The Sun. — London, England, 1827-06-07 00:00:00

pression did- not intent- to eonvey. any unpleasant impres sion 'to any Hon. Member; but if, involuntarily, such an impression had been conveyed, it was his (the Speaker's) duty that such inapressiun should not remain. He, therefore, called upon the Hon. Baronet to say, whether his object was not to justify himself; without offending the Hon. Member. Sir GEORGE ROBINSON said, he did not mean to offer any offence to the Hon. Member, and if he had used an expression which was too strong, he had only to de clare that he was sorry for it.—(Hear, hear.) . Mr. JONES, we understood, declared himself perfectly satisfied with the explanation which had been given.— (Ffear, bear.) iIIESSAGE - FROM THE HOUSE OF LORDS. The Bill for declaring the marriage between Miss Tur ner and E. G. Wakefield, null and void, and several other private Bills, were brought up by the messengers from the House of Lords. A person from the Insolvent Debtors' Court presented a return of the number of insolvent debtors. Mr. K. DOUGLAS laid upon the table a return of the number of officers in the Royal Navy, specifying their ranks. Sir E. OWES presented a petition from Protestant Dissenters in the County of Essex, praying for a Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts. Col. DAVIES presented a petition to the same effect from Protestant Dissenters in Worcester. _ Similar petitions were presented from Coventry, by Mr. Wilbraham ; from Derby, by Mr. Mundy ; from Suffolk, by Mr. Littleton ; from Sudbury, by Lord Ebrington ; from Halifai, and' everal places in the county of York, by Mr. Marshall; from different places in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, by Mr. Coke. Mr. SYKES presented a petition from certain inha bitants in Hull, praying fur a repeal of the taxes on shop .servants. _ _ _ The Hon. Member also moved, that an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, praying that his Majesty would be- graciously pleased to order a Copy of the Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry for the Cape of Good Hope, to be laid before the House ; or, at least, such extracts from this Report, as bear upon the case of Mr. John Carter. Also, a copy of a letter written -by Mr. Carter to Lord Charles Somerset, in or about the month of December, 1824; and also, a copy of the correspond ence between Mr. Carter and the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department. ' Mr. HUME seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Mr. O'NEILL presented a petition from Hull, against any further. concessions to the Roman Catholics. Sir ADAM HAY presented a petition from Perthshire, against the importation of foreign wool. Mr. HUgE presented a petition from a person named Elliott, praying the House to take into its consideration the laws regarding Debtor and Creditor. The Hon. Member observed that the petitioner had to pay on a debt of only 161. the sum of 641. of expences. Mr. HUME also presented a petition from the Cotton Spinners of Lancaster, praying the House to fix the mini mum of their wages. SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE METROPOLIS. Mr. HOBIIOUSE rose for the purpose of presenting a petition on the subject of the St. James's Park Improve ment; but as he did not see in the House any Members connected with that part of the public expenditure, he begged to be allowed to postpone it till another occasion. The Hon. Member gave notice of his intention, however, to move to-morrow for the appointment of a Commission to inquire into the best means of supplying the Metropolis with pure and wholesome Water. BUTTER TRADE. Sir IL PA KNELL . presented a petition from the No bility, Gentry, ant. Traders of Killarney, on the subject of the. Butter Trade. Petitions from various Congregations of Protestant Dis senters, praying for the Repeal of the Test and Corpora tion Acts, were presented by Mr. 'Western, from Saffron Weldon and eight other places; by Mr. - Charles Calvert, from Southwark and another place; and by Warbur ton front Bridport and another place. Lord MILTON, in presenting 34 petitions from as minY congregations of Protestant Dissenters, praying for the Re peal of the Test and Corporation Acts, tome the opportu nity of remarkin g that many of the individuals from whom the: petitions pro ceeded. had stated, to him that they were maligned ireits being imputed to them that they were not disposed to grant concessions ,to the Catholics ; the contrary being the fact. Lord RANCLIEFE, in presenting petitions.from various cangregatiems of Protestant Dissenters. in Leicester. Not tingitimshite, &ea, praying for a Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, and another petition praying for the Emancipation of the Roman Catholics, expressed his hope that the conduct of the new Administration on these and other subjects might be such as would enable him to give it his support. petitions fco.meCongeegations of Protestant Dissenters, prayli for a Repeal of the Test and Corporationn. Acts, were pre...ented byr rslr. BURRELL, from Brighton ; and by Mr. CbBI'EIS from Newhaven, Battle, &c. Mr. LF.)iNARD, in presenting petitions of the same nature from Afaldun, Wickam. &c. observed, that by far the greater number of the petitioners were favourable to the emancipation of the getholics. Mr. JOHN WOOD, in presenting nine petitions of the same nature, from various Protestant Dissenting Congrega tions in Lancashire, observed that the petitioners had stated to him by letter, that they would disdain to receive privileges which their fellow citizens did not share ; and that they should see with great joy all classes of his Atlajeety's subjects in possession of equal civil and religious rights. Five petitions of the genie description were presented by Mr. LEGH Knelt, from various places in Leicestershire and Huntingdonshire - ; two •by Mr. Camarrost from Derby; and eleven ,by Mr. BaNert from Wiltshire. Mr. BARING presented a petition from the Silk Weavers of Taunton, praying for a Bill to regulate the rate of wages. Mr. BARING also pr etitions for Universal esented p Toleration, from Taunton and Ave other places in Somer setahire. Mr. V. FITZGERALD presented a petition from the Catholics of the county of Clare, praying the House to take into consideration the Laws against the Ronson Catholics. Mr. OTWAY CAVE, on presenting two petitions for ' the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts from the two Dissenting Congregations of Harvey-lane and Bond-street, in the town of Leicester, said, that notwithstanding all they had heard that night from the Honourable Member for Caermarthen, he could not sincerely congratulate