The Sun.
London, England, 1827-08-17 00:00:00

-BRITISH PAINT MANUFACTORY,

61, QUEEN-STREET, CHEAP SIDE, LONDON.
UPTON and Co.' Chemical Colour
k..)Manu-
facturers, respectfully recommend the following
established Articles, viz. the REFINED MINERAL
PAINT, at lbs. per Cask. This Paint hof a handsonte
dark Chocolate colour ; is insoluble in water, and, there-
fore, peculiarly adapted for all Work constantly exposed to
the Weather, such as Barns, Palings, Hot-bed Frames,
Sluice-gates, Water-wheels, and Weather-boarding.. It is
also a cure for the Dry- rot, prevents Damp, and destroys
Vermin. Being fit for use, the whole expence is but little
more than one penny per lb. ; White Lead, Patent and
Grass Greens, from is. 6d. to 2s. per lb. ; the Ordnance
Anti-corrosion Paint 501. per cwt. ; the Lithic Paint at
30s. for Plaster and Stucco Work. The Durable Oil
Paints, viz. Invisible Green, 40s. ; Olive Green, 768. ;
Lead, Slate, and Stone Colours, 465. ; Dark Red, 268. ;
Bright Red, 3Gs. per cwt. ; fine Olive Green, is. per lb.
" These Paints are very ornamental and preserving, and, re-
quire only to be thinned with Oil. Prepared Oil 3s. 6d.
per gallon.

The Rectified Sperm Oil for Sinumbra, French,. and
all Lamps of a superior kind, where a brilliant and -un-
fading light is required, without smell or smoke.
N. B. UPTON and Co.'s Mineral Paint does not require
to be heated for use.

NEW- EDITION, THE. TENTH, 'ENLARtED.
With Observations on the Danger of trusting to Nostrums
as an Internal Remedy for the Cure of Stricture ; illus-
trated by Cases,' price 3s.
11DRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS on
STRICTURES of the URETHRA and REcTA.JIII,
recommending an improved System for their Treatment
and Cure, illustrating its efficacy by numerous remarkable
and highly important Cases, in some of which Strictures
of from ten to twenty 'years' duration have been totally re-
moved in a few weeks, and its superiority thereby fully
established over every other method hitherto practised.:
By C. B. COURTENAY, M.D.
To which are added, Observations and Practical Com-
ments on Gleet, Seminal Weakness, and the Miseries oe-
oasioned by Self-abuse, for the cure of which a mode
of Treatment, the result of long and successful practice,
and at once safe, speedy, and effectual, is adopted by the
Author.

Printed- for the Author, Robert-street, Adelphi ; and
published and sold by Sherwood, Sherwood, and C►.,
Paternoster -row; Onwhyn, 4, Catherine-street, Strand ;
Chappell, Royal Exchange; }harsh, .137, Oxford-street;
Walker, 90, High Holborn ; Chapple, 94, Pall-mall;
Sutherland, 9, Carlton street, Edinburgh; and may be
had of all Rooksellers.
" We earnestly recommend the cases related by. Dr.
Courtenay to the perusal of such of our readers as 1 are
afflicted with the complaints which the author has made
the subject of these Observations. Several instances are
adduced of the recovery of perfect health from states
which were considered hopeless by practitioners of emi-
nent talents, and very extensive experience. We entertain
the highest opinion of Dr. Courtenay's professional skill,
and congratulate him on his successful and judicious appli-
cation to the seYere and often fatfldikases."...-European
31aganne.

SMOCKING ACCIDENT AT MR. CANNING'S
FUNERAL.—Yesterday afternoon, shortly after
the funeral procession of this lamented gentleman
had passed through Parliament-street, a Poor
woman, with a child in her arms, and two chil-.
dren following her, was retuniing home,. when a
low looking fellow, who was 'titing a .spirited
"horse in a most furious manner, knocked, her
down with great violence;' and licked her dread-
fully. , She was taken up in a state of insensibi-
lity, and Carried to .a surgeon's,. where every as-
sistance was rendered her, but she was found to
be in a. dangerous condition. The rider was
seized, together with the horse, when a ruffianly,
set of fellows rescued him,,and he
.rode. off.
EFFECTS OF TIIE STORM YESTERDAY.—'
During the. violent thunder storm of' yesterday,
the lightning struck Elder .. House, Battersea
fields;, the' residence of
.Lieutenant Stewart,
which it considerably damaged. The -electric
fluid entered by the chimney of .a back parlour,
where it broke the chimney-piece and smashed a
lOoking-glass, and anumber of smaller things to
atoms. It next penetrated into the drawing-
room, the partition of which it considerably
damaged, without, however, injuring the side-
board close by, or the glasses that stood upon it.
At the moment of the house being struck, Lieu-
tenant Stewart, who had been out, opened the
door. He was met by the flash and slightly
abovethe,eye. Mrs. Stewart also, and two
;persons who were in the house adjoining, were
airected, but not so much as to cause any serious
inconvenience.

