The Sun. — London, England, 1850-04-11 00:00:00

TMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. OUSE OF COMMONS. April 10. OUN MC COURTS EXITNSIOS BILL. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. B. DENISON had been a little surprised to see thh r-aid progress which had been made of late years in LUIS new c. stem of jielicature ; and he could not help urging the House to pause before they consented to the proposed extension. One of his objections to the Bill was, that it would do away with a great part of the benefit of the existing Act. It was proposed to establish a.csurt of appeal, but if such a provision were assented to, very few decisions in these courts would give satisfac tiqn. A Bill of this nature was of too great a magni tude to be brought in by a private Member, and should, he thonght, have been introduced by the Government upen its own responsibility. The country had not yet had sufficient experience of the working of the present Act, and on that ground he should oppose any further extension of it. Mr. MITCHELL supported the Bill, and said the delay and expense consequent upod a trial in a superior court was so great that solicitors were in the habit of telling their clients that they had better be robbed of 1001. than run the risk of a trial for that sum before a nisi prius judge. Actions in those courts were seldom or never tried before two years, and after getting a verdict some legal quibble might be started, and a new \ trial obtained, and perhaps no definite result was ar rived at until after the lapse of four or five years, by which time the property in dispute might, to Use a vulgar expression, have eaten off its own head. Indeed, so great was the dislike of parties to enter a su perior court, that in 99 cases out of 100 they settled their disputes by arbitration. Xr. HENLEY would vote against the second reading. If the Bill were passed, it would effectually destroy the usefulness of the existing county courts, which were now working very well, for if the judges had to deal with large sums and important points of law, they would bo compelled to slur over all cases of a minor character. The number of debtors in the year 1845, before the county courts came into operation, was 2,047, in 1846, the first year of the new Act, the number was 3,847, and in 1348 it had swelled up to 8,784. This showed the working of the Bill; and he should not be disposed to second its extension. Mr. COCKBURN gave his earnest support to the second reading of this Bill. He could not see any ma terial difference between 201. and 501., and whea he saw that these courts had already worked well, he did not see why they should not extend their jurisdiction. It was said that they were doing away with trial by jury. He entertained a deep sense of the good which trial by jury had done for this country in political cases, but in trials of property and common law he thought that very frequently a single judge was a more efficient tribunal.—(Hear, hear.) With juries which could he got in Westminster and Guildhall, and in many of the towns, and a judge of the superior courts presid ing, he thought thet this country could present the finest tribunal in the world; but the experience of many years told him that that was not always the case with juries which were got at many of the assizes. They had a great example in the equity courts, where there were no juries. An objection of this kind was disposed of by the proviso in the Bill, which gave a right of appeal to all who thought fit to claim it. There was one point which appeared to have been passed over by every Gentleman who had spoken eon the subject, and that was, that with the exception of London and West minster, justice was only administered at intervals of twice a year in the country. It was all very well for Hon. Gentlemen to get up in the House and eulogise the state of the law in this country. True it was that it was impossible that the character of judges could stand higher than the character of the English judges did; but when they considered the number of the tribunals which existed, the prolixity of the pleadings, and the fact that the law was a scaled book to the great mass or the people, he thought that was not a state of the law which called for eulogy—far from it. One of the signs of the times which he hailed with great delight was, that the most eminent lawyers were becoming gradually more and more sensible of the many abuses in the law, and were ashamed of them. This was why it was that they saw his Honourable and Learned Friend the Solicitor-General, and even the Attorney-General, coming forward as law reformers. He could only say that he gave his earliest and cordial support to the second reading of the Bill, which he considered was a great step in the direction of reform. The ATTORNEY -GENERAL thought that he should be wanting in his public duty if, regardless of all imputations on his motives, he did not state that this Bill, if-passed, would entirely destroy the good working of the county courts. But first he would beg to say that, in regard to the hints which had been thrown out by the Hoe. and Learned Gentleman the Member for Ponte fract, that those .reforms had long been under the consideration of Government. Every argument which had been urged by the supporters of the Bill bad been directed not to the earn of 504 bat to the general ju. risdiction of the superior courts. He did not wish to say anything in imputation of the gentlemen connected with the county courts, but he thought that the clause relating to the increase of salaries had much to do with the introduction of this Bill. He did not state this rashly, for he held in his hand a circular addressed by the clerks of the county courts throughout the country to the mayors in different parts of the kingdom, e nelosing a short form of petition to be presented by them to the House praying that all officials should no Linger be paid by tees, but by salaries. It was pretty evident that the question of salaries was at the bottom of the introduction of this measure. The measure was so sweeping in its character that it would not only take away the jurisdiction of the supe rior courts over sums between 201. and 501, but would abolish every local court which existed in the kingdom for the recovery of small debts. The Bill allowed the plaintiff and defendant to be sworn aed examined, and he would ask the sup porters of the Bill if they were prepared to introduce this principle into the superior courts? Lawyers knew tart in instances where such a privilege had been al layed the plaintiff and defendant had sworn point blank against each other, and there could be no doubt that the tendency of this measure, if passed, would be to encou rage' the crime of perjury. But there was an other objection to the Bill. The fact of having a judge who resided in the district and a local jury would be open to the suspicion that partialities might be shown in - the decision - of cases. He considered that the Bill was fill of objections, and would be fraught with great claimer if pat into operation, and begged of the House to pause before it gave an assent to the second reading. Mr. AGLIONBY gave his cordial support to the Bill, and bore testimony, in his own person, to the grie vbus effects of the present system of adjudication. Mr. MUIikLINGS could not understand the course which was taken by the Government with re gard.. to this Bill. He had not been converted by the arguments which had been used by the Learned Attorney-General. He should give his cordial support to it, for he considered that it was a Bill which, with reference to the movements of reform which were abroad at this day, was a step in the right direction. He thought it would confer a benefit upon the public at large. Mr. HUME wished to remind the Attorney-General that he had not answered a question put to him, whether he.would advise a client of his to go into the superior courts for the reeovery of a sum of a smaller amount then.loo/. He (Mr. Hume) should support the Bill, be cause he thought it would do more for the public in the saving of time, trouble, and expense in law proceedings, than any other measure. He was astonished at the Go vernment opposing themselves :to such a measure as the present. He hoped that the House would overrule all the technical objections which had been raised against' it. Mr. FITZROY replied. He was quite ready to submit his Bill to all the suggestions which had been thrown out clueing the present discussion; all he asked the House weato Confirm the principle of the Bill by passing the second re a d ing- He could not allow the Attorney- Gemini's slighting remark with reference to the feeling of tie, country w e ct this Bill. Th ere was no doubt but that it was a su bj e on which the Rountry at large felt very, etronglyeand he was convinced that in bringing forward, this measure he was acting in accordance ith the'eXTAreesed washes of the country. The Ilotist'then divided, when there appeared-- For the second reading of the Bill ... 