The Sun. — London, England, 1825-06-22 00:00:00

tog nnexplaineAl would be found mere cle•arly expressed us the petition ; and he did not think it inconsistent with the nature of the petition to remark the doubt that was thrown out upon this important subject, and the want of any pains taken to clear it up. Upon that occasion it was a:everted by the Nobleman at the head of his Majesty's Go vevoment, that if a doubt were entertained upon the subject of tue - Unitarians being liable to Minieinnent at common law (and he felt assured they were not), it was high time this doubt - retoold be removed, and proper steps should be taken upon the euGject No such steps had been taken to quiet the minds of Cave most interested; and it was for this reason they sent that petitioa which he now presented. They all knew the sinister fate : - aT the Bill which was submitted to them more than once. kiss at first thrown out, in that House, without considers -404 Upon the second time it passed, and was thrown out in ' itie other House by the exercise of a certain degree of influence, although it received the support of the leading and responsible Ministers of .his Majesty's Government, of the two Archbi shops, end sit other dignitaries. The doubt thrown out upon • that important occasion, as to the necessity.of certain prepara eery eaeasures before any Bill should pass, fully justified the rattle* most 'interested in coming before the House ; and the *way was, by a petition, which will amply supply any thing *at he left unexplained. The Hon. Member contended that eihe lihh of George 111. settled any doubts which had pre viOitely existed, and which was considered to be settled by the Ceorge 111. Having said so much as to the nature and .ajects of the petitioners, he would only now move for leave to Ihriog the petition up. Mr. ROBERTSON apprehended serious evils from a sys tem of inoration. He regretted to observe, that great efforts Were making to diminish the influence of the Church both in ;*Enklerid aifd Ireland.' ..Before the House sanctioned such ef forts, they should consider the state of this country before the Church-etas established by Ip.w. The doctrines of the Unita rians should reotlee allowed itibeptopitgated, for if they were, then indeed would the Church of England be in danger. He geed fully with-Bishop Burnet, who considered that laws were Getter to regulate cheieches than subscriptions. The petition was then read by the Clerk, and it prayed for at: inquiry into the state of the laws relative to Unitarians. After a few words from Me.AV„SMITH in explanation, the petition was laid on the table. • . NEWSPAPERS BILL. •- • - Upon the motion of the CH ANCELOR of the EXCHE UER, the House resolved itself into a Committee on the Newspapers Bill. The several clauses were agreed to, and the Report ordered to be received to-morrow. WEST INDIA CLERGY BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the Order of the Day for the third reading of the West India Clergy Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER introduced a clause. providing that the salaries of the Clergy holding under this Bill should be paid out of the 4i per cents. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. PILOTAGE BILL. Mr. C. GRANT moved the Order of the Day for the third reading of the Pilotage Bill, which was read a third time and passed. PUBLIC ROAD BILL, (IRELAND.) GOULBURN brought up the report of the Public Road Bill (Ireland). The Report was ordered to be recommitted to a Committee of the whole House. The House thereupon resolved itself into a Committee, and the several clauses having been read, the House resumed, and the Report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. GLASS DUTIES BILL. Upon the motion of Mr. BERRIES, the Glass Duties Bill was read a third time and passed. PLATE DUTIES TRANSFER BILL. Dr. PIIILLI3IORE brought up the Report of the Plate Duties Transfer Bill, which was ordered to be read a third time -1110M47. TEM PO RA RY CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. Dr. Pll ILLIMOR E brought up the Report of the Tempo rary Customs Duties Bill, which was ordered to be re ad a third :nee on Friday. DUBLIN WIDE STREETS BILL. Mr. C7OULBURN moved the Order of the Day for the House resolving itself into a Committee on the Dublin Wide Streets Bill, which went through a Committee, and the Report was ordered to be received on Friday. CUSTOMS CONSOLIDATION BILL. Upon the motion of Mr. BERRIES the Customs Consoli detien Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be recom enitted on Thursday. GOODS WAREHOUSING BILL. The third reading of the Goods Warehousing Bill was post poned to Thursday next. PILOTS AND PILOTAGE. Mr. C. GB NT brought up a Bill, for better regulating the Law respecting Pilots and Pilotage, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to.morrow. CRUEL TREATMENT OF CATILE BILL. Mr. R. MARTIN moved the Order,of the Day for the second - reading of the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Bill. The A TTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the second read ieg of this Bill. because an Act had been introduced the Ses -sion before the last, by the Honourable Member for Knares.. berotigh (Sir J. Mackintosh), which enacts, that cruelly maim ing animals shall be a transportable offence. The Honourable Member (Mr. Martin) did not mean to repeal the Hon. Mem ber for Knaresborough's Bill, or to mitigate the punishment affixed to it, and yet his Bill provided, that cruelty to animals snould be punished as a misdemeanour. The Hon. Member for Galway would therefore substitute a milder punishment, which clearly was not his intention, though such was the con struction of his Bill. This involved a manifest inconsistency, arid therefore in his (the A ttorney-Genetars) opinion, the Bill, in its present form, should not pass the House. Mr. MARTIN said, the Bill before the House was in fact the Bill of the Attorney-General himself. The Attorney -General had consulted with him (Mr. Martin) in drawing it up. laegh.)