minals thus crowd our gaols more and more, from year to year, and, of course, prepare for a corresponding increase in the general crime of the country, these gaols are, and must continue to be, in the words of those to whom the inspection of them is intrusted by the Government, unprovided with means of coercion, education and reformation, applicable to the peculiar condition of such offenders; and if the necessity for such institutions and such a law be thus manifest, we should be encouraged to achieve them for ourselves, because there are good grounds of hope, that we may use them with peculiar profit in Ireland. The nature of our people is plastic and manageable, susceptible of good impressions and very sensitive to the humanizing influences of kindness. We have not, amongst us, nearly so much of hardened, ingrained, hereditary criminality as prevails in some other countries, and resists, too successfully, the force of discipline, and the pleadings of religion. And the experience of some of our work-houses, though their training for the young has been necessarily uncertain and insufficient, has given cheering proofs that very many of our pauper children are ready to avail themselves of any opportunity of good, they may be allowed to enjoy. These considerations, and this experience assure us, that reformatory schools may be fairly expected to have eminent moral usefulness amongst us. Rightly ordered, they will lessen taxation, whilst they diminish crime; and we can here at least, apprehend no valid economic objection to them, for skilled and honest workers are needed in Ireland, and we run no risk of overstocking the labour market, by training to productive industry the multitudes of wretched children, who must continue to infest our prisons, consume our substance and disgrace our country, if they are left in their ignorance and abandonment. I have not discussed conflicting theories, or adverted to possible difficulties which may demand grave consideration from the founders of a reformatory system. Neither is this the occasion on which I could properly consider the nature of its details. But, I am satisfied that the theories may be reconciled and the difficulties overcome, and the experience of other communities will guide us safely, if we resolve to establish such a system in our own. My present object is merely to invite attention to a good work, which has found many to toil at it elsewhere, but has not And I have used this legitimate opportuyet been begun amongst us. nity of my office for adverting to it, because I believe it to be eminently a work of social necessity and Christian mercy, and because I desire that Ireland should cease to endure the disgrace of being almost, if not absolutely, the single civilized nation in which it is neglected." It must not be supposed that the advocates of Reformatory Schools consider the Reformatory Principle as inapplicable to adults; indeed the separate system of Imprisonment is, when properly administered, as at Reading, not very much unlike the Reformatory School. The hopes and intentions of the advocates of Reformation were thus Christianly and eloquently stated by Mr. Recorder Hill, to the Grand Jury of the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions, held in Birmingham, last September : "Nor, gentlemen, while congratulating myself upon what has been gained, can I repress the desire to look upon the position we have reached, more as an earnest of further progress than as a place of rest. PROVIDENCE has endowed children with an influence upon our sympathies, which, as they advance to manhood, drops unawares from their hands; and as public opinion is more easily won over when approached by sentiment than by argument, it was wise on the part of the philanthropist to put into the front of the battle the cause of the young, and to keep back that of the adult until vantage ground had been secured. If, however, this Act were extended to Ireland; if the entire principle were admitted, Voluntary and Governmental, still the Religious Difficulty question would arise. It would be, doubtless, a very serious question-religion, in its fullest extent, should enter into and pervade the entire system-without it there might be secular teaching, and advancement in secular knowledge, but without it there could be no Reformation; and after years of toil, of wasted care, we should have these children crying to us, as Caliban to Prospero, "You taught me language; and my profit on't, That the treatment of children must differ from the treatment of men is obvious, whether the children and the men are at large or under legal coercion. But as regards the duty of applying the same principle of punishment to each class, no valid distinction between the two can be established. The solid foundation on which the claims of the young to Reformatory treatment must be based, is that it has been proved to be advantageous not merely to youthful offenders, but to the community at large-not to a part only, but to the whole. Yet this ground being once conceded to the young, it will be found on examination, to support the claim of the adult to similar treatment. That greater difficulties will have to be surmounted, and that the incurable will constitute a larger proportion in the latter class than in the former, may be admitted. Yet these admissions can safely be made without at all disturbing the general conclusion, which is, that as to both classes Reformatory Discip. line ought