The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-05 00:00:00

PRINTING FOR THE BLIND.

Maj:sr BENIOVVSKI'S PRINTING for the BLIND.
A New System for TEACHING the Blind to Read.
The expedient of Columbus for making the egg stand
on its narrow end was (as the sailors said at the time)
no more than they could have used themselves, if they
had thought of it. The «xperiment by which Major
Beniowski renders the printing types, and the manner of
printing now in use for the Seeing, available fur the
Blind, is so obvious, practicable, and easy, that it is
truly a matter of wonder that no one ever thought of it
before. Yet, to effect the desirable object of enabling
the blind to read, great ingenuity has been exercised by
benevolent and accomplished men, and vast sums of
money have been expended to enable them to carry the
laudable purpose into execution. The first step to-
wards the accomplishment of this end, was the printing
of raised or embossed characters to be distinguished b,
touch—a sen-e which, by a happy compensation, is
mostly of peculiar delicacy in the blind, and especially
in those born blind. So much having been achieved,
many difficulties of no trifling magnitude re-
mained to be overcome. Types had to be cast,
in which the face of the letters was sunk, instead of
raised as in the ordinary type, and for this purpose a
costly set of matrici s had to be cut. Again, for the
sake of simplici.y of farm in the characters, and the con-
sequent facility of learning the elphabet, a very clever
and effective modification of Byron's system of short
hand was adopted, and, as appeared some time ago in
the " Sun" report of a public meeting and examination
of the society's pupils at the London Tavern, with very
great suceess. It is greatly to be regretted that this in-
genious, and in many respects excellent plan, has been
to a great extent laid aside in consequence
of the difficulty of finding or perhaps of
forming teachers. But the untiring philanthropists
v. ere not checked by this obstacle. New matrices were
cut, of course, at great expense—and new type were
cast of an alphabet in bold capitals, adapt, d to produce
the embossed letter s. Here, then, we might say the
desired (and devoutly to be desired) object is attained.
But the cost is still, and must continue to be very great.
It is true, that cost has not been allowed to chec the
benevolence of the society in a single effort. Yet for
the sake of the interesting class of bereaved persons
themselves whose solace is itesigued, to dttniWsh the ex-
pense is of an importance not to be disregarded.
Beniowski positively reduces it, from first to last, to
the cost of ordinary printing. The books of the society

are necessarily, limited to portions of the Scripture!. BY,
the method illustrated in Beniowski's primer, copies 01
any book cony,ose:l in common type for the seeing, '
be struck off f.,r the blind by a very cheap and inexpew
sive arrangement. Perhaps there is not a moreratify'
ing achievement than this to be found in all the triumph
of modern ingenuity.

IRELAND.
LORD MELBOURNE ON "COERCION."
DUBLIN, MARCH 2. —Lard Melbourne has, in a letter
elicited by a communication addressed to his Lordship
by
.the Secretary of the Repeal Association, gio112:
straightforward, however unpalatable, opinion as to 0.
urgent necessity that exists fur the immediate ,a
ment of an Irish Coercion Bill. The Noble Lord's reply
was read at the weekly meeting to-day at COLlCillat.loll
Hall, and runs as follows

