The Express.
London, England, 1856-08-22 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 22.

Taxan is no man in the House of Commons
who handles a subject with more earnestneas
or power than Lord STAIILIST—when he is in
the vein. In discussing a question he is con-
tent to rely upon logic and common sous. Ho
neither trims his sails to suit the desires of a party,
nor fears to trust the honest intelligence of his
audience. Unlike the majority of politicians, he goes
straight to the point—he despises subterfuge--he
lays down broad propositions, and illustrate, and
enforces them by clear reasonings and the most ample
collection of carefully selected facts. In reading his
best speeches it is impossible to doubt his sincerity of
pupae in advocating the conclusion to which sober
reflection has conducted him. Moreover, it is grati-
fying to observe that the subjects which seem mat to
engage Eis attention are subjects bearing upon the
social problems of the day. They are the practical—
the condition.of-Begland questions. Upon libel(
right solution depends much of the welfare—the
material and moral condition—of the lower and
middle classes. In discussing such wallops the
temptation to indulge in morbid sentiment or to be
influenced by the breath of an ephemeral popularity
i. difficult to resist. Yielding to this temptation
novelists have been seduced into dreams of Utopian
romance, and politicians have merged into den•
germs demagogue, exciting vain hopes amongst
the poorer classes which it was impossible to realise.
But Lord STANLEY has methane and strength of
mind enough to avoid all this. He indulges in no
dreams. He calmly contemplates the past, sad collude
from recorded facts what has been done. He endeavours
to discern from those records what can be achieved,
vast has been achieved, and what remiss to be
achieved, and then organises his scheme for the at-
tainment of his purpose. If hie lordship, whoa the
time comes that he may be called upon to esosne
silos, displays as much solid ability ea be bu
already displayed in triable' the cardinal points of
nese of the greet social question's to which he has'
applied himself, he is probably destined to attain to
the very highest rank u a practical statesman.

