Star. — London, England, 1828-02-29 00:00:00

_. to inflict punishments proportidnualitsvere.`• The Police C orre ctionnelle emblaces tis* juri 'vim of of fences of an inferior tattste r buti still of such offences as •we are iriAve of denominating crimes—some of kh *frith it deals at least are of this de• lee ption , though others are of a lighter and more trivial . Astute.- Among-the cases which come before it may be enumerated swindling i ossaqlts,,defamation, combi nation of workmen, and simple theft—its power to, punish is !linked to imprisonment not exceeding five ye irs. The Simple Police is only authorised to sentence offenders to five days imprisonment at the utmost, and to impose fines of from one to fifteen francs. It of course deali'with offences of a very mitigated ' These 'are the three tribunals for the administration of criminal jostiedn France ; and it is not very easy is 'aftision the particular nature or amount of the respective trickles, 'with the correction of which they are charged, rid account of the division in their several jurisdictions. I proCeed, hoWever, to enumerate the offences brought beforithe kiibimals of late years in Paris. ' Nuinher accused before the Cour d'Assises in 1823 692 Ithanibet accused in 1824 . . 845 Number accused in 1825 • . ses If we consider the number of the accosed (before :his, the principal criminal tribunal) in reference to the amount of the population in each of these years, the proportion of the accused to the inhabitants is one in 1,022. I may take this opportunity to add, that, in Paris, out of 100 individuals accused of the commission of grave offences, ninety of the accusations are for crimes committed against property, and only ten for offences against the person. On the contrary—and the circuit). stance affords a striking elucidation of the difference subsisting between the nature of the crimes generally committed in a large metropolis, and in the less thickly peopled districts of the country—in the department of Corsica, out of 100 accusations made in the year 1825, seventy-six-were for offences against the person, leaving a remainder of only twenty-four out of the 100 for crimes against property. The fact of ninety out of 100 criminals In Paris being brought before the Court for offences against property, while 76 out of 100 were in the same year accused of acts of personal violence in Corsica, shows that the great tendency of congregating large bodies of people together is, to increase offence; against property, while it diminishes the number of those offered to the person. This state of things is not con fined to Paris and Corsica,. for the same observation *ill be found to hold good in our great towns and re mute agricultural districts in this country. In the latter, acts of personal malice and violence are much commoner and more frequent, in proportion to the numbers of the inhabitants, than in thickly peopled places in the metropolis ; while in the metropolis every description of fraud and offence against property is proportionably greater than in the country. The variations observable in the amount of crime, as compared with the numbers of the population in different parts of,France, are curious and extraordinary. There is one department in that country, in which the number of the accused is to the total number of the population as one to,1,000; and there is another in which they are as one Lb 47,342. These are the extreme points and proportions—the for mer department being that in which the commission of crime is most frequent, in proportion to the number • of the populktion ; and the latter being the district in which Astill bearing in mind the same proportion) the fewest offences are committed. Sir, I have looked this morning at returns of the population, and amount of crime in London and Middlesex in the year 1821 and the subsequent years ; and I shall take leave to direct the attention of the House to some of the details con. netted with thi-se returns. In 1821 the population of London and Middlesex was as follows : London . 125,4,3,4, Wrstmin.ter . • . 182,015 Middlesex . 837,612 Making a total of . 1,144,531. Such, Sir, was the population of this metropolis in 1821. I now come to the returns of criminal commit- 1 ments for time years subsequent to that period. And' 1 find, by a reference to these commitments in the years l . 183; 1821, 1825, that the average amount of commit-, ments in this metropolis during these years was 2,700. . In this case, then, taking the amount of the population to be the same as it was found to be by the census of 1821, the proportion of criminal commitments, as coin , pared with the numbers of the inhabitants of London, is as 2,700 to 1,144,000, or one person in every 423. Descending to a more recent period, we find, that in the two last years the number of criminal commitments hits . considerably increased—the average of the commit . ments in these years amounts to 3,100 —and suppoSing the population of London to have been at ibis petiod 1 ; 300,000, the proportion of commitments, as compared to the entire number of the inhabitants, is as one in every 380. 