THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE SYSTEM.

HL Deb 07 June 1855 vol 138 cc1533-5

LORD LYNDHURST

wished to call the attention of their Lordships to a question of very considerable importance. He observed from the newspapers that a returned convict on ticket of leave was yesterday placed at the bar of the Bow Street police court, charged with using gross, insulting, and obscene language to a policeman when in the discharge of his duty. From the report in the papers, it appeared that the magistrate, Mr. Jardine, a gentleman of great learning and experience, expressed himself in the following terms— The language must have been bad, indeed, to shock a policeman. It formed a striking contrast, no doubt, to the sentiments expressed by the prisoner in his interviews with the chaplain of the prison from which he had obtained his 'ticket of leave.' On these occasions, it appeared, the adoption of a hypocritical tone and a canting expression of the countenance (which the worst of them were capable of assuming best, when it served their purpose to do so) sufficed to obtain their discharge before the expiration of half the term of the original sentence, with the further advantage of a written character, enabling them to impose upon the public. Why, he had not presided there any day for some time past without having to dispose of some charge against a 'ticket-of-leave' man. The neighbourhood was infested with them. They stood at the corners of streets at midnight, and, pouncing suddenly upon the lonely passenger, half strangled and robbed him before even an alarm could be given. This was the magistrate's statement, speaking of cases that had come within his own knowledge. Then Inspector Mackenzie, a policeman, said— There were forty ticket-of-leave men in the immediate neighbourhood of the court, and chiefly in Charles Street, Drury Lane, who had returned to their old haunts, and to their former course of life. In order, however, to avoid the personal consequences, they usually employed boys and women to assist them, and these were constantly apprehended, while the principal delinquents escaped altogether. After those observations Mr. Jardine said— He had a very strong feeling upon the subject. Society was not safe with the present system in operation. It might be a desirable thing to clear the gaols of these men, but it was a bad thing for the public when they returned to a life of crime, having escaped more than half the punishment which it had been thought proper to award them for previous offences. The expense even of reprosecuting these men, when they were detected, must amount to a formidable sum. Now, their Lordships would recollect that a discussion took took place on the Convict Bill when it was before that House, and he remembered that on that occasion the Lord Chief Justice stated his anticipations of what was likely to take place if the Bill were passed, and pressed upon the Government to reconsider the subject. He must say that the anticipations of the noble and learned Lord had been fully confirmed. Every day would greatly increase the number of men discharged on tickets of leave, and the sooner the subject was taken up by the Government and their Lordships the better it would be for the public.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

trusted that when his noble and learned Friend had any question to put, or any motion to make, he would give notice of it. The matter to which he had called the attention of the House was no doubt well worthy of attention; but it came upon him perfectly by surprise, not having seen the account to which his noble and learned Friend referred. The subject was one beset with difficulties, and his right hon. Friend the Secretary for the Home Department had it continually under his consideration. No doubt evil had been anticipated from the Bill, but whether that evil had been exaggerated in the statement now read by the noble and learned Lord it was impossible for him to say.

LORD CAMPBELL

said, that all his anticipations as to the probable ill effects of the ticket-of-leave system had been more than realised since the passing of the Bill. He was filled with the utmost dread and apprehension when he was told that the punishment of transportation was to be abolished, and that convicts in this country were to be admitted to their freedom upon tickets of leave. It was easy to perceive that the safety of society would soon be at an end under such a system. That prophecy, he thought, had been fulfilled to a considerable extent. He did not believe that the language of Mr. Jardine, which the noble and learned Lord had read, was exaggerated, and therefore he most cordially joined with his noble and learned Friend in entreating the earnest and immediate attention of the Government to this most important subject.