The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-03-18 00:00:00

~' g a 4- eat. the eft- licit wen ihit LISC. lath he 1M one 6 ; g 'YE t tlwe bot o n 'r•r i izrr: re eti • Upon the qnestii:: as to the redact:du of the Presentment made by the Grand Jury, Mr. SittatDAN stated, that this Paper did cor roborate the most material facts coahuned in the Petition. 'lt would appear, that a foreiguer had been committed up 1.11.1 suspicion of a crime, although no crime had actually been committed, aim feat he became deranged. Another poes;mau bud been struck by a perso n appointed by the gaoler to attend upon him. He should take upon himself to say, that this person had neither been reprimanded uor removed. As to the ease of se. Suction, it had not taken place till after the yonng woman was confined. Mr. Melanin observed. that it was true there was a foreigner of some rank, who, it was said, bad become deranged daring his confinement. and who pre.ented a memorial to them upou his knees. The fact was, , however. that this foreigner had been confined as a spy. for which there was a law in this country. There were very great doubts as to tins man having really lost his senses or not ; it was lather believed that ha merely pretended to be so, in order to get released. Instead of being con fined in a solitary cell; as was alleged, he was .kept in a large room, with a very good fire, and, therefore, such accusations were not to be lie- timed to. Mr. ‘Vll.i.tats Weser said, that the man al -lutTad to ass one whom it was thought dangerous to allow to remain at large in this country, or to hold conou tttt ications with others; and at the saps time it was thought also dangerous to send him out of the country, as it might endanger the lives of others. Sir FRANCIS BURD6*--" Sir, I do not mean at present to question the propriety of the confine meat of tins foreigner, the only question being whether this statement in the Petition can be proved ? It is quite impossible that I can forget that Mr. Aria himself coafessed that he had bor rowed money from his prisoners, that he whipped them, and took bribes from them. These are ac tions that are directly against the law and the re gulations of the prison. I should hope that there would be no Committee who would decline taking a retroapective view of these things. I should ra ther wish the Hon, Gentleman to leave the in tttec in the hands of those from whom he took it, in order thot some justice might be done to those tin fortunate beings who suffer under the oppression of that gaol. When I hear Gentlemen may that they visited this prison. I would like to know how many cells they inspected ? There me upwards of 300 cells in this gaol, which would require some person zealot's io the cause of humanity to visit. It would be necessary to visit theta in the morning,. to see bow money is extorted from theta, or their bread with-held. 'Phis scanty allowance is a pound loaf n-day, which, if the gaoler choose, he may with hold from any oufortuaate person under coutine meat, sad starve him for 24 hours, or longer, as he pleases, so as to affect his healtu, and bring him to the grave; and yet this is Moughtioo trivial to Of stated. It is, Sir, the sort of inkirisontnelit here adopted that I complain of as being contrary to the Constitution. This prison was, at the time of its erection, a perfect novelty in the country, and introduced entirely as . en experiment, whits's,. has completely failed, and therefore the old law of the country ought again to be tried...—. The gaoler has ton snitch power to inflict punish ments, ten Are daily made as to these itomole transaction:. There is something pecu liarly inyster:Jus as to the protection afforded to this particular gaoler. II: is a man of notorious bad character. lie seems to be introduced upon the same groan is as a certain Poet introduced a Lawyer, who had upon occasion been led to the performance of a good and begged it might be concealed, lest hls ;food charicter *mould rum his business. I am not afraid, however, of this . man going even this length, as I suspect he . is incapable of perform's% use good action.— This man having embtxxiell the parish massy, he was recommended to the situation of gaoler, in the hopes that the parishioners might be reimbursed their minim-. This is.the sort of man under whose contronl there were generally 100 or 30) prisoners. With this before our eyes, is it possible that we an be satisfied ? It is not, however, upon that account alone that complaiuts are to be made to this House. It is not merely sought to expel this Governor Aris with all his crimes; but I should wish to put an end to that new and scandalous system of Ml pnsounieht, introduced by adopting the system of a man. meaning well, and intruding to benefit his species--I mean , the late Mr. Howard. His sys tem. however well be might be disposed, was not that which ought to have teen in the view of the Legislature