The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-12 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

On Saturday a shooting match between the
members of the Hampstead (3d Middlesex) Volun-
teer Rifles came off at the practice-ground belong-
ing to the corps at Childs-hill, Hampstead. The
prizes to be shot for consisted of a Whitworth rifle
given by Mr. Hoare, and a silver challenge medal
given by the officer commanding ; the medal to be
held until the conclusion of the class shooting next
year, when it will pass to the member who has
made the highest score in such shooting, and if
gained by the same member for two years succes-
sively it will become the property of such member.
The last prize was a Lancaster rifle given by En-
sign Holford and a sum of money to the next best
shots. The first prize (the Whitworth rifle) was
won by Private Donne, who made 14 points ; Cor-
poral Alexander also scored 14. The tie, on being
shot off, resulted in favour of Donne ; Alexander,
as the next best shot, was presented with three
guineas. The second prize was won by Private
Field, who scored 15. This prize was also tied for
by Private Field, Corporal Alexander, and Private
G. Scott. Alexander, who scored 13, was presented
with three guineas. The third prize was won by
Private G. Scott. The money prize of three guineas
was tied for by Corporal Poller and Private Sharp,
Poller being the winner.

On Friday evening, at a general parade of the
27th Corps (Deptford Dock and Victualling Yards),
Kent Rifle Volunteers, the following newly-ap-
pointed officers read their commissions—viz., Cap-
tain Fincham, Lieutenant Stubbing, Ensign Brown,
and Ensign Sturgess. Captain Fincham (Master
Shipwright of the dockyard) congratulated the
corps OR the reputation it had acquired for efficiency
in the battalion drill, and expressed the sense of
honour he felt in taking command of a company.
He said that the artisans composing the corps might
well feel proud of the patriotic cause they had
taken in hand, and he thought it highly creditable
to them that after the fatigue of a hard day's work
they should be content during the evening to go
through a laborious drill, with a view of becoming
efficient defenders of their country, should any dare
to invade it.

On Friday next the following corps of the Ist
Battalion Kent Rifle Volunteers, 7th, 13th, 21st,
'2sth, 27th, 28th, and 34th, will assemble on the
Parade, at the Royal Victoria-yard, Deptford, for
inspection by Colonel Luard, Assistant•lnspector
of Volunteers.

The West Middlesex Rifles mustered in consider-
able force on Saturday afternoon at Portman •
barracks, Oxford-street, and proceeded thence to
Hyde Park, where they were inspected by Colonel
M'Murdo, who complimented them upon the state
of efficiency to which they had attained. The ground
was kept during the inspection by the South Mid-
dlesex Volunteers.

The 22d Surrey Rifles made their first appearance
in public on Saturday, under the command of
Captain llinxman, M.l). Having assembled at
head-quarters (65, Westminster-bridge-road), they
marched to Clapham-common. Afrer being put
through various evolutions they returned,
highly satisfied with the day's proceedings.
The 22d Surrey is composed chiefly of
workmen, and has , been accepted by Government.
The cost of uniform being moderate, and the
subscription merely nominal, a large increase in
their numbers may be expected.
The Earl of Hardwicke, Lord-Lieutenant of
Cambridgeshire, reviewed the Cambridgeshire or
Ely Rifle Volunteers on Wednesday last, in a large
field near the Littleport-road. The corps having
gone through an hour's mancenvres and concluded
with skirmishing and firing three volleys, his Lord-
ship addressed it in complimentary terms, remark-
ing that the universal feeling in respect to this
movement was one of great encouragement to the
Volunteers. That feeling was one of thankfulness,
and by the step which they had been pleased to
take they had given a sense of security to the fire-
sides of the country which did not exist 12 months
ago. At a dinner which took place after the review
the noble earl, in acknowledging the toast of his
health, said of what he had seen that day, and,wbat
he had seen in other places in the country, he Neruuld
only remark that such was the charactr„. of the
various corps that they were eminen+.:,y worthy of
the imitation of any corps in thl'. united kingdom.
'They must next turn their ;,tads,
not only to dis-
cipline and duty, but as 'co the mode in which, if
called upon, they were equipped to take the field.
If such a calam;:,3, were to arise it would be a sudden
call; there 7inuld be little or no notice. The re-
sources -1; other nations in Europe were such that
no l'
-Mice would be given in the event of a descent
'apon these shores. Should this occur, they would
be at once called upon to rush to the railways,
and what comforts were they supplied with ?
They had no knapsacks, no greatco4tB, and ,
without these their position would 100 extremely
linen, combs, brushes The
miserable indeed.
would require a change of
greatcoat was an absolute
wit :a a km n
ay other little comforts ; a
Cputsack, a
recommend itif, ecessity, and he should
properly
could slenlepacokninthtoesghrcoluontdh
coat, which,
round, and in which they
in defiance of cold and rile
had undertaken a noble duty, uwmoautlidsmw.ell wrap them
connected with it should be half done.Til
1,
Volun-
teersy, and nothing
Their
equipments up to the present time were next to
useless. He should take an early opportunity of
adopting the proper steps for making her Majesty
acquainted with what he had seen, and he should I

