The Sun. — London, England, 1841-05-04 00:00:00

E V'EN I NC4 ED ETIOPN 1.:.,1114 reserve hi ,- rrelt for a future oppor unity. Sup posinl,- 13 .:eir. Lordships should adopt his resolution, he war 'not sirnus that any very severe unish-rent should be bar red in consequence, for h e cou p ld not but think Mr. Str nley had been the dupe of persons subtler than him "! f.-....(Hear, hear.) He could not reconcile it t) his Wind tnat there were no - motives for this transaction. He Pilid not wish to enter upon discussion of motives, but he •trustncl the Noble Marquis (Normanby) would not, by his reply compel him to throw aside the pruning knife he was disposed to apply, and to take up the Hear, bear. ) He therefore begged leave to move, " That Mr. William Stanley, Secretary of the Poor-law Commissioners in [re lated did, in contempt of the authority of this House, make alteration in a paper ordered to be laid before this * House after the order of this House had been received by him."---( Hear, h ear .) The Earl of WICKLOW felt himself bound to state that he thought the resolution proposed was more severe than the circumstances of the case required. He could not think that any thing more was iotendcd by Mr. Stanley than to remo ve a discrepancy, and that he had acted with out the instigation of any other person. But if such were he ease, be thou g ht M r. S tan l ey was not the person w h o shooldbe punished. No charge of corruption was made against that gentleme n , and, under these circumstances, lee could not vote foe the present motion, although, if ii had spoken only of a breach of privilege, he should not lave made any remark- upon it. lie thought the Noble Marquis had de ne an act of great injustice in dismissing that gentlemau 'aefore the House had come to any decision upon it. In spying this he thought he was only doing an act of simple justice to an individual. Lord EL t esENBOROUGH said that Mr. Stanley was the only parson selected for punishment, because be was the only - person with whom, at the present time, the House 'was able to deal. He felt that a great contempt of the authority of the House had beers committed, and that it was 'afecumbent upon the House to visit it with such a Purd'shment as would tend to preclude a repetition of it at - any future time.—(Hear, hear-) The Marquis of NORMANBY said he felt it nee is 'eery, in his own defence, to offer a few remarks on what had fallen from his Noble Friend, the Earl of Wicklow. .He was glad that some of his remarks had been antici pated by the Noble Baron (Lord Etlenborough.) Though he was anxious that any appeal on behalf of this gentle man should have its full weight upon the House, when his Noble Friend said he (the Marquis of Normanby) had acted wish injustice, he begged to call his attention to the situation in which the Government would be placed if it had appeared to have connived at such an act as that which bad been the subject of investigation. He had before stated that, however unimportant some parts of this case weight appear to be, a great constitutional question was involved in securing the correctness of the Returns or tiered by either House of Parliament. This much of the act itself, in considering which and its consequences, be did hope their Lordships would also consider the period at which it took place, the limited esta blishment with which this great experiment commenced, and the momentous business which, for the first few months, pressed upon them. As to the resolution of con tempt of the authority of the House, he could not but think that every person who had heard the evidence would think that Mr. St inley had been guilty of that offence. He was glad to hear his Noble Friend show a distinction with respect to the motives. Mr. Stanley had a motive to conceal his error, but unfortunately had not presence of mind to avow it; nevertheless, no word should fall from biro. (the Marquis of Normanby) to induce their Lord. ships to deal harshly with this case. But if their Lord ships thought it of importance that every person cone netted with the important duty of carrying out this mea sure should be above suspicion, he trusted they would also be of opinion that the Government would not discharge their duty if they did not dismiss from his situation an in dividual, who, by evidence at their Lordships' bar, had been preyed guilty of such an offence as this. His Noble Friend had cautioned him (the Marquis of Normanby) not to provoke him to exchange the prunin g knife for the axe. He (the Marquis of Nor manby) did not know whether it was intended that on his devoted bead that axe should fall, but even at the risk of incurring such a penalty, he would say that he be lieved that it was the intention of the Commissioners to •execute the law with impartiality, and that not only was such the intention of the Government, but that they had adopted all the means in their power for the purpose. The evidence of Mr. Herne proved this to have been the intention of the Government, and he said that he had never seen a Government so determined in every respect son to interfere with the distribution of patronage. His Noble Friend had alluded to a mysterious veil that still hung over the matter, and which his knowledge of 'Clonmel would enable him to penetrate ; but of this he (the Marquis of Normanby) knew nothing but the evidence at their Lordships' bar. He thought the act committed by Mr. Stanley was such that he could not be centinned in his present situation ; but, at the same time, it was but justice to enat gentleman to say, that all who knew him spoke of Lim as a gentleman of unimpeachable integrity. Considering the importance of carrying out this Act in Iselsand, he agreed with his Noble Friend that it was all iurportant that the Poor-law Commissioners should not siesee r the slightest bias to influence them in the appoint 'ere at of any officer. After a few words from Lord ELLENBOROUGH and the Marquis of WESTMEATH, Tue Duke of WELLINGTON said he conceived the resolution was very correctly worded, and that the these must pass teat resolution. He had contended all along that it was not Mr. Stanley, or any inferior person, who eras to bo the subject of their Lordships' considera tion, beet the conduct of the Poor-law Commissioners themselves. —( Hcar, hear.) Ile had consented to the Bil l , and joined in passing it on the principle that it should bra fairly carried into execution. He bad been entirely dis appointed, and as to this matter he was resolved to probe it to the very bottom. There were other cases, and he would read every line of the papers, and search if there was not the. same corruption in each of them as in this one. To do 4astice to the gentry and men of property in Ireland who were in the hands of these miscreants, they must force them to do justice.—( Hear, hear.) There was another case of one of the returning officers who bad been convicted of forgery, and had been in the hulks, yet who was now exe cuting that office and the power connected with it in Ire land. He had the proof in his pocket that it was the same 'man. It was said that no questions had been asked respect ing him, except whether he was related to a person called an Archbishop. Now that he (the Duke of Wellington) called stuff.—( Hear, bear.) They could not do justice to Ireland unless they took the subject fully into considera tion, and took precautions to carry the Act fairly into exe cution.—( Hear, hear.) The Marquis of NORMANBY explained that, on a former occasion with reference to this individual, he had merely stated that he had been informed that there was a doubt of the identity of the party, whioh, however, he found had been since removed. So venial, however, was the offence considered, that the clerk of the peace in whose service he was, had afterwards retained him in a confiden tial situation. The offence was that of attempting to pro cure for another party a soldier's pension after the death of tho pensioner. h The Duke of WELLINGTON made a few observa tions that were inaudible. The Marquis of W ESTME ATH said the Roman Ca tholic Clergy had made this a religious question altogether. Be rejoiced at the manner in which the Noble Duke had taken it up. The Earl of GLENG ALL replied, be was satisfied tba., their Lordships would be convinced, when the Ch9nreel case came to be sifted thoroughly, that his statements were well founded. He did not think one-half the truth bad yet come out. He was surprised to hear the Noble Marquis term Mr. Stanley's situation one of no conse quence, because the salary was only from 10/. to 30/. per annum. Why, in a Parliamentary borough, like Clonmel, the office of returning officer was a most important one, and he might, by a particular mode of valuing the town, return any mat he pleased. - He contended that the motives for these appointments, and all the evidence fully bore out that statement. Tha motion was then agreed to, and ordered to be en tered on the Journals of the House. The Earl of GLENGALL then moved that Mr. Stanley be ordered to attend at the bar of the House on the 14th instant. The Marquis of NORMANBY had reason to ti,ink that t:oe dignity of the House would be sufficiently sathficd with , )ut proceeding further. He thought the House bad inflicted sufficient punishment without calling him to the bar. That, however, was a question for their Lordships' consideration, but ho would remind them that Mr. Nichols stated at the bar on his oath that Mr. Stanley's state of health and nervousness was such, from even an examination at their Lordships' bar, that he believed it would endanger his life if he had remained another day in attendance. He put it to their Lordships, therefore, whether their dignity bad not been sufficiently vindicated without proceeding further. Lord ELLENBOROUGH thought the course his Noble Fclend had adapted was the most lenient that could be taken. But after the itat-ment of the Noble Marquis that Mr. Stanley no Linger held office under the Corn missioneru, and that his health was likely to suffer, he thought they might be satisfied with having that statement entered is the Journal. The Earl of GLENG ALL, under the circumstances, would not press his motion. Lord ELLENBOROUGH then moved that a Lord having stated that it consequence of the resolution just passed by the House, Mr. Stanley hal ceased to hold office as Secretary to the Poor-law Commissioners, and that he was in so nervous a state of mind that the turther prosecution of the matter would be seriously injurious to his health, the motion was by leave withdrawn. The Marquis of NORM ANB Y explained that he had made the statement on the authority of Mr. Nicholl's evi dence, i . shich th e i r L or d s hi ps had also heard. The .Earl of GLE NGA LL then moved that a copy of the minutes of the Board on the subject of the resignation of Mr. 