ot that day, sod ought not to actuate this lionise at the prisent period. His view of the subject was of this kind :—He, observed. in those receptacle: , of misery which he visited at home and abroad, that, there was a constant habit of intosieo rpm and an improper connection of male and fe male prisoners, by their being kept mixed together. His ohret. therefore, was, to separate the prison ers, which he conceived mold only be effected by cutting them off from these temptations sad profligate courses, and consequently recommend ed solitary confinement. He however also re commended every kind of alleviation that could dianinieh the severity of that severest of pu u,shiceuts that man can endure. He Impel that by this coarse the most hardened culprits might be li , nught hack to habits of industry : but we cannot sued in his book ill the other severities that can he iiivented, .joined with that of ?solitary confinement. 1:1 regard to this gaol, we thud that that part which ought to be dct feed to the exercise of thb prisoners, is appropriat e d by the gaoler for feeding his hogs and hi. chickens. If any person will be pleased to go and visit this prison, they may be convinced of these and such like abuses. The, person of a prisoner, it must be recollected, is under the eye of the law as much as that of any other man in the thiploia. What can we say of the fellow who eau Mat men in chains! Yet this is the con • duct of this Governor Aris, as they choose to tali him. When I visited this abode of wretch od.less, there happened to be a turnkey, who had more humanity than this Governor Aria, his son, or his son-in-law, for there is a whole family of Pelves, who, as it were, monopolize the whole ex tortions*of this gook This turnkey confessed, that the Prisoners were not ellowed.to see their wives, th , ir children. or friends, esuept in the presence or this head vsoler, their tortnentar, nor bad they an opportunity to get tam eud inl to write their grievances. The whole place, Sir, is a place of de- . . ception. It is •to the visitor airy and sweet, and a man may think it better to be there than to be in Newgate. This is apparently the case to a persmi unacquainted with the wiles iind deceptions that are practised. 'Chem is a very fine chapel, and sovend very good rooms; bat as to the filthy and miserable no man can possibly conceive what they are, unless he use mesas to succeed iu getting into them. I had Nisited the prison two or three times, and . . there were some of them that I never knew of, fill by mere chance I got secret intelligence of them. 1 re-visited it, and 1 remember of a person of the name of Joned, who was confined nia dark cell. It takes more than a whole day. to see the prisoners. asked to see this sua;r. and I was at last taken to him. He was a miserable object, apparently in the utmost despair. liis head oar bound round. He said that 4ria bad beaten him unmercifully a con siderable brae before, and that be had spit blood ever afterwards. Aris did not deny it, bet merely said, that he would best every maw in a similar manner, who behaved so insolently as he had dour. I wish the House therefore to consider what are the circumstances attending this ne* system of impri sonment, and it cannot fail to have its due elect upon the minds of the public." The Cstanciituntof the ter IlfeSililraMi Stet Government was not connected with the appoint ment of Governor to that prison. What the Hon. Baronet had stated was not the subject of the pre sent inquiry or complaint. There was every dis position on the part of Government to make every inquiry, and it was not necessary to erect the House into a Court of Inquiry upon such occasion. The late Government might have as well redressed these complaints as the present or antecedent one, and there fore there could be no particular ground of complaint against the present Government, the last one keying evidently slept upon their posts. Sir FRANCIS •BURDETT added, that he had for merly stated these grievances and coniplaints to the antecedent Administration ; and they thinking the circumstances extremely strong, institutea an in quiry, wishing that Gocernineut should be per mitted to remedy the evil. By this means it went out of his hands; but so far from these grievances being redressed, it. had not been put into the power of the Commissioners so appointed to inquire into them, so that they actually stood in the same situation they formerly Were. Lord FORICESTOSIN trusted the Howie woUld feel the necessity for the appointment of a Committee, and that the Honourable Baronet near him (Sir Francis Burdett), who had interested himself so much in the affairs of thir prison, would be ap pointed a member of it. Mr. Witecaroces irlid, when he looked at the names of those who were appointed AS Commis sioners for the regulation of this prison, and the removal of abuses that might exist in it, he was thoroughlf convinced there