The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-29 00:00:00

iRsIrIoNdnLE INrELLBENTE.

The Duke of Grafton had a dinner party yesterday, at his house
in tiarge%-‘ireet.
The Luke of Beaufort entenained a large party at dinner yester-
day, at his house in Grosvenor-square.
The Earl of Lansdale entertained a diatinguished party at dinna
yesterday', at his house in I,!tarlea-street, Berkeley-squats.
Du The ke of Wellington and a large party of foahionables
dined on Thursday with Mr. and Mrs. Hope, at their house in
.11 an.field :meet.

---
The Earl of Suffolk, est Earl of Surrey, Lord Sherbonse, and
Sir Charles Knightley, had dinner parties yesterday.
The Counter.* of flarewood has issued card, of invitation for an
assembly, on Priday. the 111th June, at Harewood House.
The Duke of otk and Prince Leopold honoured Countess
Lieven's hall oa Thursday et ening with their presence.
The Duke and Duchess of heeds hare issued cards of invitation
for two entertainments, To-morrow and :Hominy, at their house
in Bruton-street, Herkelc}-square.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued cards of invitation
for two parties, the Bth and 12th of June, at Lambeth Palace.
Lord Dvnevor entertained the Duke of Iteaufort, the 31arquis
and Man:hippest* of time, the Earl of &heater, Lord and Lady
Colchester. Inrd Ilayning, Admiral Markham, Colonel Towns-
bend. !tr. at dinner on Thursday, u his house in lfover-street.
The Coatitess of Lases enteruined the Dowager Duchess of
I Richmond, the lonises Lemos, and a distinguished party, at
dinner yesterday, at her house in Hill-street, Berkeley-seiunre.
The Marchioness of Lansdown gave a concert on Thursday
evening, at Lansdown House, Berkelev-square, under the direc-
tion of Signor Rossini. Aniongst the vocal performers were
Madame Pasta. This music commenced about half-past ten o'clock,
in the statue gallery. The drawing-roonts were most
illuminated Theta were present about 200 fashionable' ; among
whom wore the Duke of Wellington, the Duke and Duchess of
Argyll, the Duke and lhichess of senitrwt, Earl of Rosalyn, the
Larl anti l'ountess of Harrowby, and Lady Mary Ryder, the Earl
and Countess of li-rby, Lord and Lady Belgrare, Earl of Essex,
the Earl and Countess of Sheffield, the Earl and Countess 31orley,
the Earl and l'ountess Manvers, the Earl and Olintess of Suilidk,
Lord Andover, Lord Ellenbortrugh, Sir Hobert and Lady
31`Farlane.

Lieut.-fit-nen] Sir James Kemp( has arrived at the St...iamea's
lintel, Jermyn-street, front Ilalilsi.
Charles 3loore, Esq. has arrivist at his house in Charles-street,
Berkeley square, from the Continent.
ISepartures from Itoruiin's lintel. Albemarle-street:—Mr. and
Lady C. Finch Hatton, fur their seat in Kent ; 3lrs. De Courcey
PElfatii, and Miss Syntex, for Paris.
Arrival at the Pulteney Hotel, Albemarle-street:—Lord and
Lady iValilegrave, from their seat. Strawberry Hill. Departure:—
Captain and Mrs. tiayne. for their scat in Kent.
Departures from laing'. lintel, Itond-street :—Captain and Mrs.
Lee, for the Continent; IVm. Norman. Esq. for Brighton; Capt.
sherwin. R.N. for Plymouth ; and J. I'suglian, Esq., for his seat
in Norfolk.

Arrivals at Fladong's Hotel, Oxford-street :--Sir Robert Blair,
Bart.. Mr. and the Misses Blair, lion. Mt. and Mrs. Winn, Mr.
and Mrs. Jekin, and 31iss Harvey, from a tour; Admiral Mark-
ham, M.P. and 3lestra. Markham, from Sussex ; Rev. Mr.
Lewes, taptsin Villiers. and James Lee, Esq. from a tour ; Col.
and Mrs. IVollaston, from Hinckley. lkpartures :—Sir W.
Braliazan. Bart. for his seat in Ireland; Mr. and Mrs. lioullon
and family, for Chelmsford ; Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn. for Dublin;
Capt Waller, R.N. and Major Mason, on a tour; .Mr. and 31ra.
Pruiheroe, tOr Herts ; and R. Vachell, Esq. fat Essex.

TREATY WITH 7WE NE7HERLANDS.

(From s Dutch Paper received yesterday.]

