The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-12 00:00:00

~,presod this tifly cow thry, avo ,,r 0 5 y to five' pid theV at A CUB THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARV 11 " 1. a I "' 'lds Mr. .1. IIUSSELL, who was Tide inaudible in the g.t'. 4 . 1 . ‘ , ;Mr ' AK I 'EY said the Right Honourable Baronet had made rin exeellen but the gr. a' •diffieri.tr-.. Socech on the subject of rail" s, y which he had adver ed on a fTinr h had alio.,ther passfd (iv. rin utter tji.h . the parr' s ' l ' nee e wished t.. know %%hat was to tee (lone star.?—(Laughter.) They won' be vic finf."Bld .he rail wa y Bill s were to be. disposed by fs kn'r a ' • Committees of that H ous e Now he wished toJw if th e M em b ers of that llouse wire to b.• left f 'the interminable addres , :es of barristers ? "Ighter.) Barristers would make no submission ex. i - Tt to memb ers o f their own profession, and the goes inn which naturally a ore was—what persons could be Placed in authority. This the Right Hon. Baronet ad ;TittPd. on a fo rmer occas i on, was the great difficult, to - dealt with, hut still he had not touched upon it in h - ves , einse_ the atiPtsch he h a d j ust made. In addressing t 1 the law of a ease, barristers constantly ex pre.sed regret that they were not adders-ing gentlems n 1111' .3 wore learned i n t h e law. Netwithstanding the rnielnen sitting in the Committee were makers of the r. Barristers con.tantly r e g re t te d that they were not learned in the law, and that they could not of conee• .94e,nee comprehend the legal arguments which were 1 1/ Lid to the question. Now in a paper of that morn- Paper of considerable influence—the Morn- Ing Ch,onicle—and the Morning Chronicle only ex -11,res8"1 in a great measure what was the pub. 130toPrnion upon this subject,—they would fin a which of the quest i on di scussed It was a part Must not h e over l oo k e d, hecause it was perfectly -Itlntieus that the time of Committees was monstrously br " P i ed by the addresses of learned gentlemen. As ~„, L "a te d stated m oreover on a f ormer n i g h t, t h ese Coin er -e „ were adjour ne d aga i n an d aga i n f or t h e p ur p ose p fano vving bar r i sters o f extens i ve practice, w h o hap ofn a lo be engaged i n ano th er pl ace , th e o pp ortun i t y bolus teene ic ;to address them. It was. he said, a note- Pracdc e ; trio what did the public press say with trgard to these unals, formed by that House, as ex tosdav in the Morning Chronicle? It was ne th-"srY that the House shined have a correct view ..f ttlittlh°e's. 1 ; 6uub.lect, and he would quote to them what was said. tele ta of i e 'fn u g ai C h lzrcle says—" It may be that counsel . Committees make gold out of iron a rt 0 !xeress train' haste ; peradventure also the fees all proportion to the amount, intricacy, nr gilt thetbret of the business done; but titen it is not. for doing taitesa ull ness eminent, eloquent, and able men are re fitt ae, but f or overmasterine the Committee."—(Hear,th„r;•.? - Thus the House saw that the barristers controlled ee;"t tt aittee and made them decide, not in accord- Wes e with truth an d j us ti ce , b u t i n accor d ance w ith w h at eL b , 3 °lntely contrary to either truth or justice. Coun %esrae,employed, it was admitted, fur the perpeee of the f t '''ering the Committee. isT•iw, what was the 1 . ..- 1/34 Proposed ? It was this—" Elevate your Perlia likeie"'Y tribunal to the ietellectual station . of your Par the i nt arY bar, and the remedy for proineity, digitie . ness, .in g irnduction of extraneous matter, and such shock , - i qu ea 44 d law, that it can only he called Crowner s per t ri la ‘ v l' eiaitrfati thena by Was near at hand. On matters of fiv.t., allow a lv '-'"tlittlittee the juror's province, but in matters of a competent legal assessor,.havinv, DLLs!ge P ° wer e ll 'onsi bility, and, of eouree, !ssuigen . g 'oat li r , in other words, they mu-t provide, out . .. gentletnen who had sufficient intellectuality : 4, l lls ee : u l r e ; t Y , miad to contend with the hired barristers surd on those occasions. This was a eon), tenet.. He did not sea it w•ge wholly untrue, but i t , c'ertigaiv netvery • en'elim uta,y. The ri-m4.1) for eron e i t - . - • d vi of exit at.: , ..us ra ta _ y, fliffu,ebe,s, intr.,. &male a only and such shocking bad law, that Lei_ 11‘‘rt?v traenereer'ow tters"quest law,' was near at. fog 'quest law," indeed. lie surprised 't could- be spokendisreepectfull. of, because the re w 3414, "Idle in - far,, get the law into such ill h Hear, hear)—that now anther profes- . ts ea - , ad taken the of fi ce, it was a matter et * t i t -- ; d ifficulty for them to extricate it. Now Th . - Ilh s ` r w , ern. on to say, "It is not from any vulgar gr. tett e% 1 ;:i gain as is grossly and ignorantly inured that tte s it e l,` now waste the time of Committees in frtvelous but it is because they level themselves down, Irea sh. 4 id. to the intelligence of a Parliamentary tri talie; , High in mete w . rdy, but low, very low. in Jkli k i, intelligence. Pl ac i ng no reliance at all in ihe ve•aa-d4tl di scrimination of their judges." That was what b ti 1 4; 1 4 by counsel. He believed this wes written by Ire: instl—a man of great intellectual power, and a Jtelb e i C e ," himself. "Pl ac i ng no reliance at all tin the eetta,4l' d iscrimination of their judger ' , Parliamentary , do undoubtedly often address to Committees the I tbsep: l l!Poaterou s propositions in law, and finding such !at t i n l i t ,lee tolerated, contend for victory, and sometimes nti i n ''',niten in the teeth of the law, of fact, and coin ' w hie * Ch st .`ee." He very much feared that the proposal ' 3 lei ca . 4 1 been made would not prove to be of a less • It teli ee l n s character. Public . opinion was adverse to tres hei.Pation of that House with regard to railways. It a Z ero , ley ed that there were men i n th a t H ouse w h o foreTits e nally interested in speculations, that exilic a t ` g ent. and they were therefore decided upon, %Id k ti ecordan ce w ith t h e pu b l i c good. Nething th e ": more unfortunate for the character %%el, leegislature than that such an opinion 'should kerm e :Y Prevail, b u t th e f ee li ng certa i n l y was e PtaNi" k ,, t, and he did not believe th a t an y i h "ale en Which had been made to that H ouse ' t k th• cin the sli g ht est d egree t h e e ff ect of midget . titinqsa,feeling So long as this tribunal was main -101;g would that House be doubted-50 ; "*te u'n their decisions be impugned. In that House t o the a „ 4l, no doubt, many who were personally interest e d thnied - P e nulati ons that were brought before them, but the r n~ of Trade wee constituted of highly respectable sii'm o e tt Who, it w as thotmht, were far removed from Ne t , te st imptuation. Neverthel e s s , a ll us i ons l ie d :, ( le to the d ec i s i ons o f th at B ear d , an d there were , 4 4 , (1 no doubted those decisions whieh perticularle t? railways. Now, as he had stated, it was tlt t " Board would not be open to imputations, IN I t ,in sinuations had been thrown out against it, kit u ; qtd not think it likely that the five or six C O W t nild s l ) ,P r "Posed by the Right H onoura bl e Bar o n e t hi, n - name fortunate in escaping from doubt. New. "et re ad an extra c t from a publi c n ews p a p er called eat e r w "lf 4 • It was published by a highly respect ,„, 1 % v erb ell-known }arson, and contained a statement net ha, laerious character, It was with reference to at b ",en going on in railway matters, and he could k'towtt W aiting to remark that these things ought tee appv 4 "(l duly eensidered bffore any Committee el e ' r n _t_c e d e , t anal, in . fact, before . anything . was done til i n k r " o railways. The writer, in oinimentine h „.t. (sladstene, the late 1ir....1/I.llt ~f t9e W a stated, " Thu there was io doubt, t ‘tlnti -a thereto b thw any oi.e t • *ate wit h the ta ir dof Trade h l ls s b ßeard N e l in ty r e; ranee the appointment of Sir Jam, s 1 1 , s "Its ei‘ Private secretary, a eireuris, , ance a sus tp" t ka, l 47, ll r.teter had (Tenn.. d. He (Mr. Wskle' )di • di :VD tt(i now it was the R•ght g loteltarge et'e neme as in • eet a be cause he b e l t Yard the Rieht Hon. Bar onet eat eX ereise the remotest iefluence thw step 'int -arbor th tt„lei te a g"ntleraen to which allusion had been made It t‘ ZtlY ht " e4l -) The writer *sent on to state, that e, 4, ter the appointment of Mr. O'Brien. his t F°r h it tr : ai l::: 3 o :ngaged by the South-Eastern Railway titii;v_4B maziaeer. The standing orders requi , ed de 4 11 A et 'Y c ompanies intending to mak- applicatio, Parliament in the next sessi should 15., ) en- I (o, l ' 4 Plan s With thelboard of Trade before thi.lstii . Se p ' / h e After that day, however, it was well Uthi,s at thts order could not be complied with by the qle 4, tern %eh. thi n 'me, anti, in consequence, it was imps to re through Parliament in the next At e ' ntetw• s c anned a considerable f a ll In t h e i r s h ares, 1 114 0 1 . 1,,,;:"!ttncling, towards th e en d o f D ecem b er , to , t eak 1 Inc reased his stock of shales by s e v ere f fe tt te 17th t 4, ° the surprise of every reilwey speculato eo n . e r . - report of the Board of 't rade on ta t e eet:ldetiatios'es which they had had under their t i4el appeared ; and in this report was 9 • th e Ui t • Ole s name of the railway proposed eicesid ou th - Eastern Company, although it 'fit v ' r ed to be entirely out of Court. The pro psYh . Was f avourably reported, and on the following at °ne e we sta arseN "s posted on the Stock Exchange in the N or business, stating that if one hundred t p they ho new line sold at 8f premium were not taken t i t t,res d be bought in by Mr. Scott. These th' were was 221. each, and it was conjectured ?It • Is was a / as ar t teta h ad en•Y ad small portion of the quantity Mr. t44, n, t, or purchase. Now he asked the Right Hon. *i t ! such a statement as this could go forth to the public h ere e r u e'n; the greatest possible injury upon the Railway Board? if these statements ! Hahn a 11° t put Railway I,siderabla end to, it would involve the country er the ifficulty. It was next to impossible, ,tateest, to }lnverse circumstances in which they were t',L°i,re th e ° Pe to make any proposition which should I;salte. e „ egeneral concurrence of the House or the 41era,,e allele subject was one of difficulty, fir the ''d• IUV UIN . ed in it extended to every part of the (4 '' ac ed in these • • tioatiee Pro difficulties as they were, he should th r ": foe he Placing a barrister in an official situa -114,"11 theeobenlise.ved it would be quite impossible to get earristers ti;!less k r•44' wit hout %%lila would have to come before 'th e , Th e lii seine legal gentleman at their t Hon. Baronet was mere a friend to 0 4 i se ggestion an he was, and he trusted he would adopt e/p c e nee arid ' o d appoint some person of legal ex- tea' th at „ee lily to the office. It was mon eipae o ir a' the present system a railway Aci4ol:4 sj era e l () not procure a Bill in that blouse ; undred thousand pounds, fifty, sixty, p en g o. foe Hinlsilonstinel pounds, were ordinary sums Pvtaetion he thought it was high thee a r t t e tlld be introduced in this portion of their ed lt was asked I O lt tre te , n the paper he had just ,• ' nt he would tfinl• of a en 1r 4 m 4"l ng a. • h s g • he (e s o t eYuit(,:e.J.ll-gce.(p;eL tluou Benjamintthe Bte? gains of inordinateßgu there )4t , nty between the two eases; because in 4 1 3 ene• m unce ther eWfli not that extravagant public rOd i lo as the other. Why counsel were en ete es ore q ue "s, ,: th " the Same time, four or five Com 4tly tee,. :aoluetimes inure. This rendered it fre et,...ief e „ tirs s o wry that one of them t•hould be adjeurned. Zr. ss ti ! llle tt wer e thE public int•_req. But when t rett ')ot s erpri,,, paid to speak by the h stir or the day. he se re :i r I ,, quir ould use their inflaence to pro- Ile said, then, it was n-cessary " rea11,4.14 sheuldietle, deßs,one to remedy this, if they wished 4 edi, - " r e the c, dence of the public in their pro- ItARAM said_Nothing was farther out . 