As nobody else made the first move in Parliament, Mr.
Scott undertook to bring the House of Commons to the question of the treatment of convicts. He moved for an inquiry into the Act of 1853, as a step towards the renewal of transportation to the Co- lonies. The subject itself was little debated, but the scope of the inquiry was discussed with much earnestness ; and the debate resulted in so adjusting the terms that we are likely to have a review of the whole subject,—the proportion of grave offences to the increase of the population, the effect of our present severer punishments, the state of our convict-depots, the working of tickets-of-leave, and the practicability of any other improve- ments; not excluding, of course, the renewal of transportation, if that be practicable. Now then is the time for those who have occupied themselves in studying the subject, to lay their case, through the Select Committee, before Parliament and the public. We need not say how important it is that all who have a real case to present should bestow the larger part of their labour in relieving their proposal and its evidences- from extraneous encum- brances. For it is usually the extraneous encumbrances that prevent the acceptance of any really strong case. There is great labour involved in such a process ; but the advocates of reforms in our severer punishments are put upon their mettle.
The House of Lords has transacted comparatively little busi- ness that has called for discussion. One Peer, indeed, continues to show what the Members of either House may do who devote__ themselves to the special study of practical subjects. Lord Al- bemarle is one of the most meritorious public men in this re- spect. Not taking a conspicuous place in any party, he selects a few subjects for his immediate attention ; thoroughly examines them ; and, whether it is some questionable influence of Prussian trade, or a gross abuse of authority in India, he contrives, by dint of a conscientious and workmanlike treatment of his sub- ject, to lay it before Parliament and the public in a highly-com- pressed and lucid form. This week, he only moved for returns on the subject of torture in Madras ; but a brief statement, con- densed into a single column of the morning papers, will be re- cognized as expediting the extinction of that intolerable abuse to which the natives cling, while some few degenerate Europeans do not discourage them.
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