The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-17 00:00:00

IRISH CONVICTS.

The directors of the convict prisons in Ireland report
that in the year 1867 296 convicts were sentenced to penal
servitude in Ireland, 216 males and 80 females, and at the
end of the year there were 1,340 convicts in custody in
Ireland, 920 males and 420 females ; 330 convicts were
discharged in the year, 123 unconditionally on completion
of sentence, commutation, or pardon, and 207 on orders
of license ; in England, among an equal number of con-
victs disposed of in 1866, the number discharged on ter-
mination of sentence was only 40 (instead of 112 as in
Ireland in 1867), and on ticket of leave 320. Convicts in
Ireland are sent first to Mountjoy Prison, and at the expi-
ration of their probationary time are either transferred to
the associated trades' division, or removed to association
on the public works at Spike Island, whence in due time
they pass on to Smithfield or Lusk intermediate prisons—
the one with its trades and the other with its farm work.
The Roman Catholic chaplain of Mountjoy submits that
eight months are too long a time to keep a prisoner in
separate confinement, locked in his cell about twenty-one
hours a dap, with work which is little better than absolute
idleness, the man being generally without mental culture
and of strong animal passions and vicious habits. This
gentleman is of opinion that after three or four
months the tendency is to enfeeble the mind and
render the prisoner less able to resist temptation here-
after, thus perhaps partly causing the increase in the pro-
portion of returned convicts, while crime and convictions
generally have been so greatly diminishing. The directors
do not concur in this view, but adhere to the general opinion
that lengthened separation is a necessary part of the refor-
matory treatment of prisoners. Every effort is made
to exercise the most complete supervision over the conduct
,f those who are released on ticket of license, the Royal
Irish constabulary taking this duty in the country, while
in Dublin it is done by Mr. Organ, inspector of released
convicts. This gentleman states that the employers of the
men released from the intermediate prisons very seldom
indeed have cause to complain of their industry or conduct.
As lecturer at the little agricultural colony of Lusk, he says
that the great majority of the men have, by their conduct
beyond the prison walls, won back the character they had
forfeited ly their crimes, and have become absorbed among
the honest industrial classes of society. As lecturer at Smith-
field he states that his great object is to teach men to think,
and to cultivate among them a manly spirit ; and he says
that his confidence that they may become honest mem-
bers of society is justified by the growing confidence of
employers in his men, and the increasing demand for
their labour. He writes under date of the Ist of January,
1867 (a mistake for 1868) this result of his labours :
" I can say, after a period of thirteen years' practical and
by no means unimportant experience, that the prejudices
of the public against the convict are every day
ing ; and it is a source of gratifying pride to me to say
that no well-disposed released prisoner, no matter what
gaol or county he hails from, can plead want of hones
employment as an excuse for the pursuit of a life o
crime.

