The Statesman.
London, England, 1814-07-05 00:00:00

CITY GAOLS BILL.

Mr. HOLFORI) moved the second reading of the
Bill for improving the coftdition of the Gaols of the
City of London. His object was, without throw-
ing out any reflection an the Aldermen of London,
the present managers, to secure to the prisons of the
metropolis the visitation of a greater number of per-
sons equallycompetent, and from their iitoation not
'less inclined to attend to their wanti data the pre-
sent managers were.
Sir W. CURTIS contended, that the prevent Bill
was not justified by any thing which appeared on the',
face of the Report. In a short time the Magistrates
of London would have it iv their power to liberate
3 or 400 prisoners from Nevrgate, and' theca to pro-
vide for the better accommodation of prlsixters in
their other gaols. If the present passed the
Aldermen must feel degraded and disgraced. They
must feel that a higher authority had been placed
over them. To such a degradation they had no right
to submit. If they had done amiss, or had forfeited
the confidence of the House and of the public, let
them be brought before a competent tribunal, and
there exposed; but let them not be stigmatized with.
out proof or cause of any kind. He concluded by
moving, as an amendment, that the Bill be read a
Isecond time this day six mouths. _ _

Sir JAMES SH-AW,• in seconding this motion,
entered into an enumeration of the comforts and im-
provements in the situation of the prisoners, lately
introduced by the Magistrates of London, by which
he contended, they were in point of diet, rendered
infinitely more comfortable than the generality of
the poor inhabitants of Yorkshire, of Ireland, or of
Scotland. The prisoners were visited daily, by the
Sheriffs • weekly, by the Alderman sitting in rota-
tion at Guildhall; and eight times .a year by three
Aldermen, one of whom had passed, and two of
whom had not passed the Chair. He asked, could
any thing be more complete then this? If the lion.
Gentleman, however, wished to point out any thing
amiss in the direction, let it be shown, and the only
desire of the Magistrates was that it should be
remedied. - - • -
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR declared, he bed never in
his life Seen a worse managed gaol than that of New-
gate. When he, on a late melancholy occasion, at-
tended to that prison an ettfortuttate being, who had
deprived the House of the services of one of the best
of men, there literally could not be found a roots
in which to place him. Let the House compere the
state of Newgate with the state of the goal of Glou.
cester, or of that of Yerk. If the :Magistracy of
London spent oe the prisons of the Metropolis only
a fiftieth part of the money they expended in magel.
ficent entertainments, the unhappy prisoners would
soon be in a very different plight. That something
ought to he (lone wrlevident.
Mr. BA:ritutisr:allogred that something 'ought
to be done. But the queition before the House was,
whether the particular Bill that was proposed was
the best measure that could be adopted. In Mg
Opinion, a great part of the existing evil arose from'
the crowded state of Newgate, and would be re.
•medied when the prisons now in progress should be
completed. He could see no good that would be
gained by taking the management of the prison Mit
of the present hands. It Would be le great reflection.
on the Magistracy of Landauthus fo supersede them
in the exercise of their functions. He admitted,
that many county gaols were in much better condi-
tion, but this was solely attributable to the subdivi-
Sion of the prisoners which took place in them, a prat.
tice which, in the existing state of Newgate, could not
I be resorted to.

Mr. BENNET contended that want of room was
not the only evil experienced in Nee gate. To this
were to be added want of fond, and want of cloth-
ing. The evidence before the Committee fully esta-
blished the fact, that the prisoners laboured under
these privations.
Mr. %V. SMITE!, while he professed himself un-
able to see why the Aldermen and the Common
Councilmen should be considered as antagonists un-
der the Bill, and while he contended, that on the
contrary they would soon act in perfect concerti
admitted that it would be advisable for the Honour-
able Gentleman to withdraw his Bill for a year, in
Order That it might be better digested, that the in-
dividuals to be selected for the management should be
better considered, and that the effect of the gaols
now buihling should be fully ascertained. He hoped.
also, that as the attention of the magistracy had been'
'so pointedly called to the subject, many Important
reforms would be adopted. If, however, contrary
to his expectation, the evil should still nistnext
year, neither the antiquity of the present constitu-
tion of the city, nor any other consideration, should
induce Mm to withhold his assent from some legi-
slative measure of correction.
Sir THOMAS ACKLAND said 'it was evident
from what had been already stated, that many most
glaring defects did not originate in the want of room
but in the want of attention in the Magistrates. In
the Borough Compter, that wretched prison, so late
as Saturday last, a man Way. obliged to lie the night
through on boards for want of blinkets. rt had
been objected by i • Milli • HosioUrable Gentleman
(Mr. 11. Bathurst) OM their were no regulations in
this Wit for the adralitigtration of the 'prison; hot
the Bill empowered a Committee to make.such regit-