excellent results; and he contended
that for a large class of the minor offenders, on whom
formal sentence of transportation was recorded.
prison discipline, as now systematised, was a much
preferable punishment. Arrangements had been
made by which no difficulty cAndd arise during the
ensuing year, any probable number of (salvias being
already provided for at home; and before the expira-
tion of that period he trusted that some eligible and
permanent plan would be devised for future use.
The Karl of CHlcHlif4Tiat objected to the motion be-
cause it indicated an opinion in favour of the full main-
tenance of the system of deportation. lie, on the
contrary, believed that the ntore that system could be
restricted the better, and eulogised the reformers
and reformations which by improving our prisons ren-
dered them fitting substitutes for banishment in a
multitude of cases. The noble lord moved an amend-
ment :

That whilst lit the opinion of this Wm./. it is expedient In
relithl the ptilli.hlUela of triltivortation for wane of the graver
tstfenees against the law, it lies become necessary to restrict such
tniumportation to a few mil) of the eolonics, and to places which,
from their limited extent or populatisin, are at present incapable,
%%Olean, prejudice to their own SOAR! e Won, of IltrOethilg CM-
plo”uont to any ronsideratile her of discharged convicts.
'Chat it has therefore become the shay of Parliament hl adopt
immediate measures fur providing increased means of secondary
p hment in this e try. That such actinide') minis' itt
ought to be both in kind and &wadies sufficiently pl.llOl to exec.
else as deterring ais influence as the punishment of transporta-
than, and at the 540115' thine of HIS refairMiltdry 14 character as to
afford a reasonable hope dial the convicts who undergo it will, on
their discharge, beet useful members of society, IVA
qualified
to obtain employment either in this country or lu the cttfosks."
The Earl of Many concurred with Lord Grey in
maintaining transportation, and with Lord Aberdeen
in confessing that, after past circumstances, and
under the existing temper of the colony, it was impos-
sible to continue sending convicts to Van Diemen's
Land. He acknowledged that some changes had
become necessary, but believed that the Goventment
hail brought them abont with injudicious haste, anti
in a way which prevented the Legislature from duly
deliberating upon anti authorising them.
The Duke of Ntoveasrt.r. traced many of the diffi-
rallies they had encountered to the einieession of an
independent leOslature in the colony of Van Die-
men's Land. Representative institutions and the
convict system were utterly and entirely incompatible
with ono another. lie then cited a mass of figures
anti details appertaining to the statistics of crime anti
tinisliment for some years past, mitt contended that the
I:to eminent hall made the best of a very perplexing
task when contriving means for eontining, distri-
buting, employing, tutu' reforming the several classes
of convicted felons.
lord Comm.! • enforced the policy of retaining
trintsportat:, • s other punishmetit so good had
been, or 11- •iiev 0.1 ever could be, invented.
The Loco CHANcEI.I.OR noticed that. the resolution
re•mesteti her Majesty to order her ministers to
violate the distinct pledge they had given to the in-
habitants of Van Diemen's Land that no more con-
victs should be sent there. To this he could not
agree.
Earl GREY replied. and thtir lordships divided :
For the motion ;l7
For the amendment 5l
Majority —l7

NUNNERIES.
I'nder the title of a bill t t facilitate the recovery
of personal liberty in certain cases," Mr. T. Ciwumus
on Tuesday introduced a measure by which he de-
signed to afford protection to a number of females.
whom he stated to be now kept under coercion and
restraint in certain monastic establishments. With-
out. interfering with religions liberty, or hindering any
who wished it from retiring to a convent and remain-
ing there. it was right and possible, he contended, to
enable those who were discontented or ill-used to
obtain their release. At present it was possible for
women to be beguiled within the walls of establish-