The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-17 00:00:00

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Mr. G'idstone is4nitted that th're one S combination of
eivou,siatiers which it tb st sight threw suapieiott MI the ap-
peiniment, hilt ale Disraeli. earl nation hail entirely re-
nt „veil it. lie agreed with Idol a• f.( the untie of the two
„ tfl „vs el of the ti'' e nett ••.. thongit fed
• foilu.4l tO.O OA the nil lea latt his do„.riee
to the position of an outgoing Minister required quadri-
cation. An appointment such as this, however, might he
said to come within his experience—at least, it was not de-
sirable for the House to intei fere. It was clear that Mr.
Disraeli might have reaped the advantages of this patronage
long before if he hail desired, and that the coincidence of the
appointment with his reaignation was almost a,chientaL
Ile Aviseil Mr. Howard, therefore tint to go to a division.
Mr Howard, actieg on this reconnueudation, though re-
luctantly. withdrew hi. motion.
Mr Goldney brought in a bill to amend the law relating to
county corouers by vesting their appointment in the Lord
Chancellor or Home Secretary.
A first reading was given to bills introduced by the Lord
Advocate to make better provision for endowed hospitals and
schools in Scotland, and to amend the laws for imposing
Poor Law assessments; by Mr. T. Chambera, to amend the
Metrop,litan Common Act; by Mr. tattoo, to amend the
Adulteration Act of lago.
The Libel Bill was read a second time, and the House ad-
journed.
Is the House of Commons, April 14, Mr. Russell
Gurney in moving the second re Whig of the Married
Women's Property Bill. said that up to the present Gm-
the state of the law Woo that the husband hail absolute
dominion over the property of his wife, and absolute die
minion over all that the wife might obtain by her own labour.
In the last census it was shown that 800,000 women were
earn CC wages. mai it was upon this large Clan that the laws
bore with great severity, Illrt the rots certainly would not
have tolerate„l such a law for any length of time, hail they
not bad their remedy lit the Court. of &piny. The learned
gentleman refeir..l to c.sea in which a wife nail heeii driven
from her hone by the brut lily id her imsband, and when Ole
had saved sufficient to Wart in bitainese ti r had tome
down upon the voila and exercised his conjugal right.. There
were, no doubt, several modes of providing a partial remedy,
but he thought the only remedy was the remedy
contained in the 1511 viz , that the ate should he allowed to
retain her own with the same ri:hts, and subject to the
mute liabilities as her husnand He asked the 001150 to
assent to the aroma' reedit, of the toll, and he would then
vein ose that the hi I be referred to a select committee in
order that the, lasses might be more satisfeciorily examined.
Mr. Jessel secowdrd the motion in a speech of emaiderahle
length. Ile said the bill ails a poor wonian's bill, and he
ei„nsidered the rich wet e -heady well provided for, He said
the lae • relating to married wonietes property were aimil„ir
Li the laws in ancient Date relating to slaves, anti it Was
astonishing to him that such laws should have survived in
common law until the nineteenth century It the hilt were
carried it would elevate the status of poor married woOltio,
and would entitle them to more respect and cansideration
from their hesbanda, and he urged the House to agree to the
principles of the hilt.
Mr. Lopes rose to move that the bill be nail a second time
that day sit months. Ile wished it to he distinctly under.
stood that be was not adverse to arty bill which would
protect the earnings of any married woman He contended
that the law was not unjust in principle, for although
he derived some advantages still lie incurred liabilities.
Taking. for instance, the case of two people with £1.1.00
a year each atter this bill had passed. Their children
were seut to school, and the wife refused to pay for their
education. The payment of the rent, too, the wife perhaps
would refuse to aeklitorle,ge, and then the husband would
he liable for it, In, came the chances Wore very great that he
was the contracting party. Did they iinle,tit that in such a
case as [het the wife should be able to speed her own loomne
In any way she pleased, without contributing anything to
the household or other expenses. As he hail sabl before, he
should be glad to see a b II brought in for the protect in of
the eariliogs oi married women. Ma contended that it did
snot folloa because the laws worked well in America th it it
would wotk equally satisfaetorily in England—it souls be a
case of giving the same medicine both to the infant and the
adult.
Mr. SI. Hill seconded the amendment, and expressed his
concurrecce with the remarks made by the hon. member
(Mr. Lopes.
Mr. Shaw Lefevre supported the bill, and Mr. Rereafords
Ilopo °plotted it.
Mr 0 Morgan said at present the thousands of marriage-
settlements that were nimbi in this country were an evasion
of the common laws and a protest against its injustice. He
should support the measure.
Mr. Hen ey dbagreed wish the bon. gentleman „Mr Mor-
gan), and sa d he believed the object of mari iage settlement.
was to preserve the propeity from beiug squitudered tither
by husband or wife, so that it might be handed down to the
chiiiiren.
After a few remarks from Sir F. Goldsmid,
Air J. D. Coleridee, thought the lions, owed a debt of
gratitude to the right him geldleiliall (Mr. Russell Gur-
), for the manner in which he had introduced the bill.
Ile reeOMMendod the ace ptance of the bill. because the
stare of the laws It, this mat er Was lad latch as could be
satisfactorily defended. Lord Lynoburst daid in lhati, and
he w.s rmico a•touished at the ateement that if a lea •cy
was lei to the wile, or ii she succeeded to any
personal property, it belonged to the husband. He could
receive it, and generally dui so, and he could appropriate
it entirely for his own use. The learned gentleman MIA it
was true to a great extent, that the richer classes, in the
case of marriage settlonents. were protected, but it showed
that they formed a peculiar opinion of the law, lie replied
to the objections urged against the bill, and concluded by
salting that although there were difficulties in the kill, yet he
should wish the Ilona° to give assent to the bill, alid to
remedy its defects before a special committee.
Mr. HarrOWs made slew observations, after which
Air Lopes Withdrew the amendment, and it was accord-
ingly read a second time.
On the motion of Mr Russell Gurney, it was then agreed
to refer the bill toe ardent Commit' ee.
The these then went into committee on the Sunday
Trainee Bill.
After a few amendments by Mr. Chambers, of no great im-
portance had been agreed to,
Mr R. lands sad, the amendments were not on the paper,
and he moved that the Chairman should report progress.
The motion was seconded.
Mr Cambers regretted that hon members had not heard
the alterations; they were men ely verb .1.
The House divided on the motion that the Chairman do
report progreas, and there voted—
For the motion .. • • .. • • SI
Aaaiust it . . .• 169

