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

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday a Court a•as held for the dispatch of a great deal of public business. CONTINUATION OF NEW FARRINGDON- STIIEET. Mr. IL 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 street 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 3!. 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 tl.e Court, authorising the Court to raise that sum, and directing that it should be paid to the Commissioners. That the sum of 25,000/. 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 satisfaction 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 83 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 votition 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, an 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. Ile had traced families regularly trained up for thirty years 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 mened by parental example, were not to be altered by any process which the present poor-law provided or sanctioned.—(Hear, 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 cluded.hAy reading his motion. Mr. HEPPEL 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, hear.) He believed, however, that it was the intention of Sir James Graham to cause the ex7enses 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). lie 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 laughed at for going to Parliament for such a purpose. >Er. RICHARD TAYLOR supported the motion. What, he asi,:ad, would be more worthy of a reference to a Committee than such a question? Was it not an ap p ea l made for 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 districts.—(Hear, hear.) They came by fifties and hundreds from the neighbour hoods of the estates of the Duke of Buckingham and the Duke of Richmond, and other noblemen, who derived benefit from the destruction of the monasteries to which Deputy Corney had alluded.—(Laughter.) They poured in upon the City from the country, and the laws were rendered futile by the operation of the measures which were 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 exclusion 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 an from night to night, showed the miserable condition of the population, who, hay ire? no other means of manifesting their condition, adopted that dreadful course. That appeared on the charge to the grand jury. The Mites spoke of great facts. lie called the prevalence of incendiary fires a great fac°. It was horrible to think that the people should - resort to such secret and dreadful means to show what their real condition was, but so it was—(Elear, 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 the labourer was So precarious that the latter was discharged when the weather 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 Inc!osuro 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 fact, be committed, and it was going on ever since his birth. (Cries of " Hear, 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 system of morals from such a plan was monstrous. There 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 them. The Christian religion never taught the peopl e t o put up with starvation.—(Hear.) Mr. W. LAWRENCE 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 Deputy had not suggested anything like a remedy. The guardi ans of the poor terParliament, the persons who would most properly now that the for they ;were armed with facts; and might l Act was about to undergo some change, they i a r l'll h ) e ' with ala advan ickge, but that Court could do nothing Mr. JUPP said the allusion to. the Inclosure te ß r ill re winded him of what a lady said about a robbery which took place in the country. "Oh dear !" said she, i‘ what brutes they must have been to steal away the geesefrom the common!" Now all she had to (10 to ex press his sentiment s on the subject waq,de art what brutes must they be who want to steal away the . common from the geese. Mr. ANDERTON said it was quite obvious to him that if corn was ever so plentiful there would be abundance 3f paupers. If the beggars were taken out of the streets to-day 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 atten tion of the members of the Court to which, he most earnestly recommended—he would most assuredly join in carrying out so beneficial an object. Mr, L. JONES said the proper authority to enter upou . such a topic was Parliament itself. He was anxious to see an amalgamation of the expenses of all the City tariehea, so that all would be equally benefited. It was - lotorious that the poor put forth all their strength and rich parishes, and retarned exhausted to loolglnltheir extremity for support In parishes abounding wills P.o6AtluetTaaitsiniliT declared as themselves .—( Hear.) Mr eon such as had t e _ e rtc i l .ou thr if ho thought a propos!. poor,gt forward were likely , in any Tanner, to benefit theNvould support it with the greatest promptttude hadbuhe e always found that notices of Ole kind uniformly e n d e d in. imposing 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 re tractions 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 baud of brietless 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 a ith 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 refuge 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 THOYLA.