The National Register. — London, England, 1808-03-20 00:00:00

~_ M _ r. , gARCII 20. • AL REGISTER. assure the Hon. Gentleman he was not inclined to shrink from the enquiry; but n hat had taken place had been solely oc casioned by a wish to accommodate :slinisters. Mn. SUMNER theu stated, that he saw occasion for more delay, and it would be expedient that the business t.hould on. He thought there was no occasion for resottitig to the Home Se eretary of State, but to come to the House ut once fur the up ',ointment of a Committee to examine the facts *Hedged in the Petition. The charges, he observed, were either true, or eke they were a libel on the Magistracy of the county ; and it wits on the part of the Magistracy that he now came forward, in order that tbey might be freed from such imputations. To get At the facts, a Committee was a much preferable tribunal to n Grand Jury. The Grand .Tury in February had made as detailed Report on the sultiect of Cold Bath-fields-prison, in n hich thr allegations its the Report of the former Grand Jury st ere denied, and he meant that these Reports, and the whole matters in volved in the questions should be referred to a Select Committee. Ile concluded by moving for a copy of the Report of the Ma gi-traces who visited Cold-Bath-fields prison, to examine cer tain abases stated by Mr. Sheriff Phillips, in a letter to W. hiainwaring, Lsq. in November last, complaining of light bread, and other abuses existing in the said prison. Pencev,sx. at some length, objected to the notice given by the Hon. Gentleman, of moving for the appointment of a ( ommittee, stating that the matter was now uudergoing an ia vestigation before the Howe Secretary of State. He tirtrefore recommeuded to the Hon. Gentleman to abstain front such a pro seeding, until he should ascertain what Moister, intended to do. es no delay would take place on their part, ana it %could thee: he time eilough for the House to interfere. Si R. F. BeRDETT could not agree with his Hon. Friend Mr. Sheridan, in his consistency to leave this important Inoiness its the hands of Ministers. The complaints against the Prbon in Cold Bath-fields had too long existed, and the grievances were not small. If he had understood Mr. Perceval rightly, he thought him to say, mu reflection could be throwu upon the Go •ernment. The lion. Mover, hots ever, had made a moot per verse motion, as he exempted the Magistrates from any charge, while, in reality, they were the criminals that ought to to. brought before the House. lie then proceeded to contend, that the enquiry ought to be conducted by the House, and the Government should not he entrusted I% ith its managemew ; teveral reasons for nbich he gave. Parliament and the tans of the hind had been set at nought by the Governor of thal prison, and by the Magistrates who had so long protected and trreened him. In that prison was every thing of woe and miser) to lie teen: There would be seen innocent ma in irons, and Aria the Governor bad been in the habit of w hipping and 'walla.; the unfortunate individuals udder his charge. Aris hats been in the habit of borrow he; money from such of his pri toner:, ascould gratify his thirst fur money, and it was a fact, Mint he had in ante nay or another obtained from these misenible ineo, a sum of 111)01. ( Hear, Ilgar, from Ike Opposition. The former Committee had reported to that effect, and he thus did mutt state these things loosely. He therefore called upon t!te House to support the motion of the Hun. (Gentleman, as a roannittee was, in his mind, the best mode of obtaining justice pod exemplary redress. Jun. SUER:n.4N sail, the conduct of the Hon. Gentleman was mist extraordinary, in taking the business out of his hands. lie had told Ar. Soother that he should not shrink from briuging the sobj,•ct fawn:ad, and that he would submit it early next week. He wi A s not fowl of proceeding by a commission under the Privy seal, as the former Comauissioners had acted under Ye . ry limited powers. After what bad been stated by the Hon. Varonet bchiui him, could any man believe, for one moment, Ora Aris had been rejoined as (inventor of the prism for an instant nfirr these facts stated so publicly against him ? by a Ackristrale for surrey, such as the Lieu. Mover, should interfere for the vindication of the Magistrates of Middlesex, he was at it loss to divine. With regard to light bread twin , ' distributed to the prisoners , the fact was, that the loaves weig hed or ought to weigh, a pound each ; but a superimendant a the bread, examiued before the former Committee, had positively state(' npou oath that there was no such thing us a pound weight used to the prison. .The case of Mary Rich was ante of the must in human and cruel ever stated against any mail. She had been as t'aultest by a mitts, with intent to ravish her ) and she was con tined in emld tath-fields, to give evidence against bim. Her father ;vas so poor that he