HAGUE, MAY 24.
SECOND CHAMBER OF TILE STATES-GENERAL.
The Central election brought up the Report on the project of
law relative to the Treaty of London. It is of the following
tenor :

All the Sections have highly approved the Treaty concluded I
at London nn the 17th of March, 1824, between the lintiuh and
Netherlands Plenipotentlartes Most of the Sections have made
no observations whatever. _ _

...... - --_._..
Some Sections required a guarantee that the one hundred thou-
sand pounds sterling which England is to receive, according to
the Pith Article, shall fall entirely to the charge of the Indian
possessions.
The Government ref:rred them to the explanatory memorial.
which other Sections rightly understood, and had expressed their
ratisfartian with the security that sits obtained.
The sth Article gave rise to the observation, that by the Bri-
tish laws, the Slave Tride is plved on a par with piracy, and
that in the Legislation of the Netherlands, there is no enactment
which can authorise a Judge to affix to the traffic in slaves the
punishment of piracy.
The Government replied, that this observation is In itself well
founded, hut that the piracy here alluded to, is not so much
that of which the subjects of the two Powers may be guilty, an
that which is constantly carried on by Indian provinces, and
nations against their subjects themselves. Sn far, however, a.
this observation may imply a wish fur a more positive law on the
slave Trade, the Assembly is informed that the Government in
actually engaged in planning a measure of this kind, and that it
rimy probably be laid before their High Alightinesses in the fol-
lowing sitting.
PUTTING or TAIL 25-rn Or MAT.

The discussion of the Treaty of London was concluded it
was adopted unanimously, and ordered to be sent to the First
Chamber.

SOCIFTF FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF PRISON
DISCIPLINE. AND FOR THE REFORMATION
OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

The sixth !anniversary of this excellent institntiop was celebrated
yesterday, at Freemasone-hall. Great Queen.otreet, Lincoln's !oil-
fields. The company was very numemus, of which the 'reinter
part were females ; and we remarked that the members of the So-
ciety of friends considerably prevailed. Among the more distin;
tinguished pennons present were, the Bishop of Lichlield and Co.
sentry, the Earl of I frosvenor, Lord Calthorpe, Sir John Cox hiip-
pisley. Bart., Sir George Rose, Raw., T. F. Buxton, Elul., B. Sykes,
Esq.. George Long, Esifi., Christopher Tower, Esq. &c. &c.
' The importance of this institution cannot be for a moment
doubted, when it is considered that it has for its object the exten-
sion of those principles, and the promotion of those designs, to dif-
fuse which the labours of Howard and othersminent philanthropists
have been directed.

Ilis Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was to have taken
the chair at 12 o'clock, but it having been announced that the Duke
was too unwell to attend, the Earl of firosvenor was Proposed to
preside in his Royal Highness's stead, which the Noble earl accord-
ingly did.
SAMUEL. HOARE, jun. Esq.Cliairman of the Committee, read
an abstract of the report. It detailed the various operations of the
Society in the prisons of the nietropolis, where, in the course of
their visits, the Committee very frequently met with a total absence
of all regulation or system in the classification of offenders, no
regrrd being had either to the degree of guilt with which the
prisoner was charged, the age or sex, but an indiscriminate n li-
gling together. those who had been convicted of the worst crimes.
with those who had not yet been tried. It then gave a ',Miler
Recount of many county gaols, and also of prisons of a local juris-
diction, and proceeded to lay before the meeting the results
produced by the labours of the Committee to introduce, or by their
recommen&tion prevail on the county and local Magistrates to in.
traduce, a sytteni of classification, distinguishing theme whose
offences were of a deep character from such as were of a minor de-
acription, and particularly keeping distinct the youthful trans.
greaser from the hartleripl and experienced criminal. And the re.
port contained several interesting particulars of the success attend-
ing the adoption of these measures. It then took a glance at the
progress which this Society had made in Ireland, and on the conti-
nent of Europe, in effecting a more lenient and wise policy in the
prisons there. Several auxiliary Societies had been formed in dif-
ferent parts of the Continent, and schools for the reformation of
juvenile offenders had been established. The Committee stated
their conviction of the utility of the tread-wheel discipline, and
that they were persuaded it was not at all prejudicial to the health
of the prisoners. The report then spoke of the funds of the Society,
which the Committee regretted were not in so flourishing a state as
the very great important* of their undertaking demanded, and
coecluded by exhorting every one to befriend, by their eontribu-
butions, an institution that proposed, and had indeed already done
tiopuchgood to the world. .

