The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-04-12 00:00:00

COt NTi_ Li7NATIC ASYLUM,

J. FLOTER, Req., U.P. presented thU report. It
stated that the balance M hand last quarter was
CA 10a. 44., arid the receipts from Unions at Is. per day
amounted to £1,318 It.. The expenditure had been
£1,32.1 12e. 3d., leaving • balance in hand of £1 16.. Id.
'The rate of maintenance was ordered at Is, per day.
The number of patients both at Charminster and
Freston at the close of last quarter was 276-128 males
and 148 females. Admitted HOOP, 7 males and S females.
1/iv/charged duce, 4 nodes and 4 females • died 9. There
were 4 criminal patients at Fisheries: There was a
balance of £293 es. 104. in the Savings' Bank due
to the credit of the Charity Fund. Bills to the amount
of £lO9 As. 104. were ordered to be paid. The Asylum.
were visited by the Lunacy Commissioners on the 11th
of March. They spoke in their minute of tbaels:um
as beicg baodsome in its exterior, and the ries
and day rooms, As., being cheerful well-
lighted. They remarked, however, on certain
immediate details, as not being exactly what they con.
'Wood adviaable. Further proceedings in the sale of
the land and buildings at Fonton had been suspended
in consequence of a question being raised, on the effect
of a cl.usa in the dad, by which the sum of £4OOO
stock was conveyed by the late Francis John Browne,
Far., to truatees for the purposes of the Asylum. It
was thought that this stun zu%ht be forfeited, and thus
lust TO LID. county if the sale was proceeded with.
Counsel's opinion had been taken upon tits. point, and
although it did not negative the possibility of a for-
t eiture.it is far from favourable to the title of the country,
and the Visitors had decided on taking a farther
opinion with the view to ascertain if a ode counts
could be suggested of proceeding with the sale.
Fioyer continued that the Visitors were still of
opinion that it HY to the advantage of the county that
Forston Asylum should be sold. Be alluded to the
defects pointed out by the Lunacy Commissioners in
their inspection of the DOW Asylum at Chanainster,
end stated tlist he thought the Court of Quarter
&salons might congratulate themselves that upon the
whole, and in the face of the difficulties which they had
to encounter, at the terms is which tle Commissioners
had expressed their approval of the Asylum.
Tire Rev. C. J. GLYN wished to be informed of the
nature of the counsel's opinion which had been taken.
Mr. FLOTER stated that at the Glom of the opinion, it
was stated by the counsel that the inclinstion of his
opinion was that the trust in favour of the settler and
boa representative was altogether void for remoteness
'The M.,. C. J. GLYN expressed a hope that in the
face of that opinion the Court would not think of
removing all the patients from Fronton until a further
opieion WRI obtained. The matter moaned great care
and cannon, so that the gift of £4,000 might not be
lost to the county.
R. 11. SHERIDAN, IN., M.P., mid that the last time
he addressed a few observations on the subject of
Forston, he ventured to point out the munificence of
Mr. Browne's gift to the twenty, and expressed his deep
regret that the insgistrates assembled in Quarter
8. odons had come to a resolution by which all recollec-
tion of Mr. Browne and his munificence were to be

