The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 2. CATTLE STEALING (IRELAND) BILL. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) `Mr. S. CRAWFORD should oppose the Bill, believing that it would rather increase and perpetuate than dimi nish the evil complained of, because, in Ireland at least, persons convicted of the offence did not care for the in fliction of the utmost punishment which the law awarded for the offence. In support of this view he read the report of the trial of 4 young men for sheepstealing, who pleaded guilty, and besought the assistant-barrister who tried them to transport them, as if they were liberated after a short imprisonment they must commit some other crime, in order to provide the means of existence, for they were starving. He acceded to their prayer, and they were all transported for seven years, which seemed to gratify them exceedingly. This Bill provided that a suspected person might be brought before a magistrate, and if he could not show how the property came into his posses sion, and there was reason to think he had not come by it honestly, that he might be committed for not less than three months, or until a fine was paid. Why this would induce persons to commit the offence in order that they might obtain a comfortable asylum in prison. He opposed the Bill, and recommended its withdrawal, because he believed it would be alto gether inoperative. Arbitrary laws might be necessary, and he for one would support such laws if they were likely to do good, but this measure was not of that class. From the facts quoted by the Hon. Gentleman who had in troduced the Bill it appeared that the great cause of crime was absolute famine. Was it right, therefore, he asked, to pass a law like this against such a people as the Irish? The law as it stood was, in his mind, sufficient for the punishment of the persons with whom this Bill proposed to deal. Such palliatives would not do for Ireland. Great and sweeping measures would alone save that country from absolute ruin. —(Cheers.) Mr. GROGAN replied to the arguments of the Honourable Gentleman. Because a few persons, who found that their ill-repute prevented them from subsisting at home, wished to be transported when they were convicted, was property to be left at their mercy?—for his argument amounted to this. Was, therefore, no remedy to be applied to a glar ing and monstrous evil? He denied that the increase of sheepstealing had arisen from the state of the country. It was true poverty had increased, but he attributed the increase of this particular crime rather to the laity of the law. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") kffe maintained that the crime of sheepstealing had been gradually rowing and increasing, and he thought it was the ditty of the House to take measures to sup press it. Many private Members had ineffectually taken up the subject, but in his opinion its importance de manded that it should be looked into by Government. The criminal returns of Ireland proved beyond all doubt that the farmers suffered terribly from the depredations of thieves, and he should cordially support the Bill. Mr. J. O'CONNELL would also support the Bill if he thought it would have the effect of suppressing crime, but in his opinion it would rather act as an incentive. The present law was by no means so inoperative as some Honourable Members supposed, but if an addi tional measure were wanted for the protection of cattle and sheep, let some well digested and permanent mea sure be introduced. Meanwhile he should oppose this Bill and support the amendment. Lord BERNARD said it was the bounden duty of the Executive Government of Ireland to see that the property of her Majesty's subjects were properly pro tected. It was quite clear, however, from the returns that it was not, and in default of a better measure, he felt bound to support the Bill. Mr. BRIGHT wished to say a few words. If this Bill passed, every Irishman who had any mutton, or other animal food in his house, it was to be suspected that it had beea come by dishonestly. The principle of the Bill was most absurd, and of course unjust. It threw the onus probandi upon the accused, who was to prove, on going before a magistrate, that the meat he had in his house he had come by honestly, and in default of such proof, the property was to go to the informer. The Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Home De partment had very properly dealt with this Bill, and after what had fallen from him, it was hardly necessary for him to speak in opposition to the Bill.—(Hear.) He confessed, after what had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet and from the Noble lord, to the effect that they wished that the Bill had been altogether abolished.—(Cries of " No, no," especially from Lord Bernard, who exclaimed " Not abolished, but modified.") Certainly he understood such to be the case.—(Renewed cries of " No, no.") Order being restored the Hon. Member proceeded to say that this Bill was so similar I. a Bill brought in lately for the protection of pro perty in Ireland, that it appeared to be quite unnecessary. He wondered, under the circumstances, and after they had given such an opposition to this Bill, that the Go vernment allowed this Bill to be entertained for a mo ment. Sir H. W. BARRON entirely differed from the Hon. Gentleman on his right (Mr. Bright). He was quite sure that that Hon. Member was too honest a man to wish for a protection to thieves.—(Loud cries of " Hear.") This Bill was intended to promote the very object for which the Bill of the Right Hon. Baronet had been introduced. This was the beat protection for pro perty that had yet been devised for the yeomanry and the peasantry of Ireland, and it would be seen by their votes this day whether they were sincere or not in their profes sions of regard for the welfare of the peasantry of Ireland. This Bill would remedy a crying evil. He bad himself imported a superior breed of sheep from England for the purpose of giving employment and improvement to his own tenantry. Among these were several fine tups, which he had divided among the small farmers, in the expectation that the women an I girls of the family by attending to them, by the cleansiug, carding, and spin ning of their wool would obtain for themselves clothing and other necessaries.—(Hear, hear.) Would the Govsrnmeqt this day take any at( ps to deprive the poor tenantry of this advantage?—(Hear, hear.) But unless this Bill were passed they would do so. The sheep to which he had alluded had all been returned upon his hands. His tenantry bad told him that they were obliged to keep them in their houses at night, and could scarcely allow them to remain in their open pas tures during the day.—(hear, hear.) What evil did it do to a man if, when he was taken before a magistrate, he was obliged to say where he bought his leg of mut ton?—(Hear, hear.) The practice of the thieves who stole the sheep was to kill them on the spot, and leave the skin and all the offsltin the next ditch. In Galway the peasantry and farmers had felt this to be an intolerable evil, and they had consequently taken the law into their own hands.—(Hear.) When a sheep had been taken from any of the fields in Galway, the farmers assembled and went round the houses of the neighbourhood, and when they found any portions of a carcass which appeared to have been sus piciously come by, and the source whence it was derived not clearly explained, they brought out the owner and first gave him a right good beating—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—and then pulled his house down.—(Cries of "Hear, heir," and laughter.) This was a wild justice, and the question was, whether they would give regular law or Lynch law to the southern counties of Ireland. —(Hear.) This was essentially a poor man's law. They had a law to protect the property of the rich, and let them now pass another for defending that of the poor.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. NAk'IER eonceived, that although the Bill was not calculated to remedy the evils complained of, yet it was calculated to be of great benefit to Ireland. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL considered that if the Bill were permitted to pass it would abrogate the whole law in connexion with sheep-stealing which only a short time back was a capital offence. If they sanctioned the principle of summary convictions by magistrates for sheep-stealing, it would also have to be applied to horse stealing and other higher offences of that kind, punish able by transportation. Colonel SIBTHORP said he did not wonder at the sympathy of the Hon. Member for Manchester for rogues and vagabonds, but what would he have said if some one had stolen his turkey-cock?—(Laughter.) The sheep that were stolen were so skinned and cat up, that it was impossible afterwards to identify them ; and the railways facilitated the thieves in carrying them away and avoiding deteotion.—(Hear.) The poor farmers ought to have and would have protection. Mr. REYNOLDS said the Bill, which was one of pains and penalties, had been brought forward at a most extraordinary crisis, at a time when the Hon. Member who introduced it and those who supported him voted against a rate in aid, against granting any kind of relief to the people of Ireland—(Cries of "No, no")—and also against the imposition of an income-tax. He was not at all surprised at the increase of sheep stealing, and he was only astonished to see a sheep alive and 'in good health.—(Hear, hear.) If he were in the position of some of his cduntrymen, viz., in a starving date, and saw a sheep on the other side of the hedge, be would say to him, " I'll take care and live longer than you." There was a venerable Father Front who presided over a certain p arish in the county of Cork.