The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-20 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES

They sent the accountant whom they employed to Mr.
P?mberton's office, and Mr. Pemberton, in an unfortunate
hour, allowed him to copy out all the items; so that if ever
there was a • case in which such an offence had been
condoned for by a full explanation, it was
this case. The circumstances of the borrowing
was.,unknown at the time, and no one would, have
credited that the bankrupt borrowed money at such a rate
of interest, had not he himself disslosed it. The account,
however, was made out; it extended over sixty sheets of
paper, and it was filed among the other documents in the
court; and it was owing to his efforts, that the large sum of
£l,OOO was returned to the estate, and a proof for £1,7000
abandoned. In that manner, the bankrupt had done every-
thing he could to compensate for the error; and though
nobsby could justify borrowing at such a rate of interest,
yet an investigataion- of Mr. Tyson's conduct in this
respect would b 3 found in the nature of the corn trade, It
weans fluctuating trade, -and the bankrupt calculated, on
borrowing the money, that he
.could make purchases which
would not only repay the interest, but realise a profit for
himself. It did not appear that he borrowed the money for
the purpoes of propping himself up, but for speculations in
trade ; and it was unfortunate for him that these specula-
tions were failures. At the same time they knew that
borrowings at a large amount of interest were going on from
day to day in Liverpool, and he ventured. to say that
men passed through the court who were guilty of more
serious offences than those imputed to the bankrupt. They
had cases of men passing through the court who had been
insolvent for years, and who had contracted large debts,
having continued to trade, though coascious of their
involve cy. Only the other day, a gentleman who had
come before the court at the end of every seven years for
the last twenty one years, on the list occasion without a
shilling of assets, and £15,000 of debts, and who had been
an insolvent for years, and had nevertheless traded, obtained
a certificate, with suspension for twelve months. He did
not find fault with these iqdgnvnts; but he alluded to them-
to show that it would not be just or proper to vindicate the,
commercial morality of Liverpool at the expanse of Mr.
Tyson, simply because be had not properly kept his books,
and had borrowed money at a high rate of interest. If it
were necessary that the commercial character of the com-
munity be vindicated, there were occasions on which it
might have been vindicated with more success. They
were allowed to borrow money at a large rate of
interest, and, in . fact, •it was only the other
day that Baron Bramwell expressed a hope that
he _would never hear the word usury mentioned again—
money, like any other commodity, commanding its price.
But, notwithstanding the high rate of interest, justice had
been done to the estate, Out of £4.000, Mr. Pemberton,
as was before explained, returned £2,700, so that on a calcu-
lation it would be found that Mr. Pemberton bad received
only 18 per cent , a rate of interest which he (Mr. Yates)
did not consider alarming. His Honour : Will any trading
afford to pay 18 per cent, for money ? Some particular
transaction may. Mr. Yates replied that he could show
high mercantile houses where the rate of interest, as contin-
uously charged, realised 18 per cent. It was not done
openly, but in the way of discounts. Mr. Lowndes, if he
choose, could bear testimony to the fact. In conclusion,
Mr. Yates urged, that with the exception of this
borrowing, the bankrupt bore as honourable a character,
and was considered as honest a tradesman as there
was in the town of Liverpool. Tha corn and flour
trade was one of a most fluctuating and dangerous
character, but until the present misfortune the bank-
rupt, who was originally a farmer, had continued
to trade without ever having had occasion to compound or
compromise any debt. Up to. June last be held as high
a, position as any man in Brunswick street, and he deserved
more consideration and commiseration than was shown him
by some of those who knew him in his better days. He
(Mr. Yates) hoped his Honour would be of opinion that a
slight suspension would he sufficient to meet the justice of
the case; but whatever might be the judgment of the court,
it would not lesson the bankrupt in the opinion and estima-
tion of those who had known him long and intimately.
.His Honour intimated that he would dispose of the case at
11 o'clock on Friday.

SUPPRESSION OF HOUSES OF ILL FAME AND
BETTING OFFICES.