&;ve-pt away. He (Mr. Sheridan) protested against the
sale of the Lunatic Asylum, as, being in his °pinkie,
a. it was at present. a dereliction of duty, and a mark
of disrespect to the memory of the donor, and
as being the total subversion of one of the pnncipal
objecta nhich be had in view when he made over the
property to the county. On the last 0044 100 when he
made these observation., he was told by one friend that
hew“ too sentimental, and by another that he was too
pathetic by half. He admitted that whatever he had
paid was the expression of his feelings, and he trusted
respectful, but at the same time in that manner which
he was sere any gentleman present who felt as be did
would have expressed himself. Unfortunately nobody
agreed with him, end a resolution was pamed, the Court
seeming to prefer money to his ',ethos, sentiment, and
and gratitude to Mr. Browne. He must however maks
en exception as to Mr. Farquharson and Mr. Cambridge,
to the latter of whom he tendered his thanks
for his continued recognition of Mr. Browne's
liberality, but with the exception of those
gentlemen there was not one word of regret, not one
expression of gratitude for benefits conferred, was
uttered by the Court at the determination of the
magistratee to sell and get rid of the munificent gift
which, be was prepared to say, was intended to be con-
nected with the name and memory of Mr. Browne. It
had been pointed out by his hon. friend opposite (Mr.
Plover) that the committee were cautions as to bow
they should proceed. His noble friend, the chairman,
bad also expremed himself on that occasion; but be was
aware hi. opinion coincided with that of Mr. Dart, the
'maned, that the intention of Mr. Browne was fully
carried out, Oven purposing the premiies were conveyed
to another site. Well, that eras only an opinion, sod
no doubt that Mr. Dart was • learned counsel. Hri,
however, differed from him in his opinion, and also
from that of his noble friend and others, if he
should not be considered presumptuous in ee
doing, that inch were Mr. Browne's intention".
If the Court would grant him permission he
would endeavour to point out what he believed were
Mr. Browne's intentions. He wished the Court clearly
to understand that he had no desire to try to discuss,
whether by quibble or evasion, or by special pleading,
that they could not avoid the just retribution which
oeght to fall on this county. Thit was not his object.
His endeavour was to point out what Mr. Browne in.
tendd; sad to prove, as far as he could, that that pro-
perty was given by him with tbe intentiou that it should
be °Decocted for all time with his name and memory,
and that his object was, sad he provided for it by saying
that there should be • penalty if they attempted to do
what he did not with. He would now attempt
to prove this, and first of all be would refer
to the Enabling Act, baud Mr. Browne could
not convey the property in perpetuity S. the comity
except by this Act. Now. what was the title of
this Enabling Act? It wee to enable Francis John
Browne, of Frampton, to vent and convey the capital
hommage, manor house, and lands situate at Foredo,
In the county of Dorset, for the perpcwee of a lunatic
asylum He then referred to the preamble of the Act,
stating that he would just mentioa here, what
was not of much material consequence, that IC.
Browne, without request of any kind, tendered his
property for the purposes of a lunatic asylum. it
appeared, however, in the preamble, that the justices
had given notice of providing • lunatic asylum, and
that at the Sessions of the LlSth of January. 1898, it
w. declared that such • place was expedient, and
certain justices wore appointed to superintend the
building. Th-y were 20 in number, but out of this 20,
there were only three remaining, namely, the noble
lord who eat in the chair, Mr. H. C. Mort, and the
Bee. G. Pickard, then called the younger. He then
read the preamble of the Ad, after which he said
that purthant to this Ad, Mr. Browne, OD the 14th
of Apnl, within a moth alter it had received
the &matured, dissented • deed by which he eoeveyed
the land to the county as • site for the lunatic asylum.
They must recollect that he was not Indus to argils.
for he had a higher motive than mosey ocinsideration—
he was not sindeaveurieg to pomade the Court that
there was • forfeiture—he Ed only desirous of proving
what Mr. Broene's intentions were, and hew they bad
been neglected. Mr. Besonee, having @dilated the deed
pursuant to the An, sonveyed the property to the
county. If there was no other document to appear,
then he would agree with Mr. Den, and his friend, and
the Visiting Jodie's, that he had no leg to stand upon,
and that Mr, Browne did not care what berms oe
property, but left it to the comity le do whet they liked
with it. Bold tie lsthofAprtl, within 94 hears of
having signed the previous deed, he missed aabo4ber
oas. and this wae for the purpose et
'edam £4,000 epos intaines for the benefit
of She Asylum. Then again, be said, if it had
awed there, them he maid uiwiftad and partway
art. with Wilke. frond, that Yr. Browses Wended
Ooold 104 be osaitiod. But moat She Ind et the