A committee was appointed to carry this resolution
into effect. It was resolved that the company to
be formed should be artillery, and upwards of 50
" good men and true" gave in their names as Volun-
teers before the meeting broke up.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the season a
good deal of activity continues to be displayed in
connexion with the movement in Suffolk. Ano-
ther shooting match has taken place at Finbo-
rough-park, near Stowmarket, among the
members of the 6th Suffolk corps, the first prize (a
rifle given by Sergeant-Armourer Colson) having
been won by Private Oxer, who scored 19 points;
the second by Sergeant Matthew, 16 points ; and
the third by Corporal Matthew, 14 points. The
ranges were 200,300, and 400 yards, and the shoot-
ing was, on the whole, very creditable. A public
meeting has been held in the Bungay Corn Ex-
change to increase the interest felt in the movement
in that neighbourhood, and 25 additional men have
been obtained for the local corps. Colonel Shafto
Adair has offered £lOO towards the cost of equip-
ping an extra number of men, and a committee have
decided to pay half the cost of clothiag for those
who cannot afford to purchase the whole.
On Saturday afternoon a meeting was held at
Norwich—Colonel Brett, commandant of the Nor-
wich battalion, in the chair—to consider the pro-
priety of organising a mounted corps in Norfolk.
Captain Hay Gurney stated that be had ascertained
that the opinion of the Government on the subject
of mounted Volunteers was that they should be
treated, not as cavalry, but as mounted infantry.
It was considered that cavalry were of no use unless
there were large and very highly-trained bodies of
them ; it was not likely that Volunteers would be-
come thus highly trained, but it was thought that
if expert riflemen could be moved quickly from place
to place they might become extremely serviceable.
Thus mounted Volunteers would not be required
to fire from their horses, but they would have
to dismount and skirmish on foot. It was
suggested that the most suitable weapon would be a
Neatly Richards' breech-loading carbine, cost-
ing £8 Bs., and the whole expense of the outfit was
estimated at iaD per man, exclusive of a cloak,
which would be 30s. to 50s. more. Captain Gur-
ney stated that ho thought from what bad been said
by the Deputy-Assistant-Adjutant-General that the
Government would allow sabres. A committee of
five gentlemen was appointed to make the neces-
sary arrangements for the organisation of the pro-
posed corps, if the project receives sufficient sup-
port.

The members for King's Lynn—Lord Stanley
and Mr. I. H. Gurney—having offered three cups
for competition among the Volunteers of the town,
a contest took place in the course of last week.
The value of the first cup was £2O, the second £lO,
and third £5 ; and the successful competitors were
Privates Agger, Potter, and Elliot. The ranges
were two shots at 200 yards, two at 300 yards,
three at 500 yards, and three at 600 yards ; and
the highest number of points made by any of the
40 competitors was 11.
On Thursday afternoon the Ist Company of
Worcester Volunteers was inspected at Worcester
by Lieutenant-Colonel Scobell, colonel of the bat-
talion. The colonel on arriving on the ground was
received by the officers and men presenting arms.
He then made a careful inspection of the company,
after which the men were put through various evo-
lutions by Captain M'Leokl, the whole of which
were executed in a manner which showed how
much attention had been given to their exercises.
At the close of the evolutions Colonel Scobell ad-
dressed the company, complimenting them on their
manly and soldierlike bearing, and expressing a
hope that they would all meet next spring for firing
practice.

