The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-21 00:00:00

1537.
Oct. '2 7 . p.:33.—Lord Gl:melg's Dispatch, re_,
commending improvement in Prison)
Discipline.
Oct. 47. p. 37.—Presentment regarding the
•

Referred to a Select Corn_
mittee. N0v.29, p. 179.
No Report.
Select Committee, Nov.
20, p, 170. No Report.
'Select Ci,rrimittee, Nov.
16, p. 130. No Report,
. .

In,,ecwity of the Cornwall Gaol.

Oct. 27, p. 37.—Lord Despatch, sug.'
vsting—
A Reduction of the Receiver-Gene.!
ral's Salary.
To provide for the Governors.
To provide for a Legal Judge.

Oct. 27, p. 39.—With an Ordnance Account
for Bedding supplied to the Police.
2561. 161. 4d.
•
Oct. 31, p. 47.—Lord Glenrlg's Despatch reH
specting Fees in C:)anc2ry.
Oct. 31, p. 51.—Lor:1 Glenelg's Despatch reH
commending that Apprentices be ex-I
erapted from the operation of the
Vagrancy Act, 39. Geo 3., c. 2.

State cf the Island, Nov,
29, p. 179. No Report,
Net ordered to be paid.
taken up.

'Table.—Not taken up.

Oct. 31, p.:;3.—Lard Glenelg's Obsereaticnsi'

Select Committee, Nov.
22, p. 146. No Report.

on Stoney-hill Road Bill.
C:ergy Amendment Law.
Allowances to Crowii witnesses
Prisoners in Gacl.

Amended, as suggested,
in the New Law, but
I not until after a Proro-
gation.
'Select Committee, Nov. 2,
p. 83. No Report.

Oct. 31, p. sS.—Suggestions for remedying the'
Cases of Complaint between Master
and Apprentice arising from the cir.
cumstances detailed.
Nov. 7, p. 32. Lord Glenelg's Despatch com.iSelect Committee, Nov
musing on the state of the copies oti ltl,p. 130.
the Laws suggesting their being Only Six Laws ordered to
printed. be printed.
On the Receiver General's Security Bill. Reduced to 100,0001. by
the Now. Bill.
No Report.
No Report.
An imperfect Bill passed,
but not until atter a
' prorogation.
Prisoners Allowances who are Crown Amended in the New
witnesses in Gaol. I Law.
•No Report.

Saving's Bank Bill.
Seditious Meetings Bill.
P.lice Act.

Classification Law must be reconsi-
dered.
Malicious injuries to persons to be
amended.
Nov. 10, p. 110.—Lord Glen*l,;'s Dispatch re-I
specting transportation in future. De-1
siring a Commutation may be effectedi
as regards those now under such son.
tence.
Nov. 10, p. 111.—Itespecting a Bill (lost in
the Council) for assisting the extension
of the Scottish Church by a parochial
tax.

No Report.

(Table.—Not taken up.

ITable.—Not taken up.

Select Committee, Nov.
29, p. 179. No Report.

Nov. 17, p. 133.—With the Bishop's Letter re-
garding the Church Funds at his dis-
posal in aid of Grants for Schools and
Chapels.
Nov. 17, p. 13-4.—With the Church Mission-
ary's Letter as to a difficulty in purchasing
land for building schools.
Nov. 28, p. 177.—Proposing sundry regulaH
tions for treadmill punishments.
Dec. 6, p. 203.—With the Ordnance Store-
keeper's Account for the Muskets, &c., sup-
plied the Militia, 1,1971. 6s. 11. Currency.
1838.
Feb. 2I.—A second Report as to Prison Dis-
cipline sent down and proposed to be
referred to a Select Commit's/.
" No. 110. " Government Houie, Feb. 5, 1858.
" Sra,—My time having been almost entirely occupied in
the Court of Chancery for some days past, it has not been in
my power to write to you earlier respecting the trials in the
recent Court of Quarter Sessions.
" It was my painful duty to interfere with some of the sen-
tences passed by that Court, on account of their extreme se-
verity in corporal punishments.
" It was not that I questioned their legality, but I do ques-
tion the policy and propriety of such extensive punishment!,
by flogging, when it is known her Mejesty's Government are
studiously endeavouring to substitute more effectual punish-
ments, by an improved system of prison discipline, to give the
means of reforming bad characters, and operate in the preven-
tion of crime.
" This is one of the objects of Captain Pringle's mission to
this country.
" The abstracts of trials in your last Court give these results.
" There were 24 convictions, of which 17 were sentenced to
be flogged in addition to imprisonment and hard labour, and 7
were sentenced to imprisonment only. There were 758 lashes
awarded between those 17 convicts, giving an average of 44
lashes each.
" These unfortunate men were not defended on their trials,
while the Clerk of the Peace, who gets their cases up, becomes
entitled to a doubloon for every conviction.
" Now I beg you to notice, that the last returns sent home,
sliming all punishments inflicted by the Special Magistrates
made up to August, (and they have considerably diminished
since), presented only 105 corporal punishments among up-
wards of 120,000 male apprentices, and I must further assure
you that in five regiments of the line, in this command, 700
lashes would not be inflicted in any 12 months.
" I am grieved whenever I have to find fault with the Ma-
gistrates, but it was impossible for me to hear of such extreme
punishments, and not interpose.
" If they were young offenders, such a quantity of corporal
punishments was cruel—and if they were old offenders and
repeatedly flogged, which I understand to have been the case,
it was only rendering their hearts as callous as their backs,
while it tends to disgust and degrade the multitude gazing on
its useless infliction.
" I observe with pain, Sir, that you as Chief Magistrate of
the precinct did not consider it your duty to preside every day
at the trials. I must entreat you never to depute that important
duty to any other Magistrate. Misrepresentations have got
into the papers as to the grounds of my interference on this
occasion. I disavow the most distant intention of reflecting on
the Magisterial bench—on the contrary, knowing the value of
good Magistrates, no man can be more grateful than I always
am, to those who study the welfare of the people. But I beg
it may be understood, that as long as it is my misfortune lobe
Governor of this unhappy and distracted Colony, 1 will fea _
lesdy assert my right in insisting that justice shall be tempered
with mercy.

!Table. —Net taken up.

Select Committee, Dec.
3, p. 199. No Report.
State of the Maud. No
Report. Net ordered
to be paid.

Negatived by 21 to 8.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your obedient humble gervabt,
(Signed) " LIONEL SMITH.
" The Hon. Peter Wilkie, Cuitos of the Precinct of St.
Catherine."

" Windsor Park Pen, Feb. 7, 1838.
" SIR,--I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your
Excellency's letter, dated sth instant, and in answer I have to
sxpress my extreme regret, that your Excellency should have
feb, occasion toexpress your disapproval of the punishments
awarded by the last Court of Quarter Sessions fur the precinct
of St. (2,:•therine's.

" I am h.nlined to believe that the Magistrates were in-
duced to sentence the culprits to such severe corporal punish-
ments, from the idea that the discipline at present enforced in
the House of Correction and County Gaol is by no means
adequate to the offiences committed.
Were the convicts compelled to Lbour at active and use-
ful employment. I am convinced that the gentlemen who con-
stitute the Magistracy would as well as myself be most happy