The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-28 00:00:00

.E.ERENG OF TICKET-OF-LEA YE MEN. Portsmouth. I gain my livelihood by selling fish

Last night a meeting of ticket-of-leave men was
held at Farringdon Hall, Snow-hill, the object of
the mooting being to make the public acquainted
with the difficulties experienced by ticket-of-leave
holders in their endeavours to obtain an honest
livelihood, and with the hope of being able to dis-
cover some means of being able to ameliorate their
condition. The meeting, with few exceptions, was
composed of ticket-of-leave holders. There were
upwards of 100 present, most of them being lads or
young men. In the mass they presented an
anxious, care-spent, and under-fed appearance. A
sidelong, watchful, and suspicious look characterised
the eyes, but beyond this there was nothing in their
dress or aspect to indicate a desperate class. They
seemed in general more forlorn than felonious, and
pitiable rather than perilous. One might take
them for an assembly of costermongers but some
few appeared to be of a higher standing. One
individual wore moustache and imperial, and had
rings on the fingers of both hands.
The Earl of CARNARVON, who was principally
instrumental in getting up the meeting, presided,
Mr. Henry Mahew, Mr. A. Mahew, the Rev.
Mr. Portal, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Hutton, Mr.
Beach, Capt. Wraxhall, Mr. Wyld, Mr. W. B.
Jerrold, Dr. Mackay, and others, were amongst
those present.
The Cnallemaei opened the meeting by sayine—
My good friends, perhaps you may be rather sur-
prised why I called you together this evening, for
I am aware that in asking you to meet me here, I
am taking an unusual course. At the same time
I hope that nothing will take place this evening
which will make me repent of having placed confi-
dence in you and giving you an opportunity, when
the public is disposed, perhaps, to judge hardly of
you, of saying a few words in your own defence.
You must all know perfectly well that I can he
actuated by no other motive in bringing you to-
gether than the wish to serve your interests, and
that you may receive such kind treatment
as may be consistent with the claims of your
fellow-subjects. You know we meet together
in order to. obtain some information as to the
difficulties which you experience in finding
employment on being discharged from prison.
Most of you are offenders against the law.
You have been tried, convicted, and sentenced to
various periods of transportation. From circum-
stances which I need not go into at present, it has
been found impossible to carry out that sentence.
You were, instead, placed in a state of penal servi-
tude, and after you had suffered half the time of
your original sentence, you were discharged with a
ticket of leave, on the condition and understanding
that you were thoroughly sorry for all that had
happened before, and that for the future you would
lead honest and industrious lives. I believe that a
great many amongst you thoroughly wish to do so,
but at the same time I am s rry to • ay that many
fall away from their good resolution, and that some
deliberately and wilfully break from their engage-
ment. You are most of you intelligent men, and
must be aware that your country—that is to say,
all those who lead honest and respectable lives
themselves—are disposed to deal severely with you
if it be shown that the fault is entirely and clearly
your own. At the same time I, for one, am un
willing to legislate for any one class, howevrr
wrong or guilty, without giving them the opportu-
nity of speaking in their own defence, and stating
their feelings, their difficulties and hopes. I there-
fore ask you to state what difficulties you expe-
rienced, and what temptations prevented you from
redeeming the promise you gave when you received
your ticket of leave. Before any of you speak, I
wish you to understand that I am here only on the
supposition that all whom I see here regret what
is past, and are anxious to lead honest lives if they
have the opportunitygiven them to do so. (Cheer 3.)
I do not wish you to s.l)eak of the justice or injustice
of your sentence, of the hardships of the hulks and
the prisons, but to tell me what it is that prevents
many of you, as a class, from earning an honest
livelihood on their discharge from prison. I ask
you to tell what you feel about the ticket of leave
which is given to you, whether it is of service to
you in getting employment or not. (Cheers.)
TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN, IN-0.1 (the names were not
given), came on the platform and said—" Friends
and brother sufferers, I am a man as has seen more
trouble in my time than any man this day in Eng-
land. When I was first committed it was up to
1832, and when I came home in 1832 1 looked for
employment, but could get none, and so I had to
fall back on my old games again. (Hear, hear.)
From 1840 to 1856 I have seen all kinds of trouble.
I tried all parts of the world to get employment. I
got one employment, but the police got me out of
it again after three days. I tried the docks time
after time, but could get nothing to do till last
April, when Mr. Mayhew recommended me to a
situation, which I have held ever since. I work
hard day and night, but I don't mind that. I be-
lieve the best part of you would embrace situations
also if you could get them. (Yes, we would.) If
there were any place or institution like the Sailors'
Home, where you could go to after leaving your
imprisonment, you, would be glad to accept that
place, and be employed in it until you got some-
thing to do. You would be glad to emigrate to
Australia, or the Colonies, or America. I know
that many a one of you would be glad of that if it
were offered to you—many a one. I have been out
in the colonies, and I am sorry I came home. I
know perfectly well there is many a case laid down
in the papers concerning ticket-of-leave men, but
one-half of the robberies and garottings are not
done by ticket-of-leave men but by militia men and
soldiers. I know this for a fact—but still it must
be the ticket of-leave men that did it. Last week
a person got garotted in the east end of the town
by a militiaman policeman looking on—but I
expect he had his regulars out of him. (Laughter,
and cheers.) Two years ao, after coming home, I
was employed in the Commerci tl-road, and a police.
man seized me, because I came out with a parcel.
He went in and inquired if I had not stole some-
thing, and at night when 1 came home I was dis-
charged. I was employed as a casualty man for
twelve months in the docks, but I had no regular
employment. That is what I can say. A man
who has no place to go to, and no employment,
must go to the old associations and the old racket
again, as he has no character.
Mr. MAYHEW read a certificate from the present
employer of the speaker, in which he was dasri bed
as being " the most assiduous, attentive, indus-
trious, and best conducted man in his employ-
ment."

