The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-22 00:00:00

to ered assurances, not only to the Imperial Senate,
bi it through the Senate of France to the Govern-
s ten is of all Christendom, the EMPEROR has, of his
Own free will, gone out of his way to endorse, to
underline, to emphasise in the most distinct and
Tasitive way imaginable the pacific assurances
Jo very recently addressed by himself per-
a ovally, under his own hand and seal, to
e ach and all of the European Sovereigns.
A .ncl, not satisfied with even this as an intimation of
h is earnestly pacific intentions, the Emperor of the
RENCII recalls to mind the memorable words
p ginned by NAPOLEON the Great, when in exile at
S t. Helena, that to fight in Europe would be to
rn ake Civil War ! " May not this great thought,"
• ks NAPOLEON 111. directly of his Senate, indirectly
o ail Europe, ",May not this great thought [namely
t 'rat t to fight in Europe is to make Civil War],
tl t( nigh an Utopia in the past, shortly become a
ret tlity ?" To that end, to the end if possible of
re ndering it so, of rendering this Utopian notion o:
th e past, a sacred reality of the future, and that by
as . earnest effort in the present—the French
E:ITPEROR, only the other day, propounded to
lristendom his Arcadian proposition of a Grand
El a;opean
.Congress : what our own Laureate, as
f poetical political-day-dreamer sang of nearly a
quarter of a century ago, in his famous poem of
zecksky Hall, as " the parliament of nations, the
federation of the world!" Rebuffed though the
EMPEROR'S halcyon proposition has been in one or
two quarters, in one of them, especially, mean-
ing of course our own, with a singular and a
wholly uncalled-for discourtesy, the Imperial au-
thor of this great scheme of a peaceful Congress now
contents himself with saying, in words evidencing
on his part an imperturbable equanimity—
"lt is always an honour to proclaim a
principle tending to remove the prejudices
of another age. Let us unite our efforts for
this noble end, and let us only study obstacles to
vanquish them, and incredulity to confound it."
The perturbation with which the coming Jourdel'an
was beginning to be looked forward to, will surely
be in a great measure dissipated, even among the
class of,the Alarmists, by the reiteration by NAPO-
LEON 111. of his pacific intentions thus pointedly
and emphatically through his Senate to all Chris-
tendom.

There are few public gifts more appreciated by
the population of a large and crowded city than
parks and open grounds. We all know how highly
our London parks are valued by our toilworn arti •
sans and busy trading community, while the
popular affection for Hampstead heath, Clapham.
common, and many other such localities has often
been, loudly proclaimed on occasion of the many
attempts made to encroach upon them. Such
places of resort are inestimable privileges to those
whose duty confines them to close and crowded
shops, offices, or workrooms. At least one day in
seven they can see something more than chimney
tops or bleak walls. At least there are some spots
within easy and uncostly reach in which, as one of
our popular writers says of the miners emerging
from their subterranean gloom, they can " breathe
the air of earth, and look upon the light of heaven."
The parks of London have been styled very aptly
" the lungs of the metropolis," and although a
great part of the vast city's inhabitants can only
breathe in this sense once a week, yet there is no
question that they conduce very much to the phy-
sical health as well as the social pleasures of the
people. In many of our great towns, sprung up
like volcanic islands tram the fervid commotion o'.
manufacturing or trading life, similar advantagf2s
are being provided for the people. A wise phalli-
throphy looking forward as well as around, pro-vid •
ing for the need of the coming years as well us for
the wants of the generation that is passing, has in
many instance's chosen this form of expen ding vast
wealth or embodying benevolent sentiments. If
he who plants a tree for the benefit of posterity
has a right to be called a benefactor of
his kind, most assuredly he who opens so
delightful and healthful a source of recreation
to those who are to come after us deserves our
admiration and approval. Many of our wealthy
men in the leading provincial towns have greatly
interested themselves in any effort made towards
opening parks and pleasure grounds for the people.
Many of our large centres of industry possess such
an advantage, and it is heartily to be wished that
fewer were without it. Among those thus favoured
is Birmingham, whose beautiful Aston Park has
been the subject of much gratification to all classes
of visitors. It is with considerable regret, therefore,
that the public have recently seen some transac-
tions brought to light which appear to render doubt-
ful the right of the people to retain their park. It
seems, according to the correspondence lately pub-
lished, that when the park was first opened to the
public its proprietors were the members of a joint
stock company, formed not indeed for purposes of
profit, but with a view of securing the hall and
park, which had long been coveted by the inhabi-
tants of the city. One of the earliest public intima-
tions of the scheme was a letter addressed to the
Earl of SIIAFTESBURY by Mr. RATCLIFF, then
Mayor of Birmingham, in 1853. This letter was
written with the object of obtaining her MAJESTY'S
promise to open the park is person, and the advan-
tages which the park opened to the large body of
artisans who thronged that thickly peop.ed district.
