The National Register.
London, England, 1819-10-10 00:00:00

'PRISON REGULATIONS.

Mr. George Boulton Muinvvaring, one of the
Magistrates for the County of Middlesex, has ad-
dressed a Letter to the Chairman of the Magistrates
for that County. We cannot write theatame with-
out painful recollections of his titther's conduct
before his dismis.al from office ; nor do we forget
that his son had some unpleasant traits in his
public character ; as all, however. are open to
amendment, we charitably hope this gentletnan has
felt its influence ; .at all events, as we judge of
documents on their own merits, without allowing
ourselves to be biassed, either way, by the signatures
appended to them, and as we consider this a useful
sensible letter, we proceed to enable our readers to
judge of it.
It DEAR SIR,--1 venture in trouble you upon a sub-
ject which bas for some time anus: stithissly engaged uty
attention ; and I do so with the more confidence, from
the couviction that your opinion is somewhat in unison
with oty own, And that the sanction of your authority
and co-operation w;il !..to eery far indeed towards effect-
ing an ohject, in which the interests of the county of
ZI old Jebel are essentially concerned.
i allude to the state of our prison and more
especially .to that of the !louse at Correction.
hhe denomination of this, and of similar receptacles,
most emphatically expresses the object of their knstitu-
non—that it was to punish 4Uld to reform. . .

Of the expediency and the duty of carrying this, the
intention of their founders and of the Legislature into
dfcci, ti.tre can be no (mist.; but I fear that there exists
much doubt 111)011 the IlftallS of doing so, and the slow
progress which has been hitherto made in our effectual
system of prison discipline is but a too decided contirnia-
aaaa of I.;tts fix; ; however, when we consider the subject
in its consequences to the public, and its lusting im-
portance to the individuals concerned, 1 trust that one
common tentiment will prevail as to the object in view,
and that as far as talent and exertion can avail. we may
depend upon the individual and collective Zeal of the
Inatt,istracy iu digit akplication.

OCT. 10.

Zr hare been led to the foregoing reflections. front the
confident persuasion, that the prison under consideration
is not a place either of puntshment or reform ; that it
excites no terror or apprehension of its discipline. anti
that it has consequently little influence in preventing
crime ;.nor has it, in its actual operation, any tendency
to reform the criminal ; .I also tear that it has a sum
positive evil than this, and that it aggravates the 111i5.
chief which it attempts-to remedy.
In the. peueral intercourse of society, the most ahan.
doned may have she ehance of virtuous relatiies or
friends to w►thdraw.them from their criminal career
but,. in a place where the whole society is vicious, and
where the-most corrupt, from idleness and communica-
tion, have the uninterrupted means, from morning till
night, of more deeply infecting those comparatively pure,
it is absurd to look for punishment, or to calculate upon
reformation.

From my intimate acquaintance and friendship with
the magistrates who visit this prison, know that they
are fully sensible of these evils, and that they most
anxiously wish to remedy them. 1 sin aware that a
criminal of the metropolis, is, in many respects, of -it
different.character from one of any other place in the
kinalions ; that hs is possibly the offspring of crime—
trained and disciplined in its pursuit, and that plunder
is his profession ; and it may be said, that his reforma-
tion is impracticable—that he must return to his former
associates and calling; without friends, without money
or character, whither or to whom can he go?
Discouraging as this slew may be, are-there not fa-
vourable circumstances, even in the cases of these delin-
quents? In distant parts of the kingdotn, where popu-
lation is scattered, ct i 11l inals have not (as with us) the
same means of unobserved association, their temptations
are fewer, facilities less, escape more difficult. In these
situations, therefore, where adventitious and external
circumstances are less liable to act, it is reasonable to
conclude, that the sins of a -culprit am more exclusively
his own : if, then, in prisons, to which he is consigned,
we find that his heart and life can acquire a new direc-
tion (as experience begins to teach us it may), are we in
this county to despair? With us, large as is the cata-
logue of offenders, the number of those must be great,
whose vices were not originally their own • and may we
not hope, that iii many, seeds may have been sown, that
with care end culture will yet quicken into virtuous life.
From this description of persons there is, undoubtedly,
ground for hope; but I further contend, that with the
worst, tinder an efficacious system, there is a probabi-
lity ofamend men'. . _