to be regarded as the rule, leaving the exceptions to be dealt with as best they may. But the claim of the adult portion of the offending classes, even upon our sympathy, will be strongly felt by all whose charity can be awakened by reflection, and is not altogether dependent on outward impressions or instinctive impulse. The little outcast of tender years, standing at a criminal bar, over which he can scarcely lift his eyes, becomes, upon the instant, and without time given for thought, the object of our compassion. But suppose years to pass away; suppose him still to remain the creature of ignorance and abandonment; all this time will evil habit be doing its work; slowly but surely reducing him to a slavery hopeless of redemption. Let us now suppose the period of life to have arrived when appetites and passions which had slumbered through his adolescence, awake to urge him on to his ruin, with a force which his unhappy training has deprived him of all power to resist, even if the desire for better things should still survive. Is such a being, I ask you, gentlemen, less an object of commiseration to the thoughtful Christan than the neglected child? If pity in minds well regulated has relation rather to the depth of the misery which calls it forth than to the aspect, winning or repulsive, which that misery may chance to wear, the neglected and ill-trained man has even a stronger claim on our good feelings than belongs to his younger competitor. And if, as it has now been solemnly admitted, the community is bound to take charge of the child, with the intent to reform him can it be relieved from that responsibility by permitting him to remain in his vicious courses until he grows up a man? Surely if, by our indifference we have sinned against the youth, so far from expiating our offence we double it, if we persist in our apathy until he is mature in years as well as in crime." Religion, therefore, must be an essential part of the system -it must be the soul of the system-and hence arises the difficulty-how are the schools to be conducted; are they to be for Roman Catholics alone, or are they to be conducted upon the united system? Here, however, as on all other points connected with the practical working of the schools, Miss Carpenter comes to aid us, with her noble singleness of purpose, and her fine observant mind. We quote from her evidence before the Committee of 1852, on Criminal and Destitute Juveniles; she had stated that in any schools of which she was the manageress, or patroness, she would require the reading of the Scriptures, and was asked, 869. "How would you provide for those parts of the population which consist of a great proportion of Roman-catholics, where their own particular views of reading the Scripture are very peculiar?-In the way I suggest only. Of course, when carrying out such a school as I am proposing, I would not be so strict as I would in the day-school in controlling the master. I would let him freely give his religious views, with the general direction that his teaching should be practical. 870. But still there would be a compulsory attendance of children, would there not, upon the reading of the Scriptures ?—Yes. 871. So that you could not obviate the objection which might be taken by a Roman-catholic parent ?-No, but that would be remedied according to my own plan by Roman-catholics themselves establishing a school of their own. 872. But do you not propose that these Reformatory Schools should be supported by a general rate, in the event of a subscription fund not being adequate for that purpose?—Yes; but the rate is levied for them as Reformatory Schools. The rate would be levied in order to support reformatory action upon certain children who were vicious citizens, and whom it was wished to transform into useful and good citizens. I think that we must be exceedingly careful not to control their consciences more than can be helped. We all agree in the use of the Scriptures, in considering them as containing the rule of life; we know that the Catholics do not approve of the kind of use of the Scriptures that we may adopt, though at the same time they have authorised in Ireland selections from the Scriptures. If Catholics felt an objection to the children being confined in such Reformatory Schools (because they might justly say children who are sent to prison are only sent for a certain time, but when they are placed in these schools they may be detained there for many years, until their minds are entirely moulded), then let them establish a Reformatory School themselves, only taking care, as at Mettray, which we have quoted as the especial type of one, and which is a Catholic School, that the Reformatory action is thoroughly carried out so as to satisfy the Government inspector; and if so, I do not see why Catholic children should not be sent to Catholic Reformatory Schools, if they feel the matter of sufficient mportance to establish them. 999. Mr. Monsell.] In a community, such as Manchester for instance, which is very much divided in religious opinion, how do you conceive that the initiative would be likely to be taken with reference to these schools; do you contemplate, for instance, that the members of the Church of England should establish a school if they pleased, that the Roman-catholics should establish a school if they pleased, that the Unitarians, and so on, should establish a school if they pleased, and that then the school should come under the denomination of a reformatory school, upon being inspected by a sub-Government authority, and declared to be suited for that purpose?