some strange female was introduced to your veyed in a cab with the keeper to Saint Ka. petitioner, in the lunatic asylum, dressed (on therine's Docks, and there placed on board ihe Coronation-day, June 28, 1838, of lier the Antwerpen, bound for Antwerp, at which Majesty) in paltry imitation of our Sovereign, place your petitioner remained about a fortto induce your petitioner to believe that it was night. That in consequence of the keeper not Iler most Gracious Majesty."

being able to read a etter addressed to him, Any one might say all this was a delusion, your petitioner was enabled to peruse it, and but he was prepared to prove it. The pe- concocted to bring your petitioner back to his

discovered that another scheme was again titioner proceeded to say

late place of torture. And your petitioner, “ That the officers, both medical and other in consequence, made his escape, and returned wise, assisted in this nefarious scheme. That to his mother in England, who with your petiyour petitioner has suffered the torture of mind tioner's partners assisted to recapture your peand body through other acts and filthy obser-titioner in the following manner:- His movations and questions too disgusting to be ther invited him to her house, at 28, Oxfordmentioned, from the officers, medical and terrace, Edgware-road, to arrange amicably otherwise. That your petitioner has prayed with his partners, but in lieu of which other to, and humbly requested those officers to de parties came, and atteinpted to seize your sist from their torments. That your petitioner | petitioner. That your petitioner having, enhas been chained down and been brutally dured so much misery, was fully prepared for assaulted by the keepers of the lunatic asylum any design which might show itself; and seefor having ventured to expostulate upon such ing the manœuvres, immediately forced his ridiculous and wicked conduct.

That on

way out of the house, crying Murder,' the Tuesday, the 4th of September, 1838, one of keepers hallooing out ' Stop thief.' That your the pariners waited upon your petitioner, and petitioner did since commence proceedings with the resident doctor of the establishment, against all parties; but, on obtaining the adconcocted an agreement for your petitioner to vice of Mr. Chitty, special pleader, on the sign, requiring him to leave this country for statement of facts, your petitioner found him. Antwerp, and to be allowed 3l. per week, to self without remedy, as care had been taken be paid to him as necessity might require, to keep your petitioner in confinement and through a man who was to follow your peti- without money until the time, as expressed in tioner in the double capacity of keeper and the Act of Parliament of the 48th and 491h servant, until your petitioner's partner should Section of the 41st chapter of 9th George IV., think proper to withdraw him. That your viz., which prescribes and directs that such petitioner, on Sunday, the 9th of September, actions must be brought within six calendar 1838, was again visited by his two partners, months next after the fact committed.' That accompanied by the resident medical officer, your petitioner has been obliged to suffer great and again urged to sign a dissolution of part- privations, and has since that time been denership, which your petitioner, after six prived of all benefit in his business, and that mon:hs' horrid incarceration and torture, was his partners, previous to your petitioner's givinduced to sign the following agreements for ing notice of trial, became bankrupts. That the dissolution of the co-partnership:

your petitioner has been obliged to gain his September 8, 1838. living in attorneys' offices, and is at present ". In consideration of Nir. Lewis Phillips / employed in the capacity of clerk to a soliretiring from business on the 11th of Septem- citor. That your petitioner is able to detail ber, Messrs, Ralph and Samuel Phillips un- further facts relative to other individuals condertake to satisfy Mr. Lewis Phillips for his fined in lunatic asylums, and fully to give such share of the property left in the business, by information most important to this honourable paying him a weekly sum for his maintenance. House in framing a Bill to meet fully the cir. (Signed)

666 Ralph PHILLIPS, cumstances of any case, not only as to pauper

Sam. PHILLIPS, lunatics, but as to the treatment of parties "Witness, James Phillips (resident doc- supposed to be insane or otherwise. tor).