the peti tioners on the arrival of a period when they might look with confidence to a redress, at their proper time, of all practical grievances, and when their claims, whether ac ceded to or not, would at all events be duly and atten tively considered. Had he not understood the Ministerial opposition lately dee4ared to the prayer of the petitioners to have been made in a qualified sense, he would have used Lis humble endeavours to diasuade them from bringing forward their claims, or at least from making him the organ of their claims, at this peculiar and critical moment, when it was, as it seemed to him, the duty of every impartial and unprejudiced man to abstain from anything which might ~n the remotest degree interfere with the objects and intentions of his Majesty's present Administration, which 'had triumphed, happily for the country, over the hollow and flimsy n;=ntrality of some, and the abortive and intem perate, though .more manly and undisguised opposition of others. Under al; the circumstances which he could con ceive, he should, tise'rJore give the petition his cordial sup port, when the motion - to,: the repeal of the laws in ques tion should he brought befort. the House. Colonel WOOD presented $ petition from nine-and twenty Adjutants of Militia, complaining that the ex pectations which had been held out so them had not been realized. The Hon. Member, while an his legs, adverted to a hardship under which the officers of Militia laboured ; namely, that they could not receive their half pay when abroad, although officers of the line were enti tled to do so. Lord PALMERSTON (au we understood the Noble Lord) said that he would inquire into the subject. Petitions from various Protestant Diavnting Congrega tions, praying for the repeal of the Test aL.d Corporation Acts, were presented by Mr. Grosvenor, from Chester ; by Mr. Bernal, from Chatham ; by Lord Howiek, from .Newcastle-on-Tyne, North Shields, &c. ; and by Lord (. 4 ..eorge Cavendish, from Derby. Lord CASTLEREAGH withdrew his entice of a mo tion for a copy of the opinion of the Attorney and Solicitor Genii al for Ireland, on the Constabulary Acts, as trans mitted by the Chief Secretary to the Magistrates of the County of Down, &c. Mr. LEYCESTER presented a petition from the Pro • testant Dissenters of Shaftesbury, praying for a repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts. MR. GOURLAY. Mr. W. HARVEY presented a petition from Mr. Robt. Gourley, con fin e d in Coldbath-fießls, praying that the House would not grant to Judges, in cases of larceny, the discretionary power of punishment eontereplated in a Bill which had been introduced into that House ; but that the degree of punishment with which every descrip tion of offence ought to be visited, should be a ccurately prescribed by law. The Hon. Gentleman took the oppor tunity-of observing, that it seemed to him to be rather extraordinary that the petitioner should be charged as in cane, and yet that the same securities should be required from him, before his liberation, as if he were a sane man. He (Mr. Harvey) had lately been assailed with sarcasms from various quarters, in consequence of the observations which he had, on a recent occasion, thought it his duty to make on the members of the legal profession. He would beg leave to read to the House a passage on the subject, in the petition which he was about to present. [The Hon. Member here read a passage from the petition, in which the gentlemen of the long robe were spoken of in terms by no means flattering to them.] On the motion for laying the petition on the table, Mr. HUME begged to call the attention of the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite to the case of Mr. Gourley, who had now been so long in confinement. For his own part, he could see nothing like insanity in Mr. Gourlay's con duct. He was quite at a loss to know on what grounds he was detained. If he had been guilty of any offence, let him be tried ; if not, let Lim be discharged. Mr. STURGES BOURNE observed that Mr. Cour lay'■ ease had not yet come under his notice. Mr. PEEL said that Mr. Gourley was not confined ou any charge of insanity. He was confined because, having committed an assault, he would not give the security that was required. The Secretary of State had no jurisdiction in the ease, and could not dispense with the security which the law required. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN expressed his hope that the circumstances of Mr. Gourlay's case might be inquired into, in order if possible to put an end to the extraordina rily lengthened punishment which he was undergoing. Mr. PEEL observed, that there had been no disposition whatever to press heavily upon Mr. Gourley. Kuowing him to he a man of education and intelligence, he (Mr. Peel) had directed that he should have every comfort con sistent with his safe custody. His persisting in not giving security was the cause of his continuing in his present con dition ; and gave rise to the supposition that he had some object in view in his refusal. The petition was ordered to be printed. Lord JOHN RUSSELL postponed his motion for leave to bring in a Bill for the better taking of Polls in Cities and Boroughs. Petitions from Protestant Dissenting Congregations, praying for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, were presented by Sir T. Acland, from Exeter, and eighteen other places in Devonshire; by Mr. Slartey, from Shropshire; and by Mr. Whitbread, from Deptford, and two other places. MISS TURNER. Mr. PEEL said, he begged leave to move the first read. ing of a Bill, which had been brought down from the House oeLords, the object of which was to provide what was cer tainly, an unusual remedy for a case which was of a nature wholly unparalleled. The object of the Bill was to declare null and void an alleged marriage between a per son of the name of Wakefield and a young lady—Miss Turner. The circumstances of the case were too noto rious, in consequence of the recent trial that had taken place respecting it, to render it necessary for him to dilate upon one of the most infamous combinations of fraud, for gery, and villainy, which the history of human crime had ever presented.—(Loud cries of Hear, hear.)—The result of this atrocious act had been to destroy, for a time, the peace of a most respectable family; and to destroy it, not for the gratification of passion, but for the basest purposes, sought to be accomplished by the basest means.