could be no Commit tee appoiuted that would be more ably qualified to remedy the evils complained of. Mr. Houroaa did not mean to deny that a cell, such as ...sled by . t Honourable Baronet (Sir Francis Bitrdetl II;•- ,mi exhibit the evils UO jz t planted of, but he h never heard of such, and never did sae a prison which exhibited such ac commodation, sack cleanness, and such neatness. lie conversed with mu* of those confined in this prison, and did not meet one who complained of ill treatment. The complaints were against the coelinement, pot against the treatment, Mr. WILLI 411 WITH contended that the con tinuation of the gooier, Aris, sifter the complaints made against bun, was • proof of the greatest abuse ; unless on tae principle of. party feeling, it was som:eountabie. The Commissioners appointed to remedy the ivils complained of we had every reason to be dissatisfied with; as the mine coin pleiub continue to be made that were before their appointment. He had examined the Report of the Grand Jury of Middlesex, and found it completely in unison with the statement of the Hon. Baronet. The mode of Committee was incomparably better fitted for an inquiry of this kind, than any other, and it therefore met his decided approbation. Mr. LItYCIATi.N did not mean to prolong the debate, but could not help saying, that he never tiitnessed a man more harshly and severely treated than the person who was the subject of this discus sion, Mr. Ans. He went through the prison, for the purpose of information, and he never saw one more regularly and correctly conducted. Mr. ilaisar SMITH considered Government guilty of no neglect towards the complaints from this prison. If time abuses stated by the Hon. Baronet (Sir Francis Burdett) were founded, it was strange they had not made their way to the public. Ile wished the House to institute an in quiry into them, and to punish, in the most exem plary manner, any guilt that was detected. Mr. Baan• preferred a Committee to a Com mission, for two reasons: first, it was more public sod satisfactory to the people ; and, secondly, a Commission having felled in removing those abuses, a Committee should be resorted to: Mr. Somoza comadored the prison well cal culated to give every accommodation to those con-• fined in it, and doabted whether there was such a cell as mentioned by the Hon. Bement (Sir Francis Burdett.) SirJoHE NEWPORT maintained, asthe grievances complained of evidently existed, it basins the duty of Parliament to interfere. It appeared that Commissioners were appointed, and reported many abuses existing in that prison, and misconduct upon the part of Aris, to which he pleaded guilty, notwithstanding which he is still cositinued in of fire. If the Report of these Commissioners did not get an obnoxious character like this removed, we hail no reason whatever to expect that eny Otter ! could. He therefore considered the ibterferentie of the House indispensably necessary to the remo val of those abuses, and trusted that a Committee would be appointed for that purpose. The motions of Mr. Seneca were then put and agreed to. Mr. SRBRIP AN said, he found it necessary, in consequence of what had fallen from an Hotsens. able Gentleman opposite, to state be had no porn. cular preference for a Committee rather than a Commission, to examine into the abuses complain- ed of. This treasure was not of his seeking; it was THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, FRIDAY, Mmica An interesting debate took place last night in the House of Commons on the subject of. the Pri son in Cold Bath Fields. We are still without intelligence from America, or any authentic account of the Rochfort squad ron. These two subjects excite very much interest in the public mind at the present moment. Baron Jscont, late Prussian Minister at our Court, is expected at Dover, on his return to Ber lin, oia France. _ The General Offirers comprising the Court-Mar tial on the trial of Geo. WHITISMCILE, mrt spin yesterday at the Board Room, iu Chelsea Hospital, for the purpose of taking the evidence into eonsi deratiou. The Jonas ADVOCATZ being recovered from his indisposition, attended, and the Court sat several hours, but we do not believe that they have yet settled their sentence, as stated in some of the papers. General Wairteocee is under no per mute' restraint. He is only nominally under west. ID a letter from Mr. Filmic'', late British Con sul at Denmark, to a gentleman in Dundee, dated Helsinzborg. !Ist January, he says, " The Are- Anse, Rem. and Speedwell, Slur. both of Dun-. dee, are last upon Jutland, and the Masters, ea well se the crews, confined at the depot of prisoners et Randers. I am, bower's. glad to learn that they are all wall, and receive good treatment. The mama that they-cannot write to their friends is the strict adhereoce of' the Danish Government to - the edict prohibiting correspondence withareet griesie." ST. PATRICK'S DAY. Yesterday