311ttropulio.

The Administrative Reform Association has reorganized its " consti- tution " under the chairmanship of Mr. Roebuck, and has adopted a new line of action. In a circular addressed to the members, the new Chair- man unfolds his plan. The object of the Association, he says, is "to introduce into the management of public concerns the energy and skill which distinguish in this country the conduct of private affairs." But the efforts of the Association to effect that object have not met with the success expected ; and Mr. Roebuck states that, having set himself to discover the circumstances that have thwarted those efforts, he has arrived at the following conclusions.

"The movement made by the Administrative Reform Association has been one generally in opposition to the aristocratic character of our Government. Lord Brougham says, in his Life of Mr. Allen, ' that we must consider it now as a fixed and settled rule that there is in this country- a line drawn be- tween the ruling caste and the rest of the community; not, indeed, that the latter are mere hewers of wood and drawers of water, but that out of a.pro- fession like the bar, intimately connected with politics, or out of the patrician circles, themselves the monopolists of political power, no such rise is, in or- dinary cases,-possible. The genius of our system; very far front consulting its stable endurance, appears thus to a portion its labours and enjoyment, se-pa- t& rating the two chimes of our citizens an impassable line and bestowing free- ly upon the one the sweat and the to while it reserves 'strictly for the other the fruit and the shade.' Now, I assume that one of the'great objects of the Association was to obliterate this line, and to make the principles which go- vern the conduct of the laborious part of the people the rule also of those who have hitherto, according to their own fashion, managed those affairs of the nation which are included in the term ' Government. But it has been the aim of the goionning classes of this country to resist every attempt on-the part of any other classto interfere with this their monopoly of power ; and the consequence-was, that.hen it was seen that an endeavour. was being made by you to invade their cherished dominion, you were:vehemently op- posed by every means that could be furnished by wit, by sarcasm, .b).= con- tempt, by abuse.: lit 'this proceeding the ruling, classes were acting an ac- cordance with all their traditions; and when we leek bark at their history, we ought not tolie surprised by their conduct on this occasion. There are however, three ways by which political power may be, obtained in this country,—viz. by military, legal, and Parliamentary renowitor influence. The first two means you cannot obtain ; and the third, -which lies within your grasp, you voluntarily relinquished. These facts, then,—first, that you were a bodytiot belonging to the governing-_class„ and next, that you resolved to work out of doors, and not in the. House of Commone,.—were the first circumstances that brought about your want of adequate success.

4' The next important-circumstance that contributed to make your success

and incomplete was the peculiar situation held by „the House of

ommons in this country. The House of Commons is in fact the sovereign power of the state :.brits determinations it governs the land ; and, as every resolve is "followed by a practicel resulti its delibertitiona overpower and supersede all others. No rival deliberative body can stand in oppositkento it ; and you, who were, in fact, a rival body, were absolutely put out by the House of Commons. *Ds. fact is so incontestible thap IAeed only to' point

it out ; any further illustration is unnecbssary. ..„

" This statement of the causes of your non-sued in my judg- ment, to the remedy, and suggests the course that out to be pursued. That course is, not to set yourselves up as rivals of the House of Commons, but to adopt a mode of proceeding that shall give you power in it. If you obtain this end, you will be secure against the contemptuous opposition of the governing claw : they will respect your power 'and pay deference to your opinion ; and, wOrlang with the House of COmmons and through its means, you will not be brought into rivalry with its overwhelming power ; but you will derive weight and importance from that which heretofore has been the chief cause of your want of success." Mr. Roebuck proposes, that to obtain Parliamentary power, they should influence.the consfituencies correspond and act with such repre- sentatives of the people as may be ;Oiling. to act with them ; and employ the powers of the _Association in gathering information that may be use- ful to these representatives. ao carry out that purpose, he names a " ministry " ivho are to act under him,—to wit, a finance secretary, Mr. Travers ; a corresponding secretary, Mr. Morley ; a statistical secretary, Mr. Gassiot ; and a general secretary, whose 'duty will be to help all the other officers, Mr. Revans. The success of the Association will depend in a great measure upon the -corresponding secretary, who will he the medium of communication between the constituencies and the Associa- tion, and who will obtain and store up all that information "which has power in the election of a member." Mr. Roebuck trusts he has organ- ized a working body, that will not spend time in idle talk, but be always

intent on action. . .

