The Sun. — London, England, 1844-05-24 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of a great deal of public business. CONTINUATION OF NEW FARRINGDON•STREET. Mr. R. L. JONES, the Chairman of the London-bridge Approaches Committee, brought up a report "For sealing a bond to the Chamberlain for the advance of 25,0001. by the Bank, being the amount authorised by Act sth and 6th of her present Majesty, and paid to the Commis sioners for continuing the street from New Farringdon streee to Clerkenwell-green." It stated that the Remem brancer having received a communication from the Soli citors, of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, stat ing that the Lords of the Treasury had given their con sent that the sum of 25,0001. should be raised by the Court. to be paid to the Commissioners appointed by the 3d and 4th Vic., c. 112, for opening a street to Clerken well-green, to be applied by them towards the expense of making and completing the said street, the Committee proceeded to ascertain upon what terms the Governor and Company of the Bank of England were willing to advance that sum ; that they had agreed to ad vance it at the rate of 31 10s. per cent. per annum, which rate of interest had been approved by the Commissioners of the Treasury, and their Lordships had issued a warrant directed to the Court, authorising the Court to raise that sum, and directing that it should be paid to the Commissioners. That the sum of 25,0001. and interest were to be charged upon the improvement fund next in priority to the sum of 40,000/. raised by the Court, and charged upon the said fund for the pur chase of the block of buildings between the Bank of England and Cornhill; they had much sutisfaction in anticipating the speedy conclusion of that important improvement of making a spacious avenue from Black friar's-bridge to Clerkenwell-green, which the Court had commenced, and carried into effect so far as the juris diction of the City of London extended ; and that the Committee had given directions to the Comptrollers to prepare a bond for the sum of 25,000/. for these pur poses, and recommended that the City seal should be affixed thereto.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The report was unanimously agreed to, and the bond was accordingly sealed. THE LAND-TAX. The report on the reference relative to petitioning Parliament in respect of the land-tax, was brought up. It stated that the Committee considered it inexpedient to ketition Parliament on the subject at the present time. Several of the members opposed the report, and re commended that Parliament should be forthwith applied to on the subject ; but ultimately the report was agreed to. THE VAGRANT POOR OF THE METROPOLIS. The discussion upon the motion of Deputy Corney, " That it be referred to the Parliamentary Committee to consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament for an Act to better the moral and physical condition of the vagrant population of this metropolis, and report their opinion forthwith to the Court," was resumed. The following is an abstract of the whole discussion : Deputy CORNEY said it was unnecessary for him to tell the members of the Court, that the street beggars formed a most intolerable nuisance in the streets of the metropolis. In the City, the difficulty felt by the au • thorities was, in what manner to relieve one locality without burdening another. The existing law provided no remedy nor mitigation of the evil, and the ward of Broad -street, to which he belonged, unfortunately sup - plied him with a very painful experience upon the sub ject, as it happened to be infested more than any other quarter of the City by those who traded in mendacity. The City Magistrates in adjudicating on the cases brought before them, generally punished the offence with fourteen days' imprisonment, or discharged the offender upon promise not to ply in his vocation within the City. Persons brought up in habits of what might be called the industrious idleness of begging, were not to be removed so easily from the extensive district in which they had all their lives found a home and support. He had traced families regularly trained up for thirty yeais in the art, and most diligently bringing up their children in the same occupation, by the most inde fatigable manoeuvring. Habits so inveterate, and recom mended by parental exaMple, were not to be altered by any process which the present poor-law provided or senctionec.l.—(llear, hear.) He recollected that Sir Matthew Wood had, in his anxious and commendable desire to relieve his fellow-citizens, made an experiment, but failed. It was to be hoped, that as a revision of the Poor-law Bill was intended very soon to be made, the Government would get a clause introduced to meet the evil by which particular localities were overwhelmed. Formerly the poor obtained relief through the instrumentality of the monasteries which had long since been absorbed by noble families, such as the houses of Bedford, Cavendish, and Tavistock, with out producing any good, as a substitute for the charity which was in days of old dispersed, except the getting up of a few Liberal Members of Parliament.—(Laugh ter.) Now the poor crowded into the City, and exer cised in some instances importunities, in others threats, to obtain that which they had never attempted to earn. It was not his intention to presume to suggest any defi nite plan. He should leave that to the wisdom of Par liament, but he felt convinced that something could be devised by which, as was expressed in the terms of his motion, the moral and physical condition of the labour ing population would be improved. Mr. Corney con chidediey reading his motion. Mr. Herm. seconded the motion, but he wished that the Deputy who introduced it had given some outline of a plan for accomplishing. the very desirable object be wished to attain. He believed that in the new poor-law there was not any provision made to throw upon the unions generally the cases which were at present con fined to one.--(Hear, bear.) He believed, however, that it was the intention of Sir James Graham to cause the exrenses of the maintenance of the poor to fall upon the unions generally. Mr. KING said it was quite evident that the objects of the mover and seconder were quite different—that of the one being to improve the moral and physical condi tion of the poor; while that of the other was to divide the expense of maintaining them, without reference to their moral or physical condition at all.—(Laughter). He considered it to be his duty to move the previous question, for. he regarded the proposition of the mover as a most monstrous one. It was, in fact, nothing at all, or worse than nothing, and, the Corporation would certainly be laughei at for going' to Parliament for such a pu r po se . Zfr, nicuARH TAYLon supported the motion. What, beAlikod, 'would - be more worthy of a reference to a Committee than such a question? Was it not an appeal .made fur 'charitable purposes, and cal culated to alleviate existing distress?—(Hear, hear.) Lord Ranelagh had said that nine-tenths of the vagrants of the metropolis did not belong to the metropolis, but that., they came from the - rural districte.—(Hear, hear.) They came by fifties and hundreds from the neighbour hoods of the estates of the Duke of Buckingham and th 6 Duke of Richmond,' and other noblentetr, ivhe derived benefit from the destruction of the monasteries to which Deputy Corney . had alluded.—(Laughter.) They poured in upon the City from ate country, and the laws were rendered futile by elle operation of the measures which w e r e so strongly deprecated by the peOple. What destroyed the efficacy of the poor-law ? The corn-law. —(Loud cries- of " Hear, hear," and " No, no.") The cxelusion of foreign corn deprived the people of food, and thronged the streets of the metropolis with rural beggars. He had read with horror' the - observations of of a Chairman at •a - quarter sessions,• as to the incen diary fires Which, going OR from night to night, showed the _miserable _condition of the population, who, hav ing no other warts of emanifesting their condition, adopted that. dreadful course. That appeared on the charge to the grand jury. The. Times spoke of great facts. lie called . the. prevalence of incendiary' fires a great fact. It was horrible to think -that the people should resort to such secret and dreadful means to show what their real condition wase•but scr•it was--(Hear, hear, And murmurs)—while these things were known of the agricultural population, and while it was known that the employment given by'the farmer to We labourer was so precarious that the latter was discharged when the sveathei proved inauspicious, what was to be expected ? What was the Parliament doing at the present moment? Why, endeavouring to plunder than of all the common lands-by an Inclosure Bill It was pretended that com pensation was to be given for the loss, but compensation given to the present poor who had only a life interest in the benefit would leave the succeeding generation strip ped of all advantages.—(Hear, hear.) As well might the members of that Court take off the money from the Chamberlain's-office. No greater robbery could, in fect, be committed, and it was g oing on ever since his birth. (Cries of " H ear , hear, and murmurs.") They had seen • the people getting worse and worse, as they got rid of their commons. The poor could, formerly, do a day's work in procuring fuel, but now every bit of ground was taken away, and the poor man's cow or horse, if caught grazing on the road-side, was shut up in pound. To expect a syste of morals from such a Plan was monstrous. Tm here was much talk about education, but the more education the poor received, the more palpable would the injustice with which they were treated appear to the m . The Christian religion n ever taught e peopl e to put up with starvation.