" South-street, Feb. 2_, _
"Sir,—l beg leave to acknowledge your letter of the
28th inst., and to inform you in reply, that it is DIY_ of
tided opinion that the measure now before the flouseir
Lords, which has for its object the more effectual P
lion, and. the more eertuin discovery, of the f btf
.irgeiel
clearly
crimes which prevail in many parts of heisted, has with
been delayed too long, and cannot now be pressed
too much celerity. nt,
" I remain, sir, your faithful and obedient serve „
"MELBOUBting
The Chairman, Richard O'Gorman, Esq" tbe
briefly addressed the meeting in condemnation lfetter
lot
proposed Coercion Act for Ireland, the following le'
from Mr. O'Connell was read by the secretary. •
" British Hotel, Jermyn-street.,‘
London, Friday, Feb. 27, roes
"My dear Ray--I was very much pleased to lob
the Association had, under the auspices of Me'
_eat%
O'Brien, taken the initiative in denouncing and opr/-
the new Coercion Bill. oSed
"Itis an atrocious measure ; it should be OPP, /
every means the constitution leaves open. Iti, woe.
peat, a most atrocious measure ; and whereas ae
..,. the
coercion bills were merely temporary, and held so,u;err
consolation that though they were oppressive ann_",ore
eatory to constitutional rights, they were in their.J'e*er
ransitory and of short duration, they
minty that the constitution would revive again,
whatever of political rights and liberties the units% $Ol
Ireland should be once more brought into anti° to she
afford against lawless invaders some protection '-
people of Ireland. n& the
"It is not so with this Algerine Act. It holdsces tbr
fiendish intention of being perpetual. It annonii,
tinctly that as long as the union statute is law, t „ sod
ercion Bill shall be the charter of Irish slase7 esti/
degradation. It thus presents abundant reasonse re'
every honest politician in Ireland should bee°Blobeion
held out toed 0
peeler. It is the crowning measure of that degree
and injustice which is made to insult and opPr, pine
iethil.stiiider:the name of a union. Shame 1 eterasior bieuoi
-..-ea by in deralietl4
neglect, and see their countrymen trampled
inn
ny the hoofs of unconstitutional coercionists 014
'• The first great objection, therefore, to the in woulti
Coercion Bill is its perpetual nature. No minister, woe°
dare propose such a bill for England. No ministe, poef'
k
dare propose such a bill for Scotland. It is °fly slant
trampled upon, and oppressed Ireland that is °Wow)
to measures of this kind. It is only Ireland, with.,„,e. 1.1
it is calculated there will be no sympathy or suPre, per
is only wretched Ireland that can be cruebed wit •
feet impunity. f Ole
" Gracious heaven ! what a consummation °twee.
union ! Scotland will continue to have a coneatiolo,
guarantee fur person and property. No rean esPetillP
ids property taxed in Scotland by the capriciouosotele
e single individual chosen by Government. No
roan can be arrested or imprisoned without legloestil
cess„ and legal evidence of crime, nor without 0%100;
of legal redrese. in case of any abuse of the exisetit6i
Long may the people of Scotland enjoy the I)"
.1
such protection ! tojer,
" England will continue to have a COn°. lir
sis el
guarantee for person and propertv. No Ina° C
ew of
his property taxed in England by the caprtiishtehespnocre:tetipearec:tei;
a single individual chosen by Government. Ne
f
less
acnadn
legalbe arrestedevidet evidence of
fimpricrime,soned
nor withoutwithout 'hise: fiessroof,
of legal redress, in case of any abuse of the exis,,,tl"l/6$
Proclamationot
aproteerk :Ithrlt
the discretion,
England enjoy the "..° e
,uch protection. ! roof
(wl,34::l:::l:l3enraxnortnim:shateyai nni(egt:n.shlmeyldna insdtch,reetthmittiejlani
ey,sgatacihr:iesotudneni
seo, of
P -
may say, with the allegation of the vicinity 01 $
And behold at once all the property in the dist,:e,
the mercy of a single officer, appointed by thelnes ovhf
,rent. Such officer may make any rate he Ire 00, le'
he may levy any rate he thinks fit—may se's`" 'et '-
occur bOOl
way of distraint, all the property of every ,„
the district, and sell off the distress so made 1' A•
tie pleases, and at what price he pleases. hoot On.o.
" Neither is the personal liberty of the LA,- aose,
secure. He may, if this Bill passes into law, be
or held to bail, or sent to and kept in prison, spier,
price of every officer, superior or subordinate.is Or%
evidence need be adduced, no legal protection IO;
no habeas eorpus can issue, or if it do, the
jubeo' of a policeman concludes the question, 5"
she Irishman without relief.
" And this is called a union, and the Irish siteshitstibro
lieve they are united- to Great Britain'. *,,,,eentbm,
Byron was right—it is a union, a union bet; the e-
shark and its prey, between the devourer an
voured. eieeties
" But to return—l have said that my first our
11°
the Act was its perpetuity.
Vue AIS
"My stcond objection is to the title of the -, se-
entitled a Bill for the better protection of life'
facilitate the apprehension and detection of
guilty of certain offences in Ireland.' he o°,o
