The National Register.
London, England, 1812-07-05 00:00:00

JULY 5.

House, they had now done with it, and it remained II r the other
branch of the Lc Mature to adopt or reject it.
Mr. Ceztvsy, atter censuring the conduct of Lord Glenbervie,
fur not making his triennial rep: rt to Parliament, as Surveyor of the
Crown Lauds, and expressed hirrielfdissatisfied with the manner in
which the works in Mary-le-bone Park were conducted, moved for
an account of the sums expended on them since 18(1.
Mr. WHARTON spoke in defence of Lord Glenbervie, and the mo-
tion was then agreed to.
Sir F. Bueorr-r enquired if Government were aware that soldiers
were at present employed at Bristol, where an election for a Member
of Parliament was going on, in the very place where the poll was
taking ?
Lord PA [Alta STON replied, that the troops had been marched out
of Bristol before the commencement of the election ; but that Gene-
ral Oswald, commander of the district, had received a requisition
from the Mayor of Bristol, calling on him to march the military back
into the city, to aid the civil power : lie had not, howe‘er, thought
himself justified in doing so, but had marched the Middlesex Militia
into the suburbs, where they were now quartered.—Adjourned.

FRIDAY, JULY 3.
The report of the Starch Bill was received and agreed to, and the
Bill ordered to be read a third time on Monday.
The Local Militia Bill was read a second time, and committed for
Monday.
The report of the Poor Returns Bill was taken into consideration,
and the Bill ordered w be read a third ti►:me cn Monday.
A message was sent fromn the Lords, agreeing to the Charitable Do-
nations Bill. the Militia Pay Bill.
The third reading of the Lottery Bill was fixed for Monday next.
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT postpone" a motion which it WA) his inten-
tion to make this day, relative to Mr. Flat:her, the Brewer, to Wed-
nesday next.

LANCASTER CASTLE.

Sir FRANCIS BURDETT commenced his speech upon this subject,
by stating, that he hoped he would not detain the House long,
although the circumstances that induced him to were such as re-
spected the security of every man in the kingdom ; they referred with
peculiar force to those most of whom were labouring under inistbr-
tunes, brought upon them, Pet by misconduct, certainly not by
crime. He alluded to the prisoners confined for debt. It was, he
aaid, often the case, that the gaolers had an interest in adding to the
discomforts of the prisoners, and they availed themselves of that
which they deemed a privilege, by rising their power most tyran-
nically. If ever there existed a time for investkation this -was the
tune. He conceived it indispensably necessary that a general enquiry
should be made into the state of all the gaols in England, and having
bad his attention called most particularly to Lancaster gaol, he would
pot withhold the informatio,t he had been put in possession of from
the House. At the same time he would not pledge himself to the
truth of the several cases he had to state ; and declared, that if there
was any misrepresentation, the charge could not rest with him, but
with those who had submitted the description of their sufferings to
bun. Several had borne testimony to the general good character of
Mr. Higgins, the gaoler of Lancaster Castle ; but whatever his cha-
racter might be, it certainly could not be allowed to have the slightest
weight in preventing an investigation into the facts. The Hcn.
Baronet here took an opportunity of adverting to the punishment of
balite). confinetnent, which, he said, though it might prevent the.ope-
ration of those vices that were most striking to the eye, would foster
others that were of a inure malignant complexion—those of cruelty
and hypocrisy. He then proceeeded to read several letters which he
had received from different persons under confinement in Lancaster
gaA. One of them stated a case, which, if the description was cor-
rect, was exceedingly atrocious. It mentioued that great shrieks and
roapiags were frequently heard in the gaol, proceeding from a man
named Rawlings, that he had been beaten most unmercifully two or
three days successively, and that his groans and complaints were dis-
tinct y heard during that time; after which tire rest of tne prisoners
supposed he was brought to* cell under ground, for his lamentations
became less audible, and at length totally ceased. They were given
to understaod by the gaoler, that he had strangled himself. The
Coroner's liaoest was held upon the body, but during their enquiry,
no part of Ow man except his face was seen, and that was bruised
and swelled in several parts. The Coroner's Jury was'eomposed of
sot debtors and six stone-masons. The latter were accustomed. to
work in Lancaster Castle. Two men who were employed in laying
out the body said, that it appeared to them to be a mass of congealed
blood. The unfortunate man who had fallen a victim was confined
fur murder, and supposed to be deranged. This was the strongest of
tl e cases adduced by the Hun. Baronet, but he stated many otners,
to prove that enquiry should be made to ascertain %vac' her they were
tru..t or false. He expected that no objection would 'be made to his
motion, and he thought lit his duty to state, that never since he first
e I:red that House, had he witnessed such a willingness upon the part
of Government to listen to and investigate the complaints of the
People. He concluded by moving an Address to the Prince Regent,
that he would be pleased to order a Commission to be made to ex-
amine into the. charges against the Magistrates, and the state and
iPanitgentent of Lam; klr Castle.