The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. any steps in this matter this session, the inquiries not
being completed.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

HIGHWAYS.
Mr. DEEDES asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department if it was the intention of her Ma-
jesty's Government to introduce, during the present
session, any measure t') alter the laws relating to high-
ways I
Mr. MASSEY said it was not the intention of the
Government to introduce a highway bill this session.

VEXATIOUS ACTIONS.
Lcrd BROUGHAM brought in a bill for the purpose
of granting protection to persons against vexatious and
frivolous 14w proceedings. The principal upon which
the bill was founded was that adopted by other countries
where the subject of vexatious litigation had been con-
sidered, and measures had been taken to meet the evil of
which he complained. As the law now stood, any per-
son might bring an action against another, and
however unfounded it might be, the defendant was
put to the expense of between 2001. and 300/. in defend-
ing himself against the charge, and on obtaining a ver-
dict in his favour might find the plaintiff a mere pauper,
and utterly unable to pay a farthing. He (Lord
Brougham) had just been in consultation with the Poor;aw
Commissioners, who bad informed him that the terms in
which the Insolvent Act was drawn actually prevented
them taking into consideration any evidence showing
that the insolvent had brought a frivolous
action. The law, as it at present stood, merely
allowed them to consider the opposite case, viz.,
that of a frivolous defence. In the latter case they had
the power of sentencing the party to a term of imprison-
ment of two years. The bill he now sought leave to
bring in would, if passed into a law, empower the judge
to compel parties to give security for the costs. As the
law now stood the judges had no such power.
Leave was given to bring in the bill, which was then
read a first time,
THE CHINESE WAR AND THE PRINCI-
PALITIES.

REPORTS OF [RISH COLLEGES.
Mr. GROGAN inquired of the Chief Secretary for,
Ireland why the reports of the presidents of the Queen's
Colleges in Cork, Belfast, and Galway, for the years
1854, 1855, and 1856 bad not been laid before Par-
liament, pursuant to the provisions of the Act 8 and 9
Vic., c. 66.

Mr. HORSMAN said that the reports of the colleges
of Galway and Belfast would be laid before the house
that evening, and the other in three or four days.

PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS ON
RAILWAYS.

Mr. BENTINCK asked the Vice-President of the
Board of Trade whether it was the intention of her Ma-
jesty's Government to introduce, during the present ses.
sion, any bill for the more effectual prevention of acci-
dents on railways.
Mr. LOWE said that, before answering the question,
it was necessary that he should refer to a few figures
relating to railway accidents. In 1852 there were 89
million carried on railways; 10 were killed and 372 in-
jured, by accidents arising not from their own negligence.
In 1853 there were 102 million travellers ; 36 killed
and 280 injured. In 1854 there were 114 million tra-
vellers ; 12 were killed and 331 injured. In 1855 there
were 118 million travellers ; 10 killed and 31] injured.
In 1856, so far as it could be estimated, there were 125
million travellers ; 8 killed, and 282 injured. It there-
fore appeared that, as the numbers who travelled in-
creased, and the number of deaths diminished, the
Government did not consider it necessary to bring in a
bill on the suljcet.

Lord LYNDHURST wished to put certain questions
to the noble earl the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs. The first question he wished answered was
whether he had any objection to lay upon the table
a copy of the colonial registry under which the
Arrow was registered. Also the registry of the Arrow
itself, under which the lorcha was claimed as a British
vessel. The other question was one of which he had al-
ready given notice. The noble earl had no doubt read an
article in the Moniteur, by which it appeared that there
was a strong impression on the continent as to the proba-
bility of the immediate union of the two principalities.
That impression was further strengthened by the appear-
ance of Prince Stirbey and another young prince in the
intriguing city of Paris. The paper to which he referred
stated that the Emperor, on the 20th of last month, was
desirous of effecting the union of the two Principalities,
and that every circumstance which had taken place
tended to confirm that opinion. It was further
stated that the other Powers were adverse to
the Emperor's views. Nevertheless, it was highly
probable that they would ultimately adopt the sugges-
tion of the Emperor, and that measures for the purpose
would be submitted to the two Assemblies that were
about to meet by the Divan. Turkey, he understood,
bad taken a different view of the matter. The question
was one of great importance, as the Principalities were
the barrier to which Turkey looked against Russia.
The Earl of CLARENDON said be bad no objection
to the production of all the papers asked for. With re-
spect to the first question, he entirely admitted that he
had read the article in the Moniteur with surprise.
Under the piesent circumstances, he would confine him-
self to answering the question of the noble and learned
lord. There was no bar whatever put to the dissuasion
of the measure referred to, or to any other question by
the Divan in the firman lately issued by the Sultan.
After sone conversation, in which Earl GREY and
the Earl of ELLENEOROUGS took part,
The Earl of CLARENDON said he would produce
the whole of the papers connected with the seizure of
the Arrow, also the instructions sent to Sir J. Bawring,
and the opinion of the law officers upon the subject.