" This title is totally misapplied. IteV.
• A Bill to render property and life more should
,04,
Ireland, ard to stimulate the people of that .„1, of
the commiteion of outrages and the perpetrett"
eing
" Should the proper time ever arrive for
.1331: tooltp
insertion of the proper title, I would certain
„es rcts• •
title such in substance as I now describe to be P- dab
:he Act. the rell
Having thus given my first objection eter4ei.ie
timely, its perpetuity, and ray second objeetiewbissiie
Its false title, I proceed to my third objectionlooseoi
the miserably slight excuse which would 20 Pd iri,eoO
Lord-Lieutenant to place any part or par The rd/
under the provisions of this Algerine Acts i; eectieli
by which the country is made subjeea to tee
tiroclamation, and such proclamation ille of
person commit murder, or even manslaugi-or sik;ste
county or part of a county, or shall shoot at/
eut, or wound ane body, or shall by any Inft edif
ever cause any bode), injury dangerous W h. 910 es"eo
such case, wide and tapes:sive as it and trioli else
be some of such offences, et, if any orle,leillse-sos4
c
r
to
ti,v,:sule,nsrndm,ct
)a
st
nltoeticte)hinirdae,itamhybLe,utocthnrtioad,
think
ksi Llotiyfiea onlytuni.
n3t
the
bus
lsAea,
uhnncci
hdtco
hupinbstahteryebt ywoom' thistifh syr
04;
tint
hib:fse::110i:::;
;.
y
toy
t
mined, but also any at joining innocent ee-„jeiret
many resident magistrates—to as many s,°„l3bieo,ste
of constabulary—to as many head eons"stablet
many constables, and to as many sub-no bar of
may think proper—all, all of whom are to be 0 the tas
clothed, paid, maintained, and provided for,
tosieo
pense of th.e occupiers of the districts or of
eluded in the proclamation. that sof,
"But, still further. It is not necessa'"iog o'o
offence should be committed in, or ad.le'l sdih°,%
such proclaimed district or county, and pee Pa- el°
county may be proclaimed without any °, ,eed to
been committed in either; for it is preelau roelep;teir,
into. the cause or pretext of issuing the Pefenete
The people may be able to prove that no ei1...-weleos
soever was committed; yet that will uot els
eh:nation is itself, oy the filth section of e
foie f
couclus,ve evidence of its own validity-tr 903'
" There it is—the absolute and min° of ettoethe
of a Lord Lieutenant to proclaim sq. Par' i'etev
at his will, pleasure, or caprice. No 111`1,. see toost
facts he alleges—no proof allowed to rev- be e'oet
of his reasons for acting •he wishes it bits
and he does it—the is 1 vod' an qs
country out as
fate. is. of
thetu‘ le•;.l‘deFlrtfriortclicattlicli
ehthheaneia.necmootieenrdtenerioosopdnoulotiacrecsimts,ClAkingnerwinn:tl77,l7:rr,f-hiebiGriiio
dgevriaawpvaiinesd. %et. -itilitisp:ont",,-er:
future, call these Bills Russian ukases' 001 ve
Nic I hlas ! .0 saiS tei
" cannot conclude my remarks ul?' require
this post ; there are other matters wine;stion. to/
immediate communication with the eiss°ehoa ste'reeter
" Before I proceed, let me remark.t et have ge„
thorough conviction, that Ireland can' Nonier
enemies than the Whigs among the Feert7el bY the
r 5004
be surprised at the line of conduct adop ,owe Pe,„
po
quis of Lansdowne, or by Earl Grey' but Inch ile-ch en
expected better from Lord Clanrica
ds for Ir"
really see that there was the least gr°lleieered
expectation. He has no claim to be eons , air
man, that I know o£
•• I now anxious that the Ass°eintifethi°rifirsijee
we are Ptc Coal,"
tinetly sundertand the position
Association is most anxious to have
edeura el theide°°
from the horrors of the wholesale old he ner
once system, and of the often retail evei,',orreis
assassinations. The Coercion Bill doethe talen.% tias
port to give any remedy for the crimes , oeassl'usisb;
or bath t° Pailt
merit
hneadrni
tit t
those
is
co
hsee
cmorekwhtlikelyreo
gt
already
leriesesraoo(vi
fyo
crime,
aanidiennr,dseieedt.liwi_i;:iSa'orbue.::g:::
GO'
perpetrating those crimes.
e. et
" What we allege is this :
anxious than - erns
"Firstly. That we are more !me ~ eve?),
bathe
rooitirder, ora
Pry
and, above
taoll,prshese•
sberi
praetor.perpetr perpetrated by landlord e nhto horrible
be
loecr°elntreinilaesns
trs°l7o° it;rteur:::::rot:
" Secondly. All former coercion ac
saw
de 0 • ore
atidmdeitiloonstaltahteri,r,cfietTecse., and become,
id
an
en
e:
i:
naglss, Thirdly.fiasn d Twt
bt
epigtliani
es
et%
trehe
itaosnu,ricehovne
pwfr seorgY:u; gy
civil, religious, and political rights IEO oral
egrielere'
Scotland. the Irish on°laid'" Fourthly. That the state ofc
of
population should be taken into "'
1e
the sYtelijebonici be‘e
taw, with a view to relief, and to hs there - woo-
lord and tenant ameliorated,
that
see tenant' et.
stability given to the occupation of see,,,,„oasereem the
prejudice to the landlord's right toe nillshu"
stisi"g rt.:ooli
"Fifthly. That the einaciatingl _ of tour
union, and the consequent absente
to thy' 07.1), hid
Kielors, may be, mitigated by alii:b‘our,,,,Npoid
the money and the value of all occupati:h) 00 oaf'4
in the improvement of the. laud in his That aerie
sur"eBTolifisi,usetsipeeec, icaoluiye,iliswetioiunrsant udppeOnac• be