The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-03 00:00:00

THE SHETLAND ISLANDS

That the Shetlanders are in a state of great destitution and suffering
[bond privations almost beyond description, cannot be denied, and I
have many opportunities of proving the fact. The following extract
from the letter of a master of a smack, now tishin:t off the Shetland
Islands, will give your readers some idea of the condition of the in,,
habit ants :

"There are but few fish upon rhis coast this year, and the
rather bad for fishing, with cold easterly winds ; indeed, everythim, r
backward ; we cannot get a potwo for love nor money, and meal is
very sc. Co., The people are nearly starved they are glad to go 3
eshing, and scarcely have the common necessaries of life. They arc 10
rags, and possess scarcely enough clothing to cover their nakedncss."--*
Correspondent of the Shetland Journal. weather Is

THE GALLQWS AND THE THE GUIL-
LOTINE.

(From the Edinburgh Observer.)
In contempt of the remontrances of the friends of Mild ar.d
enlightened legislation, blow' continues to be shed upon the
scaffold in the two countries which boast that they lead the
van in the march of EuropeLn civilisation and refinement. In
Britain the gallows, in France the guillotine, continue to
number their victims, though the opponents of capital punish--
ments in both countr:es have satisfactorily shown that san-
guinary and cruel laws are as injurious to the be t interests of
society as they are offensive and revolting to the humane and
benevolent mind. An execution has just taken place in
France, and our readers are aware that another is appointed
to be carried into effect among ourselves in a few days :—Nve
refer to the exhibition of the judicial destruction of human
life, which is ordered for the 7th proximo, in the town of
Stranraer.

Of the Parisian execution we arc told that " it added an-
other proof to the thousands which have preceded it, that these
sanguinary and disgusting spectacles have no moral effect upon
the class of persons who usually attend them." No moral
effect indeed, but a most demoralizing and brutalizing one, we
should rather say. It is stated that an immense multitude,
including great numbers of well dressed females, and even many
parties of ladies and gentlemen in private carriages, assembled
on the occasion referred to, for the purpose of gloating over
the dying agonies of the unfortunate wretch whose life had been
forfeited to the law ; and that the awful sight of the sudden and
violent death of a fellow mortal appeared to be regarded by the
thoughtless crowd rather a-s a holiday exhibition than any-
thing else. So much for the moral lessons of the guillotine."
But are those of the gallows more edifying ? Will the crowd
which is to be collected at Stranraer on Tuesday next, to wit-
ness the strangulation of Joseph Allison, have their respect for
the sanctity of human life increased by the contemplation of
the shocking spectacle? Will their hearts be thereby ren-
dered more humane ;--their feelings more refined and elevated ?
The enemies of sanguinary legislation are bound in duty to
enter their solemn protest against every proposal to inflict the
penalty of death, endeavour, by all legal and constitutional
means, to obtain the mitigation of the sentences of those who
are condemned to punishments which they regard as un-
Christian in their character, and 'excessive in their severity.
But there are other grounds besides these for their soliciting
the mercy of the Crown in favour df Joseph Allison. Let
it not be forgotten that it was not by the votes of the whole,
but merely of a majority, of the Jury that this unfortunate
man was found guilty of the crime for which he is to
suffer. In England the Jury must be unanimous in their
verdict before a criminal can be condemned to the gallows.
Why should human life be held in less esteem in Scotland
than south of the Tweed ? Why should a bare majority of
the jury be able to send an accused person to the scaffold here,
when the consentient vote of the whole is necessary in Eng-
land? Ought no respect to be paid to the judgment of the
minority of the jury who tried poor Allison, and who, by re-
fusing to concur in the finding of the majority, proclaimed
the'r opinion that his guilt had not been proven ?
We observe with much satisfaction, that her Majesty has
been graciously pleased to grant a respite, which we hope
will be the precursor of a commutation of sentence, to John
Rickey, a soldier, who was recently condemned to the scaffold
in London, and who was strongly recommended to mercy be
the jury. Let us hope that the Royal clemency will also by
extended to Joseph Allison, and that the inhabitants of Strati-
raer will yet be spared the disgusting and barbarous spectacle
of an execution.

The King of the Belgians is understood to have
)ostponed his visit to his illustrious relatives in this country until after
.he prorogation.

•
General Alava has been appointed Spanish Ambas.
sador at our Court.

