BALLINA CHRONICLE Ballina, Mayo, Ireland Wednesday, April 24, 1850 CONVICT SYSTEM - Earl Grey moved the [ink spot] reading of the Convict Prisons Bill in the Lords on Friday, when Lord Monteagle hoped they would not overlook the effect which transportation had on criminals. With regard to the great mass of Irish criminals transportation was dreaded more than death. As regarded the benefit to the colony and to the criminal, he might refer to the evidence of an individual witness, Lieut-General Sir R. Bourke, late governor of Australia, who stated in a memorandum, now in the Colonial office, that the effect of the convict system had been within fifty years to convert the wilderness of New South Wales into a prosperous colony, and that its effect on the criminal had been a moral improvement equal to any system of prison discipline would have produced. The condition of the criminal population was most deplorable. In the gaol of the county of Limerick, with which he was connected between 100 and 200 prisoners were placed in cells provided only for the accommodation of 15. If it was found inconvenient to remove prisoners who were sentenced to transportation, it was the bounden duty of the government to provide adequate accommodations for them at home. Earl Grey did not deny that the number of persons sentenced to transportation in Ireland and confined in the prisons of that country, was overwhelming; but the Lord Lieutenant had done everything in his power to increase the means of disposing of convicts. A large establishment had been provided at Spike Island, where from 1200 to 1400 convicts were confined. Not fewer than 48,000 persons who had passed their sentence of transportation in the Australian colonies were now living there, and a large majority of them were obtaining an honest livelihood; but if they had remained in this country they would, almost in spit of themselves, have been compelled to continue criminals. The bill was read a third time and passed.--Limerick Chronicle. FLIGHT OF THE TILLERS OF THE SOIL - Several hundred emigrants left our quays on Saturday by the Nimrod and Albert steamers for Liverpool, to take passage for America. The deck of the former powerful steamer was densely crowded with men, women and children, the greater number of them comfortably attired.--Cork Constitution. PICKING POCKETS - On Wednesday week, in the market of Elphin, a poor country woman, named M'Donogh, was eased of a few shillings and sixpence, by a man named Brenan, (one of the lightfingered folk that infest most of our country towns;) but fortunately for her Richard Stafford, Esq, happened to be convenient, and arrested Brenan, when he found on his person the foregoing amount in a purse, which she, Mrs. M'Donogh, identified to be her property. The money lies in the hands of the Police and Brenan has been committed to abide his trial at Strokestown Quarter Sessions. It appears from inquiry that this Brenan located in Elphin about three weeks ago, and that he sis from the neighbourhood of Ballaghaderreen, or French-park.--Sligo Guardian. Bernard Bradly and Pat M'Govern were apprehended on Tuesday, charged with having, when in prison in Roscommon, declared their determination to shoot Head-Constable Henderson, of Boyle, by whom they had been brought to justice for robbery. At the court-martial assembled on board the flag-ship, Ocean, at Sheerness, for the trial of Assistant-Surgeon James Campbell, of the Wellington, ordinary guard-ship, for drunkenness when on duty, he was found guilty and dismissed the service. Cathy Joynt Labath Ireland Old News http://www.IrelandOldNews.com/