144 'Atai - nt it' 67 67 - Miijority for the second reading —77 On re-snterrng the gall ery we found • - Me. FIUME inquiring whether, after this demonstra tion of the feeling of the House on this subject, the Government would persevere in their opposition to it?' Sir G. GREY said that be should certainly feel it his f l u ty to oppose ; .the. increase of salaries proposed by the he mould, no state What further opposition it vianidrneet with from the Governmeot. PUBLIC - tIBRARIES AND AIUSEUMS BILL. E WART moved that the House should go into '4 coadisittee onhhie B il l. Colohei SIBTHORP thought the poorer classes had already rates enough, without imposing fresh ones for the 'purpose of recreation and entertainment. This Bill would.be partial in its operation; it would be bene ficial to people residing in, and in the vicinity of, large :towns;but the. people residing in the agricultural dis .t,ihweeild not be in a situatio n to a v ai l themselves of it. Ile objected to the principle of the Bill; Ire did not know how far it might go, and ho would move that the Bill thi s day Rouse , resolve itself into a Committee on this 4 iX months, and he would take the sense of the Abuse on that question. Mr ' NEIVI DEGesTE granted that it was most desire hie that the means of information should be supplied to the ;Teeple; bus .k thought it most unwise ts tax the people i n b oroughs or counties for purposes not of immediate necessity , b e li ev i ng thatit lie would, there ore, oppose the t deco such measure at a ti me w T . undesirable to- in ro trailed so extens i vely, ass en agricultural distress pre spreading towards the towns. Which distress was rapidly Mr. STANFORD thought vies' the retcpayers its a borough slit objectionable that ziotied Of the indention to levy d ha ve only ten days' pose's . 'of th'e Bill, as was y ro a rate for the pur lie aid. not, however, object to P th e posed by the Bill. thoof Bill. He thought it was an oversight Spirit or principle Bill diet not provide that the librariesoversight that the and m be created und er i t were to b e open to the useums to Public for any stated period s . Wh en the Bill went into Committee he should move an amendment, that ev ineuesbent of" ery rector, vicar, or a parish which it was sought to intro. mice it, should be an ex-officio member of the corn • mittee or council of any public library or museum under the Bill. established Mr. HUME supported the Bill. Mr..L kW objected to the principle of the Bill, because it taxed the more influential inhabitants of a borough fur the establishment of. a library for the benefit of the less influential inhabitants, to be placed under the control or the town, councils.—(Hear, hear.) He thought it was ,time •augh to go into Committee on such TIM SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRTL, 11, 18116, a Bill this day six months, because by that time people's heads viould have become cool, and they would be dis posed to dispense with the Bill altogether. He would thereiore vote for the amendment of the Gallant Mem ber (Colonel Sibthorp). Mr. BERNAL thought in no case should the Bill be introduced into a borough, except with the sanction of two-thirds of the inhabitants. Mr. BROTHERTON supported the motion for going into Committee. The Bill was only permissive, and the rats sought to be levied was only a halfpenny in the pound. The House was desirous of lessening taxation. Could they better attain that object than by educating and elevating the great body of the people? He considered the measure would be a great boon to the working classes, and be besides a means of diminishing crime throughout the country. It remained for the members (.f the Universities to oppose this Bill—(Hear) —who objected to anybody being educated besides their own class.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. BUCK objected to any measure at the present time that would throw increased taxation upon the people, and of all persons in the world town councils were the last who should be entrusted with carrying such a Bill into operation. Mr. WALTER said the Bill would be of little use if parties were not allowed to take books home for perusal. Mr. ANSTEY thought it was unfair to cast ridicule upon the Bill because it provided libraries and not books for the people. The main question was, whether the introducer had made sufficient concessions to induce the House to assent to it, and being of opinion that he had done so, he would vote for going into Committee. Lord J. MANNERS complained that libraries and museums should be placed on a better footing than churches, schools, and hospitals. • Mr. EWART, in reply to questions, said it was not his intention to apply the Bill to Scotland or Ireland, but the insertion of a few words was all that would be necessary if the House wished the benefit of the measure to be extended to those countries. _ Mr. BRIGHT thought that the objectors to this Bill deprecated that the people should learn, through the instrumentality of this Bill, things which it would be better for them not to learn. It had been said that the agricultural classes would be excluded from participating in the benefits of this Bill ; but he would remind the House that those classes were not called upon to contribute one farthing to the support of the libraries sought to be instituted by this Bill. The Bill was only permissive in its nature; he thought, too, it was most excellent in its object, and he would give its second reading his most cordial support. Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER could not understand why Scotland should have been excluded from the opera tion of such a Bill.—(Hear.) He had always under stood that the people of Scotland were as intelligent as those of any other part of the United Kingdom— (Laughter)—and he could not understand wby the people of Glasgow Edinburgh, and Dumfries—(A laugh)—and other places in Scotland should be excluded from participating in a measure thought to be so laudable and desirable by those who advocated it. He could only say that he thought it was the wiser course to leave this and all kindred objects to be supported by voluntary rather than compulsory contributions. Mr. W. J. FOX said in one point of view the Bill would be exceedingly beneficial in that, under it, structures would be built which would form a per manent depository for the books which might be accumulated as a library for the people *in a town. He had known cases where considerable num bers of books, which had been collected by the working classes with the view to the formation of a library for their mutual improvement, had in course of time been squandered and lost for want of a place of public deposit. Having such places of public deposit provided for there, the people, so disposed, would be furnished with a greater inducement for collecting books and objects for libraries and museums than is at present supplied. Mr. MUNTZ said, on the last occasion he voted against the Bill, but as the Hon. Member for Dumfries had made several concessions to meet the objections which had been urged, he should now give it his support. The House then divided, when there appeared— For going into Committee ... ... 99 For the amendment, ... ... 64 Majority ... ... —35 The House then went into Committee, Mr. BERNAL in the chair Mr. EWART moved the following amendment:—ln clause I, line 13, after the words " it shall be lawful," to insert " for the town council of any municipal borough (the population of which, according to the last account taken thereof by authority of Parliament, ex ceeds ten thousand persons), for the purpose of determi ning whether this Act shall be adopted for such borough,to convene a meeting of persons rated to the relief of the poor within such borough, by notices signed by the mayor, or five members at the least of the said council, and given three clear days at least before such meeting by fixing the same on or near the door of the town-hall of the said borough, and on or near the door of the church or chapel of every parish or cbapelry wholly or in part within the said borough, stating the special purpose of such meet ing; and, if it shall be resolved at such meeting by two thirds of the voters there present, that this Act shall be adopted, then it shall be lawful for such town-council." After a short discussion, in which several Hon. Members suggested that a notice should be published also in the local newspapers, Mr. B. DENISON observed that many ratepayers never saw a newspaper, and he, therefore, thought that the better plan would be to send each a printed circular. Mr. WALPOLE suggested that the notice should be posted upon the town-hall and every church and chapel in the borough, and inserted in two newspapers, printed and published and circulating in the borough, fourteen clear days before holding the meeting. After a long and irregular conversation, in which almost every Member of the Committee took part, this suggestion was eventually agreed to. Mr. STANFORD proposed an amendment to the effect that in order to make the rate legal one-third at least of the ratepayers should be present at the melting, and assenting to the rate. After some discussion, The CHAIRMAN, at the suggestion of Mr. EWART, re ported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wed nesday next. The Parish Constables Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday week. The Exchequer-bills (9,200,0001.) Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. MILLINGS moved for a copy of any Treasury minute made at the times of or relating to the appoint ments of Lord Denman and Lord Campbell respectively to the office of Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench; and of any letters or written communications which passed on those occasions between such Chief Justices and any member of or connected with the Government, or on their respective behalf; and of so much or any part of the letters patent granting such office to the Lords Denman and Campbell respectively, as appointed or fixed, or related to their respective salaries as such Chief Justices. Mr. HAYTER had no objection to produce any docu ments that were public ones, but he must decline any private ones. If the motion was confined to any Treasury minute there would be no objection to it. Mr. MULLINGS was only anxious to obtain the official documents on the subject. Mr. HAYTER said that all official letters on record would be produced, Mr. MULLINGS said that would answer the purpose he had in view. The motion as amended was then agreed to. The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the House adjourned at Six o'clock. STATE OF TRADE. th ir e a M E s a p n l c y h . e_s t e T r h G e ua m r a d r ia k n e . t ) has MAN C a ( E . Fs rom , re covered what it appeared to have lost in tone on Thursday last, and the sellers of yarns have shown increased firmness at the improved tra es of this day week. But the buyers have held back with their usual caution, and the aggregate business of the day has been of very limited amount. At the previous quotations, hoWever, there has been a disposition to operate rather more freely for home consumption ; while, for the eastern markets, we have continued to experience a very fair demand, at full prices, fur No. 40 's to 60 's. But the buyers for Germany and Italy do not seem to gain confidence at all ; and they have accordingly taken only such small parcels as might be neces sary in the way of assortment. For 40-inch shirtings there continues to be a very active demand ; and, as the makers are generally under contract, still higher prices are obtainable by those who have anything to sell. In 45. inch shirtings there is a larger business doing, and in some kinds of madapollams also. But printing cloths are quiet, and long cloths, T cloths, and domestics, exceedingly dull. ROCRDALF, Mora)Ar.