CURE OF 1-IYDROPHOBIA,—A4TgiCaI case
occurred the -other day, Which, even -.itriperfectly
as we are acquainted with the details, we con-*
skier it worth while to lay before our readers.
The *ast we allude to was • one of cure of
hydrOphobia. We took occasion some time ago,
in a short article on that dreadful disease; to state
to the best dour knowledge, that no more than
three cases of cure were on record, and only two
that were • well authenticated. The patient in
the present case, was a Miss Boree, a respectable
young lady, who resides with her sister, a Mrs.
Jones, No. 41, St. James's-street. •Miss• B.
vvas_bitten in Drury lane, on Monday, fourteen
days past, in the hand, by a dog, which the con-
sequences have proved to, be in a rabid state.
The syMptoms of the disease displayed them-
selves on Sunday, the-stli. Dr. Brown, of St.
George's Hospital, who was called in, advised
her immediate removal to the Hospital, inti-
mating at the same time, the nature and probable
issue of the malady. Her friends were, however,
averse to her removal, and she was consigned to
the care of Mr. Hicks, surgeon, of Conduit-
street, Regent-street; by whom the wound was
carefully excised and caustic applied. Mr. 11.
also bled the patient largely and cupped her. The
consequence of this decisive treatment has been,
that the convulsive twitches of tlie 'muscles of
the throat have completely ceased, the power of
swallowing liquids is fully restored, and. Miss
Boree, in all but the weakness incident on the
mode of cure, is quite well. •

MYSTERIOUS AND EXTRAORDINARY MUR-
DER.—The inhabitants of Monk's Eleigh and
its neighbourhood have been thrown into consi-
derable agitation by the following mysterious and
distressing 'circumstance :—A little boy, of the
name of Jonas Ansel!, about seven years of age,
the son of very decent parents, was missing on
Wednesday, the Ist instant. On the following
morning the water was drawn off from the mill-
head, in the river of ]Yfonk'S Eleigh, fora great
length of which strict search was made without
effect. A number of respectable .inhabitants
then commenced a general search in the.neigh-
bourhood, but it was not till the following Tues-.
day that the body was found, when it presented
a dreadful spectacle, the features being. nearly
obliterated by decay. It was, however, clearly
perceived that a considerable blow had been given
on the head, and a deep wound was found on the
back; under the right shoulder. A Coroner's
Jury was summoned, and continued their inves-
tigation for nearly two, days, when, frdm the ab-
sence of material evidence,- the inquest was flir-
ther adjourned. In the meantime a woman and
two of her children. have been committed by a
Magistrate residing near the spot, to our gaol.
for further examination, und4 circumstances of
strong suspicion. The supposition is,. that the'
deceased bad been bathing with the two junior
prisoners, and that having quarrelled, the injuries
which caused his death were inflicted. From
the.fact of the slaughtered boy having, received
wounds on thenaked body, there being no marks
on the. clothes, it is surmised that the mother,
having discovered the murder, dressed up the
body and concealed it in the place where it wits
found. It is stated that she was seen in consi-
derable agitation near the spot on the day the
child was missed. We 'understand that since
the committal of the- worrian and her sons, who
haie' been keptin separate cells, varied accounts
of the transaction have been elicited,. including a
' partial confession of their culpability. ,The
oldest of the boys is about qinC years of age, and
ithe pungest 9nly §even Herald, •

- REPORT.
The Select CoMmittee appointed to enquire into the Cause
of the Increaie in the Number of Criminal Commit-
menta and Convictions in England and Wales ; and who
were empowered to report their Observations and
Opinion thereupon, together with the Minutes•of Evi-
dence taken before them, to the House,—have enquired
into the Matters to them referred, and agreed upon the
following Report :

'rite appointment of the Committee having taken
place late in the Session, there has not been suffi-
cient time either for complete enquiry or mature de-
liberation on the whole of the important subject re-
ferred to them.' But the evidence given before them
upon one branch Of their enquiry, appears to them
of such considerable value as to justify their.making
a separate Report; calling the attention of the
House to its bearing and effect.
' -The first object to which the attention of your
Committee was turned, was to enquire into the in-
&ease of the niiinber of commitments as comp?ed
with the increase of the population. The . increase
of population from 1801 to 1821 is as follows

•
ENGLAND AND WALE'S.
1801
1811
1821

The number of commitments for.triaLin England
4nd Wales from 1806 and 1826
1806
. 1816
' 1826
•

Including the number of commitments on sum-
mary conviction before Magistrates, the increase
would be still greater. .But .the returns in the Se-
cretary of State's Office on this subject are not yet
so complete as to, induce your Committee to bring
the befOre the attention of the House.

