The Express.
London, England, 1858-06-17 00:00:00

(Stamped ld. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

BiwrTON-lIILL SEFORMATOBY.

Grove-hone, Brixton-hill—e large, old-fashioned
mansion, au:rete:l* by embed* grounde—was some Eve
or six years ago chosen by a number of philanthropic saide-
mon, mostly connet* whit the *dim bereft of the City
*London •• • Mei* koala fit espithemaillig rtpaa
the possibility ofrekend:sir 7... g INS by • earn
of systematic morel mei ova teeeider lei if Week*
training, qualifying Om *dr
et at
Has or in the ceiceissos manhers et de add
family. tinder dm an
of en acid ma-
=oommities deekbee of Bereft are inceleatid,
tequila insirealthe to ear of these trades which
are ever in detenen4 awl widek if pursued with steady per-
severance end hand tiskiiainedem, will under almost any
circumstances, or in feyexhiy, enable a man to
' command at least Vie mums if seleiesice. For the ph-
loem of such an lutitedien 010•0400110 is edudrably
adapted; and in its cepa** epilimate, now converted
Into workshops, and in ha ample greenfis now claiming the
rank of a first-rate n garden, reproductive industry Is
carried on in carhnting„ bookbinding, and horti-
culture, to an extent which to be credited almost requires to
be witnessed. By • progressive t, which fits the
particular work to be done to the experience and aptitude of
the workman, the labour of the most unskilful and awkward
manipulator take. Its abare in the prottnotke el sinful and
saleable articles, and is made to contribute in some degree
towards the exposer ef the istabilshmest. Flower-stands,
boxes, packing-cm* celbinet work, boots and shies, book-
bisdhg, and other ;iodises al the menl trades enumerated,
my he Wiese free ea este** and weed stock, or are
ark to order of tide of nolehard labour In • ma-
w thei wide sand y Mena homes of keg eetab/ishel
reputation, whit the gram mss and out-door plants, which
may be obtainedaccording to pea list—for the Dueness is
throughout carried on in the most approved hiatuses like
hahice—are in no respect inferior to those of the most cele-
brated horticultural establishments.

In their tipitaT to the public for sad, the °amines
state that •' Metropolitan Industrial Reformatory for
c atoloe m e has now bees in operation for five years, that it
much good, that 308 young men have been admit-
ted to the benefits of the refuge, and 204 have been hopefully
reformed. But that they cannot carry on the work without
• larger MGM, of public support.'
Ia order to make their appeal more diode* they added
to the interest of their fifth anaiversery meeting yes-
terday evening by • file eltoompetre in the grounds, whim the
ordinary business, of such • meeting was diversified by • band
of capital drummers and fifers selected from the yellow shoe-
black brigade, and a plentiful supply of those creature com-
forts which pertain to that social meal that kdke—of whom
there was • goodly number present—are said to &Light
and ao inspection of the several ateliers, Improved by the
lucid explanations of Mr. Metcalf; the governor. Amongst the
male portion of the conmeny were the Berl of illhafteabury,
who took the chair in the business part of the
(which were held in a handsomeereetedr-rn
), Lord Charles Russell, Birk, Y.P., Mere.
Ir.Tarobers, White, G. Moore, C. Few, Oliphant, J.
Payne, B. Corderoy, T. Garner, Bowler, Btockdals, J.
Peter_ R. Con,, J. Murphy, Bridget; Wilke, %ape,
Glenbrook Hale) and Rev. Mesas. Cohen, Dixon,
Boot; Minton, Minns; Hall, Whittington, Hussey, J.
Brown, Maudson, he., hr.
The report, which was read by Mr. Bowing, stated that
" The past year has been one of much anxiety to the com-
mittee. The disastrous events in India, and the severe oom-
mongol 'pressure at home, have tended to divert public at-
tention from efforts of so homely and unobtrusive a character
as that of your institution. Two years ago there was great
interest expressed in the public mind on the subject of re-
formatorirm new institutions wore established in various
pare of the kingdom the public press took upp the question
warmly; ft kneed the great topic of oonvvsanon in society
k parliament Itself there were frequent discussions : and
even one or two acts IMO pared to facilitate the reformatory
movement. Bach periods of excitement are invariably
followed by • reaction; and at the present moment
not only has the subject lost Its freshness, but is
ilt.aaragable to gain a fair amount of public attention.
at the moral results of the past year, the committee
are more than ever encouraged in their work. Their expec-
tenons have been fully realised nay, exceeded. The con-
duct of the inmates ; their visible Improvement under moral
and industrial training; the number hopefully reformed;
the satishokey Intelligence they continue to receive of former
inmates at horse and to America ; and, lastly, the improved
skits of the reformatory itself, have cheered their hearts and
MIN ass to thank God and take courage. On the other
had, their financial position fills them with serious anxiety
reversing the • ways and means' for the forthooming year.
They have to announce the contemplated withdrawal by the
government of the annual grant, heretofore received by the
Privy Council. This proceeds, not from any diesatiefection
with the management of the institution, bat from the opera-
tion of a rule recently adopted, whereby all benefit of govern-
ment meistance is restricted to refugee for boys under 14
years of age. This reformatory being designed for young
seen from 17 to about 22 is debarred from all such grants.
While grateful for the liberality with which they have
hitherto be assisted, they cannot but regret the decision at
which the government has arrived. They believe that the
reformation of young men, at the age at which they are
eligible for this institution, is so much an object of im-
portaace as may well entitle it to all the mane-
Lion and support which the government can give.
The number of young men who have applied for admission
since the oomeasnosment of the reformatory amount' to 821;
the number actually admitted has been 308. In other words,
nearly two out of three who have asked us to give them a
place of repentance we have been compelled to send away,
chiefly for went of room—that is, for went of hada. Of the
308 admitted only 19 have been afterwards diandamd for bed
conduct; 43 have left of their own accord, generally from
indisposition to submit to discipline; 202 have been in vari-
ous way, satisfactorily disposed of in situations, at home or
abroad. It is almost too much to hope that none of there
may have relived into evil ways, but very kw indeed—and
not cos from among the emigrants—have fallen back ; and
that • harp proportion at least are now nepostable and use-
ful mambas of socie. At the date of the last report the
number of inmates was 60; the number admitted dudes the
present year has been 69; making a total of persons receiving
the benefits of the institution during the past ear, 119. Of
these one has been dismissed, 16 left, 30 16 ob-
tained situations at home, 4 were sent to sea, 2 IMO Fer
stored to their friends and 42 remain in the refoematory.
The daily average during the year has been 66. In addition
to the above. 21 individuals have been sedated by the com-
mittee in various ways, either to obtain work, or to be received
into other redormaterise for which they were better adapted.
Bat the state of the finances is enbarreaskrig, and requires
immediate assistance. It may perhaps be thought that the
sum required is • large one; and so no doubt it is. The
committee have endeavoured to maintain the strictest
4021K4:131 throughout every part of the institution. The
dietary is on the lowest scale consistent with health: The

