The Express. — London, England, 1853-03-18 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 18, '853. Mr. Huila and Mr. DUNCAN also spoke against the mo tion for printing the petition, and Sir I. PAKINOTON recommended its withdrawal, and tioa. stated that he had ,receiveilltrivate letters "roes Ceylon in- I tiiiiithig that the gwomprodime be bad ilwaid la a 4a a . patch writted While he was Coldoial Swaretaly had beau and was likely to be satisfactory to ill parti e s. • S R. INGLlMMeclined to withdraw his motion, which was exordia /17 pat and negatived. . ' kNARESEPROUGH AND BOUTRAMPTON ELECTION PETITIONS. The SPEAKER read a letter from the agent la the ease of the Knaresborough petition, intimating that the petition would not be proceeded with ; also a letter from the agent of Mr. B. Cochrane, stating that the petition against the return of the Attorney-General at the last election for Southampton was abandoned. Australia arky kid that power before the passing of the act in question. It would be necessary to address a cir cular to the governors of all the colonies, requesting them to invite the attention of the different legialaturei to the amendment of the postal rates, so as to reduce the rate on all letters to one penny. Mr. HUME wished to know whether the rule would ex tend to the possessions of the Indian Company, and whe ther the rates of postage there would be placed on the same footing ? Mr. PEEL said that the question was connected with his de partrr ent. • Mr. HUME—But I hope the Postmaster-Genenl has ex tended the alteration to India. THE MEXICAN TARIFF. Mr. F. W. RUSSELL begged to ask Lord J. Russell whether he had received any official reports that her Ma jesty's Minister at Mexico has succeeded in procuring for our trade, by the publication of a new tariff, the removal of the prohibition that has existed for the last 20 years against the importation of ordinary cotton fabrics into that country, and in having the late excessive duties modified, which, from the opening of the Mexican trade, have weighed upon all other articles of this most important branch of cur ex ports. And in the event of such information having been received, whether the Government have any objec tion to lay before the house • copy of the official com munication. Lord J. RUSSELL e.id he could only state generally that a despatch had been received, from which it appeared that there was • considerable reduction in the tariff on Bri•ish goods imported into Mexico. He would take care that all the commercial information on the subject should be laid on the table as soon as possible. RAILWAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HALIFAX AND QUEBEC. Mr. A. MILLS begged to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of her Ma jesty's government had been called to the circumstance that the only exi-ring winter route for troops from the Atlantic coast into the interior of Canada is through the territory of the United States ; and whe , her it is the intention of the government to facilitate, by guarantee or otherwise, the completion of the railway communication between Tiernan and Quebec, in compliance with a memorial addressed to her Maesty in November last by the Canadian legislature. Mr. FEEL was understood to say he was tumble to an swer the question at present. CHICORY IN COFFEE. Mr. HASTIE begged to ask the Chancellor of the Es chequer if it is to be clearly understood, under the terms of the late T y minute relating to the sale of coffee and chicory, that it will be considered a breach of the law to sell coffee without any label of description, except in a pure and unmixed state; and that if coffee so sold without being labelled shall prove to be mixed with chicory, or, whether labelled or not, shall prove to he mixed with any other extraneous substance, the party selling it will be liable to prosecution; and, if in cue of information being laid of a breath of the law, the prover authorities will prosecute the offenders. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the concession which bad been made under the late Trea sury minute was intended to be limited to the terms in which it was expressed, and not as a general relaxation in the law relating to the sale of coffee. It would, therefore, be consiaered a breach of the law to sell coffee without any label of description, except in a pure and unmixed state ; and that if coffee so sold should prove to be mixed with chicory, or, whether labelled or not should prove to be mixed with any other extraneous substance, the party selling would be liable to prosecution; and, in case of information being laid of a breach of the law, the proper authorities would prosecute the offenders, and do the best to obtain a conviction. (Hear, bear.) ANNEXATION OF KEROWLEE. Mr. OTWAY begged to ask the President of the Board of Control whether it be true that the government of India has recently proposed to annex the ancient Rajpoot state of Kerowlee to the British territories, in pursuance of the claim which was asserted in Lord Dalhousie 's minute of the 30th day of August, 1818, and if so whether the home go vernment has approved of this proceeding 3 Also, whether there be any objection to lay on the table of the house the communications which have passed between the authorities at home and in India on this subject ? Sir C. WOOD said it was not true that the government of India had recently proposed to annex the Rajpoot state of Kerowlee to the British territories. The question was referred to the government at home, but they declined to recommend it. IRISH TOWN IMPROVEMENT. Mr. R. MOORE begged to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it was the intention of government to intro duce any Irish Town Improvement 801 l during this session. Sir J. YOUNG said there was no intention of bringing in any such bill. THE BOARD OF HEALTH. Mr. COBBBTT begged to ask the Chief Commissioner of Works whether, until the intended amendments of the act IL and 12 Vie., c. 63, shall have been submitted to par liament, the General Board of Health win suspend its ope rations as to places already visited and reported on by so- ,erintending inspectors, but with regard to which places no provisional orders or orders in council have been issued. Sir W. MOLESWORTII said that he mast remind the honourable gentleman that the General Board of Health consisted of four members ; and he could answer for his own intentions as President of the Board. He did not in tend to suspend its operations until the intended awed meats shall have been submitted t 3 parliament. UNSTAMPED PIJBLICATIONe. Sir J. SHELLEY begged to ask the Attorney-General a question in reference to the prosecution of certain sellers of unstamped newspapers. Would the bon. and learned gentleman have any objection to state whether the prosecu tion against Mr. Collins, the proprietor of the Racing Times, an unstopped newspaper, had been abandoned ; and if so, whether it was so abandoned in consequence of the opinion of the Attorney-General that it ought not to be proceeded against alone, and unless proceedings were also taken against the Builder, the Athensnan, and others. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the prosecution against the Racing Times bad been undoubtedly aban doned ; but whether it was in consequence of an opinion of the Attorney I, though there was no reason for mammy, he must decline to state, for he thought it was not only not his duty, but contrary to his duty, to state the contents of any opinion of the Attorney-General. Sir J. SHELLEY begged to put another question to the hon. and learned gentleman, and that was, whether it was the intention of the government or the Attorney-General to persevere In permitting the sellen of unstamped publi cations to be summoned before magistrates so long as the law was unsettled with regard to what was "news." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it formed no part of his duty to consider what course the Commissioners of In land Revenue would take. If a ease was brought before him involving an infraction of the law, it would be his duty to consider it, but be would not undertake to say what advice he should give in each case. LAW OF PARTNERSHIP. Mr. EWART begged to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether it is intended that the inquiries of the commission on the law of partnership shall extend to the practicability of assimilating the laws of the whole United Kingdom on that important subject. Mr. CARDWELL said it was intended that the inquiry should extend to the different laws on the subject of part nership which existed In other parts of the United King dom. guilty Of 'deliberate 'murder, this charge being made i pending the inquest, and before the subsequent ex- ' petted trial. This newspaper also threw out imputations affecting the character of the regiment—its courage and conduet. The Duke of Wellington saw this newspaper, and being ever alive to everything affecting the honour of the army—(cheers)—he immediately wrote to him (Mr. Napier), intimating that he thought that the libel would be a fit subject for prosecution by the crown, with a view to the protection of the @oldie.