Lord Western has recently presented Cranmer's, or
the Great Bible, to the Duke of Sussex, as a tribute of respect to his
Royal Highness, whose collection of Bibles, in all languages and of 511
editions, is probably the finest in the world.
Two new works have just been published, to the
sterling merit of which our most able and impartial critical journals
have borne ample testimony, at a price so moderate as to tempt the
most economical to become their posssessors. We allude to bir'
Stephen's " Incidents of Travel in the Holy Land," &c., and 'Mr:.
Ware's " Letters from Palmyra." In common with all " lovers ),
hooks," as Leigh Hunt would say, we regard this as an earnest that in
future we shall not have to wait two or three years before work' of
acknowledged talent are placed within our means."—Globe.
NEW BOOKS OF TRAVEL.—Mr. Colburn, -
Great Marlborough-street, announces for immediate publication the fik
lowing interesting New Works:—l. Lord Lindsay's Letters on Eg)Pt.
Edom, and the Vloly Land. 2 vols. small Svo., with illustrations;
Captain Alexander's Expedition of Discovery into the Interiorof A frics
in 1837, through the Countries of the Great Namaquas, Boschnlans'
and Hill Damaras, 2 vols. post Svo., with map and numerous illustra"
tions ; and 3. Mr. D. Urquhart's Spirit of the East, illustrated In '9
Journal of Travels through Roumeli, 2 vols. Bvo. Mr. Colburn has
also just published the following Captain Spencer's Travel' in the
Western Caucasus in 1837, including a Tour through Imeretia, Min'
grelia, Turkey, Moldavia, Gallicia, Silesia, and Moravia, 2 vols. Svc's
with illustrations; 2. Mr. Bennett's Pedestrian Tour through North
Wales in 1837, 1 vol. Bvo., with twenty etchings, by A. Clint, 189'
bound; 3. A Visit to China in 1836.7, containing a particular AC'
count of Canton and its Inhabitants, by C. T. Downing, Esq., M.ll.Cs''
3 vols. small Bvo , with numerous illustrations; 4. The River anti the
Desart (the Rhone and the Chartreuse), by Miss Pardue, author of " The
City of the Sultan," &c., 2 vols. post Bvo. ; 5. A Journey Across the
Pamp.:s and the Andes, from Valparaiso to Lima, Panama, &c., by the
Hon. P. C. Scarlett, 2 vols. post Bvo. with illustrations ; and 6. Travels
in Palestine and Syria, by George Robinson, Esq., 2 vols. post 804
with Maps and Plans.
Of
TiIE CATIIOLIC PRIESTIIOOI).—The number - o
deaths amongst the Catholic Clergy of the Northern District of England
is truly awful. Within the space of 18 months, 25 priests, most of the"',,,
in the very prime of life, have been carried away in the midst of their
labours.

SECOND-HAND SILVER W.A,TCHb.
A variety of some dozens may be selected from, price Two Guinea
each ; some rather more modern, Two and a Half Guineas each
and an assortment quite equal, to new, Three Guineas each. T„
u.;
whole have been carefully examined, and are warranted. T. CO"
SAVORY, Watchmaker, 47, Cornhill, London, Seven Doors frorA
Graecchurch-street. N.B. Second. hand Watches purchased in
exchange.

BIRTHS.
This morning, at 20, Friday-street, Mrs. James Brown, of $
daughter.
On the 23th ult., at Highgate, the lady of the Rev. TL Vann►
of a sm.

MARRIED.
On the 2d inst., at George's, Bloomsbury, by the Rev.
lla‘skins, Robert Kelby, eldest son of Mr. A. Burstall, of
Martin's-lane, to Mary Ann, eldest daughter of Mr. Richard Farr''
of Long-acre.
At 13, Coates-crescent, Edinburgh, on the 25th ult., Edward
James Jackson, Esq., Fir grove, North Brixton, Surrey, to Eliza'
eldest daughter of the late George Sewn, Esq., of Bombay, al",
the Crescent, Perth.

DIED.
After a lingering illness, on the let inst., at 'Ulster-terrace, gem
gent's-park, aged 11 years, Anna Maria, only surviving child of S.'
llesketh Fleetwood, Bart., M.P., of Rossall Hall, Lancashire-
On the 31st July, at Maidenhead, Henrietta, the wife of
Stephen Gaselee.
On the 31st July, Robert Gage Rookwood, Esq., of Coldll
Hall, in the county of Suffolk.
At Paris, on the 22d ult., David Burges, Esq., late Captain of
the Ist battalion Rifle Brigade.
On the 21st June, 1838, at Alexandria, on his way home fro?
Bombay, Walter Grant, Esq., Assistant-Surgeon of her Majesty;
4th Light Dragoons, only son of the late Colonel Louis Grant,
Authernick, Strathspey, N.B.