- e lt was at the suggestion of the Attorney General be had introduced the words " cutting and maiming," which Iris Right Honourable Friend the Secretary for the Home De partment (Mr. Peel) objected to, because, in his opinion, the word cutting made it a misdemeanour to cut off the ears of a puppy dog. The clause to :which the Attorney-General now objected was only an emendation of his own absurdity . . The Attorney-General's Bill was declared to be an absurdity in the Lords; but as the clause which he (Mr. Martin) proposed to remedy that absurdity was now objected to, lie was willing, and wuuTd he satisfied to produce the Bill which was rejected by the Lords, to compare it with the present Bill, and to strike out every thing in the present Bill which varied from the Bill sent to the herds. The only material addition in the present Bill was the clause to protect those uselal and necessary animals, dogs. Ile did not know why the Attorney -General now differed (loin a Bill which was in principle precisely the same as that which he had before mentioned. He might have altered his opinion upon the former Bill it was true, but why did he within thirty-six hours, offer to support the present Bill, if he (Mr. Martin) agreed to withdraw his Bill for giving felons the be nefit of Counsel ? If Government, and individuals connected with it, continue to act in this manner, the public would soon begin to perceive, that the House f Commons was a bad suboeil for the education of a Judge. The ATTOR.NEV.OENEitAL said the bill formerly in troduced by the lion. Member for Galway, was thrown out in the Lords, because the Hon. Member neglected to suit it to the existing law. Cruelty to animals, by the Act of Charles 11., WAS not a felony, unless there was a malicious intention to the owner: By the Hon. Member for Knaresborough's Act, maim ing of animals was made a felony, although no malicious inten tion was proved. The Hon. Member for Galway was not aware of this enactment, but had followed the words of the Act of Charles. 'The Hon. Member's present bill says nothing of the repeal of Sir J. Mackintosh's Act, but yet it makes that o f f ence ouly a misdemeanour , which Sir Mackintosh's Act had made felony.—Mr. MARTIN explained. Mr. S. WOR T I,El' said it was quite clear that a remedy existed against the offence complained of. He was therefore of opinion, that any new provision to meet that offence was alto.. gether unnecessary. Sir J. SH ELLEY said the House was evidently debating on sar offence for which an adequate remedy already existed. -Mr. T. WILSON thought a mode may be devised for re - conciling the humane intentions of the Hon. Member for Gal way with the legal objections of the Attorney-General. He 'suggested that the offences specified in the Hon. Gentleman's hilt should be punished as felonies, and not as misdemeanours. —Wit was worded according to this suggestion, he saw no ob jection to the Hon. Member's Bill. Mr. °WILBURN said the question was, whether the offences specified in the Hon. Member's Bill, and the Act of the Hon. Member Mr_ Knarmborough, should be in future punished as felonies or as misdemeanours. In his opinion the -. more advisable course was to leave the law as it at present stood. If the present law was not sufficient, the proper course would be to move the repeal of the IlOn. Member for Knaresb.orough's Act, and when that was rep ealed, to introduce the present ill. To . pass the present Bill' w hilst Sir J. Mackintosh's Act re-- 'named in the Statute Book unrepealed, would be inconsistent , - with every principle of sound legislation. After a few words from Mr. Moarcx and Mr. S. Rtez, ,The House divided, when there appeared— A gainsi the second reading For it Majority_ - - - -4 CHURCH LANDS EXCHANGE BILL. When strangers were re-admitted, Jr. GREENE was addressing the House on the bringing up of the -Report of the Church Lanes Exchange Bill, and moving an amendment, which would go to annul the limit of forty acres created by the Rill respecting exchanges effected by certain classes of proprietors. Trustees of charities, he said, were not limited in the exchanges which they might make, and he thought it most unwise to restrain Dean► and Chapters. Lord PALM ERSTON opposed the amendment, and Mr. LOCKH ART supported it. After a few words f Mr. MowcX, .. :rom Mr. C. WILSON made some observations in suppOit of tbe amendment, as did Mr. JOHN BENETT (Wilts), when the House dirided Against the amendment Fur it - Majority - SPRING GUNS. - -26 After the division, Mr. TENNYSON was found addressing the House on the second reading of the Spring Guns Bill. He spoke in terms of strong censure of the practice of setting spring guns in plan tations. He pressed upon the attention of the House, that it was only cases of the last extremity that homicide was justi fiable—in easer of rape, .burglary, or in such cases as the party attacked had no other of escape. Ile objected to life being taken away, or even risked, for the purpose of avenging a civil injury, and one, for which the law provided a remedy of a different nature. He read several letters and other docu ments, detailing instances of injuries inflicted by those destruc tive engines, and enumerated some judicial opinions on the subject; amongst others, the judgments of Lord Chief Jus tice Abbott, the present Chief Justice of the Common leas (then a Puisne Judge in the Court of King's Bench) as well as that of Alr. Justice Holroyd. It only remained for him to state to the House what were the provisions of the Bill. The Bill enacted that where any person should be injured by the going off of any of these spring guns, but not mortallv,that then the person on whose premixes those guns were act, should he:eeljudgetLguilty of a misdemeanour; and if any