The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

REFORM IN MANCHESTER.
SINCE the close of the corn-law agitation the leaders
of the Liberal party of the Manchester district have
been in the habit of meeting together immediately
previous to the session of Parliament, with a view to
arrange their policy and express their views upon the
curient topics of the day in such a manner as to
make them bear upon the deliberations of the Legis-
lature. In former years these gatherings attracted
immense numbers of the population, and the old
Free-trade Hall has, on some occasions, been filled
to overflowing, but this year the general apathy of
the people has extended even to Manchester, and to
ooid a more conspicuons failure it was d
mresolve that,
instead of a large popular demonstration, the eet-
ing should be confined almost entirely to the prin.
cipal men of the party ; and accordingly the gather-
ing which took place on Tuesday was held in the
Albion Hotel, the large room of which is capable of
holding st best only about 300 people. Even these
limited capabilities were not, however, fully tested, as
only about 250 persons assembled, though speeches
from Cobden, Bright, Gibson, and other great leaders
of the party were promised by way of attraction.
Nor wee this the only sign of the general indifference.
In an adjoining room a banquet of tea and cakes had
been provided at the expense of the registration com-
mittees of the district, and the seductions of the feast
proved so strong that nearly an hour elapsed beyond
the prescribed time for commencing business before
the select 250 could be persuaded to adjourn to the
room set apart for oratory. At length, their appetites
being satisfied, they proceeded to the large room,
where the appointed speakers addressed them suc-
cessively during some hours. The discourses then
delivered were as long as usual and more discursive.
Reform was the ostensible and leading theme, but
much was said on the Turkish question, and the tone
even of the professed pacificators grew occasionally
warm and warlike while describing the aggressions of
Russia.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.
Szvxtur. meetings and movements have taken place
dining the past few days upon the important subject
of juvenile crime, and the reformation of juvenile
criminals. At Glasgow on Tuesday an influential
assembly gathered at the summons of the Lord
Provost, to consider the " great amount of juvenile
destitution, ignorance, vagrancy, and crime, and to
Iry upon the Government and the Legislature the
necessity of adopting remedial measures" for the
etre of these evils. Sir Archibald Alison, Sir James
Anderson, M.P., Mr. Hastie, M.P., and many other
gentlemen of standing and influence took part in the
proceedings.
Another meeting was held on Thursday in Liver-
pool, summoned by the Mayor, in compliance with
a requisition to adopt measures for the abatement
and reform of juvenile delinquency. At this meet-
ing letters were read from the Earl of Derby and
Lord Stanley, expressing a cordial concurrence in its
objects. Mr. Horsfall, M.P., in the course of his
speech to the assembly,
alluded to one instance of the advantage which, within
.
own experience, might be held to illustrate the Irene-
its to be derived from a wholesome reformatory system.
The case was that of a child who had been brought
before him ( Mr. Horsfall), in his capacity of a magii-
trate, for stealing a watch. The boy was young, and, on
inquiry, it was found his parents were respectable, well-
doing people. Instead of sending the boy to prison,
he was returned to his father, on the latter agreeing to
here him removed from his evil companions, and pro-
fs'', eared for. In a year or two after he (Mr. Horsfall)
experienced much pleasure in having to present him with
I leh"1-Priia for good behaviour, and he was happy to
say that lad had turned out an excellent young MU],
sal was at the present moment employed as a teacher
in one of the national schools. If such a result was to
be attained in one solitary instance, did it not afford
encouragement to hope for more extensive results from
ben extensive preporations! Mr. Hcrrsfall proceeded to
elegise the prineiple and practical operation of the Abet.
deep schools for the reformation of juvenile Wanders, and
laid be did not see why an old maxi-of-war ship, which
Ind done its duty in another capacity, could be better
employed than as the receptacle of a reformatory school
ofA sethreiea requisition of res oletions in conformity with the terms
were afterwards passed, as well as
a Petition which the members for the borough are
Allo Pent to
annual the HOAR) of Commo
meeting of thensßirmingham
Re-
formatory Institution, held on Tuesday, it was stated
that Mr. Jonah Mason,' of the firm of Elkington and
aflisten,ooo,
i and
had made an offer of a munificent donation
a subscription of 1001. per annum, for
e e
ti zla?cl support of a girls' reformatory estab-
',re. las Burdett Coutts and Mr. W. Chance
alto each offered the sum of 100 guineas to-
wursle, the same specific object. A girls' reformatory
school is, therefore, to be erected as soon as possible.
The Somersetshir,e grand jury at the last quarter
sessions held in Melts drew up a petition on the
844.4 of juvenile crime, strongly advocating the
astublishment of penal reformatory schools for the
trel4l4ent and slos""CatiOLl Of yonthful criminals. The