% In consequence, he (Mr. Napier) 'applied for further information to the two officers who had been in charge of the soldiers during the riot; and their depositions were submitted in a very full shape. (The right hon. and learned gentleman read these deposi tions, which were elaborate justifications of the con duct of the soldiers, their firing on the people being represented as a merely defensive act.) He appealed to every man of right feeling whether after three sworn informations he could have come to any other conclusion than be did, that these officers and soldiers should receive constitutional protection, and that steps should be taken to bring the prime movers of this riot to condign punishment. A great deal had been said with re ference to the exact rights and duties of soldiers on occa sions of this kind. He apprehended that the duty of a sol dier in a ease of this kind was not different from that of any other person. A soldier was under the order of his superior officer, but the order of his officer was not of itself a sufficient justification. Bat in this case the soldiers were deprived of their officer, and the corporal, the next in com mand, was struck down senseless. The next question that arose was what should be done with regard to the finding of the coroner's jury. Being of opinion that the depositions did not support the verdict of murder he thought the nn.re straightforward and manly course would be to go to the Court of Queen's Bench and submit his reasons why he thought that the finding of the jury was not supported by the evidence. A [paid deal of misrepresentation had been made with regsrd to this part of the case, some persons @upraising that the motion he submitted involved s balance of evidence on one side or the other. What he wanted to do was this—the coroner was bound by a recent etatute in cases of manslaughter and murder to return the evidence and the inquisition to the court, and he thinking the evi dence was not sufficient ought to remove it and the ver dict from the record, but the court held that there was no precedent for 'Remising such a jurisdiction, and that it could not interfere if the inquisition on the face of it were according to law. That left the case as it stood, and it was then in - this position—that no private prosecution could take place because the court would not deliver up the inquisition without the unction of the Attorney-General. In the meantime he directed the crown solicitor to attend and watch the evidence on the trial of' the editor fur libel in charging the soldiers with being guilty of murder, and the conclusion he came to was that the two Roman catholic clergymen had incited the people and caused the riot. In formations were filed against tha clergymen, against the man who cut the reins of the car, and also against two of the ringleadere, who carried off the voters by main force. He did not want to prosecute the Roman catholic clergy men as priests, but he thought it his duty to prosecute every man, be he who he might, who had violated the law, and against whom evidence could he brought from which he might fairly suppose that he could procure a con , iction. ' At the time he le ft office the matter stood thus : The inquisition was before the Queen's Bench, and informations had been laid against these different parties. There was • great feel ing about it at that time, and when parliament met a ques tion was put to the noble lord at the head of the govern ment, in answer to which he said, If the case were so clear as the noble earl represented it, and from every account he (Lord Aberdeen) had received the noble earl's descrip tion was perfectly correct, why did not the learned gentle man to whom he had referred at once enter a nolleprorequi, for he might have stopped the proceedings at any stage 3 " , But the matter did not stop here. After the bills had been ignored one of the men was arraigned upon the coroner's inquest; and the result showed the per fect propriety of the course he (Mr. Napier) bad taken with regard to this unhappy 'Ede The indictment entirely failed for want of evidence ; but when the man had been acquitted ez veritate justitice—when the cue had broken down for want of evidence, and when the facts were such that any judge would at once have stopped it, and told the jury that tkere was no testimony to justify . a conviction—a statement was made which leg the impression that the sol diers were really guilty of the crime of murder, or at least of aggravated manslaughter ' but that the case had miscar ried for want of legal proof. (Hear, hear.) Now he (Mr. Napier) believed upon his conscience that the men had done no more than their duty, and that as British soldiers they ought to have had the support of the laws afforded to them. (Load cheers.) Yet those men were paraded in the dock as felons, and an impression was created by the speech of the Attorney-General himself that they were murderers, or at least, aggravated manslayers ; and that they had only escaped because the law officer could not get at the man who fired the fatal shots. All this time the Roman catholic priests and the other parties had been dis charged from their recognisance', and they had actually been brought —one of them from the very gaol—as wit- nesses against these British soldiers. (Cheers.) The re sults of the case had been meet • disastrous to the magistrate who bad been concerned in the affair. Ho was obliged to have policemen living in his house ; hie family were kept in a state of perpetual alarm ; and he was him self unable to attend any fair or marker, or to disch arge the duties of a country gentleman. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Justice Patteson had well observed, that if this case had occurred in England, the crown would have defended the soldiers, and would have leg the proceedings against them to be taken by private parties.. (Cheer..) But the lame . . ',of held up to Up: People of Ireland Wee. thit while the mau tary were amenable to the laws, there were certain persona who were amenable to no law whatever. (Cheers.) They were creating difficulties in Ireland, with which they had not the courage to grapple. They were not straightfor ward enough. While they held out equality in civil privi leges, they ought to enforce equality of liability. (Cheers.) It war said that the names of M'Orath and the priests had been put in the indictment, and that there ought not to be a cross-indictment against them. But be would again repeat the question—Why was M'Orath's name put there ? (Loud cheers.) He (Mr. Napier) appeared in this case with great regret; and he should bo sorry to have it thought that he had been incited by any thing like personal motives. If he had stated it somewhat warmly, it was because he tilt warmly respecting it; bat he thought be bad submitted it to the house fairly and ins pertially. (Cheers.) It was one that demanded strict in quiry. If they expected soldiers to discharge their duties, (limy must see them supported by the laws, of which it was as old and sound maxim, that where parties had special duties to perform, they had a claim upon those laws for special protection and support. (Hear, hear.) As these men had not had an opportunity of vindicating themselves before a jury, he hoped that they would set themselves right before the house and the country. (Cheers.) What was wanted for Ireland was, that elections should be free, that the soldiers should be supported in their duties, and that every man, be he priest or who be might, that should presume to offend against the law, should be brought before the bar of public justice, and made amenable to the laws he had set at nought. (Loud cheers.) Mr. FITZGERALD had listened for nearly two hours to the right hon. and learned gentleman, but ho had utterly failed to discover the object of his statement, unless it was to glorify himself, to make a charge against her Majesty's government, or to impugn the conduct of the right hoe. gentleman who had succeeded him in office. He gave the right hon. gentleman credit for great nisiprius dexterity in his statementof the cue, for great art, but for little candour. He perfectly agreed with him that the laws ought to be administered with - . ____ BRIBERY AND TREATING. a perfect impartiality, and withr7ut respect Lord A. VANE begged to ask Lord J. Russell whether of persons ; but he had no idea of au Attorney-General