person should die within a year-and a day after being shot by any spring gun from: the effects of those murderous engines, the Bill then made the person on whose premises the gun was set, guilty of manslaughter. These homicies occasioned by spring guns could not be considered justifiable; in his opinion they were nothing less than murders, but it was not considered pro per to enact that they should be so considered as the thing had been sanctioned by the practice of the country for so many years. The Bill admitted of no exceptions in favour of nur series and gardens ; at the same time he thought the present state of the law as it regarded those two species of property, was very defective; and, perhaps, that was the reason why garden ers had adopted the system of setting spring guns. With these observations he ventured to leave the Bt with the House, trusting that It would approve of its provisions, and suffer it to be read without opposition a second time. Mr. S. WORTLEY felt himself called upon to oppose the second reading of this Bill. It was not just to say that the set ting of spring guns was calculated to introduce a war between the rich and the poor; as if none but persons of rank and riches used them. The fact was well known, that individuals of small property were as much in the habit of using these guns on their premises as those of extensive estates. Ile begged the House to consider first of all the grounds open which this Bill was now attempted to be sustained. The Hon. Gentle man who had just addressed-the House could not show to him that the practice was contrary to the law; on the contrary, he would say, that according to the law of the land every person had a right to set spring guns on his premises. If it were un lawful to do so, then he did not know what was lawful ; for it had been decided over and over again, by every Judge of the King's Bench, that as to the setting of spring guns there was no illegality. Upon that ground, therefore, he should vote against this Bill ; because it proceeded upon what was entirely a mistaken view of the law. The Bill itself was altogether un intelligible. Its preamble and its clause, were inconsistent, and, considering the manner in which Bills which *cre sent up by the House of Commons to the other House were spoken of, he certainly could not refrain remarking upon the mode in which this Bill, the production of that other House, was framed ; and he thought it was very necessary, after this spe cimen, to consider how the Bills which came from that House were shaped. The accidents which had been stated, and all the mischiefs that he had heard of, as arising from these spring guns, bad always happened in the day time : the extent, therefore, to which lie would concede to his lion. Friend (Mr. Tennison) was this, that persons should be prevented from set ting them during the clay; but by their being set at night, lie considered that so far from their producing evil in any degree equivalent to the good which they produced by the protection of property, and the prevention of those desperate fights that occurred between the gamekeepers and the poachers, who know ing there were no spring guns to be apprehended, were fearless as to the conflicts with the keepers. His Hon. Friend had, in deed, recommended a greater number of gamekeepers being employed ; but the consequence of that was, that it produced constant fights, where blood was spilt and lives not unfrequently lost. He could state several instances where persons being un. willing to make use of spring guns, employed keepers instead ; the consequence of which was, that every evening the lives of those men were put in jeopardy by the conflicts that ensued between them and poachers ; but the moment spring-guns were set, these nightly affrays ceased. In one case a number of poachers proposed going to get some game ; and the first ques tion was, where should they go. It was then proposed to go on the lands of a gentleman whom he perfectly well knew; but the majority said " No ; we must not go there, for there are spring-guns set on the premises." It was then agreed that they should go to the lands of a near neighbour of that gentleman, where no guns were set. The consequence was, an affray took place with the keepers, in which one of the game-keepers was wounded ; one of the poachers was also wounded, and another was taken, and had been since transported. He would repeat, therefore, that he should, for these reasons, oppose the present Bill; at the same time he was willing to make it illegal to set these guns during the day-time. Sir F. I3URDETT considered that the attempt to protect property by means of spring-guns was altogether ineffectual, and that it would be difficult to point out a case where this sys tem had had the effect which was aimed at upon those persons against whom it was directed : it was well known diet they I were generally innocent persons who euffered by lear, hear !)—lle begged leave to remark, that previous to the case which had been recently determined in the King's Bench, there were not only great doubts as to the legality, of the practice of setting spring-guns; but the Court of Common Pleas had actually divided upon the question. Therefore, for the Ho nourable Gentleman who last spoke to say there was no doubt upon the subject as to its legality, was saying too much. And, if the Honourable Gentleman would read attentively the re port of die case to which he bad referred, he would per ceive that although the Learned Judges came to that con clusion, they came to it very reluctantly; and if the • Hon. Member would look to the arguments used by them, he would find a great difficulty in agreeing with the conclusion which those Learned Judges had drawn from them. In the judg ment expressed by Mr. Justice Bailey, it was quite obvious that he entertained doubts as to the legality of the practice, and that he considered