The increase of crime from 1806
.to •1816 may
perhaps be in part accounted for by the 'change
from war to peace. From 1816 to 1826, however,
not only has there been no such change, but pecu-
liar attention has been paid to the subject of crime
both by official persons, by voluntary committees,
and by individuals. The duties of the Secretary of
State for the Home Departmext have been exercised
.with peculiar zeal and judgment; prisons have been
improved, the defects of the law inquired into, and
education among the poor promoted.. -
In proceeding to inquire into the causes of the in-
crease.in the number of criminal commitments, your
Committee, for the convenience of reducing into
order an investigation so extensive, began by ,di-
viding the subject.irito three parts--Ist, the increase
of crime in the agricultural districts; 2d, the increase
of crime in the manufacturing districts; 3d, the in-
crease of crime in the metropolis. It is to the first
'part alone that they have hitherto directed their in-
quiries; npr have they been able to form a definite
judgment even on this portion of the subject.—
' They proceed, however, to lay before the House
their observations, together with the substance of
the evidence taken before them, .referring to the
evidence itself. far more complete details.

The-main cause of the increase of crime in the
agricultural districts appears clearly to be the low
rate, of.sages, and, mitit of sufficient employment for
laboureN. This evil has been greatly aggravat
ed, although not altogether produced, :by the abuse
of the Pool: Laws to a purpose for, which they were
never intended. During the high price of provi-
sions, which occurred soon after the, commencement
Of the. war in 1793,- the farmers, instead,of raising
the wages of labour in proportion to the increased
value of subsistence had recourse to the expedient
of making up the deficiency out of the 'poor rate.
While the war continued, the increasing demand for
agricultural produce, .and the abundancy of the cur-
rency, concealed the evil with' which this system was
pregnant; but,with the restoration of peace came
large importations of foreign corn, a diminished cur-
rency, and a want of employment for the labourer.
At the same time while employment diminished,
the new administration of the Poor 'Laws tended
to increase the population. So that the farther
have
takenthe he obstacles,
fluctuations to a .restoration
which
this vicious system was carried, the greater .and
more difficult became
of.ahpele sinceaalethys lte.: T
81,
both with regard to the price.
of corn and the amount of the currency in circulation,
have still father' acted to prevent any iniprovement
in the situation of the country.
It is not for. your Committee to enter into any dis-
cussion on questions of ,eeonorny. But they think
it their duty to call the attention of the House to
thealearadation of tile moral character of the labour-
ing classes which attends the vicious system of sup-.
porting from the poor rates a number of young meri,
for. whom the parish finds only partial employment.
The wretchedness of their condition, the want of
regular habits, and of the due subordination of the
labourer to his employer, all tend greatly.to the pro-
motion of crime. Early marriages, contracted either
to avoid going to prison ,on a charge of bastardy, or
with a view of receiving a better allowance from the
parish, increase the evil, and multiply a population
for whom there is DO certain employment, and.a mi-
serable subsistence; and in this,situation they are too
apt to believe they can improve their condition .by
offending against the laws.
The best remedy for such a state of things would
undoubtedly be a great increase in, the demand for
-labour. But whether that increase takes place or
not, some amendment of the poor laws :which might
prevent the prevailing abuses from being carried fur-
ther seems to be called for. At present, while in
many counties the character of the labourer is daily
becoming worse, and the means of his employer
daily becomingless, there are other districts where the
old and wholesome administration of the Poor Laws
prevails, where the wages given are sufficient for the
maintenance of the labourer and the feeling of indepen-
dence is not vet obliterated. It is sorely desirable to
prevent- the infection of a vicious system from,spread-
ing to districts which it has not reached, and, if pos-
sible, to provide for its gradual diminution in those
where
,it most prevails.
The, evidence taken before the Committee spews
undeniably that the great increase of 'preserves for
game which has taken place of late years has tended
materially to the increase of crime in particular dis-
tricts ; a pheasant or a hare is so easily taken, that
a labourer only, half employed and ill-fed,: cannot re-
sist the temptation. Men 'of a wild character, like-
wise liaye within their reach both the means of
gratifying their love of sport and the means of dis-
posing of their booty. Some are of opinion that if
the sale .of game were allowed by law, poaching
would not be so frequently. resorted-to. Whether
such a speculation be well founded or no, it -appears
to be the.duty of the/Legislature to listen to ever'
rational proposal on the subject of the Game Laws,
and rather to hazard an experiment which may fail,
than to allow , the present evils to continue without
any effort to counteract them. •
When on this subject it deserves remark, that in
prisoners for trial,
ntloieneteatruernt()o, the commitments of
be found for offences against the Game
Laws till the passing of the Act-which subject's men
to transportation for going armed at night in pur-
suit of .game. This offence does not appear by the
returns to have increased .e,ince the passing of the
Act ; the nurnker committed in 1817 being 127,
and in 1820, 120, La many'of the petty larcenies

With respect to the increased frequency of com-
mitments under the Malicious Trespass Act, your
Committee 'would observe, that although petty
offences night not to go altogether unpunished, there
can be no greater evil than the abuse of the power
of sending to prison for trifling trespas,scs : so far
from preventing atrocious offences, your Committee
is of opinion, that the mere fact of having been sent
to prison is likely to deprive a man of one of the
greatest moral restraints, the dread of being
marked out •as ;i criminal in the face of his country.
To this evil is-to be added the danger of 'associating
with bad characters in prison, and the difficulty which
some times occurs of finding employment after being
discharged. • -

,-The Committee now proceed to Tarnish sum-
mary of the evidence taken before them.