THE DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE WITII

PARAGUAY.

The Paris journal Le Pays, of Nov. 5, contains a long
article on the differences existing between this country and
the Republic of Paraguay, in which, after recapitulating
the opinions lately expressed by the leading English jour-
nals, it expresses a hope that Senor Calvo, the Paraguayan
Minister, will be permitted to plead his cause personally, a
favour which the English Government, up to this moment,
has refused hint, thereby presenting a marked contrast to
his recognition, with so much empressement, at the Court of
the Tuileries. It doubts not that the English Cabinet will
follow some such precedent as that adopted by the United
States in a somewhat similar matter, namely, the claim of
Mr. Hopkinson, the American consul at Ascension, against
the Paraguayan Government. A mixed commission was
appointed, which, carefully investigated the claims, and de-
cided in favour of Paraguay, the demands of llopkinson
and his associates having been shown to bo entirely without
foundation. That decision, continues Le Pays, affords a
gratifying instance of a strong Government protecting ono
of less strone-A, and it lays stress en the notable fact,
that in th•e difference between Paraguay and the United
States the parties were of each nation., whilst in the differ-
P;nce between England and Paraguay the claimant, Santiago
Coustall, is only the son of a pretended -English or Belgian
subject, though a naturalised Slonto Videan, and has un-
doubtedly conspired against the life of the Paraguay Presi-
dent. These -views of the justice of the Paraguayan cause
are, it is observed, endoreed end affirmed by an eminent
English jurisconsult, Dr. Phillimore, of the Admiralty Court,
whose opinion being opposed to the view taken by the Eng •
lish Government, must be regarded as strictly impartial.
The French writer notices the great interest which both
countries have in a peacefel solution of the difference, and
is confident that the preSent misunderstanding will not be
of long continuant°. Reference is made to the recent ap-
pearance of a volume, containing all the official documents
relating to the mediation of Paraguay between Buenos
Ayres and the Argentine Confederation, the success of
:"nigh was mainly owing to the efforts made by General
Lopez (son of the Paraguayan President), a man of
energy and of enlarged discernment, as well as of the
strongest patriotic impulses. The Parisian journalist is
impressed with the rapid growth of Paraguay, which has,
sprung into national existence within a comparatively
recent period, and now holds an honourable place iu the
hierarchy of nations. As kis excuse for calling the atten-
tion of the French public to the subject, he remarks the
flourishing condition of Paraguay, and considers it a mate-
rial guarantee for a prosperous future throughout that re-
gion, and for increasing commercial relations between France
and all the States of La Plato. The writer concludes with
a strong encomium on the capacity and conciliatory de-
meanour of Senor Don C. Calve, the Paraguayan plenipo-
tentiary. who appears to have created a most favourable im-
pression in all French circles, and to have begotten an
earnest hope that his mission to Europe, especially to Eng-
laid, may be crowned by the results which he was sa well
warranted in anticipating.

-moved—That the council not being full, was ille-
gally called, and no business could be legally
transacted.

The amendment was lost by 21 to 14.
Bailie JOHNSTON, in a lengthened speech pro-
posed the adoption of a protest against the Act,
which, " though clothed with the sanction of law,
is a violation of the rights which by the constitu-
tion belopg to all corporate and private property ;"
but at the same time moved "That the Lord Provost,
treasurer, and clerk be authorized to execute the
bonds in terms of the statute," holding that the
case did not involve a question of conscience, nor
justify resort to a revolutionary resistance to the
law.

Bailie FORRESTER contended that they were
bound as dutiful and loyal subjects to give obedience
to the Act of Parliament. (" Oh, oh !" and hisses
from the audience.) He therefore moved simply
" That the bonds be executed in terms of the
statute."