there is met intention, on the part of her Majesty's govern- showing himself from the very first in the light of a partisan. ment, to introduce any measure or resolutions providing (Hear, bear.) The right bon. gentleman had described the that henceforth in all cases where bribery or treating in any force which had been used at the late election ; bat there city, county, or borough, is proved before a committee of was one kind to which he had not alluded—the ioiluenee the House of Commons to have taken place, a commission and coercion which were unhappily made use of should issue from the crown to inquire into the state of such by the landlords of Ireland. (Cheers.) He denied borough, city, or county? that the voters had intended to vote in the men- Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had already stated hie ner the right hon. gentleman had represented. opinion that in cases where bribery and treating were proved Had they been free to follow the dictates of their own con before an election committee, it would be right to appoint a sciences, they would have voted in a mannerjust the re select committee to inquire into it; but he had no intention verse. (Hear, hear.) There was a large class of possessors of introducing any measure or resolution. of property, who exercised their legal rights in such a man- THE CODIFICATION OF THE STATUTE LAW. ner that if their tenants did not vote as they pleased, it would Mr. V. SCULLY 'skid the Attorney-General whether cost them their homes, end render destitute their families. the codification of the statute laws, proposed to be made by Up to the arrival of the military at Six-mile Bridge, every the present government, under the superintendence of the thing had been most peaceable. Mr. Wilson himself, an Lord Chancellor of England, will embrace the statute laws old military officer, had prevailed on the people to go and of Ireland and Scotland as well as of England ; and whether deposit their sticks at the police-office. It was said there it is intended that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland and the was a premeditated design on their part to attack the mills Lord Advocate of Scotland, and members of the Irish end 'Airy. The contrary was as clear as light. In addition to Scottish bars, as well as of the English bar, shall assist in the comparatively large military force sent from Limerick, conducting such codification. there were in this little village of Six-mile Bridge a most for- The ATTORNEY-GENERAL repied that the scheme midable body of the constabulary, who were more effective of the Lord Chancellor did comprehend the consolidating of than any troops in preserving the peace. (Hear, hear.) the acts relating to Ireland sod Scot'and. The present Cr- lie did not deny that after the troops arrived there was rangements were of a preparatory and provisional character, rioting and stone-throwing, but he contended there was and no member of the Irish or Scotch hers had yet been not that amount of provocation which justified called in to suist ; but, eventually, it was part of the scheme the soldiers in taking life. (Hear, hear.) He contended of the Lord Chancellor to call in such aid. (Hear, beer.) that nothing bat absolute peril could justify any persons in THE ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT. taking the life of others. Seven persons there met au un- Mr. WHITESIDE asked what were the intentions of timely death; and that was not a eireumstaace to be the overnment with respeet to the continuance of the slightly treated. (Hear.) The right hn. and learned gentle g man ( r.Napier) mightgain a ;arty triumph by hit 'motion ; Encumbered Estates Court in Ireland ? but he had neglected his duty in nut giving every fuel- Lord rALMERSTON replied that the government lity toe full inquiry. He relied only on the evidence of the would give explanations on the subject after Easter. two officers who were most interested ; and of Capt. Eager THE AFFAIR AT SIX-MILE BRIDGE. Mr. NAPIER rose to move, pursuant to notice, for copies it might be observed that he was in this position—either Ws men fired unnecessarily, or, the nece-sity having arisen, of paper relating to the riot at Sizmile-bridge, in July he neglected to give the order. (Hear, hear)) It was ad last ; and said that as great misapprehension prevailed on mitted that a soldier was a citizen, and bad the same right the subject, and as his own conduct, as Attorney-General to defend himself from attack ; but the moment in the matter, had been not to say unfairly but mistakenly that attack ceased to be dangerous, he ought misrepresented on a recent occasion, in 'another plate, he to desist from the use of deadly weapons. Such would take this opportunity of laying all the facts before had not been the case here, as was clear_ from the the house ; and he did not doubt that, as the interests and evidence of Mr. Wilson, who stated that he sow one soldier character of justice in Ireland were involved, he should fire, charge, and fire again, and that three soldiers charged obtain the indulgence of the house while be trespassed for and stabbed an unarmed young man, who was running some time upon their patience. The right hon. and learned away. (Hear.) He deposed that the conduct of the military gentleman then proceeded to enter into a close and detailed was ' unsuldierlike and inhuman." It was said that the Rev. narrative of those facts with which the public are already Mr. Burke, theparish priest, was the cause of the rioting. He (smiler, connected with the actual fracas between the had the pleasure of knowing that rev. gentleman, and the late military and the mob, at the Simile-bridge. Contin u ing Secretary for the Admiralty (Mr. Stafford) knew him also, the history, he justified the advice ho had given, that the and were the hon. gentleman present he might safely ap soln'iers who had been committed should be -liberated on peal to him whether Mr. Burke's conduct was not always h a il .on the aroundthat it was necessary to fix a crime upon characterised by peace, absence from political interference, each iisdividual soldier, inasmuch as the law distinguished and obedience to the law ? Ile admitted that rev. gi. nth.- betwee. , unlawful assemblies and lawful bodies in the die- man forgot himself on the occasion referred to, and that he charge of their duty, holding each member of the unlawful made use of language unhefitting his sacred calling. (Cheers assembly responsible for the collective acts, but holding from theoprisition.) But no one regretted that circumstance the membe • of' the lawful body responsible only for his more than did Mr. Burke himself. (Hear, hear.) While, own acts ' if t hose acts were in excess of the law, and in however, the rev . gentleman admitted so much , it must not this case he had not found sufficient evidence to indi e i. he forgotten that he denied most positively the greater pot dualise the alleged offence. Immediately after bail had tint of what the military off ors bad sworn against him. been accepted a newspaper in Ireland published Throughout the obole of the legal proceedings the an account, or rather a partial account, of late government had shown a bias against the catho the transactions in question, and of the inquest; Bc tenantry, and had by every means in their power and in this newspaper the regiment was charged with being sought to protect the soldiery and the tory party who la id called them into action. it was the they of the government to send the case for trial whatever might have been their opinion, and they had done so in the fairest possible way; and, as he had said, the prosecution failed, nut because there was ne case, but fur want of identification. The honourable and learned gentleman then pro ceeded to discuas the law of the matter, and contended that although soldiers did not lose their rights as citizens, yet they acquired no greater rights end were subject to the same liabilities. The right honourable gentleman, M bringing this motion before the house, had made al &infra ' lar selection of a subject which was to occupy the attention of the house on the evening of the day dedicated to the patron saint of Irelaud; and instead of permitting mem ' bers to meet around the social board in honour of an insti tution which wee intended to promote the benefit of Ire land, hail done his best to inflict on the house an Irish row. lie (Mr. Fitzgerald) knew, however, that if any asperity 1 1 was imported into the debate, the colleague of the right hon. gentleman, the hon. and learned member for Ennis killen, would pour the oil of his kindliness on the waters of discord. (" Hear, hear," and 'aught( r.) Mr. CAIRNS said that the argument of the hon. and learned member for Ennis turned on this, that it the cue l