—We have had another slack market today; the attendance of buyers has been limited, and those few have shown no disposition to purchase. The merchants have been offering less money for pieces ; but the manufacturer cannot afford to take a lower rate, with wool at its present price. - MACCLESFIELD, TIIESDAT.—The last week having been a holiday time, there has been a partial cessation of business ; but, since the mills have resumed work, we hear of a better feeling in the market for goods, some of the manufacturers having received fair orders. In the thrown silk market prices de not as yet assimilate to thatlof the raw material; and unless an advance in this article takes place we apprehend a lessened production—indeed there are already symptoms of slackened trade amongst the throwsters. The dyers are only partially supplied with work. The raw silk market remains without alteration. HUDRIZSFIELD, TUESDAY. — There has ( not been much variation, if any, in the state of our market. Since the last report things have remained pretty nearly in the same state. There has been very little doing in the warehouses ; the stock, however is very low, and the manufacturers are employed in pre paring• for the coming season. HAI AFA X, SATURDAY.—AIthough the attendance in our Piece Hall to-day was somewhat larger, there does not appear to have been a much greater amount of business, and prices have undergone no alteration. There is . more inquiry for yarn, but without any change in th e plc . tations. T he woo l market is more animated, but We ci tnn o t re port any advance upon late rates. 44 8 "St TUESDAY.—No new feature to n ot ice in the woollen trade since last week. The markets are again di ill ; b u t pr i ces are fi rm , an d s tocks low. The m anufa e ;firers are still making large deliveries direct to the nu Talents. IRELAND. SALES UNDER THE ENCUAIDERED ESTATES ACT, DUBLIN, TUESDAY EVENING.—i'43III;BI; of small properties were this day effected before the Com miisioners. The first was in the nature of a perpetual annuity of 2001. per annum on lands in the county of Wexford, and was sold for 2,9001., or 141 years' purchase. The second was a small property in the county of Clare, held on lease fur ever, the rental amounting to but 241. per annum, sold for 3101., or about 13 years' pur chase. The third was of a simple estate in the county of Cavan, producing a rental of 110/. per annum, sold for 2,5501., or 23 years' purchase. The last was a small property in Monaghan of about 501. per annum, which sold for 8101., or little over 16 years' purchase. ABOLITION OF TUE IRISH COURT.—IQ a reply to a circular addressed to the Irish Members, Mr. R. J. Tennant, M.P. for Belfast, states that it is his inten tion to vote for the abolition of the 'Viceroyalty of Ireland, and denies that the measure can inflict any injury on that country. ITALY. The first instalment of the Rothschild loan reached Rome on the 20th ult. The Costituzionale of the 2d inst. states that the splendid illuminations and other matters which were in preparation at Rome for the reception of the Pope have been suspended," it having been learned that his Holiness's return is deferred, Austria having coun selled Pius IX. to postpone his entry into Rome till the question of the ecclesiastical privileges in Pied mont is settled. The Pope, in this case, will stop at Terracina, or some other town in his dominions. MALTA. We have received a Malta Mail of the 30th of March. It contains a protest of the Bishop of Gib raltar against certain articles in the proposed code of criminal law for the island, as also against an over bearing disposition displayed by the Roman Catholic members of the Council of Government entrusted with the amendment of the said code. The follow ing is the protest : " We, the undersigned, George, by Divine permission, Bishop of Gibraltar, being by virtue of our office, and by the authority of her Majesty's letters patent, invested with the power of exercising episcopal jurisdiction according to the ecclesiastical laws of England in all places belonging to the Church of England with in the island of Malta, and being ordinarily resi dent within the said island, have considered it to be our duty to examine those articles of the proposed code of Criminal Laws for the said island which are entitled ' Concerning offences against the respect due to religion,' as amended by the council of Go vernmeet, and having found that it is therein proposed to make the Church of Rome the dominant Church in Malta; to declare it to be exclusively the Catholic Church; to class the Church of England and the other religious bodies of her Majesty's subjects as dissentients from the Church of Rome as it at present exists in the said island; and to enact heavier penalties for offences against the Roman Catholic worship than for offences against others; there fore we, the bishop aforesaid, do hereby protest in the strongest manner against the adoption of the said Articles, for the following reasons:— " 1. Because whatever may be the privileges granted to the Maltese, the supremacy of the English Crown carries with it of necessity the supremacy of the religion of the Queen and of the people of England, and estab lishes it by the law of the land in every colony and de pendency of the empire, Malta included. " 2. Because this proceeding of the majority of the Council in attempting to make the Church of Rome dominant in Malts, and to declare the religion of the said Church to be exclusively the Catholic religion, is an attack upon the supremacy of the Crown and the fun damental laws of the empire, and an invasion of the rights and privileges of the Catholic and apostolic Church of England. " 3. Because the attempt to class the Church of Eng land and other bodies of her Majesty's subjects together, as being merely dissenters or dissentient from the Church of Rome as it at present exists in Malta, is an insult to the religion of the Queen and of the people of England. "4. Because the enactment of greater penalties for offences against the Roman Catholic worship than for offences against the worship of other Christian churches is a violation of the principle of equal protection for all classes et her Majesty's subjects, and of the rights and liberties of Englishmen. "5. Because neither the clergy nor the people of the Church of England in Malta have given the least occa sion for any such proceedings, they having been careful on all occasions to avoid giving offence to their Maltese fellow-subjects in all things connected with their religion. " — Given at Gibraltar Palace, in the city of Valletta, this twentieth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty. "G. GIBRALTAR. " To his Excellency the Right Hon. Richard More O'Ferrall, Governor of Malta, &c." (From the Malta Mail, of March 30.) On Sunday last, we are informed, notice was given in the Roman Catholic churches, that for the future no intermarriages would be permitted between parties, one of whom professed the Roman Catholic and the other the Protestant faith, except under a solemn promise that the children to be born thereof should be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. On the same day, public notice was given from the altar of the cathedral church of St. Paul, that for the future no banns of marriage would be published, or the solemnity performed between parties as above, of opposite religious faith, if either bad sworn, in the court of the Roman Catholic Bishop, to bring up the children in the Roman Catholic faith. His Lord ship the Bishop of Gibraltar concluded, and we think with much reason, that the parents who would consent to such a sacrifice had better themselves embrace the profession to which the children ere thus, by parental • weakness, so unceremoniously condemned. MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1850. Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ... *l5B Diseases of Uncertain Seat 54 Tubercular Diseases ... ... ... ... ... 186 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... 162 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... 37 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration ... ... ... ... •• • ••• 253 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and. other Organs of Digestion... ... ... Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. •• • ... Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &e. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. ... ... ... Malformations—. ... ... ... Premature Birth ... ... .. ... Atrophy ... ... ... ... ... Old Age ... ... ... ... ... Sudden ... ... ... ... ... ••• Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance Causes not speeified ... 63 ... 9 ... 26 ... 62 ... 35 1,124 DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES ... Population Enumerated, 1841. West Districts... 