The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-17 00:00:00

This return shows the number of persons tried and convicted

at the Sessions,—but it is no criterion of the number of persons
charged with felony and brought before the magistrates. I

shall; therefore, rem. ._
the main bridewell, showing
with felony during the last four years; they were
In 1842
1843
1844
1845

to another return made by the keeper of
the number of persons charged

Now it would be a source of much gratification to notice in
each of these successive years that the number of felonies had

progressively diminished, but that I must call your attention
to the fact that, during the same period the number of other
offences has progressively increased. I read from the same re-
turn the number of persons in each of those last tour years
brought before the magistrates charged with other offences
than felony. They are as follow::

Thus you see the constantly progressive increase in the num-
ber of persons charged with other offences. On this subject
the Inspector of Prisons of the Northern and Eastern District
of England has remarked, that this old and flourishing maritime
town is almost the only exception, in this extensive district,
where there has not been a diminution of committals to prison
during the last year. Gentlemen, I am sorry to add, the only
bright part of this picture is already beginning to be clouded.
Since October last, a marked increase has taken place in the
business of this court, the number of committals for felony,
according to the best calculations I can make, have exceeded,
by one-third, the number during the same period in each of the
two preceding.years. Ido not now propose to inquire into the
source of this increase,—l wish simply to establish the fact, and
to call your attention to the general magnitude of crime, in
order that you may feel the importance of using every pos-
sible means to check the progress of social disorder. You are
now met to render your assistance for that purpose ; when you
...."..enrrn a, 1 veer nnrt nna when the Petty Tll rcr h all 1

have performed theirs, we shall then have separated the guilty
from the innocent. But the main question will then remain,
how are the guilty to be disposed of ? There are two modes of
punishment which we are enabled to adopt with reference to
the public protection, which are within the discretion of this
court, transportation and imprisonment. Wh?n we reflect that
transportation is a punishment by which parties are removed to
the furthest quarters of the globe for many years, to be passed
in imprisonment and servitude, breaking asunder every social
tie, to say nothing of the expense to this country, and the horror
and disgust which must be entertained towards these unfortu-
nate victims by those resident abroad, it is clear that that is a
punishment which ought to be imposed in comparatively few
and serious cases. If it were otherwise, it would be effectual
as a punishment, and such undue severity would defeat its own
object. It is clear, in the majority of cases in this court, im-
prisonment is the most general that can be adopted. But the
far greater number of cases to which the same punishment
must apply are those disposed of by the magistrates when I tell
you that in the course of last year no fewer than 6235 different
individuals were committed to the borough prison, the largest
number probably that passed through any prison in thel kingdom
in that statement will suggest to:you what a powerful instrument
a prison may be made for good or for evil. If you were to ask
me as to the result of my experience, and whether I consider
confinement in our Borough Gaol most calculated to produce
any good moral effect, I am sorry to say I must answer—cer-
tainly not. Individual cases may exist. I know that some do
exist where confinement in that gaol have been productive of be-
nefit and effectual afterwards, but gentlemen that is not the ge-
neral effect and tendency of imprisonment in the gaol. Nay, I
am prepared to go further, and state that the general influence
of imprisonment is decidedlv unfavourable and injurious, and
ill calculated to influence the conduct of the parties in future
life. The number of re-commitments which take place are
strong evidence on this subject. If you were to inquire to-day,
or any day, of what class of persons the inmates of gaols are
composed, I venture to say you would find more than half were
persons who had been previously convicted. If you ask for
proof, I refer you to my calendar of last sessions, where out of
106 persons charged with felony, no fewer than 65 had been
committed previously. Here you have evidence of the ineffi-
ciency of the effect of imprisonment in a gaol. When I
have to impose a long term of imprisonment, and it is
an old offender, what can I expect but that he will be
while in prison an instrument of corrupting others. If the
culprit is a novice, what can I expect from the association to
which the punishment inflicted consigns him, but that his cha-
racter, instead of being improved, will be materially injured?
Yet this does not arise from any deficiency on the part of those
who have the charge of our prisons : officers more diligent and
zealous cannot be found, or more competent to manage, with
satisfaction to the public, a proper prison establishment. But
without a building of suitable plan and construction?—without
sufficient space and extent of accommodation, it is impossible
to enforce that strict and severe discipline which is so essential
'to produce a lasting and salutary impression, or prevent the
association with bad characters which is so fatal to all that are
of a good disposition. During the last ten years the Govern-
ment of the country has paid the most laudable attention to the
subject, and great light has been thrown onthe various matters
connected with prison management. Many prejudices have been
removed, and are every day being removed, and the result is
now well understood, that the separation of one prisoner from
another is the great and leading feature in all prison establish-
ments. In the punishment of offenders the well-disposed have
no right to be subjected to the infliction of being contaminated by
being compelled to associate with bad characters. An improved
system of punishment has been adopted at Bath, Shrewsbury,
and partially at Preston, and in every instance with success.
Ever since I had the honour of a seat on this bench, I have
been led to expect a prison on such a principle as I mention
would have been provided for the borough. 1 have waited for
it, and have no hesitation in saying I have mitigated my sen-
tences with reference to the inadequacy of the prison establish-
ment; and if any person will examine the return to which I
have referred, drawn up by the Inspector of Prisons, he will
find what I mean. I have been compelled, owing to the imper-
fection of our prison establishment, to adopt such modification
in several cases; and it is high time I should be relieved of that
difficulty. I care not so much for myself—that is nothing : it
is on public grounds I ask it. That a total change is required,
is, I feel convinced, the opinion of every cine. All I know who
have had any experience, and are conversant with the subject,
and capable of judging of it, entertain the same views. The
excellent chaplain of the gaol finds the utility of his labours
impaired and paralysed by the present state of things, and has
made a strong representation on the subject. After stating
the evils of the system, he observes that the delay in the intro-
duction of a better and more practical systein is an infliction
of little less than injustice, if not cruelty, on many who, in
the meantime, shall be committed to this prison. The report
was read before the magistrates, and they passed a resolution,
that they were deeply impressed with the importance of the
Chaplain's report, and expressed a hope that the evils to which
he had alluded would, at no distant period, be removed by the
erection of a new gaol. The Inspector of Prisons, who visited
the Gaol in October last, in his report to Parliament, after ad-
verting to some details, which plainly show how inadequate this
prison is to effect the great object of such an institution, says—
"The inconveniences resulting from the want of a suitable
penal establishment in the town of Liverpool, are becoming so
complicated and perplexing to those entrusted with the admi-
nistration
.of justice, and to the officers of the prison, and so
directly injurious to the interests of society, from the ineffi-
ciency of the present prison as a deterring agent, that I cannot
too strongly press upon the municipal authorities the urgency
that exists for providing a new gaol. The truly lamentable
number of re-committals show that imprisonment there has
little or no influence in checking crime or disorder, and this
remark more particularly applies in the case of women."

