The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-15 00:00:00

BANK OF ENGLAND NOTICE

The minimum rate of interest on bills discounted at
the Bank of England not having more than 95 days to
run is 3i per cent.
January 14, 1847.

EMPLOYMENT OF PRISONERS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—The progress already made in this important
measure must be gratifying to the friends of humanity,
land proves that my appeal of last year to the constituted
authorities of the land was not made in vain, but has
been responded to by the Government, who have now
seriously set about a remedy, by the communication lately
issued from the Home Office to the magistracy of the
kingdom, informing them of the suspension of transpor-
tation and the determination to give employment to the
prisoners in this country ; thus has one step been gained,
and it is now only necessary to go one step farther to
accomplish the desirable end, viz., to employ them when
out of prison, and by such means restore them gradually
to society again.
Such a system will relieve tha calendar of two thirds
of the number of prisoners whose repeated convictions
entail so heavy an expense on the country, and will obvi
ate, to a great extent, the necessity of separate and silent
systems; end will not only render the erection of new
prisons unnecessary but reduce the numbers at present
in existence.
The powerful aid the press has afforded this praise-
worthy cause cannot be sufficiently acknowledged; and
as the public mind has now been awakened to the pre-
sent demoralizing system, and the Government being
more actively engaged in correcting it, the day is not
far distant when by a revision of our criminal code, and
thousands of human
ill prove that the mer •
have so humbly advo-
cated, ssp3m.wey ploytt,uiellalmll
bsmioue)urpe
rnpneelitrs.sesiciveaun
ideffeneedent
tr,.tod.tnNhel: dehi
cchmr cruel which many
f
Perseverance in this humane cause must insure suc-
cess, and supported by an influential committee and
a strong battery of facts, the legislature in pursuing these
laudable measures will not only benefit the great body of
the people, but save thousands who otherwise must be
lost, and will carry out an act of the greatest economy
and - which will do honor to our country. I am, Sir.
your obedient servant, JOHN LAURIE
1, Hyde Park-place, Jan. 12, 1847.

WITHDRAWAL 0 SIR ING AND DIS-
RUPTION OF HIS COMMITTEE.—SUNDAY TRAINS.—Some
time since we disinterred an extract from a speech made
by Sir Culling Smith after the late election, in which he
expressed manly and liberal sentiments in opposition to
such doctrines and practices as those of the four directors
and their abettors. We also attempted to show the
leading members of his committee the indecency they
were committing in denouncing with so much violence
the principles of their own candidate ; and pointed out
that Sir Culling was too good for therm,- and that they
must forthwith proceed to look. out for somebody worse,
and more suitable. This advice has been acted upon
sooner than could have been anticipated. The corninit •
tee took up the question some time since, and had, we
should be made matter
hear, many meetings on the subject, a great difference of
question
opinion being found to exist. At last it was proposed,
as a compromise, that the
'
of forbearance—a proposition d
which would have been
carried, had not the party opposed to Sir Culling's
views asked and obtained a delay. At the next
meeting of the committee there was a large
muster of members not formerly in the habit of
attending, by whose votes a motion to the effect that
Sir Culling Smith should be pressed to retract
his opinion regarding Sunday trains was carried by a
considerable majority. The majority, we believe, then
proceeded to put it to Sir Culling whether he would
" legislate against railways being permitted to run trains
on Sunday," making an affirmative answer the condition
of their support. Sir Culling, to his honour, positively
and firmly refused to give the pledge demanded ; and a
long correspondence has now ended in his committee's
dissolving their connexion with him, and also, we
believe, dissolving themselves. The whole correspond-
ence is about to be published (at Sir Culling's request,
we understand), when we shall be better able to seo the
whole exteat of this curious "calamity." Really, it is
painful to think that Sir Culling should have only one
good article in his creed--one intelligible and well de-
fined principle—and that it should have proved one too
many for the majority of his Edinburgh committee. As
to the minority who approved of Sir Culling's views on
the point in dispute, we believe that although the others
are exerting themselves to conceal the names, we may
safely say that it included all, or nearly all, of those
whose temporary secession from the Liberal ranks caused
either surprise or regret.—Scotsnzan.
THE n
B-011NAKERs', &C., BENEVOLENT INSTITU-
TIoN —The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the forma-
tion of this institution took place on Wednesday at the Free-
masons' Tavern, Great Queen-street. Alderman Sidney pre-
sided. The vocal arrangements were under the direction of
Genge, assisted by Mr. Blewitt, an other professional
Northampton
The meeting was a large one; the mayor of
Northampton and other persons connected with the interests
of the leather trade being amongst the company. The usual
loyal and national toasts were drunk with the honours, and
the toast "Success to the Institution" was received with
cheers, and followed by a liberal contribution from those
present. The health of the worthy Alderman in the chair
was drunk with the most complimentary feeling of the com-
pany towaids that gentleman, and responded to in an appro-
priate manner. The festivities were kept up for some hours,
under the liberal provisions of the proprietor of the tavern,
and it was not till late in the evening that the company de-
parto.