—(Hear.) Lewnexce supported the amendment. He could not understand what the mover of the resolution meant by the moral condition of the poor; and as for their physical condition, which was, indeed, bad enough, the worthy Dep u ty had' not suggested anything like a remedy. The gua r di ans of the poor were the persons who would most prope r l y appeal to Parliament, for they were armod.with facts ; an d now that the _ Act as about to undergo, some change, th ey might apply with advan tage, but that Court could do nothing in the matter. Mr. JUPP said the allusion to the Inclosure Bill re minded him of what a lady said about a robbery which took place in the country. "Oh dear !" said she, " what brutes they must have been to steal away the geeselrom- the common!" Now all he had to do to ex press his sentiments on the subject was, "Oh dear! iibat brutes must they be who want to steal away the 4On'imon from the geese!" Mr. ANDERTON said it was quite obvious to him that if corn was ever so plentiful there would be abundance 4 . fpaupers. If the beggars were taken out of the streets baday they would be in the streets to-morrow. If Deputy ,Corney proposed the consideration of some sanatory regulations for the City of London, founded upon the admirable report of Mr. Chadwick—the attene bow of the members of the Court to which, lie most earnestly recommended—he would most assuredly join in Carrying out so beneficial an object. L. JONES said the proper authority to enter iiPon such a topic was Parliament itself. He was anxious to see an amalgamation of the expenses of all the City earishes, so that all would be equally benefited. It was notorious that the p oor p u t f ort h a ll t h e i r strengt h an d industry in rich• parishes, and returned exhausted to lookin their extremity for with people as indigent as themselves.—(Hear.) Mr. ASICaRST declared that if he thou g ht a proposi tion such as h ad been brought the poor, forward were lik e ly, i n any mann er , to benefit thpt)o u r t 1 , he would support it with notices of the kind the greatest omptitude ; uniformly ended idedadw imposing always found that . Posing some restriction upon the poor.—(Hear, hear.) He did not, at the same time, mean to cast a doubt upon the motive of the proposer.—(Hear.) Now, in consequence of the severe restrictions in the country, a number of the rural inhabitants travelled into the more genial atmosphere of the metropolis. The City magistrates were elective—not a band of briefless barristers, but independent and gene rous men, who would deal with the poor as men— (Cheers)—and it was on account of that well-known character of the City of London magistrates, that those who had nothing but humanity to look to crowded the streets.—(Hear, hear.) Now he would ask the Court whether they were to interfere with such a feeling, and advise the Aldermen to substitute harshness for the kind and benevolent conduct for which they were remarkable, although their conduct produced inconvenience ? (Cheers.) They knew the deplorable, the dreadful con dition of the poor ; but to do the people justice was the way to do them good, and justice was all they wanted. Sir PETER LAURIE said that if the subject was re ferred to a Committee a great deal of information would be most undoubtedly received. The Committee would be told what he knew to be fact, that crowds of paupers were every day smashing the windows of the Mansion house for the purpose of obtaining the asylum of a prison, and why did they wish to be locked up in prison? Because they preferred prisons to the unions established by the new poor-law.—(Hear.) They could not be pre vailed upon to accept the refage of the unions, but they broke windows and tore their poor-house clothes to pieces in order to be punished with the less disagree able alternative of a gaol. He considered that the house of nightly shelter in the City contributed in no slight degree to increase the influx of mendicants, who came and went away, and re turned again and again, thus introducing, as it were, a new condition of pauperism from which there appeared to be no redemption. Now, if through a Committee punishment could be made a consequence of such repeti tion, some advantage might be expected to this commu nity. Alderman THOMA.B WOOD supported the previous question, and agreed with Mr. Lawrence that It was quite impossible for the Court to deal with a question which belonged not to the Corporation, but to the pub lic at large.—(Hear, hear.) The great nuisance in this city was the nightly refuge to which the idle and the in. digent crowded from all parts of the country, and to re sort to which they were recommended by the authorities in the various districts from which they came. Thither came also the masses of Irish paupers, who wanted to be removed to their home, and continued to become chargeable in order to accomplish that object. The very mention of nightly shelter in the City of London congregated immense multitudes, and daily exhibitions were now made of the result. The members of the Court ought to have seen, as he had seen on the preceding day, ten vagrant females at the Mansion-house convicted of the most rebellious conduct. These women did not come from any precise locality, but got together in a union from a variety of places. It was, in tact, impos sible to isolate London from the rest of the metropolis, in the endeavour to obtain a remedy for an evil which spread far and wide over the whole of London.—(Hear, hear.) The average of those who came for relief were not of the industrious, but of the idle and dissolute classes. How then were the physical ills of such masses to be remedied ? It must be only by some general measure.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. PEWTRESS spoke in favour of the motion of Mr. Corney. Ho was, he said, sure that the Court would allow there was an overwhelming mass of poverty. The newspapers teemed with deplorable evidences of the fact, and showed that the City was afflicted with the evil to such a dreadful extent as must afflict every person of ordinary humanity.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he believed there was no evil for which a remedy could not be foand ; and, as a matter of course, he thought the evil of which complaint had been so strongly made was capable of being removed. The New Poor-law had been some time ago framed to meet the existing evil, and in that law it was stated that relief was to be afforded to those in necessity without examination or question of any kind previously to the administering of relief. If that had been carried out in spirit, all the poverty, which now appeared to be overwhelming , would have been re lieved ; but let the Court look at the application of the law. There was no penalty consequent upon the refusal of the officers to administer immediate assistance, and the law was actually not operative in that respect without some tremendous process. In numerous unions in the country the relief administered was desperately econo mical, and the rules were so stringent, that the poor were required to work a certain number of hours before they received any food, and a certain number of hours after. Here was a cruel and disgusting violation of the law.—(Hear, hear.) Persons convicted of crime were entitled to have two hot meals a day with out working f ar each supply. while those who had com mitted no o ff ence were denied a morsel of bread until they performed the task allotted to them by the men by whom relief ought to be administered) without in quiry or question of any kind.—(Hear, hear.) Was it not degrading to the poor to deny them so large an amount of food as was willingly granted to those who came under the other denomination?—(Hear, hear.) He was sure the evil was capable of a remedy ; but it was necessary that all the unions should co-operate in carrying out the law. There was another evil connected with th administration of the law. The magistrates were guardians of the poor, so that they were placed in a double capacity, which rendered their acts as guar dians liable to be appealed against to themselves as magistrates.—(Hear, hear.) But the paramout evil was want of employment. That was the great cause of the prevalent distress; but that could also be, in his opinion, remedied.—(Cries of" Free trade," and laughter.) He regretted to utter his suspicion, that the wealthy would rather pay enormous rates than yield to the poor the power of relieving themselves from the mise ries which surrounded them. He hoped the motion of Mr. Corney would be agreed to, and he would pledge himself to state before the Committee such matters as would probably lead to an application for certain amend ments in the law. Mr. IlicuAßD WILLIAMs advocated the proposition of Deputy Corney, to whom, he said, great credit was due for having introduced to the Court the subject of so monstrous an evil as that with which the population of London were beset. He lamented the defective state of the law which permitted the existence of such a condi tion of things as had been just represented, and sug gested that a power should be given in the amended Act to inflict punishment upon those vagrants who, having been once passed to their settlements, should return as mendicants to the metropolis. He at the same time could not help expressing his dissent from the opinions of those who spoke in general condemnation of the poor for not finding employment.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. W. H. HALL was for the previou4 question, and contended that the Corporation of London had nothing to do with the quer tion. As to the extent of poverty, they all agreed on that subject, and they all knew that a prisoner lived better than a pauper, and a patiper lived better than an industrous working man.—(Hear, hear.) After some observations from other members, Deputy CoRNEY replied, and the amendment was car ried by a large majority.--Adjourned. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—Previously to a newly-appointed Governor- General of India leaving England for the scene of his delegated duties, a dinner on a scale of princely magni ficence is invariably given by the Directors to the indi vidual on whom the honours and advantages of the post have been conferred. To this banquet the members of the Cabinet, and other distinguished personages, are in vited. In conformity with this time-honoured custom, Sir Henry Hardinge was feasted and toasted yesterday. But for the recent misunderstanding between her Ma jesty's. Ministers and the Honourable Court, the proceedings of the day would have commanded no pecu liar interest. The recal of Lord Ellenborough by the magnates of Leadenh a ll- s t ree t, d esp i te o f t h e wishes of the Cabinet, and in the teeth of the refusal of her Majesty's Ministers to concur in the removal of the " Brummagem Buonaparte," invested the proceedings of yesterday with unprecedented interest. Would the Duke of Wellington be present? If present, would his Grace make a speech? If the Noble Duke deigned to address himself to the proceedings of the day, how would he deal with the cause of the new appointment; seeing the recal of Lord Ellenborough had induced him to apply to the Court of Directors a series of appel lations more expressive of strong disapprobation of the act, than regardful of the rules of courtesy ? Then, again, how would the administration of the great de posed be treated by the. Chairman ?—by the Premier, if present ?—or by the newly-appointed Governor-Gene ral ? These, and many other inquiries as to the parts whichwould be played by the great personages so recently at loggerheads, on an occasion that was immediately connected with the cause of their disagreement, were uppermost in the public mind. The possibility of some thing being said by some one, which, would afford 'a clue to the cause of Lord Ellenborough's recal, induced us to scan the speeches with searching attention. We hoped to be able to assist the inquiry, which we knew would be instituted ; and to satisfy public curiosity, so strongly stimulated to penetrate, if possible, the veil of secresy which her Majesty's Ministers seem determined to cast over the transactions that have led to that re cal. Tho leading personages present on the festive occa sion seem to have laid an embargo on their powers of speech, lest a - phrase should escape their lips which might be interpreted into a meaning of either commen dation or blame of Lord Ellenborough's general policy, or individual conduct. His Lordship's name was not even mentioned ; nor was an allusion made to him, personally or . officially, by one of the speakers. Lord Ellenladrough might as well have been born before the Flood, or never been born at all, so completely was his Lordship kept out of view during the proceedings of the banquet given in honour of his successor ! Good taste induced the Chairman of the Court of Directors to refrain f rom touc hi ng on t h e pa i n f u l an d d angerous _theme. Th e extreme course which the Hon. Court had been compelled to take had stopped the mischievous freaks of the Noble Lord whom her Majesty's Ministers would still ha ve k ept in India, to the peril of the em pire, and the ra pid d eterioration of the Company's reve nue; and there was no use in provoking a return to an ungrateful topic, and scarcely cooled cauldron of atrife.The newly-appointed Governor-Generalhwi as, of course, of con fined to general expr ess i ons firm , d a e n te d rmien. tion to govern India upon a pol s. le calculated to 1 secure the penee; preservethe integrity pro mote the interests of our East ern empire. There runs, however, throughout Sir 11. Hardinge's speech, a promise of pacific p?licy, as that w hi c h i t will be his earnest wish and aim to maintain in his admistra don, which we can hardly conceive would have been iterated, and reiterated, without some meaning. R e _ membering that Lord Ellenborough's Indian admi nistration has been marked by military expeditions ; that blood and conquest have been the distinguishing and almost exclusive characteristics of his government ; the emphatic pledges given by Sir H. Hardinge, that " Peace" should be the aim of his policy and the -par pose of his heart, may—without any forced construction, at least so it appears to us—be taken as intended to indicate that, in this particular, he would cautiously ab stain from followingin the wake Duke seemed to be in excellent humour. His friend and companion, both in the field and in the Cabinet, had been appointed to the highly honourable and im portant post from which Lord Ellenborough was re called. This had apparently obliterated from his feelings, if not from his memory, all trace of the " monstrous in discretion" he had so recently denounced. Whatever his Grace had thought, and said, respecting the Court of Directors, and the necessity of putting a curb on them—that no more such " indiscretions " as that they had been guilty of in recalling a Governor-General, without leave and license from the Ministers, might be committed—it was obvious that the Duke was now satis fied that they knew how to use their power with discre tion ; seeing they had appointed his Gallant and Right Honourable Friend to the honourable and lucrative post. The Premier was hoarse—from the effects of a severe cold. His speech was therefore short ; but his words were also well chosen. One uninterrupted flow of smooth compliment to the inimitably-qualified indi vidual, whom the discernment of the Court of Directors had led them to select for the high honour and great responsibility pertaining to the government of an empire so vast, constituted the staple of Sir Robert Peel's ora tion. The last occasion, until Lord Ellenborough's return —which will not take place until after the prorogation —has - passed, without any direct, or indirect, intima tion of the cause which required such an extraordinary exercise of the power vested in the Court of Directors ; by which, in the teeth of the Cabinet, they have re called the Noble Lord from his important post. One of the earliest motions to which the attention of Parliament will be called in the next session, will in volve an inquiry into Lord Ellenborough's adminis tration. His Lordship and the Cabinet which suggested his fitness for the office, and obtained his appointment to it, will be then put upon their defence. The Go vernment array be desirous of suppressing the inquiry. It may again refuse to produce the correspondence that has passed between the Court of Directors and the Board of Control upon the subject. But, we apprehend, Lord Ellenborough will not remain quiescent. The blow which- his Lordship has received, in his most sensitive part, from the Hon. Company, and the marked silence which her Majesty's Ministers have preserved on the subject, leaving the public to infer the worst against his fame, will, we apprehend, induce the Noble Lord to sup ply that which, if withheld by him, will be taken as an unequivocal admission against himself. STANDARD.—The petition of Sir Augustus D'Este, now before the House of Lords, recalls public attention to the Royal Marriage Act of 1772. Sir Augustus D'Este, it is known, claims to succeed to his late father as Duke of Sussex, grounding his claim upon a marriage celebrated between his pa rents, at Romo, in April, 1792. There was a second marriage celebrated between the same parties, the late Duke of Sussex and Lady Augusta Mur ray, in December, 1793, at St. George's, Hanover square : but as this second marriage has been long since pronounced to be ab initio void, the first marriage is the only marriage relied upon by Sir Augustus. This first marriage was, as we learn, celebrated at Rome, not according to the lex loci, but by a clergyman of the Church of England, the Duke being at 'the time a minor, circum stances that, in our opinion, would invalidate the marriage even had the Royal Marriage Act never passed, or were the parties wholly unconnected with the Royal Family. Even supposing that the English form of contract, had been sufficient to give validity to the marriage, it is plain that the English conditions in the substance of the con tract (one of which is consent of parents in the case of a minor) were requisite ; but in this case the alleged husband was a minor. Supposing this general objection, however, got over, there will remain the Royal Marriage Act of 1772, which provides " that no descendant of his late Majesty George 11. shall be capable of contracting matrimony without the previous consent of his Majesty, his heirs or successors, signified under the Great Seal ; and that every marriage or matrimonial contract of any such descendant, without such consent first had and obtained, shall be null and void to all intents and purposes whatsoever." The only question that can be raised against the invalidity of the Duke of Sussex's marriage upon this statute, re spects the power of the Legislature to extend the au thority of British law, even in the case of British sub jects, beyond the limits of the British dominions. Now, much as we may regret the effect of the decision upon the interests of Sir Augustus D'Este, we have no doubt whatever that it must be decided that the Legislatnre does possess this power. We think that we see clear evidences of the ex istence of such a power from the public law of Christendom, and from the common and statute law of this country. The right to protection and the obligation to allegiance are reciprocal, and in public law we see admitted the right of a Government to protect its subjects, to reclaim its subjects from foreigners, whether voluntary or involuntary absentees, except this right is qualified by treaty ; and in the every day administration of justice we hear the common law and statute law doctrine, that wrongs committed abroad may be righted at home, and that crimes committed against Englishmen, though beyond the Queen's dominions, may be punished by her Majesty's Courts. It is impossible to doubt, in the face of so many proofs, that the authority of a law personally dis qualifying any individual or any family from the indi vidual of any particular act, must attend the or family wheresoever he should go. That this was the conviction of the framers of the Act of 1772 is quite clear ; for if they had regarded the authority of the Legis lature as merely local, they would have spared them selves the trouble of a law which any couple could evade at any moment by merely crossing the Channel. We fear, therefore that Sir Augustus D'Este has little to expect from his petition; and we certainly regret the individual case, because we believe that the individual hardship falls upon an amiable and honourable man. LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 23. TILE DIALED= OF SUSSEX. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday,) Sir THOMAS WILDE concluded his opening speech at half-past three o'clock, by submitting to their Lordships that Sir Augustus D'Este had made out his claim to the dukedom of Sussex. As soon as the Learned Counsel had finished his speech the further consideration of the case was adjourned sine die. POLICE INTELLIGENC E . (YESTERDAY.) CLERKEIV IVELL. Three Italian boys, named Angel, Sarti, Andrea Tam burini, and Guiseppe Con.Farini, were brought before the Magistrate, under the following circumstances. The ages of the boys were 17, 15, and 14. Ndhing could exceed the squalid misery of their appearance. Sarti seemed very unwell. Mr. E. Ford, landlord of the Old Mark's Head, Cross street, Islington, came forward and stated, that on the previous day he saw Sarti lying on the footway in Cross street, with his organ beside him. The poor lad was so ill that it was feared he would die there. Ho had him removed to his own house. Mrs. Ford administered some cordials to him, and after a little time he became considerably better, and police-constable, 107 N, removed him to the Islington Workhouse. The attendance of Dr. Temple, the parochial physician, was instantly ob tained, and he, after a careful examination, gave it as his opinion, that want of food was the cause of the boy's de bilitated condition. The boy himself, on being interro gated, stated that he had not eaten a morsel of food for the preceding two days, except a dry crust which his master gave him on that morning when going out with the organ. Lu2iori, an Italian, acted as interpreter. Mr. GREENWOOD elicited from Sarti, that his master, Francis Ragahi, lived at 37, Saffron-hill, and k e pt twelve other Italian boys, whom he sent out with organs. Ragahi had brought Lam from Italy, through France, into this country, about three weeks ago. He was a na tive of Parma, whence Ragahi had taken him, with a number of others. The doctor at the workhouse had or dered him beef tea, and he now felt better. The two other boys, who were acquaintances of Sara's, when questioned said they earned a livelihood in the street—the one boy exhibiting a hedge-hog, and the other by grinding a wretched barrel organ —one of them was a native of Genoa, the other of Vicenza. Mr. Ford inquired if this system of entrapping those poor little Italian boys could not be put down. He would be most anxious to lend all his humble aid to suppress it. Mr. GREENWOOD said the miseries which the system entailed were lamentable, but there were great and pecu liar difficulties to be contended with in putting it down. Mr. Ford said he understood that a society had been established for the protection of these poor Italian chil dren, and he should certainly lay this case before it, and call a meeting for the purpose. Mr. GREENWOOD observed that Mr. Ford's conduct on this occasion entitled him to tho gratitude of the public. The'Magistrate then directed the boy to be brought be fore him on the following morning, when some of the parochial authorities of Islington would be in attend ance. Meantime the boy might remain at the work house. The parties then left the court. QUEEN-SQUARE. Harriet Eleanor Pelham, an elderly female, and Nel son Pelham, her son, were placed at the bar before Mr. Burrell for further examination, on the charge of con fining Nelson Pelham ' a lunatic. The case, whi c h was fully reported in The Sun of Monday, has created con siderable sensation in Chelsea. I The Court was crowded by respectable-looking per sons, who evinced considerable interest in the proceed ings. Several of the parochial authorities of Chelsea, and Mr. Loveland, a solicitor, attended to conduct the case on the part of the parish. Mr. Steele, a solicitor, appeared on behalf of the accused parties. Mr. Loveland said the parish authorities had taken up the matter on public grounds. Several policemen were examined, who gave nearly a repetition of the evidence taken on Saturday, as to the filthy state of the room in which the poor creature was immured. • Further evidence was adduced, which merely corro borated the statements of the policemen. One witness said the room was like a pigeon-house which had not been cleaned out for }'ears. Another witness, whose garden is at the back of the house, said that he had for many years past heard the most discordant noises issuing from the room in question, such aslaughing and singing; at other - times, an unmeaning kind of noise, as if some person were calling after another ; and sometimes as if the unfortunate inmate were suffering severe bodily pain. Some time ago a light had been placed at night on the outside of the window, the glass of which was so dis coloured that no one could see through it, but after a while it was discontinued. Having children of his own, he had often been awoke in the night, when he had sometimes heard the cries of the unfortunate lunatic. His conduct r in .the workhouse had been cleanly. Henry Tankes, a barber; deposed to cutting the lunatic's THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 24, 1844. hair, and shaving him at short intervals, and that the last time he did so was about four years ago, and that the poor creature was " quiet and good," but dirty in his habits. Mrs. Pelham appeared kind and indulgent to him, and supplied him with food, of which witness did not think he was stinted. Mr. Warden, surgeon to the Chelsea workhouse, saw the lunatic on Saturday last, when he had been cleaned. Found no marks of violence on him. He was in good condition, and rather fat, and his bodily health good. Had no hesitation in saying that it was not necessary, for his safe keeping, that he should have been in such a state. He is a lunatic. Mr. Steele said there was no charge against the male defendant. Mr. BURRELL said he should remand the defendants, who might again be admitted to bail, until that day fortnight, when, if no further evidence was adduced against the ma le defendant, he should discharge him. The case was of a different nature against Mrs. Pelham. The defendants were accordingly remanded, and, on leaving the Court, they entered a cab which was drawn up at the office door, and drove off amidst the hisses of the mob. THE LATE COLONEL FAWCETT AND MR. MUNRO. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—l have not hitherto thought it necessary to offer any remarks upon the correspondence ,lately published in the Times, regarding the unfortunate duel between the late Lieutenant-Colonel Fawcett, C. 8., and Mr. Munro, nor should I do so now, were it'not that Mr. Munro, in his letter to you, of the 20th of April, has mentioned me several times by name, and attributed motives for my conduct which are to tally at variahce with the real state of the case. As regards the " instructions," as Mr. Munro calls them, given to me by Colonel Fawcett being so imperative as to leave me no discretionary power whatever. I have only to remark, that they have been already published, and lam perfectly willing to be judged by them. As to what passed between Mr. Munro and Mr. Grant, I can of course have no knowledge of it whatever ; but, in justice to the memory of Colonel Fawcett, I feel myself bound to contradict the statement made by Mr. Munro, to the effect that I was of opinion that Colonel Fawcett intended to kill him, or " that he (Mr. Munro) was moved at my suggestion off a target on which he would otherwise have been placed, and which plainly in timated the intentions of my principal." The reverse is the fact—Colonel Fawcett solemnly assured me previous to the affair taking place,"that although he felt himself forced to meet Mr. Munro, no consideration whatever should induce him to fire at the husband of his wife's sister, and such was the case, as he did not discharge his pistol at aIL In corroboration of the above, I beg to inclose a letter I have received from Major Daubeney, C. 8., 55th Regi ment, who attended him until his decease, and which, I trust, will sufficiently prove that Colonel Fawcett not only did not fire at Mr. Munro, but more9ver, that he never had any intention of so doing. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant. W. 11. L. D. CUDDY, 55th Foot. Junior United Service Club, May 22. Junior United Service Club, May 19,1844. My dear Cuddy, —.I was with Colonel Fawcett about two hours after he was wounded, and attended him, with little intermission, until he died. He repeatedly eXprsesed in my presence his thankfulness to the Almighty, ',not only that he had not fired at Mr. Munro, but also that he had never intended to do so. He also told me, that although he had felt himself forced to meet Mr. Munro, he did so merely as a point of honour, and that it was his intention, had it been so permitted, to have left the ground with you immediately after re ceiving Mr. Munro's fire, adding also that you were per fectly aware of his intentions on that head. I should state that Colonel Fawcett appeared to be perfectly aware that he was dying at the time that he made these observations, and that the clergyman and surgeon who attended him in his .last moments can doubtless corroborate what I have said, if necessary.—l am, my dear Cuddy, yours most sincerely, C. B. DALIBENEY, Major, 55th Foot, W. H. L. D. Cuddy, Esq., 55th Foot. THE ROYAL NAVY. PORTSMOUTH.