The Sun. — London, England, 1839-07-02 00:00:00

i E ING EDITION. ( Hon. Baronet near him were entitled to gre con i• deration. On behalf of the manufacturers, he could assure the House they did not seek to free themselves from the vigilance which Parliaa.ent had thought proper to establish. They wished to b iospected by gentle men who vv,uld not obtrude upon them in an improper manner, for it was possilme, un:lcr the present system, that appointrucots might be made which would be extremely obnoxious to the manufacturers.—( Hear, hear.) The manufacturers were in an extremely awkward position, becatu,e parties might be appointed who would betray the trust reposed in them. He begged to be understood as not meaning in these remarks toe Ist any imputation on the present inspectors. If there should be one resident io-pe e t or in each district. he would he fairly Envied to look over every :,ranch of the mantOactories. What was for was some re-modelling of the appointment of inspectors.—( Hoar.) Mr. F. Al AULE said thot a greit deal of what had fallen from Hon. Gentlemen on both sides of the House would better be urged when they came to consider the various clauses of the Bill. But with respect to the question of the lion. Gentleman opposite, as to the sa- lades of inspectors, it was not proposed to raise thos salaries, as wouil be seen from the elitism But as to giving the sub-inspectors the power of making rules, along with the inspectors, he was perfectly convinced that it was necessary that power should be given, in order to secure the due administration of the Act. Altogether it was exceedingly difficult to steer clearly between the manufacturers on the one and the friends of the factory children on the other. Mr. W. FATTEN asked what increase their was to be Mr. F. MAULE said the Secretary for the Home Department would, if be found it necessary, appoint ad ditional sub-inspectors (as we understood), and come to Parliament for authority. Lord STANLEY said that was just what the manu facturers obj"cted to. They did not desire to protect themselves against just inspection. But they did object to inspectors having the almost unlimited power of ap pointing sub-inspectors. They wished that in each dis trict there should be a district inspector, whose duty it would be, specifically, to inspect that district.—(Hear.) Mr. BROTHERTON wished the Act to be made more simple and efficient : if it were such a measure as carried along with it the feelings of the people, the ex pensive machinery of the inspectors would be almost un- necessary. Lord ASHLEY said he was-sorry to be aware that the Act had caused to the manufacturers great annoy ance. He agreed that it was desirable to give as great a degree of respectability —he meant financial respect ability, to the inspectors as possible. And he had sug gested this two years ago. If the Act were so simpli fied as that one certificate should suffice, not only would the increased salary be saved but the system of inspection might bo got rid of altogether. He would be quite willing, if the House thought it necessary, to give the inspectors increased salaries. But if the sub. inspectors were to be got rid of, he trusted that the inspectors would not be fewer in number than the pre sent inspectors and sub-inspectors—(Hear)—for the duties were very onerous. Mr. HIN D LEY wished to know if the Government meant to persist in any alteration in the hours ? Mr. F. M MULE answered in the negative. Mr. FIEL DEN presented a petition praying, (we believe) for a Ten Hours' Bill- Lord ASHLEY rese to protest aganst the manner in which this most important Bill had been delayed. It had been introduced on the 14th of February, and here it was, on the Ist of July. By reason of this de lay he i,hould be deprived of much of that assistance in debate and support in division which he had expected. Lord J. RUSSELL (very contemptuously)—l will not detain the House by any reply. Lord ASHLEY—Sir, if I have uttered a word offensive to any Member of this House, I will instantly apologize.—(Hear, hear.) I certainly do not think I deserve the tone which the Noble Lord has thought fit to adopt towards me.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The House then went into Committee. On the question being put in the usual way—" That the preamble be postponed," Mr. W. DUNCOMBE said, there is no preamble. — (Laughter.) Clause 1, " repealing clause," was agreed to. On clause 2, BROTHERTON rose to move an amend ment, of which he had (long ago) given notice. He hoped this subject would be discussed with calmness —(Hear, hear)—important as it was to the interests of 400,0U0 persons engaged in the woollen, cotton, and other manufactures, and having for its object the pro tection of children and young persons engaged in facto ries from exceosive labour, he gave the Government credit for intending to effect this object, in which he, of coursc, heartily concurred, and only disagreed as to the means for carrying it into effect. He thought he could propose means more efficient and simple than those provided in this Bill. The Committee would re collect that in 1817, a Bill passed, establishing a 12 hours per day, or 72 per week system, which was found very inefficient. In 1825, the Legislature refused to reduc e the hours of labour to less than 69 per week. In 1831, these hours were retained, the age being fixed at 18. In 1833, the present Act had passed, enacting that children under 13 might only labour eight hours per day ; k inder 18, twelve boors ; and above 18, any time. And certificates were required from surgeons as to the ages of children. There was this anornaly,how ever, that where's a child of six years old might be la boured ten hours' per day in the silk factories, a child of twelve might- only labour eight hours per day in a cotton factory. This Act had proved inconvenient to the masters, oppreevive to the workmen, and unsa tisfactory to all parties ; 2,704 convictions had taken place under it, and penalties to the amount of 5,3001. been inflicted. Yet the Inspectors represented that it was next to impossible to preve,lt frauds and offences against it. It might be said by some of the inspectors that the Act was carried into effect. 'That might be the case in some instances, but he had seen enough of its working to b e a ble to state that the Act did not give protection to children under 13 years of age. In 1835 the num ber of children under 13 years of age, ,employed in fac tories, was 55,430, and the total numbe employed in the factories wa's 354,684. The result 0 :f the Noble Lord (Ashley's) returns showed that at the present time the total number employed in factories was 413,635, and the number under 13 years old was . 3 2,464. In 1835 the number of children under 13, in proportion to the enti.re was one in six, while in 1838 it was only one in twelve, making a difference of 2.2,000 children. Now in Scotland it was roundly asserted that no children under 12 years of age were employed in the factories. That statement, however, was proved not to be founded in fret. It was ascertained that in 1 835 the proportion of children was one in seven, while at present it was as one to thirty-two. There must have been some great decepti o n made use of to produce these discrepancies.—( Hear. 1 iie understood that in many cases only half the nunr,ber of persons were em ployed to do the same work as. in 1831, and it must naturally follow that these unto.-tunate persons were immured for 15 or 18 hours pt r day in these mills. What was the use of that House' talking of educating the poor, and providing public wal.V, and other recrea tions , for th em if s uc h a s yst em w a s persevered in ? (Hear.) If these persons were condemned to incessant toil from morning till night it was .absurd to talk of providing for their comforts or imnrov.ement. It was well known that females employed in these factories were fitted neither for wives nor mothers---.'heir physical as well as moral character was deteriorats-al, and the more the manufactures of the country ex t e .aded, the greater was the amount of suffering which was en tailed upon that unhappy class of the comm unity. What he (Mr. Brotherton) proposed was, that .they should have one uniform plan applicable to all agsls, and that all ,the mills should be placed upon one footing. He saw no reason why a silk mill should be treated differently from a cotton mill, or a lace mill differently from a silk mill.—(Hear, Hear.) The House was aware that there were certain mills which at present were exempt from the operation of the Act.. He thought all the mills should be brought under it. He had heard many instances of people working thirteen and fifteen hours a (lay— persons who went into the m ills at six in the morning, and did not leave till nine at night, being obliged even to take their meals there. It was.