The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-23 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

Dix accounts from St. Petersburg lead us to believe that there
has been a marked difference in the reception given to the Special Am-
bassador from France, and that accorded to the representative of this
country. This was to be expected. From some motive not easy to be
accounted for on any rational principle it has been the object of Lord PAL-
MERSTON'S Administration to keep up a sense of irritation in the mind
of the Russian Government and to prevent a restoration of cordial feel-
ing between the two countries. We are assured by the Morning Post,
that the step of sending a British squadron into the Black Sea was
taken without any previous concert with our Allies. The Post admits
that the Isle of Serpents is a most " unimportant place," and that the
force sent by Russia to occupy it did not exceed a dozen men. The
organ of Lord PALMERSTON proceeds :
After such conduct it was competent to the allied Powers to make such a represen-
tation to Russia as should have brought her to reason and submission. This, to have
been effective, should have been consented to by France and Austria. But these two
Powers not having resolved upon prompt active measures, our own Government—while
other Powers were thinking about it—at once took steps to show, not to Russia only,
but to the nations of the East, their firm determination to see the treaty carried out to
the letter. By Lord Palmerston's directions a strong squadron from the Mediterranean
fleet at once proceeded to the Black Sea, and, cruising off Odessa, sufficiently intimated
the opinion of the British Government as to the good faith of Russia, and the propriety
of her conduct.

If this representation be correct, Lord PALMERSTON has needlessly in-
curred a serious responsibility. No emergency existed to justify the
appearance of a British squadron in the Euxine, and it is evident that
no such measure should have been adopted without the perfect con-
currence of France at least. Lord PALMERSTON'S foreign policy is
a policy of antipathies, of all kinds of policy that most unworthy of a
great country, and most injurious to its real interests. We hope his
idle bravado may not be accepted as indicative of the feeling of the
nation.

The conduct of Miss NIGHTINGALE on her return to this country
stands in marked contrast with that of many other individuals whose
ovations have lately filled so many columns of the daily press. The
heroine of the late war has declined the honour of a public triumph, and
thereby, if possible, has added to the fame she has already acquired
by her self-devotion and courage. None of our readers can fail to
make the application of these remarks to that particular General who
has lately figured before the public to a somewhat disproportionate
extent, and, if report speaks true, has arrogated to himself inure than
his due share of military glory. Inquisitive people ask why the gallant
General KMETY'S letter remains so long unanswered ? Is it that he to
whom it was addressed feels the justice of the rebuke conveyed in it,
and is conscious that his own reputation must be supported by
ignoring the merits of others ?

The opening of the National Reformatory Union at Bristol on Wed-
nesday last, is the formal recognition of a principle long adopted in
practice, and supported by both public and private benevolence, but
not hitherto established on a scale commensurate with its importance.
We regard it as a fitting inauguration of that reign of social ameliora-
tion on which let us hope we have now entered, and of which, here as
elsewhere, a leading member of the Conservative party has shown
himself a conspicuous advocate. According to the Prison Returns of
1852-3, quoted by Lord STANLEY, the amount of clime committed by
persons under seventeen years of age, which is usually designated as
" juvenile crime," amounted to eleven and ahalf per cent. of the whole ;
while of crimes committed by youths between the ages of seventeen
and twenty-one, the proportion was as much as twenty-five per cent.
The number of recommittals among the former class amounts to neat ly
one half of the number convicted, showing thereby the very slight
reformatory effect of the punishment employed. His Lord
ship also went through a variety of other statistics calculated to
show the cost to the country of its criminal population, with a view
to disabuse the public mind of any prejudice against reformatory
institutions on the score of their expense. The questions discussed
by the different sections on Thursday are all of the deepest interest,—
the nature of the punishment to be employed in reformatory institu
tions—whether it should pal-take of a retrospective penal character,
or be limited to the correction of faults committed on the spot—in
what way the employment of criminals can be managed so as not to
depreciate the value of honest labour—how far it may be possible to
guard against the evil of leading our population to snppose that
crime is the avenue to a good education and a permanent provision
for life—the great disadvantage attending the present uncertainty of
punishment, and its effect both in creating, maintaining, and propa-
gating criminality.—These were some of the questions which
received attention at the hands of various able and experienced
persons, and the public discussion of which cannot fail to elicit many
valuable suggestions destined to contribute to the future formation of
a complete system. There is one point however which we have not
enumerated in the above list, which was only casually glanced at by one
speaker, hut which is, in our opinion, of the very highest importance,
and calculated to supply a clue towards the solution of many of the
aforesaid difficulties. Miss CARPENTER stated that " she thought that
" previous punishment ought not to be absolutely required before admittance
"into reformatories" In this expression of opinion we cordially coin•
cide. In THE PRESS, of August the 9th, we wrote as follows
:
The very ildlimity which is foreseen by the Time. in dealing with a society of hop
criminals should constitute a strong additional motive for arresting the hay's career
before he has become criminal. Prowling about the streets of London are hundreds o