Glasgow Courier. — 1863-02-26 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

ROUSE OF LORDS-TM/MAT.  Their Lordship' met at five o'clock. After some explanations from the Marquis of Normanby and Earl Russell with reference to the discussion on the affairs of Italy the other evening, The Earl of CARNARVON called attention to the present state of discipline in houses of correction. There were two classes of criminals one of conviota, the other of prisoners aenteueed to short sentences. There were 87 county jails, 5 liberties, 55 &Sy and borough jails, making, with Newgate, a total of 148. There were anrurally 130,000 prisoners in jails, exclusive of 400,000 summary convictions, and from 160,000 to 180,000 who were dismissed, the daily average of prisoners in the Lbeing between 16,000 and 17,000. The latest pubhed returns for 1860 and 1861 showed an increase of 13 per cent, in the number of re-committals, and in the class of petty offences an increase of 33 per cent. Taking the different classes of offences, he found there was an Increase of 30 per cent in murders; 26 per cent, in attempts to murder; 36 per cent, shooting at with intent; In rapes, 52 per cent.; in assault with similar intent, 21 pon cent„. in aggravated assaults, 32 per cent.; in common assaults, 28 per cent.; in assaults upon the police, 24 per cent.; in attacks on property with violence, 38 per cent. • in housebreaking. 56 per cent. • in stealing from dwellings, 23 per cent.; in robberies from the person with arms, 31 per cent,; in forgeries and coining, 16 per cent.; and in miscellaneous offences, 10 per cent. The increase of crime bed not unreasonably alarmed the country, and be proposed to inquire into the causes of it. The separate system was-the one adopted in most jails, but he found that the regulations with respect to hard labour were practically reduced to a minimum, so that there was no certainty in the puniahment,whioh had quite lost the deterring effect that it ought to have. This result he attributed to amiable theorists and excellent persona who were determined to make moral reformation a substitute for hard labour. He also examined tbe dietary sale, which was excernive in comparison with the poor law scale and the food of honest people, which rendered a jail at certain time. of the year a luxurious and desirable domicile for certain classes o 1 the criminal population, and reduced the 'vs. tern to an absurdity. Besides Wei 'there was no discipliee in the prisons, for the inspectors had adopted the practice of regarding prison punishments a a certain proof of bed management, so that the Prison Executive neither liked to notice or to punish prison offences. Parliament looked with great jealousy on corpktal punishment, which he was convinced was the unlyithing dawned by the worst class of eriminals. Having apologised for troubling the Hoene, be trailed that the whole question would engage the serious attention of the Government. Earl GRANVILLE complimented the noble Earl on his lucid statement. He saw that the subject was a most difficult and complicated one, but it had not been negLected by Government. He briefly noticed the different opinions which prevailed, and expressed the belief that the system was too lenient; but the Government found it was most difficult to resist the pressure exerted by visiting justices and others. The dietary scale was fixed as low as was neoesaary to keep the prisoners in health, and it was a fact that the diet of the prisoners cost much less per head than that of paupers, and he doubted whether prisoners really desired to come into prison. In other respecta he agreed with the remarks of the noble Earl. Still moral reformation was essential, for no man could be kept in prison for a length of time without being hardened with the mere incarceration. The powers of the Government were limited, and without greater authority they could not insure uniformity amongst prisons locally managed. He suggested that the subject should be referred to a committee oi their Lordships. After a few observations from the Earl of Malmeabery, Lord Wodehoure, the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Wenaleidale, and Earl Cathcart, The Earl of Csetisevos gave notice that he would move for a committee to-morrow. Earl DUDLEY asked whether the Home Office would refuse to all second convictions involving penal servitude any remission of the time of such seutetese ? Earl GRANVILLE said that was one of the considers,  tio—ns referred to the Royal Commission, and it would be unreasonable for the Bzeoutive to anticipate it, especially, as suggested by his noble friend, which would almost abolish the systems of ticket-of-leave altogether. Their Lordships adjourned at 7.25.