The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-06 00:00:00

people. They have proved themselves worthy of all
the sympathy shown them, and have endured hard-
ships, privations, and enforced inaction with a dig-
nity, a patience, and moderation which have excited
the admiration of all. That large bodies of intelli-
gent men should be suddenly thrown out of employ-
ment without fault of their own, that they should
see their homes broken up, their families suffer-
ing, all the comfort of their lives suddenly
taken from them, without breaking into open
violence or cherishing the sentiments of Chartism
or rebellion, is certainly an astonishing fact. It is
a proof not only of the improved education of the
masses, not only of their advance in political
knowledge, bat of their perception of the efforts
made on their behalf in aid of the impartial libe-
rality which had been shown them. And, lastly,
the cotton famine has given us another reason for
satisfaction with our country and our time. We
have seen noblemen, and gentlemen of wealth, po-
sition, and influence, little accustomed to dull rou-
tine or obscure exertion, take upon themselves
unasked, tedious, and laborious duties, and sacrifice
all the temptations of comfort and leisure to the
faithful discharge of the duties self-imposed. The
imparti lity, the tact, the prudence and discretion
with which the relief has been administered, does
us less honour to the administrative abilities of the
Executive Committee, than their efforts in the
cause reflect credit on their patriotism and kindly
feeling. The noble Chairman, whose efforts on
behalf of his poorer neighbours have been so great
and so unceasing, is certainly especially qualified
for so responsible and arduous a post. Of the
judgment and discretion with which he has exer-
cised those functions there can be no discussion ;
evsn party prejudice has been compelled to acknow-
ledge that he was " the right man in the right
place." In recollection of all that has been done
and is now doing, the Committee may look with
equanimity on the opening of another year, even
though it find their task uncompleted, and the
distress not yet entirely allayed. The vast decrease
in the number of paupers which has taken place
during the year just closed, has so greatly re-
duced the list that even the rise consequent upon
the advance of winter leaves it far below its former
standard. A decrease of more than 275,000 in the
coarse of the year, notwithstanding the addition of
10,000 to the November list, leaves us good
grounds for hoping that the worst is past, and the
well-founded calculations of those best informed
give us reason to anticipate a continued increase
on the imports of raw material, although consider-
able fluctuations both in trade and in prices may
be expected for some time to come. Altogether,
then, we may rank among our causes of thankful-
ness at the beginning of 1864, that the mud
which hung so darkly over 1862 has not only
shown us its " its silver lining," but is rolling by
slow but sure degrees away from our national
horizon.

It is very satisfactory to notice that the Earl o
CARNARVON'S Report has been adopted. The noble
lord has for some time past toiled most strenuously
at the arduous task he has assigned himself, and it
is in every respect gratifying to notice that his
efforts have not been thrown away, nor his advice
rejected. There was some opposition to the Report,
which was ao more than might have been expected,
considering the circumstances. There are always
people to be found who are against the introduction
of all alterations, doubtless from conscientious
motives, but it is no less satisfactory for the dis-
ciples of progress to triumph over the prejudices of
these scrupulous individuals. The account of the
discussion is deserving of great attention, and all
who are at all interested in the subject of prison
discipline should peruse it attentively, for it brings
before them in a very succinct form the chief de-
bateable points that come under dispute in this
vexed question. Lord H. CHOLMONDELEY made an
ingenious case for the visiting justices, but his sug-
gestions were all open to objections, and Lord
CARNARVON very ably demonstrated the fallacies
of the proposals. The noble lord very truly observed
that if the plan proposed by one gentleman was
carried out, namely, that the visiting justices should
have power to carry out or not the report of the
special committee, this would be virtually destroy-
ing the whole object of the alterations, and leave
things pretty much as they were. His lordship
laid down some very stringent rules with regard to
"evening instruction," and his ideas on the subject
seem to be very correct ones. It is one of the
greatest mistakes that can be possibly made, not to
preserve intact the regulations which give a penal
nature to the system carried out. This cannot be
done if first one innovation is made and then
another. The fact that evening instruction has
been tried very successfully in Ireland, ought to
carry conviction to the minds of these dissen-
tients. It is certain that the hours of daytime
devoted to learning must prevent the whole course
of discipline, and tend to impart an essentially
scholastic style to the existence led within the
prison walls. As Lord CARNARVON decisively put
it, the prisoners are there for punishment, and not
instruction, and, therefore, due regard should be
paid to the requirements of the case. It is quite un-
accountable that the visiting justices should be so
supine as to object to the chapel being restalled, in
order to check the communication which now takes
place too easily between the prisoners. When it
has been clearly shown that any special practice
militates against the end that all ought to have in
view, it seems quite incomprehensible that men of
experience should persist in raising objections to the
improvements proposed, and steadily resist the in-
troduction of changes. Many would suppose that
such a responsible position would in itself cause
them disquietude, and that they would gladly re-
ceive any suggestions, and cordially welcome the
advent of those who hid studied the subject, and
brought experience to their aid, and the result of
many tested theories for their edification. It is a
notorious fact, however, that some people would
rather go wrong their own way than right in any
one else. Lord CARNARVON condcluded his very
telling address by strongly insisting on the necessity
of a change in the present course of discipline. It
worked very badly in so far as it appertained to
producing a wholesome dread of prison, and a dis-
inclination to encounter its regime. He cited an
instance of the effect produced on a labourer by his
incarceration at Winchester. When he was asked
what he thought of the treatment he had re-
ceived he thus answered the query ?—" You
can hardly tell how goodnatured and kind and
civil they are, they weighed my food for me
every morning; they came every day and asked if
I had anything to complain of, and if I desired any
alterations to be made; and if it had not been for
the desire of seeing my wife and family I should
have had no objection to remain there."
Surely it is monstrous that such impressions should
gain ground among the labouring classes. It is
high treason against virtue thus to hold out a pre-
mium for vice. It is scandalous to place crime on a
bed of roses, while industry and integrity are sent
to starve on the highway, and it is iniquitous for.
those in high places to waste the public money
on these classes, while the State is de-
clared too ;poor to render any special assistance
to an honest man with starving children, who is
struggling vainly to support his family, and per -