of the Siz-mile-bridge was examined, it would be found that the soldiers were not lusting' in tieing in the lane that the Attorney-General told the jury that lie was seda ted that every soldier who fired in the lane was jte.titied in doing so, and he could do nothing eb.e. If the evidence which had been read by the honourable and learned gentleman was not brought before the grand jury, the Attorney- General was responsible for the omission. He had hoped that au assurance would have been given on this oceasion—that the whole question would have been met in that way—that the charge of Justice Perrin had been misreported in the newspapers; laud all he could say was, that if Justice Perrin hod properly hid down the law, ouch ought not to be allowed to remain the law one day longer. (Hear.) That law, according to this judge, amounted to this—that a soldier was so far to be held re spousible, that he was to know by intuition the exact meat when his own life became eiecially in danger. (Lieu, hear.) That was quite absurd ; and if this sort of thing was to be held its terroresta over the military, then the interests of the state, having regard to the frequency :with which the military were called out to the aid of the civil power, would certainly suffer. lie would ask the house whether there had been a firm and impatient administration of the law in this case? (Hear, hear.) Would not the peasants of Clue believe that tee govern ment were afraid to put the priests on their trial ? (Hear, hear.) Would they not believe that the soldiers had not been prosecuted, in.order that the priests might be let off? The head of the goverament stated that the priests woald be put on their trial as well as this soldiers. But the Attor ney-General for Ireland did not act in the spirit of that de claration. (lieu.) The right hon. baronet opposite (Sir J. Young) had said that those gentlemen who opposed the popular candidates must have recourse to uncon stitutional practices in order to expect success. He (Mr. Ceirus) thought that the object of elections was to ascertain who was the popular candidate. (Hear, hear.) It was rated '2OO years ago by Sir John Davis that no nation in the world loved equal and indiffe rent justice so much as the Irish. If it was their wish and intention to promote that feeling ins Ireland, that wish and intention was miserably marred and thwarted by the occurrences which formed the subject of the present me- Lion. (Hear, hear.) Sir J. YOUNG said the charges against the go vernment were, that they had put the soldiers on their trial; that they had not prosecuted the priests; and that there was a discrepancy between a certain statement of the prime minister and the conduct of the Attorney. General at Ennis. Now, with regard to the trial of the soldiers, the coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder. If the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Napier) had so strong an opinion of this verdict as he seemed now to have, why did he not internose the authority vested in him and refuse to prosecute ? Why did he think it necessary to appeal to the Court of Queen's Beach ? The reasons given by the right lion. gentleman seemed to him to be quite unsatisfactory if he really held the opinions he had enunciated that evening. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman appealed to the Court of Queen's Bench, in order to justify his interference under the authority of that court. But the court refused to quash the verdict of the curonerb jury, and the judgment of Mr. Lefroy aid not seem to reston entirely technical grow do as stated by the right hon. gentle man. The learned baron said they were bound to consider the consequences of the motion as regarded public justice and the due administration of the law. At this stage of the proceedings the right hon. gentleman was withdrawn from the conduct of the case, and the present Attorney-General for Ireland was substituted, and he found the verdict of the coroner's jury confirmed by one of the highest tribunals of the land. Supposing the right hon. and leurned gentleman apposite did not wish to interfere by a ;toile prusequi, surely his right hon. friend was more justified in not interfering. Then what did his right hon. friend do ? lie did not avail himself of the quibble, for it was a quibble, of saying that the mimes had been moved into the Court of Queen's Bench, and that no one could move them out without the power of the crown. He did not put the soldiers on their trial merely on the coroner's inquisition, hut he presented bills to the grand jury of the county of Clare. He had been blamed for placing the name of the Rev. Mr. Burke as one of the witnesses on the back of the hill, and not placing the names of the officers. Now, with regard to the oilmen, it was nut usual to put the witnesses for the defence on the back of the bill ; bat as regarded the Rev. Mr. Burke, he was a material witness for the prosecution. The bills were ignored. His right hon. friend gave the ..net., at the ...lute.. suit the see In the charge of the grand jury, and gave no evidence against them, and the jury consequently returned a verdict of acquittal. That course was one which bad received the sanction of Lord Campbell, a very high authority, where a woman had been found guilty by a coroner's jury of manslaughter, and the grand jury ignored the bill; and he said it was contrary to his ex perieure that any evidence should be given in such a case. He now came to the case of the priests. As regarded the Rev. Mr. Burke, whose name appeared on the back of the bill, his right hon. friend considered it would have been an unusual and improper course to present a bill against a witness in one prosecution at the same assizes and before the same grand jury. The bills were sect up against the soldiers for munler ; the bills which were to be sent up against the priests aad rioters were for mis demeanor. But it was said, supposing these parties were not put on their trial at the last assizes, why should they not be put on their trial at the next assize' ? Now on that point he put the opinion of his right hon. friend. against that of the right hon. gentleman opposite. Mr. Brewster said that, as regarded the Rev. Mr. Chau, the evidence rgainet him was very slight. It consisted only of his saying at the Court •house steps, when the military were half a mile off, " Can yon bear to ace them bring up the voters to vote against your own religion;" and, if every man was to be charged for an imprudent word, he wondered how many would escape. As regarded Mr. Burke, the evidence was very contradice tog. On the one hand he was reported to have said, " reue, peace ; " and en the other, that he wed inflamma tory lensidige: `rf these men were really morally guilty they ought to have been prosecuted, but it was a different thing keeping a prosecution hanging over their heads, and keeping up ill blood. But there was another view of this caso. It was a very common practice in Ireland, when prosecutions had been instituted on one side, to try to get up prosecutions on the other; and there was strong reason to suppose that this was done in the present instance. The present Attorney-General fur Ireland was the firmest man at the Irish bar ; he had long been an ornament to his profession; end the house might rely upon it that when Ite stated that there was not a case to go to the jag it was a hopeless affair altogether. At all events, the opinion of the present Attorney-General was entitled to as much credit as that of the right hon. gentleman opposite. As for the idea of the government having obtaiaed political support or po pularity by not proceeding to a prosecution in this case, he entirely denied it. The only means of obteinisg popularity or support in Ireland, was not by adopting a truckling spirit as had been insinuated to-night, but by adhering to the law and seeing that it was administered with fairness and impartiality. (Cheers.) The people of Ireland were occasionally liable to be made tools of by political parties, but the house might nevertheless depend upon this that if they pursued any other course but that which he had just mentioned they would find themselves leaning on a broken reed. (Hear, hear.) These insinuations, he repeated, how ever, were perfectly harmless —utteray_ without foundation ; and he must say that the right hon. and learned gentle man would have better consulted the interests of public justice if he had abstained from moving for these papers or from making a speech so full of ungracious bitteraess al that which he had made to-night. He quite agreed with the right hon. and learned gentleman that this question must be sifted to the bottom, but instead of its being settled upon a motion for papers it should be disposed of in a mo