a

the power given by Mr. Sturges cases of petty thefts, such as robBourne's act of enlarging work- bing of hen-roosts and outhouses, houses, and of making them capa- have been brought before me, ble of containing all persons to which I have been able clearly to whom the parish is bound to give trace to persons going out at night relief, and a steady adherence to with the intention of poaching. the principle of never giving it out on the whole, I should think of the workhouses, coupled with poaching the cause, rather than such regulations of the workhouse the

consequence,

of criminal itself as are now consistent with habits.” When an unemployed the law of the land (the utility of labourer applies to the parish for which is exemplified in the man- relief, he is usually sent to break agement of the workhouse at stones upon the turnpike-road, Liverpool), would supply the which work is paid by the square means of checking the natural im- yard of stone broken ; he is fed providence of the labourer, and his and clothed at the expense of the disposition to early marriage; he parish, his earnings are carried to would fear to make himself de- the account of the parish; if he pendent on parish relief; he would does not break the average quantity look at the workhouse with dread, of stones, the keeper of the worknot, as at present, almost with in- house brings the pauper before a difference; and by the increased magistrate, who has it in his power exertions of the labouring classes to send him to the house of corthemselves, by greater prudence rection. on their part, formed by a wiser In a gaol and house of correction administration of the existing law, at Carlisle, the tread-mill has been I am disposed to think that the at work about eighteen months. poor - rates_might be reduced Sir James Graham cannot perceive throughout England ; at all events, that the work appears very irksome that their rapid inroads might be to the prisoners. The severity of arrested.” The select vestries the tread-mill at Carlisle is about exercise the power vested in them, the average severity ; the severity with sound discretion : character of this punishment very much is almost invariably an ingredient depends upon the height of the in their decisions. The most fer- steps and the frequency of the rotile source of crime is the preser- tation of the wheels. These vary vation of game; the lower orders, in almost every gaol. “I have in common with the highest, have always been of opinion that by a natural love of the sport, even legislative interposition the degree stimulated, perhaps, by the risks of labour ought to be regulated and attendant on its gratification ; the made the same in every gaol and tameness of the pheasants, which house of correction throughout were formerly almost unknown in England ; because it does appear to this neighbourhood, and which are me absurd, that where the crime is now seen constantly in the fields the same, and the punishment is close to the road, is a great temp- intended also to be the same, from: tation to the lower orders to take the accidental circumstances of the : them. “ Persons going armed at hard labour in one gaol being more night on a marauding excursion severe than in another, the punishseldom confine their depredations ment ordained as uniform should to the taking of game, and many vary to any degree."

REPORT of the COMMITTEE of the GENERAL PENITENTIARY at MILL

BANK, for the reception of CONVICTS; made in pursuance of the 59th Geo. 3, c. 136, s. 16; specifying the Treatment and Condition of the Prisoners.-Feb. 1827.

The number of prisoners con- officers of the prison, and who fined in the Penitentiary at the 31st received his majesty's pardon on of December last, was 423 males, that account, as soon as it could be and 102 females. But the number ascertained that employment would now within the walls is 452 males be provided for him by, his friends. and 105 females. The former are No other male prisoner has left distributed through the four pent- the prison ; but one female prisoner agons belonging to male prisoners, has been pardoned, owing to cirbut the latter are all contained in cumstances connected with her one of the two pentagons allotted original conviction. Her conduct for the reception of females, the had been uniformly good while she other of those pentagons being yet remained in the prison. unoccupied.