the Anniversary Dinner of the Denu volent Society of St. Patrick, was held at the Free masons' Tavern. About six o'clock Ear, Morra entered the room, amidst the unanimous plauoi . ,s of his countrymen. The feeling wits s►ucere, be cause it was deserved : it was the genuine effusion of the heart. The dinner was sumptuous and well arranged, and the wines were escelfeut. When the cloth was removed, the Earl of Moira save — The 'Leah—Mae Ike ever continua the Sovereigs marl the Ihthcr of • happy, ruital, free, anti grateful people. Desalt with amssiterfos. . . . . The Earl of Motu next proposed the unwearied fricist to the Benevoleut Society of St. Patrick, and the invariable advocate of humanity and benevo lence, in the most extensive acceptation of the term. He felt assured that it was needless to mention the Prince of Wales...-(fitressant appiatise.)—He had been on every aecasioa prompt to support their cha rity ; but highly as he was grateful to the company on that consideration, he had still the higher claim of being the general friend to the wants, the ueolowitiev, and the dip/Teases of every branch of British subjects. He had only, in conclusion, to observe, that in the accustomed liberality of his Royal ifiglines., the Society had again to recog nise tke douation of one hundred guineas from the Prince of Wales--(Load applasse.) " The Priam ef Weles."—Eattrualantkeity. " The bake of Tea aed :he Amy." Three times throe. "The Date of Cisreace and the Man." Land meow. " The btakc of heat, the Patron of the Seelety."—Fr. I nutty. " The Duke of contherlaad."—Mute. The Eon of Bessscraouun rose to propose the health of the steady friend to charity. and the arta tnetit of every public benevolent institution. He hat no necessity of sayiug to whom he alluded, be cause Moira was the term for every honourable and generous &cling and exertion. The health was received with the loudest expressions of appro bation. Indeed the peals of applause were so re verberated, that it re•pired some time before the Nellie Chairman could command attention. He then expressed his inability to answer • the else. rester attributed to hint by his friends, end particularly by his Noble Friend wbo of him. As a steady friend to the shanty of St. Pa ' trick, he would yield to no man. Indeed it called forth the genuine passions of human nature, it fob ' tared nation' affection, anal tended to exact from the gratitude of those whom they protected, Mau tnerabk benefits, independeut of that proud con sciousnese of haviug acted fairly towards those for whom it was impassible not compassionately to feel.—The beneficent act would repay itself. For who saw these iuteresting children, supported by this charity, that did not feel a proud resection on the national good that he had for warded, anal the personal happiness thst be had increased ? Revisit; said so Nano of *lt Cha v f: he had view to taunt. to &Jolliest is +AA -41 people of his country were most materiany is ed. It had been asserted by the enemy, that is the discoutents of Ireland the Emperor of France de pended for mart powerf•il support. From my soul," said the gallsnt Earl, 1 believe them to be unsupported, and the charge incredible; be cause I (eel that, when the clouds of distress hang heavy upon Englund. the generous feeling of my cuuntrymen will lead them to fix the shield of their protection over it, even were it a destitute enemy, touch more alien it is the participator of civil • blessings, and the honest and undeviating friend to the general principles Of constitutional liberty." Several songs were Sung by Mr. Dignum and 111 r. hitzsimmunr. The Spri; of Shillefah and Shamrock so Green, by Mr. We:do, called forth reiterated applanses. The heaths of the Stewards unit Vice-Presidents were severally drank with three times three ; and the Noble President had only to account for the absence of the leadi in: Irish Members in Parliament, by the necessity of their attendance, as questious of material importance were then u nder considers idiom The health of Mr. Sheridan was next proposed by the Chair, ad the Earl of Moira read a let ter, inclosing him the usual grant of ill. in addi tion to 3(..n1. previously advanced for the benefit of the institution. Most enthusiastic applause fol. lowed this toast. The company did riot exceed 250 persons, and the suliscri.itious amounted to SOUL On the Earl of Moira's leaving the Chair, he sub stituted the Earl of Mountilorris in his place. The evening continued to he enjoyed by. the friends to charity and national feeling, until a tate boar. The principal persons w - ho attended were The Earls of Moirs, lksebsroux:‘, Moustnerns, and Claaders; Visissentltaseladfla; Iles r. Rock•, Sabre, Du. comidiai l / 2 &awe", Lone, awl Arcialearva Mr. Coenca'a Sir Perinea: Mae Sycophant, and The Bead Boy, attracted an overflowing house•to Covent-Garden Theatre laid night. The Cebiaet and J ORD an's Lady Racket, is Three