The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-06 00:00:00

GAOL BILL.

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On the motion for the second reading of the Gaol Bill,
• Mr. G. RENNET expressed his hopes that reorictions would
be out on the powers of Magistrates in the use of the tread-mill.
Those of Northallerion compered every person to work at the
tread-mill, which he thought most unjust and criaeL Were there
not other modes of hard labour that might be beneficially employed
iosa-de less hardened offenders? When the Bill came into
the Co: ttttt atter, he should feel it his duty to propose a clatter
by which no person before conviction should be allowed, even
by his own consent, to go to hard labour. His reason for
not al:owing a prisoner to have the option of consenting to
it was, because he knew, by solitary confinement or want
of food, these Anitteur Magistrates would compel prisoners to go
to the triad-mill, as a relief from what they might at the moment
censitler a worse punishmeur. Ile was a friend to the tread-mill.
but lie had always considered it a punishment that ought to be re-
served tin convictim. Transportation was looked upon rather as a
ras our than a punishment, and therefore the tread-mill, if properly
applied, would be a most salutary punishment, and do much to
check crime. The Government thought with the people on this
question, and he hoped on that account to have a clause to the
elect he proposed. Ile had seen a groat many tread-mills at work,
end lie had had a coeversation with a person who had seen them
:.11, ard the alarming circumstance connected with that punishment
if rot under due regulation, wag, that it was not the 3lagistrates
who inflicted the punishment, it was not even the mechanics who
made the machines, but the person who fed the mill could
either make the labour light or severe, and it was at his mercy
tie mesa • •re were left. In some piacos it was Mt or 70 per cent.
rest• time in others, and in many Instances the greater labour was
la:u on those least fed. The House must do one of two things—
thee must either consider the whole question, or fix a maximum of
laboer, and allow no Magisteste to go beyond it. The Hon. Alem.
her entered into a variety of calculations to spew the exertion that
was necessary to work at the tread-mill, and how much more se-
vere time labour was in some mills than in others. Twelve thousand
tech accoreing to the calculations of Mr. Higgins, the gaoler of
Lincaster, was the maximum of labour that might to be borne.
Ile (31r. Bennet) said it was hit intention to propose a maximum
or 10,00 d feet for men, and 8,000 feet ter women, and that in win-
ter two-thirds of the prisoners should work at out time, and in sum-
mer three-fourths. Front the liberal system pursued by the
Right Honourable Gentleman, he looked with confidence to
his not coffering the Bill to pass in its present form.-
31r. PEEL said, that in referring to the topics touched on by
the lion. Member for Shrewsbury, he would endeavour to be as
concise es possible, and with regard to the first point he thought
they were both agreed, for he conceded that it was improper, and
efentrary to the provision of the Act of Parliament, that untried
prisoners should be put to the tread-wheel. In one instance, it
c vainly appeared that a prisoner, who before conviction was or-
dered to the wheel, and having refused, was told that if be did
not walk he should be allowed nothing but the strict prison fare,
viz.—bread and water. This he thought was equal to compulsion.
NOW the Act allowed prisoners before trial, if theychose to be so
employed; to work at the wheel ; bus this was contrary to another
d a most excellent clause of the Act, which prohibited the clew-
• leg of untried prisoners with those who had been coneicted. The
remedy diet he should propose for this grievance was, to prevent
their work:ne on the tread-wheel, before trial, under any circum-
semees, whether with or without their consent. It certainly was
• 717 t before competent to Magistrates to put untried prisoners to the
wheel; but if threats similar to what he had alluded to, were
n.ade use of, the Art is rendered nugatory; and he therefore was
of opinion, that the method he now proposed was as effectual
• any that could be devised. lie likewise considered, that
neither harshness nor severity should be ahewn to prisoners
before trial, as they were not there on account of their guilt,
which had ;not been yet ascertained, but for the purpose of
seaarity, that they might be fonhcoming to stand their trial : and
they therefore ought to be treated with as much indulgence as was
consistent with that severity. He also considered that it lessened
'die stigma of the punishment to put the innocent and the guilt
indiscriminately on the name work, The second point to which
the Honourable Member had adverted was the different degree of
labour to which convicted persons should be liable. He thought it
