The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-21 00:00:00

a much worse, position.

" Hating war as much as any man, I say no
human good has ever been purchased witheut suf-

fering. Better that our friends should die on the

battle-field, and that we at home should have to

submit to many privations, than that the liberties

of Europe—all that makes life worth having-_

should be compromised by an inglorious compact
with Russia and Austria—the imperial represen-

tatives of the slavery and superstition of the

world."

It is remarkable enough that concurrently with
the attempt to bring the great European depre-
dator within arm's length, and provide for him a
locus penitentice, a strong desire has been spring-
ing up to do the like with that section of our
juvenile population from which the ranks of adult
crime receive their most daring and effective re-
cruits. And still more remarkable that at the
present time, when a diplomatic convention is
about to meet for discussion on the basis of the
Austrian Four Points, and consequently the solu-
tion of a problem almost as difficult as the old
religio-scholastic one, " How many angels can
(lance on the point of a needle ?" a conference is
about to be held in the metropolis for the esta-
blishment of a general association for the promo-
tion of the Reformatory movement. Which of
the two is most likely to be attended with success
it might be deemed invidious to prophesy ; so
drop the parallel and
without more ado we will

address ourself to the latter, viz., the Juvenile
Reformatory Conference ; and at the outset we
cannot but express our deep satisfaction on find-
ing so much progress has been made in the Refer-
matory movement as the calling together of a con-
ference with such an object indicates. For many long
years the subject of Reformatories has been mooted
by philanthropic individuals with apparently little
success. Busy, hard-headed men of the world, not
wanting it may be in humane feeling, and sensibly
alive to the vast and increasing cost of crime,
have hitherto been content to regard the appeals
and labours of these individuals as worthy of little
more than a passing word or momentary smile of
good-natured contempt. " The aim of these men,
like that of most visionaries, was, doubtless, laud-
able—nothing could be better than the diminu-
tion of county rates, which were really growing a
most disagreeable item in their yearly account—
nobody could object to the reformation of juvenile
offenders—who, of course, as they grew up,
would otherwise pursue their depredatory avoca-
tions with greater capacity for mischief--but then
the notion of reforming them, and making them
good members of society, was absurd. Crime was
not an accidental thing, the result of circum-

stances, including bad training and vile associa-
tions—it was an idiosyncracy—it was in the
young knaves, and would out with opportunity if
not prevented ; and all that society could do in
this way was to make the youthful delinquent
feel by means of severe penal measures, that, after
all, it would be pleasanter for him to be honest."
Such, generally speaking, have been the views ex-
pressed by the class referred to, in relation to
juvenile crime and the subject of Reformatories.
Undeterred, however, by contempt, and superior
to such logic, based as it is on a profound igno-
rance of juvenile, at least, human nature, the
philanthropists in question persevered—year by
year fortifying their position, and by the evidence
of indisputable facts, demonstrating not merely
the possibility, but the almost certainty of juve-
nile reformation, when its subjects were separated
from evil associations, and placed under enlight-
ened treatment. And now see the result of persist-
ent effort in a good cause ! Reformatories are
multiplying. Public opinion has undergone a
striking change. Statesmen, mostly the last to
join a philanthropic movement, are found fore-
most in the ranks. Contempt has given place to

interest and approval, and a general Conference
on the subject is to be held.

At such a crisis, for so we may term it, the
obvious duty of the.leaders of the movement is to
aim, above all things, at being practical, and not
under the influence of exultation, by proposing
too much, risk any portion of the ground they
have gained. A central association, acting with
discretion, may prove of incalculable service to
the movement —by repressing ill-considered
schemes and directing provincial efforts to a suc-
cessful issue. The danger is not that too few
Reformatories will be built, but too many—if not
for the liberality of the public, at all events for
success—owing to the want of duly-qualified
governors and instructors. To obviate this evil
we should recommend the enlargement of existing
Reformatories, and their being made training
schools for the officers of future institutions, and

the establishment of no greater number of Refor-
matories than is called for by the absolute neces-
sities of the case. Prudence is what is wanted,
and we have no doubt it will be manifested by
the members of the Conference.

There was a manifest improvement in the quo-
tations of the Stock Exchange during the early
part of last week, even before the announcement
of the acceptance by Russia of the Austrian Pro-
positions. The market had been in a very de-
pressed state on Saturday, the 12th inst., the
price of Consols being 851 Before Wednesday
it had improved to 87-, or nearly 1,7,- per
cent. This decided buoyancy was not attribut-
able to any expectation that Russia would abate
a single particle of her pretensions, or that an
honourable and permanent peace could be antici-
pated daring the approaching year. It was, to a
certain extent, checked by the supposition that
the " Old Lady" might make a still further in-
crease in the minimum rate of discount, and
charge even more than 7 per cent. for pecuniary
accommodation. A project had, however, been
mooted, which overcame all these depreciat-
ing influences, and led to a general advance of
nearly 2 per cent. ! This important effect was pro-
d uced by the rumour that Government contemplated
the issue of no less than twenty millions of really
" national cue-pound notes," which should be re-
ceived in payment of all duties and taxes payable
to the public exchequer. They were not intended
to be convertible into gold on demand, but every
one felt that they would possess " purchasing
power," and that the fortunate holler could
readily command the necessaries and comforts of
life, proportioned to the amount specified •n these
so-called " worthless rags." The honour of the
suggestion is ascribed to Mr. 5As. WILSON, M.P.,
whose admirable speech on the currency question
first gained for him the high reputation which he I

has since so worthily maintained. Should the
staterneuts to that effect be well founded, we
trust that Mr. WILSON will have a fair opportu-
nity of pushing the grand experiment inaugurated
under his auspices to its legitimate results—of
fully testing the efficacy of a circulating medium
which has for more than five-and-thirty years
been so unwisely withdrawn from the community.

All that we ask is, that it should receive'a
fair trial. We know that the currency quacks,
the interested disciples of the JONES LOYD school,
will do all in their power to discredit the State
paper. But we have faith in the people ! Hood-
winked and misled as they have hitherto been,
they will, when the question is placed before them
in a tangible form, testify in unequivocal terms
their high appreciation of a system which pro-
mises, if properly carried out, to develope to the
utmost extent the natural capabilities of the coun-
try, and 0 provide remunerative employment for
every man, woman, and child able and willing
to work.

Nothing, of course, is as yet known as to the
peculiar conditions to be annexed to this proposed
issue of " Exchequer Bills of convenient denomi-
nations." As we long since pointed out, it was
the laziness of a former Comptroller of the Ex-
chequer that prevented the smaller class of these
securities from being brought before the public ;
and the influence of wealthy capitalists, who were
thus enabled to obtain a virtual monopoly of these
most important documents, sufficed to continue
the exclusion. By the plan now spoken of, the
interest of twenty millions, or at the present
rate of interest rather more than 600,0001. per
annum, will be saved to the country. But this
will be by far the least valuable part of the pro-
ceeding. It will be the infusion of so large a
portion of the life-blood of industry, the certainty
that the nation may safely proceed in a similar
coarse, so that ultimately a wise and sagacious
monetary code may be established suited to the
wants and exigencies of the country. Should Mr.
WILSON achieve this great desideratum he will at
once achieve a prominent position amongst the
national benefactors, and entitle himself to the
undying gratitude of his fellow-subjects.