The Law Aoresdiwent Journal of last week gives a prominent place to a detailed report of an interesting meeting of the National Reformatory Union. It was a special meeting, held- on the 29th May, to receive M. De Metz, who had been invited to give information on some points of interest, and who readily complied with the request. Lord Loraine oc- cupied the 'chair. - Besides many gentlemen conspicuous in the Reforma- tory movement, several ladies attended. • M. De Metz was accompanied by M. Verdier, a gefitleman who resides at'Paris, and who takes care of all boys leaving Mettray for employment in that city. Before proceed- ing to question M. De Metz, annddress was presented to him, explain- ing the objects of the Union, and expressing the deep respect and homage its members feel for one who had devoted the ripest years of his life to a noble cause. In reply, M. De Metz said that their sympathy would encourage him in his efforts ; that the remainder of his life would be

consecrated to the cause ; and that under all circumstances they might count on him.

The questions were put by the Chairman, and answered in French. The first question related to the period during which children should be detained in reformatories, and the age at which they should be sent there.

M. De Mete answered, that in France a child might remain in a Colonie agricole until twenty years of age. The law considers, that as children do wrong without knowledge, they should be educated and improved, and not punished. Before the establishment of Mettray, that law was a dead letter. Children came from the Maisons de Reclusion steeped in wickedness. When he well sJuge de Pollee Correctiormelle, many children were brought before him who were obliged to be placed on a chair to be raised to the level of his desk. He could not punish them ; to restore them to their parents, was to consign them to starvation ; to send them to the liaison de Reclusion, was to condemn them to learn iniquity. Unable to bear this state of things any longer, he resigned his office, and established Mettray. As to the age at which children should enter a Reformatory, he thought the earlier they came the better, as the younger they, are the less there is to eradicate, the more easily are they taught. It requires less skill to teach children at seven or eight than at fourteen or fifteen. He thought boys should not quit the Reformatory until they are skilled workmen, not mere apprentices. The removal of youths from Mettray directly into the world is too rapid a transition. They should remain in the Reformatory until they are of an age at which there is at least a likelihood of their having that command over their passions not often possessed in very early youth.

The second question was as to the education of assistant teachers, and the mode in which the government of Mettray is carried on.

M. De Metz answered, that teachers should never be selected above the age of eighteen. When teachers go to Mettray, they enter a normal school, where whe they remain two }'bars ; they begin by being monitors in the class- room ; then they become sous chefs, and then chefs de famine. Their rise must be gradual, as they require great experience. The mode of govern- ment is by dividing the boys into families of forty, in order to restore to the boys the training of a family. The number is too large ; but smaller di- visions would cost too much, and the public would grumble. The children arc classified partly by age and partly- by disposition—after eight years he mingled the heavy Breton with the gay Gascon. He thought that the com- mencement of all charitable institutions should be small, and increase gradually. Mistakes are sure to be made, and they can be more easily re- paired in a small establishment, whereas they. might ruin a large one. l'here is a great difficulty in finding moral trade-instructors for the boys. Mr. Milnes asked whether it were possible for the boys at Mettray to be- come teachers? M. De Metz said it is possible, but very rare. There are a few boys at Mettray whom he admits to his table, and would trust in everything. But if it were easy for a boy to become a teacher, those who had 'always led respectable lives would be offended. He bound his teachers by no contract, but let them go when they please.

The third question was as to rewards and punishments.

M. De Metz answered that the strictest discipline prevails at Mettray. The boys are made to feel that if they break the law they are sure to be punished—if they fulfil their duty, they will be rewarded. The punish- ments formerly were—a condemnation to eat dry bread; imprison- ment in a light or dark cell; erasure from the tablet of honour ; and for very bad offences' dismissal from Mettray and return to prison. The punishment of dry bread was found to make the boys so pun- ished—chiefly idle boys—unfit for labour, and it was changed to a blow on the band with a fertile. He had great objection to corporal unishment ; it is not inflicted on the elder boys ; but it is not considered a , and does not, like other punishments, entail an erasure from the tab t of honour. He preferred rewards to punishments. When he did not See his way clearly, he considered what a father or mother would do. The institution of Mettray should be considered the parent of the boys. The three principles on which he acted are—first, religion as the basis of all secondly, esprit do famill e as the bond to unite them together; thirdly, military discipline—not the military spirit—as a means of organization. Thanks were voted to M. De Metz and M. Verdier, for their kindness in attending the meeting; and to Lord Lovaine for his conduct in the chair.

The Society for Promoting the Abolition of Capital Punishment con- vened a meeting at the London Tavern on Monday, for the purpose of supporting Mr. Ewart, whose annual Parliamentary motion on the sub- ject -stood for Tuesday. There was a fair attendance on the appointed evening, but few persons of note and weight : Mr. Ewart himself sent an apology, "public duties" requiring attention elsewhere. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Edward Webster, barrister, the Reverend Henry Christmas the Reverend Henry Richards, 'and the Reverend Dr. Burns. t

Two or Christmas,-the persons; among them a working man, attempted in vain to obtain a hearing for the purpose of answering the objections of the pro- moters of the meeting. The resolutions adopted declared that capital punishments are not authorized by the Christian dispensation ; that they are demoralizing in their tendency ; and that they fail to answer the end for which they are designed. It was also resolved that private executions would be "an unconstitutional infringement of the public administration of justice." The resolutions were embodied in a petition to be presented to-the House of Commons by Mr. Masterman.