'Stanley be laid ( n the tab'e.—Agreeci to. The Marquis of NORMA NH Y laid on the table a fur.. ther Report of the Commissioners on the best line of rail way communication between London and Edinburgh. Adjourned at Half -past Nine o'Clock. ROUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 3 . The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour. Mr. MACAULAY presented a petition from certain individuals against the Edinburgh and Glasgow Canal Bill. On the motion of Lord G. SOMERSET, the Newport Docks Bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Lord SANDON, the Liverpool Dock Bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Lord SANDON, the Liverpool Lo cal Acts Bill was read a second time. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from a private soldier of the island of Jersey, complaining of the conduct of the public towards a portion of the military stationed in the island. Mr. NEELD presented a petition from Leicester, gainst the Repeal of the Corn-laws, and from Torquay in Devon in favour of Church Extension. Mr. HARLAND presented a petition from Durham, praying a repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. PLUM PT RE presented petitions from Kent against the County Courts 8111; from Stafford in favour of TEI v. SUN,' LON D' TUESDAY, MAY L IQ4I. Church Extension ; and from the City of London agam.t Sunday trading. Pet:tions to the same effect ware presented by Mr. Brotherton from ten trades in Manchester ; by Mark Phillips, from eighteen operative bodies in Manchester ; and by Mr. W. 0. Stanley from Auglcsea. Colonel SIBTHORP preionted three petitions from Lincoln, in favour of Church Extension. Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from Drogheda against the Irish Registration Bill at present before the House. Mr. KE NIBLE presented petitions from Streatham, Boxhill, and other places in Surrey, in favour of Church Extension. Mr. W. EVANS presented a petition from the county of Derby in favour of a repeal of the Corn-laws ; else from the sang place, praying for a reduction of the Im port duties. PARNELL presented a petition from White haven praying for a reduction of the duties on Colonial produce. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the county of York praying fur an inquiry into the principles taught in the CAlego. of Maynooth; from Northampton against any further grant to the College of Maynooth ; from De vonshire, in favour of Church-rates ; and 61 petitions, from all parts of the country, is favour of Church Ex tension. Col. VERNER presented a petition from the county of Armagh, against any further grants to the College of May nooth. Mr. E. BULLER presented a petition, praying for the abolition of Church. rates. Mr. CHILDERS presented a petition in favour of free trade, and the abolition of all monopoly. Mr. BAINES presented a petition from the inhabitants of a district of London, praying that some alteration be made in the Corn-laws. _ _ Mr. STRICKLAND presented several petitions from Saddleworth and other places in Lancashire in favour of a repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. AYSHFORD SANFORD presented petitions from Someretshire and other places, praying for the abolition of Ecclesiastical Courts. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. Mr. WALLACE gave notice that he should move to morrow that the petition of Wm. Mackie, complaining of the injustice of the Local Courts of Scotland, be printed with the Votes, as he intended calling the attention of the House to it. Mr. G. PALMER gave notice that vilicn the Presi dent of the Board of Trade should move the order of the day fur going into Committee on the British Possessions Bill, he should move that the said Committee be post poned. The Hon. Member also moved for an account of the securities given by the official assignees in the Court of Bankruptcy. BOROUGH OF SANDWICH. On the motion of Mr. E. J. STANLEY, a new writ was ordered to be issued for the election of a new Member for the borough of Sandwich, in the room of Sir Rufanc Donkin, deceased. Colonel SIBT H 0 RP inquired whether it were :rue, as generally reported, that Mr. Gordon, Secretary of the Treasury had resigned?—(Laughter.) Also, whether it was the intention of the Government to proceed that evening with the Civil Contingencies ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said be should not answer the first question—( Laughter)—and with regard to the second, it was not the intention of the Government to proceed that evening with the Civil Contingencies.—( Loud laughter.) REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND). Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN begged to ask the Noble Lord the Member for North Lancashire, whet* it was his intention to bring in the Registration of Voters' (Ireland) Bill on Wednesday next. Lord STANLEY said it was not his intention to proceed with the Bill on Wednesday. He should, for the present postpone it for a fortnight, and he should take caro that Gentlemen on both sides of the House would have ample notice of the time when he intended to bring it forward. The order was then read, and postponed for a fortnight. CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Mr. GISBORNE begged to ask whether it W 33 the intention of the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) to bring on the Criminal Justice Bill after the Punishment of Death Bill that evening. Lord J. RUSSELL replied in the affirmative. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr. HANDLEY rose to call the attention of the House to a breach of its privileges. He could not sup pose that it was possible that the occasion should ever have arisen when he should have been obliged to trespass on its attention in a matter personal to himself; but be had been made the subject of mis representation so gross and so unjustifiable, and the matter was calculated to prejudice him so much out of doors, that lie had nothing left for it but to throw himself upon the indulgence of the House.—(Hear, hear.) It would be in the recollection of the House that on Friday last the Hon. Member for Lincolnshire (Mr. Chris topher) had addressed some remarks which appearred to him, to use the Hon. Member's own phrase, as mere electioneering clap-trap, as regarded the No ble Lord his colleague and himself (Mr. Handley). He (Mr. Handley) on that occasion stated that whenever the question of the Corn-laws came on for discussion he should be fully pre pared to meet it—from whatever quaver the subject was presented he should be found to do his duty to his consti tuents and the public.—(Loud cheers.) These were he believed the prceise words—(Loud cheers)—they were the only words that he had used on that occa. sion.—(Loud cheers.) The House would therefore judge of his surprise when on reading the Morning Chronicle of the next morning—a paper which, he misbt he allowed to say en passant, seemed to misrepresent all the gentlemen on his side of the House except the Hon. Member for Leicester—(Cheering and laughter from the Opposition benches)—the House would judge of his sur prise to find himself made the subject of the following ob servations :—" Mr. Handley approved of the manner in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had men tioned the subject of the Corn-laws. When the proper time came he should be quite ready to second the Right Honourable Gentlemen before him in dealing with the various details of that important measure."—( Renewed laughter.) Now it might be mat ter of laughter to Hon. Members—(Cries of " Hear, hear," from both aides of the House)—but he thought he need not declare to those who were present on that occasion that not one single sentence then attributed to him had fallen from his lips.—(Heae, bear.) He said nothing from which such an opinion could be inferred; he eetettatned no such opinion, and he did net hesitate to say not only that he did-not approve ofthe manner in which it was introduced to the House, but so far from being "ready to second the Right Hon. Gentleman in dealing with the various details of that important subject," if it depended upon his vote, he should not have an opportunity of considering the question at all.—(Loud cheers.) There was no man more willing than himself to make every allowance for the onerous duties of gentleman con nected with the press who reported the proceedings of that House, On must occasions, he must acknowledge, they (lid not do him injustice, for they seldom reported him at all, in which he had no doubt they exercised the most sound discretion. On other occasions when any remark which he had made had been mistaken; which had happened once or twice, he had thought it sufficient to request that the same columns which had conveyed the mistake might convey the correction. But he thought Honourable Members would allow that in this case it would be no repara tion to hint that the Morning Chronicle should have offered him its columns to contradict a mistake which had been circulated through a thousand channels. Tne debates in that House were copied into the provincial papers, and it was not likely the refutation could meat all his constituents, spread, as they were, over a million of acres. It would be obvious to every one that the an nounceraent of his Hon. Friend had not placed him in a situation of difficulty,—for to an honest man there was but one course,—but; had placed him in the situation of lying for a time under a cloud of doubt and suspicion.—(Hear, hear.) He felt that a misrepresenta tion like that could not have originated in inadvertence or mistake. Painful as it was at all times to attribute motives to any one, he confessed he was at a loss to ascertain why this palpable and gross injustice should have been per petrated upon hie'. He was quite sure that none of those Honourable Gentlemen who were his po litical opponents would avail themselves of such dirty means.