tion which should convey a distinct charge against the go yernment collectively or the Attorney-General for Ireland individually. Let the question be brought to a direct and definite issue in one way or another; and he - should be pre• pared to meet the right hon. and learned gentlimen ; but in the meanwhile let them hear no more of the insinuations that had been so freely thrown out in the course of this debate. (Hear, hear) • Mr. WHITESIDL entered into some details of the affray, as given in evidence before the magistrates, and pointed out some inaccuracies in the statements of Mr. Fitzgerald. He admitted that the late govern -1 meat had come to the conclusion that there was not a scrap of evidence against the soldiers, and further that they had been outrageously attacked, and were justifiably acting in defence. Oa that ground their conduct was perfectly con sistent in not prosecuting the soldiers. Refining to the prosecutions at Ennis, he observed that they had been a system of manesuvres. If asked why they did not prose cute on the finding of the coroner's jury, he would remind them that a coroner's jury had found the noble lord the member for the city of London guilty of murder. I (Laughter.) When told by the Attorney-General for Ire ' land that he was about to try the soldiers, though the bills bad been thrown out, thereby deciding that !there wee no case for trial, he had expressed I his extreme surprise at this extraordinary course. He was confident that nothing like that had taken place in Ireland for the last fifty years. (lieu, hear) The speech of the Attorney-General was a most r e markable one. That officer had no right to pat any one on his trial °m except e o to A ri e r w o veeuhtinmi might i t l t h y e , a A n t i t h , r n e o e t y t . e c e s e t a r s l i ha this etinn:: try have placed L ird J. Russell on his trial in consequence of the absurd coroner's inquest to which he had inferred. (Laughter.) The real explanation was that Lord Aber deen's(eer, speech heerl had The . az t r t i e v e e n d e y i - n G e e n e n e 3d t b e e , t t m e d e e t c h t e i t s w ho . behest d John Leesom not enilty ; notwithstanding that he put him upon his trial. (Hear, hear.) Though tee learned gentleman hail condemned Mr. Delmege's conduct as inju dicious, he still allowed that gentle ritta to remain in the commission, though his public tonal:lunation of Mr. Del- 1111PEttIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS.—THIMIDAT, MARCII 17. The 11•01I.D ANCEL LON took hit mat at 6 o'clock. PETI HORS PRESENTED. Tiers IN UNITNNSITIRI.—By the Marquis of BREAD. ALBAN E, front a place in Scotland, against. PAILLI . Prirara.—Br the Earl of CARLISLE, from Stockport, and a plan in Yorkshire, ;praying for the free distribution of parliamentary papers. ADNIIIISION up JaiN4 To PASLIAIIINT.—By the Bishop St EXETER, from Pricey, 'nu another place in Corn wall, against. COLONIAL CHU ICH BILL.—Bt the Earl of SHAFTES BURY, from certain members of the Church of England at the Cape of (load Hope, complaining of the Colonial Church Bill. mitten should be appointed to inquire into the whole sub ject of the Post-office packet service of the country. Upon this committee there were members of the government who were more or less concerned in the performense of these eon tracts, and yesterday they reported their opinion tdtlli Lords of the Admiralty. lie was not permitted testa the fiftails of this opinion, but he might mention to their B, t. pi t the spirit in which the committee entered wpoo the inquiry was this, that while, his the one hand , it was most desirable that the govetiaeat. *WOW 'abstain from pushing their legal rights to theii fullest extent in the can of a company finding itself in difficulties; yet, on the ether hand, as the public paid large sums of money for the performance of the steam packet serriees, it was the duty of the government to see that the public enjoyed the bene fit of the contracts to a pow extent, and that the vessels should be despatched with • reasonable amount of cer tainty. (Hear, hear.) He did not think it necessary to detain their lordships further, except to say that he should have no objection to his uoble friend moving for the pro duction of the contract ; but, if he was not mistaken, it had already been laid before both houses of parliament. (Hear, bear.) Lord' COLCHESTER wished to know what were the stops taken with regard to the damaged letter-bags of the Australian. _ . COUNTY ELECTION POLLS BILL. The Eul of CARLISLE moved the thin! reading of this bill. The Marquis of SALISBURY, who made roma observa tion. which were totally inaudible in the gallery, was un derstood to move an amendment. The Earl of CARLISLE said the b II proposed to take the poll for county elections in one day. It bad nun found that the see .oil dry now allowed fur county Bleak/Re im. posed great expense on the candidates. Where there was • severe contest, end parties were excited by the struggle, there was so:merrily • disposition on the second day to have recourse to riotous proceedings. The present Lord Wharaeliffo and himself went through three contests for the largest county in England ; and on the last occasion, when he was defeated by his noble friend, 23,000 votes erste polled, and the election was virtually determined by the middle of the first day. In the Tower Hamlets, which was tbo largest borough constituency, it war found that all the votes could be easily taken in one day ; and after two or three hours' polling, in fact, the parties engaged bed little else to do than to sit and take stragglers. The noble marquis had proposed an amendment, the object of whir\ was to simplify the mode of appointing polling piece. ; ig would be irregular, however, to introduce his araftsiMeat into the bill, and ho would recommend him to intesime a shut bill on the subject. The Earl of DERBY (who turned his back to the gal lery, and spoke in a low tone of voice) was understood to say that he thought there would be an inconvenience in compelling all the voters in a county to poll in a single day. In some instances persons might have • vote fur two or more counties, and they would in that case probably be pre vented from ezercising the franchise in more than one, if the hill passed in its present shape. lie thought the amend ment was deserving of rapport, bat he would not advise his noble friend to press it, as it was likely to be objected to, in point of form, in soother place. He was far from being hostile to the bill generally ; but he believed the amendment proposed by his noble friend would render it more effectual. Lord BA tEMAN said the bill would cause great incon venience in the county in which he resided, as voters had to travel long distances to the polling places, and had not the advantaxe of railways. Lord REDESDALE said that polling place. generally were in towns, and it often happened that persons had to travel 16 or 18 miles to poll. It was the bounden duty of those who supported the bill to insert some clause that would remedy the iuconvenience of the distance of poling places from each other. After a few words in reply from the Earl of CARLI4LII. The Marquis of SALISBURY withdrew his amendment, and the ball was, therefore, read &Ulla time and passel. SLAVE TRADE (SOIIAR IN ARABIA) BILL.— SLAVE TRADE (NEW GRANADA) BILL. These bills went through committee, and were reported to the honor. GRAND JURY CESS (IRELAND) BILL.—INDEM NITY BILL—OFFICE OF EXAMINER (COURT OF CHANCERY) BILL. These bills were read a third time and pseud. CONSOLIDATED FUND BILL. On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE this bill was read a second time. The standing orders 37 and 38 were then dis pensed with, and the bill was read a third time and passed. LAW REFORM. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TIWISDAT, MARCH 17. Lord ST. LEONARD'S wished to know from the noble The hums met at the usual hour. sad learned lord on the woolsack, whether his revision of the statuti s will be confined to a digest, or extend also to ... NEW MEMBER. the alteration and amendment of the statute law ; also oar. ALITANDIIII took the oaths and his seat for Carlow. whether it is proposed that the crown shall issue a coat- PRIVATE BUSINESS. mission, or that the two houses shall proceed by reeolution, The Crystal Palace Company Bill, the Liverpool Borough followed up by am address to the crown as in 1818, or by Court Bill, and the London &nuance Bill, were severally what authority the barristers employed will be appointed. read • third time and pamed. The LORD CHANCELLOR said that what occurred to PUBLIC BUSINESS. him was that they_ had enough of inquiry and speculation The LORD-ADVOCA I B brought up the University ea this subject. What be procesed therefore was not to (Scotland) Bill, which was read a first time. take upon himself anything so absurd ass consolidation of DISSENTING PLACES OF WORSHIP BILL. the statute law—but to superintend three or four gentlemen Mr. FITZROY lied the second reading of this bill for in seeing what could be done in the way of an expurgation Monday, 4th April. of the statute law, in ascertaining what statutes were or PUBLIC BUSINESS. were *not in foree, and making an index and classification PETITIONS PRESENTED. of them. They could then reduce, in a better way than ADMISSION or Jews TO PARLIAMENT. By Lord sow existed, some of the statutes under specific heads, and BURGHLEY, several numerouslysigned from the parishes endeavour to shorten that inconvenient language in of Josbertoa, Norton, Wigton, Satterton, Donington, and which • the statutes were now couched. Them wen Glowing, in the county of Lincoln ; Mr. DU PRE, from to be looked on as specimens of what might Leckhantstead; Mr. BROWNE, from the inhabitants of be:done, and would give such an augury that upon its in- Tottington-Lower-End ; Mr. W. MILES, from places in "on he could safely issue a commission for the aeons- Somersetshire ; Mr. R. MOORE, one from the clergy of itment of the whole. He did not think that he would t h e di ocese o f Cl on f ert ; one from inhabitants of the pa ri sh doing his duty if he were content with merely stringing of Kilcaskin, in the county of Cork; and a third from in the statutes together as they now existed. He believed that habitants of Ewell, in the county of Surrey ; Mr. MOODY, a great deal more might be done without risk. He might from North Petherton, North Curry, Curland, tale Abbots, be too 'anglaise in his expectation of what could be done, and Little Bromley ; against. but he thought his noble and learned friend was, on the et ...•PININO Or THIN CRIATAL PALACE ON SUNDAYS.— other band, too timid. He thought that much might be By Mr. DU PRE, hem Wendover and Weston Tervill ; done is the way of consolidation and purify ation, and the Lord R. GROSVENOR, from working men of Hammer getting rid of that verbosity which now existed in the sta- smith; Mr. CHILD, from working men and others of tutu. ilia main ect was to accomplish so of this in L eepten . Staffordshire ; Mr. BAINES, from working the torrent roue a nd is dais/ this he would follow at the men of Culverley ; Mr. MOODY, from St. George the same Um the seggesties them out by his noble and Martyr, Bloomsbury, signed by 830 persons ; Marquis of learned friend, namely, the merertainiag whether their eta- BLANDFORD, from Kendal Clito, Sunderland; Mr. bates could not be Mead is shorter lesgssee and in a GREENALL, from Bolton, is Lancashire; Mr. A. PEL- Iblataa mode then we, the_eno nr . _.Pree mi. This inquiry LATT , from the congregational dissenters of the parish of MM. "jag plus en the antnreit, el the government. He Deddiagton, Oxfordshire; Col. SIBTHORP, from Lincoln ; would have aesseiated with Wm four gentlemen, Mr. P. EGERTON, from Orpingham; Mr. C. BRUCE, with sear of whom was be mesainted, but who, from ptomain Scotland ; Mr. KINNAIRD, from a number he believed, were well tredifiad for the task. of working men ; Sir O. TYLER, petitions from the work- The expense would not be more that a few kindred pou nds ing men of the mould parishes in the county of Glamorgan , M each in the year . Sins he deemed the hone lee Newton Nottage, Merthyr Mawr, Cantos. 011yntaf, , weeks ago on the subjeeA, be was surprised to lad how c e d oiren ' site sum Legieth, Leedeegh.cegen. Lee s,. much had been dose. he ben only het day received foam ninth, Penult. Bu, SL Mary - Hill, Lansanner, Si, E. Ryan an elehmele week by he biller H. Stoics. Pyle, Kemple, Lamm, Merthyr Doven, Radir Glynworvon, on the euttioaa aa . the alanallatall sal sreaseelsent of the and Loogynwyd ; ?dr. KINNAIRD, from the Pres. statutes. Other "dm had doe bees been& under hie ao- bytery of Perth ; also from the tradesmen and working ties. He did set my that euelbleg very elaborate or i zr- men of St. Jade ' s district , Chelsea, 648 signatures, against ; den would shrtal_Fresi elleir__Prehre__.l. llol , _he ukase _.9 Mr. FOX, from inhattitsnte of the Tower Handers, for. would he egeeeemet noes ono seed one *um women Wa r 1 . 1 . SRIDONORTM ELicriox.—By Sir J. SHELLEY, from BMus wilelihshes_re the shish late. The ismeleadag 102 electors of this borough, complaining of bribery and Illgorde menle ___.Serele,.__ _end I Leal 4 essidl an rit. __Pliably do, any_. suit.._ _ . corruption at the late election, and praying for inquiry. a few IMBED MOM Mr. &DONALD'S MG LOPE This with's, the hoc. potions, stated, ought to have lisannonv, the subject dropped. been is his hands two days ago. AUSTRALIAN MAILS. Customs ELeorion.—By Mr. GASKELL, from elec. Lord WHARNCLIFFK in whim the moieties sienna ton of Claims, of bribery at the net election, be bad given notice on the angest of do Aimbillas mathy sad preftighe . M. memberigave notice to said that the public were mime to bene an szplesuise move that hist be minted with the, votes, as he from the smarmiest as tow pullouts whine the entreat iateseled to land a moles upon it. tor the earns(' of the AnstraM melle new stood, and es Amami Truce EY an iTALT.—By Mr. E. ELLICE, to the murse which they intended to take is coder to make from Coventry, for the mereise of the good oases of tha that service more silkiest QM it saw was. governments prevent. Viscount CANNING said hem wee a regular weedily CLintor Buseurne CANADA BILL.—By ass J. Pep mall despatched from Illeuthemptee to Sulsey as well KINOTON, against. es from Plymouth tie Anelludia. The resininder and LONDON CoItrOIATION 11111011,N.—By Sir B. HALL, Oneida! Steam-meket Company tentreeted is, is front Billinserate, in favour et meths of the year le earry the mails vie the Coinsurer or LONDON.—By Col. BLACEET, front hams of Suez and Singapore, while for Ober members of the University, for representation of in purism en math' the AMOK' hail k Gosuany meat. sostrected to carry the nil hem gulag by the CoxsoLnlarun Antruttnes.—By hr. G. MOORE, way of St . Vincent, tam 01.14 at. bod e end hem Mayo ; Mr. P. URQUHA.RT, hem the grand jury of ply 4 Port Phillip, and thoulless the suoll hem muse Westmeath ; for a remission of. falser Wee est that Mho alminss of sosamaisatka BarIANCIIIMIMENT or COPYHOLDII.By Mr. HUME, Meth meth friend assimillts appsbart. (Hear, low.) hem a place not heard, in favour of. Tb• eat alp 'etas Mikan= eleepled 9d days le rendleg Taxes on KNOWLIDOI. —By Mr. HUME, from Sydney, kik assirekit to the bens of the outrun. die ilk. Spalding ; Sir G. PECHELL, from Brighton ,• Mr. tepee mill to ban bees posibrose In 79 days. The saws BROWNE, heal the letter-pm printers of Manchester, trip over the MOM rime essagisllUl dem and. peenrally Liverpool, MOM& Biresimbas, Bolton, Cheater, 01 as. speaking, there bad ban a at biasses - 10 and gow, Halifax, Hedieselkik, Mall, Kande!, Newport, Not -30 days over the limo by Mk eastraet. anithana, Prostate. WV. sad York, for the repeal of. Now, with to the insist memonto of this Sweeirra' Cowers tt.L.—By Mr. DUNLOP, front the choppythe Auskalka. Ike was dm to provost, magistrates, sad council of Greenock, to have the mil en the het of Febbrrsscceryy l WS bin lest arrived two bills referred to a select committee. • seelleaties was is y dieloollo of es ty ATTOIXIM• CaITIVICATI DIITT.—By Lewd R. GROS health. saassadag eat do wouldlast bs Deady to VENOR, from Northampton, for repeal of. depart milli the 23rd, tad thob time*** sooetios Arreata in CanuerAL Caws.—By Mr. W. BROWN, for the delay. Their lo pre amedoseemediegly, from Liverpool ; Lord R. GROSVEITOR, from Brudford and the mails were got es breed Weis aid. but whin MN gee/diens, end from County Financial Boards (West 23rd arrived she wee NMI ant mealy _sae abs did set lens Meieter) ; Is favour of. Plymouth until the 114th. Ti this UMW delay the Lords Barna RNOOLATIOX or PUBLIC-NOUS= SILL. —By of the Admiralty had not gives their emotion, and the Mr. LOCKHART (2), from Glasgow ; Col. MURE, from company were consequently called upon to pay the penalty the licensed victuallers and spirit dealers of Glasgow ; provided by the contract for such a default. Well, on the for. 24th she sailed, and on the 25th she put back to Plymouth Iteroxicarton.—By Mr. L. HEYWORTH, from total leaky, and it was found that the mails were very anomaly abstinence societies in various parts of the kingdom, to in damaged. So far as regarded the perfumeries of the quire Into the causes and consequences of. public Serriee the government felt it to he heir duty to Minas —By Mr. FOX, from coal miners of Lancashire whir IMMO far the sunk and it so and Cheshire, with 4.923 signatures, ed for a more efficient in qt., tbse he WM ef wee while seven days *ruction of; Mr. A. ROBARTES, from the county of Corn departure of the emit sammesholse with Aso- wall, in favour of rating the dues of. WWI sin Southampton. Tb kitty-baps at Om Alletradiaa SUPPLY or WATER TO THE METROPOLIS.