THE IRISH CONST ABULARY.
The Earl of of LEITRIM moved for a copy of the re-
ports made within the last six months by the police sta-
tioned in the county of Longford relative to considerable
numbers of men marching at night in that country ; also
a copy of a letter addressed by the Earl of Leitrim on
the 20th of December, 1856, to Sir Duncan M'Gregor,
and also a copy of a letter addressed by the Earl of
Leitrim to the Earl of Carlisle, the Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland, on the 18th of October, 1856, complaining of
the conduct of Mr. Dennehy, stipendiary magistrate.
Earl GRANYILLE said there was no objection to lay
copies of the letters addressed by the Earl of Leitrim to
the Earl of Carlisle, and the correspondence following
thereupon, before the house ; but the copy of reports
made by the police stationed in the county of Longford,
and the recommendation upon which Mr. Evers was
appointed being confidential communications, could not
be laid on their lordships' table.
STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH IRELAND.
Lord DUNGANNON asked whether any arrange
ments had been made by her Majesty's Government for
improving the steam-packet communication between
Kingston and Holyhead, and if so, what was the nature
of those arrangements and when they would be carried
into effect ? At present those arrangements were very
defective, there not being sufficient accommodation for
the passengers, and the voyage being protracted to an
unnecessary length.
The Duke of ARGYLL begged to remind the noble
lord that what the Government chiefly had to look t--)
was the postal service and not the passenger accommo.
dation, which he need hardly say were not always con•
sistent with one another. He should be very glad if any
plan could be devised for improving the passenger ac•
commodation without positive injury to the postal service
between London and Dublin, but-he was afraid the noble
lord woull find on closer investigation that the chief
inconvenience complained of, namely, the close proximity
of the two daily mails from London, could not be got rid
of. The present arrangement was that a mail was de-
spatched from London at five in the afternoon, by which
letters, &0., intended from England for the more distant
parts of Ireland would reach Dublin in time for delivery
there the neat morning, and transmission to the pro-
vinces for evening delivery, and another mail leaving
London at 8.45 in the evening, by which later Dublin
letters reached in time for afternoon delivery. Now the
chief proposal for improving passenger accommodation
was to do away with the earlier despatch, changing it to
a morning mail, and leaving the later despatch ; but if
they considered a moment they would see that by that
plan all the provinces of Ireland, and the large towns,
such as Cork, Belfast, &a., would suffer a great injury,
as then letters and papers from London and all parts of
England would be delayed from ten to twelve hours.
No doubt improvements might be effected in other re-
spects, such as constructing larger and swifter steamers,
but he did not see how the other inconvenience to which
he alluded could be got over without actual detriment to
the interests of trade and commerce in other parts of
Ireland than Dublin. He could only say, in answer to
the noble lord, that he was not aware that any alteration
of the existing arrangements was under consideration.
Their lordships then adjourned at ten minutes to eight
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER, took the Chair at four o'clock.

Forty-six private bills were advanced a stage.

INCOME TAX.

Numerous petitions were again presented against the
present assessment of the income and property tax.

CHINESE WAR.

Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Manches-
ter, complaining of the Chinese War, and praying for an
inquiry into the conduct of Admiral Seymour, Consul
Parkes, and Sir J. Bowring.