—(Hear.) The individual who bad been the chief agent in this abo minable transaction was now undergoing the well-me rited punishment of the law. He (Mr. Peel) could not, however, refrain from observing that the sentence inflicted upon - the person in question was a proof of the occa sional insufficiency of the law to meet offences which came under its cognizance with adequate severity. Impri sonment for three years was a punishment which fell infi nitely short of sufficiently visiting a degree of moral tur pitude much greater than that which had been evinced by many persons who had forfeited their lives as the just penalty for their crimes. —(Hear.)—The object of the measure which had been sent down by the other House, was to prevent further injury from being sustained by that family which had already so cruelly suffered ; and he (Mr. Peel) was persuaded there would not be the s , l ,rlitest hesitation on the part of that House (the House o f c o .,:omons) in assisting to make the only repara tion which the injured parties could receive, by clearing up all doubts on the subject at issue.— In point of fact, tiii circumstances of the case were such that no jurisdiction but ..q. Legislative proceeding alone could fully reach them. Miss Turner could not appear in an Ecclesiastical Court, because she could not be allowed to give the evidence necessary for the establishment of her suit. On the trial of this Wakefield her evidence was ad missible, because that trial was a criminal proceeding on the part of the Crown. But in an application for a di vorce, Miss Turner would be considered as a witness who had an important interest in the result of the trial, and the Court would not receive her evidence. Under these cir cumstances, the House would not hesitate in giving her that relief which a Court of Law could not give. But he would own, that if Miss Turner were not competent, after the injury she bad sustained, be, for one, would not hesi tate to supply this extraordinary remedy to such a case of extraordinary injustice. He begged the House to consider that the young lady bad attained only the age of sixteen, and he would ask, what man would turn round and bid her apply to the Ecclesiastical Courts for that assistance for which she now applied to the House of Commons? If that were to be the answer, she would find herself, in the first instance, compelled to apply to the Consistory Court. From this an appeal would lie to the Court of Arches, and from which the applicant might be obliged to resort to the Court of Delegates. The conduct of Wakefield was aasuf tieient proof that the detestable avarice which had induced him to perpetrate his crime would now prompt bins to avail himself of these dilatory proceedings, in order to post pone to the utmost the ultimate termination of the tran saction. He might be able to do this for three years. In the interim be would take advantage of any loss or de ficiency of testimony, or of any accident that might arise, in order to harass the suitor, or to benefit himself. The circumstances of the case were in every respect so extra ordinary, that it would be unjust in the House to expose the party to any risk or possibility of having the most per fect justice denied or delayed. Independent of the per sonal interests of the party immediately connected with the Bill, there were circumstances which were well worthy the consideration of the Legislature. He allud ed, particularly, to the state of the law of Scotland with respect t 9 the contracting of marriages—(Hear, hear.) — in the courseofthe trial of Wakefield, it was held by a gen tleman of great respectability, who filled the situation of Sheriff Depute, that notwithstanding the gross fraud prac tised upon Miss Turner—notwithstanding the facts of the case, which, if the marriage had been completed in Eng land, would have exposed the party to capita! punishment, still the contract would have been valid according to the Scot c h law. That witness went so far as to say, that in Scotland no fraud, in either of the contracting parties would warrant the Scotch Courts to set a aside a marriage. The only exception, at least, was a fraud or deception as to personal identity. Not even the cruel and atrocious fraud practised by Wakefield upon a child of fifteen—his persuading her that a marriage at Gretna Green was ne cessary to rescue her father from the horrors of a prison— would justify the Scotch Court in setting aside the mar riage. If this were good law in Scotland,' it did appear to him that some effectual remedy should be speedily pro vided.—(Hear, hear.)--But that was a matter of consi deration .to be reserved to a future opportunity. He trust ed that the unanimous feeling of the House would be in favour of "giving to the injured party the remedy she asked for.__(Hear, hear.)—There was a direct precedent for such an Act. He was happy to say it was nearly of one hundred and forty years' standing ; for crimes of this atrocious nature were of very rare occurrence. In the year 1690, there was a precedent of an Act of Parliament, which dissolved the marriage of Misr Wharton and the brother of the Duke of Argyle, under circumatancea not altogether dissimilar to those which accompanied the conduct of Wakefield. In the precedent alluded to, the Act of Parliament had originated in the House of Comm_ ons ; and being passed by the Lords, the marriag e was set aside. It was nearly fifteen months since the crime of Wakefield had been perpe trated, and it was desirable that the . anxiety and sufferings of the injured parties should be reiieved. Tha expenses of Mr. Turner, in bringing to trial t h e parties who bad committed the injury, were little short of 10,0001. He ought rot, therefore, to be exposed to any further expense in procuring redress, and in setting aside the validity of the marriage of his daughter. The expense, however, was the lightest part of Alva consideration ; the dreadful anxiety to which he had been . expe.se4, -s as more to be cosarnisserated. The House would bear these things in mind, and would reflect how much the evils would be aggravated, if, has a refusal of relief, they sent the case to be argued for three years in a Court of Law. They would surely give this young lady redrese, rather than the villainy of Wakefield should triumph, in keeping her in uncestainty and suspense during the protracted proceedings of the Ecclesiastical Cousts. He should move the first reading of the Bill for declaring Nall as.d Void the Marriage of E. G. Wakefield and Miss E. Turner. The question being put from the Chair, Mr. PEEL observed, that in general a Divorce Bill pro ' ceeded ppon the presumption, that the marriage which it was to set aside had been good and legal. In the present instance, it was his opinion that the marriage never was valid ; it was at all events a matter of doubt, and the ob ject of the Bill he brought in was to clear atvay