The Sun.
London, England, 1818-02-19 00:00:00

CITY PRISONS.

Alderman Woon prefaced his motion on this
sub(-ct,‘ by admitting that there Were many
intses, but by' no Melift3 to such an extent as had
been repreSented. '• lie must do the Nohle i.ord
at the-head of the Home Department the justice
to say, that he had done every thing in his power
to remove convicts front Newgate. The principal
evil was, that the Middlesex Magistrates had the,
power to commit to Newgate, and these commit-
ments had increased within a few years io the
proportion of seven to one. He alluded to the
sullerngs which convicts underwent on their
passage to Botany Bay, as a subject worthy of
Legislative attention. In February, 1814, two
iloodred convicts were put on board a'vessel, and
fifty died before they reached their destination,
This arose front sending them out at a wrong season
of the year, by which they were subjected to ex-
tremes' of hear in-passing the line, and then ar-
rived at a high southern latitude in the cold season.
After paying some compliments to th
,e Magistrates
in gent:id; 'he declared that be bad do other nio.
tine for his motion than to relieve the prisons from
an excessive number of inmates. He should
therefore only move, That a Committee be ap-
pointed to inquire into the state of Newgate and
tbe,yther prisons in the City of London and the
BororL:b of :iota Wdl li, and to report their opi-
nions t!•,!reoo."
Mr. E.T.admitted that most of the defects
in tile of Newgate arose front want of
Ytvolu ; but he regretted to say that there was a
system. of Tanttof clothing; in that prison some
oldie prisoners being so.destitute us almost, to
be stalk tittised. IVith respect to food, it was
scanty, and those who had no ft iends were 111 dan-
ger of almost starving, but for the assistance of
their. companious. The bread was as bad as
conid he.; and it was only since the subject was
started in that House that they had -changed their
baker. Within these few days the Aldermen had,
however, been uncommonly active in visiting the
prisoos, ante) potting there into a sort of coml.!
dress for the view of the Committee. He, there-
fore,hoped the Comtnittee would consider, that if
they found Newgate fresh whitewashed., it was not
the state in which it was genet-ally to be seen,
and therefore they must snake allowance for the
condition they might find it in.
*Sit W. CURTIS justified the conduct of the Al-7
dirmen, and denital that there was either a scan-
tiness of -food- irl Newgate, or that it was of a had
quality. Each prisoner had tour pounds of good
Meet per week, and the bread was fit for any
GRilleman's table. He also denied that any pre-
parations were made in vxpectation of a visit from
a Cprnmittee of the House. Men wore sent to
prison for punishment, and four 'pounds of meat
per week was- as'much as they, deserved, or ouglrt
t) have. _ _ _

Mr. BENKET replied, that he had seen the
bread, and could verify his previous statemeHt.
Mr. WARRE, who had been.a Member of the
foi trier Committee, said, that the visitors had de-
tected tl,e. Gtmlemen making the prisons habit-
ab:e, -which' they were not before.. ilt the Bo-
,Compter they found almost as many white-
washers, glaziers, &c. as prisoners. He.allnded
to the cafe of .an inquest on the. body of John
Birl, who died in 'Tothill-fields prison, and who
I;;,;' been confined,in a small room with six other
vi.,,,05; and the surgeon. swore that hisdeath was
oc:,_sioned more by want of food than want of
'Lie Coroner threatened to commit the
torhkey for prevarication, and it was recommended
that he yho4,ld be dismissed. lie wished to know
fr,,m atiy Gvntlernan Who had ill)), control over
tLwt
prison, ‘sbeiher be had been dismissed.—
er • lung corist,!tation the Jury retnrned a ver-
dir!, t!, at the mancliedfor want of food and me-
dical aid. This Was a strihing
:proof that the
slate of nor mison3 -ought to be minutely
itiquiled into, and their`defeets and abuse re-
medied.

The Motion was then agreed to.
CHIMNEY SWEEPERS.