No. 2, a compact bullet-headed man, about 35
years of age, next presented himself, and com-
menced by asking—who is Mr. Henry Mayhew ?
I wish to know that before I commence my speech.
Who is Mr. Henry Mayhew, and Where is he ?
(Mr. Mayhew was sitting next the speaker, and on
being pointed out to the speaker be continued.)
Why should you be ashamed to- acknowledge you
are the man ? I came here to do something in
truth and not in fiction, and I wish to caution
you against making yourselves so public in speak-
ina your lives in public to benefit another man.
That man is Henry Mayhew. His object in calling
us together is to sell his books. A nice man ligs
Henry Mayhew—a'int he ?—to come here and get
you to tell your confession ?—The speaker was in-
terrupted by the meeting several times, and on the
chairman telling him that he was not speaking to
the subject, ho descended from the platform, re-
peating that he was a " bold man, and wished to
tell the truth."
No. 3 said—l am firmly of opinion the gentle-
men here have nothing but our interest at heart,
and are willing to assist us. (Hear, hear.) It is
something to know that we are not altogether for-
gotten, though we are set down as worse than brute
beasts by some. We are 16,000, and we are told
it is better to meet the fate of Marley than of Cope.
I gave a wife and child and an aged mother to
keep, and by working nard I endeavour to do so.
I want to be industrious, and not to rob or garotte.
I wish to have
age : thgaitvies something to keep me in my old
linneyaa ,S.,polordatiohn.
men to I could get 50 police,
culty in getting so'imethein
afacter. I have no diffi
but ;.!,.sometimes it may be
only'one meal a day,
and
tis better than the grey
dress, the three mealsplannikin of soup in
the prison. (Hear.) the
after my discharee I hardly'nk where to turn,
came to London
and my ticket of leave was no new where
all to me. It
may be of use to those who hav
years of
_lends, hut I ha.il
neither father or mother since i was 14
age. (Hear.)
Mr. MAYHEW read a certificate of character in
favour of the last speaker from some t
n iabltants of
St. John and St. Margaret's, Westminster.
No. 4 said—When I was discharged I got em
ployment at a large builder's, and I got into trou-
ble for taking my brother's part, who was treated
unjustly, and I was fined 51. When my master
found that I wai a ticket-of leave man and that it
was known, he said he could no.t have me in his
employment, and so I left that work. I corn
inenced working on my own account, and now I
have my father and two men employed under me.
I have met ticket-of-leave men, and, when I told
them r was in work, they said, "We wished we
could get work also, but nobody will employ us
without, a character ; and, if we try to sell any-
thing the poli3emen shove us •away." When I
was discharged I threw my ticket•of-leave into the
fire. It is of no use to a man, but the contrary.
It is like a previous conviction : when you get into
Newgate it helps you down. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. WILD said that he gave employment to the
last speaker, and could speak favourably of his
conduct. (Hear.)
No. s—l am not a tick-et-of-leave man. I have
been discharged thirteen years, and served four at 4

