The Sun. — 1864-02-23 (London, England)

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 23, 1F64.  more necessary to put down with a strong hand than murder on the high seas, since nowh2re is the victim more d,lfericelesEl, nowhere aro the opportunities offered to the criminal so great. Two cf the wretched men who received sentence of death were, however, fortunate enough to obtain a commutation of their punishment. SANTOS and MARSALINO have been respited from death, thanks to the exertions made on their behalf by Mr. BEARD, the solicitor for the defence, assisted by the Spanish Consul, the grounds on which the appeal was made for them appearing just and reasonable. The difference of character and disposition was strongly marked at the last trying hour, two of the prisoners shrinking, as they well might do, from the awful ordeal before them, while another attempted by a reckless and jaunty air to manifest his complete indifference. It was a painful and tragic spectacle, and one which we trust it may be long before we again witness in this metropolis; but so long as we retain the punishment of death in our criminal code, so long should it be inflicted without hesitation in retribution for all such deliberate and brutal crimes. Those who shrink from the notion of such a wholesale execution should remember that if one of these men had committed one murder there would have been no remonstrance as to his death, and assuredly the crime was not lessened but enhanced by conspiracy being added to it. It was no doubt a solemn sight to see five guilty wretches despatched into another world, " with all their imperfections on their head ;" but it was a still more awful thing to send men, secure in fancied safety, hurredly and savagely without a moment's preparation into the presence of their great Judge. Justice is a virtue which states must regard before the softer claims of merry, for assuredly the trembling of the balance will lead to results more cruel and disastrous than the observance of most Dztconic laws.  The inquiry which was held on Friday by Dr. LANKESTER, concerning the death of a child in Clerkenwell Workhouse, seems to call for especial  attention, alike from its sad particulars and from the bad effects which will be produced on others, through the unwholesome practice which has been recorded. The father of the child had written to Dr. LANKESTER on the subj;ct, and gave his evideLce in a moderate manner. The details of the case are very distressing. The parents with two children became inmates of the house some time past, and it appears that the sleeping accommodation was very insufficient. The children were placed in a ward in which a child had the whooping cough. This was a most reprehensible proceeding, and it was surprising that such a careless and inconsiderate practice should be allowed in a place where the spread of sickness is so rapid, and where disease is at all times so prevalent. To add to the confusion the mother of the children had to be taken from them, as she caught fever ; but that  ought to have rendered them more careful, instead of leaving the deceased, ten months old, to take his chance. Not only have these two children died, but others have fallen victims to the very un wholesome place in which they were confined. The evidence of the surgeon seems in itself a sufficient proof of the faulty arrangements of the establish ment. lie admits :that the room in question was occupied by 5 adults and 13 infants. The apart ment was not large enough for so many occupants, a►nd, added to the oppression of the atmosphere, the fact of a child with a disease being allowed to remain with other chilaren is enough to account for any subsequent disaster. It seems almost unaocountab!e that the medical officer did not represent the exprema impropriety of the affAir to the proper authorities, and that these did not at once order a change, and LlT_ct some remedial alteration. If all