The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-12 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN SEWERS ACTS CONTINUANCE

BILL

On the order for the 3ril—rearn.g of this bin being read,
Captain LAFFAN camplained upon • previous occasion
when this bill was under discussion en hoe. member had
attacked Mr. Chadwick. He thought it was to be regretted
that the conduct of any absent ileum should be made the I
subject of an attack in that bowie, when there was no uppor-
tuity fur a defence being made.
L.rd PALMERSTON certainly regretted that an attack
bad been made upon Mr. Chadwick. That gentleman had
expended • deal of time, ab lay, and seal in the public ser-
vice and was very undeserving of any complaint.
L;rd D. STUART regretted that the hon. member for
Westminster was not in his plare to defend the observations
which he had made on a preview occasion up -n Mr. Chad-
wick.
Hs bad no doubt that his hen. friend would have
been quite able to defend himself, fur he (Lord D. Stuart)
was quite sure that he was influenced by no personal feel-
ings in the matter. Mr. Chadwick was • public lune.
tionat7, and, u such, his conduct was open to the criticism
of any hon. member. If that criticism were unjust, there
were always plenty of persons ready to take the part of any
one unjustly attacked. If complaint timid not be made of
persons who were absent, no one could lie complained of
bat memben of the bout: itself. That the ceniplaint in
questien was not wholly without foundation, the opinion
given by Sir F. Lewis of Mr. Chadwick would show.
Captain LAFFAN did nut mean to say that the conduct
of any public functionally ha withdrawn from the
cognisance of that house. He only regretted thit the hon.
member for Westminster hod attatked Mr. Cnadsvick with-
out giving any notice of his intention to do so.
Tne bill was then read a third time and passed.

LUNATICS' CARE AND TREATMENT BILL
Upon the order of the day for the third reading of this
Mr. MITCHELL moved the following clause : " Provided
also. That it shall not be lawful fir a proprietor or superin-
tendent of any licensed house, to keep or confine beyond the
period of months any person admitted into such house ell a
lunatic under the provisions of this act, unless • jury, as in
the case of a writ de lunatic* inquirendo, shall have been
summoned to ascertain the lunacy of such person ; on the
asanimous finding of this jury, the person shall be die-
charged or detained, as the case wily be ; it the Jurors can-
not
agree, then the person shall be tranferred to the nearest
county lunatic asylum, as provided for by clause twenty."
While protection was extended to the poorer classes of las
intim, those who were richer were left without it, espe-
cially as regarded their detention in the asylums. It bad
bees said that he had complained that the keepers of pri-
vate asylums treated their patients with cruelty : but this
wee only the fact in a limited sense. So far as personal
treatment went there was nothing calling for con.pleint
but it was his opiates that, in many instances, persons
yen detained in the asylum for a longer period than was
necessary. This was a cruelty which he thought it his
duty to endeavour to provide against.
Mr. WALPOLE rose, and was about to address the
house, when
Mr. MITCHELL said be would not divide the ?louse on
the claims.
The chime was then negatived, without • division.
- - - • •

Mr. WALPOLE Naomi to aid the following clause :
" Aid whines by the said recited act it is provid-d
Mao sorry perm to be appointed in the room of
is, ecommlealeser, being a hamster of Ave years' standing
at the bar, sad upwards, shall be a practising barrister of
not less this live years' deciding at the bar ; and whereu
hie expedient to amend the said provisions as ,hereinafter
mentioned, the present or any future Secretary to the Com-
missioners, if at the time of his appointment to he sash
secretary be was se shall beee been a praetisiut banister of
not less than tin years' etan.ltner at the bar, 'bail be eligible
to be appointed a eosesawiontr in the room of any sash
commissioner as storessid."
The clause was agreed to, and the bill was them read a
third tints and pared.

EVIDENCE AMENDMENT BILL.
Os the order of the day for the third reading of this bill,
Mr. WORTLEY said he regretted he was not present
when this bill was in committee, or be shoual base 'eked
for some explanation as to one of the provisions of this bill.
'ihis bill provided that a husband or wife should be
/gully competent and compellable to give evidence, but to
the seventh clause there was an exception which he could
not nuilentand. The exceptions were two. in eons of trials
regarding adultery, the reason for which exception it was
not difficult to understand ; and the other exception was
in criminal eases. U. could not ice why a wile or a hus-
band should be permitt..d to give evidence in a c.vil suit
and not in a criminal case. Ile would put • sing:. st.omaty.
In a county court there was nothing so common
as • case being proved by a plaintiff ev.d
wife, the wife keeping the accounts ; and he ma; 1-.rry to
say it was no uncommon thing for the unsuccessFul party
to prefer an indictment for perjury. According to this bill,
the wife and the husband could not t,.' called es a witness
fir the other in a ease of that kind. Th, -s might be miny
eases where • wife could give mist valuable evidence en •
pprr•cueion, and he thought it would be better to ;et the
huoiicd and wife be called, leaving their tildqleL open to
such observations u might be made upon it. Perhaps it
was tog late to move an amendment, but Lc w.therd for an

eapi.nation on these points.
PALIERSTON said he would postpone the bill
till t ••asorrow. and the suzgctitiont of the his. end learned
member !Moak! betaken Into oonseltretiss.
The hill win pestpnoed ao.oordisgly.
'll.e conies rit Specification" Keocil LUI, Chute( ry Suitors
Farther It hef Bill, and the L•.clesi.iitical Listing Act
Amendment Bill wove t. terally ci.n.idered
and old, red VI he read a third time this day.
Colon, 1 SI lITIIORP said he horir-1 the nob!, 'ord the
Secretary fur the Home booartment would take into con.i-
ileratioa the prelim% dangerous pr.ctiet rd 111111140..1,1-a
atoppin to sat down and take up pas,engars ir. tLe middle
of the street.
Lord PALMERSTON rdd he .h.iokl make ti;•
DM," lU inquire particularly into the n. attar
than.: the act specified, at the hon. Awl goltint ro.lnt.er
imagiefrol, that omnibuses should tale e,, ,r a.,t d twr, at any
"wheeler pert of the street, bet the puute LW a pentral

power to prey' at obstructions to the tr.Letil. Be smelt call
the attention :A ac Commissioners of Ebolice to the subject.
The house then aejourned at a quarter to 12 (o'Clock.

Sin Jun,: SHELLEY having read in the House of
Commons a eircu;ar, ant by Mr. Frewen to the gentlemen
of bar Zilajeety's Opposition, summoning them to appear in
the hou-e on Mouday evening, to insist on the restoration
of a clause prohibiting the use of carts drawn by dogs,
which their lor.'ships struck cut of the Turnpike Acts
Continuation Bid, the following has hen des-
patched to the hon. bonnet by Mr. FfeWCII •—" Sir—As I
cannot but regent the reading by you in the ll' +use of Coos.
mons, this tusruiug, of a note of mine mirk-4 private,'
as involving a breach of confidence on the part of some
member of tha Conservative parte, to wh-,ni it Lad been
addressed—in justice to mr.el,, 1 &man i to know from
whom you received it I—l am your obedient servant,—
C. 11. FILIONEN, Whitehall-gardzns, Welntsday, Au-
gust 10."