The Dean of GUILD pointed out the fact that the
arrangement embodied in the Act, which reduced
the number of clergy from 18 to 13,and guaranteed
them £6OO a-year, had not been objected to in the
discussions on the bill ; yet now, when it was ne-
cessary to sign these bonds in order to carry the
arrangement into effect, all this agitation and dis-
turbance was got up, which he thought was both
inconsistent and uncalled for. (" Oh !" and a
laugh.) It was known that a former dereliction of
duty on the part of the council had brought on them
very heavy penalties They attempted to divert
some money from its proper object ; they atempted
to misappropriate the money of Trinity College
Church, which was the cause of their losing
the patronage of the University. (" Oh !
oh !") He was satisfied, if this excitement
were continued, and if this attempt to subvert
the laws of the land were insisted on, they would
meet with the same reward again. They would
lose the patronage of the city churches, and even
their municipal institutions would be at stake.
Were the supporters of this Act, he asked, to be
browbeaten by men at every corner, and treated as
if they were robbers ? (Hisses, and a voice, "So
you are !") He altogether condemned this agita-
tion and those who kept it up. (Hisses, and a voice,
" Oh yes. we'll keep it up.")
Mr. Foxe moved "That tke council do not au-
thorize the signing of the bonds." He was as loyal
a subject as Bailie Forrester; but when he found a
law crammed down his throat in the way this had
been, then he took a leaf out of history, and would
take every means to resist it. (Applause outside.)
They had had a good many quotations from learned
men. He was not much acquainted with the
classics. He did not know very much about the
history of his own country ; the more shame to him.
But he thought he had read that there was once a
law instituted called "ship money." It was only a
penny, he believed, but there was a man in Eng-
land who resisted it. He did not protest against it.
but he would not pay. (Applause outside the bar.)
Mr. MACKNIGHT—It was not an Act of Parlia-
ment.
Mr. FORD—What was it then ? It was an act of
some kind at any rate. (Laughter.)
Bailie JOHNSTON—Oh ! you're out of history.
Mr. FORD—It was a very common-sense way he
took, at any rate, to get quit of a very unjust law.
Mr. MACKNIGHT—It was not a law.
Mr. FORD—What was it, then ?
Mr. MACKNIGHT—It was a Royal ordinance.
Mr. FORD—WeII, this is a Parliamentary ordi-
nance, and we protest against it—almost the whole
citizens protest against it. (Cries of "No," and
cheers outside.)
Professor DICK (Veterinary College) pointed out
that there was no penalty for non-signature, and
asked why should they needlessly put their neck
into the noose ?
Mr. HILL said the securities would be inopera-
tive so long as the stipends were paid. The bonds
were required by Parliament to be delivered ; the
order for this was absolute and imperative, and
nothing but an act of perverse rebellion and dis-
obedience could stand in the way of their compli-
ance, which, if they were guilty of, tkey might rest
assured, would be visited by a just and righteous
retribution. (" Oh !" " Hear r and hissing outside.)
If they refused to do their duty they brought upon
themselves the very evil they conjured up—the con-
fiscation of the city's property—and exhibited them-
selves to Parliament and the public as disobedient
and disloyal subjects, and very unworthy to
hold their places there. There was a duty incum-
bent on every one here, and more especially on
every magistrate, to obey the law himself, and to
see that it was obeyed by others in its spirit and
integrity, even though it might not be in conso-
nance with his own ideas of equity and justice.
(Hissing outside.)
Mr. MACKNIGNT said it had been asked what was
the penalty of disobedience in this case ? Now, he
said distinctly that the man who refused to obey
a statutory duty might be found liable in the
highest penalty. (Oh ! and a voice, " Hanging r)
It might be that the community, or the town coun-
cillors individually, might be found liable for a
pecuniary amount far exceeding the amount of the
tax. (Cheers, and a laugh.) That might not be the
opinion of some gentlemen, but any one who looked
into the law of the case must see that the property
of the city might be as effectively confiscated by
the Court of Session as damages for disobedience of
the statute, as they could possibly be by their
signing the bonds. (" Oh," and " Hear.")
Treasurer GREIG complained of the degrading
conditions of the act in its dealing with the civic
property, and said, though he would comply with
the statute, the constitution enabled them to agi-
tate and he hoped they would nevercease to agitate
until these degrading conditions were removed.
Mr. AUCHIE said, had this been a national and
not a local grievance, the legislature would have
dealt with it in a very different way.
Mr, CURROR said if they did not sign they would
just have to pay the expenses of an action and
judgment against them in the Court of Session,
which would have the effect of taking the manage-
ment of the town's funds out of their hands.