Lord est.Tnott et rage to move that flee statement then read
be adopted, as the basis of the Sixth Report of the Society, and
published with additions. Also, that the meeting felt deeply im-
pressed with a conviction, that the just punishment, and moral
reformation of the criminal were essentially connected with the
best interests of society ; and that it was with great satisfaction
they learned the continuance of the amendment in many of the
county gaols throughout the kingdom, in which classification had
been estentled, inieruction introduced, and labot•r enforced; means
which experience had proved to be most efficacious in the correction
and reform of the Offender. Ills Lordship felt so well assured that
the statement then read had announced so much of the benefits
that had arisen from the Society, that it was hardly necessary for
him to ray any thing in support of the motiemi he had proposed.
lie felt moat strongly that the Institution was of the gre itest
utility; and that it wanan empliatical expression of puhlie opi-
nion, in reference to the method proper to be adopted in the regula-
tion of their prisons. Ile could not help remarking, that much
of the Improvement introduced into many of the gaols in the
kingdom, had been occaaioned by the exertions of that Institution ;
and when he heard of that most salutary regulation, fur having a
matron plated over female prisoners, he was deeply impressed with
a sense of the very essential services which had hem rendered by
that hotly of (minks, who hall, from a strong feeling of sympathy
towards the unhappy members of their own sex, entered the prison
house, arid visited the abodes oe misery, regardless of every revolt.
ing circumstanee that surrounded them, and there to infuse into the
mind of the wretched female those feelings and principles of which
they must have felt till then an almost total destitution. Nor could
his Lordship help adverting to that Society, when he reflected on
those regulations that had been enforced by Parliament for pro.
tooting juvenile instruction in the prisons, as he certainly con-
sidered them to be attributable to the operations of that Institution.
This was a branch of the subject, to which, the more British feel.'
bog was called, the more, he was assured, it would receive.
support. Ile was swats much yet reniained to be accomplished,
and mach remained to be corrected by the expression of public
opinion, aided by the unbounded liberality of public benevolence.
No man could live in that country without feeling the inestimable
benefits which he enjoyed, by having public men, even in the
highest stations, subject to the control of public opinion. It was
a power au great and so be:elicit'', dint even those who wont(' pro-

mote their own bate and selfish imtrests felt its flaw, eurwere
crpelled to cloak their motives under some hypocritical pretence;
and that power. his lowd.hip mid, he would have continue to ope-
rate over the regulation. of the public gaols of the kingdom ; for
the mitre they saw that mighty engine acting on the body of the
Milestraey, the more they should see of justice, moderation, and
Mercy prevail in the ado • .i.oration of the laws towards the mitter-
obte offender. lit. Lordship, after a few further observations. in
'reference to the country flentleinen of England, moved the lint
Resolution.

J. F. lie by ob seconded it. In looking at the operations of the
Society at home and abroad, In England and lrclat,d, in Europe
and throughout the world, that which moat struck his mind was
what it loot been and what it thea 11'31.. Ile confessed its origin was
not very promising; its birth-place was in a 'main spot in Spital-
fields, and was begun by a poor man, who little thought to enlist
Pritwts and make proselytes of the great to advocate Ins cause.
Hut yet of the labours of Mr. Bedford, for that was the name of
its author, the present Institution had attained its existing exten-
sive influence. The Hon. Gentleman then spoke of the laudable
exertions made by two Gentlemen connected with the institution in ,
advancing its tistfulnesa. Formerly. said the lion. Gentleman, it
had been objected to us that we were a set of visionary enthusiasts,
and 'Penton. of a sickly sensibility. who wished to overwhelm the
guilty rift all sorts of comforts;—but those objections had passed
away. and at present they were considered the cruellest bet of men
in the world, and the discipline of the tread-mill was mentioned as
a proof of it. The lion. Gentleman would hare been glad to ex-
press his opinions upon that subject ; but a eimunistance had oc-
curred since lie had been at the meeting which prevented bini from
giving any opinion upon it. There were Genticinent present who
were at &timer% draNn upon the question, and it had been considered
that that was not the proper place for its discussion, and therefore it
had been agreed not to touch upon the subject. Ile however thought
he was at liberty to Pay, that if that kind of punishment could tie
brought to be adopted, in lieu of some of the most objectionable
parts of our correctional sondes at present in force, they should
have reason to rejf.ice that their laboars had not been altogether in
vain.
The motion was then carried.

