The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-24 00:00:00

THE SOCIAL EVIL QUESTION.

The third of the series of midnight meetings ex-
traordinary, convened by a body of well known
gentlemen in connection with the various female
reformatories, refuges, and other societies for the
protection of females in this huge metropolis, hav-
ing for its object the assembling of females who
have fallen from a virtuous course, and to point out
and furnish to them a means of escaping from their
dreadful life of degradation, was held at midnight,
previous to last night, at the spacious hall of St.
James's Restaurant, Regent-street, and terminated
between two and three o'clock yesterday morning.
Notwithstanding the cards of invitation—reading
as follows, " St. James's Restaurant, Regent-street,
—Will you favour a few friends with your com-
pany to-night, at the above address; refreshments
provided,"—were not distributed to any extent, and
only a few minutes preceding the opening of the
hall, in the immediate vicinity of the doors, yet it
immediately began to fill rapidly, and by half-past
twelve o'clock the hall was comfortably filled, and
subsequently somewhat crowded, not, as was stated
by a letter which appeared in the public journals
in partial contradiction to our report of the last
meeting at this place, with the " halt and maimed
and ill-clad," but with the most fashionably dressed
unfortunates to be found promenading at night in
the neighbourhood of the casinos, cafees, &c., of
Leicester-square, Regent-street, and the Hay-
market, among whom were some French, attired
in brocaded silks and velvet mantles, apparently of
the most expensive texture. Indeed there was not
on the present occasion, out of 250 and upwards
who were present, a single case observable of de-
formity, or really shabby attire, and their conduct
during the, time they partook of refreshment, con-
sisting of tea, coffee, and cake abundantly supplied,
was most decorous, and of a serious inclination,
wi▪ th about a dozen exceptional cases, where slight
laughter was occasionally indulged in and pro-
fane words in an under tone. A few philan-
thropic ladies and about thirty of the promoters
and friends of the movement were present, and
joined in serious social conversation with their frail
guests, addressing them invariably in the most re-
spectful manner, and, in return, many of the supe-
rior dressed unfortunates kept up brief conversa-
tions, characterised with much good breeding, intel-
ligence, and seriousness. One of the most fashion-
ably-dressed, and a
in very handsome young female,
of about 19 or 20, in particular distinguished her-
self this respect, and on her mother being just
alluded to by one of the gentlemen, tears came into
her eyes which she vainly endeavoured to conceal
wi▪ th a sneer, but in her efforts to hide the depth
of her sudden emotion, she burst into a violent flood
of tears, and kept weeping alternately for the rest
of the night. Before the meeting terminated, she
held brief private conversations with one of the
gentlemen, to whom she gave her address. She
lingered long, and in communion with herself, after
the closing of the addresses, when she suddenly
disappeared, and shortly afterwards returned with
another of her sisterhood, young like herself, and
equally as fashionably dressed, though not beauti-
ful like her, with traces of tears on the cheeks of
both. After some private and apparently very
serious conversation together, they finally took
their departure.
The gentlemen who took an active part in the
proceedings were the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W.
Noel, Rev. Dr. Maclean, from America, Rev. 11.1 r.
Madgin, Messrs. John Ta, Touche (in the chair),
Wilson, Stabb, Hornibrook, of the Females' Home ;
Mr. Russell, of the Rescue Society; and Mr.
Thomas, of the London Female Preventative Re-
formatory Institution. The last-named gentleman
set forth an interesting statement to the following
effect :—The promoters had withi▪ n the last few
days distributed a very large number of letters to
gentlemen who frequent the casi▪
nos, cafes, and
other places of amusement in the neighbourhood of
the Haymarket, appealing to their better feelings
to aid the promoters n the prosecution of their
arduous task. On yin
night last they distri-
buted about 1,500 ,of the Hon. and Rev. Bap-
tist Noel's address, which he delivered at the
last midni▪
ght meeting of the 21st ult. It
was further said that the public laboured under
the mistaken opinion that the promoters of this
movement simply tried to reclaim the fallen fe-
males, without doing anything to lead gentlemen
to a conscio▪
usness of their participation in this
fearful evil. The "good influences of these mid-
night meetings were represented to be far greater
than was at first anticipated, and generally more
distinctly exhibited on the day following than at
the meeting, on the last occasion there being se-
veral females on the day following who had homes
provided for them by the promoters, five of whom
entered the Rescue Society, and are still par-
takers of its benefits, with every appearance of per-
manent reform. Although many who had received
assistance from the promoters soon returned to
their fearful calling, yet about 50 since the first
meeting were completely reformed to all appear-
ances, and several had returned to the bosom of
their parents.
About 40 remained in doubt for some time after
the proceedings had terminated, and at length 20
accepted the offer so kindly made to them, and left
the meeting for " Homes,"
.and a large number
gave their addresses to be visited.