1 say, Sir, taking our population in this metropolis to have been 1,300,000 in the last two years, nue individual out of every 380 cf these has been com mitted to prison on criminal charges within the same peliud. The comparison which I have instituted be tween the amount of crimes committed in London and Paris, as it regards the population ot either city, appears to be evidently in favour of the latter ; for, according to the estimate I have now made, the accusation% have been in Paris 800 in 821,000 persons, or one person in 1,022, while in London they are 3,400 out of a popula r tion of 1,300,000, or one person in 380. however, this estimate admits of a little correction, los the calculation, as it respects Paris, only embraces the accusations made before the highelt tiibunal, the Cour d'Assises. without including the individuals charged before the inferior Colitis. While the returns of commitments in this metropolis in 1826 and 1827 comprehend all persons sent to prison on criminal charges during that period, the number of accused before the Police Cerredionnelle in 1825 were 4,432—0 f these, 1,206 culprits stood charged wish theft. Now, certainly, in making at, e.timate of the respective crimes of the two cities, these 1.206 persons ought to be included in the Parisian, ac-, count of criminal commitments. If we add these 1,206 accusations fur theft to the 804 accused in 1825 of more aggravated offence , , before the higher Court—and they ouitbt to be included, for similar offences are compile hetided in the list of our commitments —we obtain a gross amount s of 2,010 accusations preferred in Paris during this period. Taking the population of Patio to amount to 821„000,w e fieddm proportion of.the accused to be in reintion to all the inhabitants as opc in 410. Hence, the average nunifier of commitro. is here in 111V.3, 1824 , , and 1825, w e find to amount to %.700, er. one to 4'23 of the gross population, while in Paris (taking , . Sods account the 1.206 c 4 es of theft brought before the 'Vice Correelionnelle) the commitments are LOU), ot. 410..50 thit the balance is in our favour. Un; • toitunately, in the years 1826 and 1827, commitments have iiieatly iucteased i ind this proportion is. dts titibta ; the criminal accusations Under which persons have teen, consigned to prison, amount to an average of 3,400 in each year, one I p er va in 380.—.• state of things that places os in a less favourable point of view than the Bench. Sir, 1 Isji lieve 1 ought to beg pardon of the house for troubling it ori.htlisse details, which it may be more convenient and proper to submit to the consideration of aCom• mhtee. However, of this I feel. assured, that Hon. Members will concur with me in thinking it impossible to bring forward too much information in relation to this subject. It is my object to refer it t the proposed Committee to consider the causes of the increase of crime in the Metropolis, and also to exaMine low the present state of our police establishments. lam aware manT causes have beets assigned for the great increase of crime in this ci:y ; but for My own part, I confess 1 am afraid to make up my mind as yet on the subject of these causes, lest in doing so I should act piecipitately ; and lest, what I select one or more supposed causes of this effect, I should overlook others as likely to be the true ones. Perhaps it may not be sale to ascribe the increase of crime to any one cause or set of causes, ss hen it is possible that many have been at, work to 'produce the result in question. There can be little doubt that the more advanced state of refinement and civilization •which we now enjoy has a tendency to occasion the com mission of crimes against property. Our present luxury contributes to a laxity on this point. Property is more exposed to depredation, and• the motives to plunder are augmented. Sir, even the improvements that have been introduced in our mode of travelling —the facilities afforded for passing from one part of the country to another—the rapidity and certainty with which the transit from place to place, how ever distant each may be from the other , is effected —all this increases the means of committing offences agairist property in a greater degree than it affords op portunities for protecting it—for recovering it when stolen, or for leading to the detection of the offenders. In addition to this. the increased facilities for disposing of property unlae fully obtained may be alluded to as affording encouragements to plunder. The consequence of this state of things is, that men are content to em ploy their wits for the purl ore of preying on their neighbours; and the inefficient state of our police does, not give sufficient means for protecting the property thps, attacked. 