Surrey Sessions.
The Times, 1824-10-20T00:00:00

Yesterday the SUtiy I&aglstrates assembled at riIgsj8A, for the purpose of transacting a great deal of the county bussiess. BEN. JAMIN BAR*AstD, Esq., in the chair. The reports of the state of the gaols weraserallypresented to the Court. The Surgedh's report, upon the conidition of thc prisoners in Brix. ton gaol, stated that 94 out of 189 of those gonfinede, were allowed extra food. Air. HOLME Suar}Exn asked why sogreat a number were allowed that indulgence. It was, he observed, extremely unusual to have more than 11 or 12 out of such a number upon the extra food list. -The Keeper of the gaol was called upon to account for this appa_ rently unnecessary distrihution of food, and he said it had been thought nccessary to give the induleence on account of the loss thc 94 persons had sustained in wveight I (at thc tread-nill.) Illr. Sr,eNEe.-" It strikes mc as extremely improper that sol. diers confined in the county gaol should be put to work on the tread. wheel with felons. I hope MEr. Bennet (tarning to Mr. Grey Ben. net) that you will give aie your assistance in bringing in a bill to prevent such a practice next session. I shal1 propose a different house of correction for the military." Alr. BEXXET did Rot at all see why any distinction should be made. Mr. SuaeNEit.R Surely you woulAinot Hke to see soldieTs at the wheel with com mon felons ?" Air. BERXET.-" Certainly not if the soldiers were not felons. After all, a soldier is no more than one of the people with a red coat upon him." (A laugh.) Mlr. DENrsoN submlitted to the bench the motion of which he had given notice on a former day. Ile wished it to be distinctly understood that he hatl not the slightest wish to render the situation of persons confined in prison ati enviable one, or to grant themi any indulgence which was not perfectly consistent with justice. lie wished to avoid theoppositeextreme-.not to treattlena with toomuch severity, nor to exercise towards them a more harsh discipline than was in practice in the neighbouring oounties.Thedebtor* werea class of perrons sufering in consequence of rnisfortune, not of crime * and at long as they were in safe custody, they were entitled to all rea. sonable indulgence. It was his intention to move for a committee, and if that were granted, he intended tv submit a motion for the ex, tended admnission of the friends of those confined for debt, and also for extendirng the period of the admission of foed into the prison. Hi3 next object related to misdemeanants committed hefore trial- those who were suspected of misdemesnors, and who could not find bail. He advised the application of theold principleofEnglishlaw to cases of this description_- Every one was presumed innocent until proved guilty." He would have those persons permitted to purchase acertain quantity of food and beer; in moderation,of course. The third class comprehended those misdemeanants who were con. victed, but whose cases, so far frem being aggravated, were sen- tenced to the penalty of irmprisonment alone. To those persona it was but fair to give the liberty of recurlng food and beer in mod eration. Such a regulatioa would, he believed, not trench upon the law, and it would he an act ofliunianitynot to let thesreasure of punisshment exceed the crime or the sentence-..p thing but too frequently done. He concluded by moving '" That it be referred to g committce to consider and report at the next sessions whether Any :melioration or anmendment can be made aS to the regulations of the county gaol, with respect to debtors, &c." Sir T'IOSoAS TuRTON seconded the motion. Mlr. KEnRICc disapproved of any amelioration in the treatment of prisoners; but he was oper to conviction, and should niot object to investigation. He thought that the committee sbould consist of 25, in order that the business might be done effectually, and he hoped the committee would meet at Epsom. Sir TiboSrAs TUsRTOIr was convinced that the appointment of such a committee would be a complete check upon the business. Alr. BENNET thouglht the prison regulations were in the greatest need of revision. It was not only necessary to make alterations for the sake of the prisoners, but for the sake of the public feeling,which ought to be respected, and had been abused. He did not exactly see why Epsom should be fixed upon as the place of meeting, except in the case of races. London was the most proper place. PMr. STUART was of epinion, that the third proposition of Mr. Denison would promote the formation of gangs who would support their fellows in prison. mr. Birscor supported the motion, upon the ground that by the present regulations the loss of liberty was attended with many other bitter disadvantages. MAr. Su tNEit said, that the former conimittee had exerted them. selves to the utmost to revise the county gaol regulations. It was admitted upon all hastds, that all the objects of the present discus- sion had been gone into in the fullest possible manner, and that all that could be done had been done; and now a motion was brought forwaid, denying those facts, and containing indirect, but heavy charges against the committees. This was frittering away whet had been confirmed by the court. le could never consent to it. Mlr. MIABitLY concurred in vwhat had fallen from Air. Deni- son. Notwithstanding all the regulations that had been made, the unfortunate persons confined complained of hardahips. Inquiry should be made. If the committee should be granted, he should move to examine into the expediency of introducing warmth by steam, or some other process, into the gaol, for upon visiting Horsemonger-lane the other day, he found u great deficiency in that respect. Air. BENNET said they were bound to correct it in deference to the public teeling, as well as from a sense of justice. He had been in the cllair upon the occasion, and he certainly observed a disposition to dispose of the business as easily as possible. olonel DELAP said, there was no necessity for a committee. He did not approve of making drawing-rooms otf prisons. Those who were confined were more comfortable than the poor of the country. The motion for the committee was then negatived. MIr. DENNISON then moved, that the debtors' petition, praying for what his proposition embraced, should be referred to a com- mittee. AIr. BENNET hoped his honourablefriend would again bring for. wardl his motion, and persevere, notwithIanding defeat. Alr. DENiSON gave notice to that effect for next session. The Committee was appointed to consider the debtors' petition. Alr. BitxscoE gave notice of a motion foX the abolition cf the tread-wheel, as far as regards females. THE LICENSI27 SYSTEU. AMr. DRUMsItOND said, the presentplan of licensingpubllchouses was the most corrupt and abominable, and there was reason to sup. pose that brewers dis:illers, and magistrates contrived the thing amongst them. Hc did not mean to involve the whole beneh in the censure, for he knew that manv acted with the most honourable Im. partiality. Here the case of a licensed victualler who was refused a licence, the particulars of which we some tiine go mentioned, was given in and several facts were stated in confirmation of the trutlk of the ciarge. The powers of the magistrates had been interfered with in mnany cases by their brethren, wbo were interested in houses for which licences were sought. The emoluments of the magis. trates were, in fact, enormous. Another evil vas,thatthelicences were not granted in proprttion to the wants of the neighbourhood, but in proportion to the desire of the magistrates to forward the interests of I those whose cause they espoused. The houscs supported by suoh interest were the scenes of the most horrible vice. The remedy he proposed was, that the Clerk of the Peace should give notice to every magistrate of the county of the time and place at which it was in. tended to grant licence:. Colonel GASXELL said, he 1had no objection to the motion. After some observations from AIr. BENNET, wvho bore tcstintony to the extent of the abuses, and from other Magistrates, the motion was carried. Alr. J3ENNET asked Alr. Kenrick, whether the reports sBread abroad respecting his treatment of a man named Franks were true. He would be guided by the answer in the manner of treating Mr. Kenrick as a iimagistrate. Mir. H. SU3CNERC objected to the question, and an angry discus- sion arose. It was finally decided by a shov of hand;, that the ques- tion should not be put. The inagistrates, of whom there were 66 on the bench, then ad- journed for the day. SURR.9Y 9SRZSIONM4.