The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-10 00:00:00

LORD ST.AAfFORD'S• BIRTHDAY REJOICINGS
AT ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE,

On Wednesday, upwards of 300 of the principal
agricultural tenants in the manor of Ashton-under-Tyne,
and township of Staley and Tintwistle, were provided
with an excellent dinner by the Earl of Samford and
Warrington, in commemoration 'of his lordship's birth-
day. About 1,000 school children and Sunday school
teachers were also regaled with tea and other refresh-
ments, and the church bells rang merrily, at intervals,
throughout the whole day. The dinners were divided
amongst the Commercial, the Pitt and Nelson, and the
Globe Hotels. The largest proportion of the guests sat
down at the Commercial Hotel, under the presidency
of Mr. John. Ross Coulthart, mayor of the manor of
Ashton-under-Lyne, near whom were the Revs. John
Light and Thomas Parkes Samuel D. Lees, M D. ; Messrs.
James Acishead, John Chadwick, Joseph Fletcher, J. G.
Roscoe, George Mellor, Jonathan Andrew, &c. After the
cloth had been removed and the usual loyal toasts dis-
posed of, the chairman propondj" Health and happiness
to the Earl of St mford and Warrington," who had that
day attained the tuirtieth anniversary of his b;rthday, and
who had that evening invited thZtn to partake of his
hospitality, accompanied with his best wishes for their
welfare, and a sincere desire that they should continue to
prosper, socially.:rnorally, agriculturally, and commerci-
ally. From all that he had ever heard regarding Lord
Stamford; he was satisfied that no man could take a
deeper interest in a large community than did his lord-
ship in the inhabitants of Ashton-under-Lyne and Staley,
and he was also satisfied that no one could feel a sincerer
pleasure in contemplating and promoting their general
welfare and happiness. He hoped that the inhabitants
of Ashton would do their best to cultivate a 'kindly feel-
ing with his lordship: by presenting him with a suitable
Redress when he risited the borough. He was certain
that they would all join most heartily in drinking the
health of their noble landlord, and in sincerely wishing
him long life and many happy returns of his birthday.
The toast was drunk with great applause. Many other
toasts followed, including " The Countess of Stamford
and Warrington," "The clergy of the town and neigh-
bourhood," '‘t The mayor of the manor,'; " The magis-
trates of Ashton-under-Lyne and vicinity," " Leigh
Richmond, Esq., steward of the manor,"-" J. G. Roscoe,
Esq., deputy steward," "The agricultural and commercial
interests of Ashton-under-Lyne and the neighbourhood,"
" The high constables' of the manor," &c. The room
was tastefully decorated with evergreens, flags, and
ancient armour ; and a party of glee singers contributed
very much to the general enlivenment of the festivities.

SIR JOHN PAKINGTON ON THE TREATMENT

OF CRIMINALS.

In opening the Worcestershire quarter sessions, Sir John
Pakiugton alluded to the state of crime generally, and the
ticket of leave system in operation of late years with regard to
convicts. He said that the panic which at present pervades
the public mind on the subject will, no doubt,. lead parliament
to demand of the government that the subject shall be fairly
considered, and the whole question of secondary punishments
be thoroughly revised. There is a desire in the public
mind, and, no doubt, one of the principal questions will
be whether there shall be a return to the system of trans-
portation. Ad far as England is concerned, transportation
has undoubtedly worked beneficially, but I doubt w; .ether
it will be possible to again adopt it to the same ext.ut 113
formerly. In any case, however, I think there should bo a
reconsideration of the present scale of sentences. The law,
in my opinion, was hastily altered and badly revised. Penal
servitude is by no means an equivalent for the sentence of
transportation ; but four years' penal servitude is nJes the
sentence inflicted where seven years' transportation was
formerly imposed. It is thought by' those who advocated
the . substitution that' the convict, during the course of his
four years' imprisonment, suffered to a greater extent
penally than during a period of seven years spent in exile;
but this, to my mind, is a very narrow view of the question.
In the case of seven years' transportation, the convict is taken
away. from his family and his connexions, ,and the result has
most frequently been that lie never returned to them again.
Then seven years is a touch longer period in a malt's lice than
four years, and the former is spent far away from friends
and connexions, while the four years' penal servitude is
served in this country, and at the end of the sentence, the
convict can rejoin his friends. 1 have a. strong opinion
that the code as at present existing is inadequate, and unsuited
to the requirements of justice. The maximum terms of
punishment ought to bo greater than they now are in order to
inspire the prisoner with a wholesome dread, which is the great
object of all punishments. The question at issue is really
whether our great criminals shall be discharged at home. The
whole theory and practice of our criminal law must have a
thorough revision, with the view to their speedy alteration."