This letter produced a subsequent communication
from the Home-office, in answer to which the
Mayor entered very fully into the matter. This
reply, which was read at the meeting of the Bir-
mingham Town Council held last week, enables us
to understand the original aspect of affairs. Mr.
RATCLIFF tells the Home Secretary that the main
Capital of the company was raised by means of
shares of 21s. value, issued to working men. Others
\
were donation shares, the holders of which claimed
either profit nor privilege. The remainder of the
"Pitta
c Was to be raised by the issue of a third class
of shares, which
were chiefly taken by the middle
classes for the sake of obtaining a voice in the
management
of
the
park. It was also provided in the
deed of settlement
proceed with
if the company should prove
nab
to
the
with the scheme, they might
tender e the to
whole
council of the borough upon
ul
payment of the liabilities '''
then existing. Such a
clauso appears to offer a
Creditable solution to the
present
havingdifficulty. It appears
that the purchase-
money never been
fully obtained, her
MAJESTY was asked, with all the „
Pomp and circame
stance of State, to open a place for
the
genera
recreation which inTafewpryeseeanrts semaasycoor,
longer to be
unwilling,
property. he
very naturally, that the inhabitants of the borough
should lose their treasured
_. park,_iiip tooks on the eitzlez
step of addressing. Sir C. B. P r
in order that the matter might reach the QuE,,s.
The reply to this communication contained a wells
merited reproof. It expressed her MAJESTY'S sur-
prise that she had not been correctly informed on
the matter, and expressed her expectation that the
citizens of Birmingham would not delay in securing
the park as a public possession. This very natural
and sensible advice does not appear to commend
themselves to the good people of Birmingham. The
royal hint has not been taken, and the members of
the Town Council seem to be decidedly unwilling
to fulfil the pledge partly given on their behalf by
theirth former Mayor, whose acts
end writings on
i matter they never opposed or co etradictcd, At

the late meeting, too, resolutions were pro-
posed—one to the effect that the matter be re-
ferred to the Baths and Park Committee,
with instructions to consider any proposal made for
the purchase ; the other was that the Council should
take steps to purchase Aston Hall. The discus-
sion as to the relative merits of those proposals was
long and animated, occupying several hours, and
engaging numerous speakers. One gentleman
boldly declared that the town was compromised,
and that after bringing the QUEEN to Birmingham
and representing to her MAJESTY that Aston Park
was for the people, it would be disgraced if the
Council did not purchase it, let the price be what it
would. His remonstrances failed in their effect,
and by a preponderance of 29 votes the resolution
for referring the question back to a committee
was passed. "We cannot but share the hope
expressed by Sir CHARLES PHIPPS on behalf of
her MAJESTY, that the wealthier citizens of the
town of Birmingham will not suffer such dis-
credit to fall upon their town, as the loss of this
park would infallibly occasion. The sum re-
quired, though perhaps large for the purpose, is
not large for a town like Birmingham, and it
would ill become one of England's great manu-
fecturing centres to be accused of parsimony.
Their eloquent member, who is always ready to
proclaim the right of the poor, had better read
them a lesson. Indeed, if he sets them the ex-
ample by heading the subscription list it would
be only consistent. Let Birmingham look to its
laurels, or the general public will begin to believe
the professions made on behalf of the working
classes, especially as concerns the opening of this
Hall and Park, to be no more sterling than their
manufactures were wont to be regarded, and con-
sider them mere " Brummagem wares."