_ A meeting to consider the propriety of arresting the execution of the convict Palmer, in order to give time for a medical investigation, was held in St. Martin's Hall on Tuesday. The attendance was large and mixed ; the greater portion were in favour of a respite, but there was a considerable minority who held and asserted a contrary opinion. Mr. Passmere Edwards occupied the chair : he said he believed Palmer is guilty, but belief is one thing and certainty another ; there is no direct proof of guilt, and a man ought not to be hanged on mere belief. Mr. Baxter Langley moved and Mr. Richard Hart seconded a resolution de- manding that-the execration of Palmer should be, delayed until an oppor- tunity has been afforded of proving whether or not strychnia can be found in all cases where death has resulted from that poison. An amend- ment, to the effect. that Palmer was justly found guilty, was lost on a thew of hands, and the original resolution was carried.

A deputation from this meeting sought an interview with Sir George Grey on Wednesday ; but, declining to receive them personally, Sir George promised to peruse with care any documents they might leave in his hands.

A second meeting, similar to the first, was Weld on Wednesday, in the National Hall, Holborn.

One of the measures which have just passed the House of Lords, in spite of the efforts of an opposition headed by Lord Overstone, is the

Mercantile Law Amendment Bill, intended to assimilate the mercantile law of England and Scotland. The bill, among other things, abolishes section 17 of the Statute of Frauds, which requires that a contract to be valid must be in writing. Great repugnance is felt to this in the City. It is said that the change will lead to no end of litigation, to grievous fraud and perjury, and subvert the present course of business without any adequate advantage. On Wednesday last, a number of merchants met, at the instance of Baron Rothschild, at the London Tavern, and gave expression to these views. Among those who were prominent were Mr. Weguelin, Governor of the Bank of England, Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. J. I. Travers, Mr. J. P. Gassiot, Mr. J. B. Heath, and Mr. Thompson Hankey. The meeting unanimously condemned the change. In many respects, said Mr. Hubbard, the Scotch law differs from that of England ; but it does not follow that be- cause the Scotch will not adopt our law we are to adopt theirs. It may as well be said that because Scotehmen wear kilts and will not take to trousers, we should adopt the kilt, as that we should change our mercan- tile law for theirs—a law to which we have so reasonable and insuperable a repugnance. A Committee was formed to ascertain the opinion of the trading community of the country.

The distribution of honours and the election of Fellows of St. John's College, Oxford, at Merchant Taylor's School, took place, with the usual festivities, on Wednesday. A very distinguished company dined toge- ther in the evening; including the Marquis of Westminster, the Earl of Harrowby, Lord John Russell, Lord Stanley, the Bishop of Oxford, Lord Wensleydale, Mr. Henley, Sir Edmund Lyons, Sir Moses Montellore, and Sir John Burgoyne.

The Lord Mayor entertained, on Wednesday, the learned societies of the Metropolis, and several "gentlemen connected with the press," and with literature.

The Saturday half-holiday movement is extending. The last an- nouncement is that a number of firms in the foreign fruit trade have granted their servants the boon. The people employed by Price's Candle Company, who have a Saturday half-holiday all the summer months, have sent a memorial to the Directors of the Crystal Palace asking that Saturday may be made a shilling day, so that the labouring classes, who have a half-holiday, may visit the Palace.

Mr. Charles Babbage, who lives in Dorset Street, Manchester Square, is much annoyed by organ-grinders. The other day he desired Strini, the player of a large machine drawn by a horse, to " move on" • &rim not only refused but was impertinent, and he was given into custody. Mr. Long, the Marylebone Magistrate, asked Mr. Babbage if he had " a reason- able cause "—in the words of the act of Parliament—for desiring Strini to begone ? Mr. Babbage replied, that his literary and scientific studies were impeded by the street-musicians. Mr. Long held this to be sufficient ground for putting the law in force ; and he fined the organ-grinder 10s.

Messrs. White and Fairchild, wholesale grocers in High Street, Borough, have been fined 1001. by the Bow Street Magistrate for using " caramel'] or burnt sugar to adulterate a mixture of chicory and coffee. Mr. White pleaded that his firm did not know that the act was illegal ; caramel had long been used ; the Excise gained instead of losing by the use of the sugar ; it improved the coffee. But it was shown that the printed instructions of the Excise expressly prohibit the use of caramel.