the practice very inhuman. , If too, the prin ciple of law, which was quoted by Mr. Justice Best be true, namely," that no man can do that indirectly which he cannot do directly, he (Sir F. Burdett) thought the judgment did not make it appear that that principle did not apply to the question before the House ; for most undoubtedly the act of setting a spring gun, by which the life of au-innocent person might be taken away, was doing that indirectly which could not be donedirectly. The law of England was so tender of men's lives, that it would not let any one risk them if they could preserve their own rights without it. Was it then consistent with such a principle, that persons might thus blindly and in discriminately set engines about their premises, by which any one who happened, on whatever occasion it might be, to pass that way, should be shot :dud deprived of life ? It seemed to him to be a thing perfectly untenable. It did not appear to him that any person could have a right to do that in the dark and c overtly which he could not do openly. Mr. Justice Brat, in his judgment, laid it doarenthatelaumanity required in these cases that the greatest possible notice should be given of the fact that spring-guns were set, and that the law was consistent with humanity. But this very admission proved the conclusion to which that Learned Judge arrived to be erroneous ; for here not only were persons to whom the fact might have been made known liable to the danger, b u t persons who were strangers to the neighbourhood, and who ' had no means of acquiring a knowledge that guns were set ; children who might be gather ing flowers, or old women picking up sticks, neither of whom might be able to read—were all by the present system liable to instant death, without any possibility of receiving any warning of their danger. If, then, no notice could be given, the right of setting guns could not exist. The pre mises not being true, the conclusion drawn from them must fall to the ground. For the Learned Judges said that a notice was necessary, and yet they could not show that this notice was given ; and, therefore, the judgment must be erroneous, as this was a postulate in the argument that could not be admitted in point of fair reasoning and sound logic. Chief Justice Abbott seemed to feel the inhumanity of the practice, but said he was not called upon to give an opinion upon that point. It ap peared, however, to him (Sir F. Burdett), that this was the only . argument for the consideration of the Court; for if hu manity would net admit of such a practice, and if die law would not sanction inhumanity, it was obvious that the question which the Learned Judges had to decide resolved itself entirely into a matter of feeling. But it did not from that judgment appear that the setting Of spring guns was legal for the pro tection of game; that was an argument which did not see m to have been adverted to by any of the Learned J u dges, who applied themselves only to the question of right to set guns ,to prevent trespasses On the land, w hich was a propriety recognised by law, and not for the protection of game, which, according to the COLOrnOn law of England, was not property. This was the great evil, and it became the Douse to see whether a better system could not be devised than that Which -was blit little else than the cause of a constant civil war being kept up - between the rich and poor classes in the country. If, indeed, it could be shewn that the intention of these spring guns• were answered, and that the mischiefs arising from the Game Laws were wholly suppressed by them, the question Would then be whether it would not be better to have spring guns than - all the results which flowed from those laws ? But when it was seen that, notwithstand ing these spring guns, all the evils of the Game Laws still existed, the proof.of which was . obvious enough in the fact, that there lacked no supply of game in the market, it was clear that the system did not have the effect it was • said to promote, and that therefore, as it operated very injuriously to the inte rests and even lives of the people, he considered that such a pernicious system ought immediately to be suppressed. Mr. W. R. N. COLBORNE opposed the Whatever might be the fate of this Bill, he was prepared to admire the humanity of those who supported it, because it caused the de struction of human lite, and yet at the same time boasted that they had always a good organized force ready to turn out against those who should trespass upon their property, although such a meeting was well known to be at the peril of their lives. If the blood which was spilt in these nightly contests could pos sibly be compared with - what was spilt by means of spring-guns (and no one lamented such a fact more seriously than he did), his conviction was, that the tide of public opinion would not run so much against the system of protection by the means of guns, as it possibly did at present.—( Hear !) Mr. It. GURNEY supported the Bill. It was impossible that the common law of this country could be brought to prove the legality of letting such murderous engines as these. Ile could not refrain Berm expressing his great obligation to the Noble Lord who originated this measure. That Noble Lord enjoyed as fine a preserve as any gentleman in the country without using a single spring-gun ; this spewed that game might he enjoyed withont these deadly engines. Lord BINNING approved of the principle of the Bill, which went to prevent spring.guns being set to preserve genie, but it also embraced other principles, and was drawn up in so strange a manner, that it ought to be objected to. The Bill went to prevent spring-guns being set in nursery gardens and walled gardens; these were a very different species of property from that of game, and he thought the public opinion was not so decided against the setting of guns for the preservation