* And your petitioner will, as in duty bound, “"We hereby agree that the partnership ever pray. which has existed between us be dissolved,

« Lewis Puillips." and publicly announced in the Gazette of Mr. Phillips brought an action against Dr. Tuesday next, the 11th of September, to the Warburton, but was advised by Mr. Chitty following effect, that Mr. Lewis Phillips is that, on account of some delay, he could retiring, and that the business is to be here not succced, and he then indicted all the after carried on in the joint names of Ralph parties for a conspiracy, when his solicitor and Samuel Phillips. (Signed) 6. Ralph Pullips.

was paid 1701. to compromise the matter
Lewis Pullips.

rather than it should come before the
Samuel Pullips' | public. All this had taken place under the
«« September 8, 1838.
existing Commission. Mr. Proctor, one

,
“ • That your petitioner was immediately, of the Commissioners, saw him in the asy-
the same hour that he signed the deed, con llum, but said that he could do nothing for

a

him, as he must be visited three times be- and his request to see his solicitor, Mr. Pemfore he could be released. He did not berton, was refused him, and he was kept in mean to attach any blame to Mr. Proctor, confinement during the space of sixteen weeks but such was the state of the law. It ap

and two days. Your petitioner, therefore,

humbly prays that, previous to any further peared, also, that a poor woman who was

legislation on the subject of lunacy, a Comconfined in Dr. Warburton's asylum, com

mittee may be appointed to investigate the plained to Mr. Proctor, upon the occasion

operation of the present laws, and the conduct of one of his visits, that she had been ill of the Metropolitan Commissioners in Lunacy, treated; but as soon as he had turned his with the view of ensuring that no Englishman back, one of the female attendants told her be deprived of his liberty without full and husband that the poor woman had been

sufficient cause." making complaints to the Commissioner, Dr. Conolly, of Hanwell, who had seen

, when he took her to an upper part of the Captain Digby, was of opinion that he was house, and beat her most cruelly, Mr. not insane; and perhaps the best proof of Phillips being able to hear her screams. his sanity was the fact that he had been On his return the man said he thought he induced to sign a cheque just before he had cured her of complaining to the Com- left the asylum, which immediately on missioner. Such cases, however, were of his release he stopped the payment of. constant occurrence. No inquiry had been Those cases frequently occurring at police instituted since 1836, and it was time that offices would show the nefarious attempts the House of Commons should cause in- that were often made to imprison some quiry into the subject to be again made, people upon the ground of insanity. The with a view to better legislation. Why, following occurred in September, last year, then, were they pressing on this Bill at so at the Worship-street office :late a period of the Session ? Some portions “Police sergeant, James Finn, 37, attended of it he had before said were good, parti- before Mr. Broughton, by direction of Supercularly that clause which enabled a Com- intendent Johnson, to show cause why he had missioner to visit a single patient : but he immured his wife, Ellen Finn, in a lunatic was not prepared to give such unconstitu- asylum, she being at the time in a state of tional power to individuals as the Bill pro

perfect sanity. The case was first brought

under the notice of the magistrate about a posed; neither would he consent to make a

week ago, when the sister of the alleged lunaCommission permanent, until he was satisfied that it had done its duty during the sister was married to the sergeant in Ireland

tic appeared before him, and stated that her last twelve or fourteen years that it had about eighteen years ago, and that they had been established. There was also a peti- contrived, by their mutual industry, to accumution from William Bailey, who had been late a sum amounting to nearly 2001., which confined for five years, and who he believed had been deposited in the husband's name in lo have been perfectly sane.

He would

the savings' bank. That they had lived very not trouble the House by reading his peti

happily together until about twelve month's tion; but there was the petition of Cap- ago, when repeated ruptures took place be

Paid Fees to

Medical

Received

Total

£

s.

d.