Mr. Pym has acted for nine years as a Magistrate
for the county of Cambridge. It appears from the
Returns presented to Parliament, that the number
of prisoners committed for trial in the county of
Cambridge were, in 1805, 40; in 1806, 26 ; 1814,
37; 1815; 64; 1816, 71; 1824, 110; 182.5,-137;
1826, 142.- Mr. Pym is of opinion, that since the
Gaol Act there have been more full returns sent to
the • Office of
.the Secretary of State. He states,
however, that there are more committals under the
Game Laws, which he attributesJo distress. The
sum given by the parish to a single man who has no
employment is 2s. Bd. per week; the wages in har-
'vest are about '26s. a week, and beer. • " In the
summer season these single men can earn as much
as would enable a man to support a family, generally
speaking; they then squander that money, and in
the winter, about the month orNovember, they ge-
nerally- apply to the overseer, or to• the surveyor;
and I have known many instances in many parishes,
and it repeatedly comes before me, that single men
would not let themselves as servants to the farmers,
because if they should do so they would be under
their controul in the summer months, and they would
rather take parish pay and take their chance through
the winter, than controul themselves during the
summer months, when they could get a tolerable
demand for labour, and constant employment."
He thinks the feeling_of shame at receiving paro-
chial relief is quite obliterated ; the practice of the
labourers subsisting on very small sums received
from the parish without active employment, makes
them discontented and dissatisfied with their condi-
tion: They think they are not sufficiently paid for
their labour, and often hold out a threat, that if they
have not more they must do something which they
would not like to do to obtain it.

In this situation, the labourers are often guilty of
poaching or fowl stealing, but especially the former.
They do not consider poaching to be a moral
offence : there is a .very general feeling both amongst
the farmers and amongst the labourers that poach-
ing; is not a moral crime. The labourers begin with
potiching, and that-leads tq,every thing that is bad;
they begin to set snares at' ten years old. In the
district where Mr. Pym resides, however, there is
very little game, and more . fowl-stealing. In the
gaol at Cambridge the prisoners work on the tread-
mill nine hours a-day ; those who work on the tread-
mill have three pounds•of bread and a pint of small
beer'a-day allowed them. Those who are not put
upon the tread-mill are allowed only a pound and a
half of bread a-day, and nothing else. Poachers
who are not put on the tread-mill often apply to be
employed on it for the increased allowance; idle
men, • on the other hand, have a greater dread of
being'sent to gaol than they formerly had.
The Reverend Dr. Hunt produced from an ac-
curate return' the total number of, commitments to
the gaol, of Bedford. In 1802, they were 47; 1803,
88 ; 1805, 91 i 1806, 120; 1815, 125 ; 1816, 141;
1825, 333; 1826, 348, and the year ending the 10th
of January 1827, 417. He calculates_ that from the
year Ik4ol to 1827, the population of the county has
increased to the amount of 40 per cent., while-during
the same period crime has increased ten-fold, or 900.
per cent. It is to be remarked, however, that in the
il year. following 1801, . criminal commitments more,
than, doubled, and have clever since been much 'be-
low that amount. It is likewise to be observed,
that the prisoners from the town are now committed
to the county gaol. On the other hand, the
'practice of sending vagraMS to gaol, which of course
swelled the returns, has been discontinued for the
last few years.
Dr. Hunt states as the first cause of the increase
of crime, the distress of the agricultural labourer.
He says, that in some parishes the, unmarried
labourers are universally degraded to become rounds-
men,
or parish labourers on the gravel pits or on the
roads; that such men receive from 3s. to 3s. 6d. a
week ; that he has known an instance of a young
madapparently .17 years of age who received only
2s. a week. That they marry either to avoid going
to prison on a charge of bastardy, or to obtain a
better provision from the parish. That he has ob-
served a great loss of the feeling of independence,
scarcely any ,compunction.at receiving parish relief,
and a consequent degradation in the moral character
of the labourer. He does not think any great im-
provement can take place among them till they
can generally obtain regular employment, and fair
wages. • Those , who are kept by the parish during
the winter receive ss. from the overseer, to enable
them to seek their fortunes during hay time and
harvest. Those who get employed for the harvest
work receive about a pound a week. Irish labourers
supply their places at harvest, and the labourers of
the parish return to be a burthen during the winter.
' Men in this wretched condition are liable to yield
to any temptation; they go to poachingas an offence
of the smallest guilt. They generally appear hardly
to consider poaching as a crime; many who are
guilty of poaching would Certainly have great re-
luctance to ' commit what they would consider a
violation of private property. 'The great majority
of persons committed for ollences against the Game
Laws arc young unmarried labOnrers, though some
poachers are dissolute characters, who would remain
such even if good wages were offered. The general
opinion is, that game is not private property. They
say, God has made the game of the land free, and
left it free. The farmers,sinjured by the game, do
not discourage this notion. When punished for of-
fences against the Game Laws they are apt to think
they have not had a fair trial, when they have been
convicted by ,strict preservers of game, who havc
frequently been sufferers. Poaching and commit-
ment to prison bring* them acquainted with dissolute
characters; they proceed to petty thefts, and thus
poaching tends in various ways to injure the moral
feelings of the labourer.
Dr. Hunt is of opinion that the Malicious Tres-
pass Act, and other Acts which give summary, juris-
diction, have greatly increased the number of com-
mitments. He is also of opinion that these com-
mitments tend to the increase of crime; because a
person once sent to prison gets into a course of
criminal habits by associating with dissolute persons
he meets there. With regard to prison discipline,