The L 011.1) rito-YOsT said they were under a sta-
tutory obligation to sign the bonds, and if they did
not fulfil that obligation it could be enforced in a
court of law. Now, he was just as much disposed to
give obedience to a clause in a statute as to a judg-
ment of the court, and he did not think it neces-
sary to wait for a judgment of the court to compel
him to do what the clause of the statute required
him to do. (Hear.) lie was asked to disobey the
law, but he could not encourage any one to disobey,
the law. lie had his opinion of the legislature pass-
ing a local act which obliged them to consider the
propriety of obedience or disobedience, but he had
no scruple in obeying, and iu advising others to
obey the law while it was law. But it must be re-
membered that law in this country was founded on
opinion, not on force; and no law could be safe or
prudently put in execution which was opposed, as
he believed this local act was, to the feelings of the
great mass of the community. He did not authorise
any one to refuse to pay the tax. Ile thought it was
for the interest of the town that every one should

The Rev. Sohn Davis, the Ordinary of Newgate,
has presented to the Lord Mayor and the Court of
Aldermen a report on the moral condition of the
great city prison during the civic year just termi-
nated. Of this document, which has considerable
public interest, we condense the material portions.
At the outset he expresses his satisfaction at seeing
the demolition of the women's side of the gaol,pre-
paratory to its reconstruction on the separate system
of imprisonment. They had now had, in the male
wing of the prison, full two years' experience of
the effects of that system both on great offenders
and on those charged with minor offences; and
that experience, after many years of indiscriminate
admixture of prisoners, had resulted in decided ad-
vantage in many respects. The fears of suicide and
lunacy, he says, had vanished; careful superinten-
dence had prevented any attempt at the one from
being successful, and not allowed the other to ad-
vance so far as to injure the intellect. The great
benefit derived from the change has been the pro-
tection of the youthful criminal from further pol-
lution. The refractory apprentice or dishonest
errandboy, he says, can now be sent to prison
without being irretrievably ruined, and punished
without being defiled and corrupted. Besides, he
suggests the separate system enables a careful ob-
server to distinguish very nearly what can and what
cannot be done with crime. He compares crime
witti cholera. For crime, he says, there is no k gown
effectual cure in all cases, but a vast deal may be
done to prevent its inroad. Vain is the hope to ex-
pect its entire extinction. Every session reveals
such lamentable instances of moral degeneracy,
that if it were not checked by the criminal law so-
ciety would hardly be secure. He thinks it would
not be advisable to lessen to any extent the punish-
ments inflicted on this class of offenders, lest crime
shouldincrease, and the tenure of property be made
less secure ; but he should wish to see the magis-
trates of the different counties, metropolitan and
others, treat prisoners confined in the Houses
of Correction in the same way the Government
deals with prisoners sentenced to penal servitude,
so far as respects the measures taken for
the reformation of their minds, the judicious em-
ployment of their time, and the making the impri-
sonment a punishment. Men, he says, under penal
servitude have a severe period of separate confine-
ment to pass through for 12 or 16 months, and that,
with the daily religious instruction given them, is
enough to bring them to serious thoughts of their
folly and wickedness, if anything will. Mr. Davis
continues to say that it presents a monstrous con-
trast that so much reformatory care should be taken
where, in many instances, the cases are hopeless,
from the long-continued habit of crime; and so
little to the same effect carried out when the hopes
of benefit are so much greater. Convicts and men
under penal servitude have made great progress in
demoralising habits. They are not thought unworthy
of rational and humane treatment, with hopes of
reformation and being restored to society. Why
not, he asks, begin with such a system ? When the
convicts have completed their day's work they have
a separate sleeping apartment, and opportunity
given for retirement and meditation. Large num-
bers reform under such treatment. He does not
know the proportion, but it is very large. Seven out
of eight of all their prisoners never return to New-
gate ; and the ticket-of-leave men who are sent back
do not reach anything like that proportion. The
relapses of these men makes great noise and they are,
generally speaking, men of deep ,depravity ; but
that, he submits, is only an argument to give such
persons longer sentences ; it does not reach the mass
of liberated convicts. Were such a system adopted
with regard to first offenders and men out of respect-
able families, a very large proportion would be re-
stored to society, and every one be benefited. There
are a few prisons where much that is done by the
Government is done by the magistrates. Reading

