The Sun.
London, England, 1812-03-21 00:00:00

PENITENTIARY BILL.

On the motion for going into a Committee on the
ab:nre Bill,

Mr. KENRICK moved an instruCtion to the Com-
mittee, th,t rovision should be made, that persons
convicted of felony, without • benefit of Clergy,
should be kept to hard labour.
HoLroaD, at very great length, went over
the history of Penitentiary Houses, stated a variety of
plan' submittea to the. Committee on the subj,d,
and noticed pa: ticuiarly one of Mr. Bentham's, which
he c,aidemned, as-front its consirudion, having no
other tendency than to gratify curiosity. He de-
precated the idea of entering into any of those suit
of contracts- fur the employment of felons, as be-
ing injurious to the unfortunate prisoners, and only
beneficial to the cogtraelors. The Hon. Gentle-
tnan thought it would be much better to give the
management of the new Establishment to a Com-
mittp, ar,4 eh=

that e 4 stripped the plan of mgny of thd ob.e
jedions which had previously been urged against if
Sir ROMILLY was sorry the subje.4 had been
brought forward at this time, and in so thin a House.
He would not now enter fully into Mr. Benthiw4
plan, but it was to he remembered, that lightly ai
it had been spoken of, it had on_ a mature d,libera.

tion been approved of by Mr. Pitt and by Lord
Melville. lie had only recommtmded the plm of
Mr. Bentham to the consideration of the [-louse on
account of the advantage it bid over other plans of
a similar nature, on aceJunt of its superior eco-
nomy, and the prospect it held out of furnishing
the convids with employment when the term of

their imprisonment expired. He proceeded to point
t.tt other advantages which might be hoped frona
its being carried into eft'eel. dsveit at s,ryne
length on the benefit that might be expe,::led froth
Lhe assistance of those Gentlemen, who, if the sub-

je& were deferred, would attend to give their ad-
vice. He concluded by moving as an Amendment,
" That the House should res,,lve it•elf into the
Committee on Wednesday, the 15th of
Mr. LONG thought it almost imposAible for any
man to look at Bentham's plan, an:! approve of

it in every part. Unquestionably ther-t wert sug-.
gestions in it which were entitled to the attention
of Government, and these would be acted upon
as far as they were found praaicable, but as a whole,
it was not such rc could with propriety be ad,ipted.
He thought the plan capable ot great improvement,
and hoped the House would now suffer the Bill to
go into the Committee.
Mr. ABERCROMBIE spoke in favour of Mr. Ben-
tham's plan, though be had never recatninendeci its
uuqualitied adoption. He would vote with his Hon.
and Learned Friend against proceeding farther thii
night, and he hoped he would take the s-mse of the
House on the Subjea.
Mr. Secretary RvbEtt stated his objections to va-
rious parts of •Mr. Benlham's plan. He strongly
opposed-the Amendment, on account of the d lay
it would occasion. He w.ts desirous of making the
plan as- perfect as possible ; but he could see no
advantage likely to result from posponing the Com-
mittee on the Bill, as he conceived the thinness
of the House was to be in a great measure ps-
cribed to a feeling on the part of the Members ab-
sent, that to attend on this occasion was untie.
cessary.

Mr. WILBERFORCE spoke in praise of Mr. 13en-
thatn's plan, particularly of that part of it which
went to restore the couvi&s to society, by fur-
nishing them with employment when the period
for which they were sentenced to be confined was
at an end.

Mr. B. BATHURST spoke in favour of the mea.
sure, which he thought was calculated to better
the condition of prisoners. A house of that de-
scription had been already adopted at Nottitig-
hArn, and was followed by the most beneficial
effeas.

Mr. C. ADAMS was for the postponement,
Mr. W. SMITH 5311.7 no inconvenience in ptiniog
it off. for so short a period as that proposed by his
Hon. and Learned Friend.
Alter a few words from Mr. FL Sumner on the
same side and from Mr. Holford on the contrary, the
House divided on the Amendment.

For the Amendment
Against it
Majority

IS
35
-..i7

The House then resolved. itself into a Commit.
tee, in w!.ich the various c►auses of the Bill under.
went a long discussion. .Eventually, the House
having resumed, the report was ordered to be ree
ceived on Monday.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the Es-
cnEqUER, it was ordered, that at its rising the House
should aJjourn to Monday.

The Order of the Day having been react for go-
ing into a Committee on the Charitable Donations'
Bill. .

On the motion of Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY, the
Committee was instruaed to divide the Bill ha()
two.

The Bill accordingly went through a Committee,
in which it was so divided, and the separate Reports
were ordered to be brought up on Monday.
In a Committee of Supply, was resolved, on
the motion of Mr. Ward, that a sum not exceediog
6,5001. be granted to the Board of Agriculture.—
The Repot-t on Mcqtday.
The second reading of the Military Commissioners
Bill was postponed to Monday.
Mr. D. GIDDY brought up the Report of the
Woods and Forests Bill. The amendments were
agreed to, nod the Bill was ordered to be read a
third time on Tuesday.

Lord Wellington's Annuity Bill, the Glass Duty
Bill, and the Pilchard Bill, went through Commit-
tees, the Reports of which were ordered' to be le-
ce:ved on Monday.

Mr. WHARTON, brought up the reports of the
Irish Militia, the Irish Militia Families, and
Soldiers Wives' Bill, which were respeaively agreed
to, and the Bills were ordered to be read a third time
on Monday.
The Irish Bishops Bill and the Bermuda Trade
Bill, were read, a third time, and passed.
The Canada Trade Bill was read a second time,
and ordered to be committed on Monday.