301,189 North Districts.. 376,568 Central Districts 374,199 East Districts ... 393,067 South Districts.. 503,346 Deaths in corre- Deaths spending week in the of 1849. Week. . 163 ... 182 . 192 ... 210 . 173 ... 187 . 176 ... 224 , 290 ... 321 994 Totals... ..... 1,948,369 ... 1,124 ... 560 ... 564 Males ... Females ... BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males ... Females ... ... 697 ... 646 Total ... .... ... ... ... 1,343 *ln this number are included 17 by Scarlatina, 34 by Typhus Fever, 15 by Diarrhoea. and 2 by Cholera. MURDER AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY. Last night (Sunday), between eight and nine o'clock, in consequence of information which had been received at the Cheltenham police-station, Superin tendent George Seys, and Sergeant John Shekleton proceeded to one of the common lodging-houses in Milsom• street, and there arrested two men on a charge of murder. Their names are Maurice Murphy, aged 21, a native of Blarney, county Cork, and Patrick Sullivan, aged 22, of Minchinstown, county Cork. In their possession the officers found a quantity of wear ing apparel covered with blood —a pocket-book, razor, pieces of comb, and other trifling articles. The cir cumstances which led to the apprehension of these parties we will now endeavour to detail. it appears that on Friday afternoon information was received at the police-station, Newport, Mon mouthshire, that the body of a woma n , name d J ane Lewis, aged about 65, was found in a brake, near Nancotch- wood, and adjacent to the Bassalleg-road, the e r withrigbahctk,eye,as if with a :stone or an awful wound in flictedollying n g the on c n heek, a quantity of blood at the b instrument, severe bruises on the left eye, _ack scratches_of the head, and the front part of her dress torn o open, a s if w ith violence ; while the bactkhepabrotdoyf had dress was covered with mud, as though been dr agge d over th e gro und. It was found that deceased had lived at Pontymaswnt about two miles from B assa ll eg ; an d t h at on W e d n esday morning she had come to Newport for t h e purc h ase o f some peas and other 'trifling articles ; and was last seen passing the Hand Post a little after five o'clock, walking by herself towards Bassalleg, where she was to receive her weekly parochial allowance. About six o'clock the same evening a young lad, named Henry Phillips, son of Mr. William Phillips, of Nan toch Farm, observed a quantity of peas scattered on the road, almost close to the gate, within a few yards of which the body of the poor old woman was dis covered on Friday, by her son, at two o'clock in the afternoon. It appears that the deceased, not having returned to her house on Wednesday, her husband, who is a cripple, sent information of her absence to their son, John Lewis, night watchman under Sir Charles Morgan, at Bassalleg, who accordingly came towards Newport on Thursday, and on passing the gate where the peas had been observed on the previous night felt a presentiment ;that his mother was in a shed, situated at the top of the brake. He stated that on going there he happened to turn his head around, and then saw some dark object lying near the road hede, and this he speedily found to be the body of his mother. An inquest was commenced on Satur day, but adjourned. The prisoners, who seem very determined charac ters, left Cheltenham, in custody of the police, at three o'clock this morning, for Newport, where they will be examined before the magistrates. Information has since been received that the same men have been concerned in an almost equally appal ling transaction in this county. Mr. Benjamin Meredith, aged 72, of Aylburton, was stopped between six and seven o'clock on Friday night, on the high road, at Purby, in the parish of Lydney, by the two ruffians, and there severely beaten, the crown of his head being kicked in, and the poor man left for dead. The rascals decamped with a sil ter watch, pocket-book, umbrella, receipt stamp, and other articles which they found on his person. Mr. Meredith was afterwards found by some passers-by, and conveyed to the nearest house. Medical assistance was speedily rendered, but the un fortunate man has been unable to speak since, and lies in a most precarious state.—Cheltenham Journal. ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDINARY. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) The Commissioner of a certain nobleman arrived lately in one of the isla n d s o f th e O u t er He brides, to make his half , yearly collection of rents, to make new arrangements of crofts, and to enact other things which, if really carried into effect, will form a fit ting topic for the public prints. And all this with the advice and concurrence, and at the instigation, of the leading man of the party referred to, in whose house he took up his short residence. We say short, for be fore a tithe of his intended task was done, Mr. Com missioner suddenly made his retreat. One of the sweeping arrangements really carried into effect, was the displacing young Mr. 11—, of M—, from an office to which he had only been lately ap pointed. Not content with this unpopular and ill-advised act, Mr. Commissioner, it is said, and believed by all in the place, wished also to disappoint the well-known hopes and wishes of Mr. M— in another and more interesting quarter; but Miss Jessie M--, of B--, was nut to be won by this Commissioner Plenipotentiary. She was determined that Mr. M— should not be further in jured, and that in this matter the Commissioner, with all his legal acumen, should be outwitted ; for he had gone but a few hours from B—, with her refusal to comfort him, when young Mr. M— and his Jessie eloped together. The affair was managed most dexterously ; his vehicle was speedily brought into request—Miss M— at dead of night made her escape, and spi ritedly, with her lover, through moss and fen, soon reached the conveyance. Crack went the whip of the postilion on the foremost horse—louder still the lash by Mr. M—; off sprang the spirited steeds, and in less than two hours, in a dark and murky night, the happy pair were at the port of L—, several miles off. Our Commissioner C— was all the while heavily slumbering at L—, waiting the sailing of the mail packet. Never mind that. The vessel Mr. M— had in waiting was immediately boarded, the crew had their sails unfurled and all in readiness, the anchor was quickly weighed, and the lovers were speedily wafted on - wards by a favouring gale, and far, far at sea. Mr. M—'s servant had returned home before it had transpired that his master had stormed the citadel of B— and carried off his lovely prize. Who can envy Mr. Commissioner's feelings when he heard that " the lass he left behind" was now " o'er the maddies and awa'." Little did he think, when practising the back step to the sonorous tones of the bagpipes, and acting the agreeable during all the previous week at B—, that the plans were then forming by which he was so soon to be left a luckless and unpitied suitor. _ _ THE SEQUEL.—Pursuit was made early in the morning after Mr. M— and his affianced bride. One party, along with the Commissioner, started in one direction, and a servant, headed by a stout disciple of Malthus, who is one of the larger tenants in the north of the island, set off in another ; and these, along with a gentleman on a neighbouring estate, immediately proceeded further north, to the Bay of T—. The vessel of Mr. M had pre viously entered that bay, and lay quietly at anchor. He little thought that chase would be given in that direction; and while he and his betrothed were com fortably seated at tea in the small cabin in the even ing, the pursuers boarded the vessel. The door of the cabin was violently burst open, a n d h ere a scene occurred of the most painful and yet i n t eres ti ng nature. Mr. M-- was assailed with the warmest invective, and the object dearest to his heart was tried and tempted in every way to leave him—but all in vain. She clung to Mr. M---, virtually using the words of the favourite song of her own. "Before I'm forced to break my faith, I'll lay me down and dee; For I hae pledged my virgin troth, Brave Donald's late to share, And he has gi'en to me his heart With a' its virtues rare." After a long interval, the fair fugitive and Mr. M— were decoyed on shore, on the assurance that they were not to be separated. Scarcely, however, had they stepped ashore, when the promise was shamefully v i o l a ted ; for th e l overs we re i n stantly separated, and, most cruelly, not permitted to ex change either looks or words. Mr. proceeded to —, and next day the uncle carried off his niece to R --. A stormy week of wind and rain succeeded. The wind moderated however, and favoured hlr. M-- in the daring ad venture now to be narrated. He arrived off the coast of H-- at night, with two large half-decked boats, and a company of some twenty-four brave retainers, who would venture their lives for gallant "young Donald." The man on guard at R-- was instantly tied to the post of the gate to prevent his procuring any succour. Mr. M and his men speedily obtained ad that J ess i e , who was in the and, without entering into de i er aunt, was qu ickly awakened, i same a aa c t n c l s e e, s s bsuffic einto o t m h i et with h o t ü bh e s e h si , as soon dressed, and n the arms of her protector and dearestof course, was also aroused to act a most unexpected part. Mr. fromM— hie friend. slumbers, The but uncle, only peremptorily asked the uncle, in the presence of all, " Are y ou a mag i strate ?" and on replied, his answering in the affirmative, Mr. M then put the question, at the same time taking her hand, "Jes sie, are you my wife?" and o n h er em ph a ti ca ll y say " And I am your husband." executed part of the drama. The uncle must have felt k een l y t h e aw k wardness o f his position—when, instead of proving, as he thought, say ing "Yes," was a mast he adroitly the protector of his niece, he was, as a Justice of the Peace, called upon to act a most important part in the solemnization of the marriage he was so heartily opposed to. We dwellers in Scotland verily believe, that a marriage valid and legal in the eyes of the law of Scotland was t h en an d t h ere con tracted. In less time than our readers can peruse this narrative, Mr. and Mrs. and their faith ful retainers were safely on board, steering for the op posite shores. Such a dashing and chivalrous exploit we scarcely expected to he ar o f i n t h e n ineteenth century, it is worthy of th e anc i en t d a ys of knight errantry; and, surely, there is no t a lass in a the land but will admire the conduct of young M - -, and not a gallant youth but will a pplaud the her o i sm and sorely-tried faithfulness of his beauteous bride. —Court Journal, of April 6. POST-OFFICE NOTICE.