On Saturday, a deputation, consisting of the rector, church-
wardens, and vestrymen of the parish of St. James's West-
minster, waited upon Sir George Grey at the Home Office, fer
the purpose of calling the attention of the Government to the
great increase in the number of houses of ill fame, and of
betting offices, in the parish which they represented. ' Among
the gentlemen forming the deputation were Sir De Lacy
Evans, M.P., Rev. J. C. Kemp (the rector), the church-
wardens and many members of the vestry. The Rev. Mr.
Kemp, in introducing the deputation, briefly stated the object
they had in view, and said that they complained of the state of
tha law, as tbev could not find any remedy for the evil which
they desired to suppress. They had applied to the quarter
sessions, and had succeeded in two or three indictments, but
had failed to elicit any permanent good. The two houses
against which they had obtained judgments were opened
again, and had returned to their previous character. With
respect to the nuisances which prevailed in the public streets,
caused by the assembling of improper characters, the
deputation had previously waited upon Sir Richard Mayne,
who had told them that they could not do more than
had been done to remove the annoyance. The members
of the deputation thought that some legislative enactment
might be adopted, which, by removing some of the public evils,
might benefit the cause of general morality. The vestry clerk
then read a memorial, embodying the facts alluded to by the
Rev. Mr. Kemp, and stating the difficulties attending any
attempting to put down the evils complained of. The memorial
also referred to the existence of a large number of betting
houses or offices, and to the obstruction occasioned by' the
congregating of their frequenters on the pathways. Sir George
Grey said the memorial referred to two perfectly distinct
subj:cts, and ho understood from it that the difficulty of
dealing with brothels arose from the peculiar nature of the
evidence required in order to obtr.in a conviction. That was a
point upon which he could say nothing he would refer the
subject to the Attorney-General for his consideration. With
respect to the suggestion which had been made of applying to
houses of this character a similar law to that which existed
with respect to gaming houses, he thought there would be
considerable difficulty in doing so in London. With regard
to the reference which had been made to the absence in
France and Belgium of annoyance in the public streets, it
should be remembered that that freedom was purchased
at the expense of a ' direct legislative sanction of pro-
stitution. Be questioned whether it would be right, on the
ground of public morality or good principle, for him to suggest
any similar course to the legislature of this country, and he felt
certain that the public generally would not' sanction any such
course. If they did not sanction what foreign Countries did,
they must continue to submit to annoyances such as those
complained of. 'With respect to the existence of the betting
houses, the complaint was rather against the administration of
the taw titan the law itself, and Sir Richard Mavne would
si‘tiaatyenlel oswa
dfar
htahe ti
tcomplainthadsi
nwl
ye r
be e
ewne Isl fugoguens
tdeedd .
by
tSirlte Richard
llayne said that it had certainly been suggested by the deputa.d
tion that the police should go into those betting houses and
make bets, for the purpose of getting evidence. Bat this was
a course to which he had many objections, and one upon which
the police ought not to he called to act, except in very ex reme
cases. If, in any case, evidence was given upon which the
police could act, the necessary steps should be immediately
taken, But he believed that many of the houses which the
deputation supposed to be betting houses were in reality not
betting houses at all. After some further discussion, in which
several members of the deputatioti took part, Sir G. Grey said
that the subject should receive his careful attention, and he
would consult with the Attorney General as to the nature of
the evidence required in dealing with houses of an improper
character.

THE SPEAKER ON. MR. BROTHERTON.—On the death of
this lamented gentleman, the Mayor of Malford addressed a
letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, announcing
to him the deplored event.-- The reply from the Speaker
(written by Mr. G.. Walde.:rave) was received on Friday
morning by his worship, and contains the following senti-
ments :—He directs me further to express his sincere regret
at the decease of so useful a member of the house over
Which he has the honour to pre,ide. The loss of a member
whose life in the IJouse of Commons has been, for a
lengthened period most unostentatiously devoted to the
voluntary discharge of various duties '(many of them
apparently of not very great consequence in themselves),
but in reality of the greatest importance to the well conduct
of public business in the Imperial Parliament, is one which
the Speaker deeply deplores.
nig MAINE LAW IN GLASGOW--On Friday night last a
largeA meeting, in connexion with the 'United Kingdom
lance, Was held in Glasgow,Mr: 'Tames Robertson in the
chair. The Hon. Judge Marshall, of Nova S-otia, moved
the first resolution, to the followino% effect : :--That the
legislative
prohibition of the liquor traffic is in accordance
with the principles and precepts of the British legislation;
and that all experience tends to show than the system of
governmental regulatiln and license; ai applied to the
traffic, is at once unsound in
R, Buchanan
disastrous in its
social results. The Rev. ban seconded the
resolution, which was carried unanimously,
of Dumfries. moved the second resolutio, Dwrb.icMh'Cdencillanrnehd
that the real source of the social miinSclathieleif
articleo`arising
Bale
soil,
t fromthe
e t
andth ee
traffic in intoxicating drinks lying
not in the time, place, or circumstances
policy of legislation in'regard to the traffic must involverau
entire prohibition of the sale of such drinks as beverages atn
all times, in all placea, and
„under all circumstances. !qr.
S. Pope, of Manchester, seconded the resolution, and
declared that Scotland and England must go hand in band
with regard to this matter, and if they were one in effort
they would be one in triumph. (Great applause) The
resolution was carried unanimously.