was glad to accept of a comPr"in 6 e from the offender to diop the prosecution, and the pour girl was conhaed in a damp dungeon, and so starved, that' when was discovered, she Could neither speak nor outud. THE NATION FRIDA V, M .tItCII 18. _ ,~. - 185 Ma. MELT ran denied the charge against the junior Atis, of having gotten a woman prisoner with child. The Iv o r /t an alluded to was delivered of in infant IS months after her li her ation from confinement. With regard to light bread having !teen distributed he believed the fat't to have been (gag - gentled. Whets he had inspected with other Gentlemen the prison, verb recently, he sate 208 loaves neighed, pound lodves, and their gross weight amonuted to 315 pounds. It was well known that bread, when it got stale, weighed less thou when just baked, and that tact, he apprehended, accounted for some of the loaves being lighter than others, as stated in Mr. Sheriff Phillip's let ter to Mr. Mainwaring. _ _ MR. Summit's conieuded, that the Magistrates had in all respects tioue their duty.. 51 - 11. SUEUIDJN stated, that there was a foreigner confined who had loecome deranged through the severity of his treatment:. as he had been ill-used by a fellow-prisoner appointed to watch him. This fellow had only been reprimand.d and removed fur so striking this As retched foreigner. ill n. 11't raw said. that the foreigner ;Moiled to by his Hon. Friend, was confined as a spy, under the Alien Act. Govern ment could not suter him to go at large, neither could they send him out of the country, as he was possessed of informition which would endanger the lives of others. Six B ErT said, he could never forget the facts of Ark having whipped his prisoners, and hit having take.. brit'-. Thesecuortnities called for redress, and some justice was sunis du to thosewho had suffered under his lash. In that infamies, gaol there were no less tu r n 300 cells, and no vigilance could detect the villainy to w hich the unfortunate prisoners w ere ex posed. In serving their bread, it was very easy to pass one or two cells, and neglect the inmates entirely. at the caprice of the stern Noler. There was, the lion. Baronet observed, . . . something tssterions in the protection Aria had received. life was a niz:n or most notorious bnil character. Ile Itrid collreted in Clerkenwell pari-h the rates for the poor, and bud enthee7l.4 the money. Ile had been made r;overitor of tlie Cold bath-tielfli prison in order that he repay the money - by h 6 honourable earnings is that capacity. . . ... . AIR.. PL EI. R( r 4 s aid that Government had no ,contronl over the culprit, but the Douse had a right to dispose of him ai thry pleased : howe%er, be tititglit a Commission would be much more advi.alile than a Committee. MR. W/I. BPRFOiti N% as of the same opinion. Lord Folkstone, slr. Smith, Mr. H. Smith, Mr. Creevy, Sir John New port, 'Air. Stivridan, and Mr. Whithreart; were decidedly in favour of a Conunittee. The question being loudiy called for, the gallery was cleared, when the - !louse divided. For a Committee Ayes 50, N nes 7.1. A Committee was appointed to examine the Journals of the House of Lords respecting the Reversion Bill.—Adjoatrned. Mr. M. A. Taxlor reported from the Mahlon Election Com mittee, that the Sitting 111 e talker, ‘t ere dui:: elected. Nlr. S. Thornton brought up a Bill for constructing: a Bridge across the Thames from 'Vauxhall Turnpike, or near the same, to Milbank.--Read a first, and ordered to be read a second time. The Rill for funding Four Millionq of Exchequer read a second iirac, :11111 committed for Monday. lirshissos rose to move, that certain Orders in Count he referred' to the consideration of a Conunitter of the whole Haase. TI is reatom for this motion was the nereFs'ity of intro , during a bill of Indemuity for Ministers, or mare properly the Lords of the Treasury, who had permitted wine to he impartel from Portugal. and other artielt4. ITe" emu-lulled - by movini that the Orders iu Council, prg.entod on. the lath nil. he re: tarred to a Committee of Ore 'whole Howe. After a 'few words Irma Sir J. Newport, the Committee was gone into, and leave was given to bring in a Bill •allobvi:l4 his Nllje , ty tp vrtuit the itnportat:Au of - goods, front rotnuries from which the flag of Great Britain ib excluAed, under any flag whatever. Leave was given to•bring in the Bill. Colonel Stanley presented a Petition from the Town aril Neiebbourhood of Nlancitvster and Salferd, si;:ned by npwarfls of 50,000 Alanufa:tarers oat of employm , nt, entreating. the House in its; ivisdom to address ids Majesty to embrace every postible means of concladiag a peace ‘vith the enemy.—Tice Pc. titian was ordered to lie on the table. A brief Debate took' place nn the third reading of the Bark Bill, and the House divided op an amendment moved by Mr. Herbert, that iwitead of " now," the Rill be read a "third time thin day Barite utoutikz." The An►ca:meat was negatir_.d.