Idleness," we are told, " is the root of all evil.'
Speaking of its force noon criminal habits, we may truly
say, that it is the constspirtr:e, as well as the source of
crime. The feverish life of a criminal SO debilitates and
iiniiairs body and mind, that he becomes idle almost
against his will, arsd.unable to follow up the better re-
solutions•of a transient -remorse ;• therefore, the surest
means of his reformation, will be found in giving him a
habit (a mechanical habit) of industry, and in reprodu-
cM;3, energies which have been lost by crime and debau-
chery.
I might here, I think, safely leave this subject; but
if I am asked in what manner I would produce this
habit, I say, by hard labour,.and that that labour is the
best which is the cant active—labour, which shall
really work the body and subdue (properly discipline) the
mind : and considering (as we mast at first do) the ob-
jects of our attention to the unwilling agents, we should
place them in a situation, where, however unwilling,
they must (wlaalst employed) be working. Foe this
purpose, of all the labour that I have seen or heard of,
as a primary means of industry, as well as an actual
punishment, the stepping-mill work is the most desira-
ble. I have recently had an opportunity of observing its
efficacy in the gaol attlary, which at the sante tune
that it shows a prison combining punishment and re-
form, exhibits a thriving and cheerful manufactory,
where there is not an inmate, without an entire, or an
useful -and profitable occupation. Stibsidiaty employ-
ments will soon be Vuland, when the first principle of
labour is understood, and its effects are proved ; and its
the prison just mentioned, the intervals between this
severe task of mill duty are cheerfully occupied in lighter
. works, suited to the taste, inclinations, and former ha-
bits of prisoners. It may s ill be observed, that th Sis
compulsion—that when the powers ceases, its eikc s
will be lost ; and when upon deliberation, free agency
returns, former propensities well return with it : I an-
swer with some confidence, that this has been the c use
to a very limited extent where an effective prison disci-
pline has been adopted; and I apprehend that reasonin;
and analogy from the nature and constitution of man
will confirm such a result. f_

Man, especially in the laborious classes of society, is,
and.should be, mechanical iu his habits; therefore, ha-
bits be given him, front which lie acquires health, Strength.,
peace.of mind, sad the honest means of support, solely it
is not beyond probability, that many, even the worst of
men, may pistil' by the-aciptisition of such habits. Eseti
should it be thought, Cott llw term of some itnprkonments
is too short to effi et a radical improvement, still the sys-
tem is good ; and we may in such cases infer comparative
tuts crime, and consequeully comparative amenclineut.
The. caticarreut influence of solitary confinement, (if
necessary), and of spit itual admonition anti guidance, mutt
also, whew rightly and earnestly detected, powerfully aid
the course of personal currectom.
lneudeavuutingto remove the reasonable grounds of
doubt to which 1 have ads cried, I have throughout been
sensible of the expense of an effectual cliehge of system,
and of the Immutable objection to w Inch it may give rise :
the benefit of change, it shay be isto.erted, i uncertain;
the expense Ccrllllll. This observation is ilpplie4hle to
almost all cases ill which money is necessary to itnprove-
ment, and would at once produce it : but the right COll/4.
',Makin is, whether, according to corn reasoning, and
flout actual experience, the change be likely to sueefeed :
the filmier 1 have been sit living to enfot cc ; to the latter,
facts will speak,and the experiments of other places will,
I thiuk, satiety our scruples, and direct us to du our duty.
The first es Kobe any ha cousiderable, the labiate may
not pay itself, the animal ear:nil:tote way fur a time be

OCT. 10.

increased ; but if the culprit raft be reclaimed and society
benefit tei , (though the expenditure be somewhat increased.)
will slot our colours, deeply ',arrested :is it is in the
Moil of reline, cheerfully a 1 I IMaulfolly rooiribuie it, the
promotion olds silt II serail ii , and to the rtto.w at these by
a bum that security iris heel' 111s-Ale:11
Intilk that 411 lop very dolma periol, the economical
nisei witia of a new sstcoi would be :At ; e ill not ill wan-
tiel yof uninitaoteil tliwtplinc, iu it. ,pre.td and eumniu-
uicittion, if at deter the crimival, save u, from his cliare?
Thc 4:o:lsailiptioa of our prism' is great, and is Oh pi toper find
aigitaut au,wrintentlence, in the primary necearai y of life,
b., in 11-work alone, u griott saving may be edected; the
send..r's profit stiuuld be ours; and in every tang possible
the prison IWO(' contribute to itself; but Minoan, profitable
ur out. is toe principle upon o hich we should act, us the
Mean* of punishment and of reformation.
I have thus taken Ilse Whit) ut lolive>in; my thoughts to
you, feeling that it woo clue to your station, anal y to should
wive the means of 'giving them >our serious lei ion ;if
taere be any thug guutl or ui ful in it Imt IL h ,ve ,44;.tested,
I know that it a ill have the benefit of your representation
and recommendsition, and ilia it will rccieve an influence ,
stud %eight (loin pm, which no effort of mine could pro.
flue« ;if nut, lam sure us a friend, that you will Sit least
appreciate tile motives, w silt w hich I h.iye adilietwed you , •
they will be sufficiently explained in the evils hich I have
described, and in ihe übliot• to reroovr (nein.
sun, dear air, every must truly yams
Staple-iao, Sept. 11, I/319. ti. B MAI-N WARING.