PERSIA.
Mr. LAYARD asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether Fet oukb Khan, the Persian Ambassador to the
Emperor of the French, was now negotiating with Lord
Cowley under the authority of the same full powers he
possessed when at Constantinople ; and when it was the
intention of the Government to place the papers con-
nected with the present war with Persia on the table of
the house.
Mr. Y. SMITH, in the absence of Lord Palmerston,
said that he believed that Feroukh Khan possessed the
same powers for negotiating at Paris that he did at Con-
stantinople, with this difference, that at Constantinople
he considered he required further instructions from his
Government before agreeing to a final arrangement, and
he accordingly corresponded with his Government re-
specting it, and, in the meantime, he left for Paris on a
special mission. Since his arrival at Paris there was
every reason to believe that he had received definite an-
swers on the subjects, and the negotiations that were now
pending he (Mr. Smith) trusted would be satisfactorily
concluded. The papers in reference to Persia, it was
thought desirable by the Government, should not be
produced, in consequence, so early as was intended, and
he had to ask the forbearance of the house in respect of
it, but that if any selection could be made
from them relative to the war that would
not interfere with the negotiations, they should be made
and presented to the house next week.
Mr. LAYARD gave notice that he should, as early
as the forms of the house would allow, move for the pro.
duction of the papers.
Mr. GLADSTONE gave notice that he should move
for copies of the orders relative to the military expedi-
tion to Persia, and also for copies of any communications
that had passed between the East India Company and
the Government, relative to the expenses of the war.
After some remarks from other hon. members, the
subject dropped.
WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.
Mr. LOCKE asked the First Commissioner of Works
a question relative to the condition of Westminster-
bridge, and the intentions of the Government thereon.
Sir B. HALL, at great length, said that the works
were stopped on the report of Messrs. Rendell and Simp-
son, the engineers, and the right honourable
baronet then referred to the select committee
that had sat on the question, and also to the
select committee on public offices, and said that, in con-
sequence of his having sent out 1,371 specifica-
tions, in consequence of applications for them, to
different persons in this country and on the continent
relative to designs, &c., for improving the neighbourhood
of Westminster Hall, and for erecting a block of
offices on the spot near Downing-street, it was
the intention of her Majesty's Government, when
they received the drawings, to submit Viem to
general inspection at Westminster Hall, or some other
public building, to give the people an opportunity of ex-
pressing their opinion thereon. As the alterations and
improvements would have a great effect on the position,
&c., of Westminster-bridge, he had thought it advisable
not to call on her Majesty's Government to come to any
determination on the progress of the new bridge until
such time as the plans referred to had been examined by
the public.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS expressed dissent from the
course intended to be pursued.
ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
In answer to a question from Mr. ROEBUCK,
Sir C. WOOD said it was impossible for the Govern-
ment to send out an Arctic expedition without firstcoc-
suiting the house, and that he had no intention to take
a vote for it in the ensuing estimates.
SUPPLY.
Mr. FITZROY brought up the report on the supply.
Agreed to.
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.
In answer to a question from Sir HENRY WIL-
LOUGHBY,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would give the house, in his contemplated financial state-
ment, an estimate of the income and expenditure up to
March 31, 1857.
SECONDARY PUNISHMENTS AND TICKETS
OF LEATE,
Sir G. GREY—I rise, in 'pursuance of the notice I
have given, to move for leave to bring in a bill to amend
the act 16th and 17th of Victoria, chap. 99, entitled
" An act to substitute in certain cases other punishment
in lieu of transportation. " I am wall aware of the deep
interest felt in this subject throughout the country, and
I therefore think it my duty to avail myself of the
earliest opportunity of submitting to the house the views
