The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-13 00:00:00

COURT OF ALDERMEN.
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of business.
THE SOLITARY SYSTEM.
Alderman SIDNEY, when the Sheriffs made their usual
return relating to the prisoners of the city, took the
opportunity to ask a question on a subject of consi
derable public interest. He had seen in the newspapers
under the head of " Meeting of Middlesex Magistrate',
a speech attributed to Sir Peter Laurie, which he could
not persuade himself was by any means an accurate
report of that magistrate's observations. It appeared to
him to be a matter of the more importance that the
actual truth should be elicited as the Court was about to
expend 100,000/. in the erection of a new prison, and he
should indeed be sorry to see the solitary system intro-
duced into that prison, if the statements attributed to
Sir P. Laurie were founded on facts; but he found that in
the published report of the state of Bethlehem Hospital
there was nothing at all to give countenance to the re-
presentation which be would read as Fart of Sir
Peter Laurie's speech:—" If they wanted a proof of the
ill effects of that baneful system, let him tell them
that, since the year 1843, not fewer than 49 convict
lunatics had been sent to Bethlehem Hospital every
one of whom had fallen a victim to the inhuman system
of solitary confinement. Of those poor unhappy victims
19 had been sent from the Milbank prison, 10 from the
Model prison at Pentonville„ and not fewer than 20 had
come from the hulks. All criminal lunatics were sent to
the hospital with which it was well known he had been
for many years associated. Whilst, however, they had
received 49 from these Government prisons, where the
solitary system was practised, how many did the Court
suppose had been sent from all the other prisons in Eng-
land? Not more than 6." Now, to that statement the
report gave a decided negative. so that he could not sup-
pose that what he had just read was by any means an
accurate version of Sir P. Laurie's speech. He was de-
sirous to know also whether Sir P. Laurie would have
any objection to lay before the Court an account of the
names of the persons confined as Government prisoners,
of the prisons from which they were transferred to
Bethlehem, and other particulars which might be neces-
sn to lead to an authentic conclusion on a point of so
serious a -(8r; bear.) • --- - •
Sir P. LAURIE said he certainly had spoken every
word of the speech attributed to him, and every word in
that speech was true. If he had supposed that Alder-
man Sidney would have required to see the document
establishing the facts, he would' have brought it down to
the Court for his satisfaction; and if the worthy Alder-
man would visit Bethlehem Hospital with him all doubt
would be at once removed upon the subject.—(Hear,
hear.) He could not, however, for a moment consent to
make a return of the names, &c., of the persons sent by
the Government to the hospital without the authority of
the Government itself.—(Hear, hear.) The worthy
Alderman might have moved for such return in the
House of Commons; but he could not help observing
that Hon. Members who made a great noise in all other
places were as mute as mice the moment they took their
places in Parliament.—(Laughter, and cries of " Hear.")
Alderman SlDNEY—Parliament was not sitting when
you made the statement.
Sir P. LAURIE said he had long before made similar
statements. He had seen with his own eyes the manner
in which the solitary system had been carried out at
the Penitentiary at Millbank. Its effects were inde-
scribably horrible; and he had lately been informed, by
a witness of unquestionable credibility, that Sir. J.
Mackintosh and Sir J. Anstruther had, after an expe-
riment of its operation at Bombay, been obliged to
withdraw it.—(Hear, hear.) Such was found to be the
effect of the atrocious system, that no prisoners were
now sent to the Pentonville Penitentiary who were not
in vigorous health and strength, and he was glad to
have the opportunity of expressing again his abhorrence
of a plan which was calculated to add madness to the'
other penalties of crime.—(Hear.)
Alderman HUMPHERY said he thought it would have
been advisable in Alderman Sidney to visit Bethlehem
Hospital, and to have inquired of the officers there
whether the statements made by Sir Peter Laurie were
incorrect before he came down to the Court to give them
contradiction. If such inquiry had beeu made it would
probably have been found that there was but too much
ground for the representation.—(Hear, hear.)
Alderman SIDNEY said he had visited Bethlehem
Hospital for the purpose of obtaining the information
which he had applied to the Court to procure, but he
bad encountered there the difficulty which he had just
met with from the president. His opinion was by no
means altered on the subject; on the contrary, the ob-
jection which bad been made tended to confirm instead
of removing it. He considered that the statements
which bad been made could not be borne out by evi-
dence, and if Parliament were sitting, he certainly
would not hesitate to apply for documents calculated to
enlighten the public on the question.
Sir P. LAURIE said he could not for a moment re-
cognise the power in the Court to call for any docu-
ments connected with the hospital, as such recognition
would be a virtual acknowledgment of an authority
which did not exist.
THU BUSINESS 01 THE CENTRAL cniliftwAL COURT.
Alderman LAWRENCE wished to know whether any-
thing had been done as to the erection of a third court
in the Old Bailey, for the purpose of expediting the
business of the Central Criminal Court. It was quite
evident that there was occasion for an additional court.
Objections had, he understood, been raised upon the
ground of enormous expense, but he believed that ade-
quate accommodation could be afforded without
any prodigal outlay, and he was sure that • the ex-
pense to the country would be considerably dimi-
nished by giving additional facilities to the administra-
tion of justice.
Sir P. LAURIE said he apprehended the cause of the
delay was to be attributed to the disposition in some
parties interested in the projected accommodation to
have a building of a very classical, and therefore very
expensive character. The city of London did not want
any fine display in a new court, and he thought the
Court ought to come to an understanding as soon as pos•
sible on the question.
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