£

d.
0
0
0

£ s. d. 2,246 17 1 2,036 8 3

974 12

6 1,241 0
0 1,050 0

901

0

3,315 50

11,920 13 0

penses ..

and, if the woman's statement was well Johnson, with great kindness, received her founded, to request the attendance of the into his house, in the hope of being able to medical officer of that establishment, in order effect a reconciliation with her husband ; and that the case might be thoroughly investigated. her conduct during the week she remained Mr. Phillips, the medical officer of the asylum, there was uniformly good and perfectly rasubsequently attended before Mr. Broughton, tional. After some further discussion, it was and stated that Mrs. Finn had been received finally agreed that the defendant should allow into the house on the authority of a certificate, her 8s. per week, besides providing her with signed by two surgeons, that she was of un- some clothes and other necessaries, and the sound mind; but Mr. Phillips felt bound 10 parties then left the court.” express, as his own decided opinion, that she Now, as to the subject of expenses, that was perfectly sane, and was not a fit object for admission into the asylum. Having the attesta- had certainly been increasing since 1828 tion, however, of two medical men to the con- in a most extraordinary manner. The foltrary effect, they were compelled to detain lowing was an account of moneys received her, but were ready 10 deliver her up to her and paid by the clerk of the Metropolitan friends on being legally authorized to adopt Commissioners in Lunacy :that course. Mr. Broughton made some strong remarks upon the monstrous state of the law, which enabled a person, at his own wanton caprice, to consign another to such a dreadful

for Licenses. Commissioners, Expense. species of confinement, and gave orders for the attendance of all the parties before him. Saturday the wife, whose address and de. August, 1828. meanour were perfecily quiet and collected, To Aug. 1829 1,0-10 7 6 1,154 0 was examined at some length by the magis- To Aug. 1830 trale, and stated that in consequence of a dis

To Aug. 1831 1,012 5

2,536 10 0 agreement that took place between them, her August, 1841,

To Aug, 1842

0 1,993 0 husband, about four months ago, placed her in August, 1843, the same asylum; but after remaining there a To Aug. 1844 978 15 0 3,059 0 week he consented to her liberation, and Extra fees and travelling exagreed to allow her 108. a week, on condition

of

5,850 16 that she went over to her friends in Ireland. She accordingly proceeded 10 that country, but returned after a short stay, and besought | At a meeting which took place in the city the defendant to receive her into his house, yesterday, the noble Lord the Member for and it was in consequence of those importu- Dorsetshire (Lord Ashley) said that he had nities that she was again incarcerated in the been a Commissioner for twelve years ; he madhouse. In answer 10 the complaint the admitted the horrors of private asylums, defendant said that his wife had been guilty and said he would rather be a pauper of the most outrageous acts of violence, hav- in the Hanwell Asylum than be placed in ing more than once attempted to stab him, a private asylum where his friends would and her whole conduct justified his conviction have to pay for him. Why did not the that her intellects were impaired. She was examined by two respectable medical men, question naturally arise, if the noble Lord one of whom had attended her for dine had been a Commissioner for so many years, months; and, as they both testified to that and had been cognizant of the evils which fact, he considered himself justified in the existed in private asylums-why was there course which he had pursued. Mr. Brough. no attempt to remedy them before! He ton, the magistrate, expressed it as his opinion (Mr. Duncombe) knew that he had no that the woman was in as sane and rational a chance of success; but he should have the state as any one in court, and he considered satisfaction of knowing that he had donc that the defendant had been guilty of extreme his duty in exposing the defects of the excruelty and injustice towards her. Fortunately, however, through her sister's interposition, isting law, anà calling for a searching and she was now restored to her friends, and be rigid inquiry. The hon. Member concluded wished to know what arrangement the de- by moving " That all further proceedings fendant was willing to make for her future should be postponed until next Session ; maintenance. The defendant said that he and that, previous to any further legislation had been paying 15s. a week to maintain her in the asylum, and he was willing to allow her tuted into the state of the existing law.”

on the subject, an inquiry should be instihalf that sum if she would promise not to come near or molest him again, as he had been

Mr. V. Smilh was willing to rest his in danger of losing his situation through her opinion that the Bill should not be postturbulent conduct. Holland, the sum inoning poned upon the arguments of the hou. officer, said that at the expiration of her first Member for Finsbury, which all went to confinement in the asylum, Superintendent prove the necessity of most active and care

TELLERS.