• the duty of the House to see that the masters were not induced to act oppres sively. or illegally by the temptat:on of having a larger quantity of work done. If a mill turned out 1,0001. worth of work by working ten ho itrs a day, if he could only get his people to work an hour longer every day, it would add 1000/, a week to the pnacluce, and thus leave him a large profit. The master was: -tempted from these considerations to violate the provisions of the Act, and it was their duty to impose such r ststrictions as would counteract that. He would propose that the age be 21 instead of 18, and if the House was . in earnest in pro tecting the children employed in theca factories, they would accede to that alteratio n . e was anxious to have a uniform time fixed for all ages, .and he thought ten hours a day would be enough for a. l l. He stood there as the representative of a martufact uring district, and he was convinced that the trade of ;the country could be carried on satisfactorily to the master and with out oppression to the working classes, if tln plan he proposed were adopted. The Hon. Member coroluded by moving as an amendment that the age be altered from 18 to 21. The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Bernal) sr id it would first 'be necessary to make an alteration in the first clause. It commenced, " And be it enacted, the .t from and after the Ist of July."—(A laugh.) Lord AS said that was a pm of of the great delay that had taken place with revere ace to the Bill. When the Bill was introduced it was pr °posed that the Bill should come into operation on t.ha.t very day (Ist July).—(Hear, hear.) The date was then altered to the l.st of October. Lord ASHLEY said—With respe c t to the Hon. Alember'samendment, the age had b.een 21 in the former Bill, but it was altered when the Rill -went up to the Home of Lords. Mr. P. THOMSCN objectall to 'tile ain,ndawnt. Tha analogy of property did not hold pod with respect to labour—the property which the poor man had to dis pose of was labour, and they must not control him in the disposal. He was inclined to think that one of the evils of the fac!ory system was making children at too early an age independent of their pmts. Mr. BROTH ERTON explained. Mr. O'CONNELL said, nothing wit:, so IN tong •,s to interfere bfiween the eniploye T and the cnifao)eil, except for the protection orc;iildrea. Th,,t C ,urt at Chtincery extended its protection to children till then, and if they chose !o become ChaticAors for the pi otection of these children they ought to make the age 21. Mr. MARK PHILLIPS oppo• , ed the amendment. He objected to the present arrangement being dis torbed. Mr. BAINES said the twisters were extra .idvi_rse to any alterati )11 be:ng inade in the txisting arrahgemeats. It w a s th e f; n ty o f th e L-g;slatore to tw.tke the Bill a 3 accept a bl e pftssible to the in ;,ter spinners —to those who found employntont; and he did not think the amendment would be acceptable e•it her to them or the youths who would consider themselves stigmatised by it. Mr. HIND LEI said the question was, whether youths between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one should be compelled to work more than twelve hours a day. Surely, considering the age of the parties, that, period of labour would be considered sufficient. Strangers were ordered to withdraw. The Huuse divided, when there appeared— For the Clause B7 For the Amendment ... 44 Majority —43 Lord ASHLEY then moved to omit those words in the clause which exempted silk and lace factories from the operation of the law. He did not see any good reason for treating children differently who were em pleyed in one species of factory from those employed in another. It ought to be remembered that the greater part of the youth employed in the silk and the lace trades were females, and of a very tender age—many of them being under the age of six years—the consequences of their long continued la bour, were disease and deformity. He would be told that the labour was light —no doubt it was so, but when it came to be so long continued, even light labour be came a toil. An Hon. Member might easily stand for five minutes, or even an hour, but he would feel very fatigued if that standing posture were continued for six or seven hours. The effect of labour in lace-mills was peculiarly injurious. A great part of it was performed by gas light, and he had been informed, on the autho rity of two ladies, Sunday-school teachers, that in Con sequence of their protracted toil, the fineness of the work, and the period at which it was performed, in al most numberless instances, the eye sight or the youngest children was so materially injured that it was ne cessary to have bibles and prayer-books of very large t3pe, so as to enable the children to make out a word: Unless these few statements he had made could be overthrown, it was the duty of the House to include these poor children within the provisions of the Act. Mr. P. THOMSON had no objection to place children working in silk factories, with regard to hours, under the same regulations as the cotton factories, but he thought there was good reason why the age of nine should stand in the Bill. There were circumstances connected with the silk manufactories at the time the Act passed which justified their omission, and evidence was given to show the temperature of the silk factories differed materially from that in the cotton factories. With regard to the lace factories, he thought it would be but fair to give the parties the opportunity of bring ing forward such information as they might think ne cessary, but unless they made out a case justifying their exclusion, he would certainly include them within the operation of the Act. Mr. JOHN HEATHCO AT addressed the House in a very low tone of voice, but we understood him to say the Noble Lord would defeat his own object if he carried his amendment. If the Noble Lord would take the question up next Session, he would gladly lend his assistance to applying it to lace factories. Lord STANLEY was decidedly opposed to the em ployment of children under nine years of age in any factory. He would recommend his Noble Friend not to press for the exclusion of the words from the inter pretation clause, but to make his proposition on the pro posal of the third clause. Mr. HUME was surprised that the Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade should have yielded so readily to the Noble Lord without evidence. They had now no evidence before the House respecting the silk and lace trade. He thought there was a great deal of misplaced humanity in adopting measures to prevent children ob taining employment for their daily bread. He saw no reason for interfering with a very important branch of trade employing many thousands of individuals. It would be better for them to endeavour to make bread cheap.—(Hear, hear, and " Oh, oh.") The Noble Lord had voted against cheap bread—had voted against education.—(" Oh, oh.") Vas not that a fact ? If the Noble Lord did not vote against cheap bread he was very much mistaken.—(" Question, question.") He was against the Bill altogether. He would ask, had there been any petitions for it? Was it not a gratuitous interference ? Lord ASHLEY said it was not correct to state that the lace-manufacturers had no notice of his propo sition to include them in the operation of the Bill, for he had given notice of his intention months ago, and these parties were included in the Bill of 1833. Mr. F .MAULE suggested that those parties had no idea that the Government would support such a proposition. Mr. BROTHERTON said he would postpone his amendment till the Noble Lord's was disposed of. He was informed there would be at least fifty lace mills in cluded in the operation of the Bill if the Noble Lord's proposition succeeded—mills where children, at the early age of seven years, were laboured at all hours of the day and night. He wished that the hours might be ten, for then the children might secure Saturday for a holiday, working only five days a-week. Mr. P. THOMSON said he must decidedly nega tive the Noble Lord's proposition if it was perse vered in. Mr. O'BRIEN avowed that he for one required no evidence that a child under nine years of age should not be engaged in any labour, but sent to school, or allowed to amuse itself in' healthful recreations.— (Hear, hear.) Mr. VILLIERS agreed it was a great pity that children under nine years of age should have to work ; but would Hon. Members who talked in this strain show how the parents of poor children were to maintain them ?—(Hear, hear.) It was all very well for Gen tlemen to speak of the miseries of those poor people who had to labour so many hours ; but why did they not try some method of alleviating those miseries ?--(Hear, hear.) I\l,w he ventured to say that he had proposed a measure with this object—he had pointed out a mode in which the condition of the labouring classes might be raised,—a mode, to enable them to command the necessaries of life at a cheap rate—(Hear, hear)—which the present laws would not allow—(Hear)—and it was astonishing that Honourable Members should now be so anxious to support a Bill of this description, who had strenuously resisted the alteration of these laws.— (Hear, hear.) When these poor people asked for .bread, they received a stone,—they were met with a 8 1 11, the object of which, common sense would teach, was utterly unattainable by any legislation.—(H ear ) Mr. WILBRAHAM bore testimony to the cheerful appearance and happy condition of the factory children. Mr. SLANE 1 7 suggested that the President of the Board of Trade could not wish to postpone the conside ration of the lace manufacturers' case for a year, but only till he could communicate with those parties, which was reasonable.. Mr. DARBY hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would give some assurance that be would make this c oomunication. _ _ _ Ur. P. THOMSON said he wished for time, in order to do this, and would communicate to the House the resu!t of the inquiry, at a future stage of the Bill. Lord ASH LEY, upon this, at once consented to withdraw for the present his proposition. • Mr. M. PHILLIPS asked if the words " clipping, shearing, and cutting," would include the woollen ma nufacturers? Mr. F. MAIILE thought the words referred to necessary for the efficiency of the Bill. Mr. C. WOOD hoped they would be further con sidered. The clause was agreed to. Clause 3 having been proposed, Mr. P. THOMSON moved that words be intro duced including the silk manufacturing children.