1 am not very sanguine, however, that an in quiry into the subject of the police will , if unass i st e d rby the adoption of other means for the prevention of crime, have the effect of accomplishing the object we halve in view. Our police, it must be admitted, is exceedingly imperfect, but the causes of the in crease Of chaste much deeper than in the im petfeetion of the police. The increase of crime has been attributed by some to the want of su ffi cient employment for the people. Now, the improvement of our police can never remedy this. It has been said that the existing state of the Game Laws tends to promote the increase of crime in the agricultural parts of the country; and perhaps in some particular cases it may rave such an effect. If so, the subject is one that de W 'eis to be inquired into. However, Sir, as I have al ready laid, I find it unsafe to rely upon any one abuse as solely. rcoductive of etime. I . think to do so would in ran, crises fallacious. ises be The operation of the Game Laws may in panictiler instances tend to the increase of crime; but I much doubt whether they are a leading or principal cause of the evil complained of. You should not shut your eyes on the effect of other causes of the increase of crime, yet you must do so if you attribute it to the Game Laws alone. Let Honourable Members who are fond of adducing the state of the GesneLaws as a reason for the existing state of criminal offences, look at the increase of crime which has taken place where game is not preserved. If they do this, they must at once perceive, that it is impossible for them to rely with confidence oil the Game Laws as . occasioning the increase of crime, unassisted by other causes. Sir, I voted for an alteration in the Game Laws, not because I conceived that they were the sole or prin cipal cause of the increase of crime, and not because 1 was led away by the popular clamour which exists, in relation to these laws, but because I conceived that, they might be altered with benefit to the community.. I tcpept,.Sii, that I do not rely on any improvement in the Game Laws for a material diminution lathe amouut or character of our criminal offences. I think it win be admitted that the Game Laws cannot operate as the increase of crime in the metropolis. To be sure, lOC Game Laws may influence the increase of crime in the country, bT the dissolute habits to which some; Ste of opinion the peasantry are led through them. 'And thus it may be argued that they remotely affect the metropolis; but if they do, I ceanot admit that they do so to a degree worth taking into ac-, count on an occasion like the present. Another and' more probable cause of the increase of crime may, I think, be discovered in the operation of the Poor Laws, which, under the present system, I consider extremely defective. Sir, I believe that the practice, too generally prevalent, of raying the wages of the working classes in the agilcultural districts in part out of the poor rates, has a most injurious tendency, and is calculated to destroy the independence of the people, who in this manner re 'ceive hallsiage., and half relief. I repeat, I cannot but deprecate the custom of reducing the wages of labour to . the lowest possible point, and then making up whate'ver deficiency may exist from the poor rates. There can be little question that such a practice must have a tendency to increase crime among our agricuhural labourers, by destroying their feelings of independence. However, Sir, though the cause to which I have alluded may have prodnced, and I believe it has produced, no trifling or inconsiderable effects in agricultural districts, I very much doubt whether it has been sufficient to create any material in crease in criminal offences in London or Middlesex.— It would be premature and presumptuous in me to attempt now to sFeculate on the causes of the in crease of crime, which are no doubt numerous and various. I therefore decline hazarding an opinion on the subject without due consideration, and the rather es I wish to enter into the inquiry wholly divested of prepossession. So man, causes must have cense into operation to produce the effect complained of, that it is difficult at once to form a decided opinion; and I shall therefore take leave to postpone mine to a future op portunity. 