The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-07-13 00:00:00

INTERNATIONAL PRISON CONGRESB.

At the sitting of the International Prison Congress I
on Saturday, thp Illght )ion. 11. 4. Bruce, Who was
cheered upon being introduced, said : I regret enw.ed- !
ingly that the absorbing nature of my duties, always
sufficiently severe, and doubly so at this period of the I
session' has prevented me from earlier paying my I
respects to this Oonsireas. But I am thankful for the
opportunity you nave now eveir iciffie ef c•.:l,,,,ving to
the foreign gentlemen who have been CO good as to
gather together in this country to give us the result .1
their experience, the thanks of the Government for, and
my Own high appreciation of, the spirit in which they
have undertaken this task. Many of therp have
crossed the Atlantic; others have come from the Most
distant countries of Europe, but all on an errand of
humanity, and for the purpose of contributing, so far
as it is in their power to do to, f-ens the experience
derived in their own lands, something that will tent) to
the diminution of those social evils with which all
countries, more or less, are afflicted. I hope their visit
to gift toilnery will Cot he !Without profit to them-
selves, but that they will be at 1::: int; !etre. some-
thing from the very wide experience of this country,
and I am quite certain that on the other hand
we shall derive much benefit from the experi-
eifee they have bad in (Aber fields. (Cheers.) The
problems we nave to tolie tee of he greatest
interest—they are also of the greatest diffienity. No
priori arguments will avail on these questions. It is
experience, and experience alone, that will decide
which of the systems is the best. It is a great satis-
faction tome tone dolt to nny it is not from any increase
of crime which has roused our anxiety that we are
here, and I hope the foreign delegates will be able
to say the same of their countries. (Hear, hear). It
is a matter foe congratulation that in the face of so
many apparently conclusive ierssffin the contrary,
there has been in this country of late years such an
extraordinary diminution of serious crime. Consider
for one turoneet what the eirciou,stanees are. A few
years ago we gave iipour system ro trannpintation which
sent from our shores all the worst characters. Al.hou,h
it is true all the convicts were not transported for life,
we were still able to congratulate ourselves on having
got rid of a large portion of our criminal population,
although ft wm et the etheuee of cplonial cohtent-
went. Anyhow, the fact that we hail gut rigl of then,
was lways a matter of congratulation. Transport-
ation has now entirely ceased, and it md;ht reasonably
be expected that the prisoners who were turned loose
in the colonies would return to their oil associations
in this couttry. mid that an augmentation of our
criminal populationmi would be the resell. The facts
howes er have been entirely different. Year after year
we have seen not only a decrease of crime, relative to
the population, but there has been an actual and posi-
tive decrease df all eilnseee ef crime: When the very
able director of our convict prisons addresses you he
will be able to show you that each successive year
shows a remarkable diminution of crime. From what
does this arise? -lam far from saying it arises from
the ropeessive actiet of the 'ft...V..— feorn either of those
measures which are taken for thedetftction and pro, etition
of crime or its punishment. lam t e persuaded that the
main cause is a different one, and that the labours of all
good men for many years have not been fruitless. I am
satisfied that the etiotta if thorn Who have established
industrial senools and reformatories hat e dolor:in:Leh to
cut off the supply of crime, that the energies of those
who have encouraged the promotion of Discharged
Prisoners' Aid Societies have prevented the return to
crimi ef a ir.44 umber of criminals, and, in addition
to that, we have mid the spre....l of :Attention and the
diffusion of knowledge amongst the people, which not
only led to juster moral views, but has Also enabled
them to distribute themselves over the world, and
therefore escape that one great cause of temptation to
crime—extreme poverty. All these causes, no doubt,
hare had mulch to do with the diminution of crime;
but sotnething it also dlle to an improved police, and
something to the systeth which has been adopted in
our prisons. (Cheers.) We have oh all sides the
most satisfactory evidence both of the advantage of
the deterrent portion of our system and the re.
formatory portion. We have, I mu happy to add, of
late years adopted the system of training all those
prisoners who have been sentenced to long periods
of imprisonment, not only in !whet we way term
intellectual knowledge, which is of course advan-
tageous, but also in the learning of industrial trades;
and, as no doubt you are all aware, that system has
been fraught with the very best results. (Cheers.)
There are some, I know, who would carry the reforma-
tory system further, and some thieir the deterrent por-
tion of our system is not sufficiently severe. These
are among the many questions that you may in a
gathering of this kind discuss with great advantage.
It is not my intention to express any decided opinion
One way or another. The Government is only too glad
to see the repreaentative3 of all countries assembled
here to consider these problems and how to solve them,
and it will be their duty to watch these discussions
with the greatest interest, and endeavour to obtain
sonoi useful results from th?m. It has been made a
subject or complaint that tie Govertinicht hsve not
themselves taken an active part in the proceedings of
this Congress. It is not the custom in this country
to do so; but, on the other hand, I beg to-Rive the
strongest and clearest denial to the statement that I
understand has been made, that the Goveniment of
this country is indifferent to the labours of the Con-
gress - (cheers)—or that we have not been willing to
supply you with the fulleat Meane of information. The
opposite is the case. (Cheers.) It is true, after de-
liberating on the subject, the Government conceived
that they were best fulfilling their functions, as under-
stood by them, by abstaining from taking an imme-
diate and active part in the operations of these meet-
ings. On the other hand, it was their desire to give
every possible facility for the study of their system,
and place at the disposal of the Congress every means
of official information. (Cheers.) I hope the delegates
will visit our convict establishments, thoroughly
examine and master the system, and fearlessly and
openly convey to us their criticisms oh it. For this
we shall be glad, because it is a just and indulgent
criticism, and not panegyric, which the Government
would be really thankful for. The diminution of crime
in this country of which I have spoken, and upon which
we congratulate ourselves, ireitead of putting us into
false security, will, I hope, prove a stimulus to fresh
cnertions. nliich as We hate dog, we don't despair
of doiug much more; and if we are able to make
marked improvements in our system, we shall be glad,
indeed, if in any measure we can trace them to the de-
liberatiout of this large and distinguished assembly.
(Cheers.

