The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

MR. BRIGHT ON THE GAME LAWS.

The following letter from Mr. Bright, M.P., is ad-
dressed to the secretary of the Edinburgh Anti-
Game Law Assoriation, and conveys hie opinion as to
the present po.,ition of the game law question, and the
propriety of again bringing it brfore parliament
during the apimmrhing session :
" Rochdale, Dec. 1,1849.
6' Dear Sir,—l delayed replying to your first letter
until I had considered the subject, and had consulted
one or two of my friends with reference to it. In that
letter you anode to the extreme difficulty of arousing
farmers to any effort for their own deliverance. This
is unfortunately the case both in England and Scot-
land, and ace:runts very much for my unwillingness
last session to bring the game laws again before par-
liament. It must be borne in mind that nearly the
whole House of Commons, certainly a very large ma-
jority of its members, aro directly interested
in the question -- they are landowners, and
game preserver', and sportsmen, or the im-
mediate relatives and Wends of those who
are so. Their feelings, and prejudices, and customs,
are wholly agaire: any real reform in the Game
Laws. Oat of doors there is no movement on the
subject to which an unwilling legislature se ill bow.
The towns people do not seem to sufferany direct and
material grievance : they regard it as a matter more
important to the rural classes than to them, although
I believe their opinions are almost universally with
us. The rural class-s are composed chiefly of farmers
and labourers, and bosh are victims of the system.
Bat, unhappily, bath are so wanting in power and
independence that no important or combined effort is
Ito be expected from them. And, in t: uth, I see no
hope of being able to raise a movement out
of doors by discussions in parliament. 1 dishke dis-
cussions where no answer is made, and where rdiancc
en votes only is the rule, without regard to the jus-
tice of the case. I have thought it better to give up
the narLameatary discussion of the question for a
-
time, in the belief that a free-trade in corn, compe-
tition with the foreign grower, and moderate prices,
would force it on the attention of landlords and
farmers. I think even now 1 see the cure working.
In some districts, I am told, farms came. be let at
old ren's ; I speak of England. Yearly tenancies, re-
strictior aon cultivati.m, absurd covenants, and the
preservation of game will became ins iperable objec-
tions to er ry tenant of capital and spirit, if prices
remain moderate, as I duubt not will be the case for
the future. There is a great confusion spring-
ing up in the hitherto stagnant agr:cultural
mind, and out of this contusion will come order, and
freedom for the cultivator, and a better state of riga
to the labourer and the public. With commercial
prices, land must be managed on commerci el princi-
ples, and caner reeal principles will not sanction the
preservation of game on cultivated and r,nt-paying
lends—they will overthrow game laws and banish
gamekeepers, and put au end to the offence of poach-
ing. Landowners will be brought to reason, and
their long contempt of the public interests in relation
to this question will be corrected. I once asked a
proprietor and a county member if it was true that he
had destroyed the game on his estate ? The answer
is worth recording. He said, 'Do you think we
shall be sunh fools as to preserve game wheu we are
eubjectei to foreign competition This was imme-
diately after the passing of the bill to repeal the corn
hew. _ _

" I am lookirg, therefore, v.i.h cooftdence to the
neceseitit a of all connected with the cultivation of the
soil, for a remedy for the grievance, which you and I
have done something to exrose and abate ; for, u
happily, it mty be said with trutb, that feudal privi-
leges owe their abolition, far lees to an acknowledg-
ment of their injuitice on the part of those who
possess them, than to the necessities of the people.
" I think it is a matter open for deliberation whether
the game laws should be brought before parliament
in the coming session. To have a discusgion and a
division would at least teat the sincerity of
the farmers' friends: They complain of burdens
but do not find it easy to point them out. We may
suggest to them that the repeal of the game laws,
and the abolition of the game nuisance, would give
greater relief to agriculture than the repeal of any
particular tax or other grievance to which land-
owners or farmers are subjected. Perhaps before or
about the time of the meeting of parliament. I may
hear further from you. lam anxious to do what
may most serve the cause your association hare so
much at heart, and their opinion will have great
weigh with:me.
"lam, with much respect, yours feith;ully,
"JOHN BRIGHT.
"To Robt. llowden, Esq., Edinburgh.