'I now come to the state of the Police of the Metropolis, which, I regret to say, is extremely bad., And though its improvement may not be alone sal.' chat effectually to remedy the evil of which we com plain, yet a chine in the Police system may effect a check it the increase of crime; and if so, the subject is one Which will well repay inquiry. I confess, Sr, I despair, on account of the peculiar construction and arrange - ' anent of the Police of each district—l despair putting op! Police, on a sati.factory footing, without reducing the systenNto an uniform standard.lle practice at most 'of the Offices is now different . . The consequences of this l fin deer , are injurious , and I am satisfied that it will be irpotsable for the Police to proceed effectively, except a ouity, _or iystern is adopted in regard to every branch of kit. wimp we see that a division, of which Saint Paul's . may bs taken as the centre, with a radius extended ten milei rots:Q.4os managed in a manner so different in all. ite Arts, it is impossible to wonder at the difficulties :which irise. 'Than* flatter myself so much as to ,sup pre.. that the inetyrties of the Committee will enable tlieglto remedy th e evil, and shall be satisfied if we can mitigate it. It is absurd to observe one institution of Po lice in Southway k,another inLondon,and a third inWest- • minster. Those distinct and di , cordant jurisdictions tied to produce any effect rather than the decrease of mime., The worst too of it is, that any interference with these jurisdictions, say, for instance, that of London, will hardly fail to be met with je alousy. I observe that ' the Hon. Alderman opposite (Alderman Wood) shakes his head at this observation, and I hope I may infer from the motion that the City of London, of which he is a Representative, is not unwilling to permit an inter ference in the regulation of its Peliee—l hope I may . Infer that Honourable Aldermen are ready to give up their present jurisdiction, if.called upon. Alderman WPOU (acroft the table).—l de not think any such concession necessary. Mr: Secretary - PEEL.--No, I only wish to improve, not to take away; the jut ',diction, and I shall place the Worthy Alderman in my Committee, where I expect considerable advantage &um his assistance. 1 hope tins' will satisfy him, that if I wish for alteration in the je tisdiction of the City of London, as it regards the ma nagement of their police, it is only with a view to int ptovement. Allowing, for the sake of argumelt, that we have a tolerably good police during the day, when - - ; its services ate not so necessary, 1 must be permitted to observe, that at night, when we most stood is need of its protection, it is most defective. The defect proceed: from the want. of an uniformity of system, each parr proceeding for itself doting the night, in a manner that is very imperfect. It necessarily follows that separate establishments must be imperfect, and a strong, and perhaps proper disposition existing in each parish to ad minister the paroch►al affairs with great economy,the po lice of the night is left in a condition scandalouslydeficient, so that at last, in consequence of the imperfect state of the night police, crime has full scope to increase, and private property becomes endangered. Honour able Gentlemen have only to look around them to observe what a change has taken place of late years in the environs of the Metropolis, Within that time our suburbs have grown up to an extraordinary eaten', yet no adequate provision has been made for the safety of property Qr the administration of cri minal justice within their limits. The whole reliance of the inhabitants of those districts is placed—not on the Police Magistrates of London, who are too distant, and otherwise too much occupied to afford them assistance— but on such Gentlemen as are inclined to reside in the neighbourhood. and to act in the Commission of the Peace. These individuals, it is necessary to say, receive no pecuniary reward for any assistance they may afford their neighbours in their magisterial capacity, and the natural effect of the draft upon their time and patience is to drive away those who might otherwise be the protectors of persons residing in the vicinity. Hew does the case now stand ? The injured party is obliged to go seven or eight miles in order to obtain redress. ad when he balances the inconveniences and expense Attendant upon attempting to procure it, the odds are, that he abandons the pursuit of the criminal altogether. This impunity, or the chance of escape, enceuragee the offender. If it be a banker who has lost a sum of three or four thousand pounds, he adopts a different course,. ' and endeavours to detect the offender. The com pounding of felony is another practice, of which it is unnecessary to say I disapprove. lam aware that the subject is one extremely difficult Wise reached by means of legal enactments, but if penalties can' be so framed as to prevent the practice, I should be ex. tremely desirous of their adoption. In