Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-04-06
tflistrllanrolls.
Irndon fhlstes..SIngular Msrting.

nurTcf9 OF t0e NlOfIlIDK Afifo0ICfc1 WAio bo9
addressed himself to the task of reclaim
Iup the i,,venile thieves who swarm In that
BABYLON of the modern world At the first
reading, one is apt to suspect something OF
n Pickwiekinn character in the account, re-
gar,ling il oil as fancy sketch; but u is
treated as q sober verify by the London
prints, and we suppose It ought TO be regard
ed as such.
A meeting of an unprecedented character
was held at the British Union School Room,
Shakespeare Walk, Shadwell, on the even
ing OF Monday week. Il was convened by
the Metlopoltan correspondent ofthe Cbron-
icIe for the purpose of assembling together
some of the lowest class of male Juvenile
ahicves and vagabonds who inicst the me-
tropolis and tile country at large and oil.
though privately c0lled, at only two days
notice, BY distribution of tickets of admis-
sion among the class in question, at the va
rious haunts and dcns of inlamy TO which
they retort no fewer than l5O of them at
tended on the occasion. AT inst Their PC
havior was very noisy and disorderiy, but be,
fore the close they became peacenble and
even respectful in their demeanor. Nine
teen had fathers and mothers still living; 30
had only one parent, und so were orphans
In tho fullest sense of the word, having nei-
fher fafler nor mother alive. Of proicssed
beggars th ere were 80, and 60 who ac-
knowlcdgcd themselves to be hnbitual thieves.
The announcement that the greater number
present were thieves, pleased them exceed
ingly, and was received with three rounds
of applause
When il was announced that one, though
only nineteen years of age, been in prison as
many as 30 times, the clipping OF hands,
ibo cat.calls, and shouts OF bravo lnsted
for several minutes, and the whole of the
boys rose TO look at the distinguished iDdi-
yidual. Some chalkcd on their hats the
figures which designated the sum of the sew
eral times that they have been at Jail.
Thc boys were inierrogated as to their
manner OF life, &c., and their answers should
be read Ivy all who are engaged ia the work
of ragged schools. Our limited space will
not allow of much extract.
A lad about twenty was about to volun-
,eer n statement concerning the lodging
houses. by which he declared he had been
brought to his ruin, but he was instantly as
sailed with cries of Come down. Hold
your tongue r-and these became so general
and were in SO mcnacing n tone, that he
said he was afraid to make any disclosures,
because he believed if he did so Inc would
have perhaps two or three dozen OF the 9th
er chaps on to him. (Great coniuslon,)
The correspondent of the Chronicle:-
Will il hurt any of you here If he says any
thing against the lodging houscs7 Yes, yes)
How will it do so?
A voice. They will not allow stolen prop
erty to come into them ii il is told.
Correspondent But would you not all
gladly quit your present course Of life (yes,
: res xesA -srhap WHY aat- have the lodging
house system, tho principal cause of oil your
miser, yexposed!
A voice: Ii they shut up the lodging
houses where are we to go? Ii poor boy
vets TO the workhouse he catches a fever,
and is starved into the bargain.
Correspondent; Are not you all tired OF
the life you now lead? (Vociferous cries OF
sYes, 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 il Is in them you meet your companions
and ruin, IL not begun there, is at least com
pieted in such places. If boy runs away
from home he is encouraged there and kept
eecretcd from his parents. And do not the
parties who keep these places grow rich on
your degradation and your peril? Loud
cries of 'yes, yes,1 Then why don't you
all como forward now, and by exposing
them to tho public, who know nothing o.
the iniquties and vice practised in sucl
places, put an end TO these dens at once ?
There is not one of you here-not one, al
least, of the elder boys--who has found ou
the mistake of his present life, who wonIt
not, verify believe, become honest and earl
his living by bis industry, if he COULD
You might have thought a rowing life ;
pleasant thing enough at first; bat you nov
know that vagnbond's life is full of suffer
ing, care, peril and priyations; you are no
30 happy as you thought you would be, AM
are tired and Disguised with your presen
course. This is what hear from you ALL
Am not stating the fact? lRenewed erie
ofsYes, yes, yes; and voice. The fac
oft is sir, we don't see our folly till It is to
late.1 Now and many hundreds and thou
sands really wish you well, and would glad
ly do anything we could TO get you TO ear
an honest living. All, or nearly all you
misery, ! know, proceeds from the low lode
ing houses-t Yes, yes, it does, master!
does y and am determined, with your hell
10 effect their utter destruction. voice
Il am glad of il, sir-you are quite righl
and pray God to assist YOU
The elder boys were then asked wh'
they thought wonld be the best mode of e
feeling their delyerance from their preseI
degraded position. Some thought emigri
lion the best means, for if they started |
fresh in new colony, they said they woul
leave behind them their bad character
which closed every ayenue 10 employmeI
against them at home. Others thougl
there would be difficulties in obtaining wor
in the colonies in sufficient time TO preveI
their being driven to support themselves
their old practices Many again thougl
the temptation which surrounded them
England rendered their reformation imposs
BILE (; whilst many more considered that Il
same temptations would assail them abrol
which existed al home.
During the course of the proceedings, OF
OF the most desperate characters present,
boy, who had heen tweniy-six times jn pgl
on, was singled out from tho rest, and so