tbat doubt. After the conviction of Wakefield in a Court of Law, and after the sentence passed upon him of' three years' impri sonment, he (Mr. Peel) trusted that the House would not require any evidence to be given at their Bar, but would be satisfied with that which had been taken before the House of Lords. _ _ Mr. W. STURGES BOURNE assented to the last proposal. The Bill was then read a first time, and ordered to be printed. It was then ordered that application should be made to the House of Lords for the evidence taken at their Lord ships' Bar, on the Bill for dissolving the marriage of E. G. Wakefield and Miss E. Turner. • Mr. PEEL then moved the Order of the Day for the third reading of the Larceny Law Cosolidation Bill ; the Malicious Injury Bill ; Remedies against the Hundred Bill ; the Criminal Justice Bill ; all of which were read the third time, and passed. PENRYN PERJURY. Mr. MANNING, in a low tone of voice, called the at tention of the House to the petition of John Came, who had been committed to Newgate, for prevarication_at the Bar, when he was examined as a witness on the Penryn Inquiry. The petitioner expressed his contrition for his offence, and he (Mr. Manning) therefore moved, that he be discharged without payieg his fees. CRIMINAL LAW. Mr. W. STURGES BOURNE said, that the conduct of the prisoner had been extremely gross, and he therefore objected to his being discharged on any such terms. Mr. MANNING said, that he made the application upon the grounds of what the petitioner had set forth in his yeti. tion. He had stated, amongst other things, that he had a large family dependent upon him for support, and that he was unable to meet the expences of fees. Mr. W. S. BOURNE said, he should not oppose the motion for the prisoner's discharge, if he could ascertain, as a fact, that his circumstances were such as lie had de scribed them in his petition ; tut after the prevarication of the prisoner before the House, it was impossible to attach any credit to what he had said. The motion was then put, and, after some hesitation, The SPEAKER declared it to be carried in the affir mative. John Came was then called to the Bar, and having ap peared in custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms, the Speaker addressed him as follows : " John Carne, you were committed to his Majesty's jail of Newgate, for grievous prevarication, in evidence given by you before a Committe of this House. Doubtless, the punishment you have suffered, and the disgrace you have incurred, will be a warning to all others, that this House will never submit to its inquiries 'being impe ded, or to its dignity being insulted by ouch misconduct. In your Petition, you pray the clemency of this House; you express your most earnest contrition for the offence you have committed; and you protest that your prevarica tion arose from your agitation, and the state of uncon sciousness into which you were thrown ; and not from any corrupt motives. It is to be hoped that these statements are true, although they are difficult to be believed. But whether your prevarication arose from culpable negligence, or from corrupt intentions, there was no alternative left to the House. It was incumbent upon the House to inflict upon you the punishment you have now suffered; and, al though it is competent for them to put a termination to your imprisonment, the injury you have sustained in cha racter is irretrievable. lam commanded by the House to tell you that you are now discharged from further confine ment; and in consideration of your poverty, and in that consideration alone, you are discharged without payment of your fees. You may withdraw*." The prisoner's discharge was then ordered to be entered upon the Journals of the House. NAVAL PROMOTIONS. Mr. HUME rose, and in a low tone of voice, postponed his motion for Returns of Promotions in the Navy since January last. GRAND JURY PRESENTMENTS OF IRELAND. Mr. GEORGE DAWSON rose, in pursuance of the notice he had given, to call the attention of the House to the subject of Grand Juries in Ireland. The grievances of Church-rates and tithes, of which the Irish complained, sunk into nothing when compared to the Grand Jury Laws. The enormous levies of money made by Grand Juries in Ireland, increased from year to year, until they at length arrived to an extent which required the atten tion of Parliament. A limit ought to be put by the Legislature to this enormous levying and expending of money. From returns made to the House of Commons, it appeared that in the year 1803, there was levied, under the Grand Jury Laws in Ireland, no less a sum than 470,106/. in one year, calculating upon an average of the years 1800, 1801, 1802, and 1803. But what would the House say, when they were told.,,thato tiiiise , Tatio had, been doubled..betwean ; that ,ilegipd and - the present day? The amount of. ?resentments levied by Grand Juries in 1925, was 880,478/. and in 1826, it was 814,731/. There were no funds so badly.laid out, or worse accounted for. These assessments were like a land-tax; but more oppressive in their nature, more unjust in their collection, and more unsatisfactory in their expenditure. The Grand Juries of Ireland differed essentially from those of England. In England they were confined to their judicial functions. In Ireland the duties of the. Grand Juries were not only judicial, but they were extended to the levying of county rates, the building of gaoh and bridges, the cutting of roads, establishing of salaries of county officers, and various simi lar duties. To meet such disbursements, they had to assess rates upon the inhabitants. The amount in each county was considerable. The total amount of the last assessment was not less than 8,888,478/. This money was not entrusted to persons responsible for its application, and the only qualifi cation for a Grand Juryman in Ireland was, a freehold of the value of 40s. a-year. There was not one single part of the system that was not liable to the strongest objection, whilst the whole of the evils were augmented by the Sheriffs of each County. In England, the duty of the Sheriffs was solely confined to offences in which the public peace is concerned, whilst in Ireland they appointed those who levied the taxes. This power, as might be supposed, was not always exercised in the most just manner. As a proof of which, in Cork, the Sheriff excluded from the Grand Juries five baronies, which paid an assessment of 9,0001. a year. In consequence of the partiality of the Sheriff of Waterford, a gentleman was excluded from the Grand Jury, who was even well known in that House. In Ireland the Grand Jury was a most fleeting body, and ought not to be pos sessed