a metropolis where proper facilities are not afforded for the administration justice, on account of the absence or inefficiency of the Magistracy, increase of crime is the necessary resalt. Without attempting to point out at the present moment the particular remedies which it may be desirable to apply, I will observe generally, that I should feel much disposed to follow the example of Scotland in regard to prosecutions, and not throw upon the the poorer classes,. as in this country.the charge of vindicating themselves against the attacks of offenders, by a costly and tedious' appeal to the laws of the country. When a man loses ten. pounds, if he finds it will cost him twenty pounds to prosecute the plunderer, the chances are that he de dines to do so, and till criminal justice is made cheap and easy to the sufferer, clime may be expected to in crease. In Scotland an individual is released from the ne cessity of prosecuting a criminal, by the appointment of a public officer for that purpose, who, apart from malice and private considerations, is bound to execute his duty , with impartiality and 6rmaess. But when an in. dividual is obliged to prosecute, as in this country, at his own hazard, prudential considerations may induce him to refrain from billeting an offender to justice, or to abandon his intention when the feel. iags of resentment, in which in ail probability it originated, have passed away. I throw out these suggestions for the consideration of. the Committee, the rasher as I do not expect that it will be in our power to effect a remedy, without some firm and due deliberation. When I look at the progressive increase of crime c f late years, and the ill conse quences with which that increase has been attended, I am convinced that the time has arrived for taking the subject into serious consideration. My im mediate object, on this occasion, is confined to the state of crime and the condition of the police in the metropolis; yet so many subjects are connected with it—so many topics, all calling for consideration — that I feel it impossible for one man to do justice to them all. It is my intention to confine the attention of the Committee to the cbjects just mentioned—a course which I think preferable to opening up before them the entire state of the country. I entreat those Members of the House who are engaged in agricultural or manufacturing pursuits, to consider the prejudicial effects which the increase of crime must inevitably produce upon their own occupations. I think, Sir, that the time will soon come when we shall all be sada , fied that this country, by the increase of its population.. the enlargement of its resources. and the multiplied development of its energies, has outgrown those institutions which were devised six or seven hundred years ago, and which may have operated very well when it was the habit for persons to begin and end their lives in one parish. I says Sir, we will soon be son 'vioced that the country has outgrown its system or lice, among others of its institutions, and that the Icheapest and the best measures for the improvement of that system will be such as are calculated to provide an efficient and adequate plan, calculated to check the increase of crime. How do you act at present•? You take an exclusive and populous district, and appoint some tradesman, perhaps a respectable grocer, to undertake the active management of a Police for five or six thousand inhabitints, without stifordinghim , any adequate remuneration for his labour; for if , he does re ceive any thing like an adequate:remuneration, it: can only be by becoming venal' andAsbusing his authority. It is manifestly absurd to expect. such an individual, after attending to hit business dating the day, to perform the duty of a parish constable at night; yet you compel him to do so; and while you impose a hardship oil the individual, you inflict aietious injury on the public ;for,a person so appointed, and so inadequately compensated for his exertions, cannot , be• expected to perform the duties of his office aright. I have a document which 1 propose to place in thetands of the Noble Lord o; site, which affords conclusive evidence that the same necessity which led him to propose a motion last year on this subject still exists. From this document it appears, that crime in England and Wales has cnnsi. derably increased in the year 1827, as compared with its state in 1826. It is batter to look fairly to the state of the case, for if crime is on the increase, there is no use of our boasting of our superior morality. It would be better to endeavour to provide a remedy than to lull oar. selves and the cottony into a false security. I regret that there has recently been a considerable interne in the amount •( criminal offences committed in this country. However