of property which was essential to life, although they might be opposed to the Game laws. The bill was, in fact, drawn in so strange a manner, that he did not know whether it could be altered in a Committee. If the man who should be injured by , a spring-gun should die within a year and a day, it was man slaughter; but if he should not die, then it was only a misde meanor; but then came a clause which enacted that all actions were to be begun within six months. He must say he thought this Was a specimen of very blundering legislation, and he was certainly surprised at it coming as it did from that House, where they were so very much disposed to criticise whatever came up to them from this House. Public opinion was very much alive upon this subject, and he thought the House ought to pay atten tion to that opinion ; but sure he was that the people would not be satisfied with the arguments that had been used to-night against the principle of the Bill. Mr. SCA RLETT made some observations in explanation, as we understood, of the clauses relating to the time for bring ing the action ; but his words were inatulible in the gallery. He confessed it seemed to him very extraordinary that the law should permit that to be done involuntarily which could not be done voluntarily. The law of England did not recognise game as being a property ; and it seemed to him that the use of such violent means to preserve that which was not property by the common law, was a great grievance. On the whole, he could not consider that, for the purpose of preventing poaching, it was either proper, just, necessary, or humane, to endanger the lives of innocent persons by setting spring guns for the preser vation of game.—(Bear !)—lt was further matter of doubt how far there existed any right to set such destructive engines, even to endanger the lives of poachers themselves. Mr. TENNISON replied. • The House then divided, when there appeared For the second reading, $9 I Against it - 27 Majority in favour of the second reading, 12 GARDENA PROTECTION BILL. The Gardens Protection Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. ASSESSORS AT ELECTIONS BILL. Mr. H. TWISS moved that the House do resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Assessors at Elections Bill. On the question that the Speaker do leave the chair, Mr. HOBHOUSE said this Bill had been before the House repeatedly during the last Session and that before; in fact, it had been almost coeval with his recollection, and the existence of the present : Parliament. He could not concur in the pro priety of going into a question of such importance as it re garded the election laws, at the present late period of the Session. There was no want of lawyers at elections ; their in. terfereece was already too extensive on those occasions, and he was sure they had enough to do with lawyers after elections; at least that was frequently the case, and had occurred to many other Hon. Members, if not to himself.—(A laugh.)—He would merely ask the lion. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Twise) why lie had deferred the Bill till the present late period of the Session, if' it were not through a consciousness of its un palatable and unwelcome nature? Mr. li. TWISS said he had brought the Bill forward at an early period of the Session, in March last, and he had been then appealed to by Gentlemen at the side of the House to which the Hon. Member (Mr. Hobhouse) was such an orna ment, for farther delay, in order that the subject might be farther considered, and receive the benefit of the elucidation of other lion. Members at the same side of the House, whose opinions were always so valuable. He had consented, and the (louse had since been so occupied with important measures, that it wits impossible to bring the subject before it at an ear lier period. lie could not consent to withdraw the Bill with out saying that it had failed not through any fault of his ; sod :thee that the opinion of the House had never been expressed upon it fairly. The measure-was introduced foar Sessions ago, which proved he had not attempted to take the House by sur prise, and that delays were not always confined and peculiar to • the Court of Chancery: The Bill was then withdrawn. The other Orders of the ll:ty were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Eleven o'clock. LIST OF THE MAJORITY On Mr. Tennyson's Motion for the Second Reading of the ... Spring Gun Bill. Allan, J. H. Handley, Henry Rice, T. S. Browne, Dom. Howard H. Russell, Lor d J. J Burdett, Sir F. Hume, J. Sefton, Earl of Binning, Lord Hutchinson, Hon. Scarlett, J. Benett, J. C. H. Tulk, C. A. Hendrick, Lord W. Johnes, J. Trant, W. H. Corbett, Pantos Lamb, Hon. W. Twiss, Horace Cooper, R. B. Lockhart, J. J. Wodehouse, Hn. J. Denman, T. Marjoribanks, S. Wilson, C. Evans, Wm. Monek, J. B. Wilson, Sir R. Forbes, Sir C. Mundy, F TELLEItS. Gurney, Hudson Phillimore, J. Tennyson, C. Hardinge, Sir H. Plummer, John Hobhouse, J. C. MINORITY. Bankes, II enry 'dowdier, J. Townsh end ,lln . H. Bridges, G. Lushington, S. R. Tremayne, J. H. Clerk, Sir G. Loraine, Lord Wortley, J. S. Douglas, J. Manners, Lord R. Wilson, T. FeHowes, W. If. Milbank, M. Wigram, W. Gordon ' nom W. Percy, Hon. W. 11. Wharton, J. Green, Thos. . Ross, C. TELLEAS. Jolli, 11. Seymour, li. Colborne, N. R. Lowther, Vise. Somerset, Lord G. Shelley, Sir J. It was Mr. Lambton. and not Mr. Bankes , jun . w ho corn . plained in the House of Commons on Monday evening, of being misrepresented in the Morning Herald respecting the Hull Docks IZill. We were led into this error, in common with several of our contemporaries, owing to the Hon. Member for the county of Durham not having spoken from his usual seat. MELANCHOLY StIICIDE.