entertained by the Government respecting it, and of
stating the course they think it expedient to adopt. In
considering this question, as I have done very carefully,
during the recess, I have derived great and valuable as-
sistance from the inquiries of the committees of last ses-
sion. One of those committees was appointed by this
house to inquire into the operation of the act of 1853,
and was presided over by my right hon. friend the Chan-
cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The other was a
committee of the House of Lords, and was appointed
for the same purpose. Those committees, follow-
ing rather different lines of inquiry, collected a vast mass
of valuable evidence, and made recommendations which
the Government thought were entitled to very great
weight. Before I consider the resolutions and recom-
mendations of either of these committees, I think it de-
sirable that I should shortly recall to the recollection of
the house the nature of the provisions of the act which I
propose to amend. The circumstances under which the
act was passed are too fresh in the recollection of hon.
members to render it necessary for me to dwell upon
them. It will be recollected that transportation as a
secondary punishment was long in use in this country.
After being resorted to for a great many years as the
highest secondary punishment it had become almost im-
possible to carry it into effect, swing to the closing of
those avenues of transportation which bad been open to
this country in New South Wales and Tan Diemen's
Land, though in the earlier stages of the formation of
those colonies transportation had been of advantage to
both of them. I believe that the great and growing pros-
perity of those large colonial communities was in a great
measure owing to the introduction of convicts into them
in their earlier stages of existence. Those convicts by
supplying labour laid the foundation of the prosperity of
the colonies I have referred to; but, as in course of time
the colonies received a very large number of free settlers,
as wealth and capital increased, and as free labour found
its way into and was capable of supplying the market,
and of rendering capital available in the cultivation of
the land, it became a subject first of doubt and dispute
and contention in the colonies themselves whether it
was desirable that transportation should be continued ;
and ultimately there grew up a settled and decided feel-
ing in New South Wales and Tan Diemen's Land that
it was inexpedient that convicts should be transported
to either of those colonies. Under these circumstances
the Government came to the wise, an,l, indeed, neces-
sarythr decision, that transportation should bel altogether
discontinued, first of all in New Southh
wale the state of
wards in Van Diemen's Land.
things when in 1853 a bill was
adapted to meet the exigencies of
futbShme ittitmede,toanPdartlhiaismebniltl
noTwhperopproovseisitoonassokf ptheremaiest-
ps
jaostis passed itnhteo an
Houseact,t
to
After
which
enld
these :—After reciting that it had become
areex esdhieenrttlyto substitute some other punishment for the
transportation of offenders beyond the sea, it abolished
sentences of transportation for less than 14 years, and
substituted terms of penal servitude. The terms of penal
servitude to be awarded were not co-extensive with the
terms of transportation, as, for instance, ' instead of
transportation for seven years' penal servitude for four
years was awarded, and so in proportion ; and it was
only in the case of transportation for life that Parliament
authorised a sentence offapiitcheaenelal servitude of like duration
ltioambe
which
enptwa, shisnae dtt .hi u
There
course
w popularlyo nidegidsr
catufhtsees on
soyns ,t
aethatsystem
r oovaf
provision
joconkf
eutnPsc.iaoerir--
leave has arisen, and the act accordingly contains a pro-
vision reneAring it lawful to grant to any convfet a licence
CRIMINAL LUNATICS. revocabl4 at pleasure to be at large within the -United
Mr? FLOYER asked the Secretary of State for the Klar',Ctom or Channel Islands during
any
Home Department whether it was his intention to take of his sentence. Having shortly stated the main provi-
any steps in the present session of Parliament towards
making adequate provision, at the public expense, for Bions of tho act of 1853, and the circumstances under
the maintenance and care of criminal lunatics ? which it was passed, I will now proceed to describe what
period
I
Sir G. GREY said that it was not proposed to take I conceive to be the effect of that act, and in doing SO I