Loud MILTON, on moving to present a Petition
from ceitain Inhabitants of York in favour of the
Chimney Sa-erping Act,- expressed his concern
that it wodd be impossible to put an end to the
practice altogether, as there were many chimneys
that could not be swept by any machine. Ile
thought, if the Bill was passed precipitately, its
object_ would be defeated ; but ranxions
.that it
might he made'as effectual arforSsible, he would
suggest that some clause should he introduced,
liOug—a penalty on the emploYit4t-nt of boys. where
they could'at all be dispensed with ; and offering

some compensation for using machines with sue-
eess,itt chimneys that'yVete supposed impracticable
by them.
Mr. MiNNET did not think the objections of the
Noble. Lord plausible, at nine out of teat of the
chimneys that could only be savept by boys, wet e
those.of petsons of property,_ who could afford to
have them altered.. The lion. Gentleman spoke
with great humanity on the miseries of the poor
creatures of four and five years old,
idevoted to
this shocking trade, and hoped the year 1818
would not be disgraced by suffering its &mil-
nuance.
Lord Mt LTotq c*plained, that he only objected
to the measure, for fear the Bill should be lost liy
trying to make -it attain its object on a sudden,
without considering the difficulties to be encoun-
tered.

Mr. LITTLETON thought the greatest point
would he to make the Bill -.so effectual, that it
should be impossible to evade or quaii!), it ; and
that no child should be employed under any cir-
cumstances whatever. _

The petition was then ordered to-.lie on the
table.

SALE OF GAME.

Mr. G. BANKEs, on rising to move fora Bill
'to prevent the Seale of Ghtne, observed, that h.
cold(' see no reasonable objection to it. If buy-
ing and selling of Game were prevented, it world
put an end to the distruction of it by poachers,
who incurred all the penalties and punishments to
which they werp.subject, for the sake of getting
money by the, sale of it. The provisions of the
Bail would to to rendei all persons, whether qua-
lified or not, liable .to the same rualties foi'
G:•ine. lie conelnded with moving, " 'flat
leave be given to 'bring in a Bill to prevent the
Df a ruction or Sale of Ganie." ,

Mrl.ColiwitT.st thought the measure perfectly; in-
aderpiate; and would tend to make the oppressive
Game Laws more odious.. There were 1200 per:
sons committed to prison last year tor ntlenee
under the Game Laws. - He would rather see. all
goalifications done away, leaving all persons
whatever who had any property an equal, right,
which would prevent. she odium that now attached
to every Gentleman who endeavoured to preserve
his Game. At all events, the penalty fur
Game should only be
.a moderate fine, as was the
case. for stealing turnips, which had put au end to
such depredations that were 'formerly so cornmon.
He wished, however, the Hon. Gentleman would
bring in a ineastne that Wonld strike at the root,
of the evil, as he was sure 'this would never an-
swer; for afraid that no penalties would
prevent the' temptation of purchasing.. He should
be glad to •ssee the whole of the' odious Game
Laws swept away, as they were a disgrace 'to the
Statute Bonk.

Mr. WARRE did not think that in the present
state of society, when there were so many persons
possessing manorial tights, it could be expected
that any Legislative measure could prevent the
sale of pone. An I-lon. Member brought in a
Bill two years ago with a similar view ; but seve-
ral parts.Of 'which were 's6 severe,•that they were
repealed in the following Session. There was also
another Bill 'proposed last Session of a directly
opposite' tendency, -namely,-to legalise the sale
of game, but no practical measure arose out of it.
Now, for his part, he should prefer the legalising
the sale of game to severe laws for preventing it
from being sold, as he did. not anticipate any
wholesome' result front such a measure.
Mr. G. BAKES/ in reply, said his Object was to
make the Game Laws something better if possible.

....
Sir C. IiuRRELL was of opinion that the-buyer,
as being the receiver of stolen goods; ought to be
visited with ten tidies the penalty on the seller,
as he was the person who enjoyed the fruits of
the poacher's improper conduct. The game on
the estate of the landed proprietor, who, with bad
rents and other losses, seldom got mare than two
and a half percent. on his purChase-iioney, was
as much•his property as the soil itself.
Mr. Wait explained, and the House divided.

Ayes
Noes 26
Majority iii favour of the 8i11....--40
NORTHERN CIRCUITS. ,

Mr. 'M. A. TAYLOR moved-, " That a Select
Committee he appointed to consider whether and
by what means the Counties of ‘Vestmoreland,
Cumberland,. Durham, Northumberland, and the
town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, can 'possess the
same advantage of Assizes•twice in a year, as'are
possessed by all the 'other Counties in England
and Wales."—Agreed to, and the .Committee ap-
pOinted.
Mr, BENNET moved she Order of the,Day for
the farther consideration of the Report of the
Chimney Sweepers' Reg,tdation Bill; which, being
agreed to, he moved that it be now re-committed.

The !louse having accordingly gone into the
Committee, a clailse-vvas inserted, extending the
operation of the Bill to Ireland. Some verbal
alterations were made, aMI .the Report was or-
tiered to be received to-morrow.