e:
on the turnpike treadmill--'tis a pretty idea, too, into the bargain.

But here up starts the difficulty. It is peculiarly necessary that a
postman should, before all things, be honest. By this trifling obstacle
is the magnificently specious scheme of substituting Post Office
employment for the treadmill frustrated. The mounted police, and other
constabulary, might prevent the fellows from escaping, and keep them in
their routes; but could hardly hinder them from secreting money and
notes in stumps of trees, old walls, and other nooks and corners, for
concealment therein till the expiration of their sentences. Whilst,
however, there exists this objection to the employment of rogues as
postmen, there is nothing whatever to forbid them from employing
themselves in that capacity. Hence the frequent abstraction of
half-sovereigns from letters; taxing the detective acumen of MR.
SCULTHORPE.

We see that a bumpkin of a Post Office messenger was tried the other day
at the assizes for making away with letters. He was an ignorant clown:
and he destroyed them simply that he might not have the trouble of
delivering them. Alas for our economy! Unfortunately we can't give
inadequate wages without being in danger of getting either a knave for
our servant or a fool.

So we didn't quite set the Thames on fire; it won't do to make
letter-carriers of convicts: and as to the nuisance of having knaves and
fools amongst our postmen, there is evidently no help for that but to
raise the postmen's salaries.

* * * * *

DEVOTEES IN CELLS.

MR. LUCAS, the other evening, made a reasonable speech in the House. He
complained that the principle of religious equality, in English prisons,
was not sufficiently observed with regard to Roman Catholic prisoners. A
fair ground of complaint! By all means let every Romanist convict enjoy
his own conviction.

* * * * *

AN ANSWER TO THE EASTERN QUESTION.

[Illustration: T]

This question is, at last, effectively answered. We are glad to announce
that _Constantinople has just been taken by_ MESSERS. GRIEVE and TELBIN,
who, dead to the influence of Russian gold, refuse to surrender it, upon
any terms, into the hands of the EMPEROR NICHOLAS. They intend to hold
out as long as they possibly can; but all English subjects will be
admitted to view its numerous beauties by applying at the Gallery of
Illustration, in Regent Street.

No Ru