— Agreed to. Mr. BAINES said he believed it was generally ad mitted that in the woollen manufacture children might be permitted to labour at an earlier age than in the cot ton or the silk,—the temperature of the factories in the woollen trade not being so high as in the others ; and it should be remembered that it was not altogether a question of humanity to prevent children from acquiring a livelihood. He would leave it to the House whether the limitation as to age might not be under eight instead of under nine. Mr. P. TIIOMSON could not consent to the propositions Mr. SL ANEY hoped the House would not agree to the proposition of the Hcn. Member for Leeds. The prin c iple they were to keep in view was that children at the tender age of nine years and under should not be sac -rificed to the rapacity of their parents. It was the duty of that House to throw its protecting shield over children of that age, so that they might be able to re ceive, even in a slight degree, the benefits of education. He hoped, instead of permitting children of eight years old to work in woollen manufactories, they would limit the age of children both in woollen and silk manufac tories to nine years of age. Lord MORPETH believed that many manufac turers were in favour of the Hon. Member for Leeds' am endment. But a f ter th e f ee li ng expresse d b y t h e H ouse , he hoped the Hon. Member would withdraw his amendment. The amendment was then withdrawn. ' Mr. WILSON PATTEN then proposed to strike out of the sante clause the words "not being a silk factory." The Committee divided, when there appeared— Ave , 55 Nues tae ankuideaAn —6 Toe as tinwntie oiThtCd. Dart ofthe Bill. Clause 4 ty:t4, Lifir a few words from Mr. Brockle horst, agreed to, with ti,t omission of the words " not being, a silk tactor." On clause 5 beLiz. read, Mr. BRO:KLEHURST moved that the clause be postpont.:ll V.ra week. - Mr. P. THOMSON objected to the postpone dutl zu .f, 14u:ut wa, wit:J(lnm n. 2 , 1 r. BROTi - IEaToN feared that whatever amend mohts wer• Ina•Ati ii,e 8..1 not work tvull. Toe cause was then ie:reed to. Clausf! G Was struck out. Clauses 7 and S were agreed to without observation. On clause 9 being read, _ _ Lerd ASHLEY said he would now propose the amendment of which he had given notice, namely, to substitute 58 fbr 69 hours per week. He feared, in the present state c.f the House, and at that advanced period of the Session, it would be impossible to carry the proposition be was about to submit to the House, and which he had so long contended for. He should, however, offer to the House a short abridgment of the many thousand reasons he could advance in favour of it. The principle was not a new one. In 1815, a Bill embodying it bad passed that House. That Bill, which had been introduced by the father of the Right Hen. Baronet (the Member for Tamworth) limited the hours of labour to ten and a half hours. The total labour of the country had greatly increased, and the consequence was that disease had very greatly and lamentably increased. The inspector, Mr. Horner, in his Report, said that the population generally en gaged in these mills wore not able to gain any instruction after they once entered into them. It was often said that they could not have short hours while the Corn•laws were in existence—was that shown in any of the countries where no Corn-laws existed. What said the Report of their own Commissioner ? Even in Switzerland the hours of labour in factories were twelve and a half per day. Mr, E WART did not think the Noble Lord had given a satisfactory answer to the arguments that bad been urged relating to the Corn-laws. The Noble Lord had not shown that we would not be better able to compete with other countries if this country was supplied with cheaper food.—(Hear.) The reason why he should vote with the Noble Lord was, that he objected to females being employed at so tender an age in factories, but he did not agree with the Noble Lord in the arguments he had used. He considered that if the Corn-laws were repealed the hours of labour would be greatly diminished. Lord ASHLEY was much obliged to the Hon. Gentleman for his vote.—(Laughter.) Mr. FOX MA ULE hoped the House would not agree to the amendment. The number of hours of labour did not produce all the evils mentioned by the Noble Lord. These calamities might be traced to un healthy localities, and so forth. Mr. VILLIERS was glad the Noble Lord had been compelled to notice the Corn-laws. They would not allow the produce of the labour of this country to be exchanged for the produce of other countries, and thereby they limited the demand for labour. Poor people were, therefor?, obliged to compel their children to work, and that was the history of the operatio❑ of the Corn-laws on the manufacturing population. The Noble Lord was not very fortunate in the cases he had quoted. He had mentioned the case of Switzerland, where a perfect free trade existed, as being a country in which there was a limitation of the hours of labour, and where children were not allowed to work under twelve years of age ; but in France there were Corn laws, and every mischievous restriction on commerce, restraining the free employment of labour, and there by producing the same mischievous effects.—(Hear, hear, hear.) If the Corn-laws were repealed, th• people would stipulate with their masters on terms that would very much improve their condition. Could the Noble Lord prove that if they worked less they would receive the same wages ?—(Hear, hear.) And if they did not, how would their condition be improved ? ( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord ought to consider whether lie was adopting the best means for improving the condition of the manufacturing population, and whether by working less time they would receive the same wages they did now ?—( Hear, hear.) Mr. CAYLEY observed that was exactly the ques tion he had asked in the debate on the Corn-laws— whether, when there bad been a fall in the price of corn, there bad not always been a diminution in the price of labour ?—( Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) When the price of corn was low the farmer could not afford to employ many labourers.—(Oh, oh.) That was noto rious in his part of the country. Now he wanted to see such a state of things as that in which the master should seek the labourers instead of the labourer seeking the masters. Mr. VILLIERS explained. Mr. BAINES asked would it be humane to tell a family •' hitherto you have distributed among your family 20s. a weck—henceforward it shall be only 16s. a week ? Where would the humanity be in this (Hear, hear.) If the principle of the Noble Lord were carried into effect, it would demoralize and pauperize working families, it would ruin manufacturers, and it would eventually ruin the agriculturists.—(Hear. heap) Mr. M. PHILLIPS said it must be self-evident that if you reduce the hours of labour you must also reduce the wages for labour. If we were to shorten the hours of labour, we could no longer compete with the manu facturers of the Continent, especially as there was no doubt that the machinery of the Continent might equal that of any establishment in this country. This was not a question of humanity but one of existence, and we could not stand our ground if were to give up the present system, for it should be also remembered that several of the manufacturers were now obliged to work short hours. He must resist the proposition of the Noble Lord. Mr. BROTHERTON said that in factories in Not- tingharn and the neighbourhood work was done during 13, 14, and 13 hours in the day. This was too long for human nature to endure. He would make the ad mission, that when they reduced the price of labour, they increased the cost of production, and if they were not able to compete with foreigners when they worked 12 hours a day, they could not when they worked 10 hours without a reduction of wages. But in this he was con sistent, for he had alwass voted for a reduction of taxa tion, which would cause a reduction in the price of labour.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. O'CONNELL said the Noble Lord bad got great credit for his humanity froth many quarters. He should have been glad if th it had reached his own class, and that he could have sacrificed his own individual interests by giving the people cheap bread by repealing the Corn-laws.—( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord had alluded to the King of Pruss'a, who had laid hold of two Archbishops ; but would he like a King of this country to lay hold of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.—(" Hear, bear," and laughter.) Lord ASHLEY said if the Archbishops of Canter bury and York had done the same thing they would have been rightly served. Mr. O'CONNELL said they were correct in main taining the discipline which they were sworn to maintain, and it was therefore doubly criminal thus to l tyrannise over them. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Noble Lord had not answered the question of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, who had asked if the hours of labour were reduced, could the same remuneration be given as for the present hours, and also did the Noble Lord mean to fix the wages by a law or not ? If he did, of course there could ha no objection ; but if he did not, with the present high price of provisions, to reduce the amount of wages to artisans would, instead of promoting the cause of humanity, be a cause of the greatest inhumanity.—( Hear, hear.) Lord ASH LEY said he never had any intention of proposing to reduce the amount of wages, and he did not entertain any apprehension on that subject, because when in 1818 and 1819 the question was before the House, the same objection was adduced ; and al though in 1819 the hours of labour were reduced, the aaiount of wages was not reduced ; and they continued at the same amount for some years afterwards, until reduced from other causes. The operatives now were ready to stand all consequences, if the House would concede what they demanded. Mr. PEASE said when the hours were shortened, the distress brought on the children would be greater than at present, because their exertions would be much more intense. As an individual engaged in manufac tures, he could only say in his individual case, that if the hours of labour were abridged, he must close his manufactory, unless the machinery was driven at a greater speed. Mr. SLANEY felt compelled to vote against the Noble Lord opposite in this case. He doubted the propriety of rashly diminishing, by legal enactment, the hours of labour of the manufacturing classes. The result of such a diminution must be a diminution of wages. Mr. FIELDEN. (who was nearly inaudible), sup ported— it was understood—the amendment. The Committee divided And the numbers were— Ayes Noes 62 Majority against the Amendment —32 After a few words from Mr. HINDLET and Lord STANLEY, clause 9 was agreed to. Clause 10 was then agreed to. On clause 11 being read, which provided that in all cases where machinery worked wholly by water power was stopped for a want of a sufficient supply of water, the children should subsequently work 51 instead of 4S hours per week, to compensate for lost time, M r . M. PHILLIPS proposed, as an amendment, to insert the words u a partially" after " wholly." After a few scords from Sir JitifE;', qILAIIAM and and Mr. Fox MAULS, Mr, AG L lONBY thought it would be most unjust THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1839. to visit upon the child any loss the master would sus tain from the elements. If the want of a sufficient supply of water prevented the machinery from work ing, it was proposed to compel the child for, perhaps, three or six month:; afterwards to work 51 instead of 48 hours per week, thus imposing an additional labour of three hours per week upon the child. He should certainly oppose the amendment, and a fortiori/ the ~ c!wp:e. The Committee then divided, when there appeared For the Ainendment ... 48 Against it lO6 Majority-- —sB On the question that the clause stand part of the Bill, Mr. H. HI NDE moved the omission of the clause. Tire Committee dividekl, when the numbers were— For the clause ll2 Against it.. r 4O Majority ---72 The clause was then ordered to stand part of the Oa clause 12 being put, Mr. HINDLEY moved an amendment to the effect that during meal time, no child should be allowed to remain in any room used for the purposes of machinery. The Committee divided, when there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majnrity against the amendment — 63 The clause was then agreed to with a few verbal atm nclalents. On clause 13 being proposed, Mr. M. PHILLIPS proposed as an amendment that no children should be permitted to work on Christmas Day or on Glod Friday, in England or Ireland. Mr. BROTHERTON thought it would be better to omit Good Friday and take the holiday on Easter Monday, as Good Friday was not observed in Lanca shire. Mr. M. PHILLIPS thought it would be better to put several of these parts of days together, so as to make the holidays extend f rom G oo d F r id a y t o E as t e r Monday. After a short conversation, the amendment of Mr. M. Phillips was agreed to, and the clause as amended was ordered to stand part of the Bill. Oa claw," 14 being proposed, Lord ASHLEY proposed that the children should have twelve hours per week schooling in addition to the two hours on a Sunday. A conversation ensued, in which Mr. Mark Phillips, Sir George Strickland, Lord Ashley, Mr. Fox Maule, and other Han. Members took part. The prpposition of the Noble Lord was agreed to. Lord A S HL E Y then proposed as an amendment that one penny per week should be deducted from the wages of each child instead of threepence, to pay the expenses of the schooling. Mr. FRESIIFIELD suggested that the deduction should be twopence. Lord ASHLEY agreed to this proposition. The Committee divided when their appeared— For the Amendment 96 Against it 5l Majority for the Amendment —4s The clause as amended was then agreed to. Clauses 15 and 16 were agreed to with a few verbal amendments. On clause 17 being put, Mr. COLQUHOUN thinking this clause objectionable moved that it be expunged. Mr. F. M AULE defended the clause, thinking it a very great improvement to the Bill. Lord STANLEY complained that the power proposed to be lodged in the Inspectors of the education of the children was by far too great; in fact, it was giving those officers the power of taking the daily bread out of the schoolmaster's mouth, without appeal. Mr. P. THOMSON said that the Noble Lord's objec tion assumed an extreme case, But here that would not he without a remedy, for the aggrieved schoolmaster might appeal against the inspectors. Without that clause there would be no education at all, for the education hitherto given by old men or old women to factory children was nothing better than a machinery of instruction.—( Hear. ) Lord TEIGNMOUTH supported the amendment of his Hon. Friend, Mr. Colquhoun. The clause was merely proposed to bolster up a defective system, which was already found to work ill. Mr. LANGDALE suggested a modification of the clause. to the effect that inspectors should be obliged to state the grounds on which they might object to the corn- ' peteney of a schoolmaster. Mr. GROTE hoped they wou d not abaadon the clause as it formed a most useful and salutary part of the pre sent Bill. The principle of making an inspector of the judges of the qualification of a school-master was admitted, and legislated upon in the former Factory Act. Mr. DARBY objected to the principle of the clause alt ogether. Mr. P. THOMSON said, that under the existing Factory Act, the inspector possessed powers equally extensive with those proposed to be given to them under this Act. The Committee then divided when there appeared— For the clause Against it 52 &i;ijority in favour of the clause Mr. L ANGD ALE moved as an amendment, that the inspector should furnish the parties with his reasons in writing, foe doubting their competency. Mr. BAINES thought such a paper might be libellous. Lord STANLEY admitted the force of this objection. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL would even, after what had recently happened, undertake the defence of such a case in the Court of Queen's Bench. After a few words from Sir J. GRAHAM the amend ment was agreed to. Several verbal amendments were then made in the Clause as amended. and was ordered to stand part of the Bill. Mr. DARB Y then moved that the Chairman do report progress, and ask leave to sit again, on which the Com mittee divided-- Ayes Noes . 34 49 Majority against reporting progress... —l5 Mr. DARBY persisted in moving that the Chairman do report progress, which was ultimately agreed to without a division. The CIIAIRMAN then reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Saturday. The Register of Births Bill was read a third time, and passed. The Pleading in Courts (India) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. The Report was received on the Public Works (Ire land.) The Bankrupts (Ireland) Bill was read a third time and passed. The Sale of Beer (License Duty) Bill, went through a C o mmitttee, and the Report was ordered to be received to-morrow. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved for leave to bring in a Bill to consolidate the Acts relating to the duties on glass.—Leave granted. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved the consideration in Committee of the issue of Ex chequer Bills on the Shannon Navigation. Col. SI BTHORP desired postponement ; but upon an explanation from the Chancellor of the Ex chequer the Gallant Colonel yielded, stating that he should be most happy to see the Shannon so improved as to be likely to carry the present Administration speedily off to another world.—(Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of better regulating Cathedral and other Ecclesiastical Revenues. Mr. FOX MAULE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to exempt certain Bills of Exchange from the operation of the Usury Laws. The Bill was then brought in and read a first time. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of and the House adjourned at a quarter before Two o'clock. THE CONVICT WlLLis.—The law courts are not to be opened for business at Maidstone on Thursday next until two o'clock, instead of nine o'clock, in conse quence of the expected influx of persons to witness the execution of Willis for the murder of Sergeant-major Shepherd, which is fixed for that day. DEATH OF THE EARL OF LucAN.