—The United States' Go vernment having established mail packets between New York and Chagres, in connexion with a line of packets pro ceeding at regular intervals from Panama to San Francisco, the public m a y av ail themselves of this line of communication for their correspondence to Galifornia and Oregon, by specially addressing " via New York," or via the United States," any letters or news papers they may desire to be so forwarded. The com bined British and United States' postage upon letters for California and Oregon, sent by this route, must be pre paid, and will b e, upon a letter no t exceeding 1 / 2 an ounce in weight, 2s. ing 1 ounce, 4 8 . 11d ., and so on, ac cording to the sc a l e i n 51 /2d., exceeding 1 ,4 an o unce and n ot exceed operation for charging inland letters. The postage will be the same, whether the letters be conveyed from this country by British or by United States' packets. Newspapers will be liable to a combined British and United States' postage of 2d. each. EMBEZZLEMENT.—On Saturday, Mr. Peter Hay, the superintende n t o f police at S trou d, received a t e l egrap hi c message from Staff or d , v i a Gloucester, that a man nam e d William Pridelhad absc on d e d from Glasgow, having em bezzled the sum o f 5 001. belong i ng to his employers, an d t h at he was expected to call at, or send to , Stroud post-office fo r a letter. M r . H ay found that a person answering the de evening, a n d scription of Willi am Pride had arr i ve d i n St rou d t h e previous Pride c hadd d taken proceeded which left th e f ormer place at h a lf-past seven. M r. Hay roeo a n ken to u p his quarters at th e G eorge Nailsworth by the o mn ib us thereupon made th e b est o f hi s w ay to Nailsworth, an d as certained that Hotel, in that town. He happened to be just then abroad, so the superintendent determined to wait. After the lapse of an hour , Pride appeared, and was forthwith taken int o custody. A 101. note and 26 sovereigns were found on his person ; and there was a great quantity of lug gage , w hi c h the officer also to o k un d er his care. Pride is a native of Nailsworth, but has not resided there for several years. He has been conveyed to Glasgow, where the case will be en tered into before the proper authorities.— Clieltenloam Journal. INCENDIARY FIRES IN FRANCE.—The departmental journals still continue to give accounts of the pragress of in cendiarism. A part of the communal forest of Borderes, near Tarbes, has just been destroyed. On Tuesday last four fires took place in the neighbourhood of Soissons. The most con siderable was that on the farm of a M. Fortville, at Pasly. The stables, barns, and other outhouses, with all they con tained, were dest ro y e d, t h e dwe lling-house: alone escaped. So determined were the incendiaries to effect their purpose that a rivulet which ran before the house, and the water of which would have served to extinguish the fire, was, on the previous evening, turned from its course by the miscreants. Dommiers, Ambleuy, and Juvigny have also suffered. At Seurre (Cote d'Or), on S un d ay last, a fire broke out, and be fore it could be got under, two houses were destroyed. Soon afterwards, when all the people who had been present had returned to their homes, a second fire was discovered, which, in a short space of time completely destroyed 17 cottages. During the night several other fires were seen in different parts of the country.—Galignani's Messenger.. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE OF TUESDAY. DIVIDENDS. At the Court, Basitighall-street. G. S. 2`Tuish fuld T. I. Glensie. Farringdori-51, general iroLniongers, May 2, at eleven—J. Melville and W. F. Street, Austin-friars, City, mer chants, May 2, at twelve—W. S. Woollatt, City, draper, May 2, et one—W. L. Collins, Wood street, Westminster, brewer, May 2, at one. In the Country. J. Cary, Shepton Mallett, Somer6etshire, printer, May 2, at eleven, at the Court, Bristol—J. Gardiner, Bir mingham, provision merchant, May 1, at twelve, at the Court, Birmingham. PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS. F. C. Christy, F. Adams, and J. P. Hill, Rotherhithe, engineers, 15i., on Thursday, 11th inst., and three fol lowing Thursdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Stansfeld, Basinghall-street. A. Charman, Do wtaside, S urre y, farmer, 23., on Thurs day, 11th inst., and three fallowing Thursdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Stansfeld, Basing hall-street. J. Morrison, Craven•strect, Strand, tailor, 55., on Thursday, 11th inst., and three following Thursdays, bet% e- , n eleven and two, at the dike of Mr. St4,nsf-td, Basinghall-street. NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES. At the Court, Basinghall-street. S. S. Woollatt, Holborn-hill, draper, May 2, at one— C. J. Carttar, Greenwich and Shooter's-hill, solicitor, May 1, at eleven. In the Country. G. F. Sharpies, Manchester, hosier, May 1, at twelve, at the Court, Manchester. CERTIFICATES GRANTED. J. C. Bremer. Mark-lane, merchant, certificate of the second class—F. King, Oxford, auctioneer, certificate of the second class—S. Shepherd, Cullompton, Devonshire, merchant, certificate cf the second class—T. Hart, Cul lompton, Devonshire, baker, certificate of the second class—W. Cornish, Bristol, cabinet maker, certificate of the second class—G. E. Inger, Nottingham, druggist, certificate of the first class—J. C. North, Stamford, Lin colnshire, coal dealer, certificate of the second class—B. Hewett, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, licensed vice tualler, certificate of the second class. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. W. Wood and W. H. Wood, mercers and drapers, Horncastle, Lincolnshire—Mary Ann Edwards mid J. Hughes, booksellers and publishers, Aro Maria-lane, Paternoster-row—F. I. Welch, J. Barrows, and Ann Bradley, ironmasters and coal merchants (as far as re gards Ann Bradley)—W. Smith and F. L. Wood, auc tioneers and appraisers, Liverpool—G. Ince and G. North, plumbers and painters, Brunswick -street, Poplar —J. Bacon and F. Bacon, tanners, Bermondsey-street, Southwark—J. Wignall and J. Wignall, butter factors, Keighley, Yorkshire—S. Holroyd, E. Marriott, and C. Hare, manufacturing chemist, Huddersfield—W. Binns and W. Binns, woollendrapers, Sunderland—W. Hill, W. Hill, jun., J. Hill, and R. T. Hill, manufacturing chemists, Liverpool (as far as regards J. Hill)—J. Lumb, T. Simpson, T. Sykes, W. Brown, P. Lightfoot, and W. Sykes, glass bottle manufacturers, Castleford, Yorkshire —G. Page and J. Woodrow, curriers and leather cut ters, Norwich—B. Pridie and E. Hinton, gold and silver smiths, Birmingham—A. M. Gardiner and A. Coates, leather dealers, Manchester —G. Scarlet and G. B. Scarlet, merchant tailors, Newcastle. upon-Tyne —C. Preston and T. Greaves, attorneys-at-law, Kingston upon-Hull—J. Sutcliffe, T. Sutcliffe, and R. Waite, corn dealers, Bradley Mill and Barnoldswick, Yorkshire— H. Seiwood and S. Sketchley, attorneys, Horncastle, Lincolnshire—J. G. Spence and T. Griffiths, joiners and packing case makers, Manchester—R. B. Presto°, W. W. Willink, and IL J. Sillem, civil engineers and foun ders, Liverpool (as fir as regards W. W. Willink). INSOLVENT PETITIONERS. John Brightwell, Oxford. John Swire, sea., Oldham, Lancashire, clogger. Joseph Little, Hutton, Cumberland, grocer. Michael Alman, Bristol, attorney. Robert Cowles, jun., Yoxford, Suffolk, cornchandler. George Price, Bristol, agent. Charles Matthew Palmer, Cambridge, tailor. Robert Ward, Carlisle, Cumberland, innkeeper. Samuel Wightman, Framlingham, Suffolk, coaehbuilder. William GaisFord, Bristol, baker. George Thomas, Bristol, ironmonger. James Grimes, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshirg, bookseller. George Davenport, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire, inn keeper. Thomas Newman, Saxmundham, Suffolk, shopman. Jeremiah Eastaugh, Darsham, Suffolk, blacksmith. Daniel Carr, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, bailiff. James Reeve, S wefling, Suffolk, shopkeeper. Charles Anthony Everett, Southwold, Suffolk, innkeeper. • John Hayward, Woodbridge, Suffolk, cooper. Daniel Dann, Witnesham, Suffolk, dealer. James Bush, Aldborough, Suffolk, butcher. George Statham, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, bailiff. Rice, Sheerness, grocer. J. Glasscock, Eastchurch, Kent, grocer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. J. Walker, Stonehaven, cattle dealer, to meet within the Mill Inn, Stonehaven, April 15 and May 20, at twelve. J. Brown, Edinburgh, plumber, to meet within Dowell's-rooms, Edinburgh, April 15 and May 6, at two. D. Jeffrey, GlasgoW, manufacturer and merchant, to meet within M`Munemy's Bowling-green Tavern, Glas gow, April 15 and May 4, at twelve. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK ClRCLllE—Norwich, April 9. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice WIOHTMAN.) John Humblethorpe, aged 21, wa s i n di c t e d f or s h oot i ng at Susan Lingwood, on the 26th of July last, at Griston, with intent to murder her. Mr. Couch appeared for the prosecution; Mr. Power , was counsel for the prisoner. The prosecutrix is a young woman of 25, who pursues the occupation of a dress-maker at Bradenham, in this county, and sometimes sleeps at the house of her uncle, Mr. Warman, at Gristoo, is which village the prisoner lives, following the trade of a carpenter. These tsvJ young people made the acquaintance of each other in the harvest time of 1848, and the attractions of the young lady being considerable, the boy fell a ready victim to their power. He courted her with an ardour peculiar to "first love," and was accepted as a lover. They walked and talked together, and all seemed pros perous in his eyes. Their " course of true love," how ever, soon felt the truth of the poet's observation. The mistress became estranged: other young men pursued her. He became jealous of a certain currier, and ulti emnattr:laytitehse. e g ln et h er s s e t n a t t ew of f s p t h u i t; ; o g ff s , w i t h out e ff ec t. She became alar me d at hi s con d uc t, an d having i h n e sp ad it d e r n es f s h ed is e s a e r v n e e ra st l impassioned lo d tt h e e rs rs t e o lf t t h o e on o e bj j ec a t m o e f s H hi o s p a so ff n e , ct a io r n iv s, al bu of t engage the prisoner,msohnethseeomf seems j t u o ly h l a a y s e t. re o pa n ir t e h d e t 2 o s h th er sh un e c w !o a 's house in thes ove rt a ken by the prisoner, whom she dismissed finally. In that night her uncle heard the report of a gun, which seemed to have been discharged in the house. l f e e a l r i ne a d sle f e r p om ag h a i i s n ;ls lent niece, As no other sound followed that report except the barking on getting who slept in a front room on the first floor, that she h a d f o und a bullet embedded in the chest of drawe rs i n her On room. u d n og eXt M m r. or W ni a n r g m h a e n this the room was exami ne d, an d i t was dis covered that the bullet had entered a t t h e w i n d ow, and had passed through the window and b e d curta i ns, and ac ross the foot of the bed, cutti ng a h o l e or two in a of a p dress which was thrown on the bed when taken off at night. Connecting these facts with the report in the night and the conduct of the prisoner, the ground was searched in the garden opposite the window, and about 15 yards off were marks of trampling, while the grass betrayed the approach and departure of some person from the spot. The policeman, when called in, tracked the course of the bullet, which seemed to have crossed the bed of the prosecutrix, within a foot of the bottom of the bed, to have grazed the top of the dress which was lying upon the bed-clothes, and to have struck the drawers in the room some few inches higher. The window of the room was ten feet above the ground, and the head of the bed more than five feet from the track of the bullet. The prisoner had been in the room upon some previous occasion to make some repairs in the way of his trade, and knew perfectly well the situation of the bed. Suspicion was at once directed to the prisoner, in whose house was a recently-discharged gen, and a rough bullet, corresponding in size and shape to that fired into the bedroom. These facts having been proved by Mr. Warman, the police, the prosecutrix, and other witnesses, Mr. POWER addressed the jury for the prisoner, whose act, wanton and unjustifiable as all must deem it, he sub mitted that the jury could not stigmatise as a felony, and construe into a deliberate attempt on his part to murder a being whom he fondly and distractedly loved. They would rather, as he contended, look upon his act as a mad step, adopted for the purpose of frightening the prosecutrix into an abandonment of her engagement with his rival. If he harboured any to any one, that person would be his more favoured rival. It was clear that he entertained a most devoted affection for his „ former mistress. She had often changed her mind ac cording to her own admissions, and the prisoner might well fancy that she might be induced to return to her former suitor, if he could but alarm her. This was his evident object in firing at her window; for it must be ad mitted that if he had intended to murder, or even to injure her, he had abundant opportunity to do so, even at that spot. Under all the circumstances of the case, he (Mr. Power), while he coLdemned most thoroughly the con duct of the prisoner, trusted that the jury would feel a reasonable doubt that the prisoner was actuated by the intention imputed to him by the indictment, and incline to the belief rather that he intended to fire up into the room, but with no notion that the bullet would hit her, or take the course it did. Mr. Justice WICHITMAN left it to the jury to say whe ther they thought the prisoner, when ho fired the gun into the window, meant to strike the person of the pro secutrix as she lay in bed. They would take into con sideration all the facts which had been proved as to the position of the prisoner when he fired the gun, and the direction of the bullet, and say whether they thought he was actuated by either of the intents laid in the in dictment. The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after a long absence returned a verdict of Not Guilty. James Flegg. aged 26, Charles Flegg, aged 28, John Frang, aged 23, William Capes, aged 25, James Capes, aged 28, Robert Wright, aged 28, and Charles Magnus, aged 22, were charged with having entered on the night of December 24, a certain plantation called Ash Car, in the p.rish of Wighton, the property of the Earl of Leicester, for the purpose of taking game. Mr. Prendergast, Mr. Palmer, and Mr. Henry Mills appeared for the prosecution; Mr. William Cooper and Mr. Couch defended the prisoners. :It appeared from the statement of the Learned Counsel and the evidence of the various witnesses, that the seven prisoners, in company with a man of the name of Strin ger (against whom the grand jury ignored the bill), were at a public-house at Walsingham, kept by a man of the . . . . „ name of Minns, on Chrittaarts-eve, the night ire ques tion. A man of the name of Broughton was, with other people, present, and was asked by the prisoner Wright, if he had a mind to go for a walk that night, telling him they were going io Wareham Car. This Broughton de clined. This witness, in cross-examication, state.] he was great-nephew to the keeper Claxton. The prisoners and Stringer lelt Minns about twelve o'clock, when they proceeded to the house of John Meg/2., a brother of the prisoner of that name, where they had more drink, and left again about one o'clock, each of them armed with some weapon —one of the Fleggs had a gun, the others had sticks and bludgeons—leaving Flegg's house by the back way, whence the footmarks of eight men were traced over several fields in the direction of the place where a Contest rook place between the poachers and the watchers, in which Sellis, one of the latter, received a blow which brought on concussion of the brain, from which, however, he had recovered. Mr. COOPER address,d the jury on behalf of the pri soners, contending that the evidence of the identity of each of the prisoners was insufficient, and the jury could not safely return a verdict of guilty on such evidence, whereby the prisoners would be subjected to transporta tion for fourteen years. Mr. JUstiCl3 WIGHTMAN summed up most impartially and at great length. After two hours' deliberation, the jury returned into court with a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners. Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN then said if he only knew who it was that had struck Sells the blow he should certainly have transported him ; but as there was some doubt about it, he would not send seven men out of the coun try. He then s•:ntenced Charles Fle4g to six months' hard labour, and a week in solitary confinement ; the other prisoners to a year's hard labour, the last week to be solitary._ _ _ George - Arnold, aged 20, was charged with hating, in company wrth three others, on the 24th of Decemb r, been found armed in Tersfield Wood, at North Lipham, the property of his Grace the Duke of Norfolk. Mr. Newton prosecuted, and Mr. C. Cooper defended the prisoner. Ii appf ared from the evidence of William Barkham, gamekeeper in the employ of the Duke of Norfolk, that he was undressing, after havin g b een out watching, at atout three o'clock in the morning of the 25th of De cember last, when he heard persons in Tersfield Wood, close to his house, which is situated in the wood. He looked out and saw three persons, who spoke to him. He called up his grandson, Henry Barkham, and they pro• seeded out together. The grandson, being more fleet of foot, came up to the men, four in number, at a gate leading out of the wood. They were looking up into the trees. One of the number had a gun with him, and the others were armed with sticks. Wilby, a person who died in Norwich gaol a short time since, while awaiting his trial upon this charge, was the first who saw him, and :aid, " Here is one of the fellows," and knocked Barkham down; he, however, soon recovered himself, and returned the compliment with interest, and in doing so lost his stick; undaunted, however, he " went at" the other three poachers, when the prisoner, whom he well knew by sight, knocked him down, saying "Let us kill him." Young Barkham shouted out, "Arnold, I know you." On this the three men set off, leaving their companion Wilby lying in the ditch. On Wilby being searched, a gun-case, apparently belonging to a new gun, was found on him, as well as some snares. Arnold was afterwards taken into custody by the police, and was sworn to by the witness, H. Barkham, as being the man who knocked him down. It was attempted to be made out by the pri soner's counsel that Wilby had died from the effects of the blow he had received; but the governor of the gaol was called, who stated that a coroner's inquest had been held on his body, and that the jury had returned a ver dict of death from natural causes. Mr. COOPER, in addressing the jury for the prisoner, inveighed in strong terms against the hardships of the game-laws, saying it was to be regretted that men could not be remitted to pursue their own avocations without restraint, and questioned the accuracy of the evidence of identity. Mr. Justice VI T IGTITMAN, in summing up, said, what ever might be urged against the game-laws, as they were at present, it was not to be tolerated that people should go armed at night for the purpose of taking game, and, if icterrupted by gamekeepers, to attack them in conrc quence of their not permitting them to break the laws. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the pri soner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. (Before Mr. Sergeant Alums.) Mary Ann Johnstone, 21, was indiciel yesterday for having stolen a Bank of England note of the value and for the payment of 10/., txo half-crowns, and eight shil lings, the moneys of Louisa Amis, from her person. Mr. CARTER, who appeared for the prisoner, cross-ex amined the prosecutrix, and endeavoured to show, by questioning her from the depositions taken before the magistrates, that she had prevaricated in her evidence. She negatived every question the Learned Gentleman put to her, and said she had spoken nothing but the truth throughout the case. In consequence of an observation from the Learned Judge, Mr. CARTER said he would put in as evidence for the prisoner the whole of the depositions, to show that the prosecutrix had said that to-day which she had nut said befoi e the committing magistrate. It was most unfair towards a prisoner that counsel should be interrupted in the discharge of their duty, and it was not the first time his privileges as counsel had been interfered with in that court. The Learned JUDGE-It would be more consistent with your duty, as counsel, to put in the depositions, and not make comments until the proper time conies. Mr. CARTER begged his Lordship's pardon. He was not making comments, nor was he doing anything his privileges as an advocate did n o t au th orise hi m to do. The Learned JUDGE—I am the authority here, and I say you are. Go on with your case. Mr. CARTER—I must and do insist upon my privileges, as the the prisoner's advocate, not being interfered with by the Court, and it is impossible that I can perform my duty to my client if the judge puts a limit on my dis cretion, and takes the case out of my hands entirety. The Learned JUDGE—I am not taking the case out of your hands at all, but I tell you plainly, so that you may understand me at once, that if you think it is within your discretion to assail the character,of a respectable witness, and impute to her that for which there is no pretence, I shall put a limit to that discretion. You must not, and shall not do it. The depositions were then put in, and the examination of the witnesses being concluded, Mr. CARTER addressed the jury —The position of a counsel in a case circumstanced as the present was diffi cult in the extreme, and he felt bound to say that the course his Lordship had adopted in limiting his dis cretion, and interfering with his unquestionable privi lege as the prisoner's advocate, was most unfair, most unjust, and most ungenerous, especially when his client, if declared guilty of the crime imputed to her, was liable to be transported for a very considerable period. The course the Learned Judge had taken was not an example befitting a court of justice; he, as counsel for the woman at the bar, had a right to com plain of it, and he deemed it his duty to raise his voice against any limit being put upon the discretion of counsel into whose hands the interests of the innocent, as well as the guilty, were confided. His Lordship had crippled him in this manner on the previous day, and he could not but complain of it, as it was calculated to inflict gross injustice upon prisoners, whose jaws were padlocked by the law against those of their prosecutors. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to comment upon the facts of the case. The Learned JUDGE, in summing np, said no judge bad a right to impose any limit upon the discretion of counsel, so long as that discretion was fairly and pro perly manifested on behalf of a client, but he very much douuted whether a judge had not the power, and was bound also to exercise it, of placing a limit upon a counsel's indiscretion. He could not allow counsel to ruthlessly assail the character of a respectable witness, without the slightest ground for so doing, as had been the case with respect to this poor, helpless, but respectable widow. He was determined to preserve regularity in the court, and he would not allow counsel to run at the character of witnesses, against whom no real complaint could be made. The counsel fur the prisoner had taken this course in two or three instances, and appeared de termined to persevere; but if tbat was the issue joined between himself and the bar, they should soon see which was the stronger of the two. The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to six months' hard labour. The COURT ordered 11. ISs., taken from the prisoner, to be given to the prosecutrix. Elizabtth King, 19, pleaded guilty of having obtained, by false pretences, the sum of 51. from George Salter, with intent to cheat and defraud him of the same. The clergyman of the parish in which the prisoner lived, a lady with whom she had lived as servant, and the prosecutor spoke very highly of her character, and the latter strongly recommended her to mercy. It ap peared from their statements that the prisoner had been the victim of some scoundrel who bad induced her to commit this and other frauds, by pretending that he would take her to America with the money obtained. He got the money from her as soon as she had obtained it, and decamped, leaving her to take all the consequences of those acts he had instigated her to perform. The Learned JUDGE very feelingly addressed the prisoner, hoping this would be her first and last step in crime, and sentenced her to ten days' solitary con finement. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. . MARLBOROUGH-STREET. CHARGE AGAINST A POLICE INSPECTOR.—lnspector Whall, of the C division, appeared beta.° Mr. Hardwick to answer a complaint made by a French gentleman, named Charles Dondayne, of having illegally taken him into custody, and having acted with incivility and vio lence during the time he was in custody. Mr. Ablett, who appeared for the complainant, said his client had been taken into custody by the inspector, and afterwards reletkeJ, without being taken before a magistrate. An application was made to the inspector to know on what authority he acted. The inspector inti mated that he acted on a warrant from one of the Secre taries of State. But applying at the Home Office, and also to the Commissioners of Police, no clue could be obtained as to the authority under which the inspector had made the arrest. As it was inferred the inspector had neglected and violated his duty, the present pro ceedings had been instituted with the view of obtaining redress. Mr. Wontner, for the inspector, wished to know whether the magistrate's decision would be received as final by the complainant ? He should object to the present form of proceedings if an ulterior object was intended to be promoted by them. Mr. Ablest, on behalf of his client, said the magi strate's judgment would be considered final. ••• • M. Dondayne, who gave his evidence in French, W& 1 then sworn. He said he lived, on the 19th February, et Ne. 10, Arutidel-place. On the morning of that day he was al rined at a noise in the house The door of the room in which lie was sitting with his wife was force , ' open, and the inspector and two constables in pia clothes, with a Freebman, entered the room, and toe inspector seiv.d him by the collar, and said he wss there for the purpose of assisting in his extradition frofe the country. The inspector showed no warrant or other authority for this proceeding. His room was searched 1 1 i if he was a robber. lie was taken into the street asa held by the arm while being conveyed to Vine-street station 'house, and was locked up in a small cell in the station-house. He remained in durance about eight hours, and during that period h e was not taken berme s magistrate, nor before the Commissioners or Police. About five o'clock in the afternoon he was told he might leave the station-house. Cross-examined--Was a tailor, and carried on busintss formerly at St. Omer. Did not pay his debts before be, quitted France; but had time been all owe d h e s h oc k' nave teen in a condition to pay his creditors. Left Sr. Omer on the 28th June, 1849. Brought away some goods, but lett a deal of property b: hind in his house 1 11 St. Omer, sufficient he considered to pay his debts. Did not know whetlitr he was a bankrupt in France, though it was probable since he had left he had been made bankrupt. Had received no intimation of being a bank' rupt before he quittedFl a72c e. Mr. HaanwicK did not want this sort of evidence. He wished to know what the authorities of St. Omer thought of the proceedings of the complainant; whether his acts amounted, according to the French law, to fraudulent bankruptcy. Mr. Ablett said this would not alter the case; for nothing in the international law would justify the spi , ctor in the proceedings he had adopted. Mr. HARDWICK sa.d it might have an effect on the character of the charge, if it could be shown. that the inspector had acted ou some document, which m ight possibly prove a justification for taking the complainant into custody. Mr. Wontner said he was prepared to show the autho' rity under which the inspector acted. Mr. Ablett said, if it shoul I turn out there was 0° sufficient authority, he hoped