Every now and then the readers of the public
papers are horrified and disgusted by the account
of some shocking act of cruelty, and some wanton
case of malignity comes before them that seems
more suited to the doings of fiends than the delibe-
rate deeds of men. A most frightful instance of
barbarity has just been brought before us by the
energetic efforts of that praiseworthy Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is most
satisfactory to reflect upon the result of their la-
bours, and the amount of good that they do is
almost incalculable. Still their services effect more
benefit in so far as regards preventive measures,
and it is of importance that the subject be consi-
dered in the light of adopting remedial ones. The
knowledge that at any time a case of cruelty may be
detected and brought to justice doubtless deters the
commission of many crimes ; but when the danger
has been braved and the act perpetrated, in spite of
all warning and regardless of detection, it is neces-
sary to reflect a little on the nature of the penalties
inflicted. It is very much to be regretted that for
some reason or other the sentences on these mis-
creants and ruffians are never half severe enough,
and do not in the hundredth degree come up to a
fitting idea of retribution. The case here cited is
most revolting, and indeed it is almost toe horrid
to d well upon. Two labourers were charged with
maltreating a dog in the most cruel fashion. They
were flaying it alive. Mr. PRATT, who prosecuted,
very properly demanded the heaviest possible
punishment, truly adding that this case was one of
the worst ever brought into a court, It was proved
by witnesses that the " prisoners were actually en-
gaged in cutting off the skin from a dog while
alive." It was also shown that it was not till some
disturbance overtook them that they desisted, and
threw the animal into the sea. The Chairman of the
Bench said that he had never heard a " more gross
case of cruelty in all his experience." All this was
very true, but the conclusion drawn from such pre-
mises is most dissatisfying. The prisoners were
condemned to two months' hard labour. This is a
mere farce of punishment in comparison with what
such characters deserved. There should be some
imperative infliction to such cases as these that no
magistrate can alter, and from which there can be
no escape. This will be the only sure and certain
way to put down such a disgrace to humanity as
the occurrence, much less the repetition, of these
offences most assuredly is. In the first place there
should be some disgrace attached to the penalty in-
flicted, to that the offender may not have the oppor-
tunity of treating the affair as a joke when the term
of his incarceration is over. In the instance of the
" garotters" the plan now in vogue of affixing to
the sentence the penalty of flogging, appears to have
been in some way successful, since far less is heard
of the exploits of these nocturnal assailants, who
had become at one time inseparably asso-
ciated with the perils and dangers of the night.
When the attention of Parliament was drawn to
the question, there was great opposition at men-
tion of the proposal for instituting flogging as an
addenda to the sentence on these offenders. Doubt-
less the same objections would be urged were the
energetic reformers of the law to propose a similar
infliction on the perpetrators of the cruel deeds re-
ferred to. Notwithsteending such demurrers abound-
ing, it is to be earnestly trusted that there will
be found discerai ng legislators to take up
the cause when Parliament assembles. The
near approach of this period is a source of
satisfaction to ra a•iy as well as Mr. COBDEN ; and
they confidently look forward to the opportunity
that will present, itself to those desirous of amend-
ing errors, rectiriving mistakes, and adjusting diffi-
culties in the wierking of the decrees of justice. It
is a solemn an-3 sacred duty to society to put a stop
to such violation of all laws, both human and
divine, as are infringed by the doers of the
dark deeds rii luded to. It is a grave responsibility
which rests on our Legislature that our laws should
be changed and altered until they are sufficiently
strong to deter those Who are evil disposed from the
commissi o'n of such crimes. It would be a great ad-
vantage to the cause of civilisation, and a special
service to the interests of humanity, if prompt and
decided, measures were adopted. It is a scandal
to an Is ge, with its vaunted improvements and its
astou e ding discoveries, that there is no statesman
who 'can device, and no legislators who can carry
out, laws:that are potent enough to militate against
barb erians and check the course of brutality. No
pair s should be spared, no prejudices should be
allo wed tostaud in the way of the necessary change
and imperative remedy. As BOILEAU observes of
a .faulty production—Fingt foia sur le metier
rem ettez touvrage. Again and again should the
effot t be made, until it is an established fact that a
stric t and severe discipline is effected, and that a
system of terrorism prevails that must in time
create a salutary effect and produce a beneficial
chaz-.:o. To inflict a trifling penalty upon men so
destitute of the commonest feelings of humanity,
and so dead to all sense of shame, and then
,
to
la en !ore', far heavier penalties upon those
offence is a trivial theft to which
they vir
rdeeamlnzat
odfriavesntabrvyintghefapmrielyss, seems
m
,
incongruous justice. It will not do to rate property
tt
and
tht)
as the only thing that is to be protected ; that may
and is high
eve it in
;ani't:lard excellence. It '
be. y necessary, but there is much that ranks
th e s
pt or
eparde aocfh abou
point of real worth
tabhenefdodrsieffusion cf. knowledge and idle
educa-
tion becoming the great social regenerators, if it is
known that the law takes no •
(MC:: cognisance of