The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-11 00:00:00

COALS.

Lord IL VANE wished to ask the Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs whether his attention had been
directed-10 the high duty imposed by France on coals
imported info that country by sea, compared with that
levied on coals imported on the land irontier by the
Meuse, and through the department of the Moselle; and
whether, in the event of his attention having t,a*ti
directed to that subject, he entertained any hope that the
French Government will consent to equalise the duties?
Lord PALMERSTON said some communications had
passed on the subject between the two Governments, but
waling had passed in the matt( r within the last twelve
mouths. Ills own impression, however. was, that the
regul oion referred to by the Hon. Member were op-
pued to existing tretties between the two nations, and
efforts woull be wade to get rid of it.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

Mr. M. MILNES then ruse to cell the attention
of the Haute to the treatment and condition of juvenile
criminate in this country. There was no subject, he
.aid, of more inalyirtance and interest to the statesman
and philanthropist than that of prison discipline, but
it was a strange circumstance aat the one branch of it,
which was involved in the least difficulty, namely, the
treatment of juvenile offenders had teen almost entirely
negl.cted. J uv. tulle criminals were increasing daily in
this country, and it would appear somewhat singular, but
it nevertheless was true, that they were treated as men.
Wh: n he said this question had obtained very little at-
tention he knew very well something had been done
with regard to penal treatment of young offenders. At
Parkhurst they had established a penal school in-
stead of a prison, bac stitl it was an establish-
ment essentially and immediately of a penal nature,
and one in which the re'ormatory character was
utterly forgotten. The boy from fatkhurst was thrown
upon the world with an unfitness for independent
acti,,n, and destitute of the ability to serve his country
as an honeet-eitiz-n. Very little reflection might have
taught them that it could hardly have been otherwise,
becaufe what had been dune at Parkhurst had been to
give a bor a s rung impressian of punishment; they has
done nettling to improve his herint or to awaken hie
conscience; they hail doge nothing absolutely of a re-
tormat-ry character. He (Mr. Milnes) would
rcc nd the rstablislim, nt of some such asylum fur
imitial youth as w found in the Pnilat.thropie
n, which was of long date, but it had only risen
into vigour end promise under the guidance and eeergy
of that remarkable man, Mr. Sidney Turner, and in-
come the model for the Matteriti in France. It was not
tor him (Mr. M. M Ines), under present citcum
stance', to lay down any distinct Ilan under which
a measure of that kind might be adapted to
the large prison population ; but he would
suggest, as the Noble Lid the Member for Bath
in.d by a late me asure established in all the counties iii
England tit arid proper asylums for those persons who
had been unfortunately deprived of their reason, estab-
lishments of a similar nature should be formed
for the purpose of reforming from the ways of
inevitable crime that enormous body of youthful
offenders. On a rough ca eulstion between 70,000 anti
80,000 pt,rto-ns came under the !mike of the law in
the in' tropes and the aojacent districts, and at least a
bete nth •part of those persot.s were under thirteen
years of age. He thought that in the first place
slight corporal punishment should be administered
to juvenile offenders by the constable of the dis-
trict; for the second offence the child should
be sent for one or two y. ara to one of those reformatory
heuses; and fur the third off.nce to be sent to one of those
est eblish meets terse loug a pee: iod as even five or six years.
The 9th of Victoria was passed at the instance of a lady,
who, from her sympathy with her suffering felow-
creatures, might be placed on a parallel with Mrs, Fry—
he meant Mies Murray; but, notwithstanding the excel-
lent provisions of that Bill, it had remained niopera-
tire, because the Government had, from some cause or
other, nut made use of that valuable instrument
placed in their hands. Notwithstanding all they had
done with respect to summary convictiens, crime was
still on the increase; and whilst no proper provision
was made ter the reforimtion of juvenile offenders, it
would continue to increase. Why could they not sea.;
them to the colonies, to become there useful atiet
reformed members of society? The colonies, which
would shrink wish horror at receiving a number
of old transports, would receive with gladness children.
He was cone-nt to leave the question in the haunts of thc-
Right lion, Baronet, who, he trusted, during thy reeeis
would direct his attention to this important eubj, et, stet
that in 'another session he would not leave it to ay.
individual Metrib--r of the House. Next se-sion he
trusted the Right Hon. Baronet would have male a *ter
in the right direction; but it he conceived the subject
unworthy of his attention, and did not stir in it, he ( tit
Milne.) should, par aft. r year, press it upon the atten-
tion of the House', in order to destroy that mora
anomaly u, conlomiding the crime of the man with the
delinquency of the child. He moved for leave to bring
in a Bill to amend the laws relating to the retorrnatior.
of juvetlile-off.ciders. - •
Mr. HUME seconded the motion.

