Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-01-23
STAUNTON VA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY %, 1850

whose hands and fingers were against everybody,
and at whom every mans particularly every po-
liceman's) hand or finger was directed! Mr. Jack
sun informed his audience that lord Ashley was
about tv honor him with visit, and he would have
much pleasure in Introducing them to his Lordship.
The Irish Free Schou was fixed on as the place of
meeting, and on the evening. July 27, lS48, the
convicted teens vagrants and known thieves, as
sembled together 10 the number Of two hundred and
seven, for the purpose of consulting Lord Ashley as
to the best means Of bettering their condition. Two
hundred and seven thieves Even Mr.. Jackson
was not prepared for this. 1t was meeting that
had never taken place since Spartan boys had ceas-
ed to congregate. Two hundred and seven profess
ed thieves surrounding half duzen honest men, was
sight worthy of all the metropolitan magistrates
and the entire police force. The "Ciiy Mission
Magazine" says. with becoming candur, coolness
and gravity: Several Of the best known and must
experienced thieves were stationed at The door, to
prevent The admission Of any but thievcs. Some
four oFfivc Individuals who were not at FIRST known
were Subjected to more public examination, ard
only allowed to remain upon their stating who they
were and being recognized as members of the dis
honest fraternity and befDre the proceedings ofthe
evening commenced, the question was carefully put
and Iepealedseveral times, whether any one was
in the room of whom others entertained doubts as
to who he was. The object of this care was, as SO
many Of them were in danger of getting into trou-
BILE, as they called it, or in other words, OF being
taken up i1r their crimes if discovered, to ascertain
whether any one who could be,ray them was pre-
sent.
How will it be supposed that the meeting waso-
pened Why, with hymn and then prayer
And the writer Of ,he Magazine, who was one OF
the few honest men present .shrewdly says: " hat
tho rool # tho hoarfc thOSa DTeSeUt
while these devotional exercises were proceeding,
il is, of course, impossible fr any maa TO say"--
Who indeed, shall falhom the heart Of man?
An adddres was next read TO Lord Ashley setting
forth the nature and object Of the meeting, and the
character Of those who attended it; together with
the results Of the readers previous exertlons IN he
cause Of reformation. From that it appeared that
rehearsas or trials had previously taken place, and
when they met only one hundred and thlr'y-egh
avowed thieves were present.
We extract from table the results Of inquiries
made upon that occaslun.
| Number Of individuals present l50
How many Of you have been in prison l5S
Have all of YOU been in prison for THEFT : loo
How many nfyou ascribe your fail to intoxica-
ting liquors? x
How nany OF you are abandoned by your friends
who might help you? Il
How many of you have friends who cannot 90
help YOU? %
How many ofyou friends who would help :
you ifthey knew your present state Z
Are you willing 10 give up .heving and 60 to 90
work ? loo
How many of you have mothers living! IA
How many of you have father living? II
How many Of you are married .4 q
How manv Of you sleep in unions! %
| How many Of you ascribe your present ruin 10 -,
sleeping 10 the casual ward ? AZ
How many of you are likely 10 get into trouble! 10y
| How many of you are willing 10 emigrate? hos
How much do you get for every pounds, worth
Of goods7 Five shillings in the pound, if
we are not known but if we are known, ten
shillings in the pound. l3|
The abuve is an important document. we leave
the reader to ponder over it, and the intelligent
mind vii! find there more to engage il than we have
space to point out. or ability 10 describe. One hun
dred and thirty eight Of ouT fellow creatures in the
prime of manhood, thieves by trade, self acknowl-
edged eluns, ready to abandon their unlawful pur-
suits, and in this christian, moral, liberal, and en-
ightpned age, actually incapable ofdscovering how
to be honest, and live! Out of 372, 27S had re-
ceived no education. and their times Of mprson-
ment varied from une TO twenty seven times, while
two forgot how many times they had been incar-
ceraied.- London Ere.
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