The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-02-28 00:00:00

Mt STATESMAN.

=ritioary manes . adr.) f pedits.a.
lw.edeViet-be nab) • Harts.
t*n prepay to f tids vitT -o.C‘i ma a kom,il
wets, be Awn t mein u' 'elk (fieltrAe. pre) joie
&ay., we wed satisfied, satisfied, c 1(1 be ride. o He world, •
no lest than 42,0001.
however, acknowledge that in the. Report of the Coin-
gitaaleuers would be &eta souse aggravated eases.—
(Hear, bear.) The Consmissiosers' inquiry,lind cot!
rected those cases. Re lamented that such rases coal 4
have existed.—(Hear. leer.) The Conwaresioners
so far affected a good ,object; they of posed the intro-
per treatment to which the prisoners were !objected.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR thought the Magistrates were
to blame. They ought to have taken care that the pri-
soners should be accommodated In every way possibleto
alleviate their sufferings. They should have given the
benefits of good water. of cleanliness, and of purifying
air, to every part of the prison, and whatever comforts
could be rendered, they should. in humanity,' 'Sera
them. He read the Report of the Commissioners, and
agreed entirely with his hon. friend, the Member for
Aberdeen, that some proceeding ought to he founded on
it. He saw the Right Hon. Secretary who was at the
head of the Home Department in his place, and had a
firm reliance on his vigilance. He knew he would keep
a watchful eve on the conduct of the Magistrates. He
had not the honour of knowing the Magistrates of So-
mersetshire; but be they who they might, he bad no
hesitation in saying that their conduct was most repre-
hensible.
Mr. BENNRT was surprised to find any persons who.
assented to the extraordinary statement of the lfon. [la.
ronet. The Hon. Baronet caught bold of the phrage
"solitary confinement," and interpreted it to mean tp
be imprisoned within four walls, and to have food it
op by the hands of the gaoler, through a grating ; but
that was the worst spec es of solitary confiuement.—
What was the sort of solitary confinement to which Mr.
Runt was subjected? A person confined in satisfaction
of political offence was obliged to associate with convict-
ed felons. That was the only prison in Itngland in
which such rules prevailed, and the Samersershire Ma-
gistrates were the only Magistrates who could put such
rules in force. But It was argued, in support of those
regulations, that they were approved by the Judges, and
drawn np by Mr. Justice Best.—(Heir, hear.)—lt was
only the other day that any roles at all were in existence
for Ilchester (hol, as by Act of Parliament they ought
to have been. It was only of late that gaol had any rules,
when the Magistrates made theme arbitrary regulations.
Those rnles and the Report should he published, and
the negligence of the Magistrates should be ina:lr known
through the kingdom. He contended that # was the
'duty of the House to addrAs his Majesty for the ie-
romd of those Magistrates from the Chinniission of the
Peace.—(Hear, hear.)—Therc was one case which came
to his knowledge, and which was a disgracefnl instance
of the negligence of the Magistrates. The Hon. flea-
tlenin'then read the case of Mary Cure, who, with her
infant child, had been locked up in a solitary cell, for
having had a dispute with another female. Poi. the two
first days she had been without fire,'and was not allow-
ed to lay nut, for the benefit of her chill, the money al-
lowed her by berparish. The history of the case of that
woman must touch the heart of every one who had the
least feeling of ha manity. Her misfortunes were brought
abont by the Magistrates, and by the gloleri their
wretched tool.
Mr. All. WOOD said the Magistrates were q *Ale
•
and so undetermined, that they altered the regoiatinek
five or six times. They changed their minds .o oftei;l
and the rides were altered solely in regard to Mr. thint,,4.
The Commissioners, in their Report, said no halt Nag
been found in the gaol with Mr. Hunt's conduct, or with'
the conduct of his visitors. His object in data., thee,
was to beg the lion. Baronet would call on the Magis-
trate( to alter those regulations as far they respected'
Mr Hint Via Wit WORM esfatiewe te teillidel• the se-a
verity practised on Mr.linnt to arise rroin the Inquiry
of which be had been the cause. It was not until he
brought about that investigation, and until he brought,
forward his charges, that thore regulations were put in
force against him. Until then he had his liberty through
the whole of the gaol, and the advantage of an nore.
strieteti communication with his friends.
Mr. DICKINSON explained.
Mr. LEN NA RD regretted that the Report of the 6;m-
Nnissioners made so few remarks on the conduct ofthe
Magistrates. In the evidence, however, taken before
them, there was one fact which was not yet contradicted.
When the charge was brought against the Oroler, one of
the Magistrates wee heard to say that they should
de-
fend their gaoler at all events. That was in time evidence
and not yet contradicted; but who was that :ranter? He
was a man Ipronght from the Hulks. T,,e house
should know what he was. Ile Was a drunk mule and
debanchee, and a pander, and a man totally ahandonell
to the worst vices. lie hoped the honer ti mi:d he if-
forded an onportnnityof examining the evidence by tie
Right Hon. Secretary fur the Home Department.
The Petition was then read and ordered tb be 'priak
ii.cnascraii GAOL. t
Mr. All WOOD was understood to move, that the
evidence tak .n before the Commissioners appointed ,to
inquire into Ilchester Danl. be printed, as well as she
Report of the Commissioners.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that as the Report int
scarcely legible, and as constant reference was made to
it and the evidence; he could not have any ol.jection.,
The only reason why he should hesitate at all la giving,
his assent was, nn account of the heavy expease.
They were then ordered to be printed.
, Mr. HUME said that there was a priming establish-
ment attached to the Admiralty, which 'nigh:, for want
of other employment, be used.—(ilear, hear, and a
laugh.)
Mr. Alderman WOOD then moved, that certain evi-
dence taken at Ilchester Gaol before the Coroner'un the
19th and 20th ofJan. last, be laid on the table.
' Mr. Secretary PEEL said, as far as he was (-unarmed
he could have no objection to produce that Ividoure,
lint as a crimival charge might be founded on it, he did
not think it right to disperse through the. courtry any
'thing to prejudice the minds of peopleagaivat the 'abject
of those charges. lie wished to be understood as nut
acceding to the production of Um evidence, a. a matter
of course. The peculiarity of the proceedins, ti,,utibt,
would justify the ecurac he was following..
After a few words from Mr. All, WOOD, and from
Mr. Secretary PEEL in replys„the evidence oas ordered
to be produced.

