The Sun. — London, England, 1820-05-24 00:00:00

DELINQUENCY AND PUNISHMENT. SOCIETY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OE PRISON DT CIPLINF„ AND FOR THE REFORMATION OF JU VENILE OFFENDERS. A general meeting of the friends and subscri bers to this Society - took place yesterday, at the •Freemasons'-hall, Great Queenastreet, Lincoln's ion- fields. The meeting was announced for one o'clock, but long before twelve the Hall was more than half full. At one o'clock there was riot a single seat, or scarcely standing room to spare, even in the galleries. The number of ladies (among whom were notice(l, as usual, a large pro portion of the Society of Vricnds) was vet y Meat ; bo !IMO so, indeed, that we do not remember any similar meeting erg tit could boast a larger asst tnhlaee of rank, fashion, and bsarcy. It was Intl'-past one o'clock before his Royal Highness the Puke of Gloucester, the pat 1(111 01 the So ciety, at rived, At that time, or soon after, were noticed, arm-roust many other distinguished Itiends of the (too if ',riot), Niarcvarsi of Lansdown. 1:trl Grosvenor, Lord Bel grav,, Lurd Nugent, Lord :NuelslAnd, the of Saint S'r T. Bart. M P. Nlr. Ptiorll, M.P. 134,1%. 'A. Rotolo., M P. N. Wnitlio - el4l, M.P. W. F. Buxton, Ni P. Nlr, William Wilberforce, M.P. Mr. Milford, and Colonel Barry, M.P. • At about halt past one Weiss( k his Royal High ness the 1.) , ,15e of GLOUCESTER took the Chats.- 11:s Royal II g: ness shortly after addressed the I\leetioe, and said, :too he tell an anxious desire to testily the warm hoe esst which he felt for the objects of this most exct Hero Itotitwiim ; but he was at that moment Ishoutiog under severe iodis position, and he feared the- s tate of his health would not permit him to stay during the whole of the To oceedioes. Ile could have wished to ewer into a detailed statement of the objects of the So ciety, but be had the satisfaction of reflecting that he should be tollowed by an honourable Friend, who had devoted notch of his rime to the promotiou of those objects, and who would not only state them to the Meeting, hot also detail the steps which had already been taken for the pur pose of carrying them into effect. It was a most gratifying and satisfactory reflection, that wher ever the objects of this institution had been stat ed, they had not only not met with any opposi tion, but had been uniformly received milli the retest cordial approbation and sopport. ills Hon. Friend would now state to the Meeting the objects of the Institution. Mr.'''. F. BUXTON said, that he %horrid have felt some degree of embarrassment in taking so pro minent a situation on this occasion, surrounded as lie was, by Gentlemen so much better qualified to address the Society, if he had not happened to be acquainted with the commencement of the In stitution, It originated with a number ot Gen tlemen who resided in one of the most distressed districts of the metropolis,whose benevolent dispo sitions led them not only to afford pecuniary hot to inspire into the circumstances which con tributed to the increase of crime. They found that a large mother of children of the most tender years were engaged in a regular and organized sys tem of crime ; awl it appeared, among other instances of eat ly depravity, that a boy of only nine years of age had been implicated with a gang of delimit-tents, and committed to pistol upon tour separate charges within the year. This was in the year 1813, and when he stated that in the course of one year 2,000 similar cases came under the notice of these Gentlefneo, it would be ac knowledged that these appalling facts were calcu lated to make a deep impression. It was under such circumstances that these -Gentlemen formed themselves into a Committee, and they had con tinued by six years of uoremitted exertion and unexampled sacrifices, to merit the support and gratitude of the public. Ile would allude to one instance of the nature of the sacrifices made by the Committee. The house of the Secretary had been destroyed by fire, and his whole property consum ed, but with the most disinterested zeal for the in terests of this Society, lie had rescued every Paper and article belonging to it from the flames. Con siderable success attended the exertions of the Comarittee ; but still their benevolent designs would have been frustrated front the want of a public asylum, if