The Star is satisfied that we cannot point to any urgent
reform demanding instant consideration, of which we a°
not find promise in the Queen's Speech. With all the
reforms, indeed, for which the nation is calling out, it
would be hopeless to attempt to deal in the space of
.1;
single session, which we might deem well spent were it
only to see the accomplishment of the pledge of religions
equality given last year to Ireland. Some questions 0
the :highest importance can merely be submitted to t)
searching investigation during the session that has lAefi,
so fairly inaugurated ; and others, the magnitude of whie:
no one will dispute, must be postponed till a part, at
least, of the task now undertaken has been brought t°
completion. The promises of reform comprised in 11et,
Majesty's Speech are numerous, and attractive both ,
speculative and practical politicians ; yet, perhaps the
announcement which will peculiarly and most keenly et.
gage the interest of the majority of readers is that whic'
was addressed especially to the " Gentlemen of the 521156
of Commons." That the estimates of the public exPenci
diture for the ensuing financial year "have been framed
with a careful regard to the efficiency of the service" ill
not less satisfactory than that " they will exhibit
diminished charge upon the country." Mr. Lowe's fiat
Budget will, then, be presented under favourable auspicel
of which, no doubt, he will avail himself ; and an:100
the promised measures of reform there are none, aPP*;
rently, that are likely to call for an increased outlay °f
the public money.
The Telegraph, in referring to the changes which 10_11°
taken place since the resignation of the last Libel'.
House, ,
Ministry, says was, in truth, striking to gise°;
at the serried senators in the Reformed and vi
think what an excited and momentous interval had elapsed
since the chief figure on the Ministerial bench sat last ill
the same place. Then Mr. Gladstone was but leader of the
House and champion of the rights of the working classes
to Electional Reform. Last night he sat first in if:
Chamber, the natural chief of a Parliament reformed Pi
nothing so much as by his own eloquence and constane;
and having at his back such a majority as no Mini°
has wielded for nearly forty years. To the place of pole,
;
so well attained he has come from that less responsible
position opposite, where the impassive countenance
of the ex-Premier once more brooded, and perforce recalled
the " Night of Defeat," when, on the point of abdicating'
in order to defeat the intrigues of traitors and the tropes
of oligarchs, Mr. Gladstone said, " The silent forces °f
the time are upon our'side." It is not often that a Pre,:
diction is so soon fulfilled ; but that lofty boast has bee.;
abundantly justified, and a short and costly success bas
been followed by a defeat which has effaced the old l'e"
party, and introduced a new period of political history'
Altogether there was a strange atmosphere of change rD
the Chamber__a sense that the "old order "had "yielded
—a testimony everywhere afforded that the difference
between "what has been" and "what will be" is deep and wide. Perhaps nobody in the new Assembly Pe,,,'‘
ceived it better than the silent man who sat opposite
Gladstone, •
and whose " educational system" had WIZ
nigh " improved" his pupils off the political stage.
The Standard thinks that things may not turn out BO
badly after all if the Government take heed to their WI
in the question of the Irish Church. On the 6're.l4b
question of all the two great party chiefs both spoke wr
especial reserve and studied moderation. Mr. Disrae's
frankly acknowledging that the unmistakeable declaratio:
of the country had transferred to Mr. Gladstone the
direction of the Irish question, deprecated any prematured
discussion upon the subject ; awaiting the detail
proposal soon to be submitted by the Minister, At
't.,
promising it a consideration as careful and candid
t.;
befits the gravity of the occasion and the dignity 0100
House. In Mr. Disraeli's view, as in ours, it is the
business of an Opposition under such ciron'
stances to take the Ministerial proposition illto
consideration, and to see whether it is such P-
they can accept, modify, or make the subject Of 0
compromise, before they nail their flag to the mast eA
resolve to hazard everything upon the issue of battle. whe
proposition may be—there is much reason to fear it w';
be—utterly intolerable and iniquitous, and in that caseW
have no alternative but to fight to the last. But 0.1,r.
Disraeli, at least, will not assume that this must be f;
He will give the scheme a fair consideration from wag
Conservative point of view, as the scheme
one to whose hands "an unmistakeable dela sill
tion of the country" has for the time entrusted
the guidance of its fate. S hiSir. Gladstone, on oo
part, professed an anxious desire to shape - mO/-
measures, both on this and other subjects, in such a manses
as to conciliate the sympathies of as many, and to proYoo
the antipathies of as few as possible—in short, to avoid
far as may be everything needlessly painful to Protesw'
feeling or wounding to Conservative honour and prineiPicoe..
If he can keep this promise things may turn out mutt
more happily than has hitherto appeared probable.
not, the storm which is at hand will fully realise the OP/
hensions which are plainly t 44130 be read in the tone
_,
manner of Parliament during the "lull" which precedc"
and presignifies it.
The Daily News approves of the
the course pursued J 1
rival factions, and says that the Parliamentary Seesi°°,,,
18G9 has come in like a lamb. It may complete t;341
reversal of the old proverb, and go out like a lion.
he
this as it may, nothing could exceed the harmony of the
proceedings of both Houses yesterday. Possibly tie
unwonted display of mutual good feeling may be duet,
.
the mildness of the weather, which has quickened t; •
better nature of rival statesmen, and
ripened their kindly
sentiments into early bloom. Lord Cairns and .1)0
hit'
t
Granville in the Upper House, and Mr. Disraeli and I
Gladstone in the Lower, abounded towards each other
in the courtesies and amenities of debate. The Queell,„
Speech, in conformity with recent usage, was, indeed,s
framed as to avoid opportunity for contention. The geo
taste of shunning unseemly wrangles over messages.
the Crown is obvious, and the good sense of not seiltl°
pating debates and divisions for which there is so
to be abundant occasion late in the session is lej
less apparent. Mr. Disraeli last night frankly adrnit!ed
in words, what he has even more emphatically confessed
by his conduct, that in the general election the counts)
declared with unmistakable plainness its desire
tll
Mr. Gladstone should be entrusted with Pwet,
and that this declaration had especial referlit,
to the great question of the Irish Church.
to,
avowed his hope that the proposals of the Ministry W°i4au
when the proper time comes, be gravely and inipact
considered. Mr. Disraeli is too shrewd a man not t° 0,4
—especially since the conclusive failure of his own scl'e
the
for securing religious equality by levelling upwards --0,
the Church question in Ireland can be settled in one er,
only. A wise and patriotic acquiescence in what be Per
ceives to be the irreversible decision of the nation would
secure him the respect and gratitude of his countrY"l"7d,
and cast many errors into the shade.

It is now stated that the reports -- 61
have appeared in the newspapers respecting the Margois
d.
Westminster's health are greatly eiaggerated. 114.° for
1126 AL ierr 13 Ida lA'9
_3l.-
U
daurer.!