Star. — London, England, 1822-04-25 00:00:00

confined: for attentpting•to sunder his wife and outa g e ibitte rest , so e r i •chen. Mr. Hunt very naturally . objected to thisuenuo Poet Would not be forgotten pang, and the persons were removed. aubsequelltir I " And hese. oss I forget t i e jaw Sir John Acland called to visit theprisoch and on ea- no. toidecwha Mama woe, tering Mr. Hunt's room, be found it so damp that he ."' 4 • 111 "'" db. i lted mad apologised to Mr. Hunt for keeping on his hat, as he -Mo m um asek when: Was apprehensive of caching cold unless be did. The AM veer rsoitere l ; ae l e er ere s e n . l B oor also he found to be so cold that he ordered a While in the Land of Ltherty..i. 4 l mat for his feet, and desired that another might be rm. " eoe7 street and p ublic Me brought for Mr. Hunt. It was but justice toSir John seine tri utmelbe lean li" nranes Miami to state , that he immediately ordered the T ore f rom cold wintery li f in ro b e m stone fl 4rl of Mr. Hunt's mom to be boarded.-- Even robbed them'of the last Mr. Hunt still suffered many inconveniences ; his The frel&hern 'Brims to the dungeon eery:nit was lint permitted to see him; but be that as " At the ti e r ? Prlre ith hi a“? it may, so glad was he to get rid of the severe ropers - A nd auded m al t nv ,,: by se cret lions that he made no complaint. After Sir J. Barn- That for their country would - -field's retirement from the office of Sheriff, Dr. Coal- 0 9 great dear. If executed v stop again renewed his cruel treatment; three se- ;f i lth patie r nt care, and wisdom.eampee , Neral times did he renew this scandalous, degrading, Drageftrh bier", let r esume '- , cruel, and unmanly treatment. Then followed the Wrench front their hands Oppression inquiry, which few men would have had the energy And bid the cruel feel the pains -rand courage to prosecute, circumstanced as Mr. Hunt If those beautiful lines were avas. The jailer was high in favour with the Magis. Committee of a former H• trates ; he used to dine at their table ; was rather a greater was the merit of " friend than one under their controul, in consequence was exposed to every disact of the hypocrisy with which he threw a veil over his the lock and key of the lit infamous conduct. Notwithstanding these discou. perpetrated those cruelties raging circumstances, Mr. Hunt set on foot the in- Magistrates to have contina quiry, and his charges were substantiated. On the the exposure of his brutality, third day of the inquiry, the Magistrates were con- to have continued Mr. Hui vinced of the charges, and offered to compromise the altogether most extraordi_ matter w ith Mr. Hunt, by dismissing the jailer, if he influence over the witnesses, would stifle the facts which came out in the inquiry ; investigated, and these enor t r• to which Mr. Hunt indignantly replied, that he would almost miraculous—a P r o," make no compromise—he was determined to push it an individual could make. to the utmost, until some redress were obtained. Im• it to the general sati s f a cti on , mediately after, he wasserved with an attachment by of being dependent on witnesses liable to other con the Under Sheriff to pay EA which had been in- troul, and of whom he could not be one moment se curred in legal proceedings. Shortly after this he cure. It Might be of some importance to know what was sel veil with another process, to pay penalties the opinion of the Committee was, upon the state of which lie unintentionally incurred, by having been the apartments allotted to Mr. Hunt. Ile would take fortunate enough in discovering a means of afford- the liberty of reading a few extracts from it. The Re port states—" We had the opportunity of examining ing a cheap and wholesome beverage to the poor, which ought rather to have entitled him to the thanks these three wards, and consider them improper for the purposes appointed—that of an infirmary; they than the punishment of Government—Wear, hear). However, he was served with a process to pay 1;100 were both objectionable and inconvenient; surrounded for making, and another 1:100 for selling this article by high walls, excluding the light for the greater part of his own invention. It was not a little singular, of the day ; they were exposed to the northern air. that all this occurred immediately after his refusal and in the heat of summer they were liable to had to enter into any compromise with the Magistrates. and infectious damps. When we visited the wards oc. This was cruel, he did not care whether it was legal cupied by Mr. Hunt, we found them in the most un or nor. The worst specie, of opere,sien was that exec- wholesome state." He considered that Mr. Hunt had cised under the colour of the law—(Hear, hear), been a