The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-24 00:00:00

by neglecting to have made them what-they are not
They have never been taught their duty to society
Has society ever been taught its ditty to them ?
From their tenderest years they have been habit-
uated to regard the rest of mankind as their avowed
enemies—leagued against them' with determined
opposition and inviolable hatred. When detected
in acts of criminality, they are sent to gaol, which
circumstance only tends materially to strengthen
their previous impression-that every man's hand is
- _
against them. Is it any wonder then that their
hand should be against every man ? Our criminal
population is the result of the natural reaction of
society; and as long as the causes predominate,
the effects are sure to be superinduced. Surely,
we have a right-to treat those mercifully and kindly
whose misfortunes, miseries, and misdeeds are in
a great measure attributable to our own negligence
of duty and culpable indifference.
Self-interest might supply another and an important
motive for changing our line of policy with refer-
ence to juvenile criminals. This class draws mate-
rially upon the wealth of the nation. The mainte-
nance of old and the erection of new prisons, abstract
an immense revenue out of the public pocket, not
taking into account the cost of paying magistrates
and supporting an enormous police force ! whilst
the amount of property purloined is inconceivable.
It has been calculated that in Liverpool alone, the
loss annually sustained by pilfering and plundering
is not less than
.700,0001. What a number of Re-
formatories might be supported on half that
amount ! What a number of young offenders might,
through such an 'agency, be arrested in their down-
ward courge of crime—be saved to society—and
'made honest and industrious men !
The success which has 'already, attended. Refor-
matory Institutions for criminal children affords a
strong argument in their favour, and consequently
a legitimate motive for public support and coin,
billed effort. The Working Schools and Reforma-
tories at Mettray, Redhill, Birmingham, and other
places, supply us with the most gratifying data.. In
a volume of Minutes of the Committee of Council
on Education, lately issued, we have a summary of
Repori,s compiled by Inspectors of Working Schools.'
Among the rest stands that of Mr. CARLETON TUF-
NELL, on the Philanthropic Society's Reformatory at
Redhill. From it we learn that "Of the whole
"number of criminal boys received, 75 per cent.
" are reformed, and become honest and industrious
" members of the community ; twenty-five per cent.
•• relapse, though several of these eventually shake
" off evil." The proportion of those who relapse
after quitting the Reformatory at Mettray is
reported to be but fifteen per cent. In the House
of Refuge at Edinburgh out of one hundred cases
investigated there were seventy of complete refor-
mation. In Germany, Switzerland, Holland,
Belgium, and France, where such Institutions are
numerous, they have been found to work with still
greater efficiency. From New York and Philadel-
phia the same pleasing information is wafted by
the Atlantic breezes to our shores. In the House
of Refuge at the latter city out of 4,357 criminals
who entered in 1849, no less than three-fourths
had been completely reformed. The Earl of
SHAFTESBURY, at the late Conference, entered into
details of successes supplied entirely from his
own experience.
,He stated that several juvenile
offenders who had boen reclaimed, and subse-
quently sent out to Australia, were doing well in
that country, many of them being in comfortable
circumstances. As a testimony of their gratitude
one sent to his Lordship a "nugget," with a request
that it should be appropriated to the support of
the School where he got his good instruction.
Another who possessed a large flock of sheep, as
a token of esteem had one of his finest rams
called "Loup SEIAFTESBURY," and another "Conn.,
cillor PAYNE ;" a name well known. in connection
with the London Ragged Schools. We are not at
all surprised that his Lordship should have stated
that,. "'He fully and cordially believed from
" youthful criminals of the lowest and most
" wretched description, a larger harvest of grafi-
" tude and success would be obtained than from
" the more influential and better educated class."
We ourselves have perused letters sent from the
Antipodes to his Lordship by some reformed
criminals, containing "thoughts that breathe, and
" words that burn ;" and which certainly exhibited
a degree, of gratitude beyond compare; affording
undeniable evidence of the genuine sentiments by
which they had been dictated. The evidence
given by that humble .but worthy philanthrOpist,
Mr. &Lis; of the Birmingham Reformatory,
before a Committee of the House, is confirma-
tory of all that has been stated in favour of derelict
juveniles—of their tractable manners—impressible
hearts--facile dispositions—and reclaimable habits.
Here is his testimony " I recognised them as my
" children; they looked upon me as their father ;
" and the latent power of their souls being brought
" into existence, there was every feeling that I
" could expect from a child towards me. I have
" seen that all that they did was to strive to know
"my will, and that will was their law." The evi-
dence of Mr. DE WITT'CLINTON, of New York, is
further confirmatory of the immense advantages
accruing to society, and to the criminals them
selves, from Reformatory Institutions.

Neither the Country nor the Government have
any longer a shadow of excuse for delaying to take
up a measure so prolific of advantages. We have
done wrong by refraining to look after our juvenile
criminal population—a very numerous class.
When they were found guilty of theft, we sent
them to gaol for a period, where their morals. have
been corrupted instead of improved. Society has
made no.provision for thousands and tens of thou-
sands of destitute youths who have scarce any
other alteinative left but-to steal. If they beg they
are sent to prison too. And where is the difference ?
If pOVerty be made a crime—why not robbery be
made a virtue ? Such a state of things, in the
words of Sir J. PAKINGTON, "is eminently unsatis-
" factory and discreditable, to this great country.'
How long this disgrace is to continue depends,
entirely upon the Legislature and the popular
will.