The conduct and behaviour of The fact of there being nothing the respective officers during the injurious to the human constitu- period to which this report applies, tion, either in the site of the build- has been satisfactory ; and that of ing, or in the discipline or mode of the prisoners in general orderly ; life to which the prisoners confined and the committee have great in it are subjected, is further con- reason to be satisfied with their firmed since the last report of the readiness to receive instruction, committee in March last, by the and with their improvement in good health which has constantly religious knowledge, as well as with prevailed in the prison during that the progress made by them in reads period. The number of those who ing and writing; but there are died in 1826 is fifteen; of whom among them some profligate and eleven were males, and four turbulent characters, for whose females ; but several of these died outrageous conduct the punishof disorders under which they ments in use under the rules and laboured when they came into the regulations of the penitentiary are prison ; and it may be said with by no means sufficient. truth, that the health of the pri- The committee have found, by soners, taken as a body, is beiter experience, that confinement in a now than when they came into the dark cell, though in most cases a penitentiary.

severe and efficacious punishment, The prison not having been re- operates very differently on difopened for the reception of prison- ferent persons. It appears to lose ers till the 9th of August, 1824, much of its effect from repetition : no recommendations for the royal it cannot always be carried far mercy having since taken place on without the danger of injuring the the part of the committee, with the health of the prisoner; and there exception of that of a prisoner who are individuals, men as well as boys, had assisted in repelling an out- on whom it is found to produce rageous assault made by one of his little or no effect. fellow-prisoners on one of the The committee are convinced that the framers of the statutes which is possessed in every other under which the Penitentiary is criminal prison in this country) now governed, acted erroneously would be highly advantageous in in omitting the power of inflicting the management of this prison, corporal punishment, when they provided such power were accomre-enacted most of the other pro- panied by regulations adequate to visions of the 19th Geo. 3rd., the control the exercise of it, and to Act originally passed for the intro- guard against its being abused. duction of the Penitentiary system;

BEXLEY, Chairman. and they are satisfied, that the General Penitentiary, Feb. 17. revival of this power (a power

SECOND REPORT from the Select COMMITTEE ON EMIGRATION from

the UNITED KINGDOM.-1827.

The Select Committee appointed special case has been submitted to

to consider the Subject of Emic them, so serious and so urgent, as gration from the United King- to induce them to devote to it, for dom, and to whom the Report the present, their principal attenof the last Session, and the tion, and without further delay to several Petitions which have lay it specially before the House. been presented to the House in In addition to those ordinary the present Session of Parlia- causes which in many parts of the ment, on the same subject, were United Kingdom appear to have referred ; and who were em- led to a superabundant population, powered to report their Observa- or rather to a disproportion between tions and Opinion thereupon, the demand and the supply of together with the Minutes of labour, an important change has Evidence taken before them from been wrought, and is still in gratime to time, to the House ; dual but certain progress, in the have further considered the condition of some of the manufacMatters to them referred, and turing districts, by the transition have agreed upon the following from hand-loom to power-loom Report :

weaving. For some time the adThe inquiry into the general vance in the cotton trade was so subject of emigration is connected rapid as nearly, if not altogether with so many important questions, to absorb, in the more productive and involves considerations so system, the hands thus thrown out various and complicated, that al- of employment. But difficulties though upon many of them your arising from a temporary check in committee have received a mass of trade shortly fell upon the weavers very valuable and satisfactory with the double pressure of these evidence, they do not feel them- two combined causes, a diminished selves in a situation to present to demand for the produce of their the House, so soon as they would industry, and an increased facility have desired to do, a general and of production. final report. But in the prosecu- Your committee are fully serisia' tion of their investigations, a ble that, to a certain extent, these

disastrous consequences to a portion as the evidence before your comof the community must follow mittee has gone, the counties of upon every new invention by which Renfrew and Lanark. In mitigahuman labour is abridged: and tion of this extensive distress, sums that it is more especially the interest to a very large amount have been of a commercial country, far from raised from various funds, by legal discouraging, to afford every pro- provision, by spontaneous contri tection to such inventions: and bution, and recently by the king's while your committee lay down letter, and have mainly tended to this doctrine in its fullest extent, preserve those districts from the they feel themselves bound to add, immediate horrors of famine, and that those who in the present from the possible evils of riot and instance are the chief sufferers, disturbance. But your committee appear to manifest juster ideas, and deem it their duty not to conceal a more ready acquiescence in this from the House, that, notwithgeneral principle, than could have standing the temporary aid thus been expected from their situation afforded, the long-continued presin life, and from the personal feel- sure of the lowest class upon the ings with which their view of the poor-rates legally raised in Engcase must be mixed up. But your land, and of the same class of committee would wish to call the persons on the funds raised in attention of the House to two cir- various ways in Scotland, has excumstances which appear to dis- tended the distress to the ranks tinguish this special case from immediately above; and that not those of ordinary occurrence. In- only the local funds appear in dependently of the extent of the many instances nearly exhausted, change, the time at which it has but the lower order of rate-payers, taken place, with reference to their far from being able to contribute peculiar branch of trade, is for the to the relief of their pauper neighweavers most unfortunate; and bours, are become themselves demost, if not all, the ordinary chan- pendent upon casual or parochial nels of labour are in such a state of assistance. repletion, that it is difficult for Under these circumstances, the them to transfer their industry Manufacturers' Relief Committee, elsewhere.