In the Middle Temple Hall, on Friday evening, in I
connection with the International Prison Congress. the
Rev. Dr. Bellows, of New York (Uuita.rieu), delivered
an address on the life, character, work, awl times of
Hower& the prison philanthropist. The chair was
occupied by
Archbishop Manning, who, at the conclusion of the
address, said—Before we thank Dr. Bellows for the
most remarkable, fertile. eloquent, and condensed
addre,s which he has delivered, you will bear with me
fur a moment, for I am irresistibly impelled to make
one or two remarks. In mentioning those who have
exercised
.au apostleship of charity in the work of miti-
gating pruon discipline it would not be right to forget
the name of Mrs. Fry. (Hear, hoar.) Our lecturer
has given us examples of •-vo of those great energies,
those masculine activitfer tllfloward and Wesley), which
reformed and purified 14 lot until+ of men in the last
century ; but the active' co! Mrs. Fry was like the light
1 of heaven and the dew fertilising the earth—silent,
irresistible, penetrating and efficacious even beyond the
Power of energy. I think in mentioning two great
names we must add a third, and that in a Congress like
this Mrs. Fry should not be forgotten. I think we
owe our thanks to the lecturer for having lifted this
whole subject into the region where it ought to stand.
I do not suppose--and, indeed, from all I have heard I
am led to believe the reverse—that this Congress, com-
posed of the repreeertatives of almost all nations oh the
eh insert world, and animated, as I am confident, with
the highest spirit of benevolence, of human empathy,
and, I will say, of Christian charity, can day by day
confine its discussions within the dry and arid limits
of prison discipline, prison management, and prison
schools. I believe already the note has been struck 1
that the reformation of criminals is the work of •
Christianity, that it is a work which cannot be accom-
plished from without, and can be accomplished only by
those who held the key of the human heart. It appears
to use the lecturer has struck this note in a way so
emphatic that it will be impossible it shall be forgotten.
lie has Net before us the example of the great apostle
of the reformation of prisons in the person ot a man
whose whole power over others consisted in the in-
domitable perseverance of a holy will and in the eloped-
?* calmness of Christian chasity. That being so, he
has laid down, as a law for our discussion, that to at-
tempt the reformation of men by anything which only
touches them on the outside, by anything which only
touches the intellect, without that which alone can
touch the heart, and alone can reform the will, is
simply to pour water into vessels that are pierced. We

