The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-19 00:00:00

IQ\ toenin 4

LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1847.

CABINET COUNCIL.

Summonses were issued yesterday to the Ministers
to attend a Cabinet Council, at the Foreign-office,
Downing-street. Three o'clock this afternoon was
the time appointed, and all the Ministers were ex-
pected to attend.

The House of Lords met at Five o'clock.
On the motion for bringing up the report on the
Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bill,

The Earl of ELLEN/3°llonm' said he viewed the mea-
sure with great distrust. He almost despaired as to the
future state of Ireland. He doubted w Nether the land-
lords of Ireland would avail themselves of the Govern-
ment offer.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE had no doubt but that
they would do so, and that the system of working would
be wade " water tight." He proposed to take the third
reading on Monday.
The report was then received.

Lord BEAUMONT asked whether any correspondence
had taken place with the Portuguese Government re-
specting the persecution to which Count BOMFIM and
his companions had been subjected.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that representations
had been made to the Portuguese Government on the
subject by the Ambassadors of England, France, and
Belgium, and that he entertained a confident hope that
the prisoners would be sent to a less unhealthy climate
than Angola. Our object in sending a force to Portugal
had been, not to interfere in the contest, but to
protect British interests ; but it would be there
to give protection to the QUEEN if she required it. It was
not their intention at present to interfere, but if Doss
MIGUEL, or a party acting for him, were to interfere, a
new state of things would arise which would revive for-

mer treaties.
The Earl of ABERDEEN objected to the presence a
such a large force in the Tagus, as appearing to counte-
nance the insurrection.
The Marquis of LANBDOWNH defied any one to point
out a single instance in which they had countenanced
the insurrection. False rumours prevailed on both
sides. He would not pronounce any opinion on the dis-
sensions at present existing in Portugal, but no instruc-
tions had been sent out either to the Admiral or the
Envoy which had not for their object the preservation of
a perfect impartiality between the contending parties.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH considered that the pre-
sent Government in Portugal had violated every princi-
ple of constitutional liberty. The representations made
to them were a mere farce, and that, if it had been un-
derstood that, in the event of Admiral PARKER'S repre-
sentations being disregarded, the British fleet would
leave the Tagus, either these representations would have
been attended to, or the QUEEN would at
this moment have met Dost MIGUEL in London, while
the ♦ictorious troops of the Junta would have marched
as they had done before from Oporto to Lisbon.
Lord BROUGHAM then presented a petition, film
Liverpool, praying for the amendment lôf'he crime
mirist law
.'as regarded' juvenile offenders',' and' eon-
eluded an eloquent speech,' replete' witt• sfittistici on
the subject of juvenile criminality, by giving notice that
he should, on a early day, move for a Select Committee
of Inquiry on the subject.
The Duke of RICHMOND would support a motion for
a Committee of Inquiry.
Earl GREY said that the Government intended shortly
to bring forward a measure bearing especially upon ju-
venile offenders. Among other measures they proposed
to establish a penal sehool for offenders, and to which
vagrants might:also be sent. The subject of transportation
was under the consideration of the Government ; and
the measure to be proposed went as far almost as the
abolition of that punishment.
After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the subject
dropped.
Certain papers were then laid on the table, and their
Lordships adjourned.
The Commons ma at Four o'clock, but there not
being forty Members present, the House adjourned until
tc-morrow (this day).

What is expended in the prosecution and punish-
ment of offenders would go far to reform the more
neglected portions of the community. The accuracy
of this estimate has become so universally obvious
as to have originated a very powerful movement in
behalf of the most despised and degenerated members
of the population. We are satisfied that a continu-
ance of the exertions which hare been already com-
menced with these benevolent intentions is alone re-

quisite to purge from society a vast and horrible mul-
titude of evils, to render the lamentable duties of
correction in our criminal courts, and penitentiaries,
and prisons, and penal settlements less frequent and
less onerous, to reclaim many thousands who have

been hitherto regarded as irreclaimable, and to in-
crease the aggregate of prosperity and happiness of
the United Kingdoms by increasing the num-
ber of the honest and industrious. All
that is necessary for the realisation of these
inestimable advantages is perseverance on the
part of those philanthropic individuals who have
undertaken the advocacy of the dregs of the million.
Their cry is not that sublime admonition which has
been repeated and repeated until it has resolved itself
into a proverb—their appeal is not so much Fiat
justitia, ruat cmlunz, as it is " Act with justice towards
these miserable outcasts, because their sobriety and
enlightenment are directly associated with your own
well-being and safety !" There is an innate eloquence
and persuasiveness in these adjurations which must
perforce in the end prove irresistible. The entreaties
whictz are rising from the very poor, the very lowly,
atcr I: very villanous, are appeals which strike at
.
once, ••,: our reason and upon our religious sym-
pathies. They speak to our disinterested
and o
interested sentiments. In the reclama-
tion of a large concourse of vicious characters,
we perceive simultaneously the blessings which must
necessarily accrue to them and the benefits which
must be conferred upon Ourselves by that reclama-
-1 tion. We recognise the triple advantages which must
be the indubitable consequence of the reformation of
cur criminal code—the advantages
branching off to