llith of April appeared a proviso; and what was its
nature? Here, he maintained, were shown Mr.
Browne's intentions; for the latter raid, drably and dia-
tinctly, "I give you this land, I give you my old family
seat, and I endow the property for you ; but if you ever
change the site, or ducinneot it with my name ; if you
do what I do not wish you to du, then there is • penalty
attending it." Mr. Sheridan then read the proems,
which stated that if ate.! tines the Warne °fibs peace
should come to • resolution that the leaatie asyluni
wu unnooesaary, or it wae laespedient to keep end
torpid the same, than the trinities 4.1114 owl'
to -be poseeseed of all interest in the property. This,
Mr. Sheridan said, was very clear In bbe °Finite+,
and also in that of others, that it was repremed
by Mr. Brownie that if they removed from the
land which be bad given them they meat suffer the
penalty. Therefore, be thought he bad shown what
Mr. Browne's earlobes and intentions were—that the
Asylum should be connected with his came and memory
for ever and a day. Was it set perfectly waters! that
any man should desire to be remembered for ever for
dotng a munificeet action ; to have bis name linked
with the charitable inatitution that was to confer
blosoings upon a neglected class of persona Upon
what grounds were all their institution. throughout
the county founded Look at their hospitals, their
reformatories, their endowed schools, their alms-
houses, and the 1,1101 institutions, founded by some
benevolent individuals I Very frequently they were
built under their directioes, and connected with
their honoured names. Would any gentleman present
like to see an institatioo, founded by one of his
aimestors, put up to auction to the highs et bidder, and
his name, all his niunitleence and kind feeling, swept
away? He was quite sure they would not. Whatever
bin feelings might have been on • former ocession, bow.
ever sentimentel—they were on this occasion totally
different. He rejoiced and felt • malicious pbsuare in
seeing the dilemma is whisk this county was planed—a
dilemma brought about by want of foresight, by want
of gratitude and eopaidemtion to Mr. Browne, who,
whilst he lived, was courted, honoured, and respected;
but when dead was neglected, forsaken, and forgotten.
(The bon. gentleman then resumed his seat aniklst load
, cries of " no, no.")
The Bev. C. W. Brennan denied that to. two
magiatratos referred to were the only ones who an.
pressed regret at the male of Foniton • the feeling was,
be would venture to say. 'band in by the
whole Court He could not believe that Mr. Sheridan
felt more strongly on tho matter than himself and
most of them present, for they all acknowledged that
Mr. Browne's gift was a noble ono, and one whisk
ought to be remembered for all time, especially when
he endowed it with 1.4,000. He felt certaia from the
documents which bad bees laid befure theta, that Mr.
Browne's only intention eras to present the county wish
• 'mak whine. It was • now matter in his day, and
asylums were not goners? • taut he (Mr. Bingham)
thought if Mr. Browne, had lived at the present time
he would not desire that his gilt should be tied to an
inoonvenient rises, bet that he would have rejoiced
that the county had some to the determinatioe of
buildin4 another 'glum far moss suited to the
necessities of the asylum and for the treat-
ment of lanoline. He amid not conceive that
Mr. Browne wielied his name to be aminetated with
Foretop. It was impossible he would ever be forgotten
in this county in connection with the treatment of un-
happy lunatic.. He could notes* in the docianisota any-
thing which showed themithat,b• wished Inseam° to easel
In connection with the asylum. If they had ooa.e to.
resolution that U. 41 whim was altogether unneettosary
for the use of the county, then the £4,0110 would have
been forfeited. He believed that every one who looked
at the new building would think that the Court bad
paid a high compliment to the memory of Mr. Browne
In having carried out more fully and satisfactorily, than
could have been done at roniton, the simple intention
which be had in view in providing an Ley lust for the
county.
The Rev. CI. J. GESS said, that considering it was
decided by a majority of only four, that Fordo* should
be sold, and as the views of the Court had so mtudi
changed, be was of opinion that if Mr. Sheridan would
madte • motion to rescind that resolution it would meet
with 'noon-.

Mr. FLOTIR, in the cosine of • lengthy speech, said
that he could quite enter into the feelings which in-
duced Mr Sb ridan to eddies, the Court, se he was
the representative of those who took • deep in-
tere.t in the memory of Mr. Browne. After some
further ohs rvatlons, he ssid he considered that when
the oriOlial resolution was passed that a new asylum
should be built, that the selling of the old one vise part
of the decision which the Court csine to. The matter
was discussed over and over again, both during the
time of Mr. Templer,andaince he had hasl the honour (for
the past five or sit years,) of sitting as chairman of the
Lunatic Asylum Committee, and until the Court were
nearly tired regarding the question of whether there
should be one or two whims. When, therefore, it
was decided that only one was to be provided, be
thought the matter WU settled, and that no question
would be raised about the isle of the old asylum. The
Court pooled no counter resolution when he proposed
that a new asylum should be built, and no one rose to
suggest whetbs r it would not be better to keep
For,ton ; and he believed his motion was csrried unani-
mously. Prior to doing so he obtained the advice of
the superintendents of Ha•well and Exeter Asylums,
with regard to making an addition to Forstort but they
declined to furnish any plan for so doing, se they were
certain the plan would not answer, as it was so crank,
and added, "you must move from Forstoa." Upon
that opinion the Court acted, and from that time
he thought the question was settled. If he had not
. in the matter he felt that be should have
proceeded
faith with the county. Both lir. Sheridan end
Mr. Glyn were visiting justices of the Asylum, and if
they had given the benefit of their advice end
attendance to the conimitthe.and stated the grounds epos
which they wished that Fontes should not be sold,
then they could have meted npon their suggeetions ; but
he did think it was not fair that members of the
committee should keep their own opinions until ques-
tions were settled, and then And fault The Court had
done everything they could to keep Forston, but the
difficulties were so groat that it was felt impossible le
retain it.