_ - ns,.. _ -9
but the policemen know me to he a convicted thief
and they follow me everywhere.
Air. WATTS said lie knew the speaker to be a
frequenter at Billingsgate for several years, without
being aware of the fact that he was a convicted
thief. He always behaved in a proper and beconi-
ing manner.
No. 6, a decently dressed and intelligent man,
said—Gentlemen, all I have to say is only a few
words. I believe this meeting is to do us some
good. lam a ticket-of-leave man. When I came
home—but I have no home--I brought a few
pounds with me, and I tried hard to get work, and
went to Woolwich, where I thought I should get
work without being detected. But they wanted
to know where I worked last, and that you know
I conld not tell them. I looked everywhere for
work until I was almost without shoes or clothes,
and had to resort to that which put me where I
had been. lam willing to work at any trade or at
any work that is sufficient to maintain me. I don't
want anything out of the way. I don't want to live
idle, or to live as a gentleman. I saw the other day
at Smithfield two or three thousand honest men
out of employment, and if they cannot get work
how can we expect to be more successful, when
the public say we are not fit for any society ? Thei
is no reform in the prison, but there is demoralisa-
tion there. lam very sorry to say that I cannot
get employment, and am in consequence obliged to
do that I don't wish to do, and must do that or
starve. lam able and willing to work to-morrow,
even at three shillings, but die or starve I never
will. (Cheers.) I have one thing to say—if the
public found us employment it would be more to
their credit than building prisons at an immense
expense, which is not the way to reform the crimi-
nal. They won't give a man a fair trial. What
is he to do ? Is he to lie down and die against
some brick wall ? No, the police won't let him do
that ; he will tell him to go on ; he must not stop
there. (Cheers.) I saw a man the other day pick
out of the mud a crust of bread, who said he would
work two hours for a bit of bread. He said he had
no home, could get no work, and had nothing
to do but to starve. He was 26 years of age,
strong, hearty, willing to work, and yet famishing
for food. There is not sufficient employment for
the honest, and how can we expect employment ?
I will mention one instance that occurred to my-
self about three months ago. lam living with a
ticket-of-leave female, who is unfortunate—the
same as myself. I have a sister and her house
was robbed. The police made inquiry of her, and
she said she had an " uncle" who was a house-
breaker. (Laughter.) That is the way my friends
assisted me. Immediately after two policemen
came to my house with loaded pistols at night, and
said at once, "We want you about a robbery ;
come with us ;" and then when I went with them,
they fetched two or three people to see if they
knew me. It is put in the paper that lam living
with a ticket-of-leave woman, and that is sufficient
to ruin any man ; and now, if the next door neigh-
bour is robbed why of course it must be done by
me. (Laughter.) As I said before, there is no re-
formation in a prison; when a man comes out he
does not care what becomes of him. He says, "What
am Ito do? I can't go to my own home, and I can't
get on any where for want of a character." lam
not a very great age, and I have walked about
starving before I did anything wrong. It is very
well for the public to say, " Go here or there--you
can get work ;" but let them go to Smithfield-
market, and they will see that thousands are out
of work who never committed a crime. The people
of England are very kind to other people, but they
don't care for their own. They send missionaries
everywhere, but we want missionaries at home,
where the people want to learn to read and write,
and where schools and institutions are so much re-
quired, and they would prove as cheap, I am sure,
as to be building prisons, or to be at the expense
of transporting them ; and if this were adopted,
the country would save thousands. We are all
human beings, and why should we not have the
nourishment that God has
,sent us. There are