victim to the severity of the Rev. Dr. Coniston. Whatever Mr Hunt did, however beneficial to the However strange it might appear tri one of his pro. community, was converted into an evil and mis- fession to volunteer in this unchristian conduct, Mr. chievuus intention. His invention was of great pub- Hunt was the victim to his arbitrary -power. By lie benefit. particularly when the market for agri. his vindictive spirit, he was deprived of every com rural produce was glutted and overstocked ; this was mon care—it was ridiculous to say -of comforts. a :Inv source of consumption—it created a new de. When the new jailer came down he left a small. roand and new customers. He should have rather a space far the ventilation of the apartment; when the premium and reward than be visited with penalties. Commissioners were there they found that it was bat these were not the only persecutions he suffered, ordered to be shut up. At present, indeed, that door there were others still more revolting and more se- was open, and the high walls lowered to admit bet maim to the feelings of humanity ; when be was ter air and some degree of ventilation. Mr. Hunt reused to see visitors, amongst these seas a sick and had been the sport of a brutal jailor, and a sufferer dying sister. Brill it be believed that any man, much under a solitary imprisonment of 2S months—a seve les a Ciergyman, much less a Minister of the Gospel rig , not intended by his sentence. It was said, bl and a teacher of the religion of Cususr, could have deed, that it was voluntary on his part to render his had the has d-heartedness, the cruelty, to prevent the confinement solitary. Yet it might be said that he last farewell between a captive brother and a dying had done so from the necessity of avoiding the asso. sister ! She died, and perhaps this cruel refusal ac- ciation of felons, in a small yard crowded to excess, celerated her death. His conduct was atrocious, re. with every description of persons. As he had not pugnant to every feeling of mercy and humanity. chosen to remain in the felons' cave in a state of He violated his duties as a Clergyman and as a Ma- physical impurity, exposing •his visitors and friends gistrate, and spewed himself to be equally regard- to the same annoyance, and danger of infection— less of the human and divine law. Such scenes as then, indeed, it might be said that it was a voluntary were developed in that jail could hardly be believed solitary confinement. He considered that such re to have taken place in 1821—V/ear, hear), marks were only adding gross insult to cruel injury. Such en , rniities must revolt all feeling ; but unfortu- Mr. Hunt was even the sport of the most contradic nately they have been proved to be true. The inves- tory orders—first he is permitted to see his visitor s— tigation into the practices of this jail conferred a pub- then comes Mr. Coulston, commands the jailer to lic benefit, because it would be a check to future forbid that indulgence, and not stiffer him to see them jailers. Mr. Hunt was unwell, and requested that at all. All these were aggravations to a degree the physician who was in the habit of avending him beyond imagination of a sentence - disproportioned might he permitted to see him, but this also he was to the offence, and avowedly too severe—(Hear.) — refused, and referred to the jail physician, who was a He would ask, what reason was there that Mr. party to the practices and cruelties carried on in the Hunt alone should be the victim of this sentence? jail ; but so cruel was the mode of alleviating disease, A Mr. Johnson and a Mr. Wright were included in that Mr. Hunt preferred trusting himself to Nature. the same verdict, and their nunishment was much This physician always blistered three persons—Evans, lighter. If there was guilt in the case at all, as there Hawkins, and Garner ; one because he was trouble- was no infringement of any law, he was not the guilty some, the other because he was a jockey, and the third person. They were the original planners of the Meet because "he shammed!" Was this human treatment? ing—Mr. Ilunt was merely a visitor; and yet they and was this the man to whom Mr. hunt ought to were only sentenced to one year's imprisonment in have trusted himself? He wrote to Mr. Justice Bay- Lincoln Jail, where they were treated without any ley, stating these circumstances, who ordered such severity beyond that sentence, or the spirit of the changes as in some degree relaxed the severity of his law. A portion of Mr. Hunt's imprisonment was former treatment. The visiting Magistrates ought more of than all their suffering put together. not to screen or countenance such wickedness. It Another person, who was also found guilty by the might