Glasgow Courier. — 1850-06-25 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

NUGENT.  THE TREATMENT OF MR. SMITH O'BRIEN. To Me Editor of the Times _... . . . !  Sir —I perceive by the Foblie journals that a great many erroneous opinions seem to exist as to the cruelty practised by the Government towards Mr. S. O'Brien on Maria Island • and Sir L. O'Brien, judging from his remarks in the House of Comnons on Friday, the 14th inst., appears to be altogether misinformed on the subject. From having been for three years employed on that island, and having been asaistant to the present superintendent, I think I am in a position to lay the true state of the case before your readers.  _______. Maria Island is not (as Sir L. O'Brien supposes) the property of two or three individuals; it all belongs to Government., and the only inhabitants are the officers employed by the Government and the convicts under their charge; and those officers could have been the only persons who, on Mr. S. O'Brien's arrival there, could have appeared incitned to treat him kindly. No one feels metre for that gentleman's unhappy position than I do; but when for years of my life I have seen all classes and grades of convitts—the high-born embezzler, the educated chartist, the political offender of every class and degree of respectability—treated with the same discipline, and made to perform the same task of work (perhaps drawing bricks in the hand-carts with rope harness, or stone-breaking, Ste.) with the common felon or murderer, who never enjoyed refinement, and the classes of punishment just the same in cases of disobedience, I must confess that the exception in Mr. Smith O'Brien's case, which is the only one I ever heard of, does not leave much ground for complaint of the hardship and cruelty that the public seem to think he is • victim to.  • From Sir L. O'Brien's own showing, the authorities appear to have provided his brother with a cottage, surrounded by a garden —I do believe, from the description, the same one that was allotted to me as assistant-superintendent; and, as the climate does not possess either such extremes of heat or cold as to prevent the inhabitants being out and working hard all day, of course it is an error to suppose that Mr. Smith O'Brien can only walk out for an hour in the evening. Mr. Lapham, the superintendent, is an Irishman, and a gentleman' and one who is capable of feeling for any one placed under such circumstances in his care; and I feel confident that, con. sistengy with his duty, he gives Mr. O'Brien every indulgence he can.  There is also a doctor, whose duty it is to see that Mr. O'Brien (as well as others) gets as much exercise as is necessary for his health; indeed, this branch of the department is so well attended to, that, if necessary, the convicts are supplied with luxuries; and I cannot say more for the climate than to state, that during my residence there, out of a constant population of nearly a thousand people, and several thousands having passed through their term of probation, only three or four deaths occurred, and in one of these cases the person arrived there in the last stage of consumption. Therefore, I think the local authorities made the best selection they could have done, of situation and officers, to ensure Mr. O'Brien's health and comfort while under his present sentence. The only improvement that could now be made would be to withdraw that sentence altogether, as he has refused a "ticket of leave."  Should tbis letter be perused by Sir L. O'Brien, lie may be sure that I fully sympathise with him in his affliction, and that I wa.s induced to write it merely to show him that his brother, having refused the indulgence offered, is enjoying mildness of treatment quite unprecedented; and that says much for the clemency of the spirit of the British constitution.  With many apologies for thus troubling you, I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, R. F.