The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-08 00:00:00

TUE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 8, 1868,

sense to keep quiet, and not foment disturbances by
the introduction of their plans into the struggle
now reigning in Spain. ISABELLA has money
enough to do great mischief of a secondary nature,
for in reality she can never effect a lasting altera-
tion ; but the experience of a short time will doubt-
less show that all attempts to make a change will
be fruitless, and thus gradually the idea will be
given up. The nations of Europe have had quite
enough of the BOURBONS, and although this is not
a very flattering lesson for those most immediately
concerned to learn, the sooner they do so the better
for their own self-respect, and the preservation of
whatever remains to them of reputation. It is rare
to see the representatives of an ancient house only
coming before the public to meet with scorn and
indignation.

Yesterday afternoon the concluding meeting of
the Social Science Association was held at the
Midland Institute at Birmingham, under the presi-
dency of the Earl of CARNARVON. 'The President
took a brief review of the proceedings, and summed
up the results accomplished in the several sections.
In the Health Department, he observed, a question
of considerable interest had been discussed—the
constitution and administration of hospitals. The
department was favourable to supervision, but dis-
approved of any extensive abolition of existing
privileges. Some persons, it will be remembered,
dislike the mixed system of partly free and partly
privileged admissions. This is a difficult matter to
deal with, and it is necessary to proceed with great
caution, lest by indiscreet or meddlesome interfer-
ence the springs of private benevolence should be
dried up, and institutions which on the whole have
worked well and steadily should suffer. After Lord
CARNARVON had discussed this subject in its vari-
ous aspects, he proceeded to the Jurisprudence De-
partment, in which some very important topics had
been brought forward. In the repression of crime
section, the general opinion was strongly in favour
of increased supervision by the police over those
who are well known to be habitual criminals.
The act passed some years ago for the supervision
of the ticket-of-leave convicts has, on the whole,
worked well. Numerous objections were raised to
it at the time, but these have proved for the most
part groundless, although the system is in some
respects incomplete. Lord CARNARVON, for his
part, thinks that it has proved eminently successful
alike in the interest of the public and of the crimi-
nal. In Liverpool it has proved especially so ; a
department of police has been devoted exclusively
to that purpose, and in many instances Lord
CARNARVON tells us the police have assisted
the ticket holder to obtain employment. In the
Repression of Crime Section it was proposed
that a central department should be established in
London in connection with the various police de-
partments throughout the country, and also that
the supervision should be extended from the ticket-
of-leave man to the whole criminal class ; that is to
say, those who have come under the cognisance of
the police for some breach of the law, and are
known to be living in the practice of crime, though
they evade detection. So far these suggestions are va-
luable and practicable enough, but it is an evidence
of the difficulty of reconciling theory with practice
that a proposition should have been made to extend
the supervision of the police over the whole class
of roughs in great towns and over the destitute
classes. Such a scheme is obviously impracticable,
and the police would themselves be the first to de-
nounce it. Our police rates would be enormously
increased, and a perfect system of espionage adopted
which would prove speedily intolerable to all par-
ties, if indeed it could ever be got to work at all.
It is doubtful how far it would be possible to main-
tain anything like an efficient supervision of the
whole criminal class, though more might no doubt
be done than is now effected, but if to these we add
the roughs and the destitute we shall have a third of
the community in leading strings ! The association
with roughs and criminals is unfair to the classes
unconvicted cf crime, and the excessive legislation
proposed would be likely to do a great deal more
harm than the present negligenc2.
The condition of Indian I risons was another im-
portant topic discussed •in this section, and Miss
CARPENTER contributed some valuable information
respecting the recent improvements. Much has
already been done to improve our Indian prisons,
although there are still, unfortunately, too many
drawbacks and deficiencies. Still we must be satis-
fied to proceed slowly, if surely, remembering, as
Lord CARNARVON observed to his hearers, that the
financial demands on India are very heavy, and if
we would obtain what we desire, the reform of the
Indian prisons, we must bring our demands strictly
within reasonable compass.
In taking a retrospect of the papers in the Educa-
tion Department, the President commented upon
the proposal to establish a ladies' college in some
kind of connection with the University of Cam-
bridge. This college is intended for the pur-
pose of teaching rather than examining,
and is meant to combine the double
function of training governesses and of
instructing those who desire a more ambitious edu-
cation than is usually accessible to females. Lord
CARNARVON'S views on the subject are moderate
and sensible. He highly approves of the scheme so
far as the training of qualified teachers is concerned,
and thinks it would be valuable in opening up addi-
tional employment to women, but he evidently
looks with a little suspicion on the visionary " girl
graduates," who are to learn " all that men are
taught" for the mere sake of learning. We
may hope that whatever extremes some
theorists may rush into in this as in most
other matters the common sense of the
community will eventually carry the day, and that
we shall see the education of women consolidated
and extended, without its carrying them in any de-
gree beyond their own proper sphere.
Looking back over the week's work, the Presi-
dent of the Association professed himself well satis-
fied with it, and we may thank the members of the
several sections for having thrown fresh light on
many interesting topics apt to be overlooked in the
pressure of the day.

Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE seems to have had
work of it in his election, and he has addressed
himself to the task with spirit and determination.
The numerous interruptions he meets with only
serve to increase his energy, without provoking him
into that impatience which too often mars the
chances of success in politicians. Yesterday the
right hon. baronet addressed a numerous body of
electors in Tiverton. He expressed a confident
hope that the Liberal 4 among the electors desired
to give their opponents a patient hearing ; and as
to the confusion at Crediton, he debtored it to
the account of some noisy boys rather than
to tLe electors themselves. Very likely this is
often the case, and when misguided persons think
that they discern a favours ,ble illustration of politi-
cal feeling, they may be all the time pluming them-
selves on the result of the exertions of a few
"roughs." As for Mr. At'sI,LAND, Sir S. NORTHCOTE
declared that he and Mr. WALROND regretted to be
in opposition to him, but oe these occasions they
must make up their mind toy such annoyances and
fight for the vindication of the right principles, as

they believed them to be. He represented what
is doubtless the state of feeling among
many candidates just now, when he said
that it would be a great deal pleasanter to
amuse himself in other ways than in running about
making speeches in all directions, right and left ;
but it was necessary, in the interests of their party,
that they should do so. In referring to the ma-
jority that it was always desirable for Ministers to
have, the right hon. baronet very truly said that it
did not always matter for it to be very large, as
witness the late Government, who started with
sixty or seventy, and then the first thing that they
did was to tumble to pieces. What the present Minis-
try is aiming at is a good working majority which
will let them carry their measures through Parlia-
ment. Only very prejudiced critics will gainsay the
remark here made by Sir STAFFORD on the manner
in which he and his colleagues have done their
duty in their respective departments, and his speech
throughout was couched in a strain at once spirited
and independent, while it rendered fair play to his
opponents.

LATEST INTELL MENU.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE REVOLUTION IN SPAIN.
PARIS, Oct. 8.
The Moniteur of this morning publishes the fol-
lowing news from Madrid of yesterday's date :
General Prim made a speech to the people from
the balcony of the office of the Ministry, and laid
stress upon the intimate unity existing between
Marshal Serrano and himself, and urged the neces-
sity for the Liberals of all shades, for the people,
and for the army to preserve concord. "the vic-
tory of revolution," he said, " was due to the joint
action of the fleet, Marshal Serrano, and the exiled
generals."

At the conclusion of the speech General Prim
embraced Serrano, saying out aloud, " Down with
the Bourbons." This was received by all the
people with unanimous applause. In the evening
Madrid was magnificently illuminated.
Admiral Topete has arrived at the capital.

SPAIN AND THE COLONIES.
PARIS, OCt. 8.

A private telegram received from Madrid states
that Cuba and Porto Rico have declared their in-
dependence, that great agitation prevails in Madrid,
and that the fleet would be sent to Cuba. No
official confirmation of this news has yet been re-
ceived.