have this advantage, which the committee of the House
of Commons which last sat on the subject did not possess
—that I have the experience of some eight or nine
months more than it bad. With respect to the immediate
effect of the act of 1853—the effect 'contemplated by Par-
liament—namely, the material reduction of the sentences
of transportation, the fact is, taking the three years be-
foofrteralnBpsp3o,
rtthaatitotnhienaEvenrgalgaendanfonruatlbenuymeba'rers
loBfssoe,ntlenBscels,
and 1852 was 2,849. I find that in the three years which
have elapsed since 1853 the average annual number of
sentences of transportation in England was 298 ; and of
penal servitude 2,102, making a total of 2,400, being a
difference of 249 fewer sentences in a stated term since
the act passed than before. With regard to Scotland and
Ireland there are no complete returns for all the years
I have mentioned, and I will therefore take the year
1852, and compare it with the year 1856. In Scotland in
1852 the sentences of transportation were 361, and in
the last year they wore only 53. The sentences of penal
servitude in 1856 were 174, making a total of 227 with
the sentences of transportation, showing a diminution of
134 sentences as compared with 1852. With regard to
Ireland the returns are very remarkable, and show that
a great diminution of crime has taken lace there.
(Hear, hear.) In the year 1850 the number of sentences
of transportation in Ireland was 1,849, in 1851 it had
increased to 1,978, and in 1852, the year before the act
of 1853 passed, it had decreased to 1,411 ; but in the
(laughter) —in the pre-
ryeetaurr
nl,Btsbse,
nwuhmi cbhe
ri s
wt
ah
se
onlylast f3o3r_which I have got a full
rvei ot
uursnyieoarrliBt
sw6aseb3o9w,
eadn da Id i smh
ioeuel
on
no t
as es
nu
mr ppr
ai sreedd i
at ht
he
that of 1855. We might expct that a very large
number of prisoners must have been sentenced to
penal servitude in lieu of transportation, so as to
make the number approximate to the 1,411 sen•
tences of transportation in the year before the act passed ;
but find that in the year 1855 there were only 485 pri-
soners sentenced to penal servitude, and 33 to transpor-
tation, making a total of only 518, and a difference of
nearly 900 as compared with the year 1852. This is 50
remarkable a difference that I think it is owing to some
peculiar improvement in the morality of the people of
Ireland, and therefore it would have manifested itself if
the act of 1853 had never been passed. The main feature
produced by that act in Ireland is the decrease in the
number of sentences of transportation. But in England
fuel Scotland there has been, corresponding with the de-
crease in the number of sentences of transportation, a very
large increase, as might have been expected, in the num-
ber of those sentenced to penal servitude. The average
number of sentences of penal servitude in England and
Scotland since the act of 1853 was passed is 2,300, and
of those nearly three-fourths were for four years penal
servitude in lieu of seven years' transportation. But it
must be borne in mind thatsimultaneously with this redur.
tion in the number of sentences of transportation there
has been an increase in the average character of the
crime for which these sentences were passed. The num-
ber of prisoners sentenced to transportation during last
year in England was 263, and in Scotland 53. All cf
these were sentenced for 14 years at least, and some of
them were fur life. These seeteuces were passed for very
grave offences, and many of the prisoners bad been re-
peatedly convicted. The number of convicts under sen-
tences of transportation in England and Scotland when
the act of 1853 was passed was 9,850. Regulations were
made as to the disposal of these prisoners. Expectations
were held out to them when they were placed in separate
confinement, and afterwards when sent to Portland or
Portsmouth, or any of the other places in which convicts
saer ley es wellemployed
th
eoyn
wp un
ub wa
fotrker sa, th
time,atr bthey
se
nconductede them-
selves
colony with tickets of leave, or, at all events, with the
expectation of receiving a qualified discharge within a
short period after their arrival in the colony. That
expectation could not be fulfilled, and it therefore be-
came necessary to consider what should be done with
them. A provision was inserted in the act of 1853 which
Permitted such of them as had been sentenced to seven
years' transportation to be discharged with tickets-of-
leave, after they should have undergone about half the
term of their sentences in strict confinement in this cow,-
tryeinstead of discharging them without any qualifica-
tion, as was formerly the case with reference to those
prisoners who underwent the very imperfect discipline of
the hulks. These tickets-of-leave are revocable at the
pleasure of the Crown in case of the misconduct of the se
who hold them. These sentenced to seven years' trans-
portation were discharged with tickets-of-lease after an
imprisonment of three years, and those sentenced to ten
years atter an imprisonreant of four years, in the event
of their having complied with the prison regulations.
Those were the minimum, terms ; and the prisoners
wore told that, if they did not conduct them-
selves well, they might be detained for longer pe-
riods. But good conduct in prison is a very imperfect
test. (Hear, hear.) The vast majority of those prisoners
who have been discharged upon tickets of leave are those
who complied so faithfully with the prison regulations
that the governors (who, I believe, have endeavoured to
discharge their duty honestly) recommended that they
should be discharged after having undergone the mini-
mum period of imprisonment. But the mere fact of a
man's good conduct when he is removed from the ordi-
nary temptations of life, placed in an unnatural position,
and required to conform to prison rules, to be industrious
in the occupation assigned to him, to be respectful to his
superiors, affords no proof that his character has become
improved ; for it may be that, as soon as be is released
from the restraints placed upon him while in prison, and
returns to the scenes of his former temptations, he will