. • $-;
. • .
. .
he adchh-"After long A attend vregy 10r,131
prison discipline; and aft . Nee. 'ea.*/
tion with the very excellent.-Chai,f-bise prison '
of the county of Bedford,-IMhtlki'veYlittle im- '
provement is ever made in themoral habits of a pri-
soner by even the best forms of prison discipline and
instruction that have yet been devised." The clas-
sification is as perfect in the Bedford gaol as it can
be made in a county of that extent. He afterwards
states his opinion in these words :—" I do not think
that prison discipline 'has increased crime, but that
sending to prison'at all for a small crime rather
tends to increase crime of every description ; a man
becomes a worse subject by being sent to prison ;
but he is not made so much worse now as formerly,
in consequence of the improved discipline of pris
sons." He allows that " the discipline of prisons is
better than it ever was formerly, but thinks that
punishment of this or any other kind has not a fair
trial, because' the prisoners have not been able to
return to a state of regular employment at good
wages."
With regard to eaucation, Dr. Hunt 'states, that
domestic discipline and parental controul have not
been so much attended to as formerly, arising per-
haps from the great increase of schools, parents ex-
pecting from those schools more than 'they have
been found to realize. The rapid education given in
them is seldom accompanied with much moral ins
struction. Sometimes when he has reproached the
parent of a child, who had shown early depravity, •
the parent has thrown the fault upon the school,
saying, " I sent the child to a school where it ought
to have been instructed better ; I have nothing to
reproash myself with." He has always observed
that educated prisoners have been better behaved in
proportion to the education they have received, par-
ticularly if Moral discipline and instruction• have
accompanied it ; but no very permanent good results
unless parental controul had also been exercised.-,-
He is of opinion that a very great improvement in
the moral character of the pOormight be• effected
by a more general diffusion oftligisystem' of infant ,
schools.

Mr. Orridge, who has been Governor of the
gaol and house of correction at Bury St. Edmund's
for nearly thirty years, has given very valuable in-
formation to the Committee. The number of pri-
soners committed to the house of correction has been,
1805 221 lBl5 387 1824 457
1806 192 1816 476 1825 499
1807 173 1817 430 1826 573