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 fact, 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. He 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 found ; 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 for each supply, while those who had com mitted no offence 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 the 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 L 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. RICHARD WILLIAMS advocated the proposition of Deputy Corney, to whom, ho 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 previous question, and contended that the Corporation of London had nothing to do with the que: 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 pauper 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 IRE 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 th e Ho nou rable Court, the proceedings of the day wo u ld h ave com manded no pecu liar interest. The recal of Lord Elleaborough by . the magnates of Leadenhall-street, despite of the 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 rccal of Lord Ellenborough had induced hint 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 which would 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 Ellenb o ro u g h ' 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. The leading personages present on the festive occa sion seem to have laid an embargo o n 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 I.;llenborough 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 from touching on the painful and dangerous theme. The extreme course which the Hon. Court had f.beenrea freaks s ocompelledthe Nobleto take ord had who m stoppedher .Majesty's t hem Ministersi vou s would still have kept in Indit!, to the peril of te and there was no use em pire, and tho deterioration ungrateful topic, and scarcely of the k. Company' s reve nue;newly-appointed Governor ing a return . to an Gon vernor-General was, o c o f s u t i: r s i e fe , . c. T o h n e . fined to general expression s firm policyldeiermina ace. calculated to tion to govern India upon a secure the peace, preserve the hu pro mote the interests of our Eastern empire.) Te runs, however, .throughout . Sir Ilardinge's speech, a promise of pacific policy, as that which it will be his earnest wish and aim to maintain . in his admistra tion, which we can hardly conceive would have been iterated, and reiterated, without some , meaning. R e _ membering that Lord E ed llen b b y oro m u a g i b ta s ry ln e d x i p a e n dit a in d n m s i ; nistration has been mark tahnadt almostblood and a conquest r h a c o o t t e e ris b t i c, e a n o t f h h e lis d g is o t v i . n e g rn u m ish en in t g ; Sir H, Hardmp, thg the emphatic ples given by "Peace" should be the aim of his policy and the pur- THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAX 24, 1844. 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 following in the wake of his predecessor. The 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 he 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 pi orogation —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 may 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 Rome, 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 thelex 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 blajesty Geerge 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 ease 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 Legislatare 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 bear 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 per formance of any particular act, must attend the indi• vidual 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. THE DUKEDOM OF SUSSEX. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday,) Sir TuomAs 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 stne die. 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 fool, 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. _ _ POLICE INTELLIGENCE.! (YESTERDAY.) C GERKEN WELL. . Three Italian boys, named Angelo Sarti, Andrea Tci. ; 6 burial, and Guiseppe Consarini, were brought before . the Magistrate, under the following circumstances. The ages of the boys were 17, 15, and 14. Nothing could exceed the squalid misery of their appearance. Sarti seemel 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. lie 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 turned, 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. Lucnori, an Italian, acted as interpreter. Mr. GREE:NNVOOD elicited frem Sarti, that his master, Francis Ragahi, lived at 37, Saffron-hill, and kept twelve other Italian boys, whom he sent out with organs. Ragahi had brought him from Italy, through France, into this country, about three weeks ago. Ile 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 the gratitude of the public. 'rho 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 ►eft the court. QUEEN-SQUARE. 