The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-07 00:00:00

PUNISHMENT OF RAPE BILL.

Sir S. NOitTfICOTE moved that the house go into coin.
mitts. on this bill. The subject wadi a very simple one.
The crime io question bad recently been committed in
several plane in a very aggravated manner, and there was a
feeling throughout the oountry that it had not always been
dealt with with the severity which it deserved. Many cues
bed conned where it would be very proper to apply the
poishment of whipping, and he therefore now proposed the
additioe of a clause extending the punishment of togging
to ereaults oo girls of render age.
Sir C. CVIAJGHLEN thought this bill ought not to Teas
without consideration, merely because it came down from
the Hone., of Lade. This was a general measure, which
in all cum to indict the punishment of dogging.
Moolled sidered that no one had been made out to justify an
alteration of the existing law, and be oleo thought the pun-
ishment of dogging ought not to be sand to any crime
except after great ommideration. No expression of opinion
had taken plass eat of doors to show that the present pun-
ishment for rape wee itienbeseat. He therefore objected
to thin meddling with the criminal law. la 1641 the pita-
ishtnent of death for the crime of nips wee abolished and
troleWortatin for life substituted. Sine them the question
had been considered by nun' °Dominions, sad in 1861
the act passed which regulated the present pnaishment for
thscrime of rape. He altogether denied that then had
been any increase in this crime of late years. On the con.
%inry the return for 1862 showed a demesne.
. .

After some further obserratioce the boo. and learned
member mooed is as amendment that the bill be committed
that day thntemonthe.

Mr. ROEBUCK seconded the amendment. The bil!, he I,
skid, contemplated an important alteration in our criminal
law, and therefore should not have bean introduced by a
private member except in concert with the government.
The house would observe that neither the Home Semetszy
nor the Attorney-General were in the house. The hill was,
in fact, a ooutmdictioa to the lust principles of criminal
law. Jeremy Bentham had said that if a fine of a peony
,iroald prompt the crime of murder, any punishment
inflicted berried that was sheer mischief. The honour-
able sod learned member who had introduced the bill
dissented from such pi :winks, and in so doing abowed kis
utter incapacity and unfitness for such a task as he bad
undertaken. (A laugh.) The bill had come down from the
House of Lords, and he was sahanted of the Hones of Lords
fur having originated such a bill. (Laughter.)
Mr. ADDERLEY supported the bill.
Mr. O'FIAGAN would, in the absence of the Ham
Secretary. stale that right hos. gentleman's opinion of the
bill, in which opinion he (Mr. Oliame) mecums& Their
lest opioion was, that no case had bees made oat for new
legislation. as in the cams of the comities of the previous
year, when the crime became so general as to create quite a
panic amongst the public. The statistics of crime did not
show any increase in the commission of the risme here
-legislated against during the Fremont, or past TJear, end
•thenefore he felt justified in Nonparties the am ndmmit.
Mr. HUNT mad that if his hoe. framed who had charge
of the bill would limit its operation to cams ia which more
than one pones were concerned ia the aomesimice of the
ammo, he (Mr. Hung would vote for the soloed reeding.
Sir S. NORTHOOTE consented toaccept the proposal
the boo. imager for Northamptonshire by heilties the
operation of the bill to the case specified. The bill
had in the Hoene of Lords received the sametion of the
Lord Chancellor, sad wee, as he had understood, not hoe.
tardy regarded by the law °Moen of the crown. He
proposed to iewoduce a clams standing the mealtime for
the eceresiesioe of this offense' on the mimes of very young
children. a clam of crime which, as the home knew, was
, got always committed oe the impulse of brutal meagre, hat
molly and with deliberation, as the result of an particularise
Naperatition which it was impossible for bum to charactemiee,
bat of the mistimes of which hoe, members were aware.
(Hear, beer.)
Mr. AYRTON objected to the infliction of physical tor-
ture as a &lamest of the crime. H. thought that the
efficecy of imprisonment would have formed a more useful
subject for consideration. Aseumieg the whole come, the
bill veal in the wrong direction, and if passed would be •
disgrace to the statute book. They ought to maintain the
consistency of their criminal code, and not allow it to be
frittered away by inconsiderate and holly legislation of
this description.
Mr. PACK 6 expressed his regret that the bill had not
been ta%en up by the government, as be thonbt there
were several other °fleeces which might be included
within its provisions. As, however, he approved of the
principle of the bill, he would vote for the second readrue.
Mr. CLAY said he believed this was the first time an ad-
dition bad been proposed to the punishment of a crime
which was not shown to have increased.

Sir .1 TRELAWN Y objected to the proposed legislation.
Mr. SCHLATER•BOOTH thought that perms, guilty of
this crime deserved floggiogandsometbing more, but objectral
to introduce this punishment piecemeal and in a capncioua
faikion. He thought that the better course would be not
to proceed further with the bill. sod to ooesider by nest
=Mot whether the same panishmeet should not be ex.
loaded to analogous cases.
The house thee divided :
For the amendment Si
Alpinist it
The bill was ooesequeetly throws out.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (IRELAND) BILL.
Os the mottos of Mr. M•Msnon the order of Use day for
the second readies of this bill was read sod discharged.
FISHERIES (FRESH WATER) BILL.
Mr. NE ATE withdrew this bill.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS BILL.