of the power of assessing taxes to solarge an amount. During the short period for which they were assem bled, they had not only to attend to the judicial duties of the country, but to the presentments. These latter applications went before the body of Magistrates, who in scribed upon the back of them, " approved," or " disap proved". The Grand Jury sometimes approved of that whizli the Magistrates had rejected. Their de cisions were too rapid to inspire confidence or create respect. For instance, the Grand Jury of Cork sat ten days. In 1826 they decided 751 presentments, and 1,105 criminal indictments. The presentments amounted to 83,000/. In the County of Clare the Assize lasted four days, and the presentments were 450 for money, and 311 criminal in dictments. In Down there were 305 presentments, and 848 indictments. In Tyrone, 257 criminal cases, and 1,611 presentments. Judge Busche computed in 1813, that if the Grand Jury had given their time exclu sively to presentments, throwing out all criminal cases, the proposition would have been only two minntes to each case. After the presentment had been decided upon by the magistrates, it ought to be given to the Clerk of the Crown in open Court. There were three special objections to the present mode of proceeding. First, as to the manner in which the fiat of the Judge was given to presentments. It was intended that the fiat of the Judge should be given in open Court, in order that parties objecting to the presentment might have an oppor tunity of traversing. But instead of this it frequently happened, where presentments were not ready at a moment, the Judges ordered them to be vent after them to the next town—a distance of 20, and sometimes 30 miles, When such a course was pursued it was impossible that any objection could be made, unless the objecting party thought proper to run after the Judge's carriage into the next ' town. The second objection was the irregularity of the aseessmenta upon different estates. In one case the as sessment was nine shillings per acre on one piece of ground; aria upup another of the same quality, and in the same parish, it was no more thao nmepence. The third objection was the carelessness with width the pre sentments were inquired into, and the want of economy in the expenditure of the public money by the Grand Jury. The usual plan was for an overseer who got a pre serent to employ his tenants to do the work, but instead of paying them z,a they went on, they were allowed for it in the rent ; 'so that the person having the present ment, by raising his rent, was enabled to secure the job by taking it upon lower terms. He thought he had made out a case for the appointment of a Committee, as it was now admitted on ail hands that some alteration should be made in the existing system. The Grand Jurors were the more careless with - respect to presentments, inasmuch as the ex pence fell upon the landholder, and not upon the landlord, and tti.erefoz2 did not affect them (the Grand Jurors), un less in some few cases, Where they held farms themselves. By making the Grand Jurors participators in this expence, they would be taught more economy and circumspection in these present ments . Th e H o n. Member inquiring into concluded by moving for the.appointment of a Select Com.. inittee, to consider the beit means of regulating the law re lating to Grand Jury Presentments in Ireland, and to report thereupon to the House. Mr. S. RICE seconded the motion. His Hon. Friend was anxious to obtain the co-operation of the Irish Mem bers, in aid of this very necessary measure. He (Mr. Rice) expressed, a hope that he would obtain not only that co-operation, but also the co-operation of English talent and English impartiality, without which any measure of importance to Ireland must be ineffective and unavailing. --(Hear, hear.)----There was no Irish Gentleman pretend ing to intelligence or information, who would now stand up to defend the system of Irish Grand Jury presentments, and therefore it was to be hoped that that system would speedily be altered. There was also another matter con nected with Irish Grand Juries, which required alteration, he meant the mode of frnding bills by Grand Juries. Every Gentleman connected with Ireland must know how easy it was for a man to have a bill thrown out if against a friend, and found if against a foe. Mr. GOULBURN was very well disposed to make im provements in the system of presentments, but he certainly was not prepared to say that there should be an alteration of the system itself, meaning by that the transference of the raising of the county money from the Grand Jury to any other body. The matter ought to be very deeply consi dered before that duty should be transferred to the Govern ment, or any other body. The grand requisite was the consolidation of the laws relative to these presentments ; and he, when in office, had been making preparations for the introduction of a bill for that purpose. He had no ob jection to going into the Committee, guarding himself, however, against any pledge to alter the system of present ments by Grand Juries, being of opinion that it would be better to zontinue the system, with certain improvements and checks, which would make the system work with fa cility and impartiality. Mr. VESEY FITZGERALD had no objection to the Committee, but wished to guard himself even more cau tiously than the Hon. Gentleman who spoke last had done, against any pledge to agree to the transference of the power of the Grand Jury to raise the county money to any other body. As to the transferring it to the Magistrates, it ought to be recollected that most of the Grand Jurymen were Magistrate*. The fault was in the system, and not in the body appointed to administer it. The business was brought before the Grand Jury atpresent in such a mode that it was utterly impossible for the most zealous and the most intelligent to do it properly. He, himself, had sat as Fore man of a Grand Jury for 17 hours, and presented a Bill to the Judge at midnight. Every one appeared now to be con vinced of the propriety of appointing civil engineers to superintend the repair of the roads, which had been for merly opposed. Having thus guarded himself against any pledge to alter the present system entirely, he had only further to say, that he would be perfectly ready to give his hest consideration to any'plan of improvement that might be suggested. Mr. W. LAIIIB concurred in the propriety of investi gating this subject in a Committee, without pledging him self as to the course which he might deem it expedient to pursue. Mr. A. DAVISON supported the motion. It was im. possible that the Grand Jury in Ireland, constituted as it now was, could discharge the functions which the Legi slature imposed upon it. Colonel TRENCH thought that the abuses of the exist ing system called for a radical reform. He fully concurred in the expediency of the motion for a Select Committee. The motion was then agreed to, and a Select Committee was appointed. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, after which the House adjourned at Twelve o'clock. THE ARMY. The 15th (the King's) Regiment of Light Dragoons (Hussars), will arrive, on Monday next, in the neighbour, hood of Hounslow, preparatory to its inspection by the Inspecting General of the Cavalry in Great Britain, Major- General Sir R. Hussey Vivian, K.C.8., on Hounslow Heath. The Sth (the King's Royal Irish) Regiment of Light Dragoons (Hussars), has marched, from Dublin, for Dun dalk. The 3d (the King's Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons, has marched, from Dundalk, for Dublin. The 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Infantry, will arrive in town, on the 15th inst. for the purpose of replacing the lit Battalion of the Sd Regiment of Foot Guards, in the Tower, which is ordered to occupy the Westminster quarters. SHEEN, THE MURDERER. There appears to he great anxiety felt amongst all classes with regard to the fate of this man; and his present situation also appears to be but indistinctly understood. After his trial and acquittal, for the al leged murder of Charles Wm. Sheen, the witnesses were all bound over in recognizances to be in attend ance to give evidence against him, should any bill be preferred, before the grand jury then sitting. No bill havingbeen preferred, the witnesses were subsequently called upon to enter into recognizances to appear before the Grand Jury at the next session, to give evidence against him. From the circumstance of his not having been again tried at the present Session, a conclusion ap pears to have been come to that he will escape the hands of justice, and that upon the ground that he cannot be twice tried for the same offence : in fact, that is so, but it may be a question - whether he has been tried for the offence committed. The principle of law laid down, and it would seem generally agreed upon, is, " that when a person is once found ' not guilty' on an indictment or appeal, free from error, and well commenced before a court which has ju risdiction of the cause, he may by the common law, in all cases, plead autre fois acquit (before acquitted) in bar of f any subsequent indictment or appeal for the same cause." It is further laid down, that "if one be acquitted on an indictment o( murdering quondam ignotum, and afterwards indicted for killing the same person, described by his proper name, he may show that both indictments were for the same felony. And if the person killed be described by his proper name and surname in the first indictment, and by a different surname in the second, such variance may be helped by an averment that the person so differ ently named was one and the same person; but it has been held to be advisable to add, that he was known as well by the name in the first as by that in the second indictment." It is also said, " Whenever.an indictment where on a man is acquitted is so far erroneous (either for want of substance in setting out the crime, or for want of an authority in the Judge) that no good judgment could be given upon it against the defen dant, the acquittal of the defendant is no bar of a subsequent indictment, because in judgment of law the defendant's life was not in danger; but if there be error .in the process only, the acquittal will be a good bar of a subsequent prosecution, for such error is solved by the appearance." From these authorities, laid down by eminent men, most certainly several questions will arise as applica ble to the case of Sheen. Ist. Was the indictment under which he was tried free from error? It is presumed that it was not; for it charged that he murdered Charles William Sheen, when, in fact, there was no such person ; and as it regarded the assumption of the mother's name (Beadle), it was merely stated; and it was shown that by reputation (the only mode by which in law he could have such name) the child murdered had never been known by such name. Surely this, then must be error, and error of that description that the prisoner could not by possibility be convicted ; and if so, his life could not have been in danger—the principle uppn which it is held that he cannot be twice tried for the same offence. He therefore cannot plead autre fois acquit. The next point that presents itself, is as regards the name and surname. In fact, by law, the child had no name; and all that was shown was, that he was known by the name of William only, and was not, therefore, known by the names set out in the indictment upon which he was tried. We have reason to think that the case of this man is under the consideration of some of the most eminent counsel, and have no doubt that a bill will be pre ferred against him at the next Sessions, seeing that the child murdered has not vet been at all identified in law as the child charged in the indictment. At the same time it is only just to state, that there does ex i st a great difference in opinion on the case. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRENCH PAPERS. (From the Moniteur of Monday, June 4.) (OFFICIAL PART.) ORDINANCE OF THE KING. Charles, by the grace of God, &c.—:.To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. We have ordained, and ordain as follows :—. Art. 1. Are appointed Knights Commanders of our Orders—Our cousin, the Duke of Saint Aignon, Peer of France ; our cousin, the Duke of Clermont Tonnerre, Peer of France; our cousin, the Marshal Coun't Molitor, Peer of France; Count de Peyronnet, Keeper of the Seals, Minister Secretary of State for the Department of Justice ; Count de Corbiere, Minister of the Interior ; Count Curial, Peer of France ; Baron de Larochefoucault, Peer of France; Marquis de Vibrage, Peer of France ; Count de Guile minot, Peer of France ; Count de Mesnard, Peer of France ; Count de Burgues Missiessy, Vice-Admiral. Art. 2. The President of our Council of Ministers, and the great Officers of our Orders, are charged each, in what concerns him, with the execution of the present Ordinance. Given at the Palace of the Tuileries, the 3d of June, in the year of our Lord, 1827, and of our reign the third. By the King, CHARLES. The President of the Council of Ministers, M. de VILLELE. (NON-OFFICIAL PART.) PARIS, JUNE 3.