that difficulty had not been re moved by one of their Members, who, -disregard ing all private or prudential considerations; and influenced only by principl o, of the most gene rous and enlarged philanthropy, took these juve nile delinquents into his own house. Upou..ap plicat ion to the Committee of the Refuge for the Destitute, a portion of the buildings belonging to that Society was afterwards lent for the purposes of that Institution. The Committee afterwards extended their views to the state of the prisons throughout the metropolis, a subject which had been much neglected since the inqui ries of Mr. Howard and Mr. Nield, though of late, from the active exertions of his Honourable Friend, Mr. Bennet, it had excited considerable interest, and Newgate had almost become a place of fashionable resort.--There was one great axiom upon which all their endeavours for the re formation of prison tl;scipline hinged— the neces.; sity of constant employment. lie was aware that sonic persons deprecated every plan which had a tendency to make prisons too comfortable ; but lie could not conceive that any evil could possibly result front an attention to the comforts of prisoners combined with regular and constant discipline, or that plain diet and cleanliness could have any corrupting influence upon men who had been accustomed all their lives to filth and wretch edness. The old principles of prison discipline were calculated to confirm offenders in" habits of idleness and dissipation; upon the new prin ciples they applied labour and regular discipline in opposition to those habits of idleness which were the source of crime. Upon the old prin ciples the number of prisoners who returned to gaols after liberation amoroWed to 30, 40, and even 50 per cent, while the largest number of returns upon the new system did not exceed five or six per cent. The old principles applied cruelty instead of discipline to the reformation of offences, acid aroused the passions instead of controolitig diem. The beneficial effects of the new system bad been exemplified in a most striking man ner, by the exertions of the Ladies' Committee, among the female prisoners in Newgate ; and it was found, that criminals who had pased their ilges In a boiti tieAande to the iaWs cf CA and man, now rendered a willing and grateful obe diehce to the salutary regulations which had been imposed upon them. ‘Vith respect to a charge which had been insinuated against those benevo lent Ladies, in consequence of a disturbance which bad recently broken out among the female prisoners in Newgate, he observed that a most exaggerated account had been gheo of that dis turbance. It was the practice to permit the fe male convicts to see their ft iends, on the night pievions to transportation ; but upon a late occasion it was not deemed prudent to extend the usual indulgence, and considerable tumult took place in consequence of the prohibition. It ought, however, in candour to have been stared, because it afforded a striking proof of the improved state of Newgate, which was mainly owing to the exertions of these Ladies, that oily eight of these convicts were implicated in the tunoilt, and that 80 refused to join in it. In adverting to the to• reign operations of the Society, the lion. Gentle man observed, that the Emperor Alexander bad L iven his most cordial seppoet to the objects of the Society, and that a t liooketiou of n similar nature had been formed at :tit. Petersburgh and Moscow, of which the Emperor hail named him colt Patroe, -and his Prime Minister, Pt ince Ga littin, President. The Hon. Gentleman" then re capitulated the objects of the Invitetion, which were—fiigt, to establish a central toeus of com munication upon its general views and interests; ' ne - xt, to form a penitentiary for juvenile rleliu qtieros; and lasdv, if it shoot(' he the opinion of this nieetioz, in furtherance of those objects, to keep up the temporary refuge for the dt.stittite. The Marquess of LANSDOWN, iu proposing the first Reeohe ion, said that it was unnecessary to occupy the time of the Meeting, after the Hon. Gentleman had so ably and distinctly stated the course which had been putsaed, anti that which remained to he pursued. Ile was confident that there would he but one sentiment in this Meeting as to the propriety of following in those paths, which he had pursued with so touch honour