—(Laughter.) When he tool' possession of his living in the parish, every man in it was infested by sheep stealers. The whole of his parishioners sought him to apply a remedy. Father Front said he saw no remedy but pro secuting the offenders. His parishioners replied that they did not like to be called common informers. " Then," s'id Fatlaer-Prout, " I will tell you what you do; whenever you meet with any one at a fair or a wake whom you suspect of purloining your sheep, put your hp up tug his ear and cry Ma-a, ma-a."—(Roars of laughter.) The venerable Father Front's instruc- tions were acted upon by his parishioners, and • from thenceforth there was no more sheep-stealing in their parish.—(Renewed laughter.) He (Ms. Rey nolds) would advise the Hon. Baronet the Member for Waterford to take a leaf out of Father Prout's book.— (Laughter.) He (Mr. Reynolds) deeply regretted that such a Bill had been introduced into that House, which went to curtail the social privileges of the people of Ireland. It was a calumny on the people of Ireland for any Member iu that HOuso to get up and designate them by wholesale as sheep stealers. He regretted that the time of the House had been taken up by such a Bill, and he sincerely hoped the Souse would not take the advice of the Hon. Member for Waterford.—(Cheers.) Mr. KEOGH said, whether this Bill passed into a law or not, he did not think it at Jail deserving of the criticism:which his Hon. Friend the 'Member for Dublin had lavished upon it. The Bill of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Bourke) had been supported by -petitions from almost every grand jury in Ireland; and ~from what he knew of his lion. Freud, he (Mr. Keogh) thought he was the last man in the world to s ee k to restrict" the. social liberties of the people of Ireland. .--(Hear, hear.) • It was not a Bill to restrict the soniga liberties of the people of Ireland, but it was a Bill tb restrict the felonious propensities of certain people who were engaged in committing depredations on a very de serving and a:verya)oor class of their fellow-countrymen. ,die w Mho; disposed to concur in the obserrotioa of his Hon. Friend, that this might be called a poor man's Bill. The wealthy man, who had immense flocks of sheep, could very well afford to employ a number of herds, to see that depredators, who availed them selves of the general poverty of the count. y to fix an imputation of theft on the poorer classes, did not purloin the sheep of their wealthy cmploprs. But the poorer class of farmers had no such protection. The object of the Bill was not to deal with steep-steal ing, but for the punishment of those who had mutton in their possession. The principle was not new. He saw no reason why the poor farmer should not have his property as much protected as the large landowner in Eng land, whose property was protected by stringent "venison laws." The principle had been admitted with respect to venison and timber, and persons having property of that kind, or such as lead, copper, &c., improperly in their possession, rendered themselves liable to be fined or imprisoned.—(Hear.) The conviction of but 500 per sons out of 1,080 committed last year for trial showed that there was some difficulty in the way of getting a conviction. He appealed to the House to support a necessary measure of this kind. He trusted the Bill would be read a second time, as in Committee it could be modified if found necessary.—(Hear.) Mr. SCULLY would not support the measure if he believed it would interfere with the rights and liberties of his poor fellow-countrymen who, he regretted, were so inadequately represented in that House. He sup ported the Bill because many poor farmers had been materially injured by the want of such a law, and read an extract from a petition presented from a grand jury in support of his views. —(Cheers.) Mr. HENLEY opposed the second reading of the Bill, and suggested its withdrawal, in order that it might be remodelled. After a few words from Mr. NAPIER in explanation, Colonel DUNNE said it was notorious that sheep stealing had increased to an enormout extent in Ireland, and he thought this Bill ought to be allowed to go into Committee in the hope of securing a remedy. Mr O'FLAHERTY could also assure the House that in his part of the country the crime of sheep stealing had of late greatly increased. Sir W. SOMERVILLE differed with many of the details of the Bill; but if it was understood that this alteration would be made in Committee, he would sup port the second reading of the Bill. After a few words of explanation from Mr. KEOGH, Mr. V. SMITH suggested that the best way of meet ing this case was to withdraw the Bill and introduce a new one. Mr. SPOONER agreed with this suggestion, and should vote against the Bill. Mr. STAFFORD said the course proposed by the Right Hon. Secretary for Ireland was a very fair and just course, and he hoped it would be adopted by the sup porters of the Bill. After a few words from Mr. AGLIONBY, _ . Mr. BOURKE said that the changes made in the Bill were not so extensive as many Members imagined, and the principle of the Bill was allowed to be good by both sides of the House. The ehanges were not greater than those which had frequently been made in other Bills which had afterwards passed the Legisla ture; yet if the Government world promise that they would themselves bring in a Bill upon the subject he would withdraw this, but unless he could obtain that pledge, feeling that the matter of the Bill was one of great importance to the welfare of Ireland, and that not less than eleven grand juries had petitioned in its favour, he should certainly go to a division. Mr. W. PATTEN suggested to the Hon. Mover of the Bill that he should withdraw it and introduce another, as upon principle he should vote against its second reading solely on the ground that it was against the practice of the House to pass a Bill which had been sub jected to such extensive alterations. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL reminded the Hon. Gentleman of his observations on the introduetioa of the Bill, and declined to give the required pledge. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the second reading ... ... 67 Against it ... 86 Majority ... --19 The Bill was consequently thrown out. CLERGY RELIEF BILL. Upon the motion for going into Committee upon this Bill, Mr. LACY moved that it be an instruction to the Committee to make provision for persons in holy orders being relieved by the said Bill, without such persons being obliged to declare themselves dissenters from the United Church of England and Ireland. Mr. M. MILNES seconded the motion, considering that the principle it involved was a correct one, espe cially with regard to the interests of the Established Church. The Bill placed a man in the baneful position of making a public declaration of a change in his religious opinions, and he thought tempted him to mix up temporal with religious motives. By taking the declaration, a man was not only divested of his ministerial character, but was considered afterwards to be an unfit member of the Church. He did not see that any difficulty could arise from the proposition of his Hon. Friend ; on the con trary, he thought that the clergy and the Church would be more efficiently served by its insertion in the Bill. Mr. BOUVERIE was op - posed to such an instruction being given to the Committee. The object of the Bill was t•) apply a specific remedy to a specific grievance— viz., of allowing a clergyman who had taken ordination vows, and had subsequently changed his opinions, to re lease himself from the discipline of the Church. His (Mr. Bouverie's) remedy was a simple one, that a person under those circumstances, delaring that he was a dis senter, should be relieved from that liability. The pro posal of the Hon. Gentleman was, not to apply a specific remedy to a specific grievance, but to enact a general law by which to enable all clergy men of the Church of England, when they saw . fit, to retire from the ministry of the Church of England.— (Hear.) That was a very wide proposition, and he (Mr. Bouverie) would not enter upon its discussion further than to say that it should be the object of a definite measure, but it ought not to be effected in a bye-way in a Bill of this kind.—(Hear, hear.) He should oppose the instruction. _ Mr. SPOONER would beg to remind the House that there were men in the Church of England who, feeling that they could not exercise its duties in a way consistent with their own consciences, sought to be delivered from the obligation to remain in that Church.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that that was a grievance well worthy of the consideration of the House, and the House ought not to set any obstacle in the way of such men seceding from the Church. He should sup port the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman behind him. Sir G. GREY would ask the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Spooner) if he knew an instance of any legal proceed ings being taken against a clergyman for abstaining from doing duty in the Church ?