The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-11 00:00:00

carrying the colours of the KAISZR has yet
crossed over from Transylvania -- is to
us,, indeed, very welcome intelligence. Nay, long
ago, we did not scruple to avow that, to our mind,
it would be better for the interests of Liberty,. of
Humanity, and of Civilisation, if Austria weie
against us, rather than with us. Wo-here de-
liberately reiterate that as our opinion. We
here hesitate not thus formally to endorse our
previous acknowledgment.

Suppose-Austria to be with us —in name, that
is, for we could never expect her to be so ear-
nestly and heartily, under any conceivable cir-
cumstances. Suppose Austria to be with us.
We—the Western Allies of Turkey—would not
for that reason be more formidable to Russia and.
her despotic Sovereign. Oh, the contrary—a
dead v.eight of Viennese tradition and Berlin sub-
serviency would hang upon, the arm of ,France,
and upon the arm of England, like unconsecrated
maniples palsying our thews and sinews,
and embarrassing our evory movement.

Suppose, on the contrary, Austria to be against
us—England and France would be free to act
without the necessity of their having especial
regard to the wishes of the Courts of the Ger-
manic Confederation.

Moreover, let it not be forgotten by those
whose hopes are fixed on the spread of Liberty,
and on the diffusion of all the more blessed
and benignant influences of Civilisation—let it not
be forgotten by them that in the one instance the

law of Might, and of Force, and of cruel and
grinding Injustice could alone be perpetrated in
Pesth, and Milan, and Verniee, and Warsaw !
While in the other case, according to the adop-
tion' of thQ other branch of the alternative, Five
would again arise for Italy, for Poland, and for
Hungary ! Wherefore again, and yet again, we
say---Better that Austria were against than that
she' were with us ! Batter for the chances
of a more speedy and more satisfactory
settlement of the present struggle with

the forces of the northern AUTOCRAT. Better for
our dreams of the future peace of Christendom.
Better for the prospective development of Civilisa-
tion. Better for the oppressed millions of the
Poles, Italians, and Hungarians. Treachery can
alone result from the pretended alliance of the
German Governments. - Rather let us have 'from
Austria—her avowed enmity than her pretended
friendship.

" The tieliet-of-leave" system has teen weighed
in the balance and found wanting. It is now
found that but little, if any, reliance can be
placed in a prison repentance, or ratherssimulated
repentance, which is ascribable to a regret for the
consequences of the prime rather than for the
crime itself. Many elements must be naturally
weighed before we can arrive at an accurate solu-
tion of the great social problem, and teach crimi-
nals who have violated the laws of their country
to "go forth and sin no-more." =The great object
to be attained, that which in the great majority
of instances has foiled the most energetic efforts of
the philanthropists who have entered On the diffi-
cult task, has been the reformation of the offender.
It is for this purpose that the various plans of
discipline have been framed—that - the pri-
soners have been kept in solitary or separate
-confinement—on short diet, or no diet—that
the tread-wheel or the crank, the collar or the
strait-jacket, have been placed in requisition,
and even the " eat o' nine tails" occasionally re-
sorted to.. It is when these instruments of torture
have done their work that the supposed penitent
is liberated, and, once more sent forth to withstand
the trials and temptations of the world, a strict
watch being kept Over his movements, and being
liable for any lapse to be sent back to durance to
serve out the original term under even more
stringent conditionathan previously.
It is not very hard to account for the causes of
the numerous failures—it is even astonishing that
a still larger proportion of the tainted flock are
not brought under magilterial cognisance, and
sent back to their old quarters. The system is
in many respects erroneous, but there are some
1-mints in which_ it is especially defective, and
which must be altered in some essential particulars
before we can look for wholesome fruits.
In the first instance, the government of con-
victed prisoners is one almost entirely of fear—
they are influenced almost solely by terror. There
are many stringent rules, any violation whereof is
visited by severe punishment; while any conduct,
however exemplary, does not bring any immediate
reward or relaxation. When under Captain
MACONocam's plan—which'the Birminghauf ma-
gistrates dispensed with for the AUSTEN cruelties--
good marks were conferred, the possession gave a
certain substantial benefit, and every trifling de-
viation of discipline might be sufficiently noticed
by the resumption of some of these coveted. tokens. They were tangible, substantial recogni-
tions •of good behaviour that •were duly appre-
ciated by the recipients who strove to merit
them. When none, however, are given—
when. no amount of previous good 'conduct
entitles the party to pardon for a trifling offence,
and we cannot know with certainty the nature of
the report concerning him, he. 'becomes careless,
if not reckless—incurs punishment, and his heart
becomes harder, and his nature more brutal and
irreclaimable than ever. Should he think it worth
his while to dissemble, ho only adds a specious
hypocrisy to his other crimes, and beconles more
unfitted for the world—more dangerous to society
at the time when he is about to be set loose. It
is the "URIAH HEAPS," those who can succeed by
an affectation, of religion, and the assumption of a
vile cant, in deceiving the chaplain, that are the
most likely to receive indulgence, and to be sent
forth again to deceive their dupes. There should
be better and more decisive tests than any that
have yet been adopted, before we can speak with
any degree of certainty of the reformation of the
convict, who may be a hypocrite, or, even if sin-
cere for the moment, may have his principles not
sufficiently firm to withstand the ordeal through
which he will havo to pass on his re-
storation to -_ society, by which he - is
branded and stigmatised, and where, from the
suspicions entertained, he.is unable to obtain an
honest livelihood by his own exertions.
This latter is the main cause of the backsliding.
Bad as may be the 'system of discipline in the
Prisons, the Ifulks, or the Convict Depots—inade-
,quate as may be the tests imposed—they. all sink
into nothing whea compared with the treatment
of the man, who is sent forth to earn his own liveli-
hood, with a character, blemished and kept under
.
police surveillance—with
a drawn sword impending
over his head that may fall at any moment. While
there are so many competitors of unexceptional
character seeking for employment, where can the
penitent sinner, without recommendation of any
kind, hope to obtain it ? Who will take into his
establishment any man who has not only fallen,
but who will bring with him the espionage of the
local constabulary, and subject the entire of 'his
fellow-workmen to police interference on every
occasion ? No, the man is a moral Pariah,
shunned and avoided by his fellows and distrusted
by his master. No matter how strenuous may
be his determination to do the thing that is right,
he is driven• to crime by the exigencies of his
position—and we mourn over the depravity of
mankind When we hear of a relapse, in place of won-
dering at the almost miraculous strength of those
who are able to withstand trials from which the
best principled and most meritorious might shrink
aghast.

Something should be done for • those miserable
creatures who have no friends or relatives capa-
ble of
giving them a chance of retrieving their
positions, and providing against absolute want.
The old system of banishment had one advantage,
that any description of labour was anxiously
sought after in the localities in which the convicts
were thrown, and that the liberated convict could
gain bread, and was not living iu daily dread of
.exposure. The moment the penal settlement
became thickly peopled, it was no longer suitable