to himself, and benefit to the cottony, and of adopt iag his suggestions with that vigour a nd purse ' veraece which would alone give them due effect. Lord AUCKLAND seconded the Resolution. The Duke of GLOUCESTER expressed his regret that the state of his health would not permit him to continue in the Chair, and renewed hi s assur ances of the warm interest he took in the welfare of the Society. His Noble Friend, Lord Auckland, had obligingly consented to take the Chair. The Nataress of LatasoowN said, it was impos sible the Meeting sould• permit his Royal High ness 'o leave the Chair, until they had expressed the grateful sense they entertained of his con descension, in presiding upon this occasion. Ills Royal 114 , ,bness then left the Chair, amidst. the enthusiastic applause of the Meeting. ‘VILBERFORCE proposed the next Resolu tion ; and in commenting upon the objects of the Institution, regretted that the attention at Legislature had not been sufficiently directed to the moral and religious improvement of the peo ple. Mr. STUPORS BOURNE seconded the motion. After what had been so ably and eloquently stat ed by his Honourable Ft lends who had addressed them, he should consider himself as not only tres passing on their time, but also weakening what had been so forcibly urged. He most cordially concurred in all that had been mentioned relative to the necessity of prisons being properly con structed. Without runt, in vain would ameliora tion of conduct be expected ; for the young, by mixing indiscrintimately with the veteran class of depredators, would themselves become hardened and practised in every species of vice. He had seen the effects which bad happily resulted front his Honourable Friend's (Sir ThoMas' Baring) exertions in a county where he was a Magistrite, and in the prison of which an almost incredible reformation had taken place. This led him to be the more sanguine it his hopes of the practical goo:l which might be effected by this Society in their labour of love.• He concluded by secon di ng the Resolution, st Lich was theo pot and agreed to. Earl Gaosveawa, in rising to move tue third Resolution, observed, that the able speeches of his friends who had preceded hint had nearly left him nothing-to say. There were one or two p o i n t s on which, however, he should beg leave to say a word or two. Ile sincerely regretted that the Royal Personage who had just left the Chair had been obliged to do so from indisposition, and he perfectly agreed with the remark made by his Honourable Friend, that while the Society was honoured' by having such a President as the Duke of Gloucester, still, considering the nature of the Society itself, the object it was to accomplish, and the persons who composed it, - he thought the holding such an of was equally creditable to the Duke, who was well known to be a distinguished benefactor to all charitable Institutions; and while, saying so, it was utterly impossible to survey the * portraits in that Hall, of several illusti ions Members of that Royal House,withoot calling to recollection the many and inestimable advantages which bad resulted to public Charities and other Societies from these individuals. He would say for himself, that from not being in the habit of attending meetings like the present, though he trusted he hail or ver been backward in supporting Charities, he would have telt considerable tatbarrassment had it not been for the easy tack he had now allotted to him. There was here no topic to excite con troversy, as often was the case in matters of poli• tical economy. In the Resolution which he held in his hand, he saw it was stated that the youth were in many instances made the victims of vice even by their own parents. A more melancholy consideration could hardly be entertained, and yet there was nothing more true. Parents, it was well known,not only urged their offspring to thecornmis sion of crime, but even threatened and ponished them unless they regularly brought home some fruits of their depredations. And was it then to be won s:dered at- that the perpetration of vice and crime was so prevalent among juvenile characters The prevailing distress of the country might also in some cases be assigned as a cattae for urging many to crime. Without inquiring at present into the causes of that distress, or whether it would cons tinue long or short, it was