—(Hear ' hear.) He meant abstaining from taking duty in the Church of England who had a conscientious objection to do so? Mr. SPOONER said he knew an instance of a clergy man, who, feeling that he could not conscientiously re main in the Church had left it; but afterwards thinking he was wrong in leaving the Church, and his conscientious scruples being removed, he had returned to the Church, and had become one of the useful members in it. Mr. FOX said the case of John Wesley was precisely in point. He ceased from his ministry in the Church, yet he retained his membership of that Church, and his attachment to it ; and not only the founder but the entire body of the Wesleyan denomina tion during the lifetime of its founder was precisely in the same condition. Holding certain opinions different from that Church, it was yet their practice to repair to their parish church to receive the sacrament, indi cating by that custom that whatever might be the original cause of their secession from the Church of England, it was not such a one as alto gether to dissolve their connexion with its communion. —(Hear, hear.) John Milton, too, was prevented in his youth from entering into the Church of England as a minister, because he could not, as he , says in his writings, sign himself " slave.' Those and kindred scruples were very much entitled to the respect of the House. He saw the following adver tisement in the Times a short time ago:—" Provision for a son in the Church.—The next presentation to a living, the incumbent aged 76, population of 150, glebe 50 acres, value 3001.," and so on. It was in this way that many a young man was led into the Church, and if afterwards he found he was unfit for it—if it required duties which he had not the moral energy to discharge, what m•re honourable thing than for him to retire ?—(Hear, hear.) Sir G. GREY said the proceedings against the Rev. John Wesley were not to compel him to, officiate_ in the Church, but to prevent his officiating in it.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. AGLIONBY said it had always appeared to him degrading to the Church the having men in its pale wholly unfit to officiate in its communion. He had seen men in the Church who were actually a disgrace to it; 'he meant professed hunters and shooters, and men of that kind. Mr. G. THOMPSON said he would most cordially support the motion of the Hon. Gentleman, and he hoped, if the Bill were passed at all, that it would give a full measure of relief to all who entertained conscien tious scruples on the subject of remaining in the Church as ministers. But if the motion were lost he, for one, would be disposed to throw out the Bill altogether, as unfit for the consideration of the House.—(Hear, hear.) Sergeant TALFOURD said he differed altogether from the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down. If the instruction to the Committee were carried, it would im pose upon him great difficulty as to supporting the Bill, which involved considerations of a very serious descrip tion. If the House permitted every young man, as was suggested, to take upon himself holy orders as a mere experiment—(Hear)—not with regard to his ultimate fit ness for the office, but as an experiment with regard to his success in that or any secular employment, he thought it would commit a most serious change in the law. Mr. R. PALMER said he cordially agreed with the observations of his Hon. Friend, and he could not refrain from entering his protest against the manner in which the motion proposed to interfere with the constitution of the Church of England.—(Hear , hear.) The Church was a religious society, and its in herent principle was, that those who took the solemn vows at ordination should be subject to them as long as they continued members of the Church. It would be a gross outrage to the feelings of all who regarded the Church, not as a mere State institution, but as a society having certain' doctrines and certain discipline, to inter fere in an arbitrary way, and say that those who de sired to leave the Church, but not to become Dissen -1 ters, should remain members of it, and exempt from al the vows they had made.—(Hear, hear.) The practical grievance suggested by the Hon. Memb er for Oldham was not of a person desiring to relinquish his minis terial office, but of one' who continued his ;ministerial labours, but not according to , the doetaine of the Church of England. He trusted that the House would never allow in a Bill which had been read a first or a second time a principle to be incidentally introduced entirely opposed to that which was intended when the Bill was first brought in. —(Hear.) Mr. CLAY nig that without &aging himself to either the Bill or the amendment he was quite dissatis fied with the present state of the law. Mr. BRIGHT said that this Bill was intended to remedy a great grievance. It was very true that many persons entered into the orders of the Church of Eng land, as others did also into Dissenting congregations, without either a due consideration of the duties to which they were binding themselves, or they did so from im• pulses to which all young persons were liable. Yet, if in after times, when, either from perceiving that they were incompetent to the discharge of functions to which they had been promoted either from the possession of Church patronage in their families, or from some other cause, they were unable to enter into any trade or into any other profession—(Hear, hear)--what this Bill pro vided was, that those who had once entered into the orders of the Church should thence and for ever be precluded from the privileges which were enjoyed by every lay subject of the realm.—(Hear, hear.) This was a matter which much more intimately con. cerned members of the Church than it did him, who was a Dissenter; but he did think that they ought to be relieved from that difficulty which the Church in terposed to her clerical members from entering into any other profession, and that was an evil which in his opi nion ought to be removed. Mr. GLADSTONE was anxious to prevent the im pression that any case of persecution had taken place under any authority of the Church. The law, let it be what it might, was one passed for social and political, and not any exclusively ecclesiastical purposes.(Hear.) It was true that greater obstacles were presented to the transference of those who had once entered into holy orders from that profession to any other; and when he looked at the solemn duties which they had deliberately undertaken to fulfil he did conceive that some check should be placed upon a frivolous abrogation of their claims.—(Hear, hear.) Many pointed and . pertinent observations ha d been made upon the levity with which these duties were in many instances assumed, and he did think that those observations were the best arguments that could be adduced in support of those rules which had been adopted for the proper regulation of the Church. After a few words from Mr. Evans and Mr. Hope, and from Mr. Lacy, in explanation, the House divided, when there appeared— For the instruction ... Against it ... Majority against it ... The instruction was consequently lost. The Ist, 2d, and 3d clauses were then agreed to with some verbal amendments. ... ... 65 132 -67 Clauses 4 and 5 were also agreed to. On clause 6 being proposed, Mr. HENLEY suggested that the clause should be divided into two as it embraced two, distinct parts of the subject. Mr. BOUVERIE agreed with the suggestion and consented to the clause being so divided. Mr. LACY moved that all the words after the words " may be" in line 33 of clause 6 be omitted. The CHAIRMAN said, before they could entertain the amendment, they must consent to the division. The division was accordingly agreed to, and the first part was agreed to as clause 4. On the other part of the clause being put, Mr. LACY renewed his amendment, which is given above. Mr. FOX said, under the present state of the law a seceding clergyman was pursued to the very grave for seceding from the Church.—(Hear, hear.) The House would seem to pursue a seceding clergyman in a vindic tive spirit simply because he was a seceding clergyman. Mr. WALPOLE said the proposition merely left a discretion in a clergyman of the Church of England to administer the rites and ceremonies of the Church in the same way as he would do to any other person who was a Dissenter from the Church.—(" No, no.") After a few words from Mr. BOUVERIE, Mr. GLADSTONE could not understand, when they dispensed with all penalty and formality, that the Bill would convey a stigma upon Dissenters. Dissenters were not excluded from taking holy orders in connexion with the Church—indeed, there were hundreds of clergymen of the Church who were formerly Dissenters. On these grounds he did hope that the House would take a view in conformity with this suggestion, so that as the consciences of all men were entitled to respect, the clause might pass without any obstacle to its effective operation.—(Hear, hear.) Sir G. GREY said that he was certainly impressed with the necessity of treating with respect a clause which bad come recommended by the unanimous approval of the Committee, but the question was what was the meaning put upon the clause by the Committee. The Hon. and Learned Member who had just stated his conviction with respect to the Bill, and than whom there was no one to whose opinions he was inclined to pay more respect, had stated that his object was to place all Dissenters in the same position—(Hear, hear)—but yet he made a considerable difference between those who bad first been members of the ecclesiastical body, and those who had not. Now he thought that all Dissenters ought to be placed in the same position by this Bill, and it did seem a hard case that because any one happened to have been in holy orders that they were not en titled as much as others to have their marriages cele brated or their burials conducted according to the rites of the Church of England.