-Our Port-Admiral, Sir Charles Rowley, is again suffering from his old complaint, which prevented him going out to Spithead in the St. Vincent, 120, now at that anchorage, where she will be joined shortly by the Caledonia, 120, Captain Milne, from Plymouth, and the Camperdown, 110, Captain Mar tin, from Sheerness. It is not yet known what flag officer will have the command of the summer cruising squadron, which is to consist of ten pendants, and rendezvous at Spithead. The Admiralty steam-yacht Black Eagle, Mr. Cooke master, is to come here from the river, to be in readiness for her Majesty, who, it is confidently stated, will pro ceed to Osborne House, and visit Norris Castle, during the present week. Rear-Admiral Sir G. Seymour is daily expected from London, to hoist his flab on board the Collingwood, 80, Captain Eden, as Commander-in-Chief in the Pacific, vice Rear-Admiral Thomas, whose period of service is about to expire. The Sydenham steamer, Lieut. Mapleton, has pro ceeded to Cronstadt, to receive on board our Minister, Lord Stuart de Rothosay, whom she will land at his seat at Christchurch. Letters from the Illustrious, 72, from Bermuda, report that Vice-Admiral Sir Charles At . lam was about to pro. ceed in that ship to Halifax, and thence to Quebec, the St. Lawrence being now open. The command on the Irish station, vice Rear-Ad miral Bowles, now one of the Lords of the Admiralty, has been given to Sir Hugh Pigott. The Gallant Officer will hoist his flag in the Volage, 26, now at Cork, Cap tain Sir W. Dick Fon, after which it will be transferred to _the Malabar, 72, on the return of Captain Sir G. Sartorius from Lisbon. The steamers Comet, Lieut. Emery, and Dee, Mr. Driver, master, are gone on to Woolwich, but will shortly return to the coast of Ireland. The steam vessel Fearless, with Commander Sherringham, and the Assistant-Surveyors, are busily engaged i n South eunetet nearly ready for sea, and Commander Brock, and South ampton Water, laying down buoys, and oth erw i se im proving the navigation. • The surveying will be at Spithead during the ensuing week. Th e for mer goes to the Levant , and the latter to the coa s t o f Scotland. The Indus, 80, Captain Sir James Stirling, has not yet made her appearance from Lisbon and Malta. She is hourly looked tbr. The Wasp, 16, Albatross , 16 , and Ringdove, 16, are to be detached from the West Indies to the coast of Africa; and the steamers Gorgon eiiienuivoebtsteelrc: arcß al Gorgon, Ardent, and Growler, from the Brazils to the same quarter, for the more effectual abolition of the slave - trade.--Brighton Gazette. THE CASE OF MARY FURLEY. Sir James Graham has earned an undying reputation by his conduct in the case of this broken-hearted woman. In the first place, although she was sentenced to death by the honey-tongued Maule, Sir James Graham knew nothing whatever of the matter. No ; when ques tioned by the House upon the atrocity of the sentence, aggravated as it was by the funeral eloquence of the judge, who doubtless, to teach a great moral lesson, tortured the woman with Tyburn tropes ; even the Home Secretary knew nothing of the circumstances which had sent a shuddering horror through the heart of the kingdom. He would,, however, inquire about Mary rurley. A week or so passes, and the country is astounded, horrified at the further barbarity exercised upon the Sufferer, who is frenzied, agonized by the official visit of the sheriff, come with the death-war rant from the Home-office. There is no hope for her! She has, it is true, been driven to madness by accumu lated miseries which beggar fiction : she has been tor . ;ured into an act of insanity by the cruelty of fortune ; t is no matter, says the philosopher at the Home office—she must die. The woman must be hanged! For some four-and-twenty hours the doomed creature suffers agony unutterable. Sir James Graham, doubtless, sleeps sweetly in his bed—yes, enjoys that sweet, deep slumber, rewardful of solemn duties solemnly fulfilled. Then, rising, he bethinks himself of the poor wretch in Newgate ; the fact is, he is made to think of her by the earnest faces and loud remonstrances of a few Samaritans who beset the Home-office. He is entreated to reconsider the sentence, and the re sult is—a reprieve for Mary Furley. No extenuating circumstance has been discovered—none whatever. The case remains as it was when Judge Maule—whose eloquence might fire even the Temple—denounced the forlorn offender from the judgment-seat ; just as it was, - when Sir James Graham sent down the death -warrant ; but the public heart has re volted at the contemplated atrocity—the official murder threatened by the Home-office—and the Minister relents ; yes, the woman shall be reprieved She has been upon the rack for four-and-twenty hours ; but what is such amount of torment, more or less, to one who has already suffered so much ? What, another stab of the heart, to a heart so sorely maimed and' bleeding ? Then appear in the newspapers comforting paragraphs, indicative" of the new tenderness of Sir James Graham. 'Yes, think we, Sir James has now fully considered Mary Purley's condition. Poor blighted creature! He has followed her through her miserable history—has sympathised with her wretched ness in the union, when her sick child was cut and maimed by the union's drunken servant—has lowed with admiration of her, when, with her heroic wo- ' man's heart, she again faced the misery of an un pitying world—has sorrowed with her at the failing of her last hope, the few shillings, stolen or lost, that were to have g i ven h er a nd her babe the means of life—has felt, to painful intensity, a grief and sympathy, when, with a brain fired with despair, the frantic mother sought a grave for herself and child. Yes—thought we —the good, soft-hearted Sir James has pondered on the history, so complete in all its terrors, of Mary Furley, and he will recommend the woman to the Royal mercy. A few days, a week or two perhaps, may be the term of her imprisonment ii the Penitentiary ; and then she will return to the world, to enjoy the active sympathies even of the highest-born of her own sex, who will gather about her, and with Samaritan goodness strive to heal the wounds inflicted by undeserved wretchedness upon her. sympathising She will be pitied, comforted, a y, c aressed, for the horrors she has endured, and, by th e b oun ty o f good ness, the means of subsistence will henceforth be made easy mp to her: Such was our day-dream. Sir Jame - s Graham has recommended Mary Furley to the Royal mercy, and the result is—transportation for seven years! " Such is the breath" of Home Secretaries! The Royal mercy was wont, by a figure of spee c h, t o b e c alled the brightest jewel in the Crown. If it still be so, why then, Sir James, thanks to you, her Majesty Queen Victoria wears at the present moment the dimmest* of diadems.— Punch. • IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 23. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Royal Assent was given to day to the Eastern Counties Railway Bill (No. 1), to the Eastern Coun ties Railway Bill (No. 2), to the Selby and York Railway Bill, to the South-Eastern Extension Rail way Bill, to the Furness Railway Bill, to the Darlington Junction Railway Bill, to the Hartle pool Dock and Harbour Bill, to the Coal Mining Company's Bill, and several Inclosure and Naturaliza tion Bills. The Lord Commissioners were the Archbishop o Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, and the Earl o Shaftesbury. Their Lordships re-assembled at Five o'clock. The Earl of GALLOWAY presented a petition from Glasgow, in favour of the Bill lately introduced by the Bishop of Exeter for the suppression of brothels. Lord BEAUMONT presented petitions from York shire in favour of protection to agriculture. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from a gen tleman named Henry Archer, against the Chester and Holyhead Railway ; also a petition against the Brighton and Chichester Railway Bill. Messengers from the Commons brought up certain Bills. Lord DENMAN presented a petition from certain ministers of the Gospel, praying for the abolition of oaths in certain cases. The Criminal Law Amendment Bill went through Committee, after some observations from the LORD CHANCELLOR and Lord CAMPBELL. Lord LYTTELTON presented a petition from Newark-upon-Trent against the Debtors and Creditors Bill. LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY BILL. On the motion that the amendments of the Commons to this Bill be agreed to, some discussion took place, in which Lord BROUGHAM and the Marquis of CLANRI CARDE joined, the former deprecating the provisions of the Bill, and the latter supporting them. Lord CAMPBELL thought that there could be no doubt that the clause had been improperly introduced, and ought to be abandoned. It was not introduced in the Committee on bringing up the report, but on its third reading: It was not in the power of the Com pany to procure permission for his Noble and Learned Friend to erect gates across the Queen's highway, and that, too, upon the great north road. He appealed to the Noble Earl, the Chairman of Committees, who was a most meritorious public officer, whether it was the prac tice of the House to introduce such a clause upon a third reading without notice ? The Earl of SEIAFTESBURY said that it was not the practice of late years to introduce such clauses on a third reading ; but it was competent for any Noble Lord to move the addition of such a clause if he thought proper. But if these gates were to be at a distance of three-quarters of a mile from the railway, the clause would be, in common parlance, dehors the Bill, and could not be admitted. • The Earl of DEVON recommended th a t the Bill should stand over until after the recess. In the mean time some compromise might take place, and his Noble and Leaaned Friend might get, if not exactly what he wanted, at least something to satisfy him. Lord BROUGHAM was perfectly ashamed to detain their Lordships upon what might appear a personal and trumpery matter relating to himself ; but he thought that the way in which he had been trepanned into giving up his opposition to the Bill was a matter of public importance. Ile complained that no intimation had been given to him of the course which bad been adopted that evening with respect to this Bill. His Noble Friend near him said it was exceedingly hard that any body should suppose this was a personal or party motive. Now, he (Lord Brougham) would like to know if this Bill had not been opposed by him, whether there would have been all this noise and fuss about it? Would Noble Lords near him have taken so much interest in the measure ? It was absurd to think of such a thing. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE indignantly denied that he had been actuated by any party or personal Motive in the course which he bad taken with respect to this measure. The Noble -Lord complained of being taken by surprise, yet the Noble and Learned Lord had allowed Monday and Tuesday to pass without making any motion upon the subject. The insinuation which the Noble and Learned Lord had indulged in, was one which no other Learned Lord would have dared to put forth. He begged pardon if he had used an unparliamentary phrase, but he would say, that a more unfavourable insinuation had never been made and he could assure the House that it would not have the effect of deterring him (the Marquis of Clanricarde) from doing his duty. Lord BROUGHAM could not allow the insinuations thrown out by the Noble Marquis to pass without obser vation. He had made no charge against the Noble Marquis • all that he had said was, that the extraordi nary zeal that had been displayed with respect to this measure gave it an air of suspicion. The Earl of RADNOR could not but think that their Lordships were placed in a most awkward position. The question now was, whether their Lordships would agree to the amendments of the Commons, or adjourn the debate. He had heard rumours of Noble Lords making terms with railroads, but he had never heard'a proposition put forward that a question should be ad • plumed in order that a Noble Lord might make terms with a railroad.—(Hear, bear.) What was all that had taken place for but to enable the Noble and Learned Lord to make a better bargain than he had made?— (Hear.) He could not believe that the House would adopt the proposition that had been laid before it. The Duke of WELLINGTON felt bound to say a few words on this question. He thought that his Noble and Learned Friend opposite was acting rightly in the course he had pursued. Had he any interest in this matter except upon public grounds? No, he had not ; but it was his duty to come forward and see that the public were protected. That, he apprehended, was the position in which his Noble and Learned Friend stood, and what had been asked was, that this matter should be postponed for twenty-four hours, in order that an ar rangement might be made which would be beneficial to the public. Lord BROUGHAM said that the object of his oppo sition was to have these gates erected, by which the public road would be improved. Lord MONTEAGLE contended that there was no pretence whatever for putting up these gates, and urged upon the House the necessity of refusing to accede to the proposition which had been made to postpone this measure. He contended that it would be most benefi cial to the public to hive this measure passed as speedily as possible. Although the delay which had been asked for was only twenty-four hours, yet practically this would be a delay of a week. He had no interest in this matter, but he trusted, on public grounds, that their Lordships would at once pass the measure. Lord BROUGHAM explained, The Marquis of SALISBURY supported the motion for postponement. He thought there were sufficient grounds for recommitting the Bill. Lord MONTEAGLE—The Bill has been read a third time. The Marquis of SALISBURY said it was still in the power of their Lordships to recommit the Bill. Lord BROUGHAM—I shall move for a Committee. The Marquis of SALISBURY—I move that this de bate be now adjourned. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE—That is the mo tion which is already before the House, aril the Noble Marquis is of course out of order. The Marquis of SALISBURY—As the Noble Lord is so particular about the order of this House, I think it would be as well if he would be more in order himself, and not rise to speak six times on the same subject. Strangers were, ordered to withdraw, and their Lord ships divided, when there appeared— For the adjournment 32 Against it 33 Majority On our return to the gallery, we found Lord BROUGHAM proposing that a Committee be appointed to inquire into the amendments to this Bill which had been proposed by the House of Commons. Lord MONTEAGLE said the House of Commons had made no amendments. Lord BROUGHAM said the Committee could be ap pointed to consider the message from the Commons. Earl VITZWILLIAM thought they ought to know what the Noble and Learned Lord proposed to do in the Committee. Lord BROUGHAM said . he had a case to make out ; but, of course, he could not go into detail then. The Duke of RICHMOND suggested that the matter should be referred to the Committee to which originally the Bill was referred. After a short conversation, Lord BROUGHAM consented to withdraw his oppo sition ; but he intimated that, when the parties pro moting this Bill should again come before Parliament, he would look closely after them.—(Laughter.) The motion was then withdrawn. The Customs' Bill was read a first time, and was ordered to be read a second time on Thursday next The Debtors and Creditors' Bill passed through Com mittee. Messengers from the Commons broitght up several Bills, which were read a first time. Their Lordships then, on the motion of the Duke of WELLINGTON, adjourned till Thursday next. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 23. The SPEAKER took the chair at the usual hour. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Usher of. the Black Rod appeared at the bar and summoned the House to •the bar of the House of Lords to hear her Majesty's Commission read for giving the Royal assent to certain Bills (for which see Lords' report). The South Devon Railway Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. GREENE moved that all Railway Bills which under Standing Order, No. 123, stand for further consi deration on Tuesday next, be taken into consideration on Thursday the 30th day of May.—Agreed to. HARWICH AND COLCHESTER RAILWAY BILL. Major BERESFORD moved that the Harwich Rail way aad Pier, an the Colchester and Ilarwich (No. 2) Railway Bills, be recommitted to the former . Com mittee, with instructions to the said Committee; that they have power to rescind their former resolu tion on the preamble of the two Bills, if they think fit ; and to consider the expediency of consolidating the said Bills, and amalgamating the Companies promoting the same respectively, with power to carry Jointly into effect the undertaking thereby contemplated, in the manner agreed on between the two companies, or in such other manner as, in the opinion of the Com.. mittee, would be beneficial to the public. He thought it was of national importance that a railway should be constructed from London to Harwich. Another reason why he thought this Bill should be re committed was the present state of the money market: In a different state of the money market, persons might not be found to engage in such a speculation. There was besides a great deal of money expended, he believed 12,0004 in promoting the Bill; Which mould- be lost if if the House did not allow the Bill to be recommitted. He was not aware of any standing order which would oppose its recommittal. He hoped, there. fore, the House would not refuse his motion. Mr. D. R. ROSS seconded the motion. Sir G. SMYTHE supported the recommittal of the Bill. He was satisfied, if the motion were granted, that sufficient evidence would be adduced before the Commit tee to induce them to come to a different decision. He did not blame the Committee for deciding as they had upon the evidence which they bad before them. It was true there was not much traffic at present, but the Bill would create traffic with foreign countries. The Hon. Gentleman then presented two petitions from Colchester, in favour of the recommittal. Mr. TATTON EGERTON said, if the House had heard as much about the matter as the Committee, they would have come to the same determination, of throw ing out both Bills. There was no traffic to support either line, and there wits such gross jobbing in the bringing forward of the matter that the Committee had no choice but to reject both Bills. He thought they ought to postpone the consideration of the subject till next session. Mr. ROSS said he concurred in the uXanimous deci sion of the Committee. He had heard nothing either in public or private which tended to lead him to an oppo site conclusion. Sir G. COCKBURN said he had come down to the House impressed with the great importance of having a railway to Harwich ; but after hearing the opinions which had been expressed, he felt bound to concur in the decision of the Committee. Mr. 11. lIINDE said, having been on the Committee, he had given a vote different from that of the Hon. Meinbers who had addressed the House. It appeared eery plainly that a railway between London and Har wich was an object of great national importance. Evi dence was given on the part of the Post-office to that effect. Although many landowners appeared to op pose the Bill, there were no cases of peculiar hardship. He could only say, that if both the Bills were sent back to the Committee, be would give the proposals of each party his best consideration. _ _ Admiral DUNDAS suggested that a surveyor should be sent from the Board of Admiralty for the purpose of examining whether or not it was desirable that a line should be constructed. Mr. ESTCOURT said that if two parties wore to be allowed to obtain a fresh Committee after their Bills had been rejected, there would be no end to such proceedings. Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the motion. He asked, what could be said to those private parties who had opposed the Bill at great expense ? The House had given a judicial decision on their case. It might be a matter of regret that the parties had come to their senses too late; however, the responsibility of the post ponement rested with themselves. Mr. P. M. STEWART said that if the Bills were not now recommitted the parties would amalgamate out of doors, and the refusal would only cause additional ex pense. He thought it would be carrying points of form to a cruel length to quash these Bills, and that too in the absence of all opposition. It could not be denied that the measure was one of great national importance, and a mere point of form ought not to stand in its way. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the recommittal would not be a mere departure from a point of form, but a violation of all the rules of the House. It would be better for the parties to withdraw their Bills, and next year present to the House a measure to which Parlia ment could assent. Mr. F. FRENCH supported the recommittal of the Bills. Major BERESFORD was satisfied with the acknow ledgments upon all sides of the House of the national importance of the harbour of Harwich, and hoped that he would have the general support of the House next ses sion. He therefore withdrew his motion. BIRKENHEAD IMPROVEMENT. Mr. RICE withdrew the motion of which he had given notice, for leave to the Committee on the Birken head Improvement Bill to make their report, till Friday the 25th instant. MANCHESTER POLICE i3ILL. On the motion of Mr. MARK PHILIPS, the Man chester Police Bill was read a third time and passed. VAUXHALL AND LAMBETH SUSPENSION BRIDGE. Mr. BERNARD presented a petition against the Vauxhall and Lambeth Suspension Bridge Bill, which was ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Bill. SOUTHAMPTON IMPROVEMENT BILL. The Southampton Improvement Bill was read a third time, and passed. HYTHE LANDING-PLACE BILL. The Hythe Landing-place Bill was read a third time and passed. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. HOPE brought up certain papers relating to the Colony of New Zealand, which were ordered to be printed. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. FI.:RRAND gave notice that, on the 30th of May, he should move for copies of the correspondence which had taken place between Mr. Ryder, the Chair man of the Chelsea Board of Poor-law Guardians, and the Poor-law Commissioners, on the subject of the removal of a pauper from Kensington to Chelsea while he was in a dying state. Dr. BOWRING gave notice that on Tuesday the 11th June, he should bring forward his motion on the sub jeot of quarantine. The HoN. MEMBER also gave notice that in the Com mittee on the Isle of Man Customs Bill, he should move for the total abolition of the licensing system. Mr. EWART gave notice of a motion on the subject of establishing libraries in large towns. Mr. WARD gave notice that he should, on the 11th of June, bring forward his motion on the subject of the Irish Church. Mr. VILLIER§ gave notice that he should, on the llth of June, bring forward a motion on the subject of. the corn-laws. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. On the motion of Mr. IMAIE, the following was ordered---Address (ordered 4th March, 1844,) for Ab stracts of the number of men belonging to the Royal Marines who, since the Ist day ofJanuary, 1839, to the 31st (lay of December, 1843, have suffered corporal pu nishment or imprisonment; showing the nature of offences, in classes, for which such punishment has been awarded, and the number in each class ; and showing the greatest number and the smallest number of lashes, also the longest and shortest periol of con finement awarded as punishment to each person, and the average period of confinement for each class of of fences ; of the number of soldiers belonging to the Royal Artillery in Great Britain and Ireland who, between the Ist day of January, 1839, and the 31st day of December, 1843, have suf fered corporal punishment or imprisonment, showing the nature of the offences, in classes, for which such corporal punishment or imprisonment has been awarded, and the number in each class, and showing also the greatest and the smallest number of lashes, also the longest and shortest period of confinement awarded as punishment, and the average period for each class of offences. Return of the number of soldiers, belong ing to regiments and depots in Great Britain and Ireland, who, since the Ist day of January, 1839, have suffered either corporal punishment or imprisonment; and, when ever either corporal punishment or imprisonment has been inflicted on the same person more than once, specifying how often it has been so inflicted; with ab stract of the number of soldiers, belonging to regiments in the colonies and possessions of Great Britain, who, in each yearsince the Ist of Jan.,1839, have suffered corporal punishments and imprisonments ; showing the nature of the offences, in classes, for which such corporal punish ment or imprisonment has been awarded, and the numbers in each class ; stating also the greatest number and the lowest number of lashes in flicted on any person in each 'year, also the longest and the shortest period of confinement awarded as punishment, and the average period of confine ment for each class in each year, of the number of soldiers who, since the Ist day of January, 1839, have suffered corporal punishment or imprisonment, and whe ther either corporal punishment or imprisonment has been inflicted on the same person more than once, spe cifying how often it has been so inflicted ; and distin guishing numbers in regiments in the colonies and pos • sessions of her Majesty from regiments in depots in Great Britain and Ireland ; of the corporal punish ments inflicted in the Royal Navy in each of the years 1839 to 1843 both Inclusive ; stating the highest and lowest number of lashes at each time, and the aggregate number of lashes in each year. SAVINGS'. BANKS BILL. Mr. HUME said he observed that the Savings' Banks Bill stood on the paper for committal that evening ; there were several returns not yet complete which he considered indispensible to the discussion of the subject, and he wished to ask what course the Government in. tended to pursue with regard to it ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would postpone the Committee, and state on Friday after Whitsuntide the day on which he would proceed with it. CUSTOMS' DUTIES BII.L. Mr. GLADSTONE moved that the order of the day for the third reading of the Customs' Duties Bill should have precedence of the other orders. The Right Hon. Gentleman was understosd to state that the clause in the Bill to which there were objections made (the wharfin gers' clause) was withdrawn. Mr. HUME was glad that the clause was withdrawn, but"regretted that the Government should persevere in a Bill that inflicted many new penalties. On the question being put, Mr. M. PHILIPS asked on what day the Dissenters' Chapels' Bill would be brought on. Sir It. PEEL fixed Thursday the 7th of June. BANK CHARTER. Mr. HUME asked what course the Government in tended to take on the Bank Charter Bill ? Sir It PEEL said he proposed to bring in the Bill to-morrow. There would be an opportunity for discus sion on the second reading. The Customs' Duties Bill was read a third time and passed. - FRIARS (BANGOR) FREE SCHOOL. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY rose, pursuant to notice, to call the attention of the House to the petition of Dr. 0. Roberts (pr esen t e d on th e 15 t h A pr il ) , pray i ng f or in quiry into the management of the Friars' (Bangor) Free School, and other endowed free schools in the diocese of Bangor and St. Asaph, and to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the same. The Hon. Gentle man said that this school had been endowed for the especial purpose of educating poor men's children, and that at the present time there was not one single poor man's child in the school. The revenue of the school had been considerably increased since the Charity Commissioners had made their report. The revenues of the school amounted to 5051. a-year. The master in addition had a house in Bangor, to which 20 acres of land were attached, the value of which was 1301. a year. The usher had a house built for him capable of accommodating twelve boarders ; a garden was attached, and these premises were of the value of 45/. a year. The value of the property ,of the charity was up wards of 600/. a year, and at the present moment 1 11 .1 number of free s c h o l ars e d uca t e d i n th a t sc hool dal, not exceed nine. At th e ti me h e h a d g i ven notice a the motion they did not exceed six, and of those six one was the son of the Vicar of Bangor, two others welre. sons of wealthy gentlemen in the neighbourhood, and the others were sons of wea lthy t ra d esmen in Bangor There were ten boys who ought to be upon the founds' i tion, but: who were e d ucate d so l e ly i n the nationa l schools. These boys received 21. 6s. annually from the charity, and they were made by the Dean and Chapter of Bangor choristers of the Cathe dral. This was a gross violation of trust. It " i enactel that the master should exact nothing for teaching the children, an d ye t a ll th ose w ho learn e d writing or arithmetic paid 21. a-yeat more for their instruction, and th ose w h o l earne d F re nch, paid 21. for their instructi on . Th e poor children of Bangor received no benefit whatever from this charity. The master of the-union at the time the Commissioee rs . made their report, received 661. per year, an d the usher 321.. a year, over and above the house and land which they p ossesse d. I n 183 9, t h e salary °_, the master was raised t o 1001. a year, and that of O 1 w usher to 50/. At the m omen t th e Dean and . ChaPt were raising the salary of the usher of ' h, school, he was the cura t e o f a popu l ou s parish' seventeen miles long, and con t a i n i ng 20,000 lumf bitants. The usher let out his h ouse to ledgf''' The dean end chapter gave him leave'to absent hlt" 1 : self from "his` 'duties ; and at th e p resent moment be; never entered the school, nor rendered any assistance' To show the "reason :thy: the number of scholars ha, fallen off, he wo u ld mention that the free scholars ha d been treated with the, gteatest hardship. They 0 1 0 , excluded from the play-ground, and they had no plat l e d ; retire to in cold wea th er , b ut were seen huddle under the door-ways like d rowne d rats . Wh en they wet e guilty of certain faults they were pl ace d i n t h e cathedr al . church of Bangor t o d o p enance . Th e o bj ect was t" 6 d prive the poor of the b ene fit s d er i ve d f rom t h e sc hool, B 2 t that object was gained. It a pp eare d f rom t h e re turns th at the annual surplus of th e f un d s oug h t to b e 224/., bu'' ' n fact, there was no surplus, and he called on the House h i e inquire into the state of those funds. He called on sub Right Hon. Baronet to g i ve f ac ili t i es to reme dy st l ; abuses as he described h ere . Th e H on . G ent l e man °- eluded by reading his motion. Mr. HUME seconded the motion. ell '' a Colonel PENNANT d e f en d e d t h e manner in iv-„,,l the school had been cond uc t e d, an d th e expen diture ''. • fleeted with it. What th e Hen. . Member had stated.