The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-23 00:00:00

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
_. .

STR,—The lamentable case at Hounslowhaving re-
vived the oft-repeated grievance of flogging, it may not
be mis-timed to offer a few remarks on this important
question. One thing is certain—without obedience
there is an end to power. " One Who Has Been
Nabbed" speaks of the sergeants in no very flattering
terms, but my observations are based on long experience,
practical and theoretical. The mal-administration, not
the law, is the delinquent. Though military taetics
demand instant obedience, yet they have to do with
men capable of feeling, and of understanding right from
wrong.
Generally the non-commissioned officers are men of
little or no education, ill-tempered and ill-bred, con-
sequently ill- qualified to wield the power invested in
them, and the unfortunate men are but too often severely
dealt with by them when a judicious, temperate, and
firm system of treatment would get instant obedience
and respect. Why should not the sergeant consider
that he is commanding men, not beasts? True he has
to do with men whose animal passions preponderate, but
let him try the two-edged sword of reason and justice,
not the dagger of ill-temper and self-sufficiency, and
his men will obey without the. necessity of entbreing
a law—a murderer mal-arlaninistered, but salutary when
justly applied. Query, might not our metropolitan police
courts advantageously use it to some of their younger
game ? There is in the soldier's condition much to ex-
cite commiseration ; he is a man of no education, thus
no resources off duty ; obliged by circumstances to mix
with his kind, where neither the softening influence of
female society, nor the sociability of men better informed
than himself can reach him. Necessity induces me to
throw a veil over barrack-room scenes.
Man is animal, moral, and intellectual—this treplicity
is essential 'to his existence. Let the hand of an en-
lightened benevolence lead the British soldier, the best
in Europe, to his duty, and the severe animal law shall
only be known in military theory. Let the superior and
practised officer look well into the bearing of his under-
lings towards their men, and take the trouble to admo-
nish them in private when necessary, and we shall sel-
dom hear of rebellion against authority. Power is a
dangerous weapon in the hancl of the uneducated world-
ling, and much temperate vigilance is necessary on the
part of superiors.
.Sergeants and flogging seem in close
proximity, and so will continue till some such system be
adopted as above suggested A by
A FATHER' rATRIOT, AND THE
SOLDIER'S FRIEND.

TITHE COMMIITATION.—Wednesday the Parliamentary 1
returns presented by the Tithe
Commissioners were printed, 1
all
of all agreements and of a awards for the commutation of
tithes confirmed by them, as also of all apportionments
confirmed from the let of July, -IR —4-k
n the
. By the summary it
thes, to the Ist of January,
1846. The first branch of thethe
return has reference to the
g ents
Commissioners in the half-
year amount of rent-charge
agreed
to mentioned, showing
by
6,5451.
25.b6 e
dp.a:
d rent-charges,
in
ht
..o
e lieuw i i
g of a r g e 8 ,
7,143/. 14s. 4d. ; increase of
rent-charges, 6041. lOs. Oid. , decrease of rent-charges,
a 18s. 2id. ; rent- charges for which compositions cannot
be ascertained, 656/. 16s. sd. ; rent-charges of the present
return, 7,800/. 10s. 91 ; rent-charges of former returns,
2,454,338/. 19s. 9id. ; total rent-charges, 2,462,139/. 10s. 6id.
The result shows that the total increase in the present
return is 598/. lls. 91d., and in former returns 56,5421.58. 54d.
making the total increase 57,140/. 17s. 3id. The second
branch contains a return of all awards for the commutation
of tithes which have been confirmed in the period specified,
specifying the amount of rent-charge awarded to be paid in
lieu of tithes, and showing whether the same be payable to
appropriators, impropriators, or clerical incumbents. The
total rent-charges Of this part amount to 61,196/. Os. 11d. ;
and of former returns, 1,088,282/. Bs. 4d. making the total
rent-charges 1,149,478/. 9s. 30. The third part shows the
apportionments confirmed by the Tithe Commissioners in the
six months from July to January. The document extends
to 22 pages. .