—(Hear, hear.) lie was not sufficiently learned in ecclesiastical law as to be able to speak positively, but he did believe that the law of the land and the law of the Church was this, that any clergyman couli be compelled to adminster the rites of burial to the corpse of any person not pro scribed by the law. At any rate, such was the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench, and the clause was com petent to all the purposes which it was intended to ac complish. Mr. TURNER said that, looking at the constitution of the clause as it stood, there appeared to be no proba bility of its answering the purpose for which it was framed. _ _ . Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER said that, as a Member of the Select Committee, he felt it to be his duty to as sist the House as far as he was able from the experience be had attained in the Select Committee. It was his impression that the views of his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for Midhurst (Mr. Walpole), and of his Right Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for the University of Oxford (Mr. Gladstone) were quite reconcileable with each other. Mr. R. PALMER said he must say that he had most acute sympathy with those clergymen who scrupled to administer the rites of the Church, and who, whether in . morals or doctrine, were decidedly opposed to its principles. Colonel THOMPSON suggested that the fair thing would be to let the House know exactly what was meant by the clause, and then to see if something could not be introduced to meet with general satisfaction. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON said the Select Committee had passed the clause unanimously, but ho did not believe that any of the Committee knew of the harsh and unchristian way in which it would operate. After a few words from Mr. GLADSTONE, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it highly in expedient that the clause should be introduced in its present form. His objection to it was of a twofold cha racter—first, because it put a particular class of dissent under certain penalties; and second, because the canon law was set up against the civil law.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. SPOONER asked the Attorney-General whether, if a clergyman seceded from the Church, a minister of the Establishment could refuse afterwards to marry him? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that would be the effect of the clause in its present form. After a short discussion, Mr. P. WOOD suggested that the clause should be withdrawn. The Committee then divided, when there appeared— For the clause 57 Against it _ _ Majority against --61 The clause was consequently rejected. The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and the House resumed. COPYHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT BILL. The second reading of this Bill was postponed. BANKRUPTCY (IRELAND) BILL. This Bill was read a second time. SEQUESTRATORS' REMEDIES BILL. This Bill was read a third time. SUPPLY. The report of the Committee of Supply was ordered to be brought up on Friday. The Exchequer-bills Bill (17,786,7000 was read a third time and passed. The House adjourned at Six o'clock. FRAN CE. The following is published in a supplement of the Semaphore of Marseilles :—" The steam frigate San:4, which left Civita Vecchia on the 517th, arrived here this morning. We learn by her that the troops forming the French expedition disembarked at Civita Vecchia on the 25th and 26th. They occupied the town without being compelled to have recourse to force. Immediately on his arrival, Gen. Oudinot addressed a note to the Government, demanding admittance into the town. The latter consulted with the authorities, and, after two hours deliberation, the gates were opened to our troops, who were received with sym pathy by . the inhabitants. The following order of the day was immediately issued : Soldiers, the French flag floats on the forts of Civita Vecchia. We had expected that we should be compelled to effect a landing by force, and every measure had been adopted to secure its success; but we are inspired with the idea of our Government, which, associated with the generous feelings of Pius IX. wished to avoid as much as possible the effusion of blood. The authorities of Civita "Vecchia yielding to the wishes of the inhabitants, opened the gates of the town to us at the first summons. This reception, you will feel, adds to our duties ; it would aggravate any breach of discipline ; it commands us not only to respect the people, but to keep up the most friendly relations with them. The fleet will, in a few days, bring us considerable reinforcements. Soldiers of the land forces, I am your organ in thanking our brethren in arms of the navy ; it is to their powerful co operation that we owe our first success. (Signed) "' OUDINOT DE REGGIO.' " A part of the French troops are quartered in Civitia Vecchia, and the rest are encamped under the walls and in the neighbourhood. The duty of the town is confided half to the French and half to the Roman troops. The steam flotilla left Civita Vec chia on the 27th for Toulon, where it will embark fresh Troops. The Sane will return immediately with a squadron of Chasseurs." The 11T091 ,, e11;ste has the following :—‘ Not only did our soldiers meet with no opposition, but they were received with acclamations by the people and by the National Guard. Our flag, united with the Pontifical colours, ';as Wen hoisted on all points of the to wo. the departure of the steamer, it was reported that the Triumvirate of Rome were directing all their dis posals; Rives ors Girita Yeccbilai but this dew-antra. 17 . lion was not regarded in a serious light, and, on the ; first opportunity, the battalions of the Roman Re public will not fail to disband themselves. The fol -1 lowing is the proclamation addressed by General Ou dinotiimmediately on his landing : . " Inhabitants of the Roman States! In prdsence of the events which agitate Italy the French Republic re solved to send a corps d'arm€e on your territory, not to defend the present Government, which it has not recog nised, but to avert great misfortunes from your country. France does not arrogate to herself the right to regulate interests which are before all, those of the Roman people, and which extend themselves to the whole of Europe, and to all the Christian world; she has only considered that by her position she was particularly called on to interfere to facilitate the estab lishment of a regime equally removed from the abuses which have been for ever destroyed by the generosity of the illustrious Pius IX., and from the anarchy of late days. The flag which I have just hoisted on your shores is that of peace, of order, of conciliation, and of true liberty. Round it will rally all those wh o wish to co operate in the accomplishment of this patriotic and sa ( Ted work. (Signed) " OUDINOT DE REGGIO." AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY. The late reverses of the Imperial army in Hungary have caused the Prussian Government to concentrate an army of observation on the frontiers of Austrian Silesia. The Russian army (which some time ago attempted to force the defiles of the Rothenthurm) has now entered Transylvania by the Buko wine and by the Turzburg defiles near Cronstadt. A second attempt to force the defiles at Rothenthurm, which one part of their army made, proved a com plete failure. It is likewise asserted that the Rus sian intervention will not be confined to Transylvania, but that another Russian army is about to enter the Austrian territories at Cracow. The news from Pesth is to the eff ec t th a t th e Hun garians have obtain• ed possession of the island of Schutt (on the Danube), and that they hav e cu t cff the retreat of the Imperialist army. The Aus trian Commander-in• -Chief's head-quarters were at Raab, but beyond this nothing was known at Vienna of the respective p os iti ons o f the contending armies. According to the last advices, the vanguard of the Russian army, composed of Cossacks, had already entered that city. It was not, however, supposed that these Cossacks would come to Vienna, but it was generally thought they would at once proceed to Upper Hungary. DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES Our Hamburgh papers are of the 29th ult. They contain no news of general interest, a complete calm having set in after the late stormy events of the Danish war. PRUSSIA. The Stcutte Anzeiger publishes a letter from the Prussian Government to the Prussian Plenipotentiary at the Court of hi s Hi g h ness th e R eg e n t, in which the K i ng of Pru ss i a ' s G overnmen t ma k es a fi n al and positive declaration respecting the hereditary Imperial dignity, as offered by the Frankfort Parliament, which it refuses to accept. This Prussian document (a translation of which will appear in a later number) bears the date of the 28th ult. It is signed by the Prussian Premier, the Count Brandenburg. CABRERA. The Union states that a gentleman in Paris has received the foll ow i ng letter from Cabrera, dated Marseilles, April 27 : " I have been arrested in a house on the ex treme frontier, where I had come to in order to fulfil a mission, and not as a fugitive, since I had fought w i t h t h e enemy three days, and dispersed them. Ihavejust arrived at Marseilles , and l a m on the point of setting out under escort for Toulon. I have only time to write to you these few lines, in order that you may take proper steps with the Ministers and Pre sident of the Republic to obtain my enlargement. Un der a rigimo of liberty can a foreigner be treated as under the infa mous t yran ny of Louis Philippe? I have faith in your Government. I wait your reply, which without doubt will be an order to set me at liberty; that circumstance will enable me to reach one of the frontiers of the