with the fullest daily information Though the state of distress before them, concurring in the bordering upon actual famine, statement above made, agreeing which these causes have produced with your committee in opinion, in districts extensively concerned that there is little hope that any in the cotton trade, is so notorious revival of trade can bring back the as hardly to require pressing upon employment of the distressed handthe House, your committee have loom weavers, and that the fulness had it confirmed by the strongest of other branches of labour renders and fullest evidence. These dis- it difficult for them to transfer tricts appear to embrace in England their industry; aware also, that a large portion of the county of temporary aid, however valuable Lancaster, together with parts of in itself, and however judiciously Cheshire, of the West Riding of applied, can only produce tempoYorkshire, nnd of Cumberland : rary benefit, have been led to turn and in Scotland principally, so far their attention to the objects which your committee have in view. have received assurances from the Satisfied of the efficiency and per- Colonial Department, that prepamanence of the benefit to be ration is already made for receive afforded by emigration, they have ing, if need were, especially in

, signified their readiness to contri. Nova Scotia, a considerably larger bute, in furtherance of these ob- number of emigrants at a very jects, the sum of 25,0001., being a short notice. large proportion of their remaining Recurring to the persons whom funds, provided the further sum of it is proposed to make the immedi50,0001. can be obtained from other ate objects of this offer of removal, sources.

it is necessary to acquaint the The assistance thus tendered House, that in the districts above appears to your committee doubly alluded to, and more especially in valuable, first, as marking the Lancashire, there appear to be strong sense entertained by a most

among

the hand-loom weayers, two respectable and well - informed classes almost wholly distinct from body, that the mode suggested is each other: the one, who, though at once the cheapest and most they take in work in their own effectual relief which can be houses or cellars, are congregated afforded ; and secondly, as furnish- in the large manufacturing towns; ing the means of complying with and the other, scattered in small that which your committee have hamlets or single houses, in various uniformly laid down as a rule of directions throughout the manufacaction, and have thought it expe- turing country. It is to the situadient to make the substance of a tion of this latter class, though special report presented in the both are in a state extremely depresent year:-" That private or plorable, that your committee would local contribution in some shape chiefly wish to direct the attention ought to form the basis of any of the House. It appears that system of emigration to which it persons of this description, for may be expedient for this committee many years past, have been occuto recommend any assistance from piers of small farms of a few acres, the national funds.”

which they have held at high Your committee do not consi- rents; and, combining the business der it necessary, upon the occasion of a hand-loom weaver with that of this special report, to enter into of a working farmer, have assisted details of expense, they deem it to raise the rent of their land from sufficient to state broadly, that the profits of their loom. Upon they are satisfied, from the in- this class it is, that the distresses quiries which they have made (the of the times have fallen with peparticulars of which will, with the culiar hardship. While the de evidence they have hitherto re- cline of their manufacturing busiceived, shortly be laid before the ness has utterly disabled them from House), that the sum of 75,0001., supplying those rents which were if raised, will be sufficient to re- due from them as agriculturists, they move, provision, and locate, in the have found themselves called upon North American colonies, above to give support, as liable to the twelve hundred fam ies, amount rates, to ose of their fellow ing to between six and seven thou- weavers who were engaged in ma, sand souls; and your committee nufacture alone: and a remnant of

a