4 , than addressing the House on this ques ce.godeiee, h“:,,lttaine had been directly itaroduct d in the therer two it necessary to trouble the blouse with kt o 1 . ''e.nearks. Anus' had e, "In in ti was th debates on railways, poer ,t_r_s,,ttlirtne his name had been directly ihr:ctblyteevtnd yHeoaursse.h n 4 bad durhinagd thethe d . s B ea o t to atdi thirty Fri , e 'Just! ess hrougeTh' . „ objectin rising ii bl~e E tt , d .I , riod h e pat t an un ac de t i i . ve part in the consideration, to address the House was to sine, that hese'• tit the whole course of his Pur r liamsntary (-rimer lid les ben connected' dirt etly or indirectly elth iota , sailway eumpsny whatsor•v, r. It: the reeir.e of the discuasien selt;ch lael taken place, reference had bean ni t lae to twa gentlemen eith w hem he had hear, leap: ,inter. Both those I :eerie:pen, h e ,' beta wamutissions in rite ern), ; and having :Ad:etc& toad', their way in lite had found it Wet iticonsisteet wte their honour er character tn form connexions with rail ways. 00e tif thns•- eendemen had beer: induced to gtea up his crinnexien with tr. tativvav company, anti to accept the °Mee if his (Sir_.L.Grahasn's) p. ivste secretsr s lie (Sir J Graham) had entertained the hialtat op nion of that gentleman's integrity stal ability, and he wits me disappointed. Bet he (Mr. ('Brien) went from him (Sir .T. Graham) to his present office ut the Board of Trude. He (Sir .I. Graham) regretted his loss extremely. and had nothing to de with his appaiatinent to that Board. He was, howsvt r, appointed en the cendition that ithy connexion which he had with railways airoald be ois staved. and that the shares which he possessed should be sold ; and in the month or October last, as he was in formed by Alt-, O'Brien, that gentleman's shares were sold. But it was understood that those who }lsla the scrip or first allotment of shares, must eiso the deed, and it was in that way the name of Mr. O'Brien appeared now as connected with the railway company. But he (Sir James Graham) was assured by Mr. O'Brien, upon his honour, that the sale of the shares was actually effected in Otttober. The gentleman whose name was referred to in the Economist newspaper, was not, the same, but his brother, Ile also had served in the army, and was row cot n reed with the South-Eastern Railvray, and b th these gerith•men had given him (Sir James Graham) the strongest assurances, upon their honour, that neither directly nor indirt ctly had any communication been made by either of them to the person alluded to. as hating taken advantage of information obtained from the Board of Trade. No one could regret more than he did, that any such suspicion should arise as to the con duct of any person connected with a department of the Government ; and he trusted the House would not think that he acted improperly, it, on the first impulse. he had risen to state the fscts as they were, as far; at least, as he was cognisant of them, or concerned with them.— (Hear, hear.) If there were any suspicions on the part of any Member of the House with respect to the purity of the conduct of either of those gentlemen, it was matter of :tiquirte—(' !ear.) Let that inquiry he instituted, and if they were not able to exculpate themselves to the satis • faction of the House—alth , .ugh he had the highest opinion of their honour and fidelity, he would say, let • them stand or fall.—(Hear.) Still he would say, that, their character, that the character of men who had served with distinction and*credit, ought not to be whis pered away, when e direct charge could be made against thorn, and if trite, be easily substantrated.—(Hear.) Now, although he could runt apply to the llonettrehle Gt rifleman apposite—(Mr a Wakley)—the• compliment which that gentleman had paid to his Right Hon. Friend at the lead of the Government. ; namely, that he had made prectical and useful speech. h,• yet agreed With him in much that he had said. Bet he • ould not agree pith hint in ehat he .had sail on the anthority of the Xl7O , nit y Ch , onicle, that the intellect and infOrmation :he flote•e of Commons Wits below the intellect mad in format ion of th•• Bar, anti that its corniei tees ought to b. elevated t • th-- standard of the pis-Cession with which those tribunals had to contend -(lkar. hear.) With respect to tae Comnettee of the Beard of Trade, h•• would oely rem; ttd the (l ouse that three of its nit-Wit:Ts had • eervea with credit, Mi l t} with itl.v r ttttebahle honour e, th e t is su e, tint that the ether twe eetithers, who were civilians, hsd always been n of in It e highest terms by the other. side if the Heti,e.—(lie,r hear.) But with respect to the Comtnittees of the. House, he would reek. have we are ived :,t the day when the r, prs santativt s of the p• ople—acting Wore th- public and in the face of day—were not oompot,lt to consider questions of this kind?—(Hear. hear.) He Was of ' , pinion that if these inquiries were cottcheited in such e teanner as to bring. public opinion to hear upon them. the difficulties would be evercome, aed the duty woulsl be perform- d with satisfaction tit t.l.e pualie. As there were in the Heusa so many Members of the 1. ga l pro fession, he was asha m ed r to say in their presence any thing in defence of the " lone robe," to which this countra owed so much. But he eeuld t ea avoid saying' that, without the aid of the gentlemen of the bar, they would not he able to conrinet th e private b us i n e ss o f Th . ., Committees with setisfaction to the country.—(Hoer, hear) What would people say if tiles had net the freest choice of the laeyers to whom they should en trust the care of their interests, if they were to be bound by rules, and fettered in their selection of I. gal advisers?—(Hear,. hear.) People thought themselves entitled to have the ablest mete and to be left to their own free judgment in . the choice. It was the duty of the representetives of the people to. sacri fice their own time and convenience, rather than pre vent the gentlemen who were selected to explain and defend private rights and interests from the fullest advocacy of those who entrusted their affairs to their advocacy —(Hear, hear,) With respect to the speeches of counsel befora the Commitsees, he must say that he thought they were limited as much as possible ; and, as far as he had observed, an intimation from the chairman was always sufficient to curtail a speech.—(Hear.) Ile entirely concurred in the observations. of his Right Hon. Friend at the head of the Government. He thought that the discussion would do good, and he could not regret that it had taken place. lie felt that he ought to apolo gise to the House—(No, no)—but he could only say that, situated as he was, anything that affected his public character required the earliest and fullest explanation. Mr. WAKLEY said that he had not read the paper to which he referred ten minutes before he spoke; and, as he found the name of the Right Wm. Baronet mentio ne d i n it, he thought he should have acted unjustly if he had not called his atten tion to it. BROTHERTON said that as his Hon. Friend the Member for Finubury had complained of the length of speeches of counsel, he thought it only just to say that the length of Members' speeches might more reasonably be complained of. ( A laugh.) He thought that every Member of the House who was liable to be placed upon a Committee ought to do as he did, that was, never to have anything whatever to do with railway shares. Mr. DA RB Y said that the working of Railway Committees was very much improved, and he thought it no more neces sary to have a lawyer as an assessor than to have a medical Inan.—( A ) He admitted that in some particular in stances long speeches were made. but when private interests were involved it would be unwise to allow parties to go away with the impression that they had not been able to lay their whole case before the Committee. Mr. WALLACE would be very brief in what. he had to say. He had often served on Railway Committee., and 'he had noti wed the marauvres of agents and c unsel to prevent a deci sion being come to, by talking on until it was announced that the Speaker vuts in the chai .—( A laugh ) Bur if ever he should be Chairman, he should adopt t` e practi ce that was fol lowed in the House of Lords, and appoint the adjournment at nine o'clock. He was exceedingly glad that this discussion hid taken place, as he believed it would call the attention of the public to the subject. He would now withd aw the motion. The motto*, was then, by have, withdrawn. MEDICAL OFFICERS IN POOR-LAW UNIONS. Mr. WA KL t Y rose to move for a return containing a de scription of the diplomas, licences, or other letters testimonial, that are admitted and sanctioned by the Poor-law Commis.. sinners as legal qualifiea inns which eutitle medical practi tioners to be appointed medical officers of poor. law unions in England and Wales. The Poor-law Amendment Act had ex cited the utmost confusion among medical men with reference to the persens qualified to hold the office of medical officer to a poor-law union. By that Act, power was given to the Poor law Commissioners of appointing and dismissing paitl officers; and these, of course, included the medical officers. The Medical Ass ciation of London had been constantly discussing the subject, and much anxiety was felt amongst that hod . In 1842 the Poor-law Commissioners endeavoured to re.. edy the evil complained of, and a general order was issued. This urder stated that any person holding a diploma from a sty of the medical institutions of this enuntry was qualified for the office of medical officer to a poor-law union, but the order made nit mention of persons holding. dtplonvis front institutions in Scotland and Ireland. All gut h persons were consequently excluded and this had given great dissatisfaction in Scotland and Ireland. Applications had been made to the Poor-law Commissioners on the sutject, and in 1843 the question was submitted to Sir Frederick Pollock, the then Attorney-Gene ral, and Mr. Martin, who gave it as t'eir opinion that any person holding a diploma from any medical institution, either in Scotland or Ireland, was eligible for the office to which he had alluded. Now it was a curious circumstance that, not withstanding this opinion, the general order of l t'42 had never been altered. The object of his motion, therefore, was to pro cure from the Poor-law Commissioners a clear and distinct statement of the qualifications which were deemed to be neces sary to entitle any medical gentleman to hold the situation of medical officer to any poor-I,w union. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said it was not his intention to op pose the motion of the Hon. Gentleman. It was quite true that the right of parties holding diplomas in Scotland or Ire land to practice in poor-law unions was a matter involving some doubt. The Poor-law Commissioners were bound to execute their functions in conformity with the law. Now, although the opinion of the Chief Baron and Mr. Martin was that persons holding diplomas in Scotland and Ireland could practice in this country in poor-law unions, yet it must be borne in mind that no person but a general practitioner could hold the office of medical officer to a poor-law union ' • and as the Apothecaries' Act excluded persons held:ng diplomas in Scotland and Ireland, the Poor-law Commissioners, acting in conformity with that law, of course excluded them. Now, it so happened that this was one of the principal things which he professed to remedy in the Bill for Medical Reform which he had laid on the table, and he therefore was glad that the Hon. Gentleman had alluded so prominently to this grievance. As he had said before, he had not the least objection to the papers which the Hon. Gentleman had moved for. Mr. W A KLEY said that which had struck him most forci bly was, that no alteration had been made in the general order of the Commissioners of 1842. Sir JAMES GRAHAitIi said that his impression was that an alteration had been made. The whole of the papers, how ever, should be produced. The motion was then agreed to. POOR LAW. Captain PECHELL then rose to move for the return (or dered 25th July) of all union workhouses under the Poor.law Amendment Act, in which the pauper inmates thereof are, or have been, employed in grinding or crushing bones by means of mills, machinery, or otherwise; together with the date of such erection of mills or other machinery, and the names of the chairman and vice-chairman of the board of guardians of every snch union at the period ; also, the cost of the said bones, in cluding all expenses of carriage and other incidental expenses, and the amount which the same have produced in their manu factured state, and whether the same have been sold by tender, or fixed price, or otherwise. He had moved for this return last session, and it had been faithfully promised by the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite. It had not, however, appeared. He wished for this information in order that they might have the opportunity of instituting a comparison between the work houses under the Gilbert Union Act and those under the Poor-law Amendment Act. Although the Right Hon. Gen tleman had distinctly stated that he was averse to the use of machines for grinding bones in workhouses, yet he (Captain Pechell) could assure the Right Hon. Baronet that as late as ecember last, at one of the Bastiles in his neigh bourho it was the constant practice to grind bones, and an additional mill for that puapose had been lately erected. It was impossible for the Poor-law Commissioners to permit such praetires to continue. He hoped that the Right Hon. Gentle man would, on that occas i on, as he did at the con c l us i on of th e _ . last session, express his dissatisfaction, when he (Capt Pechill) had assured hini that he knew a un.on workhouse—he would not say in what part of the country—in which a mi!l for grind ing bones still existed. The question having been put, ' Sir J..GRA .HAM said he could assure the Hon. and Gallant Oro:* that be had eipreised to the Poor . ..law C,Ommissi,sners, before the close of the last session, hia:earoekt dep . lri:thit if.to'gr sidle the returns might bO ,fi!r ilse House rose ; but it. was found po,stble to coMplete them in time He was lAtiv to iiifoim him that they would, in three or four days, b' presented to the House. He had no hesitation in declaring, what he Lad !ready stated, that to him it was mater of regret. that in poor-law union workhouses such a deacription of labour as the crushing of bones should be uSed. 7 ,(l-lears pee.) He thought there w , -re many etrOltt!staiics which remiered it an offen,ive ott.'Alpidloii.-4 Hear,. hear.) It •was imposs ble to prevent a very disgusting smell ; and he repeated that it was matter of regret to himself that this particular species of labour should be &dilated. At the same time he was bound to say that this was an illustration of local management . Not-- withstanding all th e j ea l o u s y of th e p o we r o f thtf trittithis: sioners—the kings, as theywert House— their authority' Was, IL aPpeitred very limited. It was not pre seritied by law that bone crushing should be the occupation of the inmates of workhouses, much ' less was it the wish of the Secretary of State or the Poor-law COMmitsioners, either of whom would, if they had the poiver, put an end to this kind of occupation, but, he repeated, this was an illustration of the working of local management apart from eentral. autherity. local management and discretion Inelieckeds and Unil*eil by any saperior power. -( Hear s heat.) AL the law now siwod, boards of geardians hid it right to employ the inmates of workhottset In this particular manner. The evil continued because there was no central control, and this was an illustra tion of the fact that the powers of the Poordaw Commissioners might in some cases be beneficially extended.—( Hear, hear, ) Lord EBRINGTON said, as one who was conneeted With a union workhouse where bones were trtislied by paupers, he could not allow this subjea to pass without saying a few words. If bohes were not to be crushed by paupers, it was quite clear that they must be crushed by independent labour ers ; and he confessed it appeared to him a strange position to lay down, that week which was too offensive for the one class should be performed by the other.-•.-(" Hear, hear," from Sir C. Lemon.) He rejoiced that there. Witt no legal power of pre venting the continuance of the prittit 4 ,el fle felt convinced that he had not beets a party to ordering an unjust, unfair, or an unwholesolne einployment, and he hoped that the practice would continue in union workhouses as long as bones were crashed by independent labourers out of doors, Captain PECHELL said, that if the Noble Lord hid been in Parlsament when a petition was presented to that House from an unfortunate pauper in a union workhouse, who was brought to death's do r from the scandalous treatment which he had received in a house where men vrr re sent to the bone mill as a punishment, he would not have assumed the position which be had done that night.-4 Hear s hear.) He hoped that the Right Hon Baronet would 'tide an order for the sup pression oldie practice. In the workhouse which he had in his eve, The guardians were, he believed, impressed with the notion that they were fully carrying out the views of the Poor-law Commissioners, and that this workhouse was, in fact, a patent poor-law Bastile for the whole country. It was necessary that the guardians should be made acquainted that they had trio taken the opinion both of the fietretary or state and of the Poor-law Commissioners. Mr: WA ICLEY 'said he was really surprised to find such Noble interest engaged in support of this system.— ( Laughter.) This proved that it prevailed to to a fearful extent. He had before thoueht that by some accident the atrocious practice which had fallen under the notice of the Gallant Captain ex isted somewhere ; but he had now heard a Noble Lord rise in that Howm and ask whether this labour was to fall upon the pauper or %spoil the independent labourer ?—( Hear, hear. ) Why the Commissioners had more to do than he had imagined. Hear, hear, from Mr. Roebuck and other Hon. Members. ) He was bound to admit they had been the protectors of the members of this profession against the parsimony of the boards of guardians ; and he should be disposed tb give them more authority.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) The Hight Hm. Gentleman the Secretary of State. after hearing what had fallen from the Noble Lrird, o ght to ask for more authority within forty-eight hou rs . —( I ron i ca l cr i es of " Hear, hear, " and laughter.) Were paupers to be employed In crushing bones in a state of decomposition? Were they to be put to this poisonous. filthy, odmus, and abominable occupation? and was that ocetipation to be defended by a Noble Lord ?—( Hear. hear.) The Noble Lord could not have spent any time in the workhouse, t.at was quite evident. It was most distress ing to hear the Noble Lord make such remarks; and if he sanctioned it in the union with which he was connected, he fe red that a practice, or practices equally odious, prevailed generally throughout the country. He did maintain that it was nave-nary to refer to the Poor-law Commissioners for p..otec lion against practices of this nature. He had already stated that the Poor-law Commissioners had protected the triembers of his profession against the parsimony and illiberality of boards of guardians; and he Would on a future occasion mention union where a medical officer was dismissed by the guardians on the ground of his being too liberal in giving food to the poor ; though not a single instance of the kind had been brought home to him, he was dismissed upon that ground. He was in formed the Poor.law Commissioners had no power to protect individuals against the guardians ; but if any power had etisted it would certainly have been a very proper case for its exercise. He did not hesitate, then, to ask the Right Hon. Baronet to apply, in the Bill he was about to introduce that night upon the law of settlement, tor powers which would give to the Commissioners sufficient authority to put down the abominable practice of bone-grinding in union workhouses. Mr. ROEBUCK said he was not going to occupy the time of the House with any remarks on the immediate sub ject then before the House; but' he could not help con trasting the opinion just expressed by the Hon. Member for Finsbury, with the sentiments to which he had been accus tomed to give vent on former occasions, both in that House and out of doors..—( Hear.) It appeared that the Poor-law Commissioners were not now such persons he had formerly considered them to be—(Laughter)—as he called on the Right Hon. Baronet not to let forty-eight hours pass without inereas. in" their powers.—(Laughter.) Let the Honourable Member and others who had joined with him in that Let t y th h e ad lie u e se s d e recollect how the Commissioners had been talked of as the whichners. i r n es r p e e f c e t r , ee l ee ook to b th ae e k pe to .r.l t a h w e C la e n m gu m a r e s e sie three tyrants of Somerset-house, and how the term " pinch paupers" had been applied to them.—( Hear, hear.) Every term, in fact, which could express contempt and hatred bad been used by the Hon. Members ; and he would ask the Hon. Gentleman, before he hastily expressed an opinion upon such a subject, to place faith in those by whom the question had been more accurately, calmly, and dispassionately considered. He (Mr. Roebuck) spoke feelingly on this subject. He was one of those against which the finger of scorn had been pointed, on account of the-sup, ort which he had given to the new Poor law Bill, and he now directed his finger in scorn against the Hon. Member opposite to whom he referred. There were per sons who cared not what opinion they expressed, so that it suited the particular matter in hand. When it suited them they could talk of the three tyrants in Somerset-house ; and, again, for the same reason they would talk of increasing their powers in forty-ei ght hours. That might b e a ll very we ll , if one, who indulged in mere talk for a particular purpose, to for ward a particular object—(Hear, hear)—but it did not suit one - whose mind was impressed with a sense of the great . duties and responsibilities which rested upon his shoulders; one who was willing to meet not only the feelings of hostility which might be exhibited on the part of Hon. Members opposite, but even the hostilities of friends, when he thought that his duty required it. His only object in rising on this.occasion was to impress upon his Hon. Friend near him (Mr. Wakley) and upon some other Hon. Alembers opposite, the-duty-that lay upon them not hastily to come to conclusions or to employ the arts of popular dema goguism. for the purpose of obtaining applause. He had seen that night a signal instance—honestly given, he would allow —by the Hon. Member for Finsbury, of an acknowledgment of error, and he did hope that it could induce modesty in his conduct, and modesty in the conduct of other Hon. Members be-ides him< lf.—( Hear, and laughter.) Sir C. LEMON said that as far as his own experience went, he..had no reason to believe that this occupation was particularly offensive or disagreeable to the paupers themselves, or in any way. unwholesome. He was convinced that it was no more disagreeable than the breaking of stones, ur any otter kind of labour.. . If this labour were abolished. he believed that . ..