—(Cheers from the Conservative benches.) He was more inclined to think, whoever had put this misre presentation in words in the Morning Chronicle, sought, if possible, to get some little advantage in carrying out the principle which they advocated, and which had been an nounced by his Right Hon. Friend below him, by having it in their power to say that even so humble an individual as himself, representing a large agricultural district, had changed his opinions on this subject. It was enough for him to say on this occasion that such was not the etse.—(Cheers.) He felt that he must leave the matter entirely in the hands of the House. He was grateful for the indulgence which they had afforded to him in hewing this statement. He Would only observe that what had happened to him in this instance might happen to any Hon. Member before him. If they should think that it was necessary to the vindication of the privivileges of that House, or to freedom of discus sion, that further notice should be taken of it, the matter was in their hands. It only remained for him, in the com mon form adopted on these occasions, to move " That the printer of the Morning Chronicle do appear at the bar of this Honse."—( Cheers.) Mr. FIUME rose to address the House, but was inter rupted by cries of " Order, order." . , Lord J. RUSSELL suggested that the paragraph complained of by the Hon. Member should be read. The paragraph was then read, the substance of which was that the Hon. Member (Mr. Handley) approved of the manrer in which the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced the subject of the Corn-laws. Mr. HUME said that having been present when the Hon. Member spoke, and having been near him, he could say that the paragraph just read not only did not contain the words which the Hun. Gent l eman used, but a total mi!- representation of them ; however, as the Hon. Gentleman had obtained what he desired, publicity of the vindication he wished to make of his conduct, he (Mr. Hume) hoped be would be satisfied with it, and would not press his mo tion of summoning the printer of the Morning Chronicle to the Bar of the House. Sir DE LACY EVANS was surprised that the Hon. Member could bring forward such a motion as the present one. Humble as ho (Sir De Lacy Evans) was, he was often misrepresented, but he never had the presumption to apply to the House about the matter. He did not think that anybody could se riously imagine that the repre.ientation was inten tionally ma le. The Honourable Member had de clared, in formidable terms, the opposition he me ant to give to her Majesty's Government. He (Sir Dc Lacy Evans) did think that be ought to be content with so doing, and in correcting an e►ror ought not to give a bad example to ether Members, who on the eve of an election might be glad to avail themselves of such a pre cedent. Mr. HANDLE Y said it was not his good fortune to b( possessed of the modesty of the Ilan. and Gallant Alembe; , Aho had just sat down. The Honourable and Gallant Member might collect his constituents any evening he chose at the Cat and Gridiron, or any other such place—(Hear)—but he would find that some time would be required to go through such a consti tuency as he (Mr. Handley) represented in order to vindicate himself. —( A laugh.) The Honourable and Gallant Member too, might have so many claims on his constituents, that they would surely overlook such a dereliction of duty. He (Mr. H.) neither participated in the feelings that induced the Hon. and Gallant Member to come forward on the present occasion, nor did he think that the House participated in them. As on the one hand he concluded his motion according to the forms of the House, he would on the other leave it to the House to decide whether he ought to be satisfied that the reparation offered was commensurate with the injury done him. He would, how ever, withdraw his motion. In answer to a question from an HoN. MEMBER, Lord J. RUSSELL said that he should be prepared on Friday to state the amount of duty that be meant to pro pose on corn. Lord SANDON said that on Friday next, previous to the House going into Committee, he would propose a re solution, by which the sense of the those would be taken, in opposition to the proposition of the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), and that he would take an early opportunity of apprising the House of the words of the resolution. Sir R. H. INGLIS gave notice that he would take an opportunity of taking the sense of the House as to the propriety of bringing into the country or any of itt de. pendencies slave-grown sugar. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH BILL. The Order of the Day for going into Committee on the Punishment of Death Bill was then real. The preamble of the Bill and clauses were postponed. On clause 2 being put, Lord J. RUSSELL opposed the clause, but in so law a tone, and in the midst of so much noise, as to be totally .... inaudible in the Gallery. Sir R. H. INGL 18 also disapproved of the clause. He thought that in certain cases of the ruin of public pro poity, the punishment of death ought to he inflicted. The Hon. Baronet alluded to a wilful fire which had recently taken place in the dockyard of Plymouth; he thought no punishment could be too great for such a crime. Lord DUNGANNON agreed with the Hon. Baronet. There might be cases in which it would be unnecessary to inflict the last penalty of the law, but the clause was, in his opinion, of too sweeping a nature. Mr. HUME did not think that the punishment of death was in any case a security against crime. In all those cases in which the punishment of death had been abolished, the change had not been found to work unfavaurably. He did not think that public property should be ,protected in a different way from the property of individuals.--( Hear, hear, hear.) He concurred most heartily in the provisions of the clause, and be thought the experience of the Noble Lord since the Bill was last before the House should have shown him that the punishment of death in cases of that sort afforded no sufficient protection, and it might as well be put an end to. Mr. O'CONNELL said, the Noble Lord had talked of using the strongest arm of the law to put down offences of the sort, but the question was, what was the strongest arm of the law ? The Noble Lord's proposition might be the strongest arm, but it was the shortest. In his humble judgment a secondary punishment would be found more effectual, as it would be more certain, and it was quite clear that the enunciation of the punishment did not prevent the crime. He firmly believed that they could not have a greater incentive to crime than familiarising the public with those scenes of death. It was said, if you refused the clause you would have par ties setting fire to a King's ship in the face of the enemy ; but the Committee would recollect that that was high trea son, and could be punished accordingly. He need not allude to the recent case in which a man was executed, who died in the most solemn and impressive manner appealing to Gnd that he was innocent. Man was fallible, their tribunals were fallible, and they ought to endeavour to lessen the chance of committing the most awful mistake that could he com mitted. He trusted they would persevere in their present course of harmonizing the people by mitigating the severity of their criminal law. At present it was in a most unsatis factory state. —( Hear.) Mr. Sergeant TA LFOURD would also give his vote in favour of the clause. He entirely concurred with the observations of the Hon. and Learned Member for Isllltenny, and believed that crime would be more effec tually prevented by lessening the severity of the punishment, and rendering it more certain than by the present system. He (Mr. Sergeant Talleurd) was at Shrewsbury at the time of the trial of Misters, and he had seen something of the sympathy which was excited on behalf of the criminal. If he had been transported instead of executed no doubt bad been entertained of his guilt. Mr. E WART said that facts and figures had shown that capital punishments did not deter from crime, and he should on this account support the amendment. Lord DUNGANNON said with regard to what had fallen from the Hon. Member for Reading, be (Lord Dungannon) was a member of the Grand Jury on that oc sion, and ho was sure no one entertained a doubt of the prisioner's guilt. In his opinion it would be dangerous to abolish the punishment of death, in cases of malicious fire raising in dwelling-houses. He thought it would tend to make life and property insecure. Mr. W. RO"CfIE supported the clause on the ground that the secondary punishment would afford au cp„iortunity of =reefing any mistakes which might occur in the trial of any party. _ _ Stages were then ordered to withdraw, and the Home divided, when the numbers were— For the clause Against the clause 122 Majority against the clause —l2 The clause was then expunged. Clause 3 was then agreed to. On olause 4 being put, _ _ Sir C. DOUr I LAS moved the following amend ment:—That, in case of rape, and of unlawfully and carnally knowing and abusing any girl under the age of ten years, whenever either of the said offences shall be committed by any two or more persons, and such person or persons shall be convicted of either of the said offences, such person or persons so convicted shall be subject to the sentence of death, and shall suffer death, as in and by the said statute of the ninth year of the reign of his late Ma jesty George the Fourth is provided. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the amend ment. The subject to which the clause related was one of great difficulty and embarrassment. Therst were litany critres of the most revolting nature which came within its operation, but there were others of a less aggravated na ture. Notwithstanding all the attention which he had given to the matter he had been unable to frame provisions which would exclude the punishment of death in certain cases of the kind, and would retain it in others. The only c3urse, therefore, he saw open to them was to abolish the capital punishment in all the cases in question. Sir R. H. INGLIS supported the principle of the amendment. He thought every Hon. Member should consider the subject as if it related to the members of his own family. Lord OUNG ANNON did not wish to see the punish ment of death abolished altogether, in regard to the crime to which the clause referred. There were certainly cases of a more and cases of a less aggravated character, but he thought the punishment to be awarded might be safely left to the discretion of the Judges. Mr. O'CONN ELL said the worst feature of our cri minal law was the quantity of discretion left with the Judge—it made the punishment uncertain. Let them make the conviction as certain as possible, and let the punishment follow as a matter of course, and then the crime would be checked. He instanced the case of two gypsies who were convicted of stealing 181. from a pen sioner in the neighbourhood of Monmouth about four years ago—they were transported for life, and at the lapse of two years it was found out they were entirely innocent, and were brought home at the Government expense. Under the old law they would have been executed, and in what position would they then have been? Lord DARLINGTON defended the character of the Learned Judge who tried Misters—be was tried in a crowded Court, and there was not a second opinion as to his being guilty of the atrocious crime imputed to him. In his opinion the Judges generally had exercised their dis cretion in a sound mariner. Mr. HOBHOUSE opposed the amendment, and depre cated any extension of the discretion of the Judges. Mr. GODSON supported the clause. Many convic tions would be had if the crime was reduced to a trans portable offence, which now were lost, because Juries had a horror of the punishment of death. Lord J. RUSSELL said the object of legislation was to prevent crime, and in bis opinion that would best be done by ensuring convictions, which could only be done by abolishing the punishment of death as attached to such a crime. Sir R. PEEL could not concur in the feeling that the punishment of death should be abolished in the cases of murder, attempts to murder, or rape. Mr. C. BULLER supported the clause. Captain POLHILL hoped the Hon. Baronet would withdraw his amendment, and let the division be taken on the clause itself. He was strongly opposed to it and would certainly vote against it. Sir C. DOUGLAS withdrew his amendment. The Committee then divided on the clause, when there appeared— For the clause Against it Majority -62 On the fife cluze relative to the abolition of the punishment of death in cases of attempts to murder being proposed, - Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose and spoke in so low a tone of voice as to be very indistinctly beard in the gallery. The Noble Lord was understood to say that in the cases under consideration, he did not think there was that re luctance to convict that had been represented. He would oppose the clause. Mr. F. KELLY said that the Noble Lord had fre quently stated in that Homo that the infliction of punish ment was not intended merely as such according to the moral criminality, but its abject was to deter men from the commission of offences. That was a sentiment which he (Mr. F. Kelly) and several Hon. Members expressed their approval of, and he therefore now contended that while the punishment of death was retained for the c ime of murder, a sufficient check was held out to those who attempted to commit that crime, because ex vi termini they expected and intended to commit murder when they attempted it; but in continuing the punishment in cases of attempt to murder, they went against that which was the acknowledged principle in those cases. They took away every inducement not to complete the crime when the first attempt t) perpetrate it wa3 un successful. Certainty of punishment was what deterred most from the commission of crime, but certainty was not attained in the present state of the law. He was aware of instances having occurred of ten convictions and only one punishment, and out of forty-five indictment; that bad been set on foot for crimes of this nature within the last thr-e vcars, there had been only three convictions. Lord DUNGANNON thought that if they passed tl e'a,se they might asiwell at once abolish the punishment of death altogether, and he could not admit the assertion r that the punishment of death tended to conciliate the sympathies of the public in favour of the criminal was suf.- fici-nt to justify that abolition. Mr. MILNE supported the clause. Sir H. R. INGLIS opposed the clause, on the ground that the person who attempted to murder was morally as guilty as if he succeeded in the completion of the crime. Mr. LAW (the Recorder of London),in his experience, which was of some extent, had not found that juries were in the habit of violating their oaths rather than find per sons guilty of a capital offence. He had, on the other hand, observed that when the facts of the case applied rather to the minor offence, it was generally by the inter. position of the Judges a verdict to that effect was re corded. He was convinced that the introduction of the clause would diminish the efficiency of the law in pre venting crime. Mr. BROTHERT 0 N, not withstanding what had been said by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman who had just sat down, thought the object of the law was punishment and not prevention. He was satisfied that the nearer the laws approached to the principles of Christianity the more ef fective they would be, and the more society was civilised the more opposed would it be to capital punishment— ( Hear.) He did not believe that, according to the Chris tian religion, man had the right to take away the life a a human being under the authority of any law. The denunciation, that " Whose sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed," applied as much to the execu.• tioner as to the criminal. He believed that the introduc tion of a milder system of criminal law would do more than anything else to mitigate the manners of the people, and to diminish ferocious crimes. Lord MA HON said that there would be a practice' difficulty if the clause were enacted, which would ember. rass the administration of the law. Mr. SL ANE Y thought that a distinction should be made between crimes perpetrated for the sake of gain, and crimes perpetrated through violent and revengefulmotivea. In the first ease the fear of death had comparatively little influence, while it operated must powerfully in the second instance. After a few words from Mr. ELLIOT, the House diviled when the numbere %ere— For the clause . Against the clause ... • 83 Majority against the clause -a The clause was then struck out. On the next clause being put, Lord J. RUSSELL objected to the clause. He did think that the punishment of death acted as a powerful preventative against burglary: and on that account he wished that the punishment should be retained. Mr. F. KELLY supported the clause. The fewer the cases in which the punishment of death was retained, the more effectual would that punishment become. Mr. E WART also spoke in favour of the clause. Dur ing the last three years no case of capital punishment for burglary had been enforced, and the present law on the subject had, in consequence, been inoperative and unne cessary. Lord DUNGANNON was opposed to the clause. He did not approve of that philanthropy which was extended to the most desperate offenders at the expense of the com munity at large. Mr. HUME thought that severity in criminal legisla tion so far from putting an end to crime only tended to its increase. It was not from a false philanthropy he advo cated a mitigation in the criminal code, but from a sense of the general good. All experience had shown that by les sening the punishments crimes had decreased ; and, there fore, he supported the clause. Mr. P. HOWARD said unless the Attorney-General consented to make some other alteration in the law ho would feel it his duty to vote for the clause of the Hon. Member for Ipswich. Unless the extreme punishment was removed from burglary without attempt to murder the greater crime would be committed. After a few words from Sir R. INGLIS, strangers were ordered t 5 withdraw. The House then divided, when there appeared— 'For the clause 73 Against it Majority against the clause --27 On our return we found Mr. KELLY saying that, opposed as he was by the whole weight of the Government, he would not attempt t > carry the Bill further. He hoped the Noble Lord would proceed with his Bill; and although not prepared to ga the same length as him (Mr. Kelly), would consent to a considerable amelioration of the present system. After a few words from Mr. AGLIONBY, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that if the Hon. Gentle man declined to proceed with his Bill, of course there could be no objection to that course. He (Lord J. Russell) in tended to proceed with the Bills which he had brought before the House.—( Hear, hear.) It would have been indifferent to him whether those Bills were proceeded with or the Bill of the Hon. Gentleman, without the various clauses to which Ee objected. But as the Hon. Gentleman had intimated his intention of withdrawing his Bill, he (Lord J. Russell) would lose no time in bringing bis Bills before the House. Af er a few words from Sir R. INGLIS, The CHAIRMAN repor:ed progress, and asked leave to sit again this day fortnight, CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL. On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the Home went into Committee on the Criminal Justice 80. Mr. M. PHILIPS presented a petition from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of Manchester against the clauses proposed to be introduced by the Hon. Mem ber fJr North Lancashire (Mr. Wilson Patten); also several petitions r . ;110., and one in favour of those clauses. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, as he had no further clauses to bring before the House, ho would not trespais upon its attention. Mr. W. FATTEN then rose to propose the following clauses:_" And wher,ag, questions are pending as to the validity of the Chart.o. of Incorporation granted to the Mayor, Aldermen, axed Burgesses of the borough of Man chester, in pursuance of the said Act of the sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty, or of some subsequent Act ; be it declared and enacted, That the said Charter of In corporation, and also the Commission of the Peace, and grant cf a separate Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, issued or granted to the said borough. and all sets and prGeeeeings done or had in pursuance thereof; shall be deemed good and lawful from the time of such grant, acts, and proce. , dings, and that all costs and expenses which have been incurred before the passing of this Act, in and about the obtaining, establishing, or opposing any such grant, act, or proceeding, or in or about the holding of any inquest by any coroner within the said borough, or all costs already incurred or to be hereafter incurred, in cr about the prosecution, conveyance, or maintenance of any persons having committed any offences within the said bo rough by the said corporation, or person or persons whom soever, shall be paid and discharged by the council of the said borough, and out of a rate to he made, assessed, and leviid for that purpose by the council of the said borough, in the nature of a borough rate or otherwise, ao the said council shall think fit ; which rate may be recovered in the same manner as any borough rate is recoverable under the said Act of the sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty, or under any subsequent Act framed for the amendment thereof, such costs and charges, without prejudice to any contract respecting the maintenance of prisoners, being ascertained and set tled in each case by the Recorder of the borough."— " And whereas, by reason cf a grant of a Charter of In corporation to the borough of Manchester, the Coroner for the County Palatine of Lancaster, acting within the divi sion of Manchester, tho clerk of the peace for the said County Palatine, and the clerk of the justices cf the peace appointed under an Act passed in the fifty-third year of the reign of King George the Third, for the more effectual administration of the office of a justice of the peace, and to the other justices of the peace acting within the said division of Manchester, have been deprived of their fees and emoluments arising from their respective offices within the said borough, and it is expedient that conspoto , ation be therefore trade to them in like manner as if they had beer. officers of a borough before the passing of the said Act of the sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty, who were removed from their offices under the provisions of that Act ; be it therefore enacted, that the said coroner and clerk of the peace, and clerk to the justices, shall be en titled to Inve an adequate compensation, to he assessed by the council, and paid out of the borough fund of the said borough, for the fees and emoluments of th e i r severa l offices - arising within such borough ; and that all provi sions of the said Act of the sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty, relating to the claim of any corporate officer for compensation, on account of being ,removed from his office, and to the manner of securing and determining the amount of such compensation, shall apply, except as hereinafter provided, to the said coroners, clerk of the peace, and clerk to the justices; provided always, that the statement to be delivered to the town clerk by each such officer, shall s©t forth the amount of the fees and emolu ments in respect whereof he shall claim compensation during five years next preceding the grant of the char ter of incorporation to the borough respecting which such claim is made, and that, in estimating the amount of compensation, each of the said officers shall be deemed to have held his office for the term of his life," The Hon. Member said that there had been a long and expensive contest in Manchester on the subject introduced in these clauses. The parties were exceedingly numerous on both sides; one party consisting of the Corporation of Manchester and the other of those who were opposed to it. lie had been requested to act as arbitrator between the two parties, and he had consented to do so. The Bill be fore the House would take the matter out of their hands. The .Hon. Member then referred to the history of the claims to compensation. He had taken the highest legal opinions that they came within the spirit and letter of the Corporations Act. They had stated that it was doubtful whether it was necessary to have these clauses inserted in this Bill__whether the parties might not rest their claims upon the compensation clauses of the Act. On this subject he was particularly anxious, in consequence of the public notice that had been called to the course he intended to pursue, to set himself right with the lion. Member for Manchester, having been told that he was meddling improperly , with tins affa'rs of Manchester. The Hon. Member here proceeded to read an extract of a letter from three members of the corporation of Manchester, to show that he was justified in the course he adopted, and proceeded to say that the document he quoted corroborated the statement he had made. Ho was also fully convinced of the justice of the three cases he had brought forward. Mr. MARK PHILIPS said, that he stated in his place that he was not one of those who thought that the Hon. Member brought forward the question on unneces sary grounds. He therefore begged to disclaim any par ticipation in the feelings of those who said that the Hon. Member meddled improperly with the affairs of Manches ter. On the contrary, he thought that the course the Hon. Member adopted was perfectly fair.--( Hear, hear.) What he (Mr. M. Philips) complained of was, that there were communications made to the Hon. Member subsequently which he would have done well not to listen to. With regard to the opinion of the people of Manchester it bad been put on record in the most unequivocal man ner. He (Mr. M. Philips) had presented petitions from every ward in the borough, which resulted from public meetings attended by men of all par tie;. One of the strongest petitions was itself presented by a gentleman of Conservative principles. When the mask had been strip. ped off and the thing appeared in its nakedness, he had alina..t said its deformity, they were sought to be b )ught off. He could not point out anything more deserving the character of fraud than the manner in which the petition had been got up by the anti-corporetors. He must say that he thought the inhabitants of Manchester would be lost to every feeling of honour if they were to consent to pay the sum of money demanded of them. If 50,000 of the ratepayers of Manchester could so far for get thernselse3 as to put a petition into his hands praying the House to consent to these clauses, he would not pre sent such a petition. Daring his recent visit to Manches— ter he had consulted with men of all parties on the sub jeot, and there was not a single individual who did not de- precate the idea of the introduction of such a clause as a mode of adjusting the existing differences. Manchester Would rather remain as it was than submit to such an in sult. It was au insult to the inhabitants of Manchester to be compelled to petition the House on such a subject. With rererence to the appointments, it was evident from the expressions he bad made use of that his Hon. Friend had been in close communication with one of the individuals whose interests were at stake. His Hon. Friend had said that he did not consider the Quarter Sessions of Manchester worth a rush, and that was the very expression which Mr. Milne had frequently been in the habit of using. With reference to that gentleman's claim to compensation there could be no doubt that if a new stipendiary Magistrate were appointed for Manchester to-morrow, that new Ma gistrate would have a perfect right to appoint his own clerk. He had looked into a Bill which had been intro duced into the House at the time when it was first proposed to appoint a stipendiary Magistrate to Manchester. In that Bill, Is hich had been drawn up by Mr. Milne, he had attempted to have himself appointed and named per petual clerk to the Magistrates; had that Bill passed into a law, he might have had some claim, but the name had been withdrawn, and the appointment was left to be made in the way in which all such appointments ought to be made. He had, therefore, no claim whatever to a life. interest in the appointment. With reference to the At torney-General's Bill, if it were thrown out, the only effect would be that the rate-payers of Manchester would escape from the charge of the maintenance of the prisoners in their borough gaol, which would be thrown on the county; but they were too honest and too honour able to wish for such 8R advantage, but that would be the only effect of the Bill being rejected. With respect to the office of coroner, he believed that if the gentleman in question had signified his wish to continue in that appoint. ment the corporation would have chosen him, but he had chosen to act under bad advice, and must take the con sequences, and by persisting in holding double inquests he had made the office of coroner, as connected with him- self, particularly obnoxious to the people of Manchester. Let them consider the danger of the principle they would be adopting by granting this compensation to the Town clerk. Atter the decision of the Judges in their favour, the people of Manchester were not to be bullied into a compromise of this sort, and he should be ashamed to ap. pear before his constituents if he consented to the intre duction of any such clauses as those proposed. He could assure his Hon. Friend that be was labouring under a -great mistake if he imagined that the corporation of Man chester were at all anxious for a compromise. On that point he could assure his Hon. Friend that he had been misinformed. Mr. GREG said that he had taken up the matter at the instance of Magistrates of Manchester, who called on him at his home to induce him to do so. Mr. M. PHILIPS said that those persons had no authority from the Corporation, to make any request of the kind. The ATTORNE Y- GENERAL felt it to be his duty to oppose the clause on public grounds. This was a pub lic Bill not intended for Manchester alone, but for the country at large. The town of Manchester did not con tribute to the county rate, whilst the county had to bear the expense of the Manchester prisoners. It was hi s ob . ject to remedy that injustice, and to make such boroughs as Manchester and Birmingham bear the expense of their own prisoners. CRESSWELL thought that the proposition for compensation was founded on the Municipal Reform Bill, and was, in fact, a following out of that Bill. The only ground for taking away from this gentlemen (Mr. Chap. man) the right to compensation was, that he had brought an action to try his right.