the duty of all who had the welfare of the public at heart to eudea your to do somettliog to produce a remedy. :114s tLe Society ti - Ccordingly tlitl, fur they ;-otAnt.,l not I their operations to the mere reconimeudamion of improvement 3 in prisons, but they had provided a temporary refuge for reclainning the young. At present their funds sere not however sufficient to enable them to carry their benevolent efforts into the full and much desired effect. He trusted that when this was known, they would cheerfully con tribute their aid in rescuing front destruction those who might be reclaimed, from their not having far advanced in a career of immorality. Dr. LUSHINGTON See()Mkt; the motion. Ft om having been on the Committee, he had bad the ful lest opportunity of ascertaining the nature of the case, and the alarming evil which existed. Onegreat cause of the increase of juvenile offenders was their being dimwitted to New-gate, and at their discharge left destitute of all weans of support. If he whose character Was unblemished could with difficulty find employment, how was the prison to find it whose character was tainted, whose repu tation was infamous. and solio was an outcast from society ? On' of 210 who had been under the care of the Society, only 20 had tnh , conducted themselves ; y. t haul there been evtn more, still that was co reason why the Society should not persevere in its ;dhows. Children, it had been already well observed, had been trained to vice.by their parents and !datives, an instance of which be would mention. Theme was one child of eight years old, who had oily a mother alive, and that infant, as he might justly be called, had been no less than eiVileen times in diffeten , public offices on different criminal charges. . How could the case be otherwise ?—for these children Were ac customed to hear vice extolled and virtue ridi culed and condemned.. -- . Sir T. BARING, in moving the third Resolution, said that he telt much embarrassed in addressing them, but allusion having been wide to him by his Right Honourable Friend (Mr. Bourne), he could (Mt help asikif lug them that the greatest change had taken.place in the piison which that Gentleman had mentioned, by the introduction of employment, classification and instruction. He strongly recommended the Society to the public support. Mr. %V. ALLEN observed, that from having re cently visited some of the.prisons abroad, be was pupated to say, that 'he highly approved of the Society and of its object. In one prison abroad, he had seen an individual with nearly one hun dred weight of irons on him, the bolts of which were of immense thickness. lie was happy to say that in Sweden the number of criminals was few, but this was owing to pains having been taken to bring up the youth in virtuous h tbits. In one place the jailor Was an old woman (laughter), iand in another district in that country, contain- ng a population of 200,000, thete were only 90 prisoners. The King of Sweden, the Emperor of Russia, the ithnisfers of the King of Naples, the Grand Duke af Tuscany, &c. all concurred in the object of the Society. Indeed this was not a question of mere patty feeling, for it was ,one in which all parties might unite, and of this they had that day a striking instance, in seeing the dignified Clergy of the Church and Dissenters all uniting. He conentled an animated address by strongly urging ti►e necessity of new prisons in which females might exclusively be confined and properly classifi-d. Mr LI. G. DouGLAss stated time improvement which had been recently effected in the prisons of Ireland. _ . ••,“•••‘•• The Honourable H. G. BENNET said, his object in rising was to move the thanks of the Mecii,g to the Country Magistrates, for the liberal sprit they had evinced ? He recently traversed a consi derable part of England, and in not one county was there riot some improvement going on in the prisons.—He was glad that there %vas a pro spect of labour being introduced into the Middle sex Gaol, because this might formerly have been called an academy of vice. Employment was essentially necessary to give cffect even to moral and religious instruclion. The Honourable Gentleman then, at some length, entered into the state of the case, and how loudly a remedy was called for. Mr. Gurney, Lord Nugent, Lord Belgrave, the Honourable and Bevrrend G. Noel, &c,. 