„ it would be difficult to find them sufficient employment. Mr.. WA K LE Y said he did not know whether it was Par liamentary or not, that a Member, when he addressed that House, should have improper motives imputed to him. It had been stated by the Hon and Learned Member fot Bath that he had made a statement for the purpose of obtaining applause. He utterly denied it. He was as incapable of doing so as the Hon Member himself, or any other Member. He had neve. used any. language with regard to the Poor-law Amendment Act out of . that House which he had not used in it ; and all the expressions• which he had ever used in relation to the povrers.of the Commissioners be was prepared to repeat. Al he had stated was, that if this practice existed under the ope ration of the Poor-law Amendment Act, which his Hon. and Learned Friend oupported, and which he (Mr: Wakley ) opposed when it was brought into that House, he was prepared to give the Commissioners powers to abate the nuisance. —( Hear.) Mr. HENLEY said he was certainly surprised at the for getfulness of the Hon. Member for Finsbury. He ought to remember that the Poor-law Commissioners hail first taught, and even compelled, the guardians to adopt the system of which he complain. d. This species of employment had been intro duced as a check to any discontent on the part of the labourers. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD protested against the ap peal which had been made to the Right Hon. Baronet to in crease the powers of the Peor-law Commissioners. He did not deny but there had been many abuses connected with bone , crustsing and other matters, but there were other means of re medying the grievance without increasing the powers of the Commissioners, and to such a remedy as that he for one would be extremely willing to resort. POOR- L A WS—THE LAW OF SETTLEMENT. Sir J.• GRAHAM said, that in rising to bring this important subject before the House, he feared he couldnot put the House in full possession of the Bill which he was about to introduce, if he did not go through the reasons which induced him to make the alterations which the Bill contained. The House would recollect that he introduced a Bill on this subject last session, and it was a melancholy fact, that no less then one-tenth of the whole population of England and Wales required relief out of the poor-rata in the course of last year ; that was to say, that no less than 1,500,000 persons required relief in the course of the year from this rate..--( Hear, hear.) He might state in various ways the amount which had been expended in the relief of the poor. He might state that since the termination of the war in 1815—notwithstanding all that had b en said about the neglect of the poor, of the neg lect of their duties by the rich towards the poor, notwith standing all the relief that had been dispersed by private charity and their numerous charitable institutions, no less sum had been paid from the poor-rate in this country since , the termination of the war, than 200,000,000/., amounting to one-fourth of the capital of the National Debt. There was, therefore, no doubt of the existence of great poverty and desti tution in the country, but in addition to this destitution and this poverty, the question arose, should the poor now receive relief in the place where they resided fur years, where they had contracted habits and feelings of friendship, or whether those associations should be broken? The House would pardon him for thus introducing the subject, which was so intimately con nected with the feelings of so largo a portion of the people of this country. , It was a subject of the greatest importance, and one that required the greatest consideration, and it had diffi culties attending it, which rendered it a subject difficult to he dealt with. Yet he was satisfied. conscientiously satisfied, that important changes and modifications of the existing law of settlement, in reference both to the interests and feelings of the poor, was imperatively required.—( Hear, hear.) Ac tuated by that strong impression, he ventured to bring under the notice of the House the Bill of last session, and those gentlemen who were then present and attended to what he s iitl, could re collect that on the occasion of his laying the Bill of last session on the table of the House, he stated that he hoped the Bill would undergo free and full discussion during the recess, and that he might receive the suggestions and the commentaries of those who considered the measure. He had, accordingly. re ceived from various quarters suggestions and commentaries, and it was now his duty to lay batore the House the result of the best consideration and intelligence which he could apply to them. In the Bill which he introduced last session there were four prominent points. It would not be necessary for him to go through those different points again, To two of them no serious objection hat been urged. The two points to which objections had been made related—the first, to the set tlement by birth. which it was intended should be not only prospective but retrospective; the other referred to a five 'ears' industrial residence in one l oca li ty , w hi c h i t was ) - in tended should confer irremoveability on the person who re quired relief. To that part of the Bill which regulated the removal of Scotch and. Irish paupers, no serious objections had been urged. The objections taken to the two first , ' ria--ma, „iiiely- ) the birth, settlement; airk l ll ' l4 c /u°4e ' a 'iliti 'eptifecred byLa,.4ve, years', iochastri al, , .esidenee , /ere a most ideptieil. First, it was awed: that considering to large a nurober of persons as oue.tenth of the - whole pepulation IT required relief, those two regulations would give rise to a dislo cation of the whole system of the law which heretofore regn leed the right of .ettlemant. It was staved that it would shake the indisputable rights of parties to be relieved under the law fa it 'Mod at present in ttieir Vatashes; and Vioeld also nrodoce s great deal of litigation as the necessary result. It was ob jected that in cases where the parish was in the handy of one, or of a few individuals, it would induce those persons topull down cottages, and to have recourse to a system which was better known than in England by the terrible words the clearing of es tates, and to dr to the population, from their little hamlets and ' gattlqs. t As lie totild hot pet those objectioiis ill a kiErifigef liEht tnan they had bean urged in a memorial which he had re ceived from the union of Bedford, the House would permit htna to read from their memorial. They stated with regard to the settlement by birth, that they were of opinion the owners of the principal parts of parishes would clear them of the population by purchasing. or bUilding cottages adjoining tostrit i and compel= ling then! to halide there. 'Ube Balite objection the Memorialists stated ap;led to irrethot4ahility by fi ve y e a rs ' indest r ill resi dente. lie *as likill NI to state that the trieitioiialiiis had clearly stated their objections, and that they were well worthy of serious consideration. It was his wish to meet those objections, and having given the subject all the reflection in his power, he was not prepared any longer to propose that a retro-active effect should be given to the !awe of settlement. What he now proposed to Klatt Was to take Act at the passing of the Act: He confessed that he sat great disidVantages hi liihi•ihg the Act to a prospective operation only, but the late regulation, which required the place of birth to be mentioned, would hereafter afford increased facilities with regatd to the settlement by birth. Wh en on the fattier (semi - lob he ad dreesed the Howse oh the subject, he stated that it was clear that in the aggregate the ihtereists of the towns and of the country were idehtieal ) bet in details tile!' as they tteria hot dealing Willi there itas 'Certainly a clashing between their in terests. It was quite clear that the birth settlement was in favour of the towns, at the expense of the rural districts, and for this very obvious reason, that the opportunities for labour which the towns afforded, attracted the redundant population of the country, but then, destitution eaten upon thetti they y ilpta w n hi t c h h e c a ou i t i l v i e ry. yea tu . t on the other hand, industrial residence wore ir t r h e r ro t v t ea b blit would confer, would be in favour of the country at the eupense of the towns ; for the poor of the rural districts being attracted to the towns by the greater demand for labour there, would hate acquired the right of relief by five years' residence. If, thereibre, he was compelled to forego the immediate enact ment of birth 'settlement, and not to bestow on rural districts anything which had been contemplated, he was bound also not to impose upon the towns the extra burthens he had alluded to. On the whole he was disposed to forego those two portions of the measure he had introduced last session, namely, birth set tlement, and five years industrial residents:: He hoped the House *ouid pardon him if he called its attention to the great advantages which the six other limitations he intended to in troduce would confer. Every woman during her marriage, who should be liable to be remoied upon her husband's death to his parish, would not be subject to that removal. Every illegitimate child, under the age of 16, who would be liable to be removed to the parish where the ' father had 8 set tlement, would hot be liable to such removal. Every child under 16, being a bastard, who would be liable to be removed to the parish where its mother had a set tlement, would not be liable to such removal; ar.d no widow who at the time of her husband's death resided with him, should be liable to be removed from the parish where she was residing, until the expiration of one year after her hus band's death, Sb that the widow who, it the time of her hus band's death, was residing with him in the parish in which he was settled, would not be liable to be removed therefrom ; and no widow or her children, though born in Ireland or Scotland, could after her husband's death be removed from the parish where the husband resided till after the ekpiratidn of a certain period.. tlo that, in fact, the greatest advantage was given by they measure to the Scotch and Irish paupers. He now came— having stated the alterations in the measure of last session that were proposed—he now came to what appeared to him a most important coodition—so important, that if the House permitted him to introduce it, he should ei.nsider it necessary to ask the House to permit of sdme little delay between the in troduction of that Bill and the second reading. He had stated on a former occasion that no working man in this country reached the age of forty without experiencing the injustice of the law of settlement. What was the cause of this ) and what was the re-ult ? Why, labour did hot circulate freely in Eng land. Now, he thought it would be of great advantage to the poor man, and no disadvantage to the rich one, if they were to proceed to re duce the restraints on t h e circulation of labour. He thought there could be no objectio.: to the adop tion at once of th • colon settlement.. If he could induce the House to substitute union for parochial settlements, that would reduce the injustice of the law of settlement as it at present ex isted. There wasnothing new in parochial settlements, but there was in union settlements. By the late Act which was introduced, it was provided that the union should be considered part of the same parish. If the proposition he was about to make was of any value, it must be general. The House would perhaps allure him to read the mode in which he proposed to effect it. But, perhaps, before he did so, it would be better that he should sustain his proposition by various authorities, both in town and country, all of whom agreed with the proposition he was about to make. He would not advert to all the authorities he had upon the subject, but the House would perhaps pardon him if he mentioned four. In Norfolk the guardians of the Briden union had come to a resolution that all parochial settle ments were bad in principle, and taxed the poor man most un justly ; and that, in order to avoid the evil, parochial settle ments should be abolished, and all districts should be formed of the whole union. The overseers and leading officers of the Manchester union stated, that whatever course the Le gislature