TELLERS.

ful supervision, and the sooner that was | Packe, C. W. Thorn hill, G. effected the better. The Bill did not pro

Palmerston, Visct. Turner, E. pose to continue the Commission under Praed, W.T.

Villiers, Visct. which the evils complained of had existed,

Protheroe, E.

Vivian, J. H. but to elect a new Commission altogether, Sandon, Visct.

Rolleston, Col. Waddington, H. S. with new powers, new duties, and new Seymour, Lord

Warburton, H.

Wawn, J. T. salaries; and he thought, of all the pro- Sheridan, R. B. Wynn, rt.hn. C. W. W'. posals in the Bill, that of a permanent Smith, ri. hin. R. V. Yorke, H. R. Commission ought most readily to receive Somerset, Lord G. the approbation of the House. An ad-Spooner, R. Ashley, Lord mixture of medical men and barristers Sutton, hon. H. M. Cardwell, E on the Commission was the best course

List of the Noes. that could have been adopted. The hon. Gentleman then passed a high eulogium on Duncan, Visct. Duncombe, T. the exertions and talents displayed by Lord

Crawford, S. Ashley as Chairman of the Lunacy Commissioners, and expressed a hope that he

Committee postponed to Tuesday. would continue to exercise the duties of

House adjourned to five o'clock. that office when the new Commission was formed.

Poor Law AMENDMENT (SCOTLAND).] Lord Duncan was disposed to support

The Order of the Day for going into the Amendment; but as it was then four Committee on the Poor Law Amendment o'clock, he moved the adjournment of the (Scotland) Bill, was read. debate.

On the Question that the Speaker do Sir J. Graham hoped the hon. Member now leave the Chair, for Finsbury, and the noble Lord the Mem

Colonel Rawdon expressed a hope that ber for Bath, would be satisfied with the before the House went into Committee, discussion which had already taken place, the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of and would consent to take the sense of the State for the Home Department would House upon it, with the understanding state the intentions of the Government that the House should go into Committee with respect to the clauses affecting the on Monday.

rights of Irish paupers, as the right hon. After a short conversation, Lord Dun- Gentleman had been requested to do by a can withdrew his Motion,

deputation of the liish Members. The House divided on the Question, Sir J. Grahain said, the best course to that the words proposed to be left out stand adopt would be to proceed with the Bill part of the Question :-Ayes 66; Noes 1: in Committee until ihe clauses referred to Majority 65.

were arrived at. List of the Ayes.

Mr. Hume said, if the Members for Ire.

land objected to particular clauses of the Ainsworth, P.

Egerton, W.T. Arundel and Surrey,

Bill, he should object to the measure alloEtwall, R. Earl of Forster, M.

gether. The Government had already Baillie, Col. Fuller, A. E.

postponed a great number of measures, Baird, W.

Graham, rt, hn, Sir J. and he was anxious that they should adopt Baring, rt, hn. W. B. Greene, T.

the same course with regard to the preBarrington, Visct. Grimston, Visct. sent Bill. It was so large, and contained Bentinck, Lord G. Hamilton, W.J.

so many provisions, many of them most Bodkin, W. H. Harris, hon. Capt

uncertain and undefined, that it would, if Bowles, Adm.

Hallon, Capt. V.
Broadley, H.
Henley, J. W.

carried, prove to be only an Act to create Brotherton, J. Hollond, R.

dissension and litigation. The time would Bruce, Lord E.

Jermyn, Earl he very brief until next Session', and in Bruges, W. H. L. Johnstone, Sir J. the mean time the measure might be fully Buller, E. Kemble, H.

and fairly considered in Scotland, and Carew, W. H. P. Knightley, Sir C.

many important and necessary amend. Christie, W. D. Lowther, Sir J. H.

menis suggested. The opinion prevalent Clive, Visct.