be said, because the Magistrates of England same verdict, has never yet been punished. Why were not paid —( Hear )—they were not responsible. should all fall upon Mr. Hunt? He appeared to be Then pay them, and let them be responsible. The but the victim of vindictive feeling on the part of the respectable Magistrates were no parties to this infa- Government. It was thus that the end of all punish mous conduct ; they were a set of ignorant, petty- ment was totally lost—that of example. The Public fogging Magistrates who could take a part in such all look upon Mr. Hunt as having claims on every abominable proceedings, and were always anxious humane mind in the country; and lie trusted that to exercise their uncontrouled Magisterial authority. the House would not any longer refuse to participate Though a river was within a stones throw of the jail, in that feeling. There. was no disguising the fact, ye: they were obliged to use water contaminated by that the principle of solitary imprisonment had often the sewers made to take away the filth of the jail. It led to great injustice. However humanely it had was owing to the investigation of Mr. Hunt, that the been introduced by Mr. Howard, it had, tanfortu hors ibleand dreadful sufferings of a wretched woman, nately, been the cause of the greatest sufferings.— left with her infant in a damp and miserable cell, They often heard of Utopian notions—nothing could without food or nourishment, were discovered and be more so, than to make every prison a house of re proved. With water only for her support for two form ; but he hoped that the adoption of such notions days, was this poor creature left in a state of misery would not continue to lead to excess of punishment;' beyond example, through the brutal inhumanity of for Howard never had intendedthat prisoners should the jailer. The misery of a mother, with her famish- be ironed and suffer every ill treatment in addition ing infant in a solitary cell, no language was suf fi ci- to solitary confinement. It was bis plan. to have th em curly powerful to depict. If M r . Hunt did no more divided, cut, off from all contamination, and classed than bring such infamous conduct on the part of the according to their ages and crimes—to be visited by jailer to light, and preventing, by a public esposure, magistrates and clergymen--to be reclaimed by care the probability of such a case ever existing again, he and instruction from habits of wickedness, and to be did that which should have strong claim on public turned from the paths of vice to thnse of virtue. He feelings. He might stand on his merits in so doing never wished to have it pushed to its present went— with much confidence before an English house of to have the sufferers rendered imbseile, and forced, Commons. He deserved consideration from diem for perhaps, to madness and despair. Such harsh results exposing such atrocities. lf, nearly a century ago, a were never in his contemplation; it was but a :idiot- Committee of a House of Comments was celcbated lous mockery to. take advantage of the benevolent by a distinguished Poet for the inquiries they made plans of Howard, and under the pretence of his re into the state of the jails at that time, how -much commendation, to add to imprisonment the suffering mote would the fine and generous sympathy of that of being loaded with heavy irons. What was tut Puet hive been exci.ti by the victims of the new necessicy • for such an aggravatioa?—between four ..sy stein of solitary confinement which, since his time, walls there was little chance of escape. Why, then, had iinioituniitely been established, and which was is a system adopted so repugnant to the English narked by acts of the greatest atrocity, and scenes 'law, to justice, and to comaxon sense ? Then, on the , oft' floor Ise/ ~ The intercourse of M r . Hu nt w i t h lk rs.. Vince was no doubt to be considered scandalous ; but who were the persons who complained of it? The Magistrates, who had permitted an improper intercourse to exist be tween the male and,female prisoners— (Hear, hear), and Mr. Bridle, who, their was very good reason to suspect, had carried on an improper intercourse with a female prisoner—(Hear, hear). How, then, did the Hon. Gentleman pour ati the thunders of his morality on Mr. Hunt alone ?