The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-20 00:00:00

PRISON DISCIPLINE

We copy the following case from the Sunday Times.
If faithfully reported, the language used by the Magis-
trate is liable to just censure. If the " padrones" are
the real offenders, why commit children to prison to be
thus disfigured for the crimes of their wasters ?

MARLBOROUGH-STREET, SATURDAY. A gentleman
entered the Court, accompanied by a little Italian boy,
to make this inquiry of Mr. Hardwick, the sitting Ma-
gistrate : _

About a fortnight ago the boy had been apprehended
by a policeman for begging in Rupert-street; on his per-
son the sum of 2s. sd. was found, and this was produced
in such a way as to make it appear that the money was
the produce of bagging. On the evidence of the police-
man, Mr. Hardwick sent the boy to prison for 14 days.
Now he (the applicant) entertained an impression that
the boy had been wrongly committed, because just be-
fore the boy was taken by the policeman he had received
from him (applicant) half-a-crown for sittting to him to
have his picture taken. The boy himself denied to him
that he had been begging, and alleged that the money
found upon him was the sum he had received for allow
ing his picture to be taken, and that he had spent one
penny only. But what he (the applicant) wished princi-
pally to direct the Magistrate's attention to, was the
way in which the boy had been treated when taken to
Tothill-fields ; the prison•keeper had not only cut the
boy's hair close, but had also cut off his eyebrows.
Mr. HAnnwicx said he presumed the boy had been
dealt with in the usual manner adopted towards persons
committed as vagrants.
The gentleman said it might be excused had the boy's
hair only been cropped ; but he did not think the prison
authorities were justified in disfiguring the boy by cut-
ting off his eyebrows.
Mr. HARDWICK remarked that the number of foreign
beggars were on the increase. We had enough of our
own native mendicants without being overrun with those
of other countries. He was determined to do all he could
to punish vagrants, and more particularly he should put
the law in fu 1 force against those " padrones," who made
a profit out of the mendicant practices of the bos the
brought into this country, y y
The gentleman said he had brought the case before
the Court because he thought the boy had been very badly
used. The subject then dropped.
•

FLANDERS AND DUIiT
, a MA-IL.
BRUSSELS, SEPT. 16.—The Journal du Commerce of
Antwerp has received a private letter from the Hague of
the 14th September, with the following intelligence :
" I hasten to let you know that Baron Verstolk Van
Zoclen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has just tendered
his resignation to the King, who has accepted it this
morning, and immediately appointed M. Van Zuylen
Van Nivolt to fill the office ad interim. It is said that this
sudden retirement is to be attributed to a difference re-
specting Limburg."
We learn from Liege that some Dutch officers have
lately arrived in that city with a commission from their
Government to bespeak arms in our manufactories.
They have announced this intention in a %lint which
they have paid to the burgomaster. We rejoice at this
circumstance, which is a happy augury for the future re-
lations of the two countries.
BRUSSELS, SEPT. 17.—The King and Queen of the
follows :—" I have just returned from
Belgians leave Paris to-day, and are expected at the 1 RESULT
.
;' a journey by Stockton, Ayton, Stokesley, Yarrn, Dar-
R OF THE HARVEST.--A Corre-
Palace of Lacken to-morrow, where her Royal Highness
waNyottohiEngngilsanmd
ofrreomsinGgeurmlarany.
the Duchess of Kent is also expected on Friday, on her sp.ondent writes as
than what has passed, and lington, and Bishop Auckland, and lam glad I can in-
what what is still passing, respecting the accession of the form you that all the wheat, with very little exception,ll-
- Duchy of Luxemburg to the German Customs is cut, and, in the Cleveland district particularly, inoStly
and, being well got, will prove a
Union. While the King summoned Commissioners to stacked ; and if the present fine weather continue' till
groqt relief. I came trom Auckland on the 13th of Oc-
-1 the Hague to enable him to judge of the commercial re- the end of the week, nearly all the wheat will be in.
lations best adapted to Luxemburg, this treaty of union The crop is excellent,
was signed at Berlin. Now, while the Commissioners
are stilt engaged in discussing the advantages and the sober last year, and counted thirty fields of grain out,
dangers of this treaty, Prussia takes possession of all and some to cut. I think the harvest full three weeks
the frontiers. Of a treaty of commerce which consti- earlier this year than last.—Du Mum Chronicle.