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 male 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 FAWCErT 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 variance 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 all. 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 moreover, that he never had any intention of so doing. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant. W. H. L. D. CUDDY, 55th Foot. _ . _ Junior United Service Club, May 22. Junior United Service Club, May 19,1844. My dear Cuddy,—l 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. unro, 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. DAUBENEY, Major, 55th Foot, W. 11. L. D. Cuddy, Esq., 55th Foot. 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, which was fully reported in The Sun of Monday, has created con siderable sensation in Chelsea. The Court was crowded by respectable-looking per sons, who evinced considerable interest in the proceed ings. Several of the porochial 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 years. 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 as laughing 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 ono 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 flue cries of the unfortunate lunatic. H il e is nry eg T n a d nl c e t s, i : btahrbeerw, d o e r v k o t e lso w c h u a t l ing be t r e i c ti l u ea a t ilt); a. 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 SHAFTESBURY 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 that 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. He complained that no intimation had been given to him of the course which had 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 bad been actuated by any party or personal motive in the course which he had 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 bad heard rumours of Noble Lords making terms with railroads, but he had never heard a proposition put forward that a question should be ad • journed in order that a Noble Lord might make terms with a railroad.—(Hear, hear.) 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 aid 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 have 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 BP.OUG HAM—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, and 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 cur 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 BROUGIIAM said the Committee could be ap pointed to consider the message from the Commons. Earl FITZWILLIAM thought they ought to know what the Noble and Learned Lord proposed to do in the Committee. Lord BROUGIIAM said he had a case to make out ; but, of course, he could not go into d e t a il th en . The Duke f 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 lie intimated that, when the parties pro moting this Bill should again come before Parliament, he would look closely after there.—(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 brought 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 COLCII ESTER RAILWAY BILL. Major BERESFORD moved that the Harwich Rail way aad Pier, tali the Colchester and llarwich (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 po wer 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 tho Com mittee, would be beneficial to the p u bli c . H e 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 mark e t, p ersons m i g h t not be found to engage in such a speculation. There was besides a great deal of money expended, he believed 12,000 E in promoting the Bill, which would be lost if , 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 summercruising 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 flag 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 Rothesay, whom she will land at his seat at Christchurch. Letters from the Illustrious, 72, from Bermuda, report that Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Adam 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. DickFon, 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 coa s t o f I re l an d . T he steam vessel Fearless, with Commander Sherringham, and the Assistant-Surveyors, are busily engaged in South ampton Water, lap.ng down b uo y s , an d ot h erw i se im proving the navigation. The surveying vessel", Bonetta, Commander Brock, and Arrow, Lieut. Otter, are nearly ready for sea, and will be at Spithead during the ensuing week. The for mer goes to the Levant, and the latter to the coast of Scotland. The Indus, 80, Captain Sir James Stirling, has not yet made her appearance . from Li s b on an d M a l ta . Sh e is hourly looked for. The Wasp, 16, Albatross, 16, and Ringdove, 16, are to bo detached from the West Indies to the coast of Africa; and the steamers 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 Manic, 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. Ile would, however, inquire about Mary lu r r r l eekors°passes, a n d th e c o un try i s a st o unded, furtherhorrified b ar b ar ity exercise d u p on th e iefiy. e d A a wt 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 tured into an act of insanity by the cruelty of fortune ; it 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 