—(Hear). The Magistrates, however, were not so confident in their morality as the Hon. Gentleman, for they had withdrawn their prohibition, and Mrs. Vince was now allowed to visit Mr. Hunt. With regard to Mr. Hunt's charges against the prison, the Hon. Secretary began by stating, cer. ,tainly in a very a:fist-like way, considering he was quite new in office, that Mr. Hunt once thought other wi,e. But this was a very unfair, even if it could be called any argument at All ; for at least it only skewed that he was mistaken, as many Members of that House had been on the same subject, and it was rendered com pletely useless by the Report of the Commissioners. The Hon. Secretary himself admitted that these might be a deficiency of sun and air in the chamber of Mr. Hunt's confinement, and considering what minor ingredients these were in human happiness, there certainly was nothing to complain of. He also admitted that he was the sport of irritating and con tradictory orders, which could not but render im prisonment much more harassing. In his opinion, the Hon. Secretary had made concessions enough to justify the grant which was the subject of his Hon. Colleague's motion. . The man who had brought to light the atrocities which Mr. Hunt had exposed to the world, should not be looked on therefore as a greater .criminal, but as a public benefactor. The Hon. Secretary had called upon them to treat the de cision of the Judges with respect, amounting to si lence. This he could not assent to, as he thought the representation was formed for the purpose of watching the conduct of the Judges, as well as every other part of the Government ; and it was necessary to shew, that they knew it was possible that the lan guage of revenge and malice might come even from that high quarter, and especially in the case of state criminals. If there was anything in the conduct, in the character, or the talents of Mr. Hunt, it .would acquire force from his continuance in prison contrary to the feelings of a great portion of the People of this country. He appealed to the House as men, as Gen tlemen, and as Christians, to comply with the motion of his Honourable Colleague. Mr. DICKENSON defended the conduct of the Ma gistrates of Somerset, who, he said, had discharged the jailer and surgeon for highly improper conduct, and without the suggestion of any one. Wyatt, a misdemeanant in the jail, was Hunt's servant fornine months ; but, having gone in one day, and found Miss Vince (Hunt's ward) sitting 'on his knee, Mr. Hunt and a turnkey got the man 24 hours solitary confinement. He admitted that Mr. Hunt's room had the air of a prison, and something of the gloom of it. If the Magistrates had acted improperly, they were liable to the animadversion of the highest Court in the kingdom. Mr. Hunt had been in the habit of assembling large and tumultuous Meetings, which had endangered the peace of the country ; and he was punished for the sake of example, the legitimate end of all. punishment. Mr. PEEL had thought the Honourable Baronet, who had said that that House was dangerously en croaching on the prerogative of the Crown. would have been the last man who would have wished the House to interfere in any matters of punishment or mercy, unless there was proof of some overruling ne cessity. No such case had been proved,. and he thought the House would not suffer itself to be tempted to interfere with the prerogative of the Crown * the suggestion of the Honourable Baronet. Nothing could be more fatal than for the House to establish such a precedent in the case of Mr. Hunt. The Honourable Baronet had called Mr. Hunt's of fence inter minors critnina ; but his crime was, that he assembled with unlawful banners to excite the people to hoped and contempt of the Government and.Constitution—(Hear, hoer). Was it possible that such a charge Was treated with smiles? then let them beware how they voted for this motion who regarded the Constitution of their country—(Bear, Would those who had seen the proceedings at Lan caster lately, permit themselves to be gulled by tit* assertion that those meetings were harmless. iind intended peaceably to petition for mares s of griev ances? The enemy of the Witisb Coirstrtytrort wet much too conning to attire* it by open . force; hot he did th it e b Amon .belmyesl. Mr. y tt a i t ht ew of of p r etst egard iguiti for g; th a e n L et e r rt h y i c ;f th t h at e corny was the Arse tif 4unt . namm b• imm t,dasereed,andesest-the unanimous acquiescence of. the Rouse f eft rtfseht motion of law with acquiescence alone. With regard so the other argument, of the aggravation of the punishment not intended by the sentence, he would beg the re collection of the House to the complaint of Mr. Hunt, laid on the table on the 24th of March. The whole of his statement therein was, that he was confined in a dark, damp, and gloomy cell, and debarred from intercourse with his friends. On these points the Hon. Baronet had failed in making out a case, if he (Mr. Dawson) could prove that Mr. Hunt had absolutely praised the salubrity of his apartment. With regard to the exclusion of all female society, it was an order sanctioned by the Magistrates, and by the Court of King's Bench. On the 16th of May,lB2o, Mr. Huit was sentenced to two years imprisonment; in Court he asked Mr. Justice Bailey, if it was to be solitary confinement? The Judge answered, certainly not; and added, if Mr. Hunt found any reason to com plain of the manner in which he should be treated, his application to the Court would be attended to.