—We re gret to announce the death of the Earl of Lucan. He was in his seventy-fourth year, having been born in De cember, 1765 ; he was married in May 1794, to the Lady Elizabeth Bellaysis, third daughter of tsenry, second and last R.rl. whose furmer,marrisge with Ber nard Edward Howard, Esq., now Duk. or Norfolk, was dissolved in that year. She died in March, 1819, leaving issue the present Peer, late Lord Bingham, who is in his 40th year, and married to the Lady Anne Brudenell, daughter of the Earl of Cardigan. His eldest son, now Lord Bingham, was born in May 1830. By the death of the late Earl there is a vacancy in the Irish Represen tative Peerage. PAWNBROKERS' PROFITS.—At an inquest held on Sa , urday on the body of an unknown infant that had been found dead at a pawnbroker's shop in Tottenham court-road, Mr. Wakley observed, in the course of a con versation with the jury on the pawnbroker's profits, that he had read in a report of the Committee of the House of Commons, that one blanket had been pawned 285 times in one year. It was regularly pawned in the morning and redeemed in the evening. The parties pledging it had paid, it was calculated, on all the moneys obtained on it, at the rate of 2,6001, per cent. The Somerset County Gazette says that the Agricultural labourers of Somerset are, if possible, worse off than those of Devonshire :—" We boast of our national wealth, of our civilization, of our prosperity, and yet an industrious man working for thirteen hours a day is com pelled ought to be discussing how a w ife, and five children, on seven shillings a week! We are wasting words about this or that form of education, quarrelling we must feed the body. The people about catechisms, we shall find food for the poor. e l l il t e e d nd t i o n Before we can improve a s n lO in N ask for bread and the Parliament offers them a book. Give a m fo a r in c t r a e in ed h s T vi s h e e l n f , the mind successfully them bread first and the book will be welcome. Without it, education will be received but as an insult and a mockery. Nay, would it be saf e ? Dublin, s.-- to which, for peace its spite of the inso lencesake, we shall not further advert at present, we are grati fied to perceive that the more able and judicious Orange OR of A t N he G f E ac P tio ß n ? s C o E rg S writers in the North of Ireland have received the procla mation issued by the Lord Lieutenant in the spirit with which it was conceived, and with the temper becoming sin cere men,—Dublin Evening pm. -- C wheat and wheat flour were imported in February, March. April. and N Nl a y M . 1,284,872 quarters of P th O e FLT d E ut p ;:id on which was 114,8101. oR l 233,233 quarters were taken into home consumption at Is. duty, and 520,000 quarters at Is, 2d. Of the whole quan tity impwted 1,037, 230 quarters were taken out for borne consumption. LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, .TuLI- 1. The I-louse of Lords sat to-day for the purpose of hear. ing writs of error. The Judges were in attendance. DOE V. VARDILL This case came before their Lordships upon appeal from a decision of the Court of Queen's Bench in a writ of error, declaring that the plaintiff, who was born in Scot land of Scottish parents before their marriage, was illegiti mate according to the law of this country, and therefore incompetent to inherit estates here. The TTORYEY.GENERAL was heard to-day on behalf of the plaintiff in error. Mr. DAMPIER addressed their Lordships on behalf of the defendant, but not having concluded at four o'clock the further hearing was adjourned till to-morrow (this day). COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Juzr 1. (Sittings at Guildhall before Lord DENNIAN and a Special Jury.) WILLIAMS V. PANTON. This was an action for a malicious prosecution, arising out of the proceedings instituted last ear in the Central Criminal Court, by the defendant, against Mr. T. Wil. I ams, of Brynbras Castle, Caraarvonshire, and his two maid servants, on a charge of having forged a will of de fendants' father. This will gave Mr. Williams, who was son-in-law of the testator, the whole of his large property, whereas Mr. Pantos claimed that by another will be was the sole heir. It will be remembered that the trial in the Criminal Court, which lasted five days, resulted in the entire acquittal of all the parties charged, and this ex cited unbounded enthusiasm in Wales, where it appears extraordinary interest was taken in the transaction. The present action was brought by one of the maid servants. The cause commenced on Friday, lasted the whole of Saturday, and at half-past nine yesterday Mr. Jervis began his reply on behalf of the plaintiff, which was not concluded till near one o'clock. The Learned Counsel, with exceeding minuteness, en tered into all the points of the case, and argued that no ground had existed for charging his client with a participa tion in the alleged crime. The Lout) CUIEF JUSTICE, in charging the Jury, left it to them to say, if, upon a careful consideration of the whole evidence, they considered there had been no rea sonable or probable cause for charging the plaintiff with having been a party to the fraud imputed to her master. He expressed his opinion, that whatever might be their judgment as to the case of Mr. Williams, there existed no pretext for accusing the plaintiff, on any fact known to the defendant at the time he made the charge against her. Even supposing the master to have forged a will, the pro bability was that he would not have revealed his guilt and perilled his detection, by revealing that guilt to a woman servant who was only to witness the deed—an act requiring no knowledge of the supposed fraud. It' the Jury thought there was no reasonable or probable cause for the accusa tion, they might safely conclude that there was malicious intent, for people did riot without at, object charge persons groundlessly with a serious offence. The Jury would judge whether there was any reasonable inference to be drawn of malicious intent in the defendant, perhaps to prevent the plaintiff from giving evidence on her master's behalf, by imprisoning her on the same charge. If satis fied on both points, they would find for the plaintiff with such damages as they thought fit. If not so satisfied they would find for the defendant. At the close of his Lordship's charge, Mr. V. RICHARDS (one of the Counsel for the 'defen dants) proceeded to read a long list of exceptions, ready written, to the direction of the Learned Judge. It was remarked by Mr. JaRVIS, as an unprecedented exhibition, of such a list of objections to the charge of a Judge, written out before that charge was begun. The principal exception was on the ground of his Lordship not having told the Jury what facts, if proved, would be evi dence of absence of reasonable cause, or of the malice, leaving to them only to find the facts proved or not. Ills Lordship, however, strongly expressed his opinion that the question was entirely one for the Jury, not only as to what facts had been proved, but what inferences might fairly be deduced from these facts The Jury consulted for several hours, and came into the Court with a verdict for the plaintiff, damages, 3(101. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JuLr 1. Mr. Justice ERSKINE was occupied at Guildhall with a Special Jury all day, trying a long and uninteresting case. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. (YESTERDAY.) THE GOLD DUST ROBBERY. ( Continued from our First Edition of yesterday.) Mr. C. PHILLIPS commenced his address to the Jury on behalf of the Caspars, and acquitting Mr. Hartley the prosecutor, and the counsel and attorney for the prosecution, of-all intention of unfairness, he could not but characterize this case as one of the most infamous that had ever exploded in a court of justice. lie had hoped the days of blood-money were over, but what was the con sequence of the offer of 5001. reward ? Why, that the prisoners had been subjected to an inquisitorial torture, by Roe the officer. The witnesses, in support of the pro secution, were thieves, brothel-keepers, spies, and eaves droppers ; the evidence of such witnesses could not be called corroboration, and it would be impossible that the Jury could convict upon such testimony. Could they believe Moss, a desperate and reckless adventurer, who swore he did not believe be was doing any thing wrong in stealing this property, whose family had all been appre hended, whose father-in-law, a brothel-keeper, had fled on account of this transaction, whose house had been searched for stolen goods, without eliciting any expression of surprise from him. He was a Jew. Never had he ( Mr. Phillips) asked any man before concerning his religion, he considered it the height of impiety and blas phemy to interfere in a matter which was solely between a man and his Gad; but this man swore upon the Old Testament and denied his, religion, and to support that denial, had partaken of forbidden food, been guilty of the greatest blasphemy according to the tenets of his religion. This self-confessing perjurer, asked to be believed. Could such a man be believed? Why he had been placed in the dock by the prosecutors and only drawn from it through dire necessity, because without him they. Could not identify the stolen property. He would as soon believe the statements of Judas Iscariot, He took the advice of his attorney, and came here only to save himself; he had the basest and strongest motive for endeavouring to get his falsehoods believed—the mo tive of self-preservation. He said he expected to be be lieved only so far as he should be