„-_:d garding the treatment of a boy, was, he had been Assr; e :; in a letter from the D ean o f B angor, w hi ch he had t ," 0 4 ceived that day, muc h exaggerate d . The 14 ' e t been refractory, and was accor di ng l y expe ll e d , but P as without the concurrence of the Dean and Chapter. would oppose the motion. Sir GEORGE GREY rose for the purpose of Pr ess. ing upon the Right Hon. Gentleman the necessity of P. pointing a tribunal for the investigation of such_,c a f s i n Educational trusts should be administered in a dittn, manner from what they were at present. He (Sir i , s t Grey) was about to introduce a Bill on the subjeo 4 ,„" tig the Attorney-General had assured him, on a pro7 t e occasion, that it was the intention of the Govererne i n ' ne s introduce a Bill on the subject. This, however, ha d "if • been done, although the Attorney-General hirnse admitted there w ere grea t a b uses i n the present sYs teo ,he and that there were m ore th an a million of pounds at '„; disposal of tho se t rustees . H e h ope d t h e G ove rnni e ' would now give some positive assurance on the s ubjec' s , Mr. HUME likewise pressed ou the House the nq e s . sity of legislation in this ma tt er . Th e Ri g ht 110 Art' Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Der n o went had himself admitt e d th a t th ere were innne funds connected w ith th e e d ucat i ona l trusts, a gre at po r. Lion of which were either misappropriated or n ot ail' plied at all to the p ur p ose f or w hi c h t h ey we re intend ed Sir J. GRAHAM sa id th e matter which had been I fts troduced by the Hon. Gentleman, the mover, No'' et had been ri g htl y o b serve d b y the Right Hon. Bar°"for opposite, the M em b er f or D evonport, not a mat t e r - a investigation in this House. The question introd w u cc , o was really one for th e d ec i s i on o f a court of equity. 1:5, sessions ago he certainly had observed upon the o ,, n :, s e sity of legislative inte r f erence i n t h e di sposa l a t-a e , trusts, and he was still most anxious to remedy the s fects which existed. B u t a ll i n t er f erence i n t h es e vas q f must be limited by two thi ngs , fi rs t, b y t h e i nten tioes:, the original testator, and secondly, by judicial decis l° o on the subject. Within these limits he was t n i je anxious that efficient legislation should take place• b .. had that day spok en t o th e L or d Ch ance ll or on the suessub, ject, and he was happy t o assure t h e H ouse t h a t it , the intention of that Nobl e an d L earne d L or d to i nt ro s duce into the upper H ouse o f P ar li ament a Ine,69:jit e tl going much further than th e s i m pl e reg i s t rat i o n ah t l i , s t to.—(Hear, hear.) H e h o p e d a f ter thi s d ec l ara tion "' s the Hon. Gentleman would not press his motion t 0 division. ir' After a few words from M r . BERHELY Os' RICHARDS, the motion was withdrawn. la &e. EXPENSES OF ORDERS OF THE GARTE,-. 0 , ( 1 Mr. HUME then moved th a t an a dd ress b e preset' 0 to her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased nt give directions that, whenev e r 'h er M a j es ty shall g 7, the honour of the peerage, or baronetcy, or knightlwis or order, for eminent public services, no fee shall ,4 so charged thereon. Two thousand po un d s in f fees mos been paid last year, when h on o urs were co nferred officers of the army and navy, and 5001. was P s a when the Order of th e G ar t er was bestow it upon the King of Prussia. He did not noes to question, in the slightest d egree , th e wish es of the Sovereign, but these h on o urs s h ou ld b e conferred c 0 ' that the public should not have to b ear th e exren'tis. When honours were granted th e y oug ht no t t o be 03%8 burdensome to the individual. Ile re co ll ec t e d on dfr , occasion that a gallant gentleman declared he had r o - / ceived an honour one day, and .the next a bill of 1 3 a was sent in to him, which hi e4itl be would not pay , l e the honours might be kept Teoni` . . 4',, e should 11 ,, to know from the Chancellor of, WE - 'Nur a heth b ‘, the recommendations of the Co, 's ners on this st l l , „stir ti ject would be carried out. It w as strial that the pee Pro of England should be taxed for the honours done r , others.(Hear, hear.) Ile had no objections that P e i ) a sons not having performed public service s hould urs taxed for the honours th e y rece i ve d. B u t w hen hon ° ,i c e were conferred on persons eng age d i n th e public see` a 1 no charge ought to be made. The A t t orne y-Geo e o , got the principal sh are o f th e f ees p a id f or th es e henna to but he tho ug ht th e ti me was come f or putt i ng a n en the them. He thought it would be well to inquire int°, bl system adopt e d i n th e H era ld's-office, and the rig h t which they imposed these fees. Mr. WILLIAMS seconded the motion. sa id The CHANCELLOR of -the EXCHEQUER„, hi that the fees paid to tho se publi c o ffi cers were Par te r law, and the Crown had no p owe r to ji had fore with their emoluments. The Crown os e the prerogative of granti ng h onours to ' li t he whom it thought deserving of them, and wil l : ft' s civil list existed the Crown p a id th e ex p ense s of lu the attendant on granting those hono urs . But whe -n to ol‘ constitution of the civil list was altered, t h e n ation ,is on itself the payment 'of the e x p enses . H e thought Ay was an advantage, because it gave an additional w e tia• to the honour conferred 'whe n it rece i ve d the APS fa bation of Parliament... He was perfectly disinteres t !. t he opposing the motion, because, of all the o ffi cers ° b ` ute d Crown the Chancellor - of the Exchequer contr i . to ll more in the way of fees than any other. He had lo" I s le to take out four patents, for which he had to pay' ot be was far from saying that some change might, rj „soo s adopted in the present system. B u t f or the legair ,- . t er he had stated, namely, that the Cr o w n c ould not i n the fere with the fees of those o ffi cers, he w as sure th Gen . House would not consent to the motion of the ll° . bins' tleman, and he hoped the Hon. Gentleman would he self disposed to withdraw it. t hey Mr. WILLIAMS said the Right Hon. Gentletn: t ael shown no reason for those charges, except th at he were maintainable by Act of Parliament. " 1 on should like to know from the Right Hon. Gent n e ts ID's what Act of Parliament warranted such paYme s nag 201. to the Dean and Canons of Windsor for gra oo/ , to the Order of the Garter to the King of Prussia; ~i-iriodt he Usher of the Bla c k R o d ; 11/. to the church of ' a lto' sor as an offering; and other charges, amounting gether er The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQU E R _mon plained that it was not th e statute law but the c ow law according to which those charges were mad' kaof Mr. WILLIAMS said he should then like to . 0 05. what decisions of Judges there were on such que,s i ti m on The Right Hon. Gentleman had not satisfied 0.„....-- this head, and he should therefore support the lo nti ' The motion was then withdrawn, Mr. CHRISTIE rose to bring forward his in specting re' d, specting the management of the Universities, vi _.,,te An Host . . MEMBER moved that the House beelioase and there being only 35 Members present, th e adjourned a Quarter to Eight o'clock.____ BIRTHS. la d y of On the 22d inst., at Preston, in Lancashire , the Cameron, Esq., of the Royal Engineers, of a son. nt e On the 23d inst., at Chester-street, the lady of Pe Wilmot, Esq., of a daughters - - i f n o uOtrhtnaht Wednesday.dan gh county,t ertoo tononSptah.e MARRIED. J oe, last, ;El r . Howden,.a c t . W B i : fle Sharp, Esq., . Abb : mu t s rf , d ; S en a , 1111 reporter, ti , ie.. rErnin Sark 0 . ___ ni. ll , .0 _te, . iloa • 21st inst. t 4 St. Marilebone, the Rev. ` M orris, 8.A., to Lucy, fourthilitifghCer 'of the late A. lir. i .,, ,of On the 21st inst., •at St.'Pancras, Thomas 1nni,,,,,g,Ti0 Fitzroy-square, to Caroline,. third daughter•of the late iv " Horne, Esq., of Streatham. ' • •_) W. On the 21st inst., at Barton Seagrove, Northatuptoen;oo Smyth, Esq, of Little Houghton, to Lucy Charlotte, sew of daughter of the Hon. and Rev. R. B. Stopford, nec Barton Seagrove. of to lOn the 21st inst., at Chiswick, Mr. Pope Roach, 1.,2111800,, Wight, to Emily Edith, fourth daught er of Thoin of Esq., Gorden House, Turnharn-green. On the 21st inst., at Banstead, Richar d Ward, S_crtbs Salhouse Hall, Norfolk, lk, to Elizabeth, thi rd daughter 0 late Vice-Admiral Sir Edward J. Foote, I_i..C.l_2__ DIED. Ofttheo2fOthinst.at Church-row,Al st to o n n , eHyanatg..9,edJBBam. es Hawkins, X-''' formerly Esq' On the 21st inst., at Cheshunt, Herts, Joseph Betio , . eji , On the 21st inst., at Park-street, Islington, F,lizaac' eldest daughter of Mr. R. G. Steel. On the 21st inst., in Old Kent-road, 0 late W. Hedgman, Esq. f bet b ' On the 21st inst., Mrs. Fossett, of Walcot• place, ' , a i l. W. On the 21st inst., Margaret, the second daughter o Thomas Storey, of King William-street, City. e rd. On the 22d inst., at New Millman-street, John Fuh°,_ De- On the 18th inst., Mary, the widow of the late Charm. St. Leu, Esq., of Shalford, near Guildford, Surrey. to On the 18th inst., at Forest-gate, West 1-lain, 1.1191 wife of S. Adams, Esq. • ere# l ' On the 19th inst.. at Brighton, Mr. Thomas Littl Sarah, relict of th of Wells-street , Oxford-street. . - list - On the 2 0 th inst ., at Windsor, Susannah rt-lit.'t °II " tiscombe, Esq. A TISG ,°I London: Printed and Published by MURDO Yw v — , i ii N. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Stag Offic e p:witylf Strand, in the Precinct of the Simon ill the -- ' Middlesex, Friday, Blay 24, 144. ,_ . t 4 S 104, . Pt