Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-26 00:00:00

11.110 n the benevolent the great importance of
gtving their attention to the number of criminals

--- -
and ether offenders there are amongst us, who
tre but girls and boys. It appears from that
Report, that nearly a thous'and of those who
*ere apprehended for some crime, or offence, or
cther, during the last year, were under sixteen
Zars of age. Now this, be it remembered, large
"gh the number be,. is merely such as were
1111)?*ehended.. It may be taken for granted, we
that there are criminals and immoral
• °lteuders, who are never apprehended,--even
ceder sixteen years of age—who would swell
Vie
la numbers very appallingly. So that here we
".e a large proportion of the rising generation
ttrallied tip in habits of vice and crime. And the
tiestion, therefore, very naturally arises, Is this
state of things which ought to be quietly en--
:red Is it not rather one which calls-for. the
''("st vigorous efforts to be made to deal effectually
/POI the young of both coxes, who are thus ,so
degraded as respects themselves, and so dangerous
48
respects society at large ? We do not mean to
b 37, that no efforts are used to reclaim this laige
Yof juvenile offenders. But it is evident that
re
IT little progress is made by whatever is being
done; and more particularly, it may be feared, as
respects girls,—for the number of prostitutes is
e/ridently- on the increase, and it is clear that their
are recruited continually by the acquisition
op here children, who are early initiated in the
Ways of evil, and who become prostitutes almost
a
matter of course.
/V.° would confine ourselves, for a moment, to
e ease of such girls. Is it enough that some
toW desultory efforts should be made to get them
schools ? Is it not to be feared, that even they
Who are thus taken care of, bear but a small pro-
trtie
n to the number of those who are unhappily
Teed in circumstances of life to require the most
"lit care of the charitable and humane ?
All even- they, we maintain, or most of
eln, are not taken hold of in such a
tanner as to secure their being brought up in
the Paths of virtue, and being encouraged to
Pursue that creditable course of life, which they
14715 t do, if they are successfully to avoid the temp-
tiens with which they are surrounded. We
te Well aware that it is a difficult question.
44tere is, in the first place, a great want of op-
portunity for providing employment for girls,—
tech employment, at any rate, as is suitable to their
lc and condition ; and which would offer a due
Ileourity for their continued good conduct. But
thila need not necessarily be. There might be found
any openings which are not now thought of
t, it thought of, are certainly not appropriated--
e! giving to girls and young women suitable
11 oyment, and such as would furnish them
kith moderate means of subsistence. And we
are quite persuaded, that in any effectual course
that
may be adopted, whether for the reclamation
°f immoral persons of that sex, or as a sem-
-1,1) against girls and young women fall-
tb! into habits of immorality and vice,
I'S subject of their employment must bear a very
Prciininent place. The object in view is, or ought
tZe two-fold : first, to train them up in the
is
Way, and to imbue their minds with right
eiPles, moral and religious ; • and then to afford
nenl' by means of becoming occupations, fair
ilTrtnnities of continuing' in that right way,
of acting through life on those right princi-
Ples.

Perhaps the greatest mistake that is committed
Iwaling with this most interesting, and cer-
-3r not easily-managed portion of the rising
ger•el'ation, is that the family element is not sit- "
evert
e-eritlY, if at at all, introduced. These girls,
toh, When children, are seldom, if ever, accus-
ita-'ed to the sacred influences of a virtuous ands
114131)I home. Many of them have no homes at
11e'bkncleed; and many more, who have homes,
4, as they are, do not find there anything of
really home character,—certainly nothing of
tiae character of what ought to be a Chris-
-41121°1110. And it is scarcely, therefore, to
t- wondered at, ,that so many of them should
httill out vicious and depraved. If there be
;4ental authority at all, it is too generally
tetted for no good purpose. But too often, alas !
here 1S no such thing as parental authority,—
th,titealy no such thing as parental example,
of-'t 18 at all calculated to improve the character
those who are under its influence, but rather
h '14117' them on in a course of depravity.
the doubtless, be done, therefore, with
"est effect, in improving the character of the
ent
the and thereby, as a sure consequence of it
80 ieendition of the home. Without this, indeed'
tial,"g as children and young.persons, and espe-
CY those of the female sex, 'remain at home,
131 °lever, may be the lessonS of religion and
I,o°ltsalitY which, through the efforts of the bene-
)lo exit' may be imparted to them, away from
1414. e, they can scarcely be expected to practice
their daily course of life.
801114 the subject is so full of difficulty, although
it:teresting withal, that whilst we are induced
slightly to touch upon it, we cannot, at least
po a single article, do more than suggest its im-
thrttlilee, and point out, thus imperfectly, some of
Phases in which it ought to present itself to
"ti'e eye of the philanthropist. Our object, in-
,:e d, is merely that of calling attention to it, as
n'L° of the most important of the great social
41,11:!tions of the day... And with this view. 'we
the
seek an opportunity of returning to it, in
I:, hope that the benevolence for which Liver-
is conspicuous, may come to be directed to a
131stion involving such high social interests, with
pre earnestness than, we cannot .but fear, is at
"snt devoted to it.
•

, 4JEA„,
OF PROFESSOR GEORGE WlLsog.—The plib-
au„tai Scotland, and particularly of <Edinburg, have
Iled a sad and serious loss in the death of r. Geo.
°jl' Lheifirst Professor of Technology in the Univer-
.444l4l:l7ourgh, and Regius Keeper of the Inclustiial