corroborated, had he not, therefore, the strongest motive to procure corrobora tion ? and who were those who corroborated him ? His family and connections. The Counsel for the prosecution had asked if the persons at the bar had not committed the rob bery, who had ? This was not a fair question—this was not English law or English Constitution. It was the duty of the prosecutors to prove who did it. The Learned Gentleman then went at great length into the evidence of oss and his family. According to Moss, they were five hours burning the wood of two small boxes, and Caspar bundled up the hay in his pocket. Why not burn it ? He took the hay away, and left the gold, which he could have put into his pocket behind him ? Was this probable ? Was it not much more probable that this was got up by Mr. Allen ? Why did Mr. Allen abscond ? The whole circumstances of the robbery showed that instead of being got up five months previously by the prisoners, it was can cocted hastily by the person who had absconded, and whose name Moss had cautiously abstained from mention ing. It was also most remarkable that neither money nor money's worth was ever traced to the Caspars. The men were in penury, and two pockets-full of this property would have been a little fortune to them. Was it proba ble Ellis Caspar would have taken the hay, and left the gold ? Why was not Mr. Came, whose signature was said to be forged, not produced ? From the 25th of March to the 2d of April was young Caspar at the office, a Good Friday and a Sunday intervening on which lie had oppor tunities of flight, and yet he remains. What is the conduct of Allen ? He fled. When ? The moment he hears that Solomons is arrested. Was he afraid of Solomons ? Why was not Allen mentioned by Moss ? why was no explanation of his flight attempted in the elaborate opening of the prosecution ? The Learned Gentleman then entered at large into the discrepancies of the witnesses in their description of Moss, and contended that the description given by Lewin Casper could not be made a proof of guilt. The Learned Counsel then com mented on the letters and on the evidence of Mr. Peat and Mr. Marsh as to the identity of the writing in the body of the letters. Had the prosecution called a single indi vidual to prove either the hand writing of Moss or of Cas par ? He then proceeded to remark on the evidence of the coffee-house keeper and his waiter, who contradicted each other, and instead of corroborating contradicted Moss, more particularly with regard to the story of the handkerchief. Ile then proceeded to contend that there was a contradiction between the evidence of Jane Bradley and Moss and that of Lea, as to the time when Ellis Caspar was represented as being at Moss's house engaged in burning the boxes ; be afterwards commented on the employment of Hoe ard as a spy, which he denounced in very eloquent terms, and whose evidence be contended was utterly incredible. lie had thus gone through this tedious, and, to the prisoners, most agonizing case ; the witnesses against them expected by their evidence to put money in their purses, and to secure safety to their per sons ; they had contradicted instead of corroborating each other. The jury would soon return to their families, and he hoped they would make other families as happy as their own by returning to them those persona whose characters up to the present time had been unimpeached and unim peachable. Several witnesses were then called who gave the pri soners Moses and Alice Abrahams excellent characters, after which the Court adjourned to-morrow, when wit nesses will be examined as to the character of the Caspars, and Mr. Justice Littledale will sum up the evidence. PALERMO, MAY 31.—Great alarm still con tinues to prevail, in consequence of the audacity of the brigands—crescit audacia experimento ; and the people are afraid to venture to any considerable distance from the city. These miscreants advanced some days ago to the very gates of Palermo, and carried off a young man, whose father had to pay a handsome ransom for his libera tion. The environs of Sagcste, Trepani, and Girgenti, are infested at this moment by bands of mounted robbers. It is impossible to form an idea of this deplorable state of things. All communication being more or less intercepted, trade is completely at an end. Nobody dares send money from one place to another, and the few commercial relations existing between different parts of the island are totally paralyzed. Pershore great horse fair was held on Wednes day. The extreme wetness of the day, as might be ex pected, threw a complete gloom over the fair; notwith standing, we understand, some extent of business was done in the better class of horses, nearly all brought having found purchasers at good prices, the buyers being principally the great London dealers. For the second class and inferior animals not an offer could be obtained upon scarcely any terms. In sheep and neat sto ck the transactions were very limited, and the prices of either varied little from recent fairs. —Gloucester Journal. THE CONVICT MARCHANT'S EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION. The wretched youth, William John Merchant, now un der sentence of death in Newgate for the wilful murder of Elizabeth Paynton, will in all probability, in a few days suffer the last penalty of the law on the scaffold for the dreadful crime of which lie stands convicted. Since his confinement in Newgate he has been extremely peni tent, and has made a confession of a most singe. lar nature, of the truth of which no doubt is enter tained ; and as the causes to which he assigns the commission of the murder are so very extraordinary, we lay them before our readers, and at the same time give a short sketch of his history and character. The father of of the culprit has resided in Chelsea for upwards of eighteen years, and has always borne the character of a sober, honest, and industrious man. Previous to this be lived in the service of the late Duke of Roxburghe in Grosvenor-place ; his wife was also in his Grace's household. Young Merchant when about five years of age was placed in the Chelsea National School in Blackland's.lane. He continued there fur two years, when Mr. Thomas Wilson, who at that time kept an aca demy, finding him to be a very intelligent, good-tempered boy, took a fancy to him, and received him into his esta blishment. He remained with Mr. Wilson at his academy at Turnham, and subsequently at Cranford Bridge, for eight years, and obtained the respect and confidence of his master and tutors. During this period the Rev. Mr. Vale, a clergyman at Fulham, took a great deal of notice of him, and frequently made him presents of money, which he inva riably sent home to his parents, who were in very reduced circumstances. After he left Mr. Wilson's academy he pro cured a situation with a gentleman named Elwin, in Cado gan-place, with whom he resided two years ; on leaving he entered into the service of Mr. Edgell, a county magis trate in Chelsea, and had been there about seven months when he perpetrated the dreadful murder for which his life has become forfeited. The unfortunate girl, Elizabeth Paynton, was of a somewhat coquetish and flirting dispo sition. It does not appear that any person was paying his addresses to her. On the Monday night preceding the murder, the father of Merchant supped with his son and the rest of Mr. Edgell's servants in the kitchen of the house in Cadogan-place, when they all appeared very friendly and sociable together. The deceased and the prisoner played and joked. She trod upon his toes, and several times placed herself upon his knees ; in fact, her behaviour, upon the whole, indicated that she was. in some degree attached to the prisoner. He did not seem to seek her favour, but, on the contrary, appeared to wish to repulse her advances, but not in an unfriendly manner. On Tuesday last the father and mo ther of the convict, Merchant, visited him in the con demned cell of Newgate. The meeting was of a most afflicting nature, and the old couple appeared borne down with grief at the situation of their hapless son, and the disgrace he had brought upon them. The wretched youth appeared more composed than he had been at any other period since the commission of the crime, and was employ ing himself in the perusal of some religious books which the worthy Chaplain and other authorities of the prison furnish to all persons placed in his awful situation. He shed tears on seeing his parents, and both parties stood in need of all the consolation that could be afforded them by the attendants. The young man was sensibly touched by their affliction, and offered up a fervent prayer that God would preserve and strengthen them under the severe trial to which they were doomed. They all knelt and prayed together, and the parents supplicated the Redeemer for mercy for their unhappy son. The interview was a long and painful one, and :Merchant's parents earnestly entreated him to reveal to them his motive for murdering the unfortunate girl with whom he appeared to be on such good terms only a short time before. In reply, he emphatically assured them that he could assign no motive whatever for it, for not a particle of ill feeling existed in his breast towards her up to the moment he took away her life. He was asked if it was through jealousy. He replied that it was not, for be never had any regard for her further than as a fellow-servant. He then detailed the following particulars relative to the horrible tran saction :—The