might take in reference to this important mat ter, they would strenuously urge upon them the mak ing of all the towns and unions as one. He would now read an extract front a report of Mr. Hall, the Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, charged with the superin tendence of the Metropolitan distr.et. He sayi—" Much diffi culty that is expected to follow the administration of the new Bill will be done away with, if settlements were made not pa rochial, but to relate to the union." He should trouble the House only with one more extract, and that was from the very able report drawn up by persons most conversant with this particular subject, whoa experiende and opinions were entitled to the utmost respect. That extract was a list of the unions the clerks of which had assembled to discuss this sub ject. These unions were Altringham, Bolton, Bake well, Burley, Charlton-en-Medway, Congleton, Huddersfield, Kendal, Manchester, Macclesfield, Preston, Stockport, Stoke upon-Trent, West Derby (which included Liverpool), Bur storr, and some others; the opinions of the officers of all these unions were . in favour of his proposal. Thus he had argu ment in support of his proposition ; he had practical autho rity in favour of it, and unless he deceived himself, he thought the House could not, by any single measure, more consult the interests, and as he believed the feelings and happiness of the poor, than, by receiving this proposition. He was con &lent that no one measure would so much restrict the probability of frequent removal, and allow labour to circulate so freely as the measure he propounded. It only remained for him to state shortly the exact mole in which he proposed that the measure should be carried out. He proposed that, wherever a parish or township was included in a union, all existing and future settlements should be deemed to be, not settlements of that parish or township, but of the union in which they were included. In that union all removals should in future be conducted by the board of guardians, and net by the parish officers. That was a point on which he mainly retied as certain to produce the humane effects he antici pab d. Instead of the narrow, bad, and selfish interests of parish officers, the local feelings, and, he way bound to say, the Barrow prejudices of these officers, the question of removal would be submitted to the board of guar dians. All facts would be freely discussed by several persons, and those possessing the most confidence to decide on them. and without that pinching and harsh desire to cut down to the utmost the charge upon each small parish. All appeals in the same manner would be conducted by the board of guardians on behalf of the, union , He Was Sorry he had been obliged to tre spass at such length on the attention of the House, and he had now only to state that all the cheeks and arrange. ments incidental to the trial of orders of re. moval, provided -by the Act of last session, should be left unchanged, though all the power of the. parish officers in respect of removals would be transferred to the guardians, just as all discretion would be taken from the parish authorities and transferred to the Board. It might be said that in the midst of the vicissitudes of trade, the alterations of ser vice. gross injustice might be done to some districts in conse quence of those changes, unless some precautions were taken. But he proposed that the expenses should be shared by all the parishes of a union, in proportion to the average of their popu lation for the last seven years, ending at Lady-day, 1844. As regarded the equity of thi s arrangement up t o the present time, he thought it amount e d t o demon s tration that it could anticipated not be impugned. The only argumen t he was a retrospective one. founded on the fluctuations of trade. . _ But his proposition as it now sTood.n.ouidnot, in point of fact, increase in the least the hardships arising from the operations of trade. It was quite true that the tide of manufacturing enterprise had left some districts and gone to others. That it had left the Wiltthire district and gone to the North, leaving the former much embarrassed and depressed. But they could not prospectively take precautions against these fluctuations of tiade ; but up to this moment he maintained that in stch an arrange .-ent as he proposed, there was nothing to increase the hardships inciden al to these fluctuations. He should weary the House if lie dwelt at greater length on this question, the more particular details of which would be discussed on future occa sions. But he still thought the Hill was one which he was justified in submitting to the consideration of the House. H e certainly should not presume, if the House permitted him to in troduce the measure, to press the second reading till the House had had ample time to consider the propo sition. and he had himself an opportunity of collecting opinions upon it. But at the same time he felt a confidence that the merits of the measure would recommend it to all those whose humanity led them to promote the well-being of the poor —to all those whose justice impelled them equally and fairly to distribute that charge which was by right levied from the rich for the support of the poor—and to the humane and just of the community at large—he commended the meaaure,believing that if well and fully considered it would be found not unworthy of the attention of the House.—( Hear, hear.) He moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law of settlement. Colonel WOOD took the earliest oppor unity of expressing his •regret at the purport of the latter part of the Right Honourable Baronet's statement. He would give the Right Hon. Baronet all credit for the atten tion he had given to this subject, and many points of his propo sition were worthy of the consideration of the House. No doubt the Right Hon. Baronet thought the measure was cal culated to benefit the poor, but if adopted, instead of being any benefit te the poor man, it would be the greatest injury ever inflicted upon him. The consequence would be, that all anxiety to employ the poor in their own parishes would cease. Labourers would be discharged, and without scruple thrown for support upon the union. Whenever a time of difficulty arose, vast numbers would be thrown on the union rate because it was not a local one. It had been stated that there had been no parochial rate up to the time of Charles 11., but the fact was, that up to the time of Elizabeth, three years' re sidence entitled a man to parochial relief, and by the 39th of Elizabeth persons could be sent back to the parishes in which they had resided for one year. He regretted that the Right Hon. Baronet had felt it his duty to give up that part of his Bill which gave . a claim for relief on the parish where a man had resided for five years. H e (C o l one l Wood) gave notice that he should introduce a clause by which every poor man resident in a parish for one year should be en. titled to relief as casual poor. The proposal of his Right Hon. F. iend that birth alone should give a title to settlement would not at all remove the complaints now made by the poor. The pour man now complained that be might bring up a large family in one parish, by many years' labour, aad then be thrown upon a parish in which he was a total stranger. But that would he precisely the case now, if _the principle of birth alone was adopted. A poor man might be removed to a strange place under this Act as well as by the former system. Sir J. GRAHAM said that there were reservations in the power of making such removals Colonel WOOD said he was aware that there were restric tions on such removals, but he thought that if residence gave a man a title to relief it would prevent much difficulty and hardship. There era: another circumstance which fully entitled the labourer to a settlement. Formerly , every ma n th a t pa id poor-rates obtained a settlement in the parish in which he was rated, and he certainly thought that if they obliged the poor man to pay poor.rates, that should at least entitle him to a set tlement in the parish to which he paid them. To make the poor belong to a union and not to a pariah, would entirely - ' destroy all the care which the parish had ever exhibitel tcrsiavik its destitute poor. He sincerely wished that the residents in a parish, should be entitled ,to, a. settlement ; an d, if t hi s l aw were passed, he sh. - Ad pr,.pose a clause .I;y,whiCh, those versons who resided in a parish should oe reeLtd. di ^tsual poor, and not passed out of it. Mr. BRIGHT said that he quite agreed with the Hon. and Gallant Member that the remedy proposed was not commen swte, with theenent of the evil, an d h e h oped that there wus an intiinaticn manklAd .'setitsy to ,ltptleatolr to arrive at a better solution of the question than thatliicli igak pfe mis , d them by the Right. Hon. Baronet He had considerable experience of the feeling existing in the manufacturing counties of England, and he could assure the Ho nourable. and Gallant Member that the mode of pr_ l4 .ters to distant ftis vietted with suspicion and dislike by a great Majority of thi PEople; inA thet clause certainly would meet with the most strenuous opposition frOm all parts of the kingdom. It might not be known to the Hon. and Gallant Member that in many parts of the country the proprietors were melt anxious that not more labourers than the land could well support should reside tipai it, end the number was in many eases exceedingly small, as the soil was bad, and then the landlords tried all sorts of mancauvres to prevail on the laboufefi to rattle in the neighbouring townships. He ( Mr. Bright ) lived in a township Which pelid for roor-rates in tke proportion of some Ad. or Is. in the pound, and sometimi; ago it became the duty of the relieving-officer of the county to send a labourer and his family back to the union of Frith, near Richmond in Yorkshire. So soon, however, as it was known there that there bad been issued at. order for hit removal, the Man received from the clerk to the boarci of guardians to which the union belonged, a letter inclosing a Post-office order for 205., and requesting him to pass from the township about to ferobvii Mes a eh the border t into the next one. He held the letter in his hand, addr e s s ed to Anthony Trapp (as we caught it)--and it said, " I send you this letter enclosing 201., atd wish you to remove into the next township." At a future peribd the men and his family were removed, at a gr , at expense to Yorkshire by railway, and the guardians of the union house there *efe then sit ting at the time of their arrival. The relieving officeen returned, but he had not retraced his steps above one or two miles, when he was overtaken by the pauper family on their tray back to Rochdale, the guardians n o t h a vi ng h a d t h e pau pers in thir possession, if he thighs say so, more than two hours than they began to bargain with them to go back to Poch dale ; and they prevailed. Back they did come, and resided there fore some three days. He confessed that, with such a mass of pauperism in the country, it was most difficult to settle the la* it ill. It etas frost Unjust, then, that means should be given to tile landed proprietors to expel the labourers from the land, in order that they might settle in townships for a time, and so obtain settlements there. He should not object to sup port the labourers so thrown upon them; but such were the fluctuations of trade, that they were frequently compelled to refer back to the parish to which they belonged, those who in prosperous times had keen employed by them. The night lion. liitrofiet spoke of the mode in which he intended to fix the rate in support of these Unions for the future. He (Mr. Bright) thought that the fairest plan would be to rate the townships and parishes at that which they had paid for the seven years preceding the passing of this Act. The rate would press unduly upon some parts of the country, for there were parts of it where from generation to generation the popu