3 everdly addressed the Meeting, after which thanks being voted to the Noble Chairman, the Meeting broke up at half-past five o'clock. IMPORTANT INFORMATION.—From calculation by the College of Physicians, no less than 40',00C die annually in Great Britain of Consumption, and at least 10,000 in London. The late William Turnbull, Esq. a very ingenious Surgeon, ascer tained that every 20th person was ruptured.-- These complaints -are truly alarming to every in dividual i.vho uses the least exertion. It is also inctedible the number that suffer from a certain Disease, by being improperly treated. it was those circumstances induced Dr. COOPER to select eminent Physicians an d Surgeons, of at least 30 years' experience, to form a Medical Board ; and since the establishment upwards of 30,000 Pa tients have been cured without confinement— many of them after hospitals had failed. Messrs. COOPER and Co. are consulted at Woodstock-street, Oxford-street ; and at Char lotte. House, Great Charlotte-street, Opposite the Rev. Rowland Hill's, daily, from eight, Mechanics have advice gratis every evening, from six till eight ; and on Sunday mornings until 12 (Alm k. *** RUPTURES of 30 years standing radically cured without confinement. *.l.* There are private doors at each house, and private rooms for Females. N. B. The Afflicted -would do well to read Messrs. COOPER And Co.'s Lectures on two pre- Diseases,'published at one shilling, by Mr. HARVEY, 22, lilacLf►iiis-roed. They will also prove useful to young Practitioners. A serious affray took place on Saturday evening last at the Red Lion, at Egerton, between two men who had been drinking at the house till a late hour, when a quarrel ensued, during which one of the Imo stabbed the other with a large knife above the hip bone, and he now lies rn a hopeless state. The perpetrator of this foul act was taken into custody on Sunday. We under. stand he has a wife and four small children, and the person svho was stabbed has also a wile and five clatter). Awn tfig LONbe',- , 4 GA2En of May 23• Lord Chiumberlitia.'s V'ce, hTag Notice is hereby gii•en, that his :,.I;;_jesty will hold a Drol" ing-Boom, at the Palace of Buckingham-House, on Th u " - day, the lath ofJune next, at Two o'Clock. N. B. His,Majesty is graciously pleased to dispense witri i . Ladies wearing hoops ; they will be expected, on the ensuinS, and future Drawing-RoOrUS, to appear in Court RObes aoci. Lappets, according to the R egu l a ti ons l a id d own by her late Majesty at the celebration oft he Royal Weddings. Forcipt Office, May 23. The King has)een plezicd to appoint the Right Hon. Sit_ Charles Bagot, to be Ills Ahjesty's PluitiaSsador traordinary and Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the ..Eniper°' OX All t he Russias. Conunission3 signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the Count} - :\orthaniptuit. • Northamptonshire Yromaury va , all . --fienry Barge S"aW: bridge, Esq. to be Captain ; the !tight lion. James Tbow" Lard 13rudene11, to be ditto. - Cowntissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of WeOli:orland. Royal Westmorland INkilitia—Richard At'inson, Esq. to be Captain: Waine Blitcher, Esq. to he ditto. BANKRUPT'S. 'l'. Ainsworth, It. Ain ~ worth, Ilo!ton, J. Thornley, " . " 1... fington, and P. Corr, l'nrtoa, winl.eteri, to render June 14, I.t, and July 4,.ut ten, 31 the Brithz , Bolton. Attornies, :Mvssrs. S. and W. Nteddowerofts, Gray * Inn square, London; and Ai esst s. Boardman and Mer'Y' Bolt opt. • J. Macnair, ;an. and J. Athitison, rnerct,ant" M a y 27, June io, and July 4, at Tell, at GUlldiatil. hey, Mi. Latimer, Gray's filo-square. G. Ft ost, Wigan, Lancashire, shopkeeper, June 14, at 15; :it leo, and July 4, at twel,,, at tie Buck i' tit ' \Vigait. Attni Ines, Air. Ellis, hal.cery i.tue , Londuo ; mid Mr. Alort,iJ, Wigan. A. Seward, New Satnm, grocer, Mar 31, at four, June I! at nine, and July 4, it two, at the l\ iiite had ion, 1%; , "` Sarum. Attornics, Alr. "Finney, Salisbury ; and Ales•i" Btundrett, Spit:lis, and ReddisFt, 'l'empre, I.ondint. „. W. L. Lott, C:urruarthetishire, ttritz ; :ist, 71'? 