-In the Chapter of the Order of the Holy Ghost, held by the King to-day (Whit Sunday), the new Knights Commanders of the Orders of the King, enu merated in the Ordinance marked above, were proclaimed. The Knights Commanders previously nominated, and who took the oath in the ceremony which succeeded the Chapter, are—the Prince Duke de Chablais, the Duke d'Avar.y ; the Prince de Croi-Solre; and the Duke do la Tremouille. After the ceremony his Majesty returned to the Palace of St. Cloud. (From the Etoile, dated Tuesday, June 5.) PARIS, Jurnt 4.—. The Pope has nominated to several vacant Bishoprics. Among them are the following in South America : To the Archbishopric of San Salvador en Baja, in Brazil, the Rev. Father Antonio de Sixag. To the Archbishopric of Santa Fe de Bogota, the Rev. Father D. Ferdinand° Cayceto y Flores, Vicar-General of that See. To the Archbishopric of Venezuela, in Caraccas, the Rev. Father D. Raimondo Ig-nazio Mendez, Capitular Vicar of that See. To the Bishopric of Quito, the Rev. D. Emmanuel de !os Sanctos Escobar, Dignitary of the Cathedral of Po payan. - To the Bishopric of Santa Martha, the Rev. D. Maria 'Esteves, Canon of the said Cathedral. To the Bishopric of Cuenca, in Peru, the Rev. Calisle Miranda, Priest and Canon of the Diocese of Quito. LIES OF THE DAY. THE JOURNAL DES DEHATS --Russia has at length re solied to have recourse to arms ; the whole question is going to be concluded on the Pruth. THE COURRIER FRANCAIS.---M. de la Palme said, that the Etoile was a journal accustomed not to inspire confi dence. [The Etoile gives from the English Papers of the 2d June, the result of the debate in the House of Lords on the Duke of Wellington's amendment on the Corn Bill, and the speech of Mr. Canning, on laying the Budget before the House.] re, • e'llll6 LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 7, 1827. We received last evening the Moniteur of Monday, and the Etoile dated Tuesday morning, but their contents are not of political importance. None of the other morning papers appeared on Monday, and the Moniteur seems to have been published for the express purpose of announcing the appointment of a long list of Knights Com manders of the Order of the Holy Ghost. The Etoile classes under Lies of the Day the statement made by the Journal des Debats, that Russia is about to have recourse to arms against the Turks, but makes no observation upon that subject. The POPE has nominated to several of the vacant Bishopricks in the New States of South America. The new Prelates appear principally to be persons already possessing church dignities in the respective dioceses.nver which they are to be placed. Extracts of these papers are given in another column, and we subjoin the price of the Funds on Monday. FRENCH Forms, JUNE 4.—Five per Cents. 100 f. 75c.; Three per Cents. '7of. 60c. ; Bank Actions, 2042 f. 50c. ; Renter de Naples, 77f. 65c. ; Spanish Bonds, no quota tion.—Exchange on London—One Month, paper, 25f. 42i0., money, 25f. 40c. ; three months, paper, 25f. 274 c., money, 25f. 250. It is with much regret that we observe the tables of both Houses of Parliament crowded with the petitions of Dissenters for the abolition of the Test and Corporation Acts. Without entering into the merits of their case, it is impos sible not to disapprove the stirring of that question at present. By the breaking up of the late Cabinet, the friends of rational liberty have reason to expect, at no distant period, a decided and visible improvement in the condi tion of society, the final relinquishment of those narrow views, which regarded the whole as born for the benefit of the few, and the substitution of a new system equally removed from the equally dangerous theories of the Ultra Tory and the Radical Reformer. But if no time is given to take advantage of that dispensation of a merciful Providence ; if, whilst the friends of abuse are still undaunted by their late overthrow, the hands of the new Administration are to be clogged by the asserters of civil liberty,—we can see in such conduct nothing but a source of triumph to the Orangemen, and of anxiety to those who are desirous of sharing with their fellow-citizens the inestimable privileges of the British Constitution. But, strange, altogether, is the conduct of some of these Dissenters. Whilst fully alive to the disabilities under which they themselves labour, they have no sympathy with the Roman Catholics, suffering under infinitely greater wrongs ; and, instead of making common cause with them in the assertion of civil rights, they too often swell with their names the list of petitions against Catholic Emancipation. Our readers will observe with pleasure that the Bill for annulling the marriage between Mr. WAKEFIELD and Miss TURNER iS likely to pass through the Rouse of Commons with ra pidity, the House having agreed to Mr. PEEL'S suggestion to admit the evidence taken before the House of Lords in this case, instead of as amining all the witnesses at their own bar. The indignation against the offender, and the cony miseration for the sufferings which he has oc casioned the family of Miss TURNER, whic h were so well expressed by Mr. PEEL, last night in moving the first reading of the Bill, will fin& their response in the breast of every man of pro' per feeling throughout the country ; and they arc few who will not lament that the punishment in' flicted on the perpetrator of one of the los t atrocious crimes which was ever committed 11 1 this country, should be so inadequate to is moral turpitude. We have received this forenoon, the Allge. name Zeitung of the 31st ultimo, from which the following paragraphs are extracted : BRABANT, MAY 15. The Russian mail has brought us to day letters frog Constantinople, to the '7th of this month, according to which a Firman of the Sultan has been issued, ordering the levy of a new tax. These letters contain no other noel' VIENNA, MAY 2 6 Their Imperial Majesties came to the capital yesterileP His Majesty g a v e a u dienc es b o th i n th e morn i ng and th e afternoon, and returned in the eveni n g, with theErnpre°!, to Luxemburg. Th e ir I m p er i a l Hi g h nesses , the Ar ch, Duke Charles and his C onsor t, w ill go t o B er lin OP month. Metalliques, 90 7-16 ; Bank Shares, 1087. GENEVA, MAY 2 5 • A few days since we had here a young man from th e Grand Duchy of Baden, who has served as Captain 01 ship under Miaulis, and went home last year to gee hie family, but i s no w re tu rn i ng t o th e G ree k fleet, wherfetii.