numbers of the public who relieve us, but others
think we are wild beasts. (Laughter.) I have ex-
perience among thieves. I have found them to
have good sound sense as well as other people. I
have heard ladies say, when they came to see us,
" Lord bless me, how quiet they are." (Great
laughter.) I think they must have thought we were
some chained demons. (Laughter.) I can assure
them the ticket-of-leave man is flesh and blood,
like themselves, and have got sense and reason,
and know when they are trodden on. As to stop
crime by transporting men, that will never do.
There are men coming home now, and what are
they to do ? If there were an institution for men
when they came out of prison, it would do good,
but transportation will do no good. (Cheers.)
Mr. Maw said if the last speaker gave his
name, a gentleman would give him employment.
No. 7.—Gentlemen, I am no great speaker, and
will only say two or three words. When I came
home I had a few pounds in my pocket—about
four or five, and made the best attempt to keep it
that I could, but, of course, I ran through it. I
then went to my brother-in-law, who took me to a
place where I got some employment, and when
they found out what I was they told him of it, and
I was not taken on any longer, so I said I must do
something else. Well, after that I went to the
docks to see if I could get employment, but I
could only gat one or two days in the week there,
and after some time I could get no more work
there, and I says " What am Itodo ?" I am no
spokesman ; howsotnever, if I could be sent abroad
I would be thankful, or if any gemman would give
me some work I would be up honest and down
strait. (Great laughter.)
No. B.—What I have to say is very brief. About
six months ago I was released on a ticket of leave,
having dislocated my hip, and if I had a trifle to
start in business, I think I should get along pretty
fair, although owing to the accident, I am unable
to do laborious work.
The CIAIRMAN here rose, and said—l should he
glad to know whether it is the feeling among you
to prefer a ticket of leave in the colonies, or a ticket
of leave in this country. Let all hold up their
hands who prefer a ticket of leave in the colonies.
(Here every hand was raised.) The chairman then
said—" Let those who prefer a ticket of leave in
England hold up their hands." (To this appeal
not a hand was raised.)
No 9 then came forward, and said—l am a
ticket-of-leave man, and was discharged from
Woolwich last August twelvemonth. I have a
wife and two children. I get work for two days in
the week at Lambeth Workhouse—the other four
days I look for work, but cannot get it, and I am
out of work for twelve months, except just getting
a job here and there, although I have been up at
all hours, even so early as two or three o'clock in
the morning.
No. 10.—Gentlemen, I have been discharged
from prison twelve weeks next Thursday, and since
then I have not had two days in tne week to work
for any employer. If any gentleman will be so
kind as to put my name down and send me to •he
colonies as a ticket-of leave man, I would be most
thankful to him. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting,
thanking them fur their attention and good beha-
viour, reminding them that their welfare was his
only- object in calling them together. He said they
had certainly many difficulties to struggle against,
but that there was nothing in the world to be had
without trouble. He remarked that in general
they spoke in a desponding and despairing tone,
but there was no reason for that, as society would
not abandon them for having committed one, or
even two or three, crimes, provided they were not
habituated criminals. It was easy to get a bad
name, and difficult to get rid of it. By orderly
conduct only were they able to obtain their dis-
charge, and far more necessary was it to continue
orderly when discharge from prison. He begged
them to remember that they had got trades, and
had God's holy word explained to them, in which
they were more fortunate than many of their coun-
trymen who were not criminals. In conclusion, he
begged them to disperse quietly, with which re-
quest they immediately complied.