associate with his former companions, and soon make it
evident that his morals have not been improved. (Hear.)
I do not, however, mean to say that there has not been
an improvement with regard to many of the prison-
ers ; but, as to several of them, it is to be feared that
the very object which they have in view in complying
strictly with the prison regulations is to obtain an early
rtlease, in order that they may rejoin their former as-
sociates in crime. The number of convicts under sen-
tence of transportation has been reduced by the actual
transportation of about 1,050 of thera to Western Aus-
tralia; 7,002 have been discharged on licenses up to the
present time ; about 1,200 have been sent to Bermuda
and Gibraltar ; and the total number of those who re-
main in this country under sentences of transportation,
and who, in case of their good conduct, will receive
tickets of leave in the course of the next two or three
years, does notamount to 5,000. Tho number of licenses
which have been revoked for misconduct up to the same
time is 466 ; but to thin must be added the number of
license holders who have been reconvicted and sentenced
to terms of imprisonment which exceed the margin of
their original sentences, and the revocation of whose li-
cen-,,es could therefore have no effect. The number of
these is 583. In addition to these there are 95 who have
been reported for misconduct, but who have not yet been
convicted of the crimes with which they are charged.
This, with the two previous numbers, gives a total of
1,144 holders of tickets of leave who have been convicted
of or charged with crime, being a proportion of 16 per
cent, of the whole number of licenses which have been
granted. As a general rule, I have thought it desirable
to act with extreme caution in the revocation of licenses
in cases where no charge could be made against the
holder before a magistrate, so that he might have an
opportunity of detending himself. I have had frequent
reports from the police, and have in many cases desired
them to go to a person suspected of living dishonestly,
and warn him that the eye of the police was upon him,
and that a persistence in illegal courses would lead to
the revocation of his ticket-of-leave. In 41 cases licenses
have been revoked without judicial inquiry ; but, as a
rule, I have thought that it would be putting too much
power into the hands of the police if, merely upon their
report that a man was associating with thieves, the
Secretary of State were to cancel his ticket of
leave. (Hear, hear.) There may, however, be cases
in which it is so glaringly evident that a man is living
dishonestly and leading others into crime that his ticket
ought to be revoked. On the other hand, while in some
cases of slight offences, such as trifling assaults, tickets
have not been revoked, yet, as a rule, they have been
cancelled in all cases of felony or other offences against
the law, whether the conviction was summary or at the
sessions or assizes. Looking at the principle on which
the shorter terms of penal servitude were substituted for
the longer periods of transportation, and considering
that persons sentenced to penal servitude had no such
hopes extended to them as I have represented as having
been held out to those who were in this country under
sentences of transportation at the time of the passing
of the act of 1853, it has been determined that, as a
rule, no tickets-diem,' should tee granted to such
e
to penal
ptheersofnusll,
pbeurtiodthaotf
theirthey esehnotuelndcebee. required
No
such to
licenses s ery
have been granted to persons sentencedand
exceptional
servitude, except under special
lmoanted in
circumstances, and these . haveli
to such persons wouldhave
of the law. In one instance a
and to defeat the intention
we all have great respect, the
num-
ber to but 53. To have habitually ytogtrrainfiteedwitthhesteheli
jcuedngsensa
gentleman, for w.honhe
age without. the slightest commu-
nication looking at the act of Parliament
which took place upon it, conceived the
- it was the intention of Parliament that two-
thirdsopinion that
ceedeartrtirhodene rdwer
of the sentence of penal servitude should 'be re-
plaini nb gie thatle( ;
carried
r hrf
reehodemn(
uevwtve
whom,
of the
mitted as l'fttahlißteemirsinreward of good. conduct in prison. I
received from some prisoners wino had been sentenced
by him petitio coon
sentences which had been passed upon them. These
In-
d erarretesf
nteotoreiilri
etvedhsedeedt,
siaraeasstne,
neiesfttnutetcaeni
c,es, e
statingwt oo
uN Ildr.
;r1 tmal anticipated
inn
be
reply,
aputl
issrwishouniedrsbe remitted
that,la r large i
f por-
tionhehad acted under an error, he should in these and in agreat
many other cases feel it his duty to submit recommen-
dations for the mitigation of the sentences. I asked him
what mitigation he thought necessary to reduce the sen-
tence to that which, had he believed it would be fully
carried out, he should have passed upon the prisoners
In reply I received from him a letter in which I under-
stood him to say that he wished one-thirdh?lnfea"
that, he
and that what
sen-
tence to be remitted ; but on my tellin
said that I must have read his letter
se'of the sentence
inaccurately, and
invbee:fb-uolelyncl to commute the
onhe
dreesfeireerdingwatos
tithelrfeomunisdaiuthnaotfettblvitat vvt:isrds
b u t
carried y r eduicni
into
og
effect. them
:teoU tdi
heeonr
se
etehe
we, shneieccthi rhtcyhuemt
kt
et ngtie,cweoscf)uldi
edef
a he should have passed
who is entitled to great respect
lent or s t for the f •
re ormation ot pri.
and whose beneveo
had
ilelliTswangetub
tait'etinlirilyn-
had made a mistake, and perhaps I
spoken of toe highly. He acknow -
soners cannotheb
with the judges—him
ought to
est_
communicated
and have intimated to them that it
intention of the a
—overnmeut that sentences
was the
It ong
servitude should be fully carried out. I
llemd tthhaei tary e
of penal
on oat of
ex-
traordinary how much information prisoner!, even in cu
test managed gaols, obtain of what is gom►l3
=unveils
doors ; for, immediately after this I
the judge.
memorials from prisoners, all saying
m if they be.
who had sentenced them had told
thee of the punishment
would be remitted. These memorials I referred to the