The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-13 00:00:00

TREAD MILL BEFORE TRIAL.

Sir FRANCIS BURDETT presented a petition from
Martin Stapylton. Esq.. one of the Justices of the Peace
of the North Riding of Yorkshire, praying the house to
take into consideration the illegality of compelling pri-
soners committed for trial to work at the tread-mill. The
petitioner stated. that he bad often protested against the
conduct of his brother Magistrates, in subjecting prisoners
before trial, to that laborious and degrading employment,
but still they continued the use of it. Sach conduct on
tIN pi' tits Magistrates waslletifiltrUptiressive, hot
illegal, and this gentleman deserved great credit for in-
teresting himself in sending this petition to the house.
The Hon. Baronet expressed a hope that this petition
would not be neglected on their table, but the law, if
doubtful, would be amended, and a stop speedily put to
this species of punishment of prisoners, who on their trial
might prove innocent.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said that he did not mean to dis-
cuss the law at that moment, but he believed the Magis-
trates conceived that they had a right to employ prisoners
as they did. He believed the subject was discussed on a
late occasion in the Court of King's Bench, and that the
Judges of that Court were inclined to the opinion that
prisoners, even before trial, might be legally employed
working at the tread-mill, in order to earn a subsistence
for themselves, if no other employment could be found for
them. It was unnecessary to go into the subject now, as
the Hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. O. Bennet) had a
few nights ago given notice of a motion for leave to bring
in a Bill to declare the employment of prisoners on hard
labour, brfire trial, illegal. Nor his own part he had no
hesitation in saying, that it was wrong to subject to the
tread-mill such prisoners as were committed for trial.
Sir F. BURDETT said he had no doubt of the illegality
of employing prisoners at the tread-mill before trial.
What the Judge in the King's Bench said was no judg-
ment on the point, but rather an excuse for the Magis-
trate—adding, that if the prisoners were not willing to
work. they were not to he fed at the expense of the coon-
ty. A prisoner before trial ought to he allowed all the
comfort and consolation that was possible and consistent
with his situation, but certainly punishment should not be
inflicted before trial, at which perhaps the prisoner would
be acquitted of the charge against him. The employment
of the tread-mill was more severe than any other, even
after conviction. But the Magistrates thought that the
prisoners should work in such a way as to justify them in
giving support. After what had been said in that House
already, he was surprised that the Magistrates could per-
severe in inflicting that species of punishment on prisoners
before trial.
Mr. Secretary PEEL sail lie bad no difficulty in saying
that proper allowances of diet should be given to needy
prisoner., without subjecting them to that species of
employment. If any doubt could remain as to the ille-
gality of such emphyment of prisoners before trial, he
would soon bring a hill to remove it, and to declare that
prisoners before trial ought not to be subjected to the

Mr. S. WORTLEY said that the magistrates were con-
vinced that by law they had a right to make the prisoners
work in that manner. He was glad that the Right Hon.
Gentleman was about bringing in a Bill to clear all doubts
upon the point.
Mr. J AMES said that the opinios of the Judges of the
King's Bench went to the effect, that unless the prisoners
worked as the Magistrates liked, they might starve- to
death.

&Xenia (11111,11LAND2
On the motion of Colonel DAVI S, returns were or-1
OrFed of the amount of the Excise and Port Duties in Ire-
Und, and of the Expenses of collectiog them for the Lail
year.

Rcvszwit.
On the motion of 51r. NUMBLY,
dered of the tiros. sad Net Resume
from the 9th of January, 1791, -
Union wish Ireland, and frost
of both Trmseries, in 1816; also
sth of January, 18t4 ; with the
with so Account of the Pubacr
'risk Abe chsrge of linterest op the mil
umostittif the RopWatiosoepaxamtair
latimurioN 07 airmakma AND p‘
Mr. IllUltipsisl,3list ow the -
fully aware that the subject ta
lug the attention of the house,

kut be herd-that upon dleittqulry ft **aid be dinlekited.-:
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LILLY, Accounts were or- PO, *WIN' h the rich in the eye of the hir—or at alt
tenons of Great Britain, events, 0114 a system of enactments had been Moffett rt.*
to the same period atrae the ititoto bOott which Were no credit to it, Bed which
that to the iboasolifiseioD seemed to 'tin only to be violated. Uptitt fire secOnd
10 f, that Folded to the. lorinalt Of the sobject,—nittreif, that respectini the' istpot-
to Charge. of C,,oligetiOn tatioti of.miachinery, he I:relieved' peklic. ohltatint • arse mons
htbt,funtled qd ootinstiede Zeti: opinitin 'Wet thil Ottetqatiob. Of
be some, torthei with tiro :tint .fiaisio bet 4ther fdlintbs tOttithat feetralfit,
ptf fob .year• 141._7?5p itt*AltltiqiirW into, rem' oat WOW W a
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was one of great ditheuliy. *tenor epettf t 'upon othry &tire