This witness states that the great increase in the
number of commitments began in the year 1815,.
from the depression Of agriculture and the great
dearth of employment. Men are employed upon
the roads at a very low rate. They consider it a '
matter of right to be paid from the poor's-rate.—
When the unemployed poor are put by the parish to
work on the roads they become lazy ; they know
that Whether they sit on the wheelbarrow, all the,
day, or, wprk hard, the result on Saturday night
would be the same. The continuance of this prae.:
tice has a bad moral effect. He remembers the
time when a man considered himself disgraced by
taking the allowance; but that feeling is now gone
by, and the independent spirit has been all destroyed:
Single men receive from eightpence to tenpence a
day from the parish. Next to the want of employ- •
ment, and the inadequacy of the price of labour, he
attributes the increase of crime to the fact, that there
is an abundant market for. pine, and . nobody to
compete in that market with the poacher. The
quantity of game is greatly increased. When first
hlinen‘nvdens t tkoeptthegaol h
in
dle there were four packs
tv.e;thel.eareno of fo
none now
no‘x:
Since the fox-hounds have been laid down, gentle-
men have •turned their attention to the preservation
of game; and associations for this purpose pay for
the services of those who give information that. leads
to a conviction. Until game became strictly pre-
served, and game associations formed, the number of
commitments under the Game Laws was inconsider-
able,-1810,5 k 1811,4.; 1812,2 ; 1824,60, 1825,41;
1826,71; 1822 (a year of great agricultural dis-
tresS), 78. Some poachers commit offences of this
kind from the love of sport ; but the greater part of
them are single men who do not receive adequate
wages. He believes, that if game could be legally
bought, the major part of the purchasers would pot
deal with the illegal traders in. it : how far that
would drive them into the farmer's pig and poultry
yards he will not pretend to determine. While the
first cause exists there will be misdemeanours of some
character or other. He observes, however, that in
the article of poaching, there is a general under-
standing amongst the lower orders of people that
there is no moral crime in it; so that they go to it
with a feeling that they are doing no moral wrong.
" I believe there are many men go to poaching who
would not steal, but I am afraid there are many men, -
who, wben they have been out and taken no game,
would take poultry on their return, from their ne-
cessities. I have known instances where men have
assured me after conviction, that they went out fOk
the purpose of taking game, but having been dis-
appointed, they have on their return taken fowls, or
pigs, or something else. I think that it leads to a
great deal of crime, and so far affects the morals of
the people. I think there are poachers who would
shudder at what they considered a felony; but from
congregating with idle characters, , when they carry
the game for sale, their'minds get ,colrupted, and
their moral feelings bhinted."
This witness attributes a part.of the increase in
the number of commitments to the Trespass Act,
which gives a power to Magistrates to commit and
convict : he is likewise of opinion that the improved
discipline of gaols induce many Magistrates to coin-.
mit, where formerly they would not have done it,
There 'used to be a reprimand from the Magistrate,
and a power of flogging them at the stocks for minor
offences. He thinks that. ihe Trespass Act has done
great good, and has tended to diminish the number
of atrocious crimes. The County of Suffolk, when
hefirstknew it, had more crimes of atrocious character
than it, has at present. Formerly the gaol had but
two roesas, one for 'debtors, and one for criminals of
all denominations.—The doors were opened in the
morning and not shut till'night ; there was a con-
stant intercourse with those abroad ; there was no
prohibition Of liquor; there was n tap in the prison;
the whole was a scene of riot. Now, all is order
the prisoners are,kept on the tread-mill,.and there is
more dread of Coming to gaol. The tread-mill, when
administered mildly, is'no effectual punishment ; in-
dustry,' regularity, and order, are inculcated by it,
when properly applied. The men work between
nine and ten hours a day, two-thirds on, and . one-r
third off : he calculates they walk from forty-eight
to fifty steps in a minute, each step'aeven inches
apart. As regards juvenile offenders,-a less term of
imprisonment than that usually applied, with private
whippings, is more effectual thaniongetterms.. The
sense of shame • is not gone off with the short jai-
, prisonment, and, combined 'with the pain of feeling.,
makes a lasting impression; but if they are kept
for a long time, 'communicating, as they must_ de,
1 eievionlionii
trivneesl,ittir
lesson the sense of shame,. and
the commitment for poachirx is
e:
not
Ithoewme.verWtihtlei respect gaol
i tso managed,poaching,o
tlTnieitttishas:ateitislNeo,
entttiteelial.;4l.lA:tc;
enforce hard
labour. of money, and a
lahour. " We may them,emply.e.
by labour
says in something not
se"i
the body, I
ploy them so as to fatigue
grdeus:vpeetachrste
bodyonf"' aY
moraltil e instruction, term
i o f iT Pt 1:;..
you do not
affectaYl meatsdeo;tmhareeinondmtt'faiainaltn'is mind; and I think there is 1% defect
in the Game Laws : if it is necessary to commit at
an, it is necessary to attach .hard labour to it. I
think it would be extremely wholesome if the power
of hard labour was given with respect to almost all
convictions." . As to anylabour less severe than the
tread-mill, he thinks it would be a sort of amuse-
ment, and would be rather desired by the prisoners
than otherwise, to pass tittle away. Whenever in
prison any sort of labour is introduced that requires
art, they must be watched, or they will spoil it.
" prisoners can be employed in scarcely any thing
but as mere machines; when they are to finish any
article of value, if they are put out of humour they
will spoil it. I think, in thaL case, their inclinations

must be• consulted, rather than forced, by discipline,
which is wrong." As to solitary confinement, it
operates on different individuals very differently. A
sluggard would sleep the greater part of the time,
whereas it would drive as active person nearly to
madness. As to moral improvement, Mr. Orridge
seems in some doubt. He observes that hypocrisy
goes to a great extent in prison; that there are
many whom he has never known properly till he
had no power over them ; that a complete scoun-
drel conceals himself. " I had thought that after
thirty years I had a knowledge of criminal charac-
ter, but I believe I shall die a novice at last." With
respect to classification, judginr, from thirty years' ex-
perience, he daises them by character and conduct,
and not by crime ; always informing the Magistrate if
be deviates much from the rule laid down in the Act
of Parliament. He thinks the elassification accord-
ing to law does no good at all ; a man of the most
atrocious character may be sent to prison for a very
slight offence. With respect to education, he has
great doubt of the efficiency of the system of educa-
tion as now conducted; be would give the prefer-
ence to instruction rather than no instruction ; but
he thinks there wants to be a system of industry pro-
moted with the instruction. He thinks the Sunday'
schools are very excellent things; the children are
never employed on that day, and, as they will con-
gregate, they had better congregate in Sunday
schools. But where there is only a system of
education without sowing the seeds of industry, it
does not go far enough. The boys are at school
all day, and do not learn habits of industry from
their parents as they used to do. They afterwards,
however, frequently forget what they have learnt.
He remembers a charity school in the town where
he resides, in which the woollen business was con-
ducted; they went to labour by spinning, and on
the alternate days they went to reading; there
were few commitments of persons educated in that
school. He thinks, however, upon the whole, that
if education had not been introduced, the increase
of crime would have been greater than it now is.
Sir Thomas Baring, a member of the Committee,
having acted as a magistrate for about twenty years,
in the county of Hants, states, that offences of an
atrocious character have diminished, excepting horse
and sheep-stealing; but petty offences increased to
a very great degree. There have been frequently
as many as fifty, sixty, and seventy prisoners in the
House of Correction for offences against the Game
Laws; exclusive of offences against the Game
Laws of greater magnitude. The Committee call
the attention of the House to the following parts of
the examination of Sir Thomas Baring :