These reflections have received a remarkable eon.
firmatioo by the adcress which him lordship delivered
at Bristol on Wednesday kat, at the first provincial
meeting of the National Reformatory Union. The,
object of this Union is to form as it were tie Min
et action for the various local efforts to preemie
peones' of the Relormatory Schools. By theAdef
1854 power is given to de.ain boys at sash Mail
daring Ave years, and to receive them at say ogeast
above owes.. Government pays five
weekly for the rapport of es& boy, but dm=
ramie. otherwise interfere. Of this Act ed
meat it seems most of the !littlish maths
are availing themselves already, and it is to be
hoped that nearly all will scum doss. This National
Reformatory Union, therefore, is intended to
eatable managers in different conaties to compare
their systems more readily; to promote the establish.
meat of Reformatories where athe yet exist; to
emble those who wish to give personal assistance ia
the ems to discover where their help is meet re
gaited ; to assist in placing oat those who leave Re.
formatories ; to supply opportunities of discumiag the
gametal subject, and of suggesting improvemmits fa
the methods adopted ; and should change, in the laws
of Reformatories be required, to press is Parliameat
the propriety of such changes. In short, like the
Law Msetidment Sxiety, and other anssiatieas. tbs
'bigot of this Reformatory Union is to pinnate the
same of Reformatory Schools, and for this wpm it
will hold meetings in various places, and theepaillik
and disseminate its principbs.
For some time past, indeed, the necessity of these
Reformatory Schools has become apparent to this.
who have considered the subject. Mast reflecting MS
have long perceived that criminals must not only he
punished, but that they must be dissiglined and is
termed. Bat this truth requires her nom. NM
Illustration before it can be elevated bate Wag
practical principle. Bach argument and sash Wastes►
tion have been supplied by Lord STANZA! in his
Bristol address. Nor de we believe that heath.
forth any farther question need be made as to the
necessity or the practicability of the thdertakieg ley
question. Circumstances, indeed, have oocumeil
which forced the subject upon public atsiselar
Transportation has been to a great extent Alms&
aiminals mast be kept at home. and Weed an attr
thing to be done is to try to rims Ihson The
speedos at *us arises—ls that nennitant
Bible ? Let us consider who are the shawls to
be reformed. Are they youths or fifths! To
reform the hardened adult might, indeed, seem hew
Ira& Bat happily the criminal table. prove that
from osethird to cow hallo( the convicts in oar mews
belong to the class of juvenile offenders. Some of the
details gives by Lord STANLIT co this point are so
Garton. that we Testate to reproduce them. Ice the
year 1853, of 100,000 who came leader the law there
were of juvenile offenders—that is, under 17—a
total of 11,463, and thus the proportion of juvenile
to all mime is fixed at 11} per cent. Again
the amount of crime committed between 17 mid
20 actually amounts to 26 per mat. This feet is
partially corroborated by the mem returns of 1851,
when of all the prisobere cadet esteem is Great
Britain on a particular day, just 25 per mt were
leader 20; and the same result appears from the mo-
ms of 1841. It certainly is a startling feet, am Lord
BYAMLET adds, that while ,the lumber of persons
&tag at the time between the age of 16 and 20
termed only the-tenth of the entire populatioa
et
that time, this tenth is guilty of nearly
the fourth of the amount of detested mime. The
years between 15 and 20, therefore, are those daring
which, mordiag to recorded facts, the pressen of
sehmadoe ought to be applied mod such, is feet, is
the time daring which the discipline of Reformatory
&heels is proposed to be applied. Bet the further
question remaim—is this system of Reformatory
Behoois the right system to apply is order to remedy
the admitted evil P Let us coasider the cameos of jr
• eristieality. Now, it Ms Me established by
Mr. CLAY that in 75 per mt. of the mem investigated
by him the bolt of the &Una lay immediately at
the doer of the manta Is 67 per seat. of thins 76
there had been habitual druakethisa oftia ,comp.
sled by brutality ea the part of the lather; sad is the
remaining 18 per cent. habitual ladithermis sad mg-
lest. I. like manner Mr. Acsamatimed that eat of the
100 criminal children at Manchester, is 1840, there

rated. Whether it be possible to reform the parent
may be a gondol, but at all sweats the child may be
withdrawn from the contamination of habitual crime.
He may he taught ch. distinction between right
and wrong. Good natural dieposidome may be
awakened and strengthened. The duty of industry
and the desire of independenes may be eaeonreged,
and the maw; of gaining an haslet livelihood by the
exercise of some trade may be pissed within their
reach. Bone children may be vicious by the original
defects of their natural organisation, but the great
proportion are vicious by reason of the circumstances
in which they are placed. Nor is this a mere a
priori view, for exp3rienes has already confirmed its
truth. As the Bishop of BATH and WILLI observed,
" Wherever reformatory institutions had been esta-
blished—wherever love and kindness had joined
together for the purpose of promoting moral, social,
and industrial training, gocd had resulted. It had
been successful at Homey to the extent of 90 pr
cent.; at Rabin, 80 per cent. ; at the Glasgow Re-
formatory, 90 per cent. also."
The purpose, therefore, of such Reformatory Schools
ill to receive such neglected youths as into an saylam—
to separate them from all the contaminating influences
which overpower their moral instincts, and to allow
those moral instincts free scope to develop themselves.
The wisdom and humanity of such a design are surely
not to be questioned. And if they are established and
conducted upon those common.sense principles so
ably enforced by Lord STANLEY at Bristol, we cannot
help anticipating their speedy popularity and
seems.

10TV, lam
were Dora of diaboseei pares* SO parents prodipto
bat mot of the criminal elms. 303 prelate bees* and
isdaetviceK 101 total. 100. Sorely thus feats prove
that erten her a teadeaey to beams bereditary--lbet
ash= tbe and be removed freer the fetid Mare-
.
sphere of depravity his meal erase met be gaffe-
.