-Yesterday evening an inquest was held a t No. la, M o ntague-street, Portman-square, before T. STIR LING , Esq. Coroner , to inquire into the death of Mrs. Mary J ane H u ghford, a maiden lady of advanced age , who several y ears lady past had, with a nother lad y , ke p t a seminar y of distingui s h e d c h arac ter at the above house , for the education of the junior b ranc h es of the Nobility and Gentry. The de ceased had continued her establishment with great credit until the present time, but, unfortunately, about - three months since, a kind of epidemic complaint appeared (said to be the scarlet fever) and many of the pupils were sent home to avoid lt-9 contagious effects, which fortunately soon abated ; the eir curnstar,tea preyed on thelady's mind, and she imagined her school would sustain great injury, and gradually declined in her health, until her mind sank into extreme dejection and set tled melancholy. On Sunday morning last, while the family were preparing for church, a serva nt comin g down stairs, hear ing a strange noise in a closet, ope ned the door, and her mis tress tumbled forward, bleeding p rofusel y from the neck, and in each hand was t i g h t l y grasped a penknife.; the family, on the alarm sent for Mr. Smith, surg eon, of U pp er Se y mour-street, but his aid could avail nothing ; the unfortunate lady had too well effected her object; the wounds on her neck were despe rately extensive, themain arteries being completely severed—, She instantly expired. Evidence was given to prove the lady's state of mind for some time past, and the Jury, which was high. 1 ly respectable, rettuned a verdict qt ." Pta nit i ." .. SOUTHWARK DINNER. The seventh Anniversary FestiV4l in celebra tion of the independence of the Borough of Southwark took place yesterday at; the Horns Tavern, Kennington. Sir R. -WlLsox, was in the chair, supported by Sir F. Bur dett, Bart. M.P. ; Mr. Hobhouse, M.P. ; Mr. S. Whitb read, - M.P.; Mr: Lambtint,-M.P.; Ir. - Hume, M.P.; the Hon. Mr. C. Hutchinson, M.P. ; and a numerous and respectable assemblage of the Electors of the Borough. After the cloth was removed, the following toasts were proposed by the Chair man, and received with the - most cordial marks of approbation : " The King; and may he never forget his own declaration — that the Crown is held in trust for the benefit of the people. " The People, the only source of legitimate power. " A full, fair, and free representation of the people in Par liament." " A free press—the best security for the maintenance of pub lic rights." " Purity of Trial by Jury ; and thanks to Mr. Secretary Peel for his excellent Bill for the improvement of that ines timable institution." Mr. NV CATIIERST o xr, in proposing the health of the Chair man, took occasion to remind the electors, that before they would meet there again it was probable that Parliament would be dis solved, and they would therethre he called on to exercise the most important privilege of Englishmen—namely, the elec tion of a representation in Parliament. Ile then expatiated on the merits of Sir R. Wilson, who had redeemed every pledge which he gave them in 1318, and who had, therefore, proved himself worthy of their future support.—(Loud applause.)— He also dwelt upon the brilliancy of Sir Robert's military services, and congratulated the meeting upon the prospect of his being restored to his rank in that profession, of which it was admitted on all hands he was so bright an ornament, and his removal from which was universally deemed a severe hardship. But as all parties seemed disposed to bury the past in oblivion, he thought they could not do better than follow die example. He concluded by proposing the health of their faithful, honest, and gallant Representative, Sir It. Wilson. The toast was received with enthusiastic applause. Sir RonEnT, in returning thanks, principally dwelt upon the necessity of a reform in Parliament, notwithstanding the liberal course pursued by the present Ministry ; for without reform, the people had no security for a continuance of such a system. He also urged the expediency of their meeting and expressing their sentiments with respect to the corn laws, before the next Session of Parliament, in order that he and his col league might receive their instructions on that subject. The healths of Mr. Calvert, the other Member the South wark, and of Sir F. llurdett, and each of the individuals whose names are Mentioned above, Were successively proposed, and drank with all due honours. The two leading topics of their respective speeches were the necessity of Reform, and the great military services of their Gallant Chairman, which were uni versally acknowledged, not only in England, but throughout the greater part of Europe. Shortly after nine o'clock the Chairman announced, that he and his lion. Friends were obliged to attend the House of Com mons ; and having first expressed his gratitude to the company for their kind expressions of approbation, he retired with Si: F. Burdett and the rest of the Members of Parliament present LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, JuwE 21. STRATHMORE s'. STRATHMORE. This case, which came before the Court on demurrer, and which had been partly argued, stood in the paper to-day for further argument. It involved the question as to the legality of bonds of resignation of spiritual benefices. Mr. Wm. }Non °Ham was heard for the plaintiff; the heir at-law; and Messrs. HORNE, PEPYS, and BICKER/lETH, in support of the several demurrers. The Loan CHANCELLOR observed, that he had expected to hear the decision of the House. of Lords on the subject of bonds of resignation before this case was finally argued; but the Judges, whose opinions had been desired, found the .question so difficult that they wished for time to consider it. The decision would not, therefore, be given this session. In the case before the Judges the questions were, whether, us the bond and presentation were near in date, the one was not given in consideration of the, other; and whether, if such bond were not void by