The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-20 00:00:00

EDUCATION AND-s GAOLiAL- NT-
CIPLINE.
The following observations' were last' we inaressen
by Mr. G. H. Vernon, M.P., to the granTay_ itt ate
East Retford sessions:---- i 2i ' '17.-- •
" Gentlemen of the grand jury', on the ItliWbescssion ; _,, atte
when it would have been my duty as well\ai*yprO-
vince to have presided here, I was disabledskiioollV-,---'
so from my then being engaged in making a snevetatrQ kt urto
extensive tour in America. I was not there, hosltt" "" I
ever, as an idler, but as one seeking all the information
I could obtain during the shortness of my stay, and
of endeavouring to obtain knowledge of the state of
that great country, not only of a social, but of an econo-
mical, and of a moral importance; also to ascertain the
mode of their applicatiOn of capital in procuring that
state 'of discipline and good order everywhere prevalent
amongst that great people. Many of the points upon
which I satisfied myself, however, it will not be 'neces-
sary for me to touch upon this day, although I Consider
them to be of no little importance; yet there is one sub-
ject which I think deserves our serious attention as mem-
bers of the English community. This subject, resolves
itself into two points; first, the manner in which educa-
tion is conducted, and secondly, the method in which their
gaols and penitentiaries are managed. It is strange,
that in a comparatively new country, that education
(to use a common phrase) has gone so much a-head
of the mother country, and that particularly amongst the
lower classes, where every man feels ashamed who has no
education, and where every man who is educated feels
ashamed of committing a crime. In our owncountry there
is a prejudice against going a-head in education ; and in
this immediate neighbourhood a foolish prejudice
prevails amongst the middle classes against having
their children educated where the children of
the labouring classes receive their education.
But in America it is totally different. I had,
during my stay in Philadelphia, an opportunity of visiting
one of the largest scholastic establishments in that city,
and I found that children of all classes, not only in that
city, but throughout the whole state of Pennsylvania,
were there congregated, and were all taking an educa-
tion in common, not being asked 'what'were the cir-
cumstances, or situations in life of their respective
parents, or what churches or chapels they attended, but
all seemed bent upon attaining the object for which they .
were sent, that of a sound and practical education to fit
them for their respective stations in after life. I found
many of these youths exceedingly acute, and put seve-
ral questions to them, all of which were answered in a
surprising manner ; and on inquiry, after a lengthened
examination, as to who the young man was who had
acquitted himself the best in the establishment, I was
answered that he was the son of the lamp-lighter of the
city. With respect to the management of their gaols and
penitentiaries, I find that they have established a system
of discipline and correction which is working most ad-
mirably, and this is to be found in the great decrease of
the offenders under confinement. The prison I inspected
is capable of holding 700 prisoners ; and a few
years back the average number confined was about
600, but latterly these have dwindled down to about
an average of 350. I enquired, in the various states
which I visited, whether the same system was adopted,
and was invariably told that it was, and that with the
same results. I mention this fact, not knowing what has
latterly been done in our own gaol, but it appears to
me to be worthy of our consideration, aed, if practi-
cable, of our adoption ; and I have not the slightest
doubt on my mind that the practice of the same causes
will produce the same effects. Education going
hand in hand with proper discipline, must produce re-
sults which are not only highly desirable, but which must
in time lead on to a sounder and better state of society in
general. There is one other benefit in America which
cannot always be had here, and that is plenty of labour.
Now when a prisoner gets out of gaol, and after
having suffered that penalty for his crime which the
law awards, he ultimately emigrates to another state
where his former course of life and his crimes are
unknown, and where he can redeem his character by
following a different course of life from what he had
previously done where his crimes had found him out.
Now there is one case which will be brought before
you to-day upon which this argument will bear. A boy
of the name of Smith, about sixteen years of age, is
charged with stealing a tame rabbit, along with an-
other person, greatly his senior in age. If he should
be sent before us for trial for the felony and found
guilty (although an excellent character has been given of
him to the bench), his character will be gone for ever.
He cannot leave the district, but must continue to reside
in the midst of a densely populated neighbourhood,
where he will be liable always to be reminded of his
having been convicted of a felony. From the depositions
it appears to me that his guilt is extremely questionable;
and if you can consistently with the oath you have taken,
and the nature of the evidence which will be brought
before you, throw out the bill, you may satisfy thejus-
tice of the case, and spare his future character."

ACCIDENT WHILE HUNTING. —Lord Charles Russell
narrowly escaped a serious accident on Monday last. The
hounds met at Cranfield, when his Lordship crossing an arch-
way over a brook, it gave way, and the horse fell, throwing
Lord Charles to the ground. His Lordship lay with one leg
under the horse; at length, by the aid of some ropes, he was
slowly drawn from under the horse, after remaining more
than twenty minutes in so precarious a situation, without

sustaining any serious injury.
The Fairy steam-packet, belonging to the Wool-
wich Company, brought down 72 female convicts yesterday
(Monday) from Miltbank Penitentiary, and put them on
board the Emma Euguene, hired convict ship, moored off
the Royal Arsenal. One hundred additional are expected at
Woolwich to-morrow for embarkation, for conveyance to Van
Dieman's Land.

The Emperor of Russia's splendid new schooner
yacht building at Cowes is in a very forward state, as well as
those fur the Marquis of Donegal and the Earl of Cardigan.
His Excellency the French Ambassador, accom-
panied by his son, the Marquis St. Aulaire, and suite, is
expected to arrive this evening at Manchester House, from
Paris, to resume his diplomatic duties after a lengthened

conge.
" We are told," says the Paris Charivari, " that
the wishes expressed by our Chambers in' favour of Poland
are sterile. This is not the case, they always produce l result,
for Nicholas never fails to transport to Siberia some additional
hundreds of unfortunate Poles."

MADAME CELESTE AND WEBSTER IN GLASGOW.—
The rapidity with which performers of note are brought for-
ward in succession on the Dunlop-street boards is certainly a
novelty in that theatre, and to that extent certainly an im-
provement. The latest accessions are Madame Celeste, the
celebrated French lady, although an English actress, and
Mr. Webster, lessee of the Haymarket in London, who are
engaged for a very limited period. Celeste has obtained high
and deserved celebrity as a ballet dancer, but her melo-
dramatic powers are not less striking, and we were equally
delighted with the fidelity of her assumptions of character,
and the rapidity, gracefulness, and expression of her pan-
tomime, by means of which she most successfully contrives
to rivet the attention of her audience. Mr. Webster is one

of the few comedians left upon the modern stage, who is
equally at home in high comedy and light farce, and who,
with rich powers of humour, never descends to buffoonery or
grimace. He is well worthy to rank in the same class with
Farren, Murray, and Keeley. His Ally Croaker, in the Mi-
series of Human Life, is a picture of its kind, and kept the
house in convulsions of laughter. The visit of these artists
has been well received by all who can appreciate the dra-
matic vivacity and gracefulness of the one, and the quiet ex-
pressive humour of the other.—Glasgow Herald.
FATHER MATHEW.—The Apostle of Temperance
arrived this morning from Kilkenny, and will leave on to-
morrow to preach and administer the pledge at Galway. He
will visit Kilcornan, Kinvarra, and Gort, in the same county,
on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and will return to
Cork on Thursday next.—Cork Southern Reporter. ,