Newgato; 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 Horne-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 Furley's condition. Poor blighted creature! Ho 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 glowed with admiration o f h e r, 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 given her and her babe the means of life—has felt, to painful intensity, a grief and sympathy, when, with a brain fired with despair, tha 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 id 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. She will be pitied, comforted, ay, caressed, for the horrors she has endured, and, by the bounty of sympathising good ness, the means of subsistence will henceforth be trade easy to her. Such was our daysdrearn. Sir James 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 speech, to be called the brightest jewel in the Crown. If it still be so, why then, Sir James, thanks to you, her Majesty Queen Yietnri4 wears at the present glenlent dinunest of diadems.— Vuecit. the House did net 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. SAIYTHE 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 had 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 was 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 unanimous 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 th© opinions which had been expressed, he felt bound to concur in the decision of the Committee. Mr. H. HINDE said, having been on the Committee, he had given a vote different from that of the Hon. Members who had addressed the House. It appeared very 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. Althouggh 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, he would give the proposals of each party his best consideration. Admiral DUNI)AS 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 is 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. the wards of 6001. a year, and at the prese nt moment did number of free scholars educated in that scho.e of not exceed nine. At the time he ha d given not ote the motion they did not exceed six, and of thos e six ! _ ,on ns was the son ot the Vicar of Bango l:r, two o thers a 4, oof wealthy gentlemen in the neighbourhood, olit. the others were sons of wealthy trades men in ou There were tea boys who ought to be upon the anu tion, but: who were educated solely in the n tro '; schools. These boys received 21. 6s. annuallY the charity, and they were made by the y lie , and Chapter of Bangor choristers of the ,-1 . 3 ; c0 dral. This was a gross violation of trust. 0 y enacted that the master should exact nothingej teaching the children, and yet all those who ln,/ writing or arithmetic paid 2/. a-year mol e „el their instruction, and those who learned Frenc", 21. for their instruction. The poor children of 1a ... 1 f , reeeived no benefit whatever from this Tu or t The master of the union at the time the Connissl° made their report, received 661. per Ye a ft bog, the usher 321. a year, ov er and above the 1101 and land which they possessed. In 1839, the Hof the er the mast was raised to lOU a year, and tom Dapti t usher to 501. At the moment the Dea n and C f the were raising the salary of the usher "° r isb, school, he was the curate of a populous 135.00. seventeen miles long, and containing 20,0,0dgee, bitants. The usher let out his ho use to ' t bier The dean and chapter gave him leave to absenent bad self from his duties ; and at the present noll!stiget; never entered the school, nor rendered any To show the reason why the number of sehn' s r ,beil fallen off, he would mention that ,the free s eholti or e been treated with the greatest hardship. " r l2 j i° excluded from the play-ground, and they bad 11 ' toddl e ; retire to in cold weather, but were seen ,„%, Wei; under the door-ways like drowned rats. When the), guilty of certain faults they were placed 113 the w as to d j r church of Bangor to do penance. The object w h - 00 1,9:, prive the poor of the benefits derived from the 5C , " 0 O a : that object was gained. It appeared from the the annual surplus of the funds ought tobe 224/100ew fact, there was no surplus, and he called o n the e d ou tbe h inquire into the state of those funds. He °l ' ll dY 61/c ' Right Hon. Baronet to give facilities to rerae let ea l/ cu abuses as he described here. The Hon. Gent eluded by reading his motion. i r b Mr. HUME seconded the motion. Colonel PENNANT defended the manneri t il o re r (k the school had been conducted, and the expetisted;e•jr Heated with it. What the Hen. Member t e i t ass, (l ,. e . garding the treatment of a boy, he had haa ad in a letter from the Dean of Ban or which boy hot ceived that day, much exaggerated. T h e but ° T i e been refractory, and was accordingly exP ehr " ter. without the concurrence of the Dean and COP would oppose the motion. of P ress ; Sir GEORGE GREY rose for the purpos e I of l `. e „ 4 50' ing upon the Right Hon. Gentleman the neei s , il i ch"l pointing a tribunal for the investigation 0' '.difro, Educational trusts should be administered inj,(Sit,,o manner from what they were at present. Grey) was about to introduce a Bill on the sulfeeido the Attorney-General