family were all out, and about three o'clock the upper housemaid and the cook went out, leaving him and the deceased in the house by them selves. The cook, as she was leaving the house, dared Trim to get possession of a riband or pair of garters which the deceased had displayed before the servants in the kitchen in jest, and threatened to inflict some ludi crous punishment upon him if he did not obtain them by the time she returned. After the cook had gone out he and the deceased sat for some time talking together, and the subject of the garters, about which there had been so much foolish joking in the kitchen, was again brought up. He improperly endeavoured to obtain possession of the garters, but she resisted him, and at length slapped his face, called him some ill names, and said she would get him out out of his situation for his rudeness. He then ran to fetch a razor to cut the garters, and get them into his possession ; and lie then had not the least intention of killing her, or perpetrating any other offence; in fact, until he returned with the razor, he had not the most remote idea of injuring her, but when he did return with the razor in his hand lie was seized with a sudden and unaccountable impulse which he could not define, and in a paroxysm of insanity, in a moment, and without premedi tation, he cut her throat; she uttered one piercing shriek, and fell bleeding at his feet. After committing this horrid deed he stood fur a few seconds in a kind of stupor, and was horror-struck as be contemplated the victim of his barbarity as she writhed in the agonies of death. He threw the razor from him, and falling on his knees by the side of the body of the murdered girl, he cried bitterly, and offered up a fervent prayer to the Deity for pardon for the crime he had committed. A burning fever seized him, the officers of justice appeared to his affrighted imagination ready to seize him and drag him to prison. He shortly afterwards left the house in a state of phrenzy. It was about four o'clock when it occurred, and after he reached the street the form of his murdered victim seemed to his distracted mind to be constantly before his eyes, turn which way he would. On that night he remained at Hammersmith, and he was to terrified that he could obtain no sleep, and all night long he listened to every sound, expecting that the authorities were in pursuit, and that they would discover his retreat. lie rose early on the Saturday morning and proceeded to Windsor, where he remained until the following morning, when he attended divine service at Eton College Chapel. He could not remember the text, but some portions of the sermon the wretched ntarderer thought so extremely applicable to himself that his conscience would hardly allow him to stop until the service was concluded before he gave himself up to justice. On leaving he proceeded towards town with that intention, but only reached Hounslow, where he met the horse patrol, and gave himself up to him. The un happy youth added, that a journeyman carpenter had just left the house when he committed the murder, but was not the sweetheart of the deceased, and had only been making some repairs. He was quite certain if the cook bad not dared him to do what he did, and if she had not gone out, the unhappy affair would not have occurred. The girl's apparition had, he said, frequently appeared to him in Newgate, but not since the sentence of death had been passed upon him, and he had felt more comfortable and resigned ever since ; the Go vernor, Chaplain, and turnkeys of the prison were ex tremely kind to him, and he fervently trusted, ere his life was taken, that he should make his peace with God. He said, he would prefer being hanged to transportation, for then his parents would know what had become of him, whereas, if he was transported, they would be always in suspense respectin g his fate, and he should never h e h appy . The wretched youth has always been considered a harmless, inoffensive person, and was by no means passionate. On being asked why he pleaded guilty, when arraigned at the bar, he said that he never in his life told a wilful lie, and would not utter a falsehood to save his life. He committed the murder, and his conscience would not permit him to disavow the act. Ile is now extremely penitent, but in a very weak state, arising from mental suffering. No day has been yet fixed upon for the execution, but it is gene rally believed it will take place on Tuesday or Wednesday next. MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. CHRONICLE.—Things altogether look much more cheerful in the City. There is evidently a better feeling in the commercial world, and in the Money Market affairs present a more wholesome appearance. In the English Stock Market there has likewise been an improvement, and Cor,vols advanced per cent., having been last marked at 93 to for the opening. Three per Cent. Reduced have also risen to 921 to ; but Exchequer Bills remain at 265. to 28s. prem. Bank Stock is stationary at 189 to 190. This amelioration in the general prospect of affairs has been much brought about by the arrival of specie from several parts, and which is an important feature at this moment, especially as things were of themselves improving more rapidly than was expected, and the restoration of confidence was so much desired, which could not be more easily established than by an influx of bullion, so as to counteract or overbalance the export of the precious metals which is still going on. Mrs. Younge, the mother of the stage manager at Sutler's Wells theatre, a person far advanced in years, was burnt to death at her residence in Wilmington-square, Clerkenwell, on Saturday morning. IMPORTANT REGISTRY DECISION.—The Judges assembled yesterday in the (Irish) Queen's Bench Chamber, to consider the question argued before them re lative to the registration of electors, which has create] so much confusion amongst the assistant-barristers, namely, whether upon a re-registration or second registration under the Reform Act, it is necessary that the claimant should make a new affidavit before the registering barrister, to entitle himself to a new certificate. There were eight Judges present, viz :—Bushe, C. J., Johnson, Burton J., Torrens, J., Foster, 8., Crampton, J., Richard s 8., and Ball, J. The first six were of opinion , a nd ga ve judgment accordingly— !I that there could be ) r egistration without an affidavit verifying the claimant's title to the dissented qualification from which such registration was to be effected, and that no certificate can properly be g ranted to a claim. ant seeking to register a second time or anew,. under . the Reform Act, without a new a ffidav a i n t, d v ß e a ri l f l y:in j g ., his title. We understand that Richards, 11.. from their learned brethren, c onsidering . such new affi davit to be unnecessary., argued the Mr... Smith, Q. c . case in support of the decision now pronounced and Mr. Moore, Q. C., contended that , the swearing a n ew a ffid av i t , was not required.—Sa u nders s Aews- Letter. SHOCKING ACCIDENT ON THE RIVER,— Between three and four o'clock on F r id ay a f ternoon J o seph Houghton, aged fifteen yearq, errand-boy to Messrs. Lovell and Co ., of George-lane, Botolph-lane, Eastcheap, importers of foreign fruit, was in the act of stepping from one barge to another lying in the river off Fresh Wharf, London Bridge, when he slipped between them just at the instant that a steam-vessel, starting from the wharf, heeled a gainst the outer barge and jammed it against the other with tremendous force, catching the legs of the unfortu nate youth up to the middle of the thighs, He was fortu, nately saved by a boatman from falling into the water as the barges receded from each other. The bones of his legs Were, however, crushed in a most dreadful manner. He vv4s conveyed to St. Thomas's Hospital. EVENING FDITICN, SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—(YESTERDAY.) THE GOODWOOD STASES. 8 to 1 agst Miss Eliza—taken 10 to 1 agst Lord Mayor—taken 12 to 1 agst Mr. Rad,liffe's Wee Willie—taken 12 to 1 agst Albemarle—taken 20 to 1 agst St. Martin 20 to 1 agst Barnacles—taken 20 to 1 ag.t Lord Exeter's Adrian 20 to 1 agst Lord Eglintoun's St. Andrew 20 to 1 a g at Lord Jersey's Joannina 20 to 1 agst Mr. Isaac's I-am-not-aware 20 to 1 agstMorella—taken 20 to 1 agst Mr. Stanhope's Caroline Elvina 20 to 1 apt f. by Merchant, out of Turquoise—takai 20 to 1 agst Confusionee—taken 25 to I agst Chit Chat—taken THE GOODWOOD CrP. 5 to 1 asst Mr. R. Garrard na. Galewood—taken 6 to 1 agst Deception 6 to 1 agst Lord Westminster's Richard Roe—taken 10 to I agst Epirus—taken 10 to 1 agst Duke of Beaufort na. Caravan 12 to 1 agst Mr. Turnhill's Euclid—taken JULY STAKES. 5 to 1 ant Stamboul —taken 5 to 2 agst Crucifix —taken 5 to 1 agst Margaret —taken THE. ST. LEGER. 3 to 1 agst Mr. Ridslale's Bloomsbury 12 to 1 agst The Provost—taken 15 to 1 aust Charles the Twelfth—offered 15 to I agst The Commodore—taken 20 to 1 ag-t Hetman Platoff 50 to 1 agst The Dolphin—taken. 25 to 1 agst Marquis of Westminster's Lord Mayor—taken CHELTENHAM RACES—GLOUCESTER STAKES. 