shall be labouring in vain unless we bear in mind that
the great cure of all criminality is the formation of
youth, and that, if the formation of youth has been
neglected, the growth of a has-lest of crime is the
legitimate and inevitable memequencei and that erind
nals offie formed can never be reformed except
,by
being, in the strict etymological sense of the word,
brought to that form which they, ought to have re-
ceived in their childhood, suieltied by moral and re-
ligious iffileences, and by the change Of the will in the
perveraitin of which all clime begins. This wont I be,
indeed, labouring in vain, and this great congress cf
all nations would pass away, ieavlee behind it no meek
—would have doue we only cartleel home
the recollection of schemes and plans for the better
ventilation and management of prisons, making prison-
ers more eomfertable, and avoiding those physical
miseries which, I am sorry to say, in our convict prisons
are too abundantly to be found. Therefore, what I I
would venture to impress upon this Congress would be '
this—that a very large part of our considerations ;
should be how we can treat our criminals one by
one. lam no belie-err in treating men in masses.
You meet trent criminals as you would educate
children ; and they are tc be educated as you rear
plants, by a careful, vigilant watchfulnese, watering
them day by day, noting their growth, and warding off
everything unwholesome, heated, cc dry, which might
destroy their perfection. That which we karned in
our horn- s in childhood sets us a law and rule whereby
to treat with these unhappy fellow-creatures who have
fallen from their innocence and become criminals. I
am glad to see a proposal has been made in this Congress,
not only to admit the most full and free action of re-
ligion upon every criminal according to the man's be-
lief, but also that visitors, wisely selected, having the
spirit of Mrs. Pry and John Howard, shall be invited
to enter vier prisons and exercise that personal apostle-
ship of charity and prudence whereby, speaking face
to face end alone with criminate, the work of their
reformation may be accomplished. I ask for the
most full and free admission of the religious teaching
which every man conscientiously accepts and seeks
for himself, and for this reason. If you hate
got a perverted will to deal with, I would ask, in
the name of Christianity and in the name of common
sense, whether you are likely to bring back that
perverted will by presenting to him Christianity in
that form which to him is repugnant? Is it not obvious
you must treat that perverted will as you would treat
a fever patient—approach him according as he is able
to bear it? Therefore, as in the prisons of Belgium,
we mist allow the full and free ministration of religion
to every prisoner according to his faith and conscience.
The smn of the lecture T conceive is this--that refor-
mation can be accomplished now only as it I,7lidi in
the beeffiffing, by the personal presence and personal
influence of the wise end charitable, whose working on
the perverted nature of the criminal wine that part
back again unconsciously to himself; and to du thin
those who are most near to the example of our Great
Master will be the beet governors, warders, chaplains,
and visitors of prisons. It to thie which gives men
power over the hearts of others; withoelt this we may I
touch them externally, but we shall never change their I
will", (Cheers.)
In putting to the meeting a vote of thanks to Arch-
bishop Manning for preeitling, Mr. Edwin Pears said
this conjunction of the Hey. Er. Bellows and the
Archbishop, as lecturer and chairman, naturally re-
called the circumstance that Howard, a Protestant of
the most Frotretant of sects, when in Rome, was sent
for by the Pope, who toeli a lively interest in all
Howard had to say about prisons and then said, "I
know, Howard, that you are a Protestant and that
you art en Engliehnitan, and that you English don't I
care for these tranga j lent, at an rate, the blessing of
an old man can do you no harm." The Pope, accord-
ingly, blessed. Howard, who received the blessing in ,
the eaene noble spirit in which it was given. It was ,
in that spiat thilt peement heti met and joined in
the vote of thanks. (Cheeral
Archbishop Manning, in response, said—l feel my-
self in a position not only gratifying to me, but at the
same time, singularly delicate. When I was called
mich to preseite 'rev this meeting I felt it soy duty to
do as I always du, aint that on many occasions, to pre-
side over it as neutrally as poesible (hear, hear) -that
is to say, holding a profund conviction that on all those
occasions which lay on my coneciencea, public duty I
am bound to be as out-spiken, I may say as explicit
and as determiner!, in expressing what I believe as my
office requires, so, on all other occasions when I am
bound to make thine dectavatione, to bear these testi-
monies, I desh e to identify myself with the most per-
fect and attire eonfoi niity of heart, mind, and will with
my countrymen. (Cheer& ) There is one subject on
which, unhappily, it is impossible for we tounite myself
with the majoiity of those whom I tote mid respect ;
but outside the eirele and the pale of that one silo:lea
I know of no other retltiner to one political, our public,
our social, our industrial weifarl: in which it is not iii
my power to work with the same energy" elei the same
entire devotion of heart and feeling as any other than
lin England. ft it in that spirit I have great gratama-
I the.' iii peesiding ueer the meeting to-night, and I can
assure my hon. Intl leiarnnil friend on my right (Mr.
Pears) that he indicated that whirl is the tonstant
desire of my heart—to work with my countrytimin in
e very thing that ran promote the welfare of our people,
I or that will, like this Congress, world-wide in its
I character, promote theft nempathies which bind Chris-
tian nations together, (Cheers).

Baron Mackay, as delegate from ;Tolland, prenided
over the sitting of the International Prison Congress,
on Monday. The subjects of discussion included the
kind of treatment for re-convicted prisoners, whether
prison labour should be penal or industrial, how far
visiting ;irstitiesi 'sr boards of prison manages should
control the aaltninistrati of staolsh the expediency of
establishing international statistia, tis- treatment
likely to be moat effective for the reforlaGti,n of
juvenile offenders, and whether the government of
prisons orght to be placed wholly in the hands of one
central atithoilty, Mr. Hibbert, M.P., Sir John
Bowring, and Alias Tiarpstitsir were amongst the
speakers.

The sittings a the International Prison Congress
were coetliewni on Tuesday, the Hon. Daniel Haines,
of New Jersey, in the chair. The best mode of giving
aid to discharged prisoners, /icw to secure their reha-
bilitation, the way to repress criminal mpitalists,
whether penitentiary systems ought to exclude all
kinds of corporal punishment, and the treatment of
prismers before conviction, were amongst the subjects
discussed.