W. Evssi s, Esq., moved the second Resolution, expressive of
regret at the wretched condition of most of the prisons sunder cur- .
wrote jurisdictions. 'the lion. Gentleman recommended that the
local magistracy should lay aside their prejudices, and meet the
county Magistrate* upon terms of mutual advantage, by which
mean, many of the difficulties that then existed to prevent improve•
meats in prisons belonging to local juridictions would be obviated ;
and the measures contemplated by the legislature fur the final re-
gulation of the local jurisdictions would be rendered unnecessary.
li. aces, Esq., seconded the Resolution. lie spoke of the
great advantages that would result to the country by the Institu-
tion they were then celebrating; and said, that in the town which
he had the honour to represent in Parliament there existed a moat
lamentable want of accommodation for the prisoners. It was his
lot tour times a year to dispense justice in that place, which was so
badly provided with prisons, that when he had been called upon to
pass sentence on the prisoners, he had felt great difficulty what to do
with them. There were only three modes Of punishment, viz.
transportation, publi: whipping, and imprisonment. Transporta-
tion was a mode he much disliked ; lie admitted it was in some
cases neeeeaary, but as &general means he could not bring himself
to adopt it. Then as to whipping, it was a most revolting species
of punishment, and one which in the case of females ought under
no circumstances to be resorted tn. %'hat then remained ? 'Why.
imprisonment ; but to what prison could he send them ? The
prisons there had no means of elamitication, no labour could be en-
forced, no moral or religious. instruction effectually carried on, for
all were obliged to be indiscriminately put together, so inadequate
were the prisons titr the purposes of correction. Happily a new
gaol was about to be erected. The lion. Gentleman then bore tes-
timonv to the great usefulness of the School in Quakers-street,
Spitaltields ; and afterwards spoke in terms of the highest coin-
mendation of the Milbank Penitentiary.
GEORGE Ifoironh, Esq. moved the Third Resolution—
" That it was impossible to regard, but with great interest and
compassion, the condition of many hundred boys in the metropolis,
who derive their daily subsistence from the commission of crime
that the 111“11UO3 of those who, on their discharge from prison, are
desirous of abandoning their vicious courses, but who are per-
redly destitute, has a strong claim, as well on the interests as on
the benevolence, of the community ; and that the means pursued
by the Prison Discipline Society for the relief and reformation of
such criminal youth, entitle the institution to the warm approba-
tion and generous support of the public at large." The Huuour-
able Gentleman said, that probably it was not known to the public,
that within the last few weeks they had discharged from lOU to
1:10 prisoners from the Penitentiary, and no faults had yet been as-
: certamed to have been committed by any of them.
SAMUEL HOARE., Esq. seconded the Resolution in a speech of
some length, detailing many particulars relative to the examina-
tions of youthful offenders by the Committee, more than two-thirds
of shunt could not tell where their parents were, or to whom they
belonged. Many came to the Society, week after week, to claim
their proteetion, but the funds would not permit the Committee to
furnish the necessaries required. Ile was certain, that were the
funds sufficiently ample, ittstead of having then only forty cases to
a year, they would have 400 to report to the meeting.
'l'he motino having been carried,
.Ir. Wit. A ',Leo moved the fourth resolution, thanking the
Alagistracy throughout the kingdom for the intormation they had
all'orded the Committee.

vont: Lova, secor.ded the Resolution in a speech of
considerable length, going over nearly the same grounds that the
previous speakert had occupied.
A vote of thanks to his Royal Highness the Duke o; Moucester
I was then carried.

$• L Woons, Esq. proposed the thanks of the meeting to
Earl Grosreno►.

The Noble Earl rose to express his acknowledgments, when
Sir JOHN Cox Ili prisz.r.e arose, and apologised to the Noble
Lord for addressing himself to the present meeting; but as
two Honourable Gentlemen had particularly alluded to him, he
could not help trespassing on their attention for a few minutes.
The Honourable Baronet then alluded to the punishment of the
tread-mill, and particularly to a letter written by Mr. Cubits, the
inventor of it, in which he had, in terms most unqualified, MO.
tradieted what he (the Honourable Baronet) had in a certain pub-
lication said upon the subject of the tread-wheel discipline: "And
(said the Honourable Baronet) in terms not more unqualified than
misc." He could not refrain from giving this direct refutation to
the contradiction given to his own words by the individual he had
named. The Honourable Baronet then stated, that a prison had
been built in Soinersetshire capable of holding three hundred
persons, at an expense not exceeding 1,1300 f., and that the building
had been entirely completed by the prisoners themselves.
hoed GaosvErroa then returned thanks to the meeting,
and expressed his warmest advocacy towards the Institution be
had had the honour that day of presiding over, though that wan
a circumstance he most sincerely regretted, feeling how much the
Society lost by the absence of their Royal Patron.
The Meeting then separated. A very liberal collection was
made at the doors.