to and

Vell chirsr diTifl•4 plri
to their respoetiie profit
The Ent and elate i
stilted of the this* lent-era

lfiid I;l6ereit reason
the eludes in prison:
this., the Bill did no snore
the patronve of those r
Treasury. The next
abolition of certain sisecal
.ions—as if, in effect,
l'he next was the 62d
the abolition of certain
certain other offices,
tiering the principle of
stances which this
agaiast the introduction
It wit mere wantonness-
false pretence. —it was r
House woold find in
the Bill did no more
the Crown to the Treasury
stand the country in the so
ter was an Act to amend t
particular was the amends
of 2.0161/. a-year to the
Trade ! And this was
Then come the 67th, rest
do the duty of his otfice t
not ? What had he lost
a reason, amongst others
to certain high effieient
next was an Act to -
chequer in I rel.nd.
the more economical
should be discharged
economical exermion
however stated. The
far lime pstronage from
this, amorw st other t
part of high aad etch
Now if the framers ,
principle which was
see bow they encroal
That Act provided
appointed to a place
by virtue of such appoi,
liarnent. Their all rest'
who, bring appointed
therefore oblil,e4 to
Bill did Away with ti
tuitted that the grani
lin every respect to tb
yet the authors of thi

PENSION lamb. gait-leg that those M,
Mr. CREEVEY said that he rose in persnance of gran:ed should, in et
the notice he bail given on a former h•, t•, roil the I Had Mr. York been
attention of the House to an Act passed. in the y-ar I and Noble framers
1817. and entitled An Act to enable his Majesty to been subjected to
recompense those who hail held situ t- the case in the subseri,
lions." He would call their attention to that Act. as wished to call the
it was nut w.'l understood by the House, nor under- cot•s;deration of tile
stood at all by the country. That Art was, however, the extraordinary
Most injurious and most insulting to the people, ae Finance Committees
well as was subversive of the principles and the prac-ilt was, in fact, an
Lice of the Monarchy. Although he was a Member of Parliament. The Ni
the house &title time, he was nut, however, present lin his capacity of
In his place when that Act passed. The present peen• bold proposition t. II
liar circumstances of the mmHg), made the present a so seceesfully recto
tit time to call into vestion the meaning of -that Act: mittre, in the very Ili'
Although it was entitled •• An Act to enable bls Ma. lie would have had rr
jolty." &c. yet there was no fetnnAatlen le truth fut. ~f a Message from
'that title. lii. Majcely had notlaim at all to 'du measure in the corns
with it.—(Hear, bear.) The Mulsoafie4 iato.,A sponsible Member, wo,
corporation ur company certain trashertindAte.alerrist proposition in the bob
•

s

and The first Lord of
for life of M 4 /. a-year
yeari in plaie—(Lt.,
during life 3000/ a year ,
up two yours in possessios
were too little, there wt
year without any Mortal
persons who d nnlt
the pension, and might
leave with his 30031.
sail laughlog). The .
such a case were then in,
and mods laughing).
consisted of the Chl
Secretary of War, who
of 2000/. each, after '
livz years. The third
sisted of the Secretary
eretary to the Admiraltt
rice, were to have six p
The fourth class consiatea
State, the Clerk of the Ordnance.
the Adsnirilty. These
of saline for'ten years,
times, it was reserved
this country to judge
But these prerogatives
done away by the prowls
liossooralsis Ueatlemalt,
langh—(hear. hear, he
the King was no snore
King had not the power
any servant; he cote"
These gentlemen eoul
Bill, 15,000/.--The o the
the Journals. was introslssettll '
Banks. and Viscount
Finance Committee,
of that entnotittee
Now, the pr.:rested t
mittre was to consider
would be proper to '
But it was rather a
ject into effect, to
42,0001. to certain It
petnity. He now be;
to the na:ure of the
would enumerate. '
lode, was an Act
Court of Bachman
. ohser've here, that the
through the greatest
lie then enumerated
chequer and Aliened.
future, iss virtue of