The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-05 00:00:00

AUSTRIAN DESPOTISM.

The blighting effect of Austrian despotism is sadly shown
ki the following extract :
" Every man in Austria pays an income-tax of seventeen
per cent., which must all come from the industry of the
country, and go Into the pocket of the Emperor. For what
purpose? To enable him to establish school=, and provide
the people with the means of moral and intellectual culture?
To build railways and canals, and to furnish the people with
facilities for cheap and speedy intercourse and trade? No ;
but chiefly for the maintenance of an army, for their de-
struction, if they attempt to improve their condition, by re-
modelling their social institutions; and for tlke support of
agents, who enter their social and domestic circles, to listen
to their most secret words, and watch their most secret
actions.
"No trade can be carried on in Austria without a license
from Government, for which from five to ten shillings per an-
num are paid, according to the nature of the trade and the
advantages of the situations. If to-day a man take out a
baker's or tailor's license to work in Freiwaldan, and, in a
week, he finds a better opening in Lindewiesse, and deter-
mines to remove thither, he must take out a new license for
the latter place, which is but two miles distant, at the same
rate as before. And as those licenses cannot be had at all
without the recommendation of one of the local magistracy,
these ten thousand petty tools of despotism, for there are
ten thousand of them, are empowered to decide who and
how many may work at each trade. A man cannot kill a
lamb for his neighbour without a license. A poor tailor, who
eame as a patient to Graefenberg, and had not the means to
pay his expenses, wished to work at his trade, in order to
earn the means of support. One of the guests gave him ern
ployment ; the poor fellow was delighted to have something
to do. But the tailors in Freiwaldan, hearing that the man
was exercising his trade without a license, instantly inter-
fered, and threatened to have him arrested if he did not
desist. He dared not set another stitch, and many times
afterwards a collection-plate was handed round to the guests
in the saloon on his behalf.— Six Months at Graefenberg.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENTS IN
THE ARMY.

Two Parliamentary returns, of great social importance
have recently been issued by order of the House of Commons.
The first is intitled "A Return of Persons Flogged in the
Army, in Great Britain and Ireland," from January, 1845,
to July, 1846, and the second returns the number of corporal
puuishments inflicted, from the Ist of August, 1846, to 31st
December, 1846. The flogging " experiences" of 53 entire
regiments, and 79 depots, are recorded in these documents,
from which it appears, that during the first eighteen months
in question, 348 soldiers suffered the punishment of the lash ;
228 in 1845, and the remainder in the first half of 1846. The
number of stripes awarded was 43,168, and the number
inflicted 38,929, or in round figures, something like 90 per
cent. of the whole amount. The nature of the offences,
and the quantum of punishment administered, may
throw some light upon the operation of the military code of
legislation. Ninety-four soldiers were flogged for insubor-
dination ; their sentences awarded an aggregate infliction of
12,500 lashes, and the number actually " laid on" was 11,748,
or more than 123 in each case. The • drunkards" amounted
to 80, and were doomed to receive 8,133 lashes, and the cu
rative process was carried out to the extent of 7,129 nine-
fold lacerations, or upwards of 89 per man. For " selling
their necessaries" e. any portion of military clothing,
which in, all cases, the soldier pays for, or receives indirectly
as a portion of his state wages), 69 culprits were brought to
the triangles, and received 7,325 lashes, out of 8,035, or more
than 106 each individual. For using " violence to su-
periors," 36 were tortured into a love of peace and moral
suasion, at the easy cost of inflicting 135 lashes per man,
or in the whole 4,863 stripes, out of 5,350 ordered. The
" thieves" rank next in the military scale of vice : 29 of
these receiving 3,730 out of 4,050, or upwards of 128 each
delinquent. The last class of offences is described rather
vaguely, as "disgraceful conduct," and of these there are 35
instances, for which 5,100 lashes were awarded b), courts-
martial, and 4,134 inflicted, or something worse kwe were
going to say better), than 118, as the share of each unfortu.
nate criminal. With regard to the distribution of punish
ment, the returns afford singular results, In ten regiments.
and 51 depots, not a single case of flogging occurred. In 6
regiments, and 12 depots, only one instance occurs in each,
and in 5 regiments, and 2 depots, but two cases of flog-
ging are recorded. On the other hand there are three regi-
ments, with 20 cases each ; 67 soldiers were brought to the
halberts in four regiments, and out of the entire number of
court martials avoiding corporal punishment, 37 regiments.
Those between them, no less than 81 each ; the latter fact
affording some scope for reflection, as to the " reforming"
influences of the lash. But the philosophy of the question
is to be gleaned from the second return of flogging cases,
from August Ist, 1846, to 31st of December last, comprising
the period since the death of the martyr White. 68 regi-
ments, and 64 depots, yield a total of 400 lashes awarded, and
155 inflicted. It would seem as if the chiefs of the army felt
that a paltry 50 lashes is a sentence too weak for vengeance,
and too feeble to produce amendment.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, M•aet[ 4.

STOCK ExertAnox.—The sales are—Bristol and Exeter, 78—Ditto,
New, 1214—Great Western Quarters, 6% p.—Ditto, Fifths, 28—
Midland (Bristol and Gloucester), 16 p.—Portbury Pier and Railway
Company, 4 dis.—South Devon, 6 per cent % p.—Taff Vale, 131 ex
div.—Ditto, New, % p.