Republic." WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAIL. mail l ou s T te H a A m m e rr r Symonds, has royal ju.st ° M N' ed W wa E y D , and Pacific arrived here with the usual West India p A t Y ain M° S il y s before her mails are due here. She has made a most maTilhs,eimn Medway y e hoafsLcioemute. inC u g l u l, it ß e R.N., unexpectedly, Admiralty fi a v g e e d n a t y . WEDNESDAY rapid voyage, occupying less than sixteen days from St. Thomas. She brings 45 passengers and the following on freig ht:— l 48,986 dolls in silver; 361,948 dolls in bars , gold coin and gold bars, value 400,965 dolls., of which 100,000 o fsilver; dolls. is Californian gold, melted into bars at Lima and shipped thence for Panama and Southampton; also Bri • tish coin, value 3081.; plating, value 2831.; pearls, value 5001.; 135 serons indigo; 36 bales of sarsaparilla; and 56 packages sundries. From Jamaica our advices are to the 9th ult. The Teviot, with the Ist of March mails, did not reach Ja maica till the 7th April. The delay was occasioned by heavy weather and detention at Havannab. Fine showers had fallen during the fortnight pre ceding the Medway's sailing. The markets remained dull, more so than before the recent trifling improve ment. Sugar was quoted 13s. to 16s. per 100 lb ; pimento, 2d. per lb. Freights dull, and quoted to Eu rope, 3/. and 41. per ton for sugar; 4d. and sd. per gallon for rum; and ss. Bd. to 3s. 4d. per lb. for pimento. Exchanges—Colonial Bank, 90 days, * per cent. premium-60 days, 1 per cent.; Jamaica Ba n k, 90 d a y s , *per cent. premium— 60 days, 1 per cent. premium -30 days, 11 per cent.; on New York, 3 and 4 per cent. premium. Our advices from Demerara extend to the sth ult., and are of a more pleasing complexion (politically speaking) than have for some time been received from that colony. The combined Court was again sitting, and had concluded to resume the financial business of the colony, and a per fectly good understanding seems to have been restored between Governor Barkly and the Court. The weather had been wet, and very little sugar had been made since the departure of the previous mail. From Barbadoes, under date the Bth of April, we learn that the crop would not exceed 28,000 hogsheads. Tha Import Act expired on the 7th ult., and the trea sury of the island would lose 300 dolls. per diem till the Act should be renewed. The Home of Assembly was not complete, and was only sitting as a Judicial Court trying controverted elections. The island was healthy. Trinidad letters of the 7th ult. mention that the weather continued excellent, and the getting in of the crops was being rapidly proceeded with. In Antigua the weather was distressingly dry, and serious inconveniences felt for the want of water. Sugar making was going on, but in many instances the canes yielded but poorly. The small-pox having appeared in Martinique and Guadalope, the Governors of the various West India Islands were making preparations to prevent the disease from being introduced to the British Islands. One very decided case had occurred at Antigua. INDIA. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. REPORT ON THEE® ATE OF TEE BOMBAY RKETS. PROM THE 17TH MARCH TO THE 2D APRIL INCLUSIVE. Monday Afternoon, Five o'clock, 2d April. Our markets generally, both for imports and exports, continue in a healthy state, owing to the former being only btlie,n4e unclecesa l e e q aa u isny a t l .a i t a o e thed at their corresponding consumption, and the value latter in having Eng land, and both these results are attributable to the pru dence of our merchants. The money market also con- Cotton Piece Goods—Since our last there has been shoc recededfaavmreca d p a readily ptattire.aeaoonkitidhaa only one arrival of these fabrics, consisting of about g e have ae veG c en h r i a e ay f idyv Manchester o f. The goods, market con tinues an Good s dispose d c f ed a a n r n e a pervery — fui ste ly wn on et e s piece. Forty inch shirtings of all descriptions con tinue in good demand, while for 45-inch an active inquiry exists. and they are steadily moving off. Supplies the e s x continue a n r aatnhuear per large, and piece. prices cnar se hav make have 38-inch, 24-yard descriptions are in brisk demand; as also T cloth and longcloth. The finer qualities of do mestics are in slight inquiry; the coarser descriptions are dull. Bleached Goods—Shirtings and jacconets are in very good demand, and full prices have been obtained. Ma dapollams are in steady demand. Satin Spots have suffered a decline of fully four annas per piece. Fancy Goods —Mull-mull, orange dresses, gray and bleached stripes, are in good demand, but Lappets, especially low to middling qualities, are dull of sale. Dyed Goods— For Turkey plain the market is tolerably steady, but sales in twilled and printed cloths are dull. Cotton Yara—Continues in good demand, and prices have further advanced for both mule and water, except ing Nos. 20, which continue without improvement. Water Twist. - 85 bales, 3001 b. each, Nos. 20, 22, 24, 26, at 6ja.; 30, at 7s. 9-16ths per lb. 40 bales, 4001 b. each, Nos. 20, 22, 24, 26, at 64a., ditto. 33 bales, 100 lb. each, No. 30, at Sa. 5-16ths, ditto. 41 bales, 4001 b. each, No. 20, at 6a., ditto. Mule Twist. 20 bales, 3001 b. each, No. 40, at 7a. 9-16ths, ditto. 100 bales, 3001 b. each, No. 2, at sa. 9- 6ths, ditto. 150 bales, 301 b. each, No. 20, at 54a. ; 30, at 614. ; 40, at 7i4.; 50, at 84a. ; 60, at 10s., ditto. 120 bales, 3001 b. each, No. 20, at sia. ; 30, at 7a. ; 40, at 78a., ditto. 60 bales, 3001 b. each, No. 40, at Ba., ditto. Mule and Water Twist-150 bales, 2001 b. each, No. 30, at 7a, ; 40, at 7ia. ; 30, at 81a., ditto. Dyed Yarn—Orange is in good demand, while Turkey red is dull; the only sale of the latter reported during the past fortnight being one of 20 bales, Nos. 40 and 50, at I_s-16r. per lb. Metals—English bar iron has been in good inquiry, as also Swedish, but without any improvement in value. Sheet iron and nail rod are not much sought after, and price, are rather lower than at date of last report. For copper the market continues steady. The stocks of ail descriptions on hand arc m oderate. A parcel of S ou th American has !:en received 7 China, but its 5 - ale has not yet u eeu effected. SpeILL: cAluv, and but a moderate stock is on hand. There is no pig or sheet lead in the market, and the demand for them p good. 150 candies English bar iron ... at Rs. 33 12 as. per cdy. 400 cwt. Spelter 10 12 as. per cwt. Cochineal—There has been no recent importation of this article, and the market continues bare of stock. A large quantity is, however, on the way out, chiefly be longing to natives, who are freely offering it on sale to arrive, at our quotations, but only a few thousand pounds have been disposed of. The dealers are not now willing to give so high a price; and as our season is advancing, we do not expect the present quotation will be main tained. _ _ Saffron—A sale of 3001 b. is reported at 13r. per lb. Since then 8401 b. have been imported by the last steamer; and as further large importations are antici pated by future steamers, dealers have become more cautious, and the market remains ♦ery dull, our quota tions being merely nominal. Marine Stores—Canvass, both bleached and brown, as as also sewing twine, spirits of turpentine, and linseed oil are in good demand. For paints and cordage a steady inquiry exists. Beer—None of Allsopp's last October brew has as yet reached this market, but we observe that sales in it have had effect at Calcutta at 85r. per hogshead. Arrivals of this celebrated brew are now daily looked for here, where it will, we doubt not, command high prices. Bass's is reported to have been sold to the extent of 100 hogs heads, at 60r. Spiiits—Both brandy and gin in wood are in steady demand. Woollens—Fine qualities are scarce, and much wanted; low and middling are not much inquired after, and stocks continue light. EXPORTS. Cotton Wool—Soon after the departure of the last mail the market became dull, and Dhollera declined to 79r. Since the arrival of the mail of the 24th February on the 30th ult., prices have again advanced, and large purchases have been made for the English market. The supplies coming in from the interior are increasing with the advancing season. Opium—The price of this drug has still further ad vanced, owing to the favourable advices received by the last steamer from China; and purchases to a larger ex tent than usual have been made. We give 1,400 r. per chest as the quotation of the day. FREIGILTS.—ShortIy after the date of last report the rate to both London and Liverpool declined to 31. 12s. 6d., but since the arrival of last English mail it has again rallied, and we have heard of engagements to Liverpool as high as 41. to 41. 2s. 6d. For London we do not quote above 31. 15s. To China it has further re duced to 13 rupees per candy. ExcimioEs.:--On'the forenoon of the day of the ar rival of the China mail transactions had effect at Is. 1011 for Bank's, and at Is. lOid. for Jardine's and other first credits. Soon after, these rates gradually declined; and we to-day quote is. 10d. for the former, and Is. 10 1-16 d. to is. 10iel. for the latter, 6 months' sight. STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian.) MANCHESTER, MAY I.