had assured him, occasion, that it was the intention of the Get. P" introduce a Bill on the subject. This, h0we . ,7•11 , 4 0 been done, although the Attorney-Ge ne ' - ntsrthe admitted there were great abuses in the prese;aol,l and that there were more than a million offs () ,„ / Rtr,,4, disposal of those trustees. He hoped the ,u" sob/ would now give some positive assurance on w e t i o , ov a , Mr. HUME likewise pressed on the Houghs gl v sity of legislation in this matter. The Del Gentleman the Secretary of State for the „ o e rhea had himself admitted that there We'''o6 4 ( funds connected with the educational trusts , a° pot A r e j, Lion of which were either misappropriated .o°.jetene plied at all to the purpose for'which they' we Sir J. GRAHAM said the matter which u" - ,. 0 ,1 1 troduced by the Hon. Gentleman, the all': i for had been rightly observed by the Right 1- ` - i estt r ;e 4 opposite, the Member for Devonport, not 6 j o yo 3 oo i w n a y s es r t e i a g l a ly tio o n ne in for th t i h s e H de o c u is s i e o . n o T f h a e eqouuerts toiofnetteip?, sessions ago he certainly had observed nr ... 11 a ,i of de sity of legislative interference in the dire` SP A ' 0 trusts, and he was still most anxious to ret ° , - 1 4se'vj fects which existed. But all interference in:""tepti3O must be limited by two things, first, by th e ff de cis o lL o o the original testator, and secondly, by Judie"' wss fie on the subject. Within these limits be „we' ( 0' anxious that efficient legislation should tak e r 0 0 '0 4 had that day spoken to the Lord Chancellor 012 0 it or ject, and he was happy to assure the 1 - 10 0ae l to the intention of that Noble and Learned 14° '"„, eler„des duce into the upper House of Parliamen t Weel going much further than the simple registranrs°ooo to.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped after this dee l tion the Hon. Gentleman would not press his ta" division. s pa After a few words from Mr. BEIME Lf RICHARDS, the motion was withdrawn. A leo EXPENSES OF ORDERS OF THE Mr. HUME then moved that an address, w - ,,ees' A el to her Majesty, that she will be gracions l Y i bsiltaA give lirectionst that, whenever her MajestL s ighlll the honour of the peerage, or baronetcy, Orr, shy) , or order, for eminent public services, no 1 , - „ fees charged thereon. Two thousand pounds woe? been paid last year, when honours were e,e n ief officers of the army and navy, and 50 0 ‘ beti ° o o o when the Order of the arter Wa s t upon the King of Prussia. He did „D a to question, in the slightest degree, tu n ferr_i of the Sovereign, but these honours should be ee .arty that the public should not have to bear th e be li/ e 4 When honours were granted they ought not in on, f i burdensome to the individual. He recolleetr; occasion that a gallant gentleman declared,l4 of ' O l ceived an honour one day, and the next a u, KIM was sent in to him, which he said he would 09 " 6 the honours might be kept from him. He sho a l W . eb e o lr to know from the Chancellor of the Excheclne"is:ole the recommendations of the Commissioners urjebe ject would be carried out. It was absurd that joll e „,e of England should be taxed for the honourstbstro others.—(Hear, hear.) He had no objectionsoilaf sons not having performed public s ervice v o hole taxed for the honours they received. Bet whe w 051 were conferred on persons engaged in the r ib ;C_r i tli no charge ought to be made. The Attornele bon to got the principal share of the fees paid for the' o , ell t oe but he thought the time was come for putting, jot them. He thought it would be well to In ( 1 11 , 1 ' rir system adopted in the Herald's-office, a nd t"'" which they imposed these fees. 0 13 , Mr. WILLIAMS seconded the mot.i?„,. o ',„n& A ' The CHANCELLOR of the EX.o l .r 44 re Pr m ter; that the fees paid to those public officers w e ' t o '', law, and the Crown had no Pew er crof ° tho sj fere with their emoluments. The to, 1 1 ° the prerogative of granting honour s A r ibs fed whom it thought deserving of them, 011- 4 o f PI th, e civil list existed the Crown paid the expen iz a° ,4 vvb e f,, attendant on granting those honours. .."" thv constitution of the civil list was altered, the h i l ou gbt ig lA on itself the payment of the expenses. g e t- pal e was an advantage, because it gave an ad d the of 0 to the honour conferred when it receir ti , 00 5 f tb l bation of Parliament. H f ..s-- t • ° e was per ee_ f fi c eP opposing the motion, because, of all the 0 o ar! Crown the Chancellor of the Exchequ er j o t' b more in the way of fees than any other. kr ?P o t to take out four patents, for which he had was far from saying that some change, le'"golvoli,, adopted in the present system. But for toe c t i pot at tr he had stated, namely, that the Crown e° ll :„re fere with the fees of those officers, he w ag l l House would not consent to the motion o f the t a be s l tleman, and lie hoped the Hon. Gentleman w° self disposed to withdraw it. h o „pole t h , Mr. WILLIAMS said the Right Hon. th:o " shown no reason for those charges, es e 'r et , were maintainable by Act of Parlianient•Geety should like to know from the Right 1 - ineya i ,,s e3 l l4 , what Act of Parliament warranted such VW * LI , 20!, to the Dean and Canons of Windsor te,i6; the Order of the Garter to the King of Fr u :boi l A V the Usher of the Black Rod; ill. to the chni - un tio; sor as an offering; and other charges, a m° ri gether to 4391. 