the circumstancesof un' necessary violence would have their proper weight. Mr. Wontner said, according to the law, if a bank' rupt absconded from France and secreted himself in this country, on a requisition to the French Ambassador, en application would be made to the Foreign Minister Wei and the police would then be invested with authority to assist in the extradition of the bankrupt. A requisition, iu the present case, had been sent to the proper autho rities, and the Foreign-office had sent a notification to the police, and on thi s not ifi cat i on the inspector bad acted. When the complainant was taken into custody , Mr. Jardine inspected the papers relating to the French process, and, finding one document was wanting, in was of opinion the complainant could not be banded over to the French authorities until that link was suir, plied, and the compl a i nant was i n consequence releas e' from the custody of the police. He would further stater that the French courts had, since this transaction, con' demned the complainant to fire 3 ears' imprisonment for his conduct with reference to his bankruptcy. He was quite sure that the court, under all the circumstances , would see that the inspector had done no more than hie duty in acting on the notification to the police in sr' resting the complainant ; and, with respect to the charge, of improper violence, he wou ld on l y re f er to the genera l good conduct of the inspector, and the character he had always borne since he joined the police. A French notary from St. Omer proved that he 0303° over to this country with official papers, demanding the extradition of the complainant as a fraudulent bank' rupt. The papers were lodged at the French emboss'' , and Lord Palmerston's notification was immediately oh' tained. After the notification was obtained, witneee applied to Inspector Whall to take the complainant into custody. Witness went with the inspector to the complainant's lodgings, and gave the complainant into the custody cf the inspector. Afterwards proceeded to Bow-street, and one of the magistrates told him there was a paper deficient, and on this account he did no t tyke the complainant back to France. Was present during the arrest of the complainant, and could state that no violence was used by Inspector Whall. The official document was then put in, together with a copy of the sentence of the French court on the complainant. Cross-examined—Had power to execute a crisoine l : process. The notification was in the name of Low o Dondayne. Knew the complainant to be tb° person referred to in the notification, though he now es . sumed the name of Charles Dondayne. Was certain the complainant was a bankrupt when he was taken into custody on the 19th of February. Mr. Ablett contended that the inspector had exceeded, his duty in acting on th e no tifi cat i on, i n place of first applying for an English magistrate's warrant. The no' tification was addressed to a police magistrate, and a Inv gistrate was applied to after the arrest; but, in the sh : sence of a material docum en t, th e mag i strate would 110; grant a warrant. The inspector might have considere d be was only doing his duty, but he contended our 1 011. nicipal laws did not justify the proceedings of the in" spector. Mr. HARDWICK said the whole matter turned on the question whether the requirements of the law had Vei l compliel with in the arrest of the complainant. The Act of Parliament w as very comp li cated, and it cou ld hardly be expected that a police-officer would be IaPJ., master of its details. It a pp eare d t h at an irregularity had been committed in the first instance by th e French officer, who applied for the assistance of the police to take the complainant into custody, unde r the authority of the notification from the Foreign' office, instead of . first obtaining a warrant frons magistrate. It was natural to suppose that a police' officer should believe he was justified in acting on the request of a Fre nc h officer, armed with a notification from the Foreign-office, but as the law required that application for a warrant s h ou ld b e ma d e i n t h e fi rst lo stance to a magistrate, it w o u ld b e b e tt er , t o pret est : irregularity for the future, if th e p o li ce were made sc,., quainted with this provision, s o that th e y m i g h t conapq with all the steps of a somewhat complicated Act of Par s lianaent. Under the circumstances of the case, con' sidering that this was the first case of the kind in which a police-officer had been called upon to put the interne' tional law into flee—considering also that the co 0 3; plainant was cle ar ly id ent ifi e d as the right person, an: that he had been su bj ecte d b y the French court to fi e }'ears' imprison men t i n t h e ga ll eys as a fraudulent b 10.: rapt, he tho ug ht i t was i mposs ib le to illy that the office' had neglected or violated his duty. With !aspect to th e charge of undue violence, that had been sufficiently ile" gatived by the evidence of the French officer, and W 0 also opposed to the well-known character of the insper tor. The charge therefore must be dismissed. Mr. Beresford, the superintendent, said he would malts it known in his divi s i on th a t cons t a bl es wore not to ass ist foreign police, unless a magistrate's warrant was fill' produced. LAMBETH. DARING ROBBERY BY ALLEGED AGENCY OF CEO ; REFORM.—Yesterday Jane Knight was fi na ll y exam ine: before Mr. Elliott, on a charg e o f b e i ng concerne d w it; two other persons, not in custody, in robbing Mr. Charier John Cowell, a young gentleman, residing in Queen's' row, Walworth, of three sovereigns and a half. From the evidence of the prosecutor it appeared thl on the night of Monday week, b e t ween t h e h ou rs 0 , eight and nine o'clock, while on hi s wa y h ome h e ste ppe" at the end of a small street leading out of the Alban,'" road, and when returning into the Albany-road the prisoner came tap to him, thrust her arm in his, O A asked him what he would stand t o drink. He replie d nothing; and was endeavouring to get rid of her, NO° two men came up, and addressing the prisoner, desired she would leave the gentleman alone. Both the Ine e , appeared in a hurried ma nner , f or t h e purpose , _°' the prosecutor thought, of r iddi ng hi m o f the Pll4 soner and her importunities; but instead of doing so, one of them placed a woollen rag to bU face, which instantly deprived him of utterance. PI however, struck out w ith hi s h an d s at the party, a nd received himself from one o f th e men a v i olent blow r the pit of the stomach, which instantly felled him to the ground and deprived him of recollection for some zo o ' ments. On recovering, he found that his assailants wer e gone, and so ill did he feel, that it was with some ditli; culty he could make his way home, and he was confined to his bed for several days after. The statement of the prosecutor as to the identity of the prisoner was corroborated by two constables, Wh e had seen her both going towards and coming away 11.01 the place where the robbery had b ee n comm itt e d, lOW the prisoner was fully committed for trial. Wiliam Hodges, a bricklayer in the employment ° I the S mth-Western Railway Company, was fully cons' mitted for trial on a charge o f s t e , i li ng 21 1b s. weight o.` lead, their property, and which he had removed from th e roof of a house arlj”ining one he had been sent to repair' On the sth in s t., at the BIRTH Rector S y, Melbury Abbas, Dorset , the lady of the Rev. 11. T. Glyn, of a son. On the 6th inst., at Faringdon, Berks, Mrs. G. F. Crowell of a son. On the 6th inst., at Heath-house, Stepney, Mrs. Buchallel l ' of a daughter. On the Bth inst., at the Rectory, South Kelsey, Lincol shire, the wife of the Rev. L. Parkin, of a daughter. On the 9th inst., the wife of F. R. Jones, of Westbourne' villas, Westbourne-green, of a son. On the 7th inst., at Walton, the lady of Capt a i n Sir 1' R. T. Thomps o n, art., R.N., f a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Heathcote•street, Mecklenhurgh' square, Mrs. G. Johnson, of a daughter. On the 7th inst., in Eaton-square, the lady of Captaie Gladstone, R.N., of twin daughters. RARRIED. On the 4th inst., at Tamworth, James Dalton, Esq., o f Fillingham-manor, to Anna Maria, second daughter of the late R. Woody, Esq., M. 0., Moat-house, Tamworth. On the 9th inst, at St. Peter's, Stepney, Thomas, second son of the late T. Barker, Esq., of Layton-hall, near "'je ll ? mond, Yorkshire. to Elizabeth Hannah, second daughter T. N, Wilkins, Esq., of Coborn-street. Bow-road. On the 2d inst., at St. Michael's Church, in the City, to Rev. Robert Mandeville Rodwell, rector of Newcastle, to Mary, third daughter of the Bishop of Limerick. DIED. On the sth inst., at Tenterden, aged 82, Vandelure WO' Esq., formerly captain in the Kent militia. On the 7th inst., in Upper Norton-street, Marylebone, Cornell, Esq., one of the chief clerks in the office of Wood* Forests, and Land Revenue. On the 7th inst., at the Palace-green, Kensington, EliZr beth, the wife of J. H. Good, Esq., aged 62. On the 7th inst., at Brighton, Martha, relict of the Rat' E. Green, rector of Burford, Salop. On the 7th inst., at Bedford-square, aged 52, A. Campbel l, E-q., late principal officer of her Majesty's Fisheries, London , On the 9th inst., in Sackville-street, William Prout, F.R.S., aged 64. On the Bth inst., at Denmark-hill, Surrey, Thomas Vl' Mel or, Esq., aged 81. London; Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG. ° No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112 ' vs strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the coup..., addleeez i Thursday, April 11, 1860. Thu r . at 73 .on Pr Me nit pro fro] GI lerku 12 d • Itlsb 0 The at the 11 ice , _ ot, 'ey rt. ucea m 11, 1 Y in Chief c ' he i It.t he , Nog lior an il l Ii Ever Shd be: 411 let c ligned the per the Col ofte deal lOvvj Yo u Vint I'u