---
Mr. PAULL moved that the boos, should ge into com-
mittee opal this bill.
Mr. PAnET opposed the motion.
Mr. HAINES said that there were trade protection socie-
ties in the West Riding who opposed the bill, as it would
destroy a system of credit which was eery beneficial to the
working classes during periods of distress. He hoped,
therefore, that the bill would not be premed.
The house then went into committee pro forma, and after
• brief oonversstioo rammed.
The house adjourned at a quarter to 6 o'clock.

OPENING Or •XOTHR9 NEW RONAN CATHOLIC
CBCRCH.—Cardinal Wieetuse presided on Tuesday at the
*posing of a sew Roman catholic church at Haswell, Mid-
x. The Atwell has bean built from the designs of Mr.
M. W. Pugin, and though small is s beautiful specimen of
architeciure. It has bees built at the septum° of oar iodi-
virtual. Mire Rabeett, of Haswell. Them was • large at.
Inwidance of clergyman aid laity. Among the former were
Mgr. Talbot, ciee of the Pope's chamberlains. High 1:0111111
was celebrated by the Very Rev. Dr. Hearne, and the music
(lisydn's Imperial Ham) wee executed is good style by
several of the leading vocal and instruments! catholic
artistes is London. There was a drjetiner afterward., at
which Cardinal Wiseman presided.
Oseirrat. PaLsoz.—Oyes SHILLING DAY.—WW-
WHIDAY. J (Mr 6.—Admissiala o• mane, 7,306 ; ditto by
essios ticket.. 1.829; treat, 9.134.
ilotNiit•ten Tta is cboice and strong, moderate
M price. and wholesome to use. These advantages have secured
Ist this tees a general preference. It la sold In packets by
ageola —LAdverliseseot.

DRAM 4.

HAYMAREET;

Mr. Buckstene took his mama and weillearned
baleen at this leen last night, mid with it closed an na-
tionally emperor mem. The letertainmenta chosen wen
the messigefe excelleek little comic drama, Good for
Nothing; John O'Keeffes wade opera, The Castk
Ando/Ma, which has not been acted in London for thirty
years ; the rattling farce, 4 Regular Pis, in which Mr.
Selena played Hugh le Braes—a character originally
,performed by Mr. Robson; Mr. Blackstone's annual address,
which always contains • review of the past and many pre-
mien' for the future ; the whole concluding, to um showmen's
language, with the fame et The Christening. The great
novelty of the evening wee of course the revival of
O'Keefe's once popular musical drama, with • out which
left nothing to be desired. The Cantle of Andalusia Is an
excellent specimen of that class of play technically called
melodrama, which our forefatben loved, and of which The
Miller cad hie Men is perhaps the best-known specimen.
Its story, laid cm Spanish greed, is as improtabie ea
it can well be, but it is full of situation', fun, sod
amusing equivoques, sad the drama an never be
tiresome in the hands of • good comedy company, such
as the Haymerket is happy in pommies. When
originally produced at Covent-garden, with Dr. Ar-
oold's music, Dear the close of 1781, it was called The
Banditti, or Loren Labyrinth, end was completely rejected
by the &Wiesen on the first night ; but the author took it
back tenderly, and, after his disappointment was over.
altered thestory a little, the title, and some of the songs, and
produced it spin, after about a you's interval, to meet with
the greatest mom. "A Muter I have, and I amble Man,"
"Flow, thou regal purple stream," with severe] other map
soon became the treasured property of the town ; and a few
years htr "The Wolf," interpolated by Shield end the
author, enjoyed equal popularity.
Doe Cesar lest night wee played by Mr. Weir, Spade by
Mr. Bookstores, Pedrillo by Mr. Compton, Don Scipio by
Mr. Chippendale, Fernando by Mr. W. Fames, Alehouse
by Mr. Arthur Mattiknos, Victoria by Mies Nelly NO"
Catalies by Mime Loans Seeley, and Dome Looms by
Madame Weiss. All the old traditions handed down from
the days of Quick and Edwin were humorously preserved
by Mona. Becketooe and Compton, and all the other per-
formers acted with evident enjoyment of their parts. The
primitive "business" of the drama bag been faithfully
copied, end altogether the revival, which will be continued
in the autumn, lea real treat for old and young playroom,
and a mark of respect to the author of Wild Oats, notwith.
standing many modern musical interpolations.
It is almost amincessary to say that Mr. Blackstone was
entbonatically received by a most crowded madame, who
waited until near midnight to bear him deliver an address.
The delivery of the speech was broken by frequent roue&
of applause, and at the close the popular manager was pelted
with nosegays.