Majority .. • • .. iS
Mr. Brady soul he rose to move a motion, and It was that
the debate be adjomned, because he thought it was ot such
Importance that more time should he given to the con.
shieration of it lie thought the bill should have teen a
Over' merit MeMIIIre lie concluded by moving thdt the
chairman leave the chair.
rhe mmern was secuele I by Mr Muntz.
Mr. Bruce sad the oriveranneot had • great deal of work
to do tide session, no when it was known that the bill was to
be prosecuted with great energy th- GoSerlllllellt. 90 far as
they were concerned, offered no objection to the bill being
read a second rime and passing into commit te.
Mr. MrCarthy Downing thought the bill unnecessary, and
he should therefore support the adjournnient
Mr. Pete- Tayror asked the Bin, member for If tome (Mr
Thuthes, why be did not move for the repeal of the Act of
Charles It., and then introduce a bill free from all restraint
with reference to it.
Mr klnghes said although there were objections to the
bill of Charles 11, yet it provided that a man might, to a
great extent. do as be liked, and he thought it would not be
advisable to Introduce suit a measure.
Sir John Tr lawney supported the amendment
Mr. Ayrtoo urged the hon. seemlier Mr 101 .nds' to with-
draw his amendment. which would lime the effect of clodng,
and not ear diming the debate. He hoped the hon member
would tben agree to a motion to repo, t progress
Mr. Rylands spoke until sixteen minutes to six, when the
; Motion that the chairman do leave the chair was put, and
' the committee divided—For the moticn, 57; Ag dust, 110;
Majority, 53
Inc rime for suspending debates having then arrived, the
bill became • dropprd order.
Mr Wheelhouse brought in a bill for the exemption from
rating of all public liosoitals dispensaries, and infirmaries,
and the House afterwards aill•rurned.

OUTRAGE by a CONDEMNED CRIMINAL
UPON HIS WARDER.
The convict Charles Wiltshire, who was tried before
Mr. Justice Hansen, at the recent Gloucester Asdzes.
for the iniusler. under circumstancesol peculiar atrocity.
of Harriet. Nurse, at St. Ge..rge's, and eentsoiced
to death, committed a brutal outrage on Monday
morning upon his warder, in the County Gaol.
Since his conviction the prisoner has shown a quiet,
, tractable demeanour, and has listened w th apparent
profit to the exhortations of the prison chaidain. No
violence being apprehended fruit nim, he was placed
in a room in the liospi; AL a here, some years ago, Lewis
Gough, acl iminel under sentence if death, spent his
last hours. Two warders took it by turns to keep him
company. one by day, and the other by night Until
late on last Sunday night nothin 4' occurred calculated t
excite any suspicion that he meilitated violt nee. As his
usual hour for going to bed approached, he appeared
somewhat disturbed and when, towarda one o'clock, his
attendant, Who is kb sergeant on the South Gloucester
Militia Staff, asked him if he did not intend to lie
down, he replied in the negative. Shortly afterwards
he contrived to get, unobserved, behind the warder, and
erizing a metal candlestick welch WS,/ On the table. .
struck a heavy blow on the back of the head eith
the bottom part ot it. Though partially stunned, the
warder did not lose his presence of mind, but reso-
lutely grappled with his assailant, and raised an alarm.
A. night patrol happened to be near, sal hearing an
outcry he ran to the room, and the convict, who is a
powerful fellow, was secured. The warder had sus-
tained a severe scalp wound of mine three inches in
; extent Surgical aid was rendered, and no serious con-
; severities are likely to follow.
he execution is fixed fur Monday next. Meantime
a memor.al in favour of a respite of the prisoner has
, been numerously signed.