— On the 17th of May he arrived at Ilchester Jail ; he was immediately placed in a comfortable apartment, one that had been allotted for the purposes of an in firmary. It certainly had the appearance of a jail apartment; it unfortunately did look upon high walls, which obstructed the light for a part of the day ; but it was one of.the best apartments in the place. On the evening of Mr. Hunt's arrival, there were three beds there; they were suffered to remain in the room that night, but the next day they were removed, and a comfortable bed, at the expense of the county, pro vided for his use. Beside this apartment there was lanother adjoining, where two persons, not felons, were confined, for misdemeanour only, who were allowed to act as savants to Mr. Hunt and Mr. Kin near, who was confined at the same time; even bells were hung up, and`doors made in the passage; the room which had been paved was covered with flowing. He would solicit the permission of the House to read a part of a letter from Mr. Hunt, which was published in the Sherborne Mercury, containing the following expressiens—" No man is happier than I am."--(A laugh.)-44 My situation is only a cessation from la bour; and I shall return from confinement with a sound constitution. I enjoy tranquillity, serenity, an. cheerfulness ; and I take as mach exercise as the strict discipline of the jail will allow of. Cleanliness pre dominates in the place, and the duties are performed very strictly."—(Here there was a cry from the Oppo sition for the date elf this letter.)—The date was July, 1820—(Cheers from the Opposition).—lt undoubtedly was written shortly after the commencement of his imprisonment. An order was afterwards issued, al lowing him to see visitors; and among those who availed themselves of this permission, was Mrs. Vince, Mr. Hunt's avowed mistress, the wife of another man, Mr. Hunt himself having a wife living. This scandal ous conduct was certainly put a stop to—(Cheersfrom the Opposition).—He cared not for the cheers of the Hon. tientlemen. He would repeat, it was a scan dalous proceeding—(Cheel's from the Opposition).— The visiting Magistrates reported the circumstance at the Assizes ; and in consequence of their report, the visits of this female (Mrs. Vince) were restricted to the visiting-room. From the date of the order restricting this intercourse, all Mr. Hunt's dissatis faction commenced. He applied (upon affidavit) to the Court of King's Bench, to relieve him from every thing but the imprisonment. His 'affidavit stated that, " on. his arrival at the prison, he had been shewn into a cold, miserable, damp cell, and was confined, in point of air, to the walls of a small pes tilential yard." Now, as this could not be reconciled with the letter which had appeared in the Sherborne Mercury, it was evident that he had committed per jury, or had written a voluntary falsehood. It should be recollected that the circumstances on which ,the Hon. Baronet had enlarged, as to the severity of Mr. Hunt's treatment and sentence, had been heard by the Court itself, and been dismissed with marked reprobation. The whole hardship of which he had to complain was, his being deprived of the society of a female —and this female was a woman with whom he was living in adultery—(Heer, hear, hear !) His male fnends were admitted, and his medical attendant was admitted; and the application for the unrestricted admission into the pr is on of a wo man, for the purposes of open ad , the Court of King's Bench had refused to look ato.4 l har).-- , It was imperative, tinder en* circumstances, for the Magistrates to see the rules enforced. and he knew of no reason why Mr. Hunt should be excused, or rt ceive more indulgence thaw others--.(Herr, In Ilchester Jail there wive massy persons comined for debt who had got diem from miliertone, and art from misbehaviour. that were not allowed to see their • friends. Mr. Runt, of all inen, was the last that had any right to expect indulgence. His career had been long and slaagarows„ H was a mast ea considerable talents. which ha had la the 0 ( !); ; 4 ;' 4 ! 1 i' ' iii ' I :! " ' '. • .6 , . , 6 1 I 0.4111.1.7‘H, t' ". 