Again he says-
"l' do not assume that the building of anew gaol will cure
this lamentable state of things, but it is the duty of the muni-
cipal authoritigs to employ every available means for its
check and discouragement. A new penal establishment,
drected upon an improved principle, will permit at least the
classification, separation, and supervision of prisoners, the ap-
plication of hard labour, and scales of diet proportionate to the
length of imprisonment, which cannot he said to exist in the
present prison. lam aware that legal difficulties have arisen
with respect to the transfer of the ground selected for the site
of the new borough gaol, but the necessity for prompt measures
is so apparent that should they be not speedily terminated, it
seems worthy of consideration whether some other locality
might not be availed of for the purpose."
To this testimony I take the liberty of adding my own. The
subject is one that will not brook delay, and for the sake of the
community at large it ought to be taken up with an energy and
despatch proportioned to the urgent importance of the subject.
The local government is now building courts of law on a most
comprehensive scale, and surely that noble design will never
be allowed to remain incomplete, by providing a place for trial
without an establishment where the sentences of the magis-
trates may be carried into effect. It should bestow some por-
tion which has been given to the halls of justice to the cells of
prisoners; when that is done, and not till then, we may hope to
see the laws for the suppression of crime administered here in
a proper and efficient manner.

CHRIST CHURCH SCHOOL.--At this excellent and well-
conducted school upwards of 600 children receive a sound
Scriptural and useful education. In behalf of the funds for its
maintenance two Sermons will be preached on Sunday next,
and we need but add, in furtherance of the good cause, that
the Rev. Fielding Ould will preach in the forenoon, and the
Rev. Hugh M'Neile in the evening.
DEATH FROM STARVATION.--On Saturday a man unknown
was found in a sinking state in Manchester-street. He ap-
peared like a skeleton. A surgeon was called who ordered him
mustard plasters, but he died while they were being applied—
in about an hour after he was received at the station.