The CHAT ingiw commented on the discussion which had
arisen, and observed that he eould not conoeive anything
more prudent and wise on the part of that body to
whom they entrusted the great responsibility, than to
go Cop by step under the best advice which they could
obtain. tie imagined that the course which the visitors
taktn wai a prudent one—prudent for the county,
and wine for thi toselves ; and thought the Court would
do wrong to interfere with the coulee which the Visiting
Justine. had takes. After some further remarks had
been made the report was received and adopted.

risayscs.

The report of the Finance Comniittee was brought up
and read by Mr. W. C. °sodden. The expenses of the
past quarta amounted to £3.022 16s. Id., whilst She
Tvoilpt, had been 64,969 19s. Id. A rate of Old. in the
E. amounting to £3,5204a. was ordered to be paid
one week before lb. nest Easier Sessions.
_ _

PuUCI IZ?OI?

Major 7'illallTTON-r;:cf-16;;;;4. It Anted that the
receipts fur the past quarter were 22,213 34., and the
exoenditnre to £1,724 &s. 4d., leaving • talon°s in hand
of £lB 13e. &l. The estimated expenditure for the
sussing quarter writ 41.912 Bs. 4.1. A rate of 014. in the
was oreeredonnountini to £1,987 jib, yd. Tim
of the rate being higher than maul was
_kenos* the
Government bad not *id the sem of E 1,979 13s. 9d.,
the allowance for the insintenanee of the polies. The
eost fur the inspection of ...sights, immures, ke , during
the qu.rter had been 128 3s. ad.—The report was
resolved and atoptedL
The Commies directed the attention at the Chief
Constable to the immunities's' arising front steam
engine. being to near public roads, andrequested that he
would endeavour to remedy the svlls Is haulm
Thh imoseluded the Geatlel batee of the bounty,
and the Court thee ran.

On Wednesday morning only one Comet wee *pissed
forth. trial of prisoners. In this, ie tits abases of
the Right Hon. Lord Portman, the chairmen, J. Player,
Faq., L.P.. the deputy-chairman presided. Alter the
usual preliminarie. of the Coart bad been geese through
Mr. Fl.iyer delhereal the fallowing
CHUM&
geTLEW IP OF TIN GWID eatundar which
will to-day be laid before you.is not, I am happy to say,
resnarkable either for Cl.. bomber of the proners it
contain., or for the natant of the Waimea with which
those prisoner. are charged and inthis rasped Hawes
and beers out the report which I. madesttbecesseisece-
meat of the cedender by the Governor unlit G,4
from which we we that dating the pest qtallefer the
date of crime has been mare healable le this Amity
than it haa been for some periods pout. For aro years
aims, we are sorry to knew, has 000ulde,5l,
throughout the kingdom. From the up to
tb• tame of the malt resent returns, the • of
offenders committed for trial, and gt the
Quarter Sessions and Ambles, has bees meall larger
than in the years that preceded 1610, Ia meemeenes
of this Mercado of aim., and from the feet that that
bermes was moompanied in maxi pulse( the Iriagdosn,
and tor a Sartain period„ with eiresammaime
of peculiar aggravation—l mann "Masks epee the
palm—public attention has bees largely directed of
late to the important question of the Irestaseet of
criminal offenders. A loyal Oommaiseies was leased,
•• you are aware, liatiyemliontoete ate this questiaa,
and the result of has appeared In a
Bill laid before the Hosea of Osoneeee, and sew ender
consideration, whisk Bill relates espesially to that 0f...
of offenders who come under eselsome of penal send-
We. Now, 1 thick, it would be out el place for eie al
this moment to direst your stlentio• amaially to the
provisions of that Bill. Yee are well aware that a very
lags differenee of apish). starts between different
chime of penman who have paid attention to this
'ablest, as to the trestmeet of psnolas MAW soefinia-
meat for Whams against the la*. Some think that
the great object whisk we ought to have is view should
be the mformetion of offesd6m Boom persons think
that the penal ammeter of the sentence Amid
especially be the *ere aimed at, and that we should
endeavour to reprice Grime by deterring offenders from
committing gain aiming through the severity of the
punishments imposed upset them, and that we should
deter ethers who might he inelteed to commit offenses
spinet the law by eming ie the punitinneate of those
who are found guilty, the severity of the law set forth
and exhibited. Bet as I have said, great doubt and
considerable difference of opinions exist between wany
person. on Wks subject. It is, however, rrstillimil to
us to see, and I am sere it, must be gratifying to you to
know, that whilst so much doubt mate upon this
subject, there. is ma departelest of the system whisk is
spotted in Mimes, sod for the treatment M eutmlnal
drawers, in withal we seem to stand upon Arm
ground. About 14 or 15 years ago, I ihiek, an
AM wee passed by whieb Courts of hastier were
empowered in the senbeeme they passed, le order
that jamas °feeders, within eerie% Baits of
age, .bould be east alter the ezpireties of • thart tens
I. gad, to leatitatimas which are called Refarinatorise,
and setabbahmeate of that kind mese set oe foot in
different emusties. In this meaty • Belememlee7 was ,
esashiished at • pimps lot far distaes from this lawn, as '
you are all aware, at llilberem Thal isiettlnliss has
been opened for recarisg juvenile elimitere for %ma
the imam el soma years sea am I*prry te be able to
imbrue yea the& she esperiamse whisk we home gelneg.,
at that WAWA= hashes el a wet gathibefiery,
eharesier. I belit In my head • regale whisk him
been me& Of the WI poor% proooodbeat 9lleeue°
By it I Lad list it imam aff
*Mahe 18 bop iron esartielled in thin
and met to Mal Bakerookry. Tbem use al.
punt Omu, wider me, fe /NM 114 lbs 0911"