- is the only Eu r op e an. The ac c oun t s w hi c h he gav e - situation of Greece were very discouraging; his whole heart is d e v o t e d to th e p eop l e an d t h e i r canoe, he considers the ensui ng ca mpaig n as the last, unless the enemy's force, by sea an d l an d, i s comp l e t e ly disabled . The princip a l d epen d ence i s to b e p l ace d on L or d Cochrane and his s uccess . E ven the people themse l ves , w ho at e, quite exhaust e d, an d i n want of almost every t hi n g, (1 ,, ° not dissemble th a t th e i r f ate must be shortly decided, an d are prepared for the worst. It i s i mposs ibl e to speak WO more truth and enthusiasm of th e na ti on , of its characte r, and its many good qualities, than he does; whil e , on th e other hand, he cannot find terms strong enough to expre ge his contempt of the chiefs of this unfortunate nation. $e W has set out to-day for Genoa, where he will embark I Greece. a nd thong Frankfort papers to the 31st ult. have 8 16° been received this morning. They contain 0' thing important. Mention is made, in the fol' lowing extract, of a forth-coming work, unde r the title of " Memoires d'uk homme D'Et et Prussien," which are given out as the Mernoir° of the late Prussian Chancellor Prince ilA g' DRNBURGH. BERLIN, MAY g v. M. Schoen has inserted in Hamburgh and other paP e ,'"' a declaration, in which he says, he has heard for certo that a work is advertised under the title of Memoires d'lo homme d'etat Prussian ; which are given out as the M r moires of the late Prussian Chancellor, Prince Hardenburt; the French original is to be published at Paris, and a G erms man translation by a respectable bookseller in Nortber° Germany. To prevent the public from being deceive': and to secure his owa name against any conjectures O this account, he declares th a t h e k no w s no thing eit b ; ` ' good or bad of the workadvertised, a s h e h a s seen no pa L of it; that some person may have w r itt en , or intend 1 ",, write Memoires pour :emir n l'Histoire du Pri?tc` Hardenburg is possible, though he knows no person messed of sufficient materials; but Memoires du Pr zli i . „e. ° , Hardenburg could not be published with o ut a hig/4 pable participation on his part, or by the co-operatiO another person holding an office under the Prusgioiv r a Z vernment, who is far above all suspicion. Memoirs GI" late Chancellor, written by himself, are only for the Years 1801 1801 to July, 1807, written in the German lang ua g e wl b t extraordinary frankness : part of those are translated him into French, and here and there revised. They .call not have been seen by the author of the work advettoell, The Chancellor intended to write the Memoirs of hie:Li m ' in French, and to incorporate the above fragments, but' A st this would have taken several years, he commissioise": • him to compose in French the political . part of th memoirs from the materials communicated to him Prince's name (that is, in the first person.) He has cc' eu ,7,r plated his work for the years 1794,1800,1807, and 1 811 ,`' except the last corrections, and, with the unedited d° e :i ments, it would make 10 or 12 vole. Bvo. No part, this work has been communicated to any body, and it never been out of the Cabinet, except for a short perl oi . !: during which, by his Majesty's command, it was , in hands of a confidential person. A comparison of the! 6° :, flounced Memoires with his MS. would doubtless Pr o- them to be wholly different. Letters from Paris, received this moaning' mention that information had been received fr 4s : Madrid, that the Duke SA N C ARLOS has be e- appointed Ambassador to the Court of FrO ce i instead of being appointed Prime Minister ° a Spain. It is also s t a t e d, th a t, suc h i s the stg of public feeling in B arce l ona , t h at t h ere is eve r reason to believe that the province will sho rt be in a state of revolt. PJ inte A ll f i t g e e r n a ce co h n a si s d b er e a e b n le re lapse d oif fro ti i m n e N s e i w nee s : ; l Wales, we are at length favoured with a fe. of Papers from that Colony, up to the 21 5, f December, received at the North and So utP fi American Coffee House, per the Rega at Capt. BURT, which vessel sailed from Sydney the 20th of December last, from which we Wilk e the following extracts:— A of These Papers confirm the accounts already receig`;',,tit the death of Commodore Sir James Brisbane, which e l,tb , took place about ten o'clock in the mor n i n g of the l' Dec. A deep gloom pervades, in consequence, the Wc.i rs t l e y —officers and men alike deplor e th e ser i ous loss which A have sustained by the death of their commander. 40 Government order was issued, by his Excellency !..t, Governor, announcing, with deep and unfeigned Excellency the death of this distinguished officer : and gives directl°.L for the necessary arrangements to be made for the font; which was to take place on the 20th of Decen"s. The whole of the funeral party to assemble at G overn ment House at four o'clock. Tlie 0 ", to of his Most Chr istian Ma j est y's ship L'Astraoo; Captain D'Urville , g ave a sum p tu ous entertainmen t at C am , ming's Hotel to a party of eighteen, prior to their procp ing on their voyage of discovery, and on the 19th k o f sailed in the prosecution of their voyage. The 33° ,,, of Australia had been visited by depredators, and a 't o t , importance is said to have been carried off. Some es De_ are given from Van Diemen's Land Papers of the D I ° ble cember. The natives appear to be giving some try,l7ooo to the settlers, and they are declared to be much tor e t h e s a w n n h , e m d l a e t r e d b a a t e n d 2 i t 7 t i th o f isi ß n e t h r e a r n , g e w r se. learn Fmro t o tb i Fly sloop of war, the Government brig iimitgl o rge the brig : it was brig Dragon, anchored they ner reportedoff the ,e heads at fo rel going t ° sjol/ two settlements at Western Port, and one at, here George's Sound. Report says, that the Frenc h theoe taken possession of the latter place, and that op y r t British vessels are ordered to remove theca, and °I. th e tb . for his Britannic Majesty. By an Advertisement,_ , Sydney Gazette, it would appear that Dr. Halloran I I to a distressed state in the Colony, and has made an O i l: 0 4 the public in behalf of his family; he complains .tors' made a proposal for accommodation with his 07 .0 t he which, he adds, had been rejected , and bitterly 10. 0 7, e to acrimony shown by his creditors , so little conforrn L' oc ' hoo l the religion he professes. A public female, Lo g, of industry, under the patronage o f t h e Governor 0 the to l th 9 e th eonfnitencn.,itya,nd andis I ik i :ly stip_ tp perah te( l o oe p nfi ti t on:; upon which occasion the Yen, the benefits derivable from such an institution. Th e t CO w delivered be of a most appropriate sermon,diwildreo ebaltsyl waserseoc attendedtdiopenedeasArchdeacon cbois 317 e subscription;; siderable length on their future good and orderly .Ca on the occasion, and were addressetioanivet.