Sir G. said he should be ready to acquiesce
in the motion it he really thought his Hon. Freud had
a Bill in his possession.
Mr. MILNES said he intended his motion to
apply to the introduction of a Bill next year.
Sir G. GREY said he quite agreed with the HOn.
Gentleman in most that he had said. With him, h.
theught that far wore might be dine with the young
edict:eters than with tivise of wore mature years, and that
the Government should apply themselves more to the re-
forwstion of the young than to thosk• of advanced age.
It should be remembered that Parkhurst was not a
p• nal school, but a prison, and that very great good
had resulted from its operations. It had been esta-
blished ter the reception of youths between fuurte.
and sixteen, who having committed offonces which
subjecttd them to the penalty - of transportation,
were sent there at the recommendation of the judge or
the chairman of the quarter sessions; and after a time,
if their conduct was good, they were sent abroad tip
some colony where they would be free from all liability
to contamination. The prison combined two elements.
the reformation of the inmates and punishment for
the penal offences which they had committed,
and the object which Parliament had in view in
establishing it had been fully answered. The chief
evil of the present system was short terms 0.
imprisonment fr• quently with respect to persons ol
tender age, who were, by that means brought in con-
rexion with persons of a more advanced age and of a
more hardened character, and who came out of
prison much worse than when they went
in. The Honourable Gentleman had adverted to
the Act lately passed, giving power to summarily con-
vict, and he (Sir G. Grey) was happy to state that
the results of it had been most satisfactory, and that the
punishment which it inflicted was looked upon with more
dread than any other kihd of punishment. He should he
happy to consider any suggestion that could be thrown
Out for the more satisfactory treatment of jUvelin, ff:ti-
ders, but h. hail to pro:est against the us.umption
that the s.ui-..j,ct " a' free Clow all difficulty.—
(Hear, bear.) The Philauteroeic S.cieity adulate d that
it %vete atteeded with great diffieuhies. In the report of
the society a iitonbur of ye:10.41)1e suggestion. were
thrown Out, among which was one that parents should
he made liable to the support of their chitoren
who, through their neglect, became inmates Of
any of our prisons or reformatory institutions.
Although, however, he considered that a very desirable

object, becatheit would Induee parents to takt. greater care
of th• it otf.prtng, .nd not send them into the world un-
protec ed, yet it might give rise to c .nsiderable litiga ion.
He beg:ted to assure the H• n. Gentleman that his at-
tention would continue to be directed to that sub-
ject, and that he should be h4ppy to Lao into conside-
ratio❑ any suggestion that could be offered to the
Government.

Mr. BANKES said that the tit stim of serviratien that
was sugeested could not be carried ..ut in D rchest.-r.
The Secretary of State had put a stop to the gaol ac-
commodation that was propes,d by the =llov-rates
there, who had agreed to expend upwards of three thou-
sand pounds upon it, and had suggested the adoption
of a plan that would cost ten thousand pounds,
which that county could not afford. He was happy to
hear that with respect to juvenile offenders the attention
of the Government had been directed to that subject.
As to the system of classification, he did not think it
could be carried out. He cordially wishel success
to the motion of his Honourable Friend, and thought
that he could not do better than support the Bill that
had been brought in by her Majesty's Government. It
was a step in the right direction, and as much as he
thought could be expected during the present session.
Sir J PAKINGTON expressed his regret that this
question had been brought on at this late period of the
session, and with the object expressed by the Hon. Mem-
ber for Pontefract. He was rather surprised that the
Ifenourahle Gentleman had concluded with a motion
for leave to introduce a Bill, as he expected
the Honourable Gentleman intended to move the
appoirtment of this Committee on the suhj-ct. When
the Itigi,t Hon. Gentleman the Secr' tary of State or
the Home Depa•tment cmne into office he had sum;
conversation with him on this subject, and he cer
tainly ha l been in hopes that the Right Honour-
able Baronet would ere this have introduced
Bill to authorise the construction of an establishment for
'the reformation of juvenile offenders. He thought it
highly desirable that a Committt e should be appAnted
to advi-e the House in thiS matter before it was further
proceeded with.
Mr. HENLEY trusted the Hon. Member for Ponte-
fract would go one step further in the matter, and bring
in the 8.11 of which he had given notice. Of course h,
could not hope to pass it this session, but it would add
to the general fund of information which had been col-
lected on the subject.
Sir GEORGE GREY was ignorant of the facts re-
lated by the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire, but he
would cause inqeire to be made into them.
Mr. M. MILNES would follow the advice of the
Hon. Gentleman opposite, and lay his Bill on the table
before the house separated. The reason he had dela) ed
the introduction of this question so long was becaus- he
hal been in daily expectation that Government would
take it up with vigour.
Leave was th. n given to bring in the Bill.
CEMPORALI I'IES OF THE CHURCH OF