aoseniesdaikm for the inmates is of the humblest descrip-
tion. Bat peat expenses are unavoidable. A governor,
end tress' retractors In carpentry, sh , most
be supplied. The expenses of emigration are ; about
1,0001. hes been chargeable to that one item alone since the
commesommintt of the work. The truth is, tot deal with it
r you will, in whatever way, and for whatever object, crime
la a cad rely thing to the community. To detect the
Mohr, to prosecute and to purr him, entails error
erendlre. It is certainly not more costly to reform him.
And there h Ms huhu return for money so rent—that a
nal, and preportispate, and lasting beret Is produced. The
number of ideate& reformed by punitive means is out of all
=lnglipMeent compared to the expanses incurred.
mi. oar u this there is at lest the satisfaction
of seeing a reel end substantial return for money invested.
Your ormarditst believe they are considerably within the
truth when they affirm that 76 per cent. of their inmates
have been hopefully reformed, and are now living in industry
mad ugaightemess. They therefore earnestly hope that a
fresh slat will be pat forth to sustain the institution, that
it may continue to keep an open door for many more misseshis
outcasts, and enable them to return into the way of pesos."
The financial statement gave the total receipts, including
1111. 7a., balance on last account, Ma 2e. 4d.' government
girt, and donations, subscription/, &Attributions from Burr
and Middlesex Societies, and from Sheriffs' fund, and all other
items, at 1,0061. 24. Id. The expenditure In ono year, in•
eluding outstanding ILhilitir, showing a total deficit of
4861. 2s. 6d.
The CIKATILIIAIf charred that the necessity for Institutions
snob as thin so fir from diminishing, was tareastng every
day. They had heard It stated over and over again
that the transportation of criminals to her Majesty's
celanke was no loafer possible, sad that the mode
in which we formerly disposed of oar cenobite and
relieved the mother country from them was closed. But
notwithstaadiog that the mode of relief from the evil of their
presents was at an end, the supply was as rife sad abundant
as ever, and it was indlapensablV necessary for the safety of
society that rose mesas should be adopted of disposing of
this part of our population,. instead of leaving them to
Must rout, despoiling, terrifying, sad disturbing the pesos,
the honour, the dignity, the virtue, and the religion of the
country. Ile saw no other mere by which the evil could be
met but reformatories, and he thought the soew of nib ki„
Mitutiona was the strongest argument la their favour, end of
the heavy responsibility which lay upon the public generally
to &appal them. They bad Mud it stated in the
rrthat 76 per oast. of the imam of this la-
tatton had he. reformed. He believed that to be
tins, and that all the inielitiation• of a dialler nature
with wrist he was acquainted maid tell the use
story. did not mean reformed is the religious sense
—neavertal ; bat that that proportion of the (Marie at these
inethations had become sober and ladeetrious dame of the
colony to which they had goes if they had emigrated,
_et of
this cavalry If they had remained at home. He believed the
large item of 1,1,001. impended by the society In
was en ountenic outlay. They might drawl :aria;
were doing for thmeekree, for society, and for the omelet,
the greatest smoke whoa they enabled his to quit this 00101-
try and and himself tree from those alsociaten with whom he
cos-
hed hem conaseted is mime, sod among* pram Whei