4 • .... ." • .. . • • 6. • 616/ . . .lir a rt - I - • - ' .' .. • • . . . , • - , • ' - Th y ** t it .. ce jhkiasieeatroweit r ilir. gam ha ow Jew Co Missal; waft porpossuglelli4,4l bed amp sionemoy . . . . aunt .. ~..lho eissevailits termini:l,ft the 0 16 , 1 -1 Where jacigge4l,. the docbines Or fs ' itill.l4ll 4 le generous band, . = 171 : 07 tolotell fie! .that tre deserved some 'mil- Ilene& Ise Was the founder .of a new school for eedi- i wee, thdressive started affselea far hrifitisb•wo to thelipla,those deeds ol'i tial and hissp!senjy-42feer, mar they had . mei it% thlthadies mid cheelted their reps:ahem in future? VI incarcerated sir. Heim. end his-bri th er incendiaries, rre Misery moans; , 1412 0: 11114111• 011 thirds:lb subject, dzis w cl ii a l im they ord On in the mob% Woofer and Guide, the eoentry had returned se a ere *hut and hunger bits, the lash 4 Vise,. bet, on the other 11161* sober state; and he hoped the result o f t he e rty-i.the bed • band. appear tote part, or, at least, seem to same- night's *hate in ifavour of MT. Huntwould melte flie meetint tom! ' /ion those atrocities P.—(Harr).—He considers! shot allowed(to go forth to the encouragement of rebels wants flied, . • , _____, • Mr. Hunt bad strong claims to be released from the and blasphemers ? -(lieer, hest} ont the starving neseutp. lbs the tatter'd weed, • small Portkitt of his sentence that remained. He con. , Mr. HOhHOUSE complained that the Hon.Socea- aof mauftins, sleep ; , sidered that he, on the three distinct grounds which tary (Mr. Dawson) had acted wi t h more skill than t ; I dungeon dated, • bad bcea brouxht f orw ard, deserved theindulgence elf fairness, in enising up with M r . R ent ' s case, unmet, i rivaled, ui Inglorious stamps, thi-.House. Km, tha t t h e or i g i na l sentence was di s• which were unpopular in that Ho use , and which, wet harborage wnyi, proportioned to the offence ; s e con dly, t h at t h e se n- h av i ng no connen tion with the suhiect, cook! on* 1. I t id Mve tared or hied. tense was aggravated by the mode of its beir.g car- have the effect of inflaming the mind of the Home. well, tied into execu tion , en d b y the abuse of the local The names of Wocder and Cartile had nothin g to d o • .i l i fonseemper'd ch zeal! authorities ;in th e t hi r d p l ace , t h at h e h ad some claim with the case 9f Mc. Rent . Ile (Mr. Hoblioaul knew . aw the sear; Ti into light, to public gratit u d e f or h av i ng de tected great public of no impiety, or blasphemy, or infidelity, for which . , ~ Ippressiaa's him rod, grlevanCeS." If any Hon. Members agreed with him Mr. Hunt was cskikuld ; for he knew of nothing re- .., . mins they give r ' on any of thole points, he .trusted they wo u ld not s pe c ti ng hi m b tst what was on the record upon which , were a just eulogium on a oppose him in a dd ress i ng t h e Ki ng, and giving his be was condemned. The Hon. Secretary, too,. bad louse of Commons, bow far Majesty the opportunity of g rat ifyi ng the natural , entirely put out of si g hto e Report of the Commi s - I Mr. Hunt—Mr. Hunt, who bent of his own mind. U n d er these circumstances sioners, and not one point bf that Report had his Ilan. . i , sadvantage—himself under he should c onc l u d e b y mov i ng that an humble" Colleague exaggerated i n hi s statement . The Hots.t 4 inhuman mcnster who had Address be presented to his Majesty, praying him Secretary had gone out of his way to read them a ; !s 11 1 ? It was shameful of the to be pleased to rem i t t h e rema i n i ng 1 term of the lecture on adult er y an d i mmora li ty . T he fr i ends of t nued that jailer in office after sentence of imp r i sonment on M r. H enry Hunt.lHear). liberty in that House, he th oug h t were called upon ,lili„ 1 ity. It was shameful in them Mr. DAN SON said, that he lo o k e d w i t h muc h re - b y t h e t i ra d e t h ey had heard on that subject, to keep 1 'unt under his power. It was spect to th e manner i n w hi ch t h e Ho n . Baronet had a strict watch on their opponents, seeing with what linary, with all the jailer's brought forward the present que s ti o n, an d to t h e mo-` closeness their cond uct was s if te d, an d w h at mallet , truth tesses, that the was tives by which he was i n fl uence d i n d o i ng so. He was s h ewn in the operation. He would recommend 1 normitiis discovered. It was hoped that he . should never be insensible to the emo- the Hon. Setretary to be more careful when be - i 4 ' ovidential interference—that buns of compassion ; but he felt that in all cases it, talked about immorality, lest it might reach a little , . . 1 itnotse n, e out such a case, and prov e was his duty, an d t h at o f every one who respected the higher than the individual be had so unceremoniously - , I io under 16h1p tn the circ nth umstances jus * tice of the country, to hear the sentence o f a Court dragged on the fl oor of t he House—(Hear, hear).--. 1 . - Lt, t or r rm.. rtf