The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-23

London Thieves-Slngular Meeting.
meeting of an unprecedented character was
recently held at the British Union School room,
Shakespeare Walk, Shadwell II convened by
the metropolitan correspondent of the Chronicle,
for the purpose OF assembling together of the
lowest class Of male juvenile thieves and vagabonds
who iniest the metropolis and the country at large
and although privately called, at only two days'
notice, by the distribution OF tickets OF admission
among the class in question, at the various haunts
and dens Of iniamy to which they resort no fewer
than one hundred and fifty of them attended on
the occasion At first their behaviour was very noisy
and disorderly, but before the close they became
peaceable and even respectful in their demeanor.
Nineteen had fathers and mothers still living thir
ty- nine had only one parent and eighty were or
phans in the fullest sense of the word, having nei
Their father mother alive. OF professed beggars
there were fifty, and sixty-six who acknowledged
themselves to be habitual thieves The announce
ment that the greater number present were thieves
l'pleased them exceedingly, and was received with
:" three rounds Of applause"
When it was announced that one, though only
nineteen years of age, had been in prison as many
as twenty mine times, the clapping of hands, the
cat calls, and shouts of bravo, lasted for several
minutes, and the whole Of the boys rose TO look at
the distinguished individual. Some chalked on
their hats the figures which designated the sum of
the several times that they have been in jail.
The boys were Intercepted as to their manner
OF life, &C., and their answers should be read by
all who are engaged in the work of ragged schools
our limited space will not allow of much extract.
lad about twenty was about to volunteer a
statement concerning the lodgin houses, by which
he declared he had been brought to his ruin, but he
"Hold your tongue!'-and these became so gene
raj, and were in 80 menacing tone, that he said
he was afraid to make any disclosures, because he
believed if he did SO he would have perhaps two or
three dozen OF the other chaps on him. [Great
confusionl
The correspondent of the Chronicle: Will it hurt
any Of you here if he says any thing against the
lodging-housesf Yes, ycs.l How will it do so9
10
come into them if it ia told.
Correspondent: But would you not all gladly
quit your present course of life? [Yes yes, yes !
Then why not have the lodging house system, the
principal cause of all your misery, exposed?
A voice: If they shut up the lodging houses,
where are we to go? If poor boy gets to the
the bargain.
Correspondent: Are you not all tired of the life
you now lead! GVociferous cries of "Yes, yes; we
wish to better ourselves from all parts of the
room However much you dread the exposure of
the lodging houses, you know, my lads, as well as
do, that IT is in them you meet your companions
and ruin, if not begun there is at least completed
in such places. If boy runs away from home he
is encouraged there and kept secreted from his pa
rents And do not the parties who keep these places
grow rich on your degradation and your periR
Loud cries f"yes, yes."l Then why don't you
all come forward now, and by exposing them TO
the public, who know nothing Of the inauities and
vice practsed in SUCH places, put an end to these
dens at once? There is not one of you here-not
one, at least, OF the elder boyswho has found out
the mistake of his present life, who would not,
verify believe, become honest and earn his living
by his industry, if he could. You might have
thought a rowing life pleasant thing enough at
hrst but you now know that vagabond' life is full
OF suffering, care, peril. and privations; you are
not SO happy as you thought you would be, and
are tired and Disguised with your present course.
This is whatI hear from you all Am ! not stating
the facf tRenewed cries of "Yes, yes, yes" and
voce-"lhe fact of it is, sir, we dom see our foIiy
till 1t Is too late" Now and many hundreds and
thousands really wish you well, and would gladly
do any thing we could to get you to earn an honest
living. All, or nearly all of your misery, know,
proceeds from the low lodging -houses-[sYes, yes
it does, master! it does;''l and am determined
with your help, to effect their utter destruction
La VOICE am glad OF 1t, sir-you are quite right;
and pray God to assist you'll
The elder boys were then asked what they
thought would be the best mode of effecting their
deliverance from their present degraded position.
Some thought emigration the best means for IL
they started afresh In a new colony they said thew
would leave behind them their bad Characters
which closed every avenue to employment against
them at home. Others thought there would be diff
hculties In obtaining work in the colonies in suf
cient time TO prevent their being driven to support
themselves by their old practices Many again
thought the temptations which surrounded them
in England rendered their reformation impossible;
whilst many more considered that the same temp
tations would assail them abroad which existed at
home.
During the course Of the proceedings one of the
most desperate cnaraCters present, boy, VINO had
been twenty-si times in prison, singled out
from the rest, and sovereign given him TO get
changed, in order TO make the experiment whether
he would have the honesty to return the change or
abscond with il in his possession. He was informed,
on receiving it, that If he chose TO dccamp with II
no proceedings should be taken against him. He
left the room amid the cheers Of his companions,
and when he had been absent a few moments all
eyes were turned towards the door each time il
opened, anxiously expecting his return 10 prove
his trustworthiness. Never was such interest dis
played by any body of individuals. Many mount
ed the forms their eagerncss To obtain the first
glimpse Of his return. II clear that their honor
was at stake; and several said they would kill the
ney. Many minutes elapsed in almost breathess
suspense, and some of bis companions began 10
say that SO large sum of money had proved too
great temptation for the boy. At last, however,
tremendous burst Of cheering announced the
lads return. The delight Of his companions broke
forth again and again in long and loud peals of APP
plause, and the youth advanced amidst triumph
ant shouts to the platform, and gave up the money
in full.