—(Hear, hear,) The Hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. M. Philips) had ad mitted that the gentleman was an excellent officer, and would have received compensation from the corporation if he had condescended to ask for ir, upon the general principle recognised in the Municipal Reform Bill—that persons deprived of their offices by that Bill should be en titled to compensation. If any Hon. Member brought in a clause to compensate the coroner of Birmingham, or of Bolton, he would support the motion. Mr. C. BULLER said he thought they had better discuss one clause at a time. His Hon. and Learned Friend had made an excellent speech, but not upon the present clause. It was difficult to limit the efforts of the human mind, but the present clause appeared to be the summit of human impudence. (Hear, bear, and laughter.) The corporation of Manchester had been liti gating for many years, and when the matter was decided against them, they said " Pay us our costs. and we will litigate no further."—( Hear, hear.) The House had no right, in a Bill like this, to force a compromise upon those who did not wish it.—(Hear, hear.) He would venture to say, if the House sanctioned this clause, they would sanction the most impudent and preposterous claim ever made to it.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. CRESSWELL said the decision in the Queen's Bench was merely formal. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the case was ar gued fully in every point before the Judges of the Exche quer Chamber. and he considered the question of the Charter was fully decided. Strangers were then ordered to retire, but no division took place, and the clause was withdrawn. Mr. WILSON PATTEN then moved the second clause of which he had given notice, for giving compensa. tion to Coroners and other officers. After a few words from Mr. WAKLEY and Mr. MARK PHILIPS, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL reminded the House and the Hon. Member for Finsbury that according to the existing law it was in the power of the Lord Chancellor to order a writ to be issued at any time for the election of a new coroner, in case it th tuld be discovered that the gen tleman filling the office was in any way incompetent to discharge its duties. Mr. WAKLEY hoped other parties would not be coupled with the unfortunate coroners, otherwise they would stand a chance of having their merits overlooked. If another coroner was appointed for Middlesex, he (Mr. \Vakley) could assure the Hon. and Learned Member that he should never apply to him for compensation. Mr. GISBORNE said, in the county of Chester, where an additional coroner bad been appointed, compen sation had been given to the party previously in the office. Mr. W. PATTEN had no objection to divide the clause and frame a separate one for the coroners, the clerk of the peace, and the magistrates' clerks. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL hoped the Hon. Gen tleman would go further, and extend its provisions beyond Manchester. Mr. J. JERVIS suggested that the clause should be withdrawn for the present, in order to afford an oppor tunity to frame a clause which would include all the coroners. Mr. MARK PHILIPS would not object to a general clause as regarded the coroners, but he should certainly object to compensation to the other officers named i❑ the clause. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the Corn mit divided, when there appearel— .. For the clause 73 Against it .. Majority _. - 55 . . On our return to the Gallery we found Sir C. DOUGLAS moving the insertion of a clause providing compensation for the clerk of the peace of the county Warwick and for the coroner, of the said county, sitting within the Hundred of Hemlingford. Mr. HUME complained that the clause had not been printed, and moved " That the Chairman do report pro gress." He had understood that it had been decided that the clerk of the peace for the county of Warwick was not entitled to compensation. Mr. M. PHILIPS could not vote for the clause until it bad properly come under consideration. Mr. JERVIS said that by voting for this clause for the compensation of coroners the House would only affirm that coroners were entitled to compensation. Hon. Members would afterwards have an opportunity of con sidering the application of the clause to this particular case. Mr. HUME must persist upon principle against pro ceeding with this clause until it had been previously printed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the Hon. Member for Warwick would best gain his object by with drawing his clause for the present. Sir C. DOUGLAS said ho would have the clause printed, with a view to its being brought up with the Re port. Lord FRANCIS EGERTON then moved the clause of which he bad given notice, exempting the Borough of Bolton from the operation of the Bill. He knew he might be told that the Bill did not go directly to confirm the Bolton Charter, but still it would have the effect of con firming it in an indirect manner. Several of the rate payers had determined to litigate the question at the earliest possible opportunity, and this case was a perfectly different case, and a much stronger one than the case of Manchester, to which allusion had already been made, and they w ere apprehensive that they should by this Bill be put in a worse situation than the one they at present occu. pied. They were desirous of bringing the question to to trial, and did not wish to be deprived of th e opportunity of trying the case by the indirect operation of this Bill. In order that the House might understand dis tinctly the operation which the clause of the Attorney- General would have upon Bolton, it was necessary that he should explain that at present the Corporation was unable to levy a borough rate, because , the tow ns hi p an d the borough were not co-termineus. Now the Attorney.. General's clause would enable them to levy a borough rate, and deprive those persons of the opp ortun i ty of try ing the question of the Charter , which th ey wereanx i ous to do, should the rate be levied. Such were shortly the grounds on which he entreated the House to exempt the borough of Bolton from the operation of the Bill. He would be glad to give any explanation that might be required, but at that late hour he did not wish to occupy the attention of the House longer than was necessary. The clause was then brought up and read a first time. On the motion that it be read a second time, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he should be under the necessity of strongly oppos i ng t h e c l ause, as he cons id e red that ent irely to exempt Bolton from the °pers_ tion of the Bill would be highly objectionable. If it were sought by that Bill to deprive the inhabitants of Bolton of the right to question the validity of the charter. such a proceeding would be manifestly unjust ; but no such thing was attempted to be done. The inhabitants of Bolton would still h ave th e power to take any steps they might think fit to question the validity of the Char ter. The consequence of exempting Bolton from the operation of the Bill would be, that they would not be a ble to make any arrangement with the county of Lancas ter for the custody and maintenanoe of their prisoners, end the county of Lancaster would suffer great injustice in consequence. To correct this inequality, it was neces snry that the Bill should apply to Bolton as well as to Manchester or Birmingham, and there was no reason at:- signed by the Noble Lord to induce him to assent to the exemption.. Mr. BOLLING could assure the Attorney-General that Bolton was peculiarly situated ; it was divided into three townships, Great Bolton, Little Bolton, and the northern part. Great Bolton being only within the borough, all the expense relating to that could be taken out of the poors'-rate. But with regard to the other portions, they were obliged to levy a second rate, which was objected to. The parties agreed to levy in a friendly manner, for the rate, in order to try the question ; but after carrying the proceedings to a certain point, the corporation party had given up the contest. The Bill would go to legalise the Tevying of rates other than those authorised by the Municipal Act, and or, that ground he claimed the exemption sought. The Queen could grant a charter, but she could not grant the power of levying money. He did not oppose the Charter per se, but they were desirous of trying whether they could be legally saddled with this rate; 5,000 rate payers had petitioned not to be saddled with the useless expenditure for a gaol and quarter ses sions, when they were within ten miles of Manchester, to the prison of which place their prisoners might be con veyed by railroad at a shilling a-head. Two years ago they had had a police force imposed on them by the Noble Lord, which had cost 3,000/. in the last year, and 5,000 of the rate-payers now appealed to that House for protec tion against that Bill. Mr: A INS WO RTH said that the petition alluded to by his Hon. Colleague had been got up under false pre.. tences.—( Hear, hear.) The town had been placarded with bills stating that a gaol was to be built at the cost of 20,0001, and: a new poor-house at the cost of another 20,000/. ; of course, the rate-payers were anxious on the subject. The fact was, there was no intention to build either a poor-house or a gaol. The Bill would however, give thorn the power of using the goal to which his Hon, Colleague bad alluded, therefore if the Bill passed they would be able to enter into an arragement with the coun try on the !subject. With respect to the charge of the police Bolton was in the same situation as Birmingham. The Corporation bad appointed a police ; their right to do so had been opposed ; the old pulice had been kept up, and constant quarrels between the two had been the conse. quence. His Hon. Friend had alluded to the expenses of the Corporation. But it was a fact that the Corpora. tion had effected a clear saving of 500/. a year by the quarter session alone. They had formerly to send all their prisoners to Manchester.