PI?IVAT IS AND JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of circu-
lation of the private and joint-stock banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending the 20th of Dec.,
1856, and gives the following as the average weekly cir-
culation of those banks during the past month, viz.:—
Private banks
Joint-stock banks 3,001,89.5

£6,744,61
Average weekl circulation
On comparing the abovy e with the returns for the pre-
-6
ceding month, ending the 22d of Nov. last, it shows—
A decrease in the circulation of the private
banks of 2156,250
A decrease in the.circulation of the joint-stock
banks of ............
.................................... 68,991

Decrease on the month 2225,241 And, as compared with the return for the correspond-
ing period of the preceding year—viz., Dec. 22, 1855, it '
shows—
A. se,decreae in the circulation of the private
banks
A decrease in the circulation of the joint-stock
banks 0f..............................

........... 13,2' 70

Decrease on the year .................. On ,5 ctiorhmceuptiaaorii:i gnoogwnit:Dh_e above with the amounts of the £ls6fix e 37
d appears to be the comparative
kits to
oi f
7 ttihees
c
The private banks are-below their tiered issues 2313,3,71
The joint-stock banks ere below their fixed

253,46 a

Total below tbeir fixed Wiled ...... :0071,F33

Mr. C. HOLLAND, delegate of the Liverpool
Chamber of Commerce, concurred in what had
been said as to the importance of the question.
The subject was ultimately referred to a select
committee appointed to consider and report upon it.
Mr. J. D. GOODMAN, d elegate of the Birmingham
Chamber of Commerce', adverting to the fact that
a paper was to be read, on the registration of part-
nerships at the instance of the Manchester Com-
mercial Association, inquired whether the' com-
mittee would conseut to include the question of
extending the principle of limited liability to private
partnerships, wl:Akh principle, he remarked, was
embodied in a bill introduced in Parliament last
session, and ultimately withdrawn. The principle
of limited liability, with regard to not less than
seven partners, was admitted.
The CHAIJIMAN—Not by everybody.
Mr. GOODMAN said it had been adopted by the
Legislature ; and he thought it might be usefully
extended so as to embrace the case of special loans
to a smaller number of private partners.
Mr. HEADLAM, ohairman of the committee,
thought it desirable that the conference should
confine its attention to questions on which there
was likely to be something like agreement, and on
which, therefore, it could, come to some practical
conclusion. (Hear, hes.r.)
The CHAIRMAN an•d Lord STANLEY expressed
their concurrence in this view; the former observing
that in cases in which there was unanimity, or an
approximation to it, there would be a chance of
securing immed;,ate action on the part of the
Government an.d the Legislature.
Mr. C. Hof,L.A.ND thought that the programme
was already sufficiently extensive, and that any
additions wii'Lch could be made with advantage
might be eu'ily engrafted on some one of the sub
jects set do*vn for consideration.
On the motion of Mr. HOLLAND, seconded by
Mr. RAN' KIN, the programme prepared by the com-
mittee was then approved.
In ' x.cordance with this decision, the first subject
whic'A will come before the conference to-day will
be t'Ae law of debtor and creditor, more particularly
the bankruptcy law.
After a short conversation on points of order or
d etail connected with the sittings, the meeting
r unljourned.

______,
f PRIOR OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is
i about 6 per mule premium and the short exchange cn
London is 25.20 per 11. sterling, On comparing these
rates with the English Mint price of 31, 17s. Did. per
ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold is nearly
5-10ths per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By
advices from Hamburg the price of gold la 423 per mark,
and the short exchange on London is 13.21 per 1/, ster-.
ling. Standard gold, at the English Mint price, is there- ,
fore nearly 6-10ths per cent, dearer in Hamburg than in
Loudon. The course of exchange at New York on
London for bills at 60 days' sight is 108 k per cent.,
which, when compared with the Mint par between the !
two countries, shows that the exchange is nominally
against England ; but, after making allo fur
charges of transport and difference of interest, thencepresnt
rate leaves no profit on the transmission of gold either,
way between the two countries.