Wert. ifler 4 1 / a rringe. &twitted a most brilliant aid frirtrflowin2 audience last night. Mr. BILARAX wac in tine voice. loud received several mud rapturous eatores. Mrs. hinges never ap pals/ad to more advantage, in higher spirits, or re ceived greater applause. bliss illlGan sang at Argyle-attest Rooms, ou Monday, and IV s greatly miaowed in the Duette (MS) Legg, Orate, with Signor Stamm The usual att. iidiuw subscribers were present. The now D uet, introduced into Mr. Di/lulu's entertainment, lin, a very great effect ; and, added to the excellence ofthe evening's amusement, gives a strength and a merit to the whole that hit Amp ad the perfornini..ce as Fop:ilar and respectable. The Marchioness of LIP ittensaanatct a grand rot , ' last night at I.er house which was nuineron.ly attendcd ; a.nonsist the compazy were— The Discheaset No: • heir Aellsevt, Ealtoo, •14 Versa ; the MarrlaiAbeemes.:s 1,. .hire L'ae Cosner/we of Chohnor. , i::•,,, E+rx. Csehird . was, Edtdge ws"r• lienue4 Deee.4i,v.. :4• and Cowper . Vorosoesse• ‘feleuerue ; Ladies Li, salmi S. Cocii. reser. fl Suith, azd at the particular recite.* of the Grand Jury of Mid dlesex he iuterferot. Hie object was alone the fur theniw of substantial jostle*. and u Committee was best calculated in his mind to attain that. When the Report.af the Commissioners appeared, stating the abuses iu this prison, it excited, ai it naturally mutt, universal tudignation. and yet no reprebensioii even of Aris was made.—tio far from it, that t6X:rewo; • poor man, he understood, no* in gaol for a libel on that valuable character, and the damages against him were so great. that perpe tual imprisoumant was likely to be his fate. Ho would not fartheti take up the time of the House, but would conclude by moving, " That the Peti tion be referred to a Select Committee to examine into the abuses complained of, and to report thereon." The OU/10:L1.0R of the Earneenea objected to a Committee, and said, that as Government had taken every pains, and 'hewed every disposition to inquire into those abuses, it appeared to liun there was no necessity for this procedure. Mr. WiliTflaltA CO contended, Parliamentary in terference was the only means of obtaining justice, and removing the ;bases complained of, and there fore hoped ties Hon. Gentlemen on the other side would not object to the appointment of a Com ' mittee. The Commissioners had certainly not an swered the expectations we hod of them. The abuses still exist as grossly as before their appoint ment. It appeared, .that Aria. pleaded guilty to the charg,es against him, and he could sot help saying, the Magistrateii of Middlesex did not per form their duty in not, at lent, suspending After such conduct as he had been found guilty of, it was unfit to continue him in office. Abuses ma nifest!! existed 'to a• IrAt degree ire that prison ; in t - -be trusted a Corninittee would be appointed to inquire into them, and remove them. A division then took place, when there appeared for the motion of Mr. !.i.ervian— Ayes r~ M ajority REVERSION BILL. Mr. BANKS mos ed that a Committee he appoint ed to °Amine the Journals of the Lords relative to the Reversion Bill.-Igreed to. Mr. WHARTON brought up the Report of the Committee of Supply, in which it was agreed to grant to I lis Jlajcsty the sum of one million one hundred thousand pounds, to enable him to fulfil his engagetuents with Sweden. SUSSEX ELECTION. On the Order•oliKe laitTfOire;uming the ed jourued debate on the 111otion for exchanging lists relative to this Election. Sir ARTHUR Ptouore contended that it we. com petent to the Petititifier to demand the exchange of lists for the furtherance of justice. Mr. ABERCROMBIE thought the Committee ap pointed to try the merits of this question, would be deprived of important evidence, by not admit ting this exchange of lists. The Arrosser*GEXlllAL contended, as the lists were not exchanged during the time ap pointed, it was not now competent to them to do so. Mr. Wts.t.uus Wy ass thought it the bounden Alley d thriftless to interihre) awl enter the huts to be exchanged. After a Mug conversation between Mr. PONSON.• ST , Mr. Leech, the CHANCELLOR of the Excite- QUER, Mr. fluseassom, Mr. Ttgash.v, Mr. MAR TIN, and Sir ARTHUR PIGGOTT, a division took place upon the .Motion of the Honourable Baronet for exchanging bets; when there appeared— Ares Sees so Majority BARK BILL. The Order of the Dry wast hen read for aeceiv ' ing the report of the Bark Bill. The Otset:J.lAm of the ExcnYocra mid the Bill hail been dcfeetiie, and obtained lane to` bring ill another. Mr. Ilustintsois accordingly brought up another Bill, which was read a first, second, and tined time, rep , :rted, and ordered to be printed. The hearing ('unused on the London, Liverpool. and Manchester Petitions, was postponed until this day. The other Onlers of the Day were disposed of, and the Ilout , e adjourned, at MALT PAST TWO VsLoca this morning.