3s. 4d. ? niz at/SY The CHANCELLOR of the EXCL''' i t e plained that it was not the statute law m ad ode , I , law according to which those charges were like tie? Mr. WILLIAMS said he should then 0 0, op 10 ° / what decisions of Judges there were on s , k 6 The Right Hon. Gentleman had not ate7 he recfr this head, and he should therefore supp ort r ti ° ' The motion was then withdrawn. his la t es Mr. CIIRISTIE rose to brine. forward _ .0 1 , specting the management of the Universities , be co 0 0 An /lox. MEMBER moved that the HouSe t he and there being only 35 Members present' adjourned a Quarter to Eight o'clock. ° ji g BIRTHS. • W ill AO On the 22d inst., at Preston, in Laneashlre' ri 100 tee Cameron, Esq., of the Royal Engineers , of l a d y 6° ' Of On the 23,1 inst., at Chester-street, the Wilmot, Esq., of a daughter. 1 00 6*9 MARRIED. , Atio p, On Wednesday last, at Astley Abb ot handr fo d urth auter ofE-q lden ow en, r 0 t er ' of ilif in that cou gh nty, to Mr. C. B. Sharp, turf rel) 1 4 0 1. 0 0 i ton Spa. 8.A.,0 t t o he L 2 u l c B 3 t , inst., at t d S au t.ll h r t s e r r y o le f b t o h n e ei a t t l e re irisi? o * o On the 21st inst., at 'St. Pancras, The' n f th eist ° Fitzroy-square, to Caroline, third daugbter ° tb 3191) On e 0( Home, Esq., of Streatham. e Nor t te, On the 21st inst., at Barton Seagrav , cha r 0 ~e c t Smyth, Esq., of Little Houghton, to Lucy fa d, (laughter of the Hon. and Rev. R. B. S t° P Barton Seagrs.ve. goae"',o roil On the 21st inst., at Chiswick , Mr. (4- o f e Wight, to Emily Edith, f o urth daug hter Esq., Gordon House, Turnhani-green• Viritr„r 0t On the 21st inst., at Banstead, og - Salhouse Hall, Norfolk, to Elizabeth, thp. late Vice -Admiral Sir Edward J. Foote, NA' 9 4 , DlD. uh Jam es fe 4. On the 20th inst., at Alton, Hants, e , oa. bha formerly of Church-row, Stepney, aged ", oo ,o Sissv` On the 21st inst., at Cheshunt, Ilertsisrio gto- , / 110 On the 21st inst., at Park-street, M ist eldest daughter of Mr. R. G. Steel. P , if On the 21st inst., in Old Kent-road, P.' late W. Hedgman, Esq. leot.P isce ler of On the 21st inst., Mrs. Fossett, of Wa „ e h On the 21st inst., Margaret, the secon4._u_': Thomas Storey, of King William-strestre.cTujerlbsse. cp:7olle6; PLittleA t' On the 19th inst.. at Brighton, Mr. " wstior.O:Lannoeftittliisliee.eEA2ll2BqdBdt'at'llm'iionfisi h t t' s l aa , g itf . 3 : l'al t rarder : y o n' r 3et e lai s rir t iel- l u a aid t :lie°d-,7°l; Th i:l3: :: of of Wells-street, Oxford-street. rebct On the 20th inst., at Winds or, Susaneib, tiscombe, Esq. 0 1 la ltl i „,-,--00 f t) ifk, 4 ll f London: Printed and Published j? 7 i":,: a 16 0 *-- go 007" No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Vis * -- I,i tho Strand, in the Precinct of the SAVOY , ". Middlesex, Friday, May 24 7 1844. MANCHESTER POLICE BILL. 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. SCUTHAMPTON IMPROVEMENT BILL. The Southampton Improvement Bill was read a third time, and passed, - Ph- -- 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. FERRAND 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 ject of quarantine. The Hox. 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. VILLIERS gave notice that he should, on the 11th of June, bring forward a motion on the subject of the corn-laws. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. On the motion of, Mr. HUNIE, 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 day 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 period 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 year since 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 is 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. CUS'COMS' 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 lion. Gentleman was understood 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. PIIILIPS asked on what day the Dissenters' Chapels' Bill would be brought on. Sir R. 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 R. PEEL said he proposed to bring in the Bill to-morrow. There would be an opportunity fur 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 (presented on the 15th April), praying for 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 5052 a-year. The master in addition had a house in Bangor, to which 20 acres of land were attached, the value of which was 130/. 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 451. a year. The value of the property ,of the charity was up- IN :2 411 Cn „ I VEDN ' 44 CM at u z _ 812 d ir 71 4 , tue ih tv Cards of ..uk tgue, en Ond .„ ' ,, T he tar, """ Galle/ G 14 ; 1 , Y +no TN, 2ffice , wrcus thr I Si OL( • CAm On ) . 1 LUrtip be is m , the tar, The eat Om, .411 cou are iOn %taw t4e7 t ri S e , ra S g, • 4 ,ix r le al %Tie, 11, g. `I Luc - *44 an t er )10, 4 ton t thn i , 4rt t 44 Cl lif gymt 40,ee • ta tart, the h, 6t reet 1, 14 • hcide • V r , Au lt thati kid444l, ft• 1111 . ' 14, od it* 1 44 It I