27, and July 4, at twelVe, at the Bear fun, Llaudilo. torn&y, Mr. Thomas, Llandii6. R. W. Lindop, 13adriall, Staffordshire, dealer, Jshire, o-• une 1, -1 Jttly 4, at slt cell , at the George Inn', Stafford. flies, Messrs. Collins - and Keen, Stafford; and Alessrs. li a ms ,ind White, Lincoln's inn, London. G. Loves, Connuercial-buildings, Alincing,- lane, wine tile r : chant, June 10, 13, and July 4, at one, at Guildhall. Afi";:. vies, Alessrs. ‘Vatkins and Peoley,Stone•builditigi, Lincoln 9 Inn, London. J. Ski Dwelt, Leeds, linen draper, May 30, 81, and Jul.r i ' at ten, at the Court House, Leeds. Attornies, Mess's. kinson and BoHand, eds; and Messrs. Stocker, Ilan sou' and Herringharn, New Boswell-court, Carey-street, Lundo4". A. Rae and W. Earle, jun. Proprietors of the East !Amid , ' Theatre, May 27, June 3, dad .July. 4, at ten, at Guildha ll ' Attorney, Mr. I'oo e, Aditio's• court, Broad-street. J. Honyman, Church- street, SPitalii'elds . , silk manatet 006 June to, 13, and July 4, at one, ut W:11.111411. Attorney, Ituehlershury. P. Caig, Liverpool, tailor, June la, 14 - 3 . and July 4, at on e ' at the Geo r ge lit, Dale-street, Liv e rp oo l. Att o t niv!i Mr. Wheeler, Castle-street, Holborn; and Mr. Curry, verpool. J. Batters, Southampton, grocer, June 7, at one, 3, a t et , ' Yell, and July 4, at one, at the Star Inn, Southampton. A: tortnes, Mr. Marytt, Soul hauipton ; apd essrs. Clarke, and WidS•oll, Wartiford-coart, Throgruorton-stre" London. J. %V hitehead; I)enshaw within Saddleworth, clothier, June 7, S, at two, and Jo ly 4, at three, at the Inn, Manchester. Attornies, Mr. C. LI 1• ( ' ver, Gray's Inn, •' don; and Mr. Acker;, Mattehester. B. 1-Inglies, Bristol, victualler, June 9, 10, awl July two, at the'Whitt, Lion Inn, Bristol. Attovnies, Messrs. Po and Greenfield, Gray's Inn square, London ; anti Air. J. nish, Bristol. J. Smith, Coln Saint Aldwyns. Gloucestershire, chandler, June 14, at six, 15, and July 4, at ten, at , King's Head Inn, Orencester. Attornies, Messrs. Fro'''. and Rose, Serle-street, Lincoln's Inn; and Alf. WhorlO' Cirencester. HIGH LIFE BELOW STArßs.—Ye9tetday rietta Sterens ''a remanded final Ha' office, charged on suspicion of being an aeces 4 ' o4l to the robbing of her master's llotse., (James 01 her, Esq of Great James -sitter, Liedford-row) ,° / 4001. in pia c, besides other property. eve a odd disclostnes as to the life servants l ea d, in o.tii ° famili , s, wet e made; such as their dinner, tear and card parries; their balls and eveu masqui ra ( "‘ One of the latter, given by Gentlemen's servan t ' s , was held a few nights ag o in Little Gui!dt"r) i street, Cooks anti housemaids were, it appearet' in the habit of asking young men to tea, whom they had only a Casual acquaintance likewise appeared, that there is a descriptio n (~ young men who make it their business to pick acquaintance with female setvants, for no 0 111 ' ; purpose tbau having tea and supper. SACRILEGE.—On the night of the \ 15A1 insto r) o l : the palish church of GOndlitirs-t was hart ken itt and a considerable part of the crimson velvet nit ore trout the pulpit and coinlmmion table stole thereout. T-__—___ - -- - ___ ______—__ BIRTH. _ 1 of 0.011 • At Toddington, on Fiidny, the l 9th inst., the La 4 l Callaghan, Esq , of a sou and heir. __...-----'" MARRIED. e , Reno of, Yesterday, the ‘23d instant, at St. George' s i ' ter o f square, John Bunter, Esq., to Caroline, seeonti datoy Edward Wilkinson, EN., of Putterton, iu the C DIED. t le Yesterday, at the residence of her father, ClaPh lul Co elJ eg aeon, of a rapid decline, in her 29. d year, Matilda, daughter of Thunia, Newton, Esq. W a rwick.squar e • ....," ___---------------tee‘ 0 ci r y, LONDON: Printed 113. B. CARSTAIIIS, of No.?' ' iV-.. L 4 Oritiond-street, (I!ieen-square; and published by ,!,,, SCRIPPS, of No. 7, south Molton-street, at .1- 01 2 ." ' Othce, No. 112, Strand ; where Advettisemen ti) LtltUll, :is, (postlaid) amst Ice addrei:c4, .= - - - ----- -- ------- COURSE OF EXCHANGE, MAT 23. A 'lntel dam' Ditto, At Sight . ll 18 Rotterdam .... 12 2 Antwerp l9 4 ~, Hamburg') Altona, n US' Paris, Ditto 3 Day's sight 25 25 45 i 5 - , T ;, 7" -‘ '. B 0 E ourdeaux, ditto Frankfort on the Main Madrid Cadiz .. 35 y,ifeL ti o Bilboa Barcelona - Seville Gibraltar Leghorn ...... 471 Genoa 44i—Venice, Ital. Liv. 27 60` Malta 46 --Nap1e5......._ .. 391 Palermo . . 1163. per Lisbon Oporto Rio.latiriro Dublin 8i ..Coth 9 per Coll. , BULLION. ~ r o ' Portugal Gold, in Coin.... .. L. O 0 0 r e Foreign Gold, in Bars 3 17 10} New Doni>looms Sew Dollars 0 4 lin Silver an liars, Standard 0 5 0 :i_.......54 /~ ~~ ,C