gaol,Aylesbury,Northimpton,feicester, Wakefield,
Holloway, and others adopt a similar system, but

without variety of labour or regular payment for
their work. With regard to men habitually addicted
to crime, who make a trade of it, and who are lost to

shame, all light punishments are nonsensical. The
heavier and longer the punishment the better for all
parties. There is a tedium about long sentences
that wears upon the patience of that class of
offenders, and often deters them from pursuing a
course of crime when better and higher motives are
wanting. Mercy in punishment, he says, should
be mercy to first offenders, or it is no mercy at all ;
and, as an additional reason for urging long sen-
tences en habitual criminals, he states there are
among them some who seem equally incapable of
reformation, whether treated strictly or mildly.
The mixture of these persons with others, even in
the advanced stages of their servitude, is always
dangerous. Led by the advice of such, less expe-
rienced men on their liberation by ticket of leave
have fallen into such new associations as
have speedily drawn them back again into crime,
and made them forfeit the privilege of being again
among the free. The liberation of men after a
number of years' imprisonment by ticket of leave
is on the whole a system that answers well; but
where offenders belong to the class of incorrigible
delinquents they are formidable and dangerous to
mix with others, and as a measure of precaution
they should be kept by themselves, and never set
free till there are moderately sound hopes of their
reformation and purpose of amendment. He next
adverts to the beneficial effect of religious instruc-
tion on men in separate confinement, and then offers
some suggestions with respect to liberated prisoners.
Too many of these, he says, leave prison in a much
better state of mind than they continue long to
possess. The loss of character sometimes makes
the day of liberty the darkest in their lives. They
come back to their desolate wives and families only
to add to the burdens which already press them to
the earth. Some of them do not return again to
labour, but become permanent mendicants. There
is much of this in the metropolis, and the kind and
humane feeling of the day fosters it. But a little
help just to set these persons going is very service-
able where the purpose is good, and there is a mo-
derate hope of success. Among the young very
much may be done ; separating children from de-
praved, vicious, and dishonest parents has a hopeful
tendency, and reformatories answer so long as the
purpose of the protege is good, but there are many,
very many, relapses into crime among them that have
been so helped. The sooner and steadier a liberated
prisoner gets into regular work and keeps to it, the
greater the hope; too much nursing does not suit
these men. They have made their difficulties by
their crimes, and in the providence of God they
must be prepared to meet them; no good is to be
done to these men, except where their purpose of
mind is to do right. The rev. gentleman remarks,
in conclusion, upon the unabated perseverance in
post-office delinquencies. Remedies, he observes,
against this species of dishonesty are not to be looked
for in the prison, for no better behaved men than
convicted postmen can be found in any of the gaols.
He suggests that much good might be done if the
Post-office either positively refused to convey coin
in a • letter or made the price of a post office order
for sums not exceeding 10s. one penny. Whether,
he adds, assistant-postmen are paid sufficiently (11s.
or 12s. a we©k is a small sum), or the needlessly
excluding old servants from receiving Christmas-
boxes is wise or not may be questioned. But there
cannot be less than 100 servants of the Post-office
at this time under penal servitude ; and let benevo-
lent persons just think of the homes, families,
friends, and hearts of these men. Theirs in shame
and punishment is the happier condition, for neces-
saries are provided; while their wives and children
are in wretchedness or poverty, in the hospital or
workhouse, as the unavoidable result of their crime.

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