The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-02-18 00:00:00

with tuncliinery, they ought to huriied."—(i/ear,

and a laugh.)
Mr. BRoVGRAM arts in general averse to legisla-
tive interference between parent and child, on the
groom' of right, mid no less on that Of expediency.
But he conceived that the Hill before the House
went only to regulate between the parent and child,
where the conduct of the former towards the latter
would be is breau•h of natural duty mid a crime.
Neither did he approve of the priories'.• of interter-
jog between the maater and boy ; Lot lie would
interfere, where the child was of such a tender
age as not to be in full possession of his facul-
ties, and to require foreign protection. The
present Bill did not interfere with the right of
any permit arrived at years of maturity to apply
himself to what occupation he pleased. The ques-
tion, therefore, resolved itself into the pro-
priety of the period of time fixed in the Bill, and
as lie knew that his lion. Friend would fix it con-
siderably below 21, when the law considered an in-
dividual to be capable of governing himself, mid to
he suo jury, the measure should receive his support.
He wished to remind the House, that the Bill
Was tint a novelty in our law ; its first clause
referred to a preceding Act, and the Bill wits
in point of fact almost a► copy of the 28th or the
King. That Act interfered boas with the right of
parent and master, and stated, iu as strong language
as could be employed, the evils against which his
Honourable Friend's Bill was directed ; it was car-
ried too at a time when the present Law Officers
were in office. though lower than those they now
filled, and in Mr. Pitt's Ministry; so that if Ibis
Honourable Fsieild was a visionary, others had been
so before liim.—(llear.)—The preamble of the Act
iu question stated, that " whereas the various com-
plicated miseries inflicted on climbing boys are be-
youid any other to which children of their tender
age are subjected, be it provided," &c.
Mr. I)ENM *ll was sorry to (howl) the unanimity
of the House on the present occasioir, but lie was
of opinion that the principle of regulating labour
might be carried too far, and that the Bill snider
discussion, did, iii point of fact. carry it to too
great a length. Besides, lie could not think, that
if machinery was as useful and effectual as lied
hero represented, the people of this country were so
cruel as to persist in the use of climbing boys
merely for purposes of cruelty. An lion. Gen-
tleman (Mr. Grenfeli), laid said, it was ascertained
by insurance °Rives that machmes were capable of
general application. in that case, climbing burs
were perfeetlj utmecessary ; sill if such were the
fact, lie did not see how legislative enactmetits
were at all required ; and when lie perceived so
many clauses in the Bill Ity which a Magistrote
could impose permitter on offenders, and award a
part to inform .e, the intervention of n jut,.
being altogether removed, a strong case must be
made out before he could vote for it. He heartily
wished that the use of climbing toys wan entirely
abolished, but he thought it might he salely left to
the humanity and good sense of the people Of
England to dispense with them, when universally
knovati that their services could be dispensed
with. However severe such employment might
be, it was deserving the consideration of the
House, whether it was not superior to others
to which boys themselves niight turn if it were
taken away—to pilfering, sod jackirig pockets and
robbery. He objected to that clause, which pro-
alder] a penalty lot a breach of indentures by the
master, to be assessed by a Magistrate, instead
of
leaving it to be recovered by action. lie had a
strung, a decided overaiim to vesting powers of this
nature in a Magistrate. lie should take that no.
port unity to say, that those prrsolis who had breo
in the Itahit of using noichitiety, had hero very re-
miss in giving notice of it to the public.
Mr. GRENYELL, iii explatiatiao, said, lie had not
stated of has (Iwo knowledge that machinery %via
more efficacious and sale than bays—tit it would be
usserting too much. What lie had rood was, that
he had been informed list the proportion of
chinthies swept by machinery which had taken fire
in a gives' time, but two oust of 65.
Mr. IVtaprorouce had a much larger oppor-
tunity of observing the operritorii nod nithrence
of the principle 811%1o:iced sod relied 011 by 1!•e
Gentleman behind hint (Slr. 'Denman), namely, of
leaving Mingo to be reformed by the cood arose
and humanity of the public, than that Gentleman
had had. It woe a proseiple urged a;; boat roost
humane improvenietsts sisagested to the House.
Wlieu lie hail first brought the cotie.;iimi of the
slaves under the cutirideration of the House, the
opponents of change said that the 'water might
safely be left to the discretion of the parties inte-
rested ; it was the interest of trafficktis to have
the trading ships as c•omfortuble mid commodious
ar possible, and of the colonial slave-owner to see
that his slaves were knolly mid humanely treated :
and yet how false had such reasonaig been proved
to lie by fact* hear.)—The rotate mold
which was capable of perseverance in a good cause,
was perhapa prime to olostioacy ite a bail. Of
toasty unprovetneuts discovered and produced to
this country, had not the inhabitants of it been
the last to tletive the benefit* ? No stringer
example could be produced of that Ilion the
fact, that after the dise•overy of the cow-Pock.
we were lostog hundreds and thousitiols of people
by the smalls pux. while the great eat:corm the Con-
titimit, winch had availed themselves of the great
imororement, were placed is a state of eompara-
lave arc...iota. That Was as satisfactory all airawer
to the Hon. Member's argument as stook! he ail-
duced.—(llear.)—Certaitily, machinery might get
the upper hand of the other method after a num-
ber of years, without any legislative interference;
but to how many miseries, mid to what wretched-
liras would the unfortunate boys he exposed in the
mean time ? All who had read the Report of the
Board id %Vol Ls instat have been couvoiced of the
applicability of machinery. 111 any incotiveinemce
were to follow f the measure before the House,
it would fall out the rich. and those able to hear it,
while it would re.•cue the roast Itelpleirs part of the
community from aggravated degrodat and cm.
elty. It should receive Ina warm support.
Mr. liAttlissl said, that twenty years ago sweep-
ing boys hail lever been heard of to the vicinity of
the place whirr lie resided. sod when he took steps
to introduce stir use of them. so great was the
love of ens! , that retool resistance was offered
to it, and at the present time out one out of ten
chimmea wasawrot in that part lit the country.
'flit Howse then wee iota Committee on the Bill.