1-816.] 



■witnessed the gatnliliii 

 ollicrs nl' liis own years, rrom licini; a 

 spectator, lie has iialTirally «lc.sircd to 

 partici|)atc in their aimiseinents. Into 

 «iic!i assoeiations there is every facility 

 et' iiitroduclioi!. It" the boy can Ijiit 

 stake bis penny, he is Tcadiiy admitted 

 into the society of these gamblers. Keiice 

 be becoiiies degraded with characters ot" 

 the most dangerous description, vAia, 

 lisviiiof madtf considi'rable protieiency iii 

 43vil practices, are well (Hialilled and in- 

 <'liued to contaminate ail w'lo join thcni. 

 In this, manner has many a dclnded 

 yoHth been ruined, who was lirst incited 

 'logamblc in tiie sli eels iron) the want of 

 .•an indnstrions occupation; and who, 

 wljcn lie joined the party, little coi-si- 

 ■/<tef(nl tlic fatal con.seqnences of tlie step 

 \vbich he was about to take. In a short 

 time the loss of money has inclined him 

 to yield to the solicitations and criminal 

 snj;;;estions of his associates. From 

 petty depretlations, asliis years ha\e in- 

 creased, be has advanced in the nature 

 and extent of his cntcr])rises, until his 

 fame has obtained the notice of the ex- 

 jiwienced thief, who gladly enlists the 

 victim iiito his service, fj is career now, 

 jicrhaps, is anested, and he is connnit- 

 ted to piison, where his education in 

 ^iee becomes finished: it is here that he 

 mixes with the most abandoned: here 

 be forms the most extensively pernicious 

 connexions: here he listens to the talc 

 <»f the hardened villain, until he acquires 

 a taste for the commission of crime. If 

 discharged, Avhich is often theca^c when 

 quite destitute, he seeks an opportunity 

 to renew his actiuaiiilancc willi des- 

 perate characters, who introduce him to 

 iiouscs of resort, and of female prostitn- 

 ♦ ion, — the abominations of which it is 

 iinpossil)le to describe, 



'i'liusdcpredationsare often occasioned 

 by tiic want of an industrious occupa- 

 tion. The Committee cannot, therefore, 

 too warmly recommend the formation of 

 public establishments in the most popu- 

 lous districts of the metropolis, for the 

 suitable employment of distressed youtli. 

 Such institutions, in [jronndin^- indus- 

 trious habits, mif^ht convey moral in- 

 struction ; and lhu.s the means of educa- 

 tion, as well as (»f subsist'-nce, would be 

 ufforded to many hundreds who arecitlier 

 now com|>iel«ly triendlcss; or who, 

 lhroii;^li indigence;, become a burthen to 

 their parents, and a source of danger to 

 the conifunnity. In surifgesting, hrjw- 

 «'Vi'r, the ospediency of such estriblisli- 

 fiivutit, the Cuiuuiiltoc vvuuld <it lliw suuve 



Cmises of. Ju>:e7iUe Dclbiqutntjji \ ij 



amusements of time submit t!io propriety of ronio\ ing; 



as nincli as possiWe, the lemptaticns tt> 

 which idle hours expose the childrou vX 

 the pi«r. i^oifto of the stimulants to da 

 wrong, ■which now operate upon them so 

 striiugly, might be suiipresied. Tiie 

 practice of gauibiing in liic public streeia 

 ought not to bo allowed. The laws 

 shoiddl/e put in i<;rcp, w!ii<!i have ht-ca 

 cnacti'd fcr tlie prei;crvation of order oa 

 the Sabbath-day. 



It is far from being intended to abridg« 

 the liberty w hich yontii enjoy, t/ct them 

 partake of every amuseineut that can 

 give licalth to tiic lioily, or eJasticity t« 

 ihe mind. lint it is a subject, ivbich ia 

 well worthy of consideration, how far 

 the legislature shnnkl not interfere, to 

 check such amusements as are liauglit 

 \v itii danger to the boys thenist-lves, and 

 which tend to disUirb the pcaic of th« 

 cominunity. With the view of preserv- 

 ing public morals, acts of jjariiamcut 

 have been wisely framed, prohiirflira^ 

 gambling in tiic streets on .Sundavs; and 

 it appears to t!ie Coinmittee, that nnich 

 benefit would lesnit, if .such laivs vvcreia 

 dpcralion at all times: were this, hnw- 

 ever, to be the casci far more vigilaut 

 measures would bo licccsjary to be 

 adopted than those ■vvliich arc at present 

 exen ised, to prevent the violation <ff tisa 

 Sabbath. 'I'lic fnifilinent of such a lair 

 could only be obtained l;y the cxt'i-tioiw 

 of the public. I'lie prevalciice of gaja- 

 blingon Sundays fully proves the incoiis- 

 petency of jiarochial olile<'rs to stop ikn 

 evil : but,- were voluntary associaiionji 

 formed in each parish, consisting of lep^u^ 

 tabic inhabitants, who would step lijr- 

 ward, from a seiiseof duty, to piescrv(» 

 the morals of the y<iuiig, the practice ot" 

 juvenile gjimbling, wliich is now so much 

 to be deplored, would rece.'iveaAcry im- 

 portant ami salutary check. If it wx-re 

 cleaily understood by youth, that such 

 conduct on their fiart woulil expose Ihem 

 to pnnisbuicut, this {'iiusideration alone 

 would operate to ii!liiniclat<' those who 

 biid not far advanced in tliis pernicious 

 custom ; and even those, who should 

 persist in itie practice, ■ would shun the 

 public highway, from thivlc'ar of being 

 ?jrcsfe<l in their ganies by every passen* 

 ger. Tims, if the sxstcni of gambling in 

 the streets wi-ro not only siibduod, its 

 pidjiicity would bo suppressed. 



'I'lu; s(!vcrity of tli • «;riminal code, 

 which inUictsthe punishment of death on 

 upwards of two hundred olfence.s, act* 

 very imfavonral)ly on the mind of (he 

 juv«uilv delincjucut; fui', wbilc the hn. 

 uiaiiiljr 