—That is my idea. I believe that if voluntary action is enlisted, it is absolutely necessary to leave the religious question to the consciences of those who establish the school, and that the only aim of Government is to reform. It is not the aim of the Government to enforce such or such a religious belief upon such and such children, but it is its aim to transform vicious children into useful members of society. The religious difficulty will be entirely avoided if such a course is adopted, because, as in the dissenting schools at present, the inspector would solely look into the management of the school, and investigate whether it carries out the objects intended by the Government, in granting the money and certificate, and would merely inquire from the conductors of the school whether they were satisfied with the religious teaching. That plan has answered perfectly in the case of the schools at present aided by the Committee of Council, and I do conceive that that would be the only way of effectually carrying out such schools as these. A 1000. In point of fact, a school would become capable of Govern. ment or of municipal assistance upon the certificate of the inspector?-Solely upon the certificate of the Government inspector that such school was really carrying out the objects intended, and I think that great injustice would be avoided by taking such a course. very large proportion, as you may possibly be aware, of the population of Bristol, of the lower classes, are Irish Catholics. A large proportion of the juvenile offenders will consequently be Irish. Now I think there is no reason for our controlling their consciences, and that if the Catholics of Bristol should think proper to esta. blish a reformatory school, the only enquiry of the Government ought to be whether it is carrying out the object intended; and therefore it would be optional with the magistrates to commit children to one school or to another, according to circumstances. Probably you would think proper to consult the parents whether they had any distinct religious convictions on the subject." We have quoted this evidence of Miss Carpenter, as it proves to our Irish readers that the friends of Reformatory Schools do not wish to render them scenes of proselytism, and are quite willing that each religion should possess a Reformatory School for the young criminals of its own communion, provided the legal requirements be fulfilled. We do not labor, ourselves, to prove this fact, but we know that the Reformatory system, before all others, requires public confidence in its sustainment, and in Ireland, it must fail to secure voluntary support, unless it be satisfactorily shown that the children are to be reared in that faith to which their parents belong. Our honored friend, Mr. Recorder Hill, has said that this Religious Difficulty Question is one of little consequence to the criminals themselves: his words are "The only difficulty I apprehend exists among those who, like yourself and your class of society, are discussing it. With regard to these poor creatures themselves, they have scarcely any religious differences, and I rather think that if inquiry were made among the governors and chaplains of gaols, the Committee would find this provision for calling in the aid of ministers of other denominations than that of the Church of England, very rarely indeed put in action. The truth is, that the class from which criminals are drawn have no religion at all; they are not divisible into Roman Catholics and Protestants; they are for the most part practical heathens." He would give them every option as to selection of their religious teachers, but what would be the result of this in Ireland?-Nothing more nor less than continued squabbles, as to whether Father A. had induced Billy Smith to bless himself; or whether Parson B. had tried to make Paddy Murphy eat meat on a Friday Differences between the chaplains would not be the only evils attendant upon associated schools in Ireland. Parents whose children might be so vicious as to make home culture impossible, would have the right to send them, upon payment, to these schools, as has been frequently done at the Philanthropic, but they would not do so in Ireland, if they doubted the security as to religious teaching in their own creed. But it will be said, even if all for which we contend were granted, the expense would be enormous; let us, however, hear the Rev. John Clay, and Sergeant Adams, upon this point. Mr. Clay states: - "Looking to the criminal statistics published by Captain Willis, the Chief Constable of Manchester, and to the details which are given in the Liverpool calendars, and assuming that the ages of transports, generally, are represented in those returns, it would appear that of the 3,100 I have mentioned, 43 per cent. are under 21 years old-1,333; 45 per cent. are between twenty-one and thirty years of age-1,395: and 12 per cent., or 372, are above thirty years of age. Now, it is not taking too much for granted to say that criminals, sentenced to transportation before they reach thirty-one years of age, have commenced their criminal career at a time of life when they should have been learning a better way. But society has ignored their very existence. Let us see what society pays for its indifference. Offenders, generally, are not sentenced to |