statute, it were void at common law. Several decisions in the Courts of Law, since the case of the " Bishop of London Finch," kept up a distinction between gene ral and particular bonds of resignation. Now a question arose, whether, if the presentation could be given to one son, it might not be given to two sons, or to others. Did the number create the distinction ? In the present case the con. dition was, that if A B, or C D, was incapable of taking orders, the clerk should resign ; but there was no condition that one or the other should be prese nted. Then. should the obligee not present, was this Court to require the presentee to resign ? The case, his Lordship observed, was important, both to the public and to the church. He should therefore give no opinion as to the legality of these bonds till the decision of the house of Lords was known. It had been argued for the plaintiff (and his Lordship was bound to add, very well argued) that the testator bad vested no trust in the trustees which could be executed in the life-time of Lady Mary Price (the late Earl's sister); and that therefore the presentations went to the heir at law. It was difficult to give an opinion upon a case so put, without involving the other question as to the bonds. Ills Lordship would therefore consider the subject well for a few days. His Lordship would decide whether the right of the trustees was gone, or whether the legal part of the trust (sup posing the bond to be illegal) could not be executed. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, JuxE 21. TUB KING v. STEWART. This was an indictment against Robert William Stewart, a man of colour in the service of Mrs. Storer, a lady of fortune residing at Purley, near Reading, for assaulting . Philip Thompson, a black lad, who had been Mrs. Storer's slave in Jamaica, and was brought by her to England. At the last Berkshire Assizes the case came on for trial, when it was sworn that upon some insolent expressions of the boy, the de fendant struck him, and afterwards locked him up for the night, and brought him out to be flogged in the morning. 'lite boy, however, escaped, and came to Reading;, where he told Ilia story, and preferred his complaint. The gfendant in this case was convicted ; but on another indictment, in which Mrs. Storer her' elf was indicted with him, and was charged with having ordered 'and witnessed the infliction of the severe flog ging, the Jury returned a verdict of acquittal. Mr. JEnvis now, on the part of the defendant, moved for judgment, and produced an affidavit, alleging that the conduct of the boy was very provoking, and that he had preferred an. ot:t.n. indictment at the Sessions for a previous assault, which still remained to be tried. The Learned Counsel and Mr. , Gross urged the topics which this affidavit presented. The CouRT, adverting to all the circumstances, sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of 201., and to be imprisoned till that'fine Should be paid. The defendant began to remonstrate, but was stopped, and obliged to withdraw. The Con icy sat till half-past five o'clock, but no case of in terest was heard. PREROGATIVE COURT, TUESDAY, JUNE 21. There was an extra Court to-day, for the dispatch of bus!. ness. Nothing of public interest occurred, except that in the case of ALLEN AND LOLtEY v. TIMS AND HOPE, a testamentary cause involving considerable property, and which the Judge yesterday, in an elaborate and definitive sen tence, decided in favour of the defendants, (executrix and exec utor named in the last will , with two codicils, of Samuel Atkins, late of Vauxhall, in the county of Surrey, Esq.),l Sir J. Nictiota. stated, upon coming into Court, that be might perhaps reconsider his judgment; and if he should be disposed to open it again, he would give the defendants' Colin , sel (Dr. Jenner and Dr. Phillimore) the opportunity of reply ing at length to the argument of the Counsel for the two lega tees, Allen and Loney. AN UNNATURAL MOTHER.—Mary M 4 DOMlid was charged with cruel treatment of her infant, which is not yet three months old , by striking it with her clinched fist. The complaint was laid at the office by a female who dwelt near her, and who produced the child this morning, which seemed in a very weak state. In reply to a question from the Magistrate, the accused said her conduct was the effect of intoxication. The mother herself did not appear to he above 17 years of age. She had, she said, 12 months since, married an actor, who, when she b eca me pregnant, deserted her; a nd since then she had exist ed solely on charity.- The Magistrate inquired of her if she had a father ? She said she had, but that since her mar riage he had turned his hack upon her. The accused's father ' was then sent for, and, on his approaching the table, the Ma gistrate inquired of him if lie was willing to yield protection to his daughter, and sustenance to her child ? He peremptorily refused so to do. " Nor assist in so far as you are able, as her father ?"--" No ! I have lately married a second wife, and .cannot assist the daughter ! "—" What ! " con tinued the Ma gistrate, s.‘ are you henpecked, Sir ? If you refuse to assist this unfortunate girl, whos e wrongs have driven her even to contemn the duties of a mother, you are an .unfeelin g and hardenethwretch."