Wood in Scotland.— rue reproaches which Dr. John-
son, its his journey to the Hebrides, threw out against
Scotland fur its With of wood, thoogh perhaps a little
exaggerated, were probably not very tar irons the truth.
That country, about a century before, had been covered
with old wood ; which, being considered by the pro-
prietors as of no value, was allowed to fall into dec iv,
without any effort to preserve it, while the introduetant
of sheep etlecttislly prevented the growth of young wood,
Accordingly, when the old trees full &run from age,
toe country because quite bare. But the reproaches of
1)r. Johwoo, turned the attention of the Scotian land-
lords to planting; and its many puts of Scotland. par-
ticularly io Perthshire, the detect of which, Dr. John-
son tasitplained has beets completely reusoved. Tue
two greatest planters of trees in that county, and per-
haps us Scotland, are the Duke of Athol and the Earl
of Bre:M.lll).one. Each of • these noblemen, we are in-
ionise !, has 'slanted at least 60,f500,000 of trees.
V to LENT 0 U. 11111.0311..--011 Tileiday, about 2 o'clock,
two ladies walking iu the llegetat's-park, were attacked
is the in sat indecent manner by one of those vile
WICICIIVS who infest the town. A gentleman coining
in siglir, they called upon him for protection, but the
miscreant. had got so a distance slot to he overtake° ;
however, he kept hint in view, and when he got into
the New-road, induced a groom to take him into a
chaise, and pursued the fellow; lie soots came up with
hunt, when lin seized the. scoundrel, and gave him a
most severe beating, to the satisfaction of a number of
persons, who were very desirous to throw him into the
canal. The wretch is about 40 years of age, stool, and
low of stature, marked with the small-pox; had on a
blue coat, striped waistcoat, and white apron, and had
the appearance of a ports ror upholsterer's man. This
description of him is given to guard the pualic against
the tellow whereever he appears.
Some • ago, a gentleman in Galloway, while
seslking over his estate, observed a peasant boy rapidly
mounting to the top of a very high tree, in search no
doubt d a crow'sor a pye's nest. Being concerned for
the little fellow's safety, as well as atixtotis to banish
such mischievous intruders from his plantations, he
bawled, out " Hoy! you little. scoundrel ! what arc you
about there? Come down immediately. and never let
me see your face in this place again." The climber,
nowise alarmed at this address, rested himself upon a
branch, and answered very laconically, " Na! if I was
to come dorm, you wad lick me." "No," said the
gentleman, "although you well deserve to be punished,
1 wont beat you for the offence—so come down tonne-
niately." " Say as sore's deeth ye'll 113 lick me," re-
joined the culprit, "and Ell conic doon." " What !
yots impudent rogue, do yon presume to doubt my word,
and treat me like one of your schoolfellows?" "1 Junta
Len," whimpered the pertinacious boy, "but unless
you say as sure's deeth, I'll na ensue dorm the day." The
iv:oilman, who is a distinguished huniourist, and is a
member of the present Parliament, had now great diffi-
culty in preserving his gravity, and finding further re-
monstrance vain, he at last fairly capitulated with the
enrol, and agreed: to let him march off with all the
honours of war. It is almost needless to aria, that the
terms of this capitulation were better observed than some
of those that nave wide a greater noise in the world.
'f he boy was dismissed, with a trifling reward, and a
strong injunction never again to climb a tree, or bredk
through au inclosure—an injunction which, on the
part of the rising generation, will probably be attended
to, when the birds cease to build, and the wild entities
to ripen. . .

As; inquisition was taken on Wednesday at the Wise
Anchor• in East Salk Weld, before J. W. Unwin, Esq.
Coroner, on the body of Esther Parsons.
It appeared that the deceased cohabited with a young
man of the name of James Bennett. hut same altercation
having taken place, caused a separation; she Mlle at dif-
fesent times to bin lodgings, entreating of him to give her
admittance, stating, that she had as way of support, nor
place of rusidence ; he would not heusken to her entreaties
but always marred her off; she at length, despairing of his
doing any thin; for her, told him that she would come stud
haug herself at his door. Monday last he had occasiun to
heave home very early in the morning; on g g out lie
locked hi► door, tool in the interim the deceased came and
•asked the landlady if he k Brun, tt 1 was at home; the land-
lady said that he was not, but that he a ould be in :mon to
breakfast. The deceased said that she would go and sit on
the stair.case at his room door until be came in ; she acme,-
diagly went up stairs, and the landlady took no further
tio; ice of her; BennrtB came soon afterwards, and on going
up stairs, the first thing that presented itself to him was
the deceased ea•pcnded by a cord at the door. She was im-
mediately eta don n, and Mr. Price,. a surgeon, residing In