Lord Ashley And The Gang Of Thieves.

(Abridged from the Era.)

Everybody has heard of the Ragged Schools, and most people know that Lord Ashley is their principal promoter. Now, there is what is termed the London City Mission, established for the purpose of supporting Ragged Schools, and employing missionaries to reform people living amongs us of humble callings and of all ages. One of these missionaries is Mr. Jackson, of the Rag Fair and Rosemary Lane district. His house is open to all who choose to visit him in search of advice and assistance; and between June and December, 1847, so many as 2,343 calls upon him were made by children and young persons. People at all acquainted with the neighbourhood to which Mr. Jackson's zealous, pious, and philanthropic labours are confined, will not be surprised to learn that he is termed the “Thieves’ Missionary,” a distinction of which he is, doubtless, by no means ashamed, and one which he has been at much pains to obtain. He is, in fact, in the confidence of the thieves of London, a confidence profitable to them, to him, and to the whole community. How this intimacy was obtained, and by what means it is kept up with advantage to both parties, and an injury to neither, it would take a volume to relate.

It occurred to Mr. Jackson, upon the receipt of Lord Ashley's speech, spoken in the House of Commons, in June last, that some of his “young friends” might desire to emigrate “at the expense of the Government,” but not after the manner in which culprits usually leave the mother country. He accordingly put the question to one of them, and the answer was. “I should jump at it!” Thus encouraged, he made further enquiry among his wicked as-page 23sociates, and shortly afterward, to use the words of the City Mission Magazine for this month—

“Mr. Jackson was sent for by a number of thieves lodging in a court adjacent to the district, called Blue Anchor Yard. He went, and they expressed themselves extremely desirous to know whether any hope could be held out of their obtaining an honest livelihood, however humble, in our colonies, instead of continuing to pursue their present criminal course in this country, from which they found it now almost an impossibility to extricate themselves. ‘It would,’ said they, ‘be a capital chance for chaps like us.'

Mr. Jackson informed his audience that Lord Ashley was about to honour him with a visit, and he would have much pleasure in introducing them to his Lordship. The Irish Free School was fixed on as the place of meeting, and on the evening of Thursday, July 27, 1848, the convicted felons, vagrants, and known thieves, assembled together to the number of 207, for the purpose of consulting Lord Ashley as to the best means for bettering their condition. 207 thieves! Even Mr. Jackson was not prepared for this. It was a meeting such as had never taken place since Spartan boys had ceased to congregate. 207 professed thieves surrounding half-a-dozen honest men, was a sight worthy all the metropolitan magistrates and the entire police force. Had Porson's devil taken “a walk” that night, what would he have said or done in passing the Irish Free School? But we must not pause to moralise. The City Mission Magazine says, with becoming candour, coolness, and gravity—“Several of the best Known and most experienced thieves were stationed at the door, to prevent the admission of any but thieves. Some four or five individuals who were not at first known were subjected to a more public examination, and only allowed to remain on their stating who they were, and being recognised as members of the dishonest fraternity; and before the proceedings of the evening commenced the question was very carefully put, and repeated several times, whether any one was in the room of whom others entertained doubts as to who he was. The object of this care was, as so many of them were in danger of getting into trouble, as they call it, or in other words, of being taken up for their crimes, if discovered, to ascertain whether any who should betray them were present.

How will it de supposed the meeting was opened? Why, with a hymn and then a prayer.

An address was next read to Lord Ashley, setting forth the nature and object of the meeting, and the characters of those who attended it, together with the result of the reader's previous exertions in the cause of reformation. From that it appeared that rehearsals or trials had previously taken place, and when they last met only 138 avowed thieves were present. We extract from a table the results of inquiries made upon that occasion:—

Number of individuals present,	138
How many of you have been in prison?	138
Have all of you been in prison for theft?	138
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How many of you ascribe your fall to intoxicating drink?	27
Are you willing to give up thieving and go to work?	138
How many of you are likely to get into trouble?	138
How many of you are willing to emigrate?	137

One hundred and thirty-eight of our fellow creatures in the prime of manhood, thieves by trade, and acknowledged felons, ready to abandon their unlawful pursuits, and in this Christian, moral, liberal, and enlightened age, actually incapable of discovering how to be honest—and live! Out of 372, 278 had received no education, and their times of imprisonment varied from 1 to 27 times, while two forgot how many times they had been incarcerated.—What was to be said to the 207 confessed and convicted rogues then and there? What was to become of them after the party broke up? Lord Ashley is a practical philanthropist, a Christian gentleman, a legislator and a lord. He has a heart and a head that reflects credit upon human nature. He is an ornament to society and a blessing to mankind, but he must have felt and deplored his individual helplessness; here he must have seen the magnitude of his task, and the littleness of his power. He addressed his hearers, we are told, “carefully and judiciously.” No record was kept of his speech. He expressed his willingness to befriend them, as it was his duty to do. His Lordship candidly told them that there was little hope for them here, and recommended them to turn their attention to the back settlements of the New World.—Suggestive of levity as may be these particulars, there is something so serious, so solemn, associated with them, that the jeer sinks to a sigh, and we say; Alas! for frail humanity. Alas for wayward man! Lord Ashley could promise them nothing, and the sternness, consequent upon a consciousness of their unworthiness, probably melted into pity as he looked around upon the upturned faces of the prodigal, the profligate, the abandoned, the hopeless, the drowning men clinging to straws, the doomed, the guilty. The gallows loomed in the distance of thought, the hulks were ready.

“Mutual aid,” was what his Lordship most recommended—self reliance—self sacrifice, a relinquishing of their old practices, and new resolves for the future. “But how,” said they, “are we to live till our next meeting? We must steal or die.” One of the party arose and said, “My Lord, and gentlemen of the jury, prayer is very good, but it will not fill an empty stomach.” There was a general response of “Hear! hear!” “and the directors of the meeting,” we are told, “were in considerable difficulty.” One thief, hereupon came forward and recounted how he had forsaken his criminal calling, and travelled to Exeter on foot in search of employment, and back again to Mr. Jackson, who received him footsore and faint, and relieved him. Step by step, with evidence of repentance, must those rise, who do emerge from their position, but without aid of some kind, how few will escape the fate to which they are hastening. Those who were present felt this, for a sum of money was contributed on the spot, and thirteen of those who were present are now in the wilds of Canada. Our readers must draw their own comments from these facts.

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We may safely infer that a sinful life is not a happy life—that ignorance is one great cause of crime—that emigration should be a preventative not a cure—that when men have lost caste and character, their reformation is all but impossible—and that, if at the very fountain head of benevolent enterprise, with such ample resources and powerful appliances at command, the task of reformation is so difficult and hopeless, it must be unspeakably more difficult to effect this desirable consummation here at the extremities of the empire.