crinr:s sf violence, such -as murder and other iggilvited diminished, crimes against property have grey increased—se such an extent indeed, that it appears evident they imperatively require to-be checked. I shall read a few items from a return which I hold in my hand, relative to the' state of crime of late years in this country. In 1825, the number of conunitsbesits in England and Wales was 12,265; in 1824, it amounted to 13,498, Inuking an increase of 1,435 on the preceding year. In 1825, the commitments were 14,437, showing an increase on the year before of 759. In 1826, the number was 16,147, an increase' strike pre ceding year of 1,710; and in 1827, the number Cotritititted alehilanted t 017,921, being 1,774 beyond that of the former year—soda from 1423, when the number of committals was 12,265, to 1827, when se amounted to 17,921, the increase is 5,658 committals in four years. —t will now mention some of those counties in which there has , been a decrease of crime, and in which ther e has been a consider 4ble decrease in the n timber of colnmittnente &dug the year tort, has then contrasted with those of 1826. In the county of Devoe there has been a decrease, so also in the county of Gloucester, in the city of Bristol, iu the county of Huntingdon, in the ctiinity of Mid.. diesel, and in the county of Surrey. The total decrease 'of the number of commitments being 137, it may 'he insportant to remark, that of these 157, in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey alone there have been no less than 112. The House May also wish to know the greatest number of ittereased com mitments in the various counties. In Cheshire, the number is 82; in Lincoln it is 108; in Lancashire, it is 85—this being by no means a large increase, when ch.: great extent of the portly. tion of that county is considered. In Somerset his somewhat larger —comparing the average of the year 1826 with the year 1827—is that county it is 156. In Staffordshire it is 112; lo York, 227; end in Worcester, 81. In all the other counties, missive of tho le I have mentioned, there has been undoubtedly an increase lit toe Dumbet of commitments. I must, however, except two—the cost. ties of Kent and Cardigan, in which the numbers have been 'trach the same, having neither increased nor decreased during 1527, fuss what they were during 1826. From this enumeration, however, I i• not draw any inferences, because it opens a wide field for specs. Luton, and abundant scope for theorists of all descriptions. Ime satisfied that so conclusions can be drawn, either with reference t• the Poor Laws, the Game Laws, or to any other specific matter whatever, with any degree 'of safety or certainty, without takiat into considerati6n s vast number of elements of inquiry. These facts ought to be, and doubtless will be presented to the Com mittee, and by patient and deliberate investigation, we shall, I feel assured, he enabled to satisfy ourselves as to the principal causes of the increase of crime in 1127, as compared with its Kate is 1826. I feel that I ought to apologise for the length of time at which I have occupied the attention of the House. The subieet is one in which I feel so deep an interest, that I have been induced to take a more extended view of it than perhaps I ought, in merely moving the appointment of a Committee, to which, I believe, no objection is likely to be raised. But feeling as Ido that these con siderations and the topics to which I have refereed involve matters of deep importance to the best interests of the country, to its wel. fare, to its security, and above all, to the usual habits of the people, connected as they so intimately are with the well-being of die State, I can readily look fer my excuse for having so long occupied rpm attention. The Right Hoseurside Secretary then saosed-- " That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the causes of the increase of crime, and of the incresstd number et commitments In the cities of London and Westminster ; and also into the state of the Police of the Metropolis, cad the districu • adjoining thereunto, and so report uputt the sante to the House." Mr. HUME attributed the great cause of the increase of crime to the want of employment, the low rate of wages, and the Game Laws. In -the year 1826 he showed that in every article of consumption there was a Jinn notion, occasioned no doubt by excessive taxation, a subject not at all noticed by the Right 'Hon. Gentlenns. To prevent starvation, the people pillaged pioperty,and -so destitute had they become, that they preferred halt% loaf in a prison to starvation in their miserable do elliogs. He believed theßeturns laid upon the table two years ago showed a vetoer degree of crime in the country titan in the manufacturing districts. The fact was, that capital