—(Hear, hear.) The argu ment of the Attorney-General was very just, that the county had at present to support all the borough prison ers, although the borough contributed nothing to the county rate. The Hon. Member then referred to the repors of Captain Jebbs to sh3w that a large majority of the householders had petitioned for the granting of a charter. There were 5,115 householders in favour of the corpora tion, and no more then 2,956 against it. There was, therefore, a much larger proportion of the inhabitants in favour of the corporation in Bolton than either in Man chester or Birmingham. Indeed, there seemed to be no other objection to the including Bolton in the Bill than that there would be no one to compensate except the co roner.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped the House would not countenance the motion of the Noble Lord the Member fcr South Lancashire ; or rather be hoped the Noble Lord would see the propriety of withdrawing his motion. Mr. G RIM LDITCH, who was very imperfectly heard, supported the motion of the Noble Lord (Francis Eger ton), and hoped the Noble Lord would press the question to a division. Mr. M. PHILIPS (amidst loud cries of " Divide, divide") said that be had been requested to oppose the proposition of the Noble Lord.--('' Divide, divide.") The expenditure of the borough would be diminished by the Bill, in one item to the extent of reducing a charge of 181. to 31. 15s. He hoped the clause would not be pressed. After a few words from Lord F. EGERTON, which were inaudible in the gallery, the Committee divided, when there appeared— For the clause Against it 75 Majority 44 The House then resumed, and the Chairman reported the Bill, which was ordered to be received on Friday next ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (No. 1) BILL. The House having gone into Commitee on this Bill, Mr. HAYTER moved the fallowing proviso to the clause awarding compensation :—" Provided always, and be it hereby further enacted, that every annual or other sum of money awarded by way of compensation or other. wise, under this Bill, to the Honourable Robert Campbell Scarlctt, now one of the Masters of the Court of Exche quer, shall cease to be payable, when and so soon as he shall succeed to the dignity of a Peer of the United King. dom."—Agreed to. Tho Bill then went through Committee, the remaining clauses having been agreed to. Mr. FOX .MULE obtained leave to bring in a 8.11 to explain and amend an Act entitled " An Act to extend the Practice of Vaccination." The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at One o'Clock. THE MARKETS. PRICE OF BREAD. The ilighes: r rite of ' , mitt i 0 ,he NIA , oplis is 9 g l d. for the 41b Loaf. Good Bread may be had at ilid. PRICES OF SEEDS. Pee Cwt. I Per Quarter Sew Eogish Red C10ver...c.65 84s'St. Fein Old bit... Ditto —s —a —6'Rye Gass —s —s —9 New Foreign Ditto —a 56s 80sPacey Grass —s —s —5 011 Ditto Ditto —s —s —slinseed, for fe.dit.g ~.—s 1 , .06 5 1 6 New White Clover 40s s's 63s!Dit• o, for sowing ......—s 58 . COs Old Ditty Ditto —s 42s 46s 1 Ditto, for crushing ....—s 40s 480 scw Tre 'oil —s 2,'a 44s:FItm —s 4-s 48i Old Ditto —a 19s 3t , s'Canary —a 90s100s . I'r folium -s 48s 70s! Per Bushel. English Carraway —s 50s 51s White Mustard .... i 25 Od to 15s Or.. Foreign Ditto Coriander ... —s —s —s Tares Cs Cd tc 108 Od PRICE JF OIL Rape Oil, brown, per ton £45 0 Ditto, refined Linseed Oil 29 10 Lins ed Oil Cake at tri:, Mill (per 10o0) l2 ]0 /ta t e . ake, per ton PRICE OF TALLOW, SOAP, &c. per 1121 b. Town Tallow X° 1 i 6 Melting Stuff .£1 15 0 Yellow Russia White ll 0 0 Graves Soap Ditto 0 0 0 Good Dregs 0 5 0 PRICE OF RAW FAT, per stone of Sibs Price of Tallow (as stated by the Tallow Melters) :a. 9d COAL MARKET. Ships arrived since last market day, 42. s. d. Carr's Hartley Chester _ . _ __ l6 0 - -- *. d. ) Walls End Riddell's lB. 6 W. E. Braddyll'stletton i Walls End Hetton 22 3 Walls End Lambton IWalls End Russell's Hetton •;1 P Walls End Stewart's Walls End Hartlepool. 22, 0 Tennant's Hartlepool `o 0 Walls End Evenwood l6 9 Cowptn IHoward's Netherten A/ ail lO 9 Old lanfield M00r..... lO 01 NeW Tan field Moor lll 01 Pontop Windsor Smith's Pontop l4 q Townley ........ West Hartley ...... West Wylam l6 0, Wylarn Walls End liee.ton l9 C i %Valls End Killingworth HAMBURG MARKETS GRAIN. Wheat, Manta '3OO to 327: Barley, Mecklenburgh 134 to 162 --- Ma:t;deburg .... :- 00 to 320' -- Magdeburgh... 105 to 171 --- Anhalt, white 304 to :3t --- Holstein ---------- red ... 300 to 327 -- Summer ll4 to 132 ----- Brunswick 294 to 3'7 Oats, Eider B4 to 102 Nlecklenburg.. 25s to 327 -- Mecklenburg -- Polish - Holstein Holstein - East niesland... 102 to 11l Rye, Mecklenburg -- Dantzic -- Elbing and Ko- Buck Wheat lOB to 19, nigsburg Upland -- Riga COTTON. Carolina and Tennessee 7 4to 0% Marrnham Georgia, Ist suit 714 lii Blaer4s S 3E 5 23 7 74 Sur& o. 3d and 4th .., fib 7 Do w_ugo ..... COFFEE.. ‘Tocha 11 to 13k, 'Domingo Batavia 514 514 Lx Guayra 4% Sumatra Porto Rico 6 7i Rio 4113 5 14 llavannah 4% :7% Bahia 414 5!4 SUGAR.—(Wit Havannah, White 3 to 4% Brown 24 2% Rio, White 2% 4 Brown Manilla, Brow ;h S% Discount.) Ba White to 2N Brown ` )1 .4 Pernambuco, White ...256 2y Brown 2% to QX HAMBURGH MAIL. STOCKHOLM, APRIL 20.—The proposal for a change in the representative system has come to the last stage of discussion. The Chambers of the Clergy and the Citizens have rejected the proposal of the Committee ; the Chamber of Peasants has agreed to it ; the Nobles have not yet concluded their debate on it. SrocrcnoLsr, Aram 23.—After an animated debate of throe days the Chamber of Nobles rejected the evening before yester doy the proposal of the Committee, for a change in the repre sentation, by a majority of 155 to 62; a long list of Members have indeed reserved their votes, but the fate of the projected measure is thereby deferred for full ten years, unless an Extra ordinary Diet should be convoked ; for even if the proposal should be brought forward again in the next Diet, the final de cision could not take place even in the most favourable case, till the following Diet.. Some of the Opposition papers speak in a rather revolutionary turn of this event. BERLIN, APRIL 24.—1 t is now decided that the walls of Potsdam shall be demolished by the King's order, which will open to the town the fine gardens and grounds in the environs. It is probable that the walls of Berlin will soon share the same fate, to be changed into Boulevards ; while Paris surrounds its old Boulevards with new bulwarks and brstiles. This is in deed the putrid spot of France, which, however, only isolates itself still more by this immense barricade, and thus offer an armed and fortified camp to the scum of all Europe to the ultras of every denomination. However we may be content with Paris as a frontier fortress; if it comes to the worst, these Babylonians will no more meet than those of Jericho. HANovER, APRIL 27,—His Majesty the King arrived here this afternoon from his visit to Brunswick. BERLIN, APRIL 25.—General Von Borstell has lately re ceived from -he Government a donation of 100,000 dollars, be cause it appears, as we hear, from the papers of the late King, that his Majesty intended to make him such a present.—Harn burgh Papers, April 30. HELM AN UNDS...ISIWISSICLI. MAY 1. Actual Debt, 53 per Cent. Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cent..— IOO% Loan of Thirty Millions, 4 per Cent... 3 per Cent. Thirtyseven• ----- (FP) ire g Loan of City, 183'2, 4 per Cent slg Society of Cornincrce, 4 1 ,4 per Cent JOO Bank of Belgium, 5 per Cent ..... . ..... National Society. .. — Exchange on Lon dom (short) —Brussels Papers, Ma y x 1. AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—Vienta, APRIL - = 3 , 16. five per Cents. Metalliques For per Cent 5............. ..................... Three p:.r Cents. 1654 Bank ?5ham ........... ................. .....- ............. —4llzentrine Zeigung. April 28 We understand that Colonel Fox, late Secretary to the Master-General of the Ordnance, has been appoint ed to th. 3 post of Surveyor to the Ordnance, vacant by the decease of Sr; Rufanc Donkin. We understand that Col. Fox is a candidate on the Liberal interest for the scat in Parliament vacated by the same lamented event. Dr. Short, the Rector of Bloomsbury, has been generally mentioned as likely to obtain the see of Sodor and Man, from which Dr. Penys is to be translated to that of Worcester. We are, however, assured that nothing final has been arranged with reference to the see thus vacated. • EVENING EDITION'. -- COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR., MONDAY.—The Queen, accompanied by the Princess of Leiningen, took an airing this afternoon in the Great Park, in a pony carriage and four, attended by the Counte'ses of Mount Edgecumbe and Erroll, Lady Barham, Lady Caroline Cocks, Laiv Ida Hay, Earl of Listowel, Colo nel \Vemyss, and Sir Frederick Stavin. His Royal Highness Prince Albert accomp , nied her Maje.ty on horseback, attended by Colonel Wylde and Captain Francis Seymour. The Royal party returned about six. O'clock to the Castle. His Excellency Baron Bulow arrives this evening on a visit to the Queen. _ _ The Rev. Charles Proby, the Hon. and Rev. Edward More, and Lieutenant-Colonel Ha 1, ist: Life Guards, will have the honour of joining the Dinner Circle at the Castle this evening, His Excellency Baron l-tfow, toe Privssian Minister, left town yesterday, on a visit to her Majesty, at Windsor Castle. Lord Ingestrie had an interview with Vitscount Melbourne yesterday, at his official residence to Downing -street Mr. West had an interview with the Marquis of Normanby yesterday, at the Home•office. Despatches were sent off last evening. from the Colonial office, for Lord Sydenham, Governor of Canada ; also for the Governors of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, ar.d Newfoundland. Despatches from the Governor of Gibraltar were received yesterday at the Colonial.offic2. POLISH LITERAItY ASSOCIA TION. Yesterday the anniversary mec leg of the London Li ter are Association of the Friends of Poland was held atdeir Chambers, i n D u k e - strest, St. James's. The chair was taken at two o'clock by Lord DUDLEY UOUTTS STUART, who said, that in con sequence of the absence of the Honorary Secretary, Mr. M•Donnell, who was detained in Ireland by illness, he supposed it was his first duty to read the Report of the proceedings of the Council for the last year. This was the ninth