RAILWAY COMPANIES AND THE GAME LAWS.-A
cue wss heard before the Tax Commissioners, in the County
Hall, Lincoln, on Tuesday laat, in which the question alas
whether the game on land belonging to railway companies,
or on the line of railway, belonged to the respective com-
panies or to the lord of the manor? The commissioners
decided in favour of the railway company, but Mr. Sells,
the tax surveyor for this district, not being satisfied with
this decision, is determined to lay the case before the twelve
judges. The question arose cut of the following circuits-
st,nces :—One of the Midland Company's servants, at
N-ttiligham, who rents a garden belonging to the company,
in the neighbourhood of Cul.,ick, having been much plagued
by rabbits damaging his garden, he was determined to
reduce their number, if possible, and having been given to
understand that he could shoot rabbits without taking out a
game certificate, be proceeded down the line, in the neian-
bourhood of his garden, and when on that port of the lino
which passes through Mr. Musters' ground, he was accosted
by a gamekcep- r, who demanded his name ; the company's
servant told him he was only shooting rabbits, and said he
had a right to do so, as he wu on the company's ground.
The gamekeeper informed Mr. &Us of the circumstance, and
the railway servant was surcharged with duty, and the sp.
peal day was fixed for the 17th of November. Mr. L. Hall
and Mr Lowe were the commissioners on that day, and they
decided at once that the game belonged to the railway com-
pany, and that Mr. Sells had no case •gaicst the railway ser-
vant; but Mr. Sells not being satisfied, was determined to
I get farther evidence, and bring it again before the commis-
sioners, which was done last Tuesday, when five cuamis.
sioners again decided in favour of the railway company, end
acquitted the railway servant; but, strange to say, Mr. Sells
was still not satisfied, and announced his intention of laying
the cue before the twelve judges,—Noflingham Journal.
OPENING OF THE NEW CORN EXCHANGE, EDIN-
El:llolt.—Thie,new and commodious structure was formally.
. _

opened on Wednes lay by the Lord Provost, magisrates, ant
town council. About 1,500 were present. Business was
done as usual in the old grain market, but shortly after one
o'clock great numbers of farmers, merchants, traders, &e.,
began to congregate within the new hall, and &fore two
the building was crowded. Eight rows of tables were set
from the head of the room to the entrance, and another table
was placed latitudinally at the top for the magistrates and
council. The tables were bounteously covered with wine
and cake. The seats at each side of the tables were all
occupied, and a considerable number of the assemSlage had
to stand during the proceedings. A.. five minutes past two
the civic authorities entered in their official robes., and ac-
companied by their retinue, and besides the Lord Provost,
Bailin Tullis, Tait, Gulland, and Law, and most of the
memls re of the council, there were seated at the upper
table, Chas. Cowan, Esq ,1K P. ; Mr. Sheriff Gordon, Adam
Black, Esq , Sir James Forrest, Provost Maclaren, of Leith,
J. Melville, E.q., W.S ; John Mitchell, Esq., Leith; D.
Cousins, Esq. architect, &c. &c. A trumpeter attended,
whose shrill -blast commanded attention on any one rising
to speak. A continuous hum was kept up in the hail
during the whole of the proceedings, and it was somewhat
difficult to secure attention, and in the extremities of the
hall the addresses could with difficulty be heard. The
Lord Provost said, " It is necessary to open this market by
an actual sale, and as I see no other merchant ready, I
am prepared to offer some barley for your acceptance. It is
my own growing, and I ask for it If. 4s. a bushel—l mean a
quarter. (This lapsus of his lordship caused low. laughter
and applause all throughout the hall I—Mr. fisher, brewer,
then came forward, and made offer of 23.. Gd. • but his lord-
ship said—" I must have more than that." dr. fisher then
bought it at 24s.—The Lord Provost then annonesed he had
sold the barley at 24.. and paid custom on the grain to Mr.
Robertson, the city chamberlain, who was present to receive
it. Several other addresses were delivered, and the evening's
proceedings passed off to the general s tisfaction of those
present. In the course of his speech on the toast of the
evening, the Lord Provost said the merchants displayed
great readiness in taking offices in the new building, and he
trusted the farmers would be equally confident that better
times were coming for the corn Dade.
CHURCH PROPERTY.—Last week it Was stated that
a sexton has no authority to sell the tombstones in a church
yard. A case has occurred in Derby of a similar nature. A
very beautiful and ancient font has been removed from 81.
Werburgh's Church, and a modern one been substituted.
The old one, a the specimen of a church font, is cow used in
a gentleman's garden to put flowers in. We should like to
know who disposed of this sacred relic of the church, as it is
not at all creditable to the churchwardens to allow it to be
need for any such purpose.—Nottinghant Jourwt(.