was leaving the country, hence the diminution of em. ployment, and the smallness of wages. Taxation now continued as high as when it was paid in a depreciated currency, and that again must lead to poverty, and poverty to crime. Low wages was the greatest mis fortune which could befall this country, and it was one of the most exciting causes of clime. The Right Honourable Gentleman said, that he had little hopes of speedy or practical relief, and certainly if he shut his eyes to excessive taxation he could expect but little; but the House should not be blinded as to the real causes of the increase of ohne. There was again the emigration from Ireland—causing a !e -duction of wages, and as the result, producing poverty, and beggary, and crime. No police, however active, can prevent men who ate starving from taking the means of subsistence how and where they could. The situation in which Ireland was kept was a serious injury to England, who had to pay for a standing army to keep her down. Let the people of that roomer be conciliated—let them be employed—let the rich landholders, at all events, reside occasionally on their estates, and then taxation might be easily decreased.- The Poor Laws had much to do with the increase of crime, and therefore he would not support such a Sys , tern in Ireland. They might go on patching and mend ing from year to year—but until Ireland was in fact made a part of England, and until taxation was lessened, every effort they might make would be abortive. Mr. PEEL said he did not regret the increase of Ma- Sanctums t but that their great increase rendered greater prevention necessary in the case of crime. The great increase of manufactures, together with the , amazing growth of the population, outgrew the police provisions, which might have answered ceatusies ago. • These were the repressions which he had used, and iot ' those attributed to him. Mr. SPRING RICE concurred generally in all the observations which had fallen from the Right Hon-Gen- J. demon ; but he begged to suggest,that the subjectshould not be handled with timidity, but that they should , meet it baldly, and with a determination that no obstacles should. prevent their looking into the whole matter; for if they acted otherwise, no useful-object could be gained. He contended that it was impossible to do any good in the reform of the Police of the Metropolis, so long as the present system of a parochial' watch was continued. That system was detective in over, respect, and particularty in the circumstance of the superintending officerkbeing annually and not perm° trendy appointed. He was glad that the inquirrwas not to be limited to London and. Westminster, for the effector former measures which applied to those citiesezcluovell had, been to drive the perpetrators of crime into the suburbs and adjacent counties, where clime had coast quently increased to a very great extent. He regretted that the Right Hon. Gentleman had not adverted to one subject, which he thought of very great import' ;ince connected with the Police of the Metropolis he meant the licensing of public houses. As long el that system continued in its present state, while hood .could not be closed, be they ever so bad, nor other+ opened,,be they ever so good, according as they be • longed or not to particular persons, it was quite ceo tain that public houses would be the dens of deco' where all crimes would be planned in security. Ancilie • evil which pressed for the earliest possible remedy ; the ecindition of juvenile offenders after committal. number of this class of offenders had buconte so vole I t . ~:. `r - t. • that it wouirturidoebtedlr form * spiry by the Committee. • He believed mode of indiscriminate imprisonment the increase of this description of crik the root of the evil would not be.. . confined in a separate prison and CI . die nature of the offences ;hey had ousted also that attention would be tient of secondary punishment by was known that the condition of ~, greatly improved by their being i and that it was no punishm ent at '', many of their letters to their friends were ,so many inducements to crime. , ',the superior advantages of their siti., 'i'• declared it would be a good thing if the • writing to could be enabled to join' Mr. WILMOT-HORTON argued • tiOn a the Hort. Member for Abet of crime, as of all other evils, was He contended that the lower cl . crime, by the lowness of wages, which to a redundant population. He wr there were other causes to be found in • . the lower classes than that of tax: remedies were required. When the . for investigating them, he trusted ti • the most deliberate attention of the - Sir E. KNATCHBULL said, he go into the questions of taxation, or tween capital and labour, but as the posed to extend to the county he represent, he should