of the last year, of Clem IS have been disk
charged, three of them have returned to their homes
and parents, and tee have found employment in the
navy, in the army, in the menThsot serail*, sod is
other way.. Now, thronch various channels, we have
reports of the manner in which these boys. after their
, discharge—l speck not slimily of the boys disalianred in
! the prescut, tut in prerion, years—through different
channels, we have reports of the way in which these
'boy. ban croodueted themselves. Of those boys who
! had gone inW the army—so far as we have bees able to
learn —oely one is spoken of as having does otherwise
I than welL In the nary and other ways we have re.
Ports of • :nest favourable character, sad we lad, trove
the general returns of the whole kingdom is 1862, that
about 75 per cent. of the juvenile offenders who have
been committed to Reformatories have been reclaimed
from the paths of vim I think you will agree with me
that that report which I have alluded to, and the state-
ment with regard to the "swivel sinew of Belot-
matcrles in this kingdom. is of • wet gratifying sod
mtiafactory description. We seem hers to have arrived
at a somewhat wand conclusion upon the treatment,
or, at any rate, upon one clam of crime, and we are not
0p.., I think, upon this particular department, to the
difficulties to which I have already alluded. I have
alluded to than doubts which operate upon the minds
of many excellest and painstaking also, with regard to
the cpsestion how far punishment should beefs refer.
matory, and bow far of. more strictly penal character.
Butte dealing with this elms of offender., of boys be-
tween Scales of land 16, we are not exposed, happily, to
the mune difillintlity. It mutt he obvious to you. with
Mud to boys, that the circumstances under which thew
have trot become led astray into the paths of vise me
very different from those whieb affect offenders of a
mare advanced age. Often it is that the home in Which
the bey has b-en brought up has not been • home
of good example to hire. Hs may have been oegleeted
by is parents, mat out upon the streets. and I think
to many cases we are well aware that the boy may be
said to have been more sinned against than sinning. It
1., therefore. I think, most reasonable, and most In
accordance with our view, that all we should desire to
effect in carrying out punishments indicted by the law, ,
that the eentenees pulped upon boys, and the mulish-
meet therefore inflicted epee them, shoeld be of • more
strictly reformatory character. Here, I think, we are !
sure to be acting right. We do not seek to deter the
boy from the sommission of crime by severity of pasish-
meat ; we do not seek to boll up the punishment of
the boy to deter others from trim, m we are obliged to
do in the ease of those of more advanced years, but we
are able to mane Der lineation more enthe4 to the
reformatioa of qffendma That eosins of diedOinie and
inamsgement, Ills most ...Wiring to nod, was threegh.
net this kingdom and in this soanty, m I have shows,
most sueeemdttl. Clentlesse., I think that I sin Stained
In in akiegtheesfew remarks, bosun it le &subject which
in Re leaner ezteet isnow occupying very much, as I have
said, the atteation of the public. I have brought before
yes some feces relating to our Reformatory at ililborne,
and! feel that! shall not he doing justice to the county
of Dorset if I did not say that, forth. establishment
of that institution, and for the fusee= which has
attended its operation—and whilst I would not certainly
par over or wish to delineate the valtuible assistance
gives by many friends, both nissistralles and gentlemen
—I should not be doing Justice to my own feelings 111
did not remind Fon that you are mainly indebted to the
establisbuiset sad messes of the instigation to Mr.
John Hemel. Mr. ?toyer eeneladed by irking the
grand jury to Mire to the room which had been pro-
vided kr them, sad *kiwi one of the lighter cams, so
that the Court might at Gem proceed with the dimming
of bosoms, and expressed the gestilleatioa it afforded
the Court of seeing so large an attendant* of grand
baron.