annual meeting of the Society, and althongh last year was not marked with much importance, yet it had af forded as much demand as any preceding year for the ex ertians of the Council. The sum voted by the Ileuse of Commons last sear for the relief of the exiles, thati 13,000/., was acesinpaniel by the same restrictions as the former grant; and, therefore, many claimants were still left upon this institution. There was a fete at Beulah Spa which, eotwithstanding every exertion of the Socieiy and its friends, produced only 294/., in consequence of the badness of the weather. Application was then made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to induce him to allow fifty of those who were excluded from the Government fund to be placed upon it, in the room of ore hun dred and sixty who had dropped off. This appli cation wan without effect, and, on the 4th of August, Lord Sandon in a luminous and able speech, stated the case of those unfortunate men, but as it was a regulation of the House of Commons, that no money grant should be voted except upon the proposition of a Minister of the Crown, Lord Sandon's motion fell to the ground, al though it was opposed by no one bat the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Menlo, the Secretary to the Treasury. Deprived of hope in this quarter the Council engaved the Villa of Cremorne, Chelsea, for a fete, which took place on the 19th of August. Some of the most eminent vocal performers volunteered their services for the occasion, and Mr. Green, the aeronaut, offered to ascend in his balloon without any remuneration. The day fixed for the fete (the 10th) was marked by a violent storm, which was felt in many parts of Europe, and on that day the Meg of the French had a narrow escape from ship wreck in entering the port of Calais. What could be ex pected at Cremorne House on such a day ? The expenses amounted to 189/., the receipts were but 471., leaving a loss of 1421. That deficiency, however, was made good by the subscriptions of the Council amongst themselves, Mr. Beaumont, the President, with his usual liberality contributing 50/. (Loud cheers.)The Report then warmly eulogised the intrepid conduct of Mr. Green on the occasion, who, notwithstanding the ens nifest hazard of the adventure, ascended in spite of the storm, and had a narrow escape with his life in the descent at Rainham, in Essex, but he suffered severe injuries and two of his ribs were broken. His companion, Mr. M`Don nell, the Hoe. Secretary, escaped without injury. An appeal was then made to the public for donations, and the total amount received above the expense of printing and advertisements was 260/. Amongst the contributors were Prince Albert, the Doke of Susses, the Duchess of Inver ness, the Duchess of Kent, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, &c. Mr. Pigou, whose munifi cence has been so often recorded in the Reports, contri buted 100/.—( Applause.) The Report then proceeded to stote the result of the application to the Corporation of London for the use of the Guildhall for a ball, which pro duced 6281. above the expenses. The Council returned thanks in the warmest manner to the Common Council, and especially the Committee who conducted the enter tainment. In the course of the Report the Council referred to the attacks which had been made upon the Association in the names of seventy-two refugeev, chiefly illiterate soldiers, who were the dupes of persons of superior rank, but most probably agents of Russia. The Council dwelt with great satisfaction upon the elec tion of one of the Vice-Presidents, the Marquis of Breadal bane, as Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow. He was the third member of this Council who bad attained that honour. The Report concluded by expressing an un diminished zeal in the cause of Poland, and an unabated confidence in the ultimate restoration of that noble people to liberty and independence. The lion. Colonel STANHOPE moved that the Report be received and printed, M 7. WiLnaanatt, M. P., seconded the motion, which was carried unanimotnly. Mr. CORBALLY then moved a resolution to the effect— " That toe warm that,lts of this Association are due to his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and the Nobi!ity and Gentry, for their kind patronage of the exertions made fur the benefit of the refugees during the pat year." It was unnecessary for him to dwell in that assembly upon the merits of those illustrious members of the Royal Family, but having been some years in Poland, he was able to say that the Poles were a noble and gene rous nation, and in their misfortunes were well worthy of such Royal patronage.—( Applause.) Lord C. FITZROY, in seconding the motion, congratu lated the Assciation on the patronage of these illustrious persons, and also on the latter part of the Report, in which it was shown that the Council tad so successfully over come all their difieuliie'. The Council merited the thanks of all friends of the cause, by the promptitude and success with which they had repelled the attacks made upon the Poles and their friends. A letter which ap peared in the Morning Papers on the 20th of March last, redounded to the credit of the Noble Lord in the chair. It was dated from Melton Mowbray, and was an able refuta tion of the article which was published in the preceding Qut.rterly Review. The resolution was carried unanimously, and amidst ap . plause. Mr. [LINTER GORDON said that when they were assem bled last year on this anniversary, the aspect of human af fairs seemed to promise that union of the constitutional powers cf Europe, to which alone one must look for the reiteraim of Poland. That prospect had since been over cast. But he trusted that the renewed friendship of Eng land and France would remove the cloud which had been drawn over that prospect.—(.llear, hear.) For as it was by the combiaation of the military Governments the partition of Poland had been effected, it was from the combination of the emstitutional powers they must expect her re-union. —( Hear, hear.) He concluded by moving thanks to Lord Sandon for his motion in the House of Commons last year. Mr. CORTAZZI seconded the motion, which was carried with applause. Resolutions of Thanks to Sir Stratford Canning for his motion on the subject of Cracow, and to the Meuwers of the Common Council and Corporation of the City of Lon don, for their assistance in promoting the success of the ball at Guildhall, were also passed with much applause. • I'. W. Beaumont, Esq., was re-elected President The Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord Panmure, Lord D. C. Stuart, and the Earl of Scarborough, nere elected Vice- Presidents. Lord D. C. STUART, in returning thanks for himself and his colleagues, expressed his satisfaction at seeing so many friends of Poland assemb:ed in that room on that occasion. It might have been supposed that there was now less occasion for exertion, and chat time had relaxed the oppression of the Emperor of Russia; but b. 5 tyrannical system every year produced fresh misery for the Poles; One would suppose that in ten years, which had lapsed since the last revolution, the Emperor's wrath might ilia" - been assuaged. Last year he transplanted the pessata ls from the estates of Prince Czartoryski and others . la Podolia into th e i n t er i or , o f Ru s sia, and supplied their I places with Russians.—(Great indignation.) Wbat would any one in that assembly feel, if in his country his fellow" countrymen and neighbours were dragged away to a foreign country, and their places filled with foreigne rs .—. (Hear, hear.) Another case of inconceivable cruelty bad recently been perpetrated. It was that of a Polish lady, the wife of Count Grocholwski, a refugee who bad found shelter in Switzerland, leaving his rife and daughter be hind him, the former being pregnant at tbe time. This lady obtained leave to visit her husband, taking with her 'shed forthwith' When she was their son, born after his father's exile. obliged to return to Poland, the child persuaded her to Nor was that all. leave him with his father. On her arrival at Warsaw. Prince Paskcwitch sent for, and told her that in leaving the boy she had committed a heinous bni crime. Her she was condemned to be married to a property was confiscated, and she was__ a to i t aSfiubretrhiae.r—((3reat pu n ishmentin indignati o n.) agin innocent daughter w as con _ seen.—( Shame, demned to be sent to a military colony--( Cries of " Shame, shame")—that is, p s o h d e ji h ia a , cl never of saving her from being mar. u ß rP u ° s s s e ian soldier, and to place her is compassionating the fate shame.)eoinmon soldier, T e n ob l es hoOmf of this innocent young lady, subscribed a sum amounting t r o ied s circumstances to be married to an officer. God knows it even then bard enough to compel was her to marry a man saw, if he she never w a s th e first ,o t o o o/ a . f c o n r ni t al he nn p prince on the earth. But the Emperor on being petitioned by these nobles of Podolia took tho money itideed, bnt refused to allow the girl to marry any but re private soldier.—( Shame.) He he money sa id he would direct 5001. o f t subscribed to be a pplied in some way to her use , but the remaining 4400/. sof • wa s applied to th e hospital St. Petersburgh.—( Shame.) The other officers of the Association were then elected. and thanks being voted with enthusiasm to Lord D. C. Stuart, the meeting separated. POLITICAL RELATIONS OF GREAT BRI TAIN WITH PERSIA.—Mc public are at last about to know something which may be depended on regarding the pre. sent anomalous state of our political relations with Persia, as we are promised in a forthcoming work, entitled " Three Years in Persia," by George Fowler, Esq., (a gentleman who, during his residence and travels in that interesting country, employed himself in obtaining all the in . formation on the subject procurable through the' many facilities he liossesFed), a full detail of Persian, Russian, and English diplomacy, and the extent to which the interests of this country have suffered by the supineness of certain persons. the vtilance of the Court of St. Patersburgb, and the want of honesty of the advisers of the Shah. In fact, the expo Lure of our foreign policy in the East, which we have been lad to expect in this work, is likely to attract the at tention of all classes of politicians.