would be difficult to fit a maximum of labour; and he did not ex-
. actly agree to the theoretical calculation that the Honourable Gen-
' denim had tletlarted, that 12,000 steps, or 1.000 yards, or 24 miles
, perpendicular, were equal to a progressive walk of 37 mike : he
thought the calculation falls/isms : in the lint place, the ascent
was no: perpendicular; sachet there was not the fatigue of dragging
the body up the step. Bat he would much rather that the Hou.
;Member ter Shrewsbury had adduced some instance wherein it
would appear that this labour was prejudicial to the health of them
saapleyed an it : he would prefer such an illustration of its was-
eiiiefs. to any far-fetched or overstrained calculation. Ile had
Amena it stated that there were a set of prison-fancies, whose occu-
petite: it was to go about inspect the prisons, and see that their
harem.. were as comfortable as crcumstatices would admit of. He
wuglad to hear it, ashe was convimed the greatest good must result
from it. Ati Honourable Baronet, lately a 31eather of that House
(Sir J.C. Ilippeley) wits an ene.ny to tie: tread-wheel, and had dis-
-403w/red. as he supposed, great objections to it, and proposed sub-
atituting the crank-wheel ; but he did not think that at would be
Leif en etlecutel as that now used : he therefore implored Honour.
able Geatlemen not to lessen the effect of this punishment unless
they could devise a better measure for the prevention of crime. The
method lemeased by the Honourable Member. of a maximum of
labour, he thought an injudicious one, as it would leave the Magis-
trate nu discretion in allotting it. The last objection which the
Honourable Member took was to the small jurisdiction, and seem-
ed Wish that all peeseeers sheald ha sent to die County Gaol ;
now he only wished that the Honourable Member would sonsider
the meet:it:is of such a plan, accompanied as it must be by the
.prisoner 'akin two painful journeys, perhaps in irons, under all
the circienstauces of publicity and ;consequent disgrace; he must
say that he thought local jurisdiction far preferable with respect to
maniees, which was die only point left for him now to observe on,
and he should wish that some regulative' might be made ; there was,
in all prisons. aof 'thud ward, but, as the law now mood, th was
ao place fir them. The onourable 31euther begged, in
tssncl msio,n, to renterk, that as this was only the second reading of
the Bill, the Mujectior.s to it might be urged in the Committee,
wiwre they wieria he better discusses!, but it should be understood
th it die Act wee intended to refer only to County Gaols.
Sir T. It ENG said, that he had great objection., to the use
of the tread will, as he knew an instance of an athletic man bre-
og been put on it, and when he had worked at it few ten minutes
he quitted it in u state of peepiration and coninlete exhaustion,
isiet•if such was :Mew' to be the fact he contended that it was tw-
ee.e sad not punishment, besides which it was in evidence that
premiere were more liable to colds and rheum: them since the adop.
tine i.f this mode of employing them. Agein, it was not equalie-
e-e. immovnient ; for suppose two persons were put to the wheel,
u.ee :a.' emelt had been inured to hard labour and the other not, it
trerl to reason diet it would act meter harder on the one than en
the °e'er ; and lie w could this be called proportioning punishaient
? lie would also instance the ea:• aif a woman of the ileme
se :meg who had been put to this herd labour immediately afar
tier delivery of a child, and she was taken front it in such a state of!
os to %mace ber confinement necessary Inc fifteen days.
sher settee she Vial. again put :au. 'rime lion. Member then read
Isom the Peport the eircumataacee attendant on the wonian's caste.
Mr. Pail, rose to explain that it had he;:n suggested to hint by
Le Doe. treed, die 31ember for Exeter, that before conviction
etemsele for maniacs but the gaol. After convio.
he sent to any Lunatic Asylutn.
I; SU3INER observed, that the lion. Bart. (Sir
only read a part of the Report that related to the
mit. of Loader being put to went t the wheel. It
ic he hut favoured them with the whole history
oesrod that she went to the tread-wheel at her own
tg it to solitary confinement. She sas nut at it
more than halt' an hour ; and in the second, for
Inwee. So far from its being detrimental to her
red, that on the 31st October she weighed Ost. 21b ,
fain weighed on the 13th December, afar having
of November at work on the wheel, when she was
Mod 91b. He begged that the floe. Member fur
.:a wait a little before he legislated oa the subject,
present system operated.
:tN observed, that punishment would fail in its
not accompanied by degradation.
:ENAV was of opinion that considerable difficulty
in a necessity of every jurisdiction au a county to I
to a County Gaol:

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