The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-02 00:00:00

of HEAV&N, how monstrous would it not
be to hesitate in employing this enormous
and overwhelmingly aggregated power with
promptitude, with energy, and with determina-
tion ? Acting thus, acting with these essential
qualities of promptitude, energy, and determina-
tion, the Western Allies of Turkey, the armies
and navies of France and England, if only
wisely directed against the enemy, may effect
readily, with GOD'S help, all the advantages which
are desired. They may bring the war to a close,
and thereby put an end to all the horror and
atrocity of these continued devastations. They
may, in so doing, restore a solid aLd lasting peace
to Europe—secure the integrity of the Ottoman
empire—prevent the day-dream of PETER the
Great from being realised by a Russian occupa-
tion of Constantinople--prevent the likelihood of
a further invasion of the Turkish territories--open
the Black Sea—and open the mouths of the Danube.
And supposing it were impracticable to restore to
their original owners the enormous acquisitions
obtained since 1689 by the members of the House
of ROUMANOFF, acquisitions from countries as re-
mote from each other as Sweden and Tartary, the
allies of Turkey might crown these results of their
campaign by extorting adequate compensation for
all the evils of the war from the guilty chief of
the defeated Government. England and France
can effect all this—if they will, that is to say, if
they act with becoming decision. It is not extrava-
gant to believe that they have that capacity—re-
membering their power separately ; remembering
that that power is now united ; remembering that.
they are so far from being the originators of the
war that they have been dragged into it only after
a series of the most galling and intolerable provo-
cations; remembering, above all, that their cause is
a cause not unworthy of the blessing of GOD, the
cause of the weak, of the oppressed, of truth, of
justice, of, humanity, of civilisation. NAPOLEON
lll.—the ally of England—has declared in
memorable words that "the age of conquest has
gone by for ever," as he asserted long before, in
words no less memorable, that the mission of the
1 Empire is not a mission of war, but a mission of
peace. VICTORIA I.—the ally of France—has
acted throughout from the dictate of principles
not in one iota less magnanimous. England and
France enter upon this war against Russia, only
after having solemnly pledged themselves that their
aim in conducting it is not in any way to derive
from it advantages for their united Governments.
Their aiw is the simple, grand, and noble aim of re-
storing tranquillity to Christendom. Bearing all
these things in mind, we repose an implicit confi-
dence in the certainty, under Divine assistance,
of the speedy triumph of England and France
over the Russian AUTOCRAT, if—[simply this one
condition]—if only rational decision be displayed
by the Allied Governments.

" What shall we do with our Convicts ?" We
put forward this interesting and important inter-
rogatory many months since, when it was distinctly
and unequivocally proved that some of the police
force were in the habit of giving information
against persons who had (me© been " in trouble,"
bringing them into disgrace with their employers
and fellow-workmen, and thus by preventing them
from earning an honest livelihood, effectually
stopping the slightest chance of reformation, and
compelling them to seek the means of subsistence
by a recurrence to those predatory and criminal
habits that had led to previous punishment, and
from which it was hoped that they had been com-
pletely weaned.
What can be the utility of a well-considered and
judicious system of prison discipline ?—of the
zealous and indefatigable exertions of enthu-
siastic and devoted men labouring to excite a
feeling of penitence and remorse in the hearts of
those who have deviated from the paths of recti-
tude, but who are not as yet wholly irreclaim-
able, if all the laudable efforts of the repentant
sinners are to be frustrated through the officious
interposition of the guardians of the public peace,
who have time and opportunity to whisper their
information into quarters where it must prove
destructive to the future prospects of the miser-
able victims ?
It would almost seem to be more merciful to
put these wretched offenders to death, than to
permit them to engage in a hopeless struggle in
which success is rendered all but impossible. We
revive the fearful punishments, which VIRML
describes as being inflicted in Tartarus, on the
most atrocious offenders, for those Pariahs of
h u man i ty—
" Quos super atra silex jam lapsura cadentique
Imminet assimilis."

The stone rolled upwards with such painful
exertion is hurled backwards, and carries with it
the miserable labourer, to begin de novo in his
weary task of seeking out an honest occupation by
which he may earn his daily bread by his daily
labour, or, which is far more probable, that he
may yield to despair, and again plunge into crime
which lie was really and sincerely desirous of
avoiding.
Lord ST. LEONARDS last night called the atten-
tion of the Lord Chancellor and the Government
generally to the fearful consequences of the sys-
tem, as illustrated by the case of a man named
GEORGE BROWN, who was brought before Mr.
HALL, at Bow-street, on Thursday last. The
prisoner, who was described as " a respectable-
looking and well-educated man, a carver and
gilder by trade," had been convicted of felony
at Edinburgh, in 1850, and sentenced to
seven years' transportation. After some
time he was sent to the Convict Prison at
Dartmoor, where he remained about seventeen
months. During that period his conduct was so
good that he was deemed a fitting subject for a
" ticket of leave," under the recently adopted
system. On his liberation, he was conveyed to
Edinburgh, where he had previously been con-
victed. There he again yielded to temptation,
and in less than three months was found guilty of
felony, for having stolen a pair of boots. Under
these circumstances, the terms on which his con-
ditional pardon was granted having been violated,
he was brought before the Magistrate of Police,
by whom he was re-committed to Dartmoor
Prison, for the residue of the term for which he
was originally sentenced.
The wretched man, who bitterly deplored his
melancholy condition, stated, as the cause of his
second offence, that " he had been transmitted by
the authorities of Dartmoor to the scene of his
former disgrace, where, consequently, he failed to
get employment. Wherever he went in Edinburgh
he was a marked man, and, even if he obtained a
situation, the police made it their business to inform
his employer of his previous character, and no confi-
dence was subsequently placed in him." What,
then, could he do ? The avenging NKMESIS at-
tended his footsteps, and whenever his prospects
at all brightened the blue-coated functionary in-
terfered, and warned his employer against the con-
victed criminal to whom he was giving work. The
natural consequence followed. When there was
so much competition, a person branded as a con-
victed felon could not look for much indulgence.
He was discharged, and, as lie could not labour,
the instinct of self-preservation drove him to
crime, and lie stole a pair of boots that he might
get bread to satisfy the cravings of hunger.
Surely such a man was more deserving of
sympathy than of punishment. Surely nothing
can be more pitiable than the position of a man
struggling to
maintain a respectable and honest
character, and every now
crime, and thenan
dt drivenop a byext
inexorable necessity to e
offences which he was unable to avoid. We trust
that Lord PA L3LERSTON will take the matter into
consideration, and relieve the victim from the
penal consequences of his involuntary guilt.
Some months since Mr. Serjeant ADAMS made
due allowance for nearly similar circumstances,
man,
whosee
punishing, made efforts to reclaim
an unfortunate young
and, in place of
Prospects, in
like manner, were sacrificed to the officiousness of
the Police. The prisoner, WILLTAM JONES, a
youth only nineteen years of age, was convicted
of stealing a watch, at the November Sessions for
the County of Middlesex. When called up for
judgment he stated that, "in the previous Jan-
uary lie left the Westminster Bridewell, where he
had been for twelve months, with the best of cha-
.racters, For hifi good conduct there he received,