inowiniwniber ig of his former lifa my in him only the
steady, struggling men, endeavouring to earn hie
to by
minalhis
were own industry. The temptation to
wtdch cris exposed In this country on
their return from gaol was almost too great for human
nature to withstand, and it was absolutely necessary, if they
would prevent them immediately relapsing into crime, that
some shelter from that temptation should be afforded to them.
But, in contemplating this subject, their attention must
chiefly be directed' to preventive processes. The more they
looked into the quiellose and the greater their experience, the
stronger would be their conviction of the difficulties of
effecting any pusses:sat reform in those who have once
plunged into aime. He did not say that they might not
produoe deep and serious impressions upon them, and if it wee
passible to send them all across the eau to a distant colony
after undergoing their punishment here, and so to separate
them altogether from their former companions and from the
temptations to which they were almost necessarily exposed,
be did not say that they might not restore even mare than
75 per rent. to the position of honest citizens. But if from
want of funds they were compelled to tarn these persons out
again upon the world, after being subjected for a short period
to the reformatory prooass they would find that their labours
would be almost thrown away, and they would be driven at
last to place their chief hope and devote their main strength
to emesavours for preventing crime. This of course opened
up the whole question of education, and they must
look to the various evils to which children were
exposed in these great towns—to the nature of their
homes, the temptations to which In the court, and alleys
where they resided they were subjected, the neglect of
parents, and the bad example which woe every day set be-
fore their eyes. These were matters to which their attention
must needs be directed, for.. without it they mold carry out
no effectual preventive syntam—ritelr aebeohs would be of no
avail, for the child would on going back to the borne of the
parents lase in an hour more than he had learned in weeks.
(Hear, hear.) The expenditure of this institution might ap-
pear large, but it must be borne in mind that the directors
were compelled to maintain a staff for the present number of
inmates which would be sufficient if that number were
increased six or seven fold. There was but one more argu-
ment to which he would direct attention, and be did so
because he believed it would be need as a stock argument
against institutions of this nature. He had heard it said by
a ppearraeoaa in authority the other day, " You have nothing
whntwee to do with adult criminals; no one has any busi-
ness to take care of them but the policeman or the gaoler."
Now observe the fallacy and the wickedness of that
dateinent. If that were to be the rule, the sen-
tence of imprisonment must be perpetual. If they
were to take no care of, to make no provision
for, the criminal when ho was liberated from prison,
but told him that the only resource be had was to go to
whoa again—the rule must be, once In prison always in
prism ; or whatever the crime, the punishment must be per-
W that consistent with Christianity P (Hear.)
Muttas
sewed with our knowledge of human nature, or with
proper knowledge of ourselves, to say to the man who bad
once fallen into crime, that he was ever after
to be tabooed—that you would never lend him a
helping band, or recognise in him • men who has any
right to return to the pale of civilised Christian
life ? Three who used that argument must be ignorant
alike of their own relations in respect to their fellow-man
and in respect to God himself. Had it not pleased God to
place them in the favourable circumstances in which they
stood the probability was they would themselves be &maim
of mane and applicants for that mercy they so uncharitably
and sawn, deaMd to others. (Hear, hear.) He would a&
&cheerio& to lay to heart the words of the good old mar-
tyr who, consaiona of his own wants, infirmities, and corm-
one, said, " Never do I see a criminal led to execution but

I raj, theis.but for the gram of Ood goes John Bradford."
Lard CHARLES RUSSELL moved the adoption of the re-
port, and, pointing out the impossibility of inducing the
oolonies to receive convicts, urged that the only means of
carrying out the reformatory process was by voluntary efforts,.
r.T. Cusunans seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously adopted; sad altar addresses from Mr. Portia, Mr.
Payne, and other gerillamsolltele
an.preceedings clewed with the
roue vote of thanks to the