—By Lord D. were, there/me, immediately mat le fluthemess and STUART, from the representative vestry of St. Pancras, shipped cos hoard the packet thou 411111 and so for as these teethe adoption of unrestricted competition in regard to. were concerned lee not Artasyisresvenienee COUNTY Couars.—By Sir G. B. PECHELL, from the would be felt le Aseeralis from the which had Remittent'', bankers, and other inhabitants of Brighton, for occurred to the Australian. The bags pig overlaid would the extension of the jurisdiction of the county courts to the peas over a much shorter route, and they would by that cues of bankruptcy. means resell their destination Moist es soon e, if the PARLtArlaytear PArRIUI.—By Mr. KERSHAW, from Australian had sailed at the proper paled. (Remy bear.) the Stockport Mechanics' institutors, for supply of. Their lordattipe were folly awes* se tbs sums mishap PROPERTY QUALIFICATION or MEMBERE.—By Mr. which had befallen the Australien.anditmemmeemry for COBDEN, from Tavisteek and other places, for aboli him to repeat it, but he should state Mamie bola* that lion of. on the 14th instant her sew bags were plass& ea Ward one CITT or Duman Hoertost. —By Mr. VANCE, front of the Screw Steam-ship Company' s vemeile a awl they the Governors and Board of the City of Dublin Hospital, would no doubt reach their destination k dos mune. The against the withdrawal of the government grant. only inconvenience that was likely to rank at the kinks' Uxs sssssssssssssssss—Bythr J. SHELLEY, from from the detention of the AMNIA mid be Edward Truelove, of 240, Strand, complaining of the pro confined to the delay which meet take plate endings instituted against him by the Stamp-office, for sell• in the delivery of the newsmen. The were ing a copy of an unstamped publication called the Potteries far too heavy and bulk , se they di ,of 160 free Press, and praying the bout* to interpose its authority large bags—to be seat some he of Sues, but they to compel the Stamp-oflice to abstain from prosecuting the would be forwarded by ettese Mt!, Lhoopool vowels, and vendors in such cases until they had prosecuted the pro probably they would reach their doolhation within 90 or 25 prietora. days. (Heir, bear.) He believed be had now answered Inociany IN INDIA.—By Sir R. INGLIS, from Ceylon, so much of his n obl e friend's quokka as related to the praying the total disconnexion of the government of India provision which had b een ma d e be dm transmission of the with idolatrous ceremonies in that country. The hors. mails. With regard to that part of the question which baronet moved that this petition be printed with the votes. asked whether the government intended to take any steps Mr. THORNELY called attention to the standing order for more of enforcing the contract of the against printing petitions with the votes, unless on a notice Royal Australian Steam Packet Company, it was necessary that they were intended to form the subject of subsequent that he should state that when the company addressed • motions, or were recommended to be printed by the cont leVer to the Admiralty setting forth the difficulties in which mktee on public petitions. No ground had been stated for they found themselves, and stating that they should not be making this petition an exception to this rule, and he felt it able to provide a vessel for the 3rd of April, the Lords of his duty, therefore , as chairman of the committee on public he Admiralty thought it advisable that a government cool- petitions, to oppose the motion of the hen. humid. Viscount CANNING said most of the bags were opened and the letters dried, which process took up a considerable time. They were then packed in bones, such of them, at least, as could be in 'de out, and sent off ny the overland mail. There were some of the letters, however, the ad dresses of which it was quite impassible to read, and they were deposited in the dead letter °Mee. Many of them had since been reclaimed, and there now remained about 30 letters open to the inspection of parties who might have posted letters for Australia about the time that this vessel was to hare sailed. Lord WHARNCLIFFE said in making hie calculation of the mileage run he made allowance for the stoppaeea by increasing the distance go over. But let that pass. Would the noble viscount be good encugh to explain how the Ad miralty Surveyor could allow the Australian to sail in the first instance in a defective state ? Viscount CANNING said she carried something like 400 tons weight more coals beyond that which she had carried in her former voyage, and this increased weight, combined with the stress of weather, opened some of her seams. She was thoroughly inspected by the Alosiralty Surveyor be- fore she sailed, and was found to be perfectly sound and water tight. (Mar, beer.) The subject then dropped. CANTERBURY ELECTION COMMISSION. . . —...--- The Earl of DERBY said, before their lordships ad journed, he wished to be informed what course the govern ment proposed to take with regard to the conference which had been held to-night with the other house of parliament on the subject of an address to the crown which the other house had agreed to in pursuance of an act that was passed last seeded. (Hear, hear.) Their lordships were called upon to concur in that cddress, and as this was the first case which had come under the act, it was of importance that they should know what course the government intended to pursue with reference to the communication that had been received from the other house. (Hear, beer.) The Duke of NEWCASTLE was quite prepared to answer the noble earl's question. Before their lordships could be called upon Vi concur in the motion fur an address, their lordships ought to be in possession of the evidence upon which the other house had proceeded ; and the government therefore proposed that the other house should be requested to favour their lordship' with the report of the evidence taken before the election committee is question. (Hear, hear.) 'The Earl of DERBY concurred with the noble duke that this was the right course to take, and hoped the noble duke would move in the matter at once. (Hear.) The Duke of NEWCASTLE said it would be irregular to do so without notice, but he would give notice on behalf of the government for tomorrow that a message be sent to the Commons requesting that a copy of the evidence should be furnished to their lordships' house. (Hear.) Their lordships then adjourned at a quarter past 7 o'clock. NORWICH ELECTION PETITION INQUIRY. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE brought up the report of the com mittee appointed to inquire into the circuinstencee attend ing the withdrawal of the Norwich election petition. The substance of the report was, that though Mr. Kitten, the solicitor to the petitioner, denied that he had given positive instructions to Mr. Brown, the agent, to withdraw the peti tion against the sitting members, he admitted that there were terms on which he thought his client anal himself might have been induced to withdraw the petition by way of compromise. Under these circumstances the committee lett it to the house to decide whether it bad the power to comply with the prayer of the petition upon which the committee had been appointed. They further reported that they did not consider Mr. Brown in withdrawing the petition was actuated by any corrupt or unworthy motive, but by an error in judgment, and a desire to his party, and to advance the strong political feelings he was said to enteriain—(a laugh);—and that the withdrawal of the petition in question was part of an arrangement and com promise of a number of other election petitions implicating the seats of ten members—viz. : Norwich 2, Kidderminster 1. Gloucester 1, Middlioes I, Youghal 1, 1./Own 2, and West Norfolk 2. I■ conclusion the committee draw attention to the facilities which exist for effecting compromises and withdrawing election petitions under the Bth section of the act for the trial of controverted elections, and suggest en alteration of the law in this respect. (Hear.) The report was ordered to lie on the table. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. COUNTY EIP2;DITUII6 in 00111- mittee on this bill, an amendment to the 4th clause for the purpose of giving to the magistrates at quarter sessions the power of electing members of the county hoards. TX' CORILINCY IN INDIA.—Mr. DISRAELI, to-mor row, to ask a question whether it be the intention of govern ment to take steps for making gold a legal tender in our Indian posaemions. Txl Fscronr Acr.