—Th e f a the r was proof a g terposition of the Magistrate ; and the daughter, upon her pro mising to take proper care of the child , w as allowed to depart— ., ( Glagvio Free Press. a inst the kind in- PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Martis, 21. Q die Anil, I 525. MESSAGE from the LonDs—That they have Mreed to--. Canada Corn Bill; Warehoused Corn lßill ; Newspaper* Conveyance Bill; and Aliment of Prisoners (Scotland) Bill, without amendment ; and to Macclesfield improvement Bill, with amendments. That they have passed a Bill, intituled, " An Act to render valid certain Decrees and Orders of the Rolls Court... NA T U AL IZ AT iox—Mathieu's--Bill read a second time, and committed. EsTams—lnge's, howler's, and Sclater's—Bills read a se cond time, and committed. LAW OF MEnctinwrs—Bill read a first time,"to be read second time on Thursday next, and to he printed. RECTORIES—St. Mary-le-bone—Bill read a first time. ROADS--Holyhead SALCEY FOREST BANK TOKENS (Ireland) UNIVERSITIES POLICE GLASS DUTIES WEST INDIES CLERGY COMBINATION LAWS—Petition of Operative Wesvera of Glasgow, against—to lie on the table. CusTmstsCONSOLIDATION SPRING Guars IBills read a second dine. GARDENS PROTECTION CRUEL TREATMENT OF CATTLE—Second reading pat Off Bills read a third tiros, and passed. for six months. ASSE,SORS AT ELECTIONS—COMMittCe put off for three weeks. PILOTS AN ID Fz.o.►rlxo LIGIITs—BiII read a first *IS. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. 1. Mr. Brougham—To refer to a Select Committee the Peti tion of Bishop Burnet, complaining of the conduct a the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. 2. Mr. Charles Grant—Education (Scotland). ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR Tins DAY. - l. East India Judges Bill—Third Reading. 2. Customs Laws Repeal Bill—Third rending. 3. Registry of Ships Bill—Third reading. 4. Navigation Laws Bill—Third reading. 5. Customs Regulation Bill—Third reading. 6. Customs Management Bill—Third reading. 7. I - louse of Commons Taxation of Costs Bill—Forthes consi•.- deration of Report. 8. Foundlings (Ireland) Bill—Report. 9. Partnership Societies (Scotland) B:11- 7 Third, reading. 10. Edinburgh Bonds Bill—Third reading. 11. Writs of Error Bill—Third reading. 12. Newspapers Bill—Report. 13. Public Roads (Ireland) Bill—Report. 14. Plate Duties Transfer Bill—Third reading. 15. Wide Streets (Dublin) Bill—Report. 16. Linen Trade (Ireland) Bill—Further consideration, of Re'' port. 1. Pilots and Floating Light Bill—Second reading. 18. Spring Guns Bill—Committee. 19. Gardens Protection Bill—Committee. NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY. Thursday, June 23. Mr. Littleton—To move Resolutions, founded on ILA from Select Committee on Private Business. • Monday, May 27. Mr. Martin (of Galway)—Bill to alter and amend so much of Act 4 Geo. 4, c. 54, as relates to unlawfully maiming, or wounding any Cattle. PRIVATE BILL. Second Reading for This Day. Bethlent Hospital Estate. ANGLO-MEXICAN :MINING? ASSOCIATION. 111 DIRECTORS of the ASSOCIATIOrt for ASSISTING in WORKING MINES in MEXI CO, and other parts of SPANISH AMERICA, having moil, a CALL of FIVE POUNDS on each of the SHARES the ASSOCIATION, under the powers vested in them by til ° DEED, the Proprietors are requested to pay the same on t_ l4 ° wount of their respective Shares to Messrs. BARCLAY , TRITTON, BEVAN, and Co. Lombard-street, on or bc fore the 25th day of July next. JOSEPH LOWE, Secretary. 7, St. Helen's-place, June 20, 1825. *.* For MEDic us A Nemo-As: ,lAT ICUS, •e• our Fourth Pug: PRICE OF STOCKS THIS an' k Stock 233 3 per Cent. Red.......... 908 3 per Cent. Cons. ............ 3A per Cent. .............J ai 9 A Ditto Red. ............ 4 per Cent., Nov ........... Bank Long An. ... 22 I-16th India Stock ............ ••• Ditto Bonds ............ 63 pm. South Sea Stock ............ DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Old Annuities New Ditto Ex. Bills 10001. lid. ••• " 34 Ditto 500/. 14d...... -P Ditto Small ...... Ditto C0mmercia1 ......... . Bank for Act. ............. India for ........... t Cons. for Opening 9 PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS, AT ONE O'CLOG g•• Austrian Bds, 5 per ct. ... Ne apolitan Scrip .... . ....... .. Brazilian Bds ' Peruvian Bonds ..... ....... 'll . 4 del -------- 1825 ... O dis. Do. Scrip Buenos Ay res Bds ........ Portuguese Bonds ... Cliilian, lids 8 per ct. . Prussian, 5 per ct. ........ .-- " l o li Colombi a n ltlis6 per et.... Ditto New Do. do. 1824 - 95 , Danish, 5 p er cent . Do. scrip - 1823 ... Greek Bds . __. Do. Scrip, 1825... 9;b 9 b dis. -- Exchange ......... Mexican Bds = sExpceflanCegent..........: Do. Scrip 1825 ... 2b di di s . 19 .. Neapolitan, 5 p er cent - ......... '#;., PRICES OF SHARES AT ONE O'CLOCK. ref. Pao' St Anglo-Chilian Mining Company IBA 19 i Angna Iron and Coal. Mining Company •••• • •-. lbk Brazilian Mining Company . 23 " Bolivar Mining. Company . Chilian Mining Company . Cobalt and Copper Mining Company General Mining Association . 1 i . London United Mining Company . ........ 4 Manganese Mining Company Pasco Peruvian Mining Company... Potosi La Paz and Peruvian Alining Association ......... 1, Royal Irish Mining Company .. ..... ...... . i die- *PO Rio de la Plata Mining Company New United Mexican Mining Company ............... .„ fr i 1 Alliance Fire and Life Assnrance Company ............ . Iv .._. Ditto, Marine Department . "' Protector Fire Assurance Company 7/ Continental Gas Company - 7* British Iron Company 9/I§ • British Rock and Patent Salt Company Canal Gas Engine Company .. . ..................... . I Z Z Equitable Loan Bank Company •• • •••"' gi General SteaM Navigation Company ............. -- ....... 4 Great Westminster Dairy Company Imperial Plate Glass Company . • . . . .... ,-- ii.. National Stone Way Company Provincial Bank of Ireland . ..... • • 0 Patent Bricks Royal Stannary ********* FOMEICIN Altai - vim. I 7 Lisbon - - Oottenburgh _ Hansburgh . - Ft . HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIPAPA nre,mon•-, c , • )0f Morning, 55 minutes after 6.1 Eveviii- 4 ' l 23 rn • tee . ar‘ e ,i-i Ano Fi suN SOLEM 4U13 DlC;xitic riLsuld AUDEA. . , LONDON, wEDNEs'atir 41rRbTING, JUNE 22, 1923' • ••••••• The French P apers o f S un d ay are barren or.f' e telligence. Our accounts accounts from Greece, given 10 10 ' 7 lc° are not of th a t f avoura bl e nature t h at prey information had led us to expect. The, hitherto attributed to the Turks, we scro'griejc