Do you remember at what time the great in-
crease of offenco with regard to the Game, began ?
—I think for the last three or four .years there has
been a great increase.

Do you attribute that to the increase of distress,
or the increase of Game, affording greater opportu-
iiity.?—To both.

Have the people been generally in a worse condi-
tion during the last three or four years than they
were before ?—I think they certainly have ; and
whenever the price of agricultural produce is low,
distress prevails amongst the agricultural labourers.
During times of distress, is poaching the most
common offence ?—I think it is almost the only of-
fence to which distress drives the agricultural la-
bouring population, except poultry stealing and wood
stealing, which have prevailed to a great degree also.
Do you think that if there were no game, distress
would have caused poultry stealing, and other offences
of the like kind, to an equal amount ?—I should think
not, from the facility with which that offence may
be committed as compared with other petty offences.
.Has there been a great increase in the quantity of
game: preserved ?—Very considerable, and confined
to email woods, making it extremely easy for them
to be taken..
To what species of game do you refer ?—Game
in the woods—hares and pheasants ; but I can men-
tion an instance where game is preserved to the
highest degree almost of any property in that part
of the country ; and, in consequence of some illiberal
observations in one of the newspapers, that the pro-
prietor had occasioned a number of persons to be
committed for poaching, I had the curiosity to in-
quire what number of persons had been committed
tor poaching upon that property since the game was
first preserved, for the last thirteen years, and in that '
period only three persons had been committed for
,poaching on that property.
To what do you attribute that ?—ln consequence
of the strict watch and the number of persons em-
ployed to preserve the game.
Do you believe that if the labourers were paid
adequate wages there would be much poaching ?—I
feel confident that there would not, and I can speak
from personal experience. In the part of the country
in which I reside poaching existed to a considerable
.extent; from attention to the employment of the
poor, and to their conduct also, I can say, that for
the last two years no one instance of poaching has
occurred, committed by the persons of that neigh-
bourhood. It had been the custom of farmers in
the winter months to reduce the price of labour
from 9s. and 105. to 75. and Ss. I prevailed upon
them last year not to reduce the labour at all, but to
"keep it at 95., and I endeavoured to shovi them, and
did succeed in persuading them, that they would
not lose by the system ; that they would have nearly
us much to-pay in parish rates, and the result has
been that the people were well off: and in no in-
stance has there been a complaint made to me, as a
Magistrate, from any party of the neighbourhood for
any criminal offence committed,--a circumstance
which has not occurred in any former year.
Were all the labourers employed , during the
winter ?—The whole of them were employed
whenever a person was found wanting employment,
by agreement amongst the farmers he is taken into
the employment of some one of them, and not
allowed to remain unemployed.
Do not you think that the present mode of ad-
ministering the Poor Laws leads to an increase of
the population beyond the means of employment ?
I think the Poor Laws have been very much abused.
If restricted to their original intention and purpose,
they would be productive of the greatest benefit to
the country ; abused they are productive of
great evil. If they were confined simply to provide
he the aged and infirm and impotent, and not ap•
plied as they are now, to the payment of part of
. A. be wakes to the labourers, they would be produc-
tise of good. There is also mixed up in what is
termed Poor gates that which does not belong tc
them, and winds, aught to .be separated ; and
think if persons of Aittelligence would look more
,accurately into the management of the poor,_ and
to their comforts and conduct, .the system of the
poor Laws would be a national benefit, and not an
injury, .both to the poor and to the rich,
What do you think is the objection felt to mak,
ant change on
part of the farmers gene-
rally ?—I think in the fitait instance the desire to
throw the burthen from
themselves upon others, and
also, in a grzeat measure, from an inddTerence which
prevails in their minds with respect tp the moral
character and conduct of the poor ; that when they
have to pay Ss. wages instead of 7s. they do not
take into consideterion that in the event of their
paying "is, they will ve.ey frequently have nearly as
much to pay in the shape
.off Their proportion to the
Poor's Rates.
..Should the Committee be renewed ne;t year,
some yaluable information may be expected 1;,;or.21
Sir T. Baajng on the subject of Prison Discipline.
The Committee refer the House to his evidence
for the plan of a eillage shop which he has adopted,
with great benefit to she. labourer.
(To az colici,upzp To-vvoaaow).