Mackenzie, W. F.
Clive, hon. R. H.
Martin, C. W.

among the best informed parties in Sco!. Damer, hon, Col. Mitcalfe, I.

land was, that if the Bill passed into law Denison, E. B. Morris, D.

in its present form, another measure to Dickinson, F. H. Mundy, E. M. amend it, would, as a matter of course, Duncombe, hon. A. Nicholl, rt, hn. J. have to be introduced next Session. VOL. LXXXII. {Seried}

Р

Mr. Ewart agreed altogether in what | The Report of the Commissioners had had fallen from his hon. Friend who had been before the public for twelve months, just sat down. The measure was one and had been under the consideration of which all parties united in saying could Government during the whole of that not be satisfactory or successful, and the time. If, therefore, the measure then probability was, that if it now became before the House could be called crude law, it would have to be amended next and imperfect, the fault must lie wiih the Session. The delay would also produce Government who had prepared it, as ample the advantage of enabling those hon. Gen- time and full materials had gone to its tlemen who, though Members for Scot preparation. Besides, the principle of land, had unfortunately the misfortune the measure had been approved of by a not to be born in Scotland, to become very large majority of that House. Neibetter acquainted with the subject. ther could it be said that the House had

Mr. P. M. Stewart said, he would go been taken by surprise. The Bill was a step further than the two hon. Gentle introduced at an early period of the Sesmen who had last addressed the House, sion, and the second reading was postand would ask the Government to apply poned in order that the counties of Scot. their own principle to the Bill which they land might, in their county halls, have had relied on when another Scotch ques- full opportunity of taking the matter into tion had been before the House a few consideration. Neither was the absence nights ago, and to allow their decision of petitions in its favour any evidence of upon it to be regulated by the petitions its unpopularity, as people seldom petithat had been presented from Scoiland on tioned in favour of Government measures the subject. Though the measure was which were generally approved, except one which was of vast importance to their success seemed doubiful. The prinScotland, he believed there had not been cipal petition against this Bill was from a single petition presented in its favour, one parish which was peculiarly situated, whereas numerous petitions from all per- and which, it was feared, would be affect. sons interested in the state of the Scotch ed by the 16th Clause ; but that cause of poor had been presented against the Bill. petition was removed, as the clause was All these petitions concurred in represent to be postponed. He thought that, as ing the great necessity of legislation on the principle of the Bill had been fully the subject of the poor of Scotland, discussed and decisively affirmed by the whereas they, at the same time, describ- House, and as they had made considered the Bill introduced by the Govern- able progress in Committee, there was not ment as an ill-digested and an ill-adapted any valid reason existing for its further measure. They stated, that it would postponement.

If any hon. Member not allay the discontent existing against wished again to have the opinion of the the present measure, and that the poor House, the best plan would be to let the had no interest whatever in it. That it Bill pass through Committee, and take a would have the effect of overloading the division on the third reading. Statute Book with eighty clauses, most Mr. Lockhart expressed his satisfaction of which would, as a matter of necessity, that the right hon. Baronet had not postbe repealed next Session. In fact, the poned the progress of the Bill. measure was one which would do no good Mr. Gibson Craig, as they had so far 10 the poor man, while it would have the advanced in Commitee, could not coneffect of throwing him beyond the pale of ceive the expediency of postponing the the Constitution.

measure. His own opinion was, that, Sir J. Graham, in answer to the appeal generally speaking, the Bill had been faof hon. Members opposite, would begin vourably received in Scotland, although by stating, that if ever a measure had certainly some alterations were called for been brought before the House which was in it. completely divested of party character, it Mr. Hastie objected to the further prowas the Scottish Poor Law. It was also gress of this Bill. The poor in Scotland admitted that the law for the relief of the were never so well looked after as in the poor in Scotland, was in such a stale as to present time. Therefore, in postponing require immediate alteration. There had the measure, no possible harm could been full inquiry, and ample materials for result. immediate legislation had been obtained. Viscount Duncan trusted that the

7