The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-24 00:00:00

Lord SALISBURY last night very properly called a

ten tion to the convict system. He moved fur a return
of the " number of convicts under penal servitude
confined in gaols other than Government prisons in
1862 and 1863 ;" also what steps had been taken to
carry out the reconmendations of the Commission
on Penal Servitude. This last was a very necessary
item in the demand, since nothing is more common
than for a Government to put off inquiry and com-
plaint by instituting a commission, and then not to
attend to the recommendations that are given,
Lord CARNARVON made some observations on the
subject, and truly characterised it as a "monstrous
anomaly" in English justice that heavier offences
often meet higher punishments, and vice versa. It
is well known that a short period at a county gaol
is more stringent than some years of penal servitude.
The prisoners invariably prefer the Government
part of the affair to the ordinary gaols. Lord CAR-
NARYON'S remarks on this subject are always well
worthy of attention, both from his lordship having
studied the case in all its bearings, and also for the
enlightened views which he entertains regarding
the question. He quoted a report which proved
that on one occasion the convicts in one prison were
attacked by some disease, and it was the opinion of
medical men that it arose chiefly from the rich-
ness of their food. "In consequence of this the
ox-head cheeks were withheld from the soup,
and the men's health improved." This is perfectly
ridiculous, and it is quite out of character that such
luxuries should be provided for men under sentence
of punishment for the commission of heinous offences.
It is actually holding out an encouragement to lazy
and selfish men to get into a place of this sort, where
their appetites may be pampered and their idleness
indulged. The more publicity that is given to these
facts, the better it will be for the public service,
and then, perhaps, the authorities will be shamed
out of their persistence in improper indulgences to
the convicts. This false system of palliation re-
sults in the worse effects, both for the men them-
selves and the society amongst which, they are
placed long before their original term is expired.
It is not a fair test of conduct either to judge of
them by their behaviour during their confinement,
when they are thus pampered and coddled. It is
not likely that they will be tempted to rebel against
such mild treatment, or become restless and unman-
ageable when humoured to the last degree, and
every possible device is resorted to, to keep them
quiet and satisfied. If sterner plans were adopted
and more vigorous discipline enforced, then
a better notion might be formed of the effect
which the penal servitude was bearing on their
characters. As it is, we have the best grounds
for asserting that the men are made worse during
their period of detention, and come out with re-
unwed vigour to prosecute their nefarious under-
takings, Of course thero are notable exceptions,
but as a rule it will be found that very little
progress, if any, is made in the reformation of
our criminal population. Lord CARNARYON put
the case very forcibly, when he said that to be
successful, either one plan or another ought to
be adopted, and that the Home Secretary was
trying too much to take "a scrap of one system
and a scrap of another, until the whole system
adopted became incomprehensible and remarkable."
There is great truth in this, and it would be
well if more heed was paid to this suggestion.
Either to adopt the practice of tickets•of-leave,
coupled with police supervision, or else to throw
the system overboard, and attempt another, is
the advice tendered by Lord CARNARVON, and it
certainly seems to be sound. It is evident that
what is wanted imperatively at present is a
radical change in our system of penal servitude;
and the question is whether the temporising efforts
and feeble legislation which is now in vogue will
bo capable of effecting the desirable and most
necessary alteration. There is too much patching
up of difficulties, and two much dawdling and
hesitation in all the legislation that is brought
forward on the subject, and it is most urgent that
now the case is again one of the chief social dis-
cussions of the day, some lasting and excel-
lent arrangements bo made, or else all this bicker-
ing and debate will result in grievous harm, and
be worse in the end than if matters had rested in
statu quo. The criminals will exult at the ineffi-
cacy of our efforts to control them, and thus an ad-
ditional evil trill have been effected. This is the
proper time for those who have objections to state
them, and for those who have suggestions to make
to bring them forward, or clrie the opportunity will
be lost. The Government are, doubtless, animated
with the best intentions, but they are too timid in
the measures they adopt. They had better come