Ti
HARVEST...-In this neighb,9llrhood, the
greater part of the 'Wheat acid Barley is secured. 13...),th
in
quantity and quality the crops Uly equal the expectation
formed of them. On the hotter 1a44 the Barley is of
course rather short, in consequence of the meat beat and
want of rain ; a few fine samples were exhibited in our
market, on Satuday last,.. Worcester Journal.

SUMMER ASSIZES.

HOME CIRCUIT, LEWES, Aua., 15.
BRYANT V. WHISTLER, ('LEAK.

This was an action of trespass for breaking and
entering a vault in the church of St. Clement's,
Hastings, belonging to_ the plaintiff, and disturbing
him in the possession of it. Plea " Not Guilty."
The case proved in evidence was this :—The
plaintiff was a gentleman of fortune, residing generally
in Loudon, but having considerable property in the
neighbourhood of Hastings. The defendant was the
rector of the parish of St. Clement, in Hastings. In
1819, the plaintiff was staying at Hastings, with
his family, and a Miss Williams, a particular friend,
who had for some years resided with him. In the
course of that year Miss Williams died, bequeathing
a considerable estate to the plaintiff, who, being
anxious to pay her the last tribute of respect, applied
to the defendant for permission to build a vault in
the church, in which the remains of Miss Williams,
and at future periods, those of others of his family,
might he deposited. The defendant was asked what
he would charge for his permission, he replied, " that
he should open his mouth pretty wide, and supposed
that 30/. would not hurt the plaintiff." After some
discussion, 20/. was agreed upon, and that sum was
paid by the plaintiff to the defendant, who thereupon
said, " Now you may go to work as soon as you
please." The plaintiff and the defendant, and the
parish clerk, then went into the church together, and
selected a spot on which the vault should be built.
The vault was, accordingly, built on that spot ;
and on the wall over it, a tablet, expressing
that Miss Williams was buried there in a vault, "ap-
propriated to the plaintiff and his family," was, with
the knowledge and consent of the defendant, erected.
These works together cost the plaintiff a sum of
near 40/. The day after the vault was finished, Miss
Williams's funeral took place, the service being per-
formed by the defendant, who then had an opportu-
nity of seeing the vault, which he examined, and to
which he then made no objection. The plaintiff
then returned to London, where he continued for
some years, without ever revisiting Hastings. In
1825, the defendant proposed to the parish clerk,
and some of the other parish officers, to open the
plaintiff's vault, and to deposit there the remains of
a voung lady, named Fleming, then just deceased.
This was communicated to the plaintiff, who remon-
strated repeatedly with the defendant upon the sub-
ject, as did also the other parties to whom the de-
fendant had made hnown his intention. The de-
fendant, however, persisted; and accordingly he had
the vault opened, and the corpse of Miss Fianing
deposited in it. The plaintiff then wrote to the de-
fendant upon the subject, to which the latter sent a
written answer, stating, that the vault was much
larger than he had intended it should be; that the
language of the inscription on the tablet was highly
objectionable; and that the fee of 20/. for per-
mission to build the vault was far too small. He
concluded by stating, that there was plenty of room
in the vault now, both for all the plaintiff's family,
and for himself also ; and by requesting that if the
plaintiff wrote again, lie would pay the postage. In
consequence of this letter, the present action was
brought.
Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 50/. ; subject,
of course, to a point of law that was reserved.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.-1301)111N, AUG. 14.

The Assizes for the county of Cornwall com-
menced this morning in this town (the commission
having been opened yesterday). Lord Chief Justice
BEST sat at the Crown side ; Mr. Justice BUR-
ROUGH at the Civil.

The criminal calendar is not remarkable for any
character of aggravated crime. The civil business is
rather heavy, there being a number of actions which
involve the responsibility of speculators in mining
property in this neighbourhood. They are to be
tried by special juries, and are the last on the list.
Richard Fisher, a vapbond travelling tinker, was
indicted for a brutal assault upon Elizabeth Flicks,
a poor blind woman, upwards of 80 years old. The
fellow had knocked at the door of the old woman's
house, and used the name of another tinker, who
was known there, to obtain admission to rest; but
the old woman being alone, refused him; he, how-
ever, forcibly pushed in the door, knocked her down,
and was only driven from the perpetration of a capi-
tal crime by her screams, which brought some
neighbours to her assistance.
The Jury instantly found him Guilty of the mis-
demeanor, and Lord Chief Justice BEST, after ani-
madverting in indignant terms upon the prisoner's
brutality, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment
and hard labour.

BORGASE V. DANIEL.-PROFESSIONAL QUARREL.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff to re-
cover damages from the defendant, for the use of
defamatory words which were injurious to his cha-
racter.
After some further colloquy, the Jury found a
verdict for the defendant.

SLEEP P. JENNINC3.-MINING RESPONSIBILITY.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a
working blacksmith, against the defendant, an iron-
founder, at Truro, to recover 11/. 12s. for work
done by him upon the machinery of the Ruby-wheel
Mine. Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 11/. I`,2s.