—On Saturday and Mond a y there were indications of i mprovement in business, which have somewhat subsided to day, partly in consequence of a telegraphic announcement of renewed troubles at Berlin, and partly of information by the Niagara, that cotton was rather declining in the American ports. It is felt, however, that in some departments of our trade we are, for the present at least, tending in the direction of a better state of things. The buyers of yarns for the European continent can no longer lay their hands on such cheap stocks as recently weighed down the market. Those are cleared oft and something like a steadying process seems to be commencing. We have an increase of business as compared with this day week; and still more would be done, but that prices which, in many in stances, were: accepted at that time, are now declined. There is no doubt, however, that the merchants are in some degree restrained in their operations by the tidings from Berlin. Any revival of internal or interna tional strife in Europe must now prove peculiarly injurious to commerce. In yarns for homo manufacture, there is some appearance of greater steadiness. On the other hand, there is some wavering, if not yielding, in the prices of India qualities from No. 30's to 60's. Wide skirtings, from 56 to 64 reeds, are in good demand for the East; they are exceedingly scarce; and the makers, being much under contract, are inclined to enhance their prices. In 40-inch 66 and 72 reeds, however, the pre• vious dullness remains undisturbed. Madapollams and 6-4th jacconets are becoming rather less firm, under a diminished demand. The better kinds of 7-8 printers are inanimate; but the lower qualities are in request, at full rates. In longcloths rather more has been done; but stout T's, domestics, fustians, and heavy goods of all sorts, are at least as greatly depressed as they were last week. ROCHDALE, APRIL 30.—We have had more inquiry for pieces, and a better attendance of buyers in the mar ket to-day, than on the previous Monday, but very little business has been transacted. In the wool market there is little doing, and prices much the same as last week. Murex, APRIL 28.—Were it not for some tolerably large orders for the American market, there would be little or nothing doing in worsted goods, as the home trade is exceedingly flat, and the intercourse with the continent is interrupted. There has been but a slendtr attendance of merchants in our Piece Hall to-day, and not much business transacted. The spinners are not so full of orders as t h ey were, and few fresh orders are giving out ; but prices do not manifest much ten dency to recede. Wool is very quiet, and the turn in favaur of the buyer. LEEDS, MAY I. —During the last week there has been a pretty good business doing in the warehouses, and an improved feeling was manifested in the market on Saturday. This continued to-day, and more busi ness has been done than on Tuesday last. Owing to the near approach of the continental wool fairs, wools are flat. AN OLD MISER. --- YARMOUTIL—The following story, the truth of which we have satisfactorily ascertained, has within the last few days excited the attention of some of our local au thorities. An old woman named Mutton, whose hus band is a coal carrier, residing in a Row on the quay, had complained of being somewhat unwell for a few days prior to the 12th ult., on which day her husband, when he returned from the pursuit of his usual avocation, found her to be so ill as, in his opinion, to need assist ance, and he offered to help her to bed, an offer she gladly accepted, but which came too late, as she expired before he could get her there. It had always been sus pected that she possessed money, but it could never be ascertained with certainty. So soon, however, as the wife was dead, the husband, whose cupidity, it seems, ex ceeded his grief, commenced a search for the recovery of this hitherto imaginary wealth. Already golden visions passed before him, and Californian riches seemed to invite his acceptance. Apparently well aware of the probable nature of the materials in which the hoards would be secreted, and shrewdly suspicious that certain places into which he had long been forbidden to pry, were the depositories of the anticipated treasures, he carefully examined sundry broken jugs, pieces of rag, and other equally valuable relics of antiquity. Fully aware that great riches like great merit are sometimes hidden beneath rough and uninviting exteriors our hero did not despise or turn away from the most repulsive collections. And well, it seems, he was rewarded. Within the multiplied folds of rags which had long ceased to serve any other useful purpose, the portraits of the pr esen t and preceding monarchs f these realms beamed fprth in bold relief from gold and silver pieces, such as might' excite the wishes of the covetous and gratify the desires of the miser. But it was not suddenly nor at once that the extent of his riches were developed. About forty pounds is said to have been the proceeds of the first search. Encouraged by this success, the husband, like some patient miner, pursued his search. Every corner of every cupboard was explored, and every likely article was carefully examined. His success continued till it is said some 160/. had been brought together, a sum of large magnitude to one who, but a f ew h ours before, was wanting the common necessaries of lif e . Th e sudden accession to such a fortune was not likely long to remain a secret, and there were certain indications in the con duct of the husband at the funeral that new means had been discovered for gratifying certain bacchanalian pro pensities. It soon became noised abroad that the wife had starved herself to death to hoard up wealth, which bade fair soon to be dissipated at the shrine of the jolly god. The report reached, among others, a gentleman whose peculiar duty it was to make some inquiries re specting the case, and it was soon ascertained that th e story about her sudden death was true; that a surgeon was called in to see her, but life was extinct before his arrival. Prior to a certificate of burial being issued, the law required that some one present at the death should certify as to the cause of death, but in this case, at tended as it was by circumstances that might be sup posed to demand some inquiry, a certificate of burial was issued upon a note given by the surgeon, stating that deceased was dead at the time of his arrival, and that he could not say what was the cause of death. We believe the registrar, who it seems erred from oversight, has so had his attention called to the subject as will in future prevent a similar occurrence passing unheeded. ALLEGED MURDER FOR THE SAKE OF BURIAL FEES. The greatest excitement prevails at the present time in Hastings and its vicinity, in consequence of a female having been apprehended on a charge of administering poison to her husband and three of her children, grown-up young men. The circumstances which transpired, and led to the prisoner's apprehen sion, were the following : It appears that at the foot of the White Hart-hill, in the parish of Guestling, resided, up to last Sept., a hard-working man, named Richard Geering, and his wife, with five grown up sons, two daughters, and four younger children. The father, who belonged to a benefit society, held at the White Hart, died on the 13th September last, at the age of 56. The sudden manner of death gave rise to a belief that the man had died from a disease of the heart, and he was buried in the parish churchyard, the prisoner receiving at the time 5/. from the club. On the 27t1' of Dec., one of the sons, aged 21, named George, died from what was supposed to be pericarditis. On the 6th of March, a second son named James Geering, also died, aged 26. This party was also a member of the same benefit society as his father had belonged to, This son's death was registered as being caused from gastritis.) IA few weeks since a third son was taken ill with violent vomitings. He was attended by the same surgeon, but circumstances arose which induced a desire that another surgeon should be called in, which was done, and the medical men having pre scribed, the son recovered, and contemplated going to S or Is again Tl' , v;og io fur recovered, no further notice was taken of him by the medical men, until Mr. Ticehurst, the surron,.re celYecl illf9rnaNtiga tblit the 5911 r$ g twwi oed with vomiting. He immediately proceeded to the house, and on examining the matter the son had brought off his stomach he detected the presence of arsenic. The coroner having been informed of the suspicion attached to the death of the husband and the two sons, that functionary at once gave orders for the three bodies to be exhumed, which was accordingly done, and on Thursday afternoon a jury assembled, and were sworn in. The CORONER informed the jury that, from what he had heard, he felt it to be his duty to cause an inquiry to be made into the cause of the deaths of the several parties named above. The jury then proceeded to the churchyard, where the several coffins were opened, and the stomachs and intestines of the deceased were removed, for the pur pose of being submitted to Professor Taylor, for the application of the proper tests. The bodies were afterwards re buried, and the jury bound over to appear again, when the analysis is complete. The inquest was, therefore, adjourned sine die. The whole of the intestines and stomachs were in a remarkable state of preservation. On February the 27th, Mary Anne Geering, the prisoner, was brought before W. Briscoe, Esq., at the Town Clerks office. She is a well-look ing woman, about fifty years of age. Mr. Thomp• son, the superintendent of the East Essex constabu lary, said that he had apprehended the prisoner on a charge of administering poison to her Eon Benjamin, 18 years of age, who was then so ill as to be unable to attend. He had searched the house, and found a paper with the word " poison" marked thereon. It contained a red precipitate. He told the prisoner that she was charged with administering arsenic to her son, when