lation had not in any way increased, while others that now had no rate and no population, might in twenty years. or even in ten years, if they had large manufactories established, or coal mines opened, in crease, and so require for the sustentation of their paupers very great changes in the mode of collecting the rates for that purpose. He was inclined, therefore, to think that that part of the Right Hon. Baronet's Bill should be materially altered. He was not, how , ver, disposed to find fault with the Bill. He admitted that from the gigantic nature of the evil, they ought to give any measure calculated to lessen it their most serious consderation. Mt HENLEY must be permitted to say that a measnre for the purpose of charging completely the old parochial sys tem ought to be received with very great caution, It was somewhat singular that for such a great evil the Right lion. Baronet should have prepared such a very small remedy. What the poor man warted was, the ability to bring his labour to the best market He entered his protest against a measure which would break up the parochial system of England. Mr. BROTHERTON was of opinion that a fair rating within the union was the most acceptable mode of rating. He was very much disposed to think that this was a measure very much needed, and which would give general satisfaction. He would certainly offer no opposition to its passing into law. Colonel WOOD explained. Lord EBRINGTON wished to impress on the attention of the Right Hon. Baronet the fact, that in almost every union there were a large number of small holders who were not sub jected to rates, but who Increased the burden of the rate- jpayers. He approved of the measure generally, and thought it would confer a great boon on the coun try. He was glad to hear the Right Hon. Baronet give commendation to a much-maligned class of men, political economists, and hoped that pr aise would be extended to the Poor. law Commissioners, and their Secretary, Mr. Chadwick, who had done so much to advance the cause of charity. He hoped the Right Hon. Baronet would direct his attention to the education of the . poorer classes, and modify the limitations regarding the education of children, which were at present at tended with very bad remits. Mr. BECKE TT DENISON thought. the House shout feel grateful to the Right Hon. Baronet for this measure. Nothing could be more absurd than the present law of settle ment. A man might be removed to a parish which he never heard of, and in which he had no relations er friends. In many eves this was the true way of making them paupers for life. He did not think the proposed mea , ure went more than half-way, and this was the chief objection which could be urged against it.—( Hear. ) He was glad that the time had been reduced so mach ; if the time had been still further reduced he would have been glad of it; had it been reduced to three years he should have been still better pleased; had it come down to two years, and one year, it would still be more satisfactory to him; but he would have been completely satisfied If thcre were no limit to the period at all.—( Hear.) But under all the circumstances he would say he approved of the present measure, and would give it his most cordial support. Sir J. GRAHAM was glad to And that the House had so favourably viewed the measure ; but he should say he was somewhat surprised to hear the objections of his two Hon Friends behind him. He did think it was not an unreasonable proposition that a modification should be made in the settlement period, and that where a poor person was found residing, there he should find relief if he were in want of it. The Hon. Baronet then called attention to the enactments of Charles 11. in reference to the poor-law provisions conferring a settlement claim, by which it appeared that destitute persons found wan dering about should be sent back to their native parishes, in which they were held to have had a settlement if they had lived there forty days. He next called attention to the Poor law Amendment Act, which, he said, had done away with parochial relief, and instituted union relief instead. With regard to the question of the establishment of schools in large towns, he could assure the Hon. Member opposite that the question had occupied his attention very closely last year. District schools had been established by way of experiment, and he was not yet prepared to say what the result would be. Mr. WAKLEY begged to say he did not assent to the pro visions of this measure, for he looked upon it as one that would operate in a very extraordinary manner upon the social coedi tion of this country, for it would, for instance, perpetuate the power of the Poor-law Guardians.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") He understood the taunting cheer of the Hon. Member for Bath---(A laugh)—it was one of his peculiarities. and he (Mr. Wakley) understood it. But, nevertheless, he would still contend for it, that the powers of the guardians should not be increased. He could say that he knew of one union where neither the public, the rate-payers, nor the press were admit ted, while the guardians were discussing the admission of the paupers. Therefore he would say it was dangerous to give the-e guardians more poi %er ; and he would conclude by again repeating that he was opposed to the measure. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. TURNPIKE ACTS. Lord EBRINGTON apologised for having so often tres ' passed upon the attention of the House that ev en i ng ; but he begged to call attention to that p resent state of the law as affecting turnpikes, upon which he had several petitions to present, and am ongst others, to that of the South Moltou turnpike. H e did not know whether the Government i ntended resuming their former measures, or whether they intended to introduce a ge neral Bill on this subject. The Right Hon. Baronet when he first introduced the measure. stated that it was to be tried in South Wales as an exper.ment, and if it succeeded they might look tor its extension to England. The measure was not favour ably spoken of ley the creditors of the turnpike trusts, and h e could not help thinking that some limitation ought to be given to it. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer would allow him to bring in a Bill on the subject he should be glad. The measure he contemplated introducing was to limit the exemption from tolls only to such a number of mails and horses as might be thought reasonable and necessary for the public i.ervice. Frequently the number of letters to be transmitted was exceedingly small, but nevertheless small though the number was, it served to exempt four horses and a coach from the payment of toils. In cases of this description he should propose to limit the exemption to a cart and horse. Under these circumstances, he would leave the matt er i n th e h an d s of the Government, merely requesting, that if they would not allow him to bring in the Bill himself, at least they would give the subject some consideration. He moved for leave to bring in a Bill to discontinue the exemption of mails from paying toll on turnpike-roads. Mr. MORRIS seconded the motion. He thought some of the burden ought to be taken off the farmers and placed on them who were more able to bear it. He hoped the Noble Lord would succeed in his measure, and he tegretted to hear him say that he did not expect the co-operation of the Government. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not dive the Hon. Gentleman who last spoke the satisfaction of hearing that. the Government would co-operate with the Noble Lord. Whatever the inconvenience might be to the turnpike trusts and the parishes through which mail coaches passed, that was more than compensated by the advan tages which the district derived from the Post-office communication. The exemption of the mails from toll had been established in 1785, and, if it were to be removed, many districts must be excluded from the advantage of receiving letters direct from the post-office. If the Bill were to pass into a law, the country would have imposed upon it a burden of more than 50,000/. a year for the advantage of particular districts. After a few words in reply from Lord EBRINGTON, the motion was ne t zat;ved without a division. Mr. LOCKHART presented a petition for the Scottish Central Railway. The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve o'clock. RAILWAY BUSINESS IN PAR LIAMENT. MONDAY, FEB. 10, 1845. The following Petitions for Railways hills were presented, and ordered to lie on the table:— _ _ Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington, and Colne Extension Railway—Manchester South Junction and Altrinchvm Rail. way—Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway— Clydesdale Junction Railway. Petitions for the following Bills (presented on the sth of February) were referred to the Select Committee on Peti tions for Private Bills : Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway—Wakefield, Ponte fract, and Goole Railway—York and Scarborough Railway Deviation—Manchester and Leeds Railway—Manchester and Leeds Railway (Burnley Branch and Oldham and Heywood Extension)—Ashton, Stalybridge, and Liverpool Junction Railway (Ardwick and Guide Bridge Branches)—London and South-Western Railway, No. 1 (Metropolitan Exten sion)—Guildford, Chichester, and Portsmouth Rail way— Edinbui gh and Glasgow Railway—Caledonian Railway— Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway—Manchester and Birmingham Railway (Ashton Branch)—Leeds and West Riding Junction Railway—Richmond (Surrey) Railway — West Yorkshire Railway—Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester Junction Railway. Also the following . Mils presented on the 6th February: — Norwich and Brandon Railway D ev i a tion and Diss and Dereharn Branches—London and York Railway—Leeds and Bradford Railway Extensioa (Shipley to Colne)—Glasgow Junction Railway—Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr R a ilway —Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway—Hull and Selby (Bridlington Branch) Railway. The following Bills were likewise presented February 7 Cockermonth and Workington Railway—Whaby and 12 1845. 'Pickering Railway--Belfast and Ballymena Railway—Lan ; caSter rnd earlislitie Railway—Kendal and Windermere Railway—Chestef anci Rfrkeirtreati Fit:away Ettensioft: - -- And the following Bills.wefe pfiteliPitf bn February 10 Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington, and Cobile Klttetrsion railwax—Manchester South Junction and Altrinchatti way—EddLtStsfl4-1, arid Manchester Railway and Canal— Great Grimsby add tidtiPaid Jirnotion Railway—Clydesdale Junction Railway. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE' lift/ (MICE, (f Ott Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Ritilwily.w-totaz , tilittee oft Pet,itiot, Friday, Feb. 21. Huddersfield afld Mtftteitester Railway and Canal—Com mittee on Petition, Friday, Feb. 21, Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr Railway—Com• mitte , on Petition, Tuesday, Feb. 25. _ Glasgow Junction RailAY—Committee on Petition, Tues day, Feb. 913. Manchester, South Junction, and Altrincham Railway— Committee on Petition, Friday, Feb. 21. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY. Feb. 11. The Lord Chancellor sat in Lincoln's-Inn Hall to-day shortly after ten o' c l oc k. IN RE CLARK. - -BANKRUPT PETITION. trpcn this matter being called on, it was ordered to stand over to the nest petition day, in consequence of the absence of Mr. M. D. Hill, whit leas engaged in the Court et Queen's Bench in the case of the Baron de Bode. EXPARTE VAN SANDAU ItE MARTIN.