—Mr. COBBETT gave notice that after Raster be would move for leave to bring in a bill to limit the hours of work of women and young persons in the factories of the United Kingdom to tea in the day; also to provide for more perfect inspection of such factories by im posing a restriction on the motive power therein, and other wise to amend the Factory Acts now in force. CHATHAM ELECTION. Sir J. SHELLEY begged to state, with referent* tv • notice which mood in his name relating to the Chatham election, that he was prepared to have gone iuto the ques tion solely on the report of the election committee, in the cam of Sir F. Smith ; but as that gentleman bad published • statement, in which a portion of the evidence taken before the committee appeared, he thought it important that the whole of the evidenos should be in the hands of members before they come to any decision. lie should, therefore, postpon► his motion until after Easter—(. Oh, oh," from the Opposition),—when be could assure those gentlemen who were anxious to go into the question, %hat if ;he was alive he would bring it on. (" Oh, oh," and cheers.) TROOPS, CONSTABULARY. AND POLICE AT HUSH ELECTIONS. _ _ Mr. COGAN moericiOr 7tTretirriiillie number of troops, eonstabulary, and police at each polling place in Ireland during the days of polling at the last general election. AT THE MIDDLESEX THE LATE SESSIONS. Sir DE L. EVANS begged to inquire of the Secretary of State for the Home Department concerning a recent trial at the Middlesex Sessions, in which it is stated that Mr. Serjeent Adams, who presided, sentenced Mary Hill to seven years' transportation for robbery, and to three years' additional transportation for calling a policeman a pig; with a view of founding a motion thereon if the facts be as stated, and if the present state of the law be inadequate for enabling the Secretary of State t. cornet this description of judicial administration. In doing so he wished to refer to the facts as they ap peared in the journals of the 9th instant. It appeared that a female named Mary Hill, was tried at the Middle sex Sessions, for stealing a watch from the person of Thomas Unwin, a clerk in the service of the Eastern Counties Rail way Company. It was stated that Mr. Unwin was going home late at night, when he was accosted by this woman ; that he at first repulsed her, bat afterwards went up a court with her, and having left that, was induced to go with her into another court ; when two men came up oae of whom struck him, and asked him whet he was doing with his wife; on which Mr. Unwin got frightened, and ran away, and when he got into an adjoining street he found he had lost his watch. At the trial be swore to the identity of the woman, and she was found guilty of the of ence with which she was charged. On this the fol lowing was stated to have occurred :—" The Assistant- Judge asked if anything was known of her previous character, for if there was, it was a proper ease for transportation, as this system of robbery, with the aid of bullies, was a very serious thing.—A polies officer said she was the associate of thieves and had characters, and she was with a regular gang when she was taken into custody.— The Assistant-Judge then sentenced her to seven years' transportation.—The prisoner, who bad gone down on her knees imploring mercy, on hearing this, rose up, and in a towering rage, screamed out to the policeman, with many oaths—' Yon pig; oh, you pig; you perjured thief.'—The Assistant-Judge—The sentence upon you now is, that you he transported fur ten years.—The prisoner repeated her exclamations, and was so violent that she had to he removed by two officers." It was under these circumstances that he wished to put the question to the noble lord. Lord PALMERSTON—In answer to the question of my hon. and gallant friend, I beg to say that the case to which he has referred is, in some respects, such as he has described it, bat not in all its circumstances. It is quite true that a woman was convicted of a robbery committed under circumstances which, I am told, are not now un sent. It appears that a system is now prac tisedby which " ladies" of engaging manners— d(laughter) —induce gentlemen who walk the streets at un ue hours—(laughter)—to accompany them to lonely situ ations, and while engaged, as mt v lion. and gallant friend Ina said, in " conversation"— eat laughter )— contrive to extract valuable property from t eir pockets. Thereupon there issue upon him some male confederates, one of whom claims the lady as his a ife, and reproaches the gentleman with interfering with his connubial rights—(roars of laugh ter)—and while the discussion is going on the " lady" ter capes with the booty, and the gentleman is only too happy te make his escape without any material personal injury. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) This " lady" was engaged in carrying on a transaction of this kind ; was ar rested by the police, rescued by her male confederates, but again arrested and brought to trial. The magistrate, finding the practice to which I have alluded one sf grow ing frequency, thought it a fitting ease for passing natant* of transportation, and he stated that he should transport her for seven yean. Thereupon the "lady," as my hon. and gallant friend has stated, got into a towering rage— (laughter)—a violent scene ensued in court, and she was with difficulty removed from the dock by three policemen The magistrate was apprehensive that a rescue would be again attempted by some of her confederates, who were said to be in court—and decided en increasing the punish ment to transportation for ten years, and that punishment was provisionally recorded. He, however, has informed me that he acted in that manner for the purpose of deterring other persons from any violent conduct in the court, hut that it was his intention in the exercise of a power granted to him by act of parliament to alter the sentence during the continuance of the session, and the sentence of seven yeah' transportation will be carried out on the lady, as was origi nally intended. (Hear, hear.) THE CANTERB URy ELECTION.—CONFERENCE WLTH THB LORDS. Mr. K. SEYMER appeared at the bar, and stated that the Lords desired a conference with that house on the sub ject of an address to the crown for the issuing of a commis sion to inquire into the corrupt practices that prevailed in the borough of Canterbury. The following members were appointed to manage the conference :—Lord J. Russell, Lord Pelmenton, Mr. Dis raeli, Lord John Manners, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Sidney liar bert, Sir J. l'skington, the Attorney-General, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. Wilson Patten, and Mr. Brotherton. On their return, Mr. K. SEYMER reported that the managen appointed had conferred with the Lords, that the conference was man aged by the Archbishop of York on the part of their bold ships, and that they had delivered the address to the crown agreed to by the house, to which they prayed the concur rence of their lordships. INCORPORATION OF BRIGHTON. Sir G. PECHELL moved for an address for copIIVE of the order in council approving the report of the committee of 'Privy council on the dismissal of the petition of the inha bitants of Brighton for a charter of incorporation for that town ; and of the proclamation giving notice of the time when the said petition would be taken into consideration by the privy council. COLONIAL POSTAGE. Lord STANLEY begged to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies at what time the reduction in rates of colonial postage, announced by the Postmaater-Oenoral, may be expected to come into operation? Mr. PEEL acid be was afraid that some eon‘iderable tinye must elapse, before the plan proposed by the Postmute General came into operation. That plan was,that them should be a uniform rate of postage of 6d. for every half ounce on all letters passing to or from this country and the colonies, and of that one penny should be allotted as the share of the colony. Now, a penny did not represent the amount levied on letters in the colonies. In the Australian colonies rat• varying from 2d. to 10d. were levied on letters on their arrival at a port, and if sent inland there was a further in ternal rate levied. The Postmaster General at home had no power now to reduce the sum paid on letters in the colonies to a uniform rate of one penny. Formerly he had the power to establish Post-offices in the colonies, and with the concurrence of the Treasury to fix the rate of postage ; bat in 1619 an act was paned enabling the colonial legia. latures to fix the rates, and a great majority of the colonies had exercised the right. It was the cage in all the North American colonies, except Newfoundland, and in all the West India Islands except Trinidad. At tho Cape and in