3 to 1 agst S"kater--taken 5 to 2 agst Heron—taken The room rather ',hinly attended, and not much betting. PRICE OF SUGA EFFECT OF MONOPOLY Table showing the ex-duty price of West India Sugar in Mincing-lane, and comparing the same against that of Foreign Sugars:— London, 29:h June, 18,39. The Gazette of last night quotes the average Per cwt. price of British Plantation Muscovado Sugar exclusive of duty at The actual quantity sold on account of the imparters in the week ending the 25,h instant, on which the above price is computed—consisted of 1,303 hhds. i trs. and 134 brls. Muscovado Sugars raised by free labour in the Manilla have been sold this week at from 21s. tid. to 235. per cwt., being about 18s. per cwt. less than the average price of West India Sugar. The produce of f the refineries working Foreign Sugars ; and of the refineries working British Plantation Sugar and Molasses remains at the prices we quoted last week. Since our last the importation of Sugar of all kinds has been un usually heavy—the market is exceedingly dull— an d th e delivery from the docks this week will be very short of the weight delivered in the corresponding week of last year. The Ministers have successfully opposed Mr. Ewart's amendment for the admission of other Sugars than British plantation to home use, and the \Vest Indians arc to enjoy at the nation's cost, the fruits of their baneful monopoly for another year at least. A rigid economy in the use of sugar may task our powers of forbearance, but we are convinced that a strict adherence to that pr,nciple in our present dilemma offers the best, if not tl.e only means we possess of securing ourselves against the pillage to which the Government has unjustly devoted us ; in furtherance of promoting our view of economy, it will be cheering to the public to learn hat their efforts to limit the consumption of sugar, have in this port alone, already had the effect of reducing the quantity used in the last eight weeks, that is from the Ist of May to the present date, as compared against the sr. me period in the preceeding }car, 7,500 hhds., 5.000 ;nets of Mauritius, and 6,000 bags of East India sugars t equivalent in amount of duty to 160,0001. Should we continue to limit our consumption in a like ratio till Christmas, the Chancellor of the Exchequer will, at that period, have a dificit in the gross amount of sugar duties of 650,0001. The nation must not, however, be satisfied with any such mo derate degree of economy as this. To pluck the sting ef fectually out of this West Indian monopoly, the public at large should abstain as much as practicable from the use of sugar altogether. An alarming defalcation in the sugar duties, and also in those duties imposed on articles con sumed with sugar, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, &c., would presently bring 111inisters to their senses and make them repent their opposition to Mr. Ewart's amendment, and, what is more to the purpose, compel them to display their penitence by an Order in Council to allow the consumption of foreign sugar in the country upon the same terms as those imposed on West Indian sugar. Strict abst!nenee from sugar for three months will surely defeat the raw polists. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 29.—The loconstant, 36, with the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Harvey, reached Halifax on the 21st May, and was to remain there until the Winchester arrived out from England. The Pique, 36, arrived at Halifax on the 25th May, for Bermuda, and was to proceed on the 29th with troops to New Brunswick. The Ringduve and Medea arrived at Halifax on the 18th from Bermuda. The Snake, 16, was at Bermuda on th , :, 18th of Nlay ; and the Cleopatra, 28, arrived at St. J0,', 01 , 6 on the 23d, for the purpose of taking men belotigin to the 11th, 65th, and 931 Regim , tits to Quebec. Ynt Croco dile arrived at St. John's on the I7th, four (.1a from Ber muda. The Pantaloon, 10, Lieut. Tryon, arrived on Tuesday from Quebec, whene she sailed on the Bth of June. The Cornwallis, 72, Captain Sir R. Grant, will bo paid off into Ordinary, at Plymouth, on Tuesday next. The Nile, 92, was launched at Plymouth, yesterday, The Grecian, 16, captured on the 7th April, oif Frio, the slave vessel Ganges, with 419 slaves on board ; she was looking after another vessel called the Commodore, which was expected on the Brazil coast, with 700 Africans on board. The CaMop. 16, had been sent to the River Plate; and the Stag, 46, was at Rio Janeiro. The Lily, 16, Commander Deere, was taken out of Dock yesterday. The Aid lighter, sailed yesterday with stores fo: Cha tham Dock-yard. The Boadicea transport, Lieutenant Ward agent, sailed for Woolwich on Wednesday. NAVAL PROMOTIONS AND APPOINT'AENTS.—Captains— F. E. Loch, late of the Hastings; to be Inspector-General of the Coast-guard, Scotla, - ..d, vice Knight, deceased ; William Iloneyman Hel,aerson, to the Gorgon. Lieute nants—Henry Dum.aresq, to the Melville ; H. E. S. Winthrop, to the Princess Charlotte ; Edward Earle, to command the Adelaide revenue cruiser. Surgeon— James E. Goodridge, to the Clio. Assistant-Surgeon— Dr. Oliagan, to the Gorgon. Second Master—William Forster (additional) to the Britannia, for service in O de Emerald tender. Mates—G. 11. Clarke, from the E x . cellent, to the Hydra, steam frigate ; James Parnilton (from the Excellent), and Thomas Woodman, t.,) the Win chester. Midshipman —Rowland Berrinatf;n, to the Lily. NATIONAL LOAN IFU!NIT: LIFE AS SURANCE, AND DEFERRED ANNUITY SO. CI ET Y. ( From the Salisbury and Wiltshire Herald.) Without underrating the merits, or depreciating the in. Wrests of any of the numerous establishments singly and severally embracing similar purposes, we cannot but feel that the appointment of a Salisbury Board of Directors has given to the National Loan Fund, Life Assurance and Deferred Annuity Society, " a local habitation and a name in this city, by which its interests are to a certain extent identified with those of our fellow-citizens : and in referring to the advertisement which appears in another pa g e, it will be seen, and we doubt not readily admitted, that this institution combines such benefits as few others offer to the public ; and ttiis too, to such an extent that its objects and provisions only require to be more generally known to render its success perfect and assured. We learn from authentic sources that within the last two months not less than ninety-three new Policies have been effected in the offices of this valuable Society, making an aggro. gate of eight hundred and twelve Policies effected in little more than twelve months !--a fact utterly unprece dented in the progress of such establishments. But if we consider the advantages cffered to every class of the community, from the man of rank and the opulent capi talist and gentleman, down to the industrious domestic and the artizan, we cannot be surprised at such a result, whilst the high respectability and personal influence of the several members of the Local Boards throughout the kingdom, cannot fail to secure public confidence, by affording the best and surest guarantee for the integrity of its general management, and the adequacy of the means to all con templated purposes. We would now, however, particularly notice the Deferred Annuity Departments which well merits individualat t e t n o tio in e, su r e a s by i t a places small premium, it i the power of a payable yearly, ar l n y y , half yearly, quarterly or monthly, according to his or 2a., s ec to u re, at this the her convenience, an annuity forming a provision f or o ld age, " when the night cometh and no man ca n wor k ; " when the timefor labsotaut, that a personreisgoneby,a aged ndd thirty eclin m declining years need comfort a, annual payment we maypnadym reep nse 26l. 15s. for th e rema i nder of his or her life ; exemplifyagteos im bP annuity o t of n order or may at the same period receive 2 .) 1/. in ca s h, or a P o li c y anpa;yrtatiaetlta of an p oint, 65, at the death of the insurer of 261/.—and this, be it obi, rued, can be effected by a payment at the rate of one shilling per week. If the life should expire before the age of 6.5, the Society then returns two-thirds of the money so paid up, to the surviving relations legally entitled thereto. Surely there is prudence in such an arrangement,—a be nefit cheaply purchased without the sacrifice of a comfort, or even of a luxury. We observe that Local Branches have been formed in many of the principal districts of the king. dom, and others are forming in every considerable town ; and we prognosticate that the Shareholders will find this one of the most profitable investments ever made in such an Institution. NEW BOOKS OF TRAVELS.—We are requested to state that Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-s reet, has just published the following New 'Books of T r avels which can be had of all Booksellers;_'. Narrative of the Ten Years' Voyages Round th e World of her Majesty's 1 ships Adventure and Beagle, by Captains King and Fitz- 1 Rcv, and Charles Darwin, Esq., 3 vols. Bvo., with maps, anti upwards of 60 illustrations, bound-2. The Idle in Italy, by the Countess of Blessington, new and cheap er edition, 9 vols. post Svo., with portrait, 245. bound_3. Mr. Urqubart's Spirit of the East, second edition, 2 vols. Bvo.-4. Captain Spencer's Travels in Circassia, third' and cheaper edition, with new illustrations, 2 vo l s. 8 , 0.• 295., bound-5. Captain Scott's Excursions. in the Mountains 2 vols. 8vo„ with illus trations-6. Ladetat,ets on the Holy Land, ontains of t Ronda Lindsay's Granada, third cAlition, 2 vols, post Bvo., with illustrations-7. The River and the Desart, by Miss Pardoe, author of '' The City of the Sultan," Sce., 2 vols. post Bvo., with illustra. riots —And s. Dc. Granville's Spas of Germany, new and cheaper edition, its one volume, with 39 illustrations, 18i. bound. IL,