—BANKRUPT PETITION., This case stood on the paper to-day for further directions, the Court of Queen's Bench having decided in favour of the demurrer put in by. Mr. Van Sandau to the plea sled by Messrs. Turner and Henchman. Mr. SWAXSTON, on the case being called on, asked that it rtiight stand over for a few days, in consequence of the illness of Mr. K. rather, Mr. BsosnAWE and Mr. BOLT, for Mr. Van Sandau, sub mitted that the postponement of the case would be highly injurious to their clients. After same further discussion, the case was ordered peremp torily to stand for hearing on Friday next. The LORD CHANCELLOR, in the course of the discussion, intimated to Mr. Swanston that one of the points he would have to consider and argue was, the power of the Court of Review to commit. TRH MARQUIS OF HERTFORD V. LORD LOWTHER. The Co in was occupied the remainder of the morning with the further arguments in this part-heard case. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Feb. 11. (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.) WILSON V, WILEION.—A7DGIIENT. His Hosouu gave judgment to-day in this case, which was argued befbre him a short time since for seven days, and upon which occasion we gave a statement of the facts. His Honour, after going through the case at considerable length, directed on the original bill a reference to the Master to settle an agreement according to the articles of agree ment that had been drawn up between the parties, giving the plaintiff his costs in the original suit up to the hearing. The Court also ordered the cross-bill to be dismissed with costs, on the ground that although it al leged fraud none had been proved. The relief prayed by the original bill was granted, and cross-bill dismissed with costs. The original bill was filed by Mrs. Wilson for the specific per formance of articles of separation which had been agreed to between herself and her husband, the defendant. The de fendant filed a cross• bill, stating that the agreement was obtained by fraud and misrepresentation. The hear ing of the original bill was objected to on the ground that the Court had no jurisdiction. His Honour, however, decided that it had, and that it was not against public policy, or the public weal, that it should have such jurisdiction. The Court, therefore, decreed the specific performance of the arti cles, and made the orders we have already stated. His Hosouu gave judgment in two or three other cases, some of which involved points of practice, but none calling for any particular report. PEARCE V. BROOKS. The Court then proceeded to hear the further arguments in these part-heard , cases, which came before the Court pre vious to the recess, upon no less than five causes. The argu ments appear likely to occupy some days. (Before Sir J. K. Buuct.) WYNN V. HEAVENGIJAM. The question in this case related to certain ink lines, which were drawn by way of obliteration, or attempt at obliteration, across the name of three parties mentioned in a will. The dispute related to a freehold estate, and the question was, whether these ink lines were made before the testatrix ex ecuted her will, or if they were drawn afterwards ; whether they were made, in the language of the statute of frauds, by the testatrix herself, in her presence, or by her direction and consent. With regard to the personal estate, the Ecclesi astical Court had decided that the names were not erased or obliterated. His HONOUR, after going minutely into the evidence, said, from all the evidence before him, he was bound to come to a decision consentaneous to that given by the Ecclesiastical Court. MONTRESOR V. MONTRESOR. The questions involved in this case related to the will codicils of Sir Henry Montresor ; this instrument was evidently drawn up by Sir H. Montresor himself, informally, and without professional assistance. With regard to the first question, his Honour decided that the enjoyment of the rents of the testator's real estate belonged to the wife and children jointly, independent of the exercise of any dis cretionary power on the part of the trustees. The next question was whether the ready money in the house, &c., went to his residuary legatee; he was of opinion that no present or future interest, but that the income belonged to the wife and children beneficially. With regard to the third codicil, as to the use of the words, American stock and Dutch funds, he held that they bad a large meaning, and must be taken to include stock in the British funds also. BAIL COURT; Feb. 11. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Mr. Justice NirmuntAN.) Two cases of no interest, having reference to goods sold and delivered, occupied the time of the Court this morning. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb 11. HANSON V. WHITFIELD. This was an action upon bills of exchange and promissory note- accepted by the brother-in-law of the defendant in the name of the latter, and on his alleged authority. The only Ruestion in the case is, had the defendant given such autho rity, which in his pleas he now denies. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 11.; :Sittings at Nisi Prius before the LORD CHIEF BARON - and a Middlesex Special Jury.) THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. FOSTER. This was an information filed by the Attorney-General against the defendant for the recovery of penalties he was al leged to have incurred for having in his posses Mon goods which he had unshipped without payment of duty. The Solicitor-General, Mr. Jarvis, and Mr. Wilde, were Counsel for the Crown ; Sir Thomas Wilde, Mr. Cockburn, Mr. Hum fre, and Mr. Aspland , appeared for the defence. The goods in respect of which this information had been filed arrived by the steamer Harlequin, on the 14th of Fe bruary, 1842, and were contained in a case marked F. p. 37, of which the rotation numbered was 837. The capacity of the case inside was 18.5-12 cubic feet, and the goods were 311 b. 12oz. of plain silk, 16 shawls, 2 dozen shawl handker• chiefs, and lqr. 151 b of pasteboard, all of which could be placed within a space of 5 feet, leaving 13 feet s.l2ths un occupied. The value of the goods which might have been held, after the necessary allowances, was 8961., for which, as a single value, the Crown now sued. Defendant is the part ner of Mr. Porter, with whom he carried on the business of warehouseman in Wood-street, Cheapside. We have already reported the case against Porter, and a reference to it will show the precise manner in which the fraud was conducted. Noble, the clerk of the defendant, declared the right, and with the assistance of Arthur Berries, the landing-waiter at the Queen's warehouse, procured the delivery of the goods. Sir T. WILDE tendered a bill of exceptions to the admissi bilityof Berners' evidence against defendant, and to the Lord Chief Baron's summing up this case, as he had done that of Porter. _ It had been arranged that the one case should decide the other, on being argued in full Court. After some further discussion, a verdict was taken for the Crown by consent, in the single value of 896/. CA UNT V. BYERS. This was an action brought by Caunt, the celebrated pugilist, against the defendant, a publican in Marylebone, to recover the sum of 51., given to the defendant under the cir• cumstances detailed below. Mr. Knowles appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Jervis for he defendant. A fight was appointed to take place on the 19th of October last, between two men of the names of Jones and Lawler. It was to be a fight for 5/., or as much more as might be agreed upon or could be ob taMed, the money being subscribed by different parties. The last deposit having been made, Caunt and Byers tossed up to decide who should be stakeholder. The defendant won the toss, whereupon the plaintiff handed over to him the 5/. The fight came off on the 19th of October, at Greenhithe, and terminated in a wrangle. The plaintiff then gave notice to the defendant not to pay the money, stating that if he did so, he should s ,e him for the amount. Notwith standing this notice, the defendant paid the money over. In the month of December, an attorney's clerk waited upon him with a letter, demanding the amount, on which occasion the defendant said he did not wish to keep Caunt out of his money, and if he would come to him he would pay him over a bottle of wine. The money was not paid, and hence the present action was brought. Witnesses were called who proved the payment of the money. Mr. JERVIS, on behalf of the defendant, contended that the transaction being an illegal one, the money could not be re covered. It must be regarded as either part of the stake, or a wager upon an illegal act ; and in either view the plaintiff could not succeed. . Mr. KNOWLES cited several cases to show that similar actions hid been entertained, and that the plaintiff had, in fact, recovered. The LORD CHIEF BARON said the jury could not enter into the fighting part of the case. The question really was, whether the money was the plaintiff's or not. The agree ment would certainly lead to the inference that ,the money was handed over by Cannt to Byers, in the character of stakeholder; and if the jury were satisfied of that, Caunt had no more right to recover the money, , not being his except as a stakeholder, than any other person in the kingdom, Verdict for the defendant. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Feb. 11. (Before the Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER.) LN RE CHARLES CRICKMAY. This insolvent had been heard before Mr. Commissioner Harris, on Friday last, when it appeared that a distress bad been put in upon his preiniies, and a large quantity of musket-stocks were seized. These goods were 'valued by the distraining broker at 61., but upon being sold upwards of 20/. was realised for them. The Learned COMMISSIONER expressed his surprise at the extraordinary and unaccountable difference between the sum ‘ placed upon the property by the bro ker and that realised public sale. The rent was 41. 155., and the expenses of the distress 2L is. 6d., ma ki n g altogether 61 . 16s. 6d., the differ ence between wich and the 201. he (the broker) retained, as he did not know to whom it was to be paid. Mr. Commissioner limus, with paid. said said the broker ought to have at once paid the balance into Court. Upon the case being called on to-day, it was stated that the broker had not as vet paid the money into Court. The COURT anonnced its intention of adopting the most stringent measures fin. the punishment of such neglect and contempt; and ordered the case to stand adjourned for this purpose. The insolvent, upon being removed back to prison, com plained loudly at the hardships he suffered owing to the ne glect and dishonesty of the broker. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. Before the AsslsTArr-JUDGE and a full Bench of Magis- trates.) The Adjourned General Sessions for the county of Middle sex commenced yesterdry morning, kt ten o'clock, in th Court-house, Clerkenveell-green. The calendar contains the names of upwards of 100 pri soners, of whom 85 were charged - with the commission of felony, the remainder being casts of assault and misde- MAIM TAU () 3 t A ;F_:; The Learned ASSISTANT JUDGE briefly addrersed the Grand Jury. - eliTz;l3 . dippreidrd; a lad about - I 7 years of - age, - was in dkftd for stealing four half-crowns and a quantity-of copper maneys f the property ofJames Abel, his employ er . It appeared that the prisoner, whose family and corr tit:lie/is Were very respectable, had entered the prosecutor's , service abottt two years ago, and. up to a. day or two before; the commissloti of the rdlkery, the highest opinion was enter-. tamped of his honesty. At length various bums of money being nikeed from the • till, suspicion fell upon the prisoner, and Nine twoney wag marked and placed in the shop drawer. In all hoof afterwards, upon searching the prisoner, the moneys named fn (be indictment were found upon him, each coin bearing the private mark which had been placed upon it-by the prosecutor. . . The jury at once returned a verdict of Guilty, and the Court sentenced the prisoner, whO wept bitterly, and seemed to feel his position acutely, to four months' iing . risenmest with hard labour, in the Douse of Correction. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. . _ - Julius Henrick Bruck, and Ferdinand Zadock Hershieg of Paneras-lane, merchants, and Jacob Janes, a seileitor'a clerk, attended a re-examination upon a charge of confederat ing together to defraud Frederick Barrel!, by persuading hint to become a partner in the firm of Bruck and Co., importetg of German goods, by falsely pretending the said firm were carrying on a most prosperous -trade, by which they turned 60 per cent. per annum on the capital employed ; whereas, in fact, the said firm was not in a prosperous condition ; and 250/., which Mr. Barrell advanced for the purpose of buyihs; goods, was employed in pacifying dunning creditors. Mr. Clarkson attended, with Mr. Flower for the prosecu tion; and Mr. Bodkin, with Mr. Lewis,. Mr. Sydney, =4 another solicitor, for the defendants. Dr. Isaac Esechiel, who was alleged to have taken a part in the conspiracy, and who was summoned, was called, did not answer, n or was h e represented by attorney. , Mr. Bodkin said the case was adjourned at the last hear ing at the desire of the complainant, to enable 'him to obtain further evidence, and the defend an t s now app li ed that , the same favour might be shown to them. He was n 4 in a condition that day to put in 'so full -an answer to tks case opened on the other side as he wished. lie therefore prayed an adjournment to the 24th instant. Mr. Clarkson said he would offer no' opposition to the ad journment, but he wished to put some evidence on the mi nutes, as it was inconvenient to persons holding official situa tions to be absent. _ Mr. Bodkin had no objection to relieving these witnmeal in the way proposed. Francis Ross, clerk to the Registrar of the . Court of Re view, said he had searched the books in respect to the bankruptcy of Ferdinand Zadock Hersbfeld in 1828, and found that no certificate had been granted to the bankrupt. John Cox, acting assignee uneer the fiat, proved that the defendant was the same person as was then declared bank rupt. The estate paid 3 1 / .id. in the pound, and no more. Mr. Clarkson then put in an office copy of an extract from the schedule of Hershfeld, filed in the Insolvent Court, at the same time that he was declared a bankrupt. Upon his ap plication to be relieved he was remanded fi,r three months. His debts were set down at 13,000/., bis credits at 2391. A certificate-from the Insolvent Court further showold-that no part of these credits had been realised. This was the whole of the evidence proposed to be now given. Mr. Alderman HUGHES said he had received some anony mous letters relating to parties in this case, which web not very creditable to them ; but the communications being anonymous, lie could not place any dependence on them. Mr. Clarkson said he was not aware of , any such lettere, nor to which side they referred. Mr. Bodkin observed that there could be no doubt that the proper way to dispose of all anonymous communications was to commit them to the flames. No dependence whatever could be placed upon them. The examination was then adjourned to Feb. 24. Edward-Sturt, a shabbilly dressed, unhappy-looking young man, was brought u p on reman d , c h arge d with having ob tained several shawls and a piece of silk, value 131. 6s. 640., from Messrs. Bradbury and Co., wholesale warehousemen , _ by means of false orders, p ur p or ti ng to b e signed by J. Bird, silk-mercer, of the Commercial-road. ' It appeared that, in the latter end of December lsiat„ the prisoner presented the orders in ques ti on , an d the irticUs were supplied to him in the belief that he was sent by Mr. Bird, who dealt with the house, and who was in the habit of settling his account monthly, but who disclaimed all knowledge of the prisoner, statingthat he had never to the best of his re collection seen him before. When the goods were supplied to him by Messrs. Bradbury's warehouseman, he stated that his name was Scott. On the sth of this month one of the young men who had supplied him with the articles, met the pri soner in the Whitechapel-road, and gave him into custody. The depositions of the witnesses having been taken, pre vious to committing the prisoner for trial, Mr. Humphreys, the solicitor, stated that he was instructed to prefer a charge against the prisoner by Messrs. Morrison and Dillon, of Fore-street. He stated that, in April, 1843, the prisoner was convicted, at Reading, of obtaining goods from a Mr. Hutchinson by false pretences, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Before that time, hOwever, he had obtained, by similar means, a quantity of property . from Messrs. Morrison and Co. and Messrs. Porson and Co., and a detainer was lodged against him, with the governor of the gaol, that he might be indicted for the offence when his term of imprisonment had expired. The visiting justices, however, after he had been imprisoned for fourteen months, recommended his liberation, on the ground of good conduct. This was mentioned to Messrs. Morrison and Co., who aban doned their intention of prosecuting him, on the understand ing that-he should leave the country, and it was believed that he had gone to America. As -he had not fulfilled that agreement, Messrs. Morrison and Co. had felt it"their dpty to come forward and to prosecute the prisoner.. Aa it was necessary that witnesses should be in attendance to prove the charge against the prisoner, ho should ask the Alderman to remand him to a future day. A gentleman from Messrs. Ashurst's, the solicitors,identified the prisoner as the person who had obtained the'property, worth upwards of forty pounds, from Messrs. Morrison and Co. Sir P. LAURIE said that when a man got out. of prison through the instrumentality of his friends on the understand ing that he should leave the country, and did not keep that agreement, his opinion was that he ought to be severely punished. The prisoner said he was only liberated in May, last year, and that he could not raise sufficient money to carry him to America. Sir P. Lam,: added that when once a man had the mis fortune to get into prison and was liberated, he was frequently compelled to resort to his former practises for a living, as, from having lost his character, no one would employ him, and the best thing that could be done for him was to send him out of the country—elsewhere he might be reclaimed, and become an useful member of society. The prisoner was again remanded. BOW-STREET. Lawrence Donoughue was charged by a person named Hugget with assaulting him the previous evening, while drinking at a public-house in Newton-street, Holborn, oceit pied by a Mr. Frogarty. The complainant said that he went into the house with a friend to have a pot of ale. They sat down in the front room on the first-floor, where the defendant and a number of others were drinking. This was about eleven o'clock. They had not been long in when an altercation took place respecting Catholics and Protestants, on which the defendant rose from , his seat and struck the complainant over the eye a severe blow. He had not given him the least provoeation, or taken any part whatever in the conversation. In fact, he had never seen the party before. He expected his friend presently in Court, who would bear out the statement he had made. The friend referred to not making his appearance Donoughue was called upon fir his defence, when he denied that he had struck complainant without provocation, but rather that he was struck first, and had only returned the blow in defence, as he would show by a witness whom he had brought. John Frogarty was then called, who stated that he was the father of the landlord of the public-house, and was present during the time that the alleged assault was said to have been committed. The fact was, the company into which the complainant had intruded himself was a cock-and-hen club, the regulations of whiCh required that every person who entered the .room should pay sixpence. For this they were- allowed some drink. The complainant. paid the sixpence on entering the room, but is companion refused. The latter was repeatedly requested to do so. but would not, and made use of the most blackguard language, when Donoughue rose, backed by several of the company, to put him down stairs. Hugget now interfered, and began to strike about him right and left. • It was then that the defen dant resorted to blows, but not before he had been struck once or twice himself. They were a ' pair of the big gest blackguards he had ever seen, and he had been at thousands of cock-and-hen clubs in his life. _ _ _ The constable who took the defendant into custody said that there was a regular row in the house when he was called in.. The friend of the complainant having now come into Court, was called upon, when he repeated a similar story to that of the latter, with the adMission that he had not paid the sixpence required of him, but said he was ignorant of its being a club as represented. Mr. JARDINE said the evidence was so conflicting that he must dismiss the case, and cautioned Mr.F rogarty, that if these cock-and-hen clubs originated any more such' rows, the license of his house would be in jeopardy. Such clubs were illegal, and he trusted warning would be taken to prevent oc currences of that kind. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. LONDON, FEB. 11.—Wind Easterly, fresh breeze, and flue overhead. There was a heavy fall of snow last night. SHEERNESS, FEB. 10,—The Edward Robinson has been weighed to-day, and laid on hard ground on the shore. FALMOUTH, FEB. 10.—Wind E., moderate.—Arrd. Her schel, Robertson, Ichaboe, left Dee. 10; City of Adelaide, Funch, Ichaboe. Off, Dispatch, Williams, Gambia, left 4th ult., Bona Vista, 13th. MARYPOP.T, FEB. 9.—Arrd. Atlas, Dublin, boat stove, Sic., having been in contact with a schooner offftße es H ead. sail Dec. 8 ; Doris, Rae ;an d Load ing Palermo and impden ;to ICHABOE, DEC. I.—Arrd. Lalla Rook h, of Liverpool. on 10th, Elizabeth, Hughes. moderate; P.M fresh breeze. — L7 AF;;dB: Lalo.TylAVninnde, AS.frhicyLE., — P . M . Wind S.S. fresh.—Arrd. Emma mburgh. RYE, FEB. • .1) 10 —The Bee, ,•ntiN , of NT ewcastle, from h o re in the entrance of this harbour, but h as nut an D d ° l: E u ß' ise F , Callao Eß W. for Ha F Rouen, is as FEB. . • e d much damage; crew saved. LYNN,rec elv 9 —The Breakwater, ashore in h ere , h as b een got off after discharging her cargo. SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 10.—Arrd. Dee steamer, West Indies, left Tampico Dec. 22, Vera Cruz 2d ult., Havannah 10th, Bermuda 21st; on freight 157,946 dollar; 7,240 ounces gold dust, and 15 serons cochineal. • A large ship, apparently American, masts hanging over her sides, was seen on the C(i lerados Reef, off Buona Vista, by the Severn steamer, on her voyage from Havannah to Jamaica. SCARBOROUGH, FEB. 10.—The Unity, Shaw of Wisbeach from London to Mithilesborough, is ashore to the fouthward, and expected to become a wreck ; crew saved. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 10.—Wind S., moderate.—Arrd. I.a Bonne Mere and Statesman, Ichaboe; Acastus, Hayes, Val paraiso, with loss of topmast, sails, Fge., having encountered a gale, which continued fifteen days, off Cape Horn, at W.S.W., and had to throw part of cargo overboard ; Car nation, Grant, Paraiba; Erin, Newfoundland. Sid. Bruley, Aden; MargarA Elizabeth, Bahia; Sylph, Africa; Pales tine and Truskin, Charleston; Shenandoah, Philadelphia; General Parkhill, New York ; Byron, Boston. The Ayles ford, from Cadiz to Monte Video, struck on the English Bank in the River Plate on the 22d ult., - and was expected to become a wreck; crew and passengers saved. CORK, FEB. s.—Arrd. Guard, Pain, and William Sorlie, M'Kenzie, Ichaboe. DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—EIGHT LIVES LOST.—We learn from the Glasgow Argus, that eight boys, who were sliding onthe Bogfoot Loch, a reservoir for the supply of water to the Monkland Canal, were drowned on the 4th inst., in consequence of the ice giving way. The water was 25 feet deep at the part where they were immersed. The sluices of the dam were drawn in order to recover the bodies. They were all found near each other. All who were on the ice at the time it broke were drowsed. 'Neab c r I