trespass upon few observations upon that subject. Friend had said that the time I when the country had outgrown her Right Hon. Friend meant to limit ' tutions of Police—(Hear, from Mr. agreed with him, that an alteration sary. He was extremely glad to hi measures were not to be confined to cause there were evils existing in the and still farther, which loudly call • When he mentioned the town of - be difficult to name another town more required the interference of a regulated police. He would extend t t h io i ti ng to w C a h s tith de a n m e b ad to y n the Sheerness. e.tablished places which they had power to do, repressing crime were insufficient. deserved better of their country than whom he alluded, and he regretted posed to attacks in that House, whi to have been met and repelled at were made. But as the motion Learned Member for Winchelsea • the House to.morro re night, an of be found to defend the Magistracy had been so unjustly made upon Ho would not say more in the al• Learned Member, but had he been not have stopped where he now did. meet of transportation he entertaidei site to that of the Hon. Member for letters from convicts, and althoi edly stated that their situation spects improved, yet they all cs paration from their friends, whi to be a punishment of a very . punishment were to be abolished, know what substitute the Honour: propose in its place ? Was it the fining convicts in the hulks? would certainly not have his the effect of that practice to be comparisons made between their the labouring poor in the neigh( where they were confined, were . then venture to repeat. The Gime mentioned as one of the sources of he would say that no man was existing system of Game Laws none who more anxiously wished of the House with a view to • agreed with those who thought ti in prosecuting had added very con ber of commitments. He had no remedies would be found for the Ile could see no ground for r believed that there was in this cm sense and good feeling, which, respect for the laws, would indut charge tneir duty by administer; the attacks to which they were and elsewhere—(Hear, hear). would continue to have what he defence of its liberties and its inf" Magistracy, consisti , g of men rulers from the suspicion of partiality—(Hear, heal). Dr. LUSHINGTON thought prisons of the metropolis had a - that unfortunate inmate of et appointment of another Commit from the Report of the last Cr the crowded and inconvenient Prison, describing the dormito , only allowing sixteen inches in s The only thing done by the Alit. consequence or this Report was Justices. He had been at the and nothing whatever had been the evils complained of. He crowded, that in one sleeping persons were locked up together of less than sixteen inches ; him, that when he opened tl he was obliged to wait some ink eater, so great was the stench. Coldbath-fieldi Prison at preset. was still worse. fle had never horror in his life as upon going at Newgate, and seeing three whom was to be executed the other two knew their punis - No situation can be more the. labour ing under the horrors obliged to remain with two feting death, had just learnt heavenly climate of Botany , ber then contended that the a to be opened to the counties of . offences committed on the other might be disposed of there, ' Judges on the C.rcuit lessened. Mr. C. BARCLAY said, the Committee of 1817, he knew their Reports from which the would find very valuable assist that the late increase of ctimit seeded from the increased facili quending such prosecutions. which he hoped the attention be given, and that was the iimm. • e. sub elieved meat f crimi reaches nd clas hadc begs by tra of mo ig sent at all *riends crime. situatio if the )in the irgued nerdeen 'as refer classes , which :le was mind in taxatio- n the p sted th f the H he d ion, or as the y he h upon t tbject. e seem n lier in imit hi Mr. Se• ation h• i to hea ned to th n the to • ly calle of Gr town i e of a extend ness. H • fished a to do, cient. 7 than gretted se, whic d at th notion el se a vra to oppor racy fro , von th e absent ,e been ow did. ertairicd ber for I althoug ation sll com • s, whic ry sever )fished, mourabl s it the lks ? 1 is appr s be mo heir co !ighbour were suc e Game ces of cr I was 111 Laws wished f tv• to th 3 g ra h yd c t : t :s ha di t , or the e for de his coun hich, co I induce inisterin; were ex tr). He hat he its inde men re on of bought lad a po of erns )mmitte- last Con enient st n mito. les in wi he Mid ,rt was t at the p d been . He eying together, ches ; a used the hale min stench. t present d never s going i three cot the ne anishme e dreadf orrors o two othe trnt that any Bay. the Old ales of K se other there, an ssened. aid, that knew tl ich the It le assista crimina ;ed facilit Lions. '1 .ention of as the o