she replied that she had not had any in her house for many months. Mr. Henry Dilman, chemist of Hastings, said that he had known the prisoner for twenty years. She was at his shop on the 2d of April, when she had a mixture. He had sold her many pennyworth/ of arsenic. She had some about the 12th of February. She had some several times during the autumn of last year. Mr. F. Ticehurst, surgeon of Hastings, said that he was called by the prisoner to see her son Benjamin. Sh• said her reason for wanting him to see him was that she had lost her husband and two sons in the same way, and that Mr. Pocock had seen him and could do nothing with him. Witness saw him on the 13th instant, when he described himself to have been suffering from the previous Sunday with violent vomiting, great irritation of the stomach, and ten derness of the abdomen ; all the symptoms were of irritating poison. On the 19th he saw the patient again, when he was quite well ; but on the 24th he heard that he was ill again, but not from any member of his family. He went immediately, and on seeing some fluid of a greenish hue in a utensil, he took some home in a bottle, having been told that the patient had vomited the same. He had analyzed it, and believed it contained arsenic. The prisoner told him she had not had any arsenic in the house for more than twelve months. The prisoner was remanded. LAW INTELLIGENCE. SECONDARIES' COURT, May 2. (Before Mr. Secondary POTTER.) LIABILITY OF PETITIONING CREDITORS UNDER FIATS IN BANKRUPTCY-HAMBER V. ROBERTS. The plaintiff in this action is one of the messengers of the Court of Bankruptcy, and sought to recover of the defendant, as the petitioning creditor, for a fiat against a person named Salmon the sum of 19/. 14s. 10d. for a bill of costs, up to the choice of assignees, there being no available assets under the bankrupt's estate. Mr. Wrensted, a clerk in the Court of Bankruptcy, proved that the fiat was duly issued, and possession taken under it. He said that the messenger was enti tled to payment of his bill up to the choice of assignees, in priority of all other charges. The defendant's attorney contended that the mes senger could only look to the assets, and not to the petitioning creditor. The Learned SECONDARY said he was clearly of opinion that the petitioning creditor was individually liable where no assets were realised. The jury thereupon gave ; verdict for the amount claimed. THE TRUSTEES OF THE EQUITABLE PROVIDENT ASSO- CIATION AND SAVINGS' FUND V. NEEDHAM. The plaintiffs in thi; — t:ctiOn,ihe trustees of the Equitable Provident Association and Savings' Fund, sought to recover the sum of 6541. 4s. 10d., the arrears of subscriptions, redemption fees, and fines due from the defendant. Mr. LOCKWOOD, the manager of the association, proved the amount to be due. Defendant allowed judgment to go by default and a verdict was given for the plaintiff for the amount claimed. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. THE ROYAL BELGRATE LYING-IN INSTITUTION.-- James Locke, sen., and his three sons, Edwin, James, and George Curtis, were brought up for further exami nation, charged with having conspired together with in tent to defraud certain parties of sums of money by falsely pretending to apply the money towards the support of a charitable institution for affording medical assistance to married females at the period of their confinement. Mr. Shea, 10, Hyde Park-square, barrister, was the first witness examined. Recollected some persons called at his house, about two months ago, soliciting subscrip tions for the Belgrave Lying.in Institution. Two PaPc", one a prospectus of the alleged institution, were given at the time. Witness did not see the pomons who called; but, from the particulars in the prospectus, thinking the institution was good in its objects, he signed the sub scription-book, and sent a guinea by his footman to the parties who called. Had parted with his money on the faith that the Royal Be!grave Lying-in Institution was a boisa fide institution, and that he would be at liberty to refer a married woman to the institution for relief. Wit ness also believed the representations in the prospectus that the institution was under the immediate patronage of the Duchess of Kent and other distinguished persona whose names were set forth in the prospectus. Several other witnesses were called to prove that they had paid money to the prisoners for the benefit of the institution, and under the same impression as that enter tained by Mr. Shea. Inspector Leslie said the house was very meanly fur nished. In the room used as an office there was a table and half a dozen chairs. There were no surgical in struments or appliances. There was nothing to indicate that a lying-in institution was held there. Witness found a book containing subscriptions to the " linen fund," with her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent to it as a subscribe. Witness also found a letter from her Royal Highness's secretary, Mr. Cowper, com manding her Royal Highness's name to be withdrawn from the prospectus of the Royal Belgrave Lying-in In stitution. The letter was dated 1843. Witness had ob tained proof that the prospectuses had been printed within the last two months, all of which bore her Royal Highness's name as patroness. Mr. HanDwrcx asked the elder Locke if he wished to say anything in answer to the charge? The prisoner -Locke, sen., said he had not seen his solicitor since Satur day. last, and then he had been advised to reserve his de fence. Since then he had been informed by his daughter that she had received a letter from the Earl of Car lisle, stating that he had given full permission for his name to be used as a patron of the institution. With respect to the charge that there was no institution in ex istence, there were ten midwives present who would prove that they had attended thousands of cases, and had received hundreds of pounds from the institute. Some cases had been attended to within the last fortnight. Then, as to the deficiency of funds, the midwives de clared that that was to be attributed to the stir made by Mr. Ryder in 1844. Mr. Ryder called them together under the plea of ascertaining if any debts were owing to them, in order that he might see them paid. Mr. Ryder's proceedings had exasperated all the midwives, as he had prevented subscriptions from coming to the in stitution. Many subscribers had withdrawn their names, and others had not taken the trouble to make in quiries. Then, with reference to the blinds having on them the name of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, as patroness, which blinds it was alleged were carried about and exhibited in various localities, that was not correct, as the blinds had been broken for some time. With reference to the use made of the Duchess of Kent's name, her Royal Highness had been a liberal sup porter of the institution for manyyears, and had the privi lege of recommending 30 women to the institution. Her Royal Highness did give 101. towards the linen fund, and the midwives would prove that boxes of linen were provided for the women when confined. Having paid this 101., her Royal Highness became a life subscriber, and being entitled to six letters, her Royal Highness's name was kept on the subscribers' list. He (prisoner) considered this a very hard case. He had devoted 17 years of his time and energies to the institution without proper remuneration. A salary had been proposed by the committee, and he had received an allowance of 1001. a year, whi c h did not compensate him for the ser vices he rendered to the institution. Mr. HARDWICK said he would remind the prisoner that a letter had been put in to show that after her Royal Highness had withdrawn her name, he had used her name to collect subscriptions. The prisoner said at the time the letter was received from her Royal Highness it was delivered to the com mittee, who submitted it to legal persons. The result was, that the committee found they could not undo what they had done. Mr. HARDwicx. said he should further remand the case to Wednesday next, and the❑ he would decide whether he would convict summarily or send the case to a jury. ‘ . .A - person here produced 7$ letters from midwives who had not been paid. Another midwife produced 12 letters, for which she could get no payment. The prisoners were then remanded. A gentleman connected with the Pimlico Lying-in Institution wished it to be known that the charity ho represented had no knowledge of the Belgrave Lying-in Institution. He believed that the prisoners had got subscriptions from parties who believed they were subscribing to the Pim • lico Institution. MOLNE, THE Scur,rrox.—This artist, who had attainedl considerable distinction in his profession, has committed suicide. Pressed by numerous creditors for deb's ineurrd by the oeenpation, and having passed some days without food, or the means of obtaining any, in a fit of delirium he put 'an end to his exiotence.—Art Journal. THE LATE EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE FROM NEWGATE. On Saturday, at the meeting of the Committee of Aldermen in the inner room of the new Council Chamber, for the transaction of the business con nected with the several prison gaols and the police, Mr. CoPE, the governor of Newgate, laid before the committee a lengthened report in connexion with the recent escape of the convict Strudwick, who made his escape from Newgate on Monday last, some par ticulars of which we gave in our paper a few days ago. Strudwick, who is in his 25th year, is known to the gaol authorities and the police as the first burglar of the day. What were obstacles to others, to him presented not the slightest difficulties. His daring and skill were commensurate to his success, for he was often in the habit of tossing, and playing at skittles, and losing, in the course of an afternoon, from fifty pounds to one hundred pounds, the whole of which was obtained by robbery. When apprehended, which was for burglary at Pimlico, a person of the name of Jackson was taken with him, and, when arraigned, the latter pleaded " guilty," declaring that Strudwick was innocent. This decla ration, which had an ulterior object in view, was dis regarded, and Strudwick was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be transported for ten years. Nothing further transpired relative to him until Monday after noon, when he was directed, with another convict, to whitewash one of the wards, and, in the opinion of the authorities, there is no doubt the latter assisted Strudwick to reach the skylight, and thus gain the roof. According to the regulations of Newgate, the convicts wear their own clothes, and on the afternoon in question a pair of canvass trousers and a smock-frock, having the word " Ne agate" on them e were given to him to wear while he was engaged in► whitewashing. These he disencumbered himself of on the roof of one of the houses ; and at the time ha reached the roof of the house of Mr. William Mac donald, the landlord of No. 7, he had only his waist coat on, and his shirt sleeves tucked up. It may here be observed that the back part of Mr. Mac donald's house is a story lower than the front, and the former being leads, a door opens to the landing, and which was kept open. On the afternoon in question, Mr. Macdonald (who was standing in the bar waiting for a Mr. Sewell, his surgeon, who came and dressed his right shoulder, which he had dislocated about three weeks since in a steeple chase), hearing a small terrier bark, went to the stairs, and met the con vict on the stairs, bleeding from two wounds, one in the thick part of the arm, the other above the wrist, the shirt sleeve still up. On leaving the house it appeared he ran down Warwick.lane into Amen corner, and through Stationer's-hall-court, where all trace of the convict was lost, within five minutes after he had passed through Mr. Macdonald's house. Mr. Sewell came, when he was told, that if he bad arrived earlier, he would have had a new patient, on which Mr. Sewell said, " Surely there has not been an escape from Newgate." Mr. Macdonald replied that was impossible. In half an hour afterwards two of the turnkeys, who had gone through one of the adjoining houses, came down stairs, they having traced the track of the escaped convict, when the whole matter was explained. Since then the course of the convict has been traced, and it appears that he threaded the narrow parapet at the back of the prison, but as a chasm of several feet presented itself between that portion of the gaol and the houses he partly altered his course and came round to the front, at the corner of Newgate-street, where, between the house in which the two head turnkeys live and the prison, an inclined wall, the upper part hanging over, and still further protected by a chevaux de frieze, presents itself; by an extraordinary muscular exertion, the convict caught hold of some of the spikes, and actually balanced himself on them, and swung over, and it was here he received the injuries. He then placed one of his feet in the gutter, and fell about twelve feet. Had he missed his footing be would have been precipitated either into the yard of the gaol or into the street. Although in danger of certain death, he made the attempt, and succeeded. Not the slightest informa tion has been obtained as to his hiding-place. The court, after being informed of all the facts of an es' cape unparalleled in the history of the gaol, acquitted the turnkeys of all blame. BANK OF FRANCE. The following is a return of the situation of the Bank of France up to April 26: ASSETS. Cash and ingots Ditto in branch banks ••• Bills past due ••• ••• ••• Bills falling due in Paris, of which 15,070,0231. 61c. are from the branch banks 49,096,300 6 5 Bills in the branch banks „. ... 81,209,257 8 5 Advances on coins and ingots... 7 00 Ditto on French public securities 2 1 8,2 5 4 2 !, 6 1 6 9 9 9 9 5 Ditto by branch banks... ... 1,504,337 00 Ditto to the State on Bons du Tresor... 50,000,000 00 Ditto on the loan of 150 millions . 50,000,000 00 Rentes of the reserve fund • 10,000 0 00 00 Rentes, disposable funds „, • 42,581 ' 498 13 Investments of the new branch banks in the public funds ••• 12,779,541 39 Hotel and furniture of the Bank 4,000,000 00 Real property of the branch banks ... 2,283,787 00 Loan of 10,000,0001. to the city of Paris 8,000,000 00 Interest in National Discount Bank 200,000 00 Ditto branch banks ... 230,000 00 ... £200,275,996 92 128,882,221 06 507,420 95 Bills protested at Paris Ditto at the branches Expenses of administration of the Bank Ditto of the branches ... 6,735,410 53 4,066,071 00 393,669 5 3 314,785 00 Miscellaneous ... .. ••• ••• Advance to the department of the 972,853 09 _ Seine ... ... ... Loan of 3,000,000 f. to the city of Mar seilles ... ... 3,000,000 00 ... 1,000,000 00 f. 703,803,946 06 LIABILITIES. capital Ditto of the Branch Banks Reserve fund ... f. 67,900,000 00 ... 23,350,000 00 10,000,000 00 Ditto of the branch banks Reserve•imnnobiliere ... ... Notes to bearer, in circulation ... Ditto of the branch banks ... Ditto to order (post-bills) ... ... 2,980,750 00 4,000,000 00 ... 388,640,000 00 ... 23,770,450 00 ... 1,234,080 65 _ . Account-current with Treasury creditor 36,988,998 2 0 Various accounts current ... 91,809,901 47 Ditto in branches ... ... ... 29,245,399 00 Bills payable at sight ... , ... ... 4,801,800 00 Ditto at branches —•— .. 1,035,392 00 Bills of the branch banks payable by the Bank ... .:. .... ... 7,369,081 59 Ditto of the Bank payable by branches.. 4,651,547 00 Dividends payable • • ... 250,788 25 Liquidation of the Algiers Bank .., 205,202 44 Discounts, interest, and expenses ... 3,125,814 07 Ditto branch banks . ..• ... 1,548,095 00 Re-discounts of the last six months ... 246 109 85 , Ditto in branch bank s ... ... ... 460,661 00 Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... 189,908 54 f. 703,803,946 06 The metallic reserve has increased during the past week not less than 6i millions, of which six millions are in Paris, and the half million in the country banks. The protested bills have fallen off about 200,000 f., whilst the overdue bills have increased upwards of 400,000 f. The discount accommodation has fallen off about 100,000 . f. On the sid e o f t h e li a bili t i es, t h e amount of the notes 111 circulation has decreased 21 millions in Paris, and aug mented 11. millions in the departments. The account current of the Tre asur y h as i ncrease d a b out 4i m ill i on!), being now 36,988,998 f. The whole amount of the rae - „. tallic reserve is now 3291 m illi ons t o 4131 m illi ons of notes in circulation. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIo way's Pills an Excellent Remedy for Coughs, Colds, Pulmonary Complaints and other Diseases of the Chest.—Mr. J. C. Rheinhardt, chemist of Hull, states, that Mr. Stinger, formerly of the Hull glass works, was pronounced to be far gone in consumption ' • the medical men had given him up as i ncura bl e . O n see i ng Hol loway's Pills advertised, he thought he would give them a trial, and after taking a few boxes his cough abated, his flesh became firm, his appetite improved, and now his health is completely restored. This admirable medicine is a certain remedy for the most obstinate cases of asthma, old coughs, recent colds, and all diseases of the chest and lungs.—Sold by all Druggists and at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL.— The annual distribution of prizes and honorary distinctions to the students of the Medical College of this Hospital, took place yesterday afternoon, in the Great Hall of the In stitution, which was densely crowded with persons of rank and fashion. BIRTHS. At Huddersfield, on the:2511;71.k., Dirs. Robert Welsh, of a daughter. On the 26th ult., at Atkins-road, Clapham park, the lady of J. J. Nicholson, Esq., of a daughter. At Burgh Apton, Norfolk, on the 28th ult., the lady of the Rev. Brownlow Maitland. of a daughter. On the 30th ult., at Lower Norwood, Mrs. G. Harris, of a daughter. On the 30th ult., at Rodboarne, Wilts, the wife of Richard H. Pollen, Esq., of a daughter. On the 30th ult., Mrs. W. Piper, of a son. At Marlborough-place, St. John's-wood, on the Ist inst., Mrs. C. R. Somerville, of a eon. MARRIED. On the 30th ult., at St.-------- Greenwich, Stephen Alfred, third son of Lieutenant-Colonel Bateman, to Nancy , second daughter of the late James Mason, Esq., of Uppe r Stamford-street. On the Ist inst., at St. Pancras Church, Richard, only son of the Rev. Richard Winsloe, of Mount Nebo, near Taun ton, Somersetshire, to ILtria Louisa, only child of Captain L• S. Jack, R.N., of Eastbrook, - in the same county. DIED. On the 20th ult., at Nice, the Rev. Charles H. S. Weston , of West Horsley, Surrey. On the 25th tilt , at Chichester, the Rev. George Guy, rector of West Stoke, and vicar of Ilenfield, Sussex, aged 91• On the 28th ult., Edward Toker, Esq., of the Oaks , Ospringe. Kent, aged 72. On the ult., in Sloinq-street, Thomas Coleman, Cool' manger, of tLc Royal Navy. On the ult., at Cumming•place, rentonvilc, Com mander Robert Elliott, R.N. L hintLd and Publibiled by ML;iiDO YOIJANG , ,„' No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Th e S un Office, No. 1 1,4 ; Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the 0003' 44 Middlesex, Thursday, May 3, 1849, THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1849.