The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-12
The House Of Refuge.

tEe SptcCutb VI tuO l"eo AAoh. LIZ" ~
srEENRoD, of this county. They cover a
period of four years of his Congressional
life-1s4O-1S44 They are marked by
ability; they breathe patriotic spirit;
they show a comprehensive study and
knowledge of many questions of political
economy, and they overflow with genuine
sympathy for the working man, for the
interests and welfare of the laborer, the
mechanic and the farmer in the struggle
of life, and are throughout devoted to the
Jeffersonian construction of the Consti-
tuition of the United States, which is
evidently understood by him as affordine
room for reasonable and constant pro
gress, and yet as being eminently con-
sentative. But it is not of Mr. STEENROD
as member of Congress that he would
speak at this time; it is to one object OF
his life as a Senator of Virginia, we
would call the attention of all persons
who have the welfare of the public and
the prosperity Of Wheeling at heart, as
much as this gentleman had, that we
wonld now ask for the calm and reason
able consideration of his reports from
two select committees Of the Senate to
establish in this county House of Re
fuge for young delinquents Mr.. 5. gave
the subject great attention, and amid
broken and declining health, prosecuted
his object with earneStness and zeal. If
such an institution was needed in his
time, truly it is more needed now, with Il
larger population and All increased ten
dency to crime. We publish his second
report, and hope that it may command
that attention which the author so zeal
ously labOred to secure for this work of
true philanthropy and human welfare
We understand that both reports and
the bill will be laid before the members
of the next Legislature in pamphlet form
REPORT
At the last session OF the General As
sembly the subject was submitted to the
Senate, for.which a bill and a favorable
report was made, but it was not acted
on, and some additional facts and Stats
tics are now submitted to the considera-
ton of the Senate.
The establishment of educational aud
industrial institutions for juvenile delin-
ouents, has of late excited the interest
of the friends of humanity on both sides
of the Atlantic, and enlisted the advo-
cacy of the purest and wisest men in
both hemispheres. The immense num-
Der of youthful offenders without pa
rents or protectors, with the pressing
wants of the needy and destitute, ignO-
rant and uneducated, and the very many
who were consigned to the jails and
State prisons to be pupils of old con-
victs presented such q revolving picture
of moral desolation that it suggested the
necessity of these reformatory institu-
tons. They are of recent origin. They
originated in the private enterprise and
the voluntary contributions of the be-
nevolent and humane The rapidity
with which they have multiplied and
their eminent adaptation to the end to
be accomplished, have been recognized
and sanctioned by the legislative infer
ference of most of the enlightened gov
elnments of the age The first establish
ment in Germany was that of DuSsel on
the Rhine 1t was founded by Count
bon Der Richie, who had before entering
upon this establishment, opened SINH
HI, 20 70 IN, NT,,t ,,bn IL.
as early as 1916 The second was at Beng
gen, in 1920. In 1925. another was es-
tablshed at Beren. And the last and
most distinguished is the one at Rawhe
Hans in 1888
But the great impulse was given to
these institutions in Germany, about the
year lS4S. Their efficacy had been sat
isfactorily demonstrated The hidden
depravity of II large portion of the
youthful population was brought to the
public attention, and the best men of
the country became interested and en-
gagged in sustaining and advocating this
great practically tested scheme for cor
recting and arresting il. At this time
the number Of rcfornatory establish
meuts, including morally destitute chill
dren, rs well as cri'tip3l ones. and in
ending those Pr"y,uce> of Russia and
that part of Europe which usually fol-
lows the reforms of Germany, the Whole
number OF rctormaturv iustituti ions wonld
amount to about one hundred.
In France there are now ssventren of
these institutions nader government con
troll, and thirty-fivc under private man
agemcnt.
The English government within the
last fourteen years has been aroused TO
the importance Of these insti; dtions, al
though its legislation has NOT been dis
'iugmshed by that character which has
secured the confidence OF their friends,
rs those which are best calculated to at
tain the end in view. still the parliament
tary acts Of lS40-'46 and 81, is n COM
plets Acknowledgements ot the adequacy
and utility OF the system, and the great
statesmen, Brougham and Palmcrston,
have publicly approved "f it, by their ef-
forts to sustain and forward il.
The Crown has been in the habit r..
Gently of granting conditional pardons
mended by the inspectors, on condition
of their remaining at the Philanthropic
Socicty's Farm School, at Red Hill, This
institution wos founded in 17SS: it was
removed from London to